Final Answer, page 15
part #9 of The Descendants War Series
"They won't call for help." Brahn approached the nearest door. He tapped at the panel for a moment before backing away. "This one's locked now. They won't get through. I used the Lord Marshal's seal. That will funnel them to the other side." He walked over there. "And I'll leave that open so they can walk right into being shot."
"Hey," Kyle said, "how do you know they won't send a distress call?"
"I jammed them before I opened the door. We have enough problems without more of them turning up."
"What about heading up there?" Kyle offered. "Sweep them before they rally. We'd have the advantage. They can't possibly think we'd make that happen."
"I'd be willing," Brahn replied. "But we shouldn't commit everyone. Jok, you stand by this door. Anyone that tries to run will come through here. Kyle, you might join him."
Lysa asked, "Any chance they'll use that maintenance corridor? We know they have one leading to their power station. At least, all the others have one. That's how you got through, right?"
"Yes," Brahn said, "but there are two entrances. One from the outside and one from this room. I didn't see any other way in. Besides, if they're desperate enough to go that route, you'll hear them coming. I'd better hurry, though. As Kyle said, we have the element of surprise right now. It would be a shame to waste it."
"Indeed." Jok sighed as he took position in front of the door. Kyle joined him. "Do come back alive, Brahn. I'd rather not lose you." He paused. "Lysa, have you started the download yet?"
"Yes, and before you ask, we're at twenty percent." Lysa sighed. "If it's any consolation, it's moving faster than at the other places."
"Good." Jok nodded to Brahn. "At this rate, you'll have time to keep them busy. Make it good."
"No problem." Brahn tapped the panel to open the door... then charged in.
***
Brahn felt for the old man. Essa had likely thought he'd die on that mission, not lose his nephew. If any of them had real sense, they would've made peace with the idea of dying before they arrived on the planet. Particularly Milna. If she confronted Aeden, he had the upper hand. Unless she did something tricky, that part of the mission had to fail.
Which leads me to ask the question of why we're doing this at all. Brahn didn't have a lot of faith in the plan. So why am I taking all these risks? He let his rifle hang from his side, aiming up the stairs with his sidearm. I'm practically throwing my life away on this little stunt. And for what? To hold the line for them to download data?
"What're you doing?" a voice down the hall shouted. "Get that door open! Now!"
"I can't remember the code!" another man replied. "I haven't been in there for months! Only Fahlin bothered and he's downstairs!"
"We need those guns, you moron! Hurry! Guess or something!"
Can't get into the armory. Brahn smirked. Probably have some heavy weapons in there. I'm not sure what they think they'll do with those. Wreck the temple? That seems counterproductive to their duties. Of course, these men seemed more intent on surviving the situation rather than coming out ahead.
Brahn reached the landing, peering down the corridor that stretched the length of the building. Other passages led off from there, providing access to the various offices and conference spaces of the temple. The layout made for a lot of hiding places where the cowards might be dug in.
One at a time, I guess. Brahn drew a deep breath before advancing. The conversation about the armory took place somewhere down the way. Their voices echoed along the stone walls, making it hard to pinpoint their exact location. Maybe they're looking for some armor. I'll bet that's it. Not heavy weapons.
It might give them an edge. Soldiers who weren't necessarily on duty, but at the ready just in case. The fact they didn't have access to their tools made Brahn shake his head. If any individual on his team lost their code, they would've been cut from the program and sent back to the basic infantry.
This is what happens when soldiers don't drill. They get sloppy and lazy. The first door loomed ahead. Firing his weapon would alert the entire floor of his presence. If anyone happened to be in there, he wanted to take them quietly. Tapping the panel, he stood to the side then slipped in when no one responded.
A man stared at another door, one opposite him. He held a pistol in a shaky hand, sweat covering his face and matting his hair. Constant muttering cut into his peripheral awareness... which had to be the only reason he didn't hear the door open. Brahn slipped up behind him, wrapping his arm around his neck.
The body stiffened for only a moment before he squeezed. A pop sounded half a second later, making the man go limp. Lowering the body to the floor, he kicked the weapon under the table before heading to the door his victim so intently guarded before his demise. HUD showed people out there, but not in the hallway.
So far so good. Four more men stood in his path. Clearing the area alone meant keeping his flank secure didn't matter quite as much. They could loop around easily enough, with multiple doors offering access to the same rooms. I've had to make the best of it before like this. And my opponents aren't the best.
The door opened as he approached as a motion sensor kicked in. Brahn hopped to the side as a man took two shots at him, blasting the wall. Grabbing the man's hand, he yanked the newcomer inside, throwing a knee. The blow got his opponent in the gut, so he huffed out a grunt of pain.
Brahn jerked his weapon into position for a headshot. The man yanked his arm free, dropping low with a sweep kick. The hit caught Brahn in the ankle, making him stumble without bringing him down.
His weapon went off, blasting the table. A small fire erupted at the impact point, scorching the wood. As the guard came up, he used his momentum to throw a punch toward Brahn's gut.
Fading back, the man overextended. The blow connected without the intended impact. Brahn brought his elbow down on his target's shoulder then punched him in the face. The hit spun him so he slammed into the table with both hands. A quick blast to the back of the head ended him.
Footsteps approached. Brahn grabbed the body before it slumped to the floor, crouching while using it as cover. Two people opened fire, blasting the shield while Brahn fired under the corpse's arm for retaliation. One took a gut shot, falling to the side. The other screamed as he dropped his weapon, shaking his hand without fleeing.
Brahn shot him in the face before slipping out from behind his Kahl shield. Pressing against the wall beside the opening, he fought to catch his breath. The swiftness of the action left him winded. More shooting tore him out of the moment, thrusting him back into combat mode.
Shoving away, he went for the door he came in through. As he burst out, others went into the space he'd just occupied. They fired their weapons after him, a couple beams sparking off the wall a foot from his head. Okay, so I found the accurate guys.
Brahn cut into the next hall, slamming into the wall when he lost his balance. He half anticipated his pursuers to cut him off, but instead they gave chase. That gave him an extra few seconds. He counted his paces as he charged down the hall. At ten, he fired behind him blindly.
A yelp gave him confidence in his timing. The nearest door loomed ahead to the right. Brahn slapped the panel while still dropping suppressive shots. He squeezed through the door before it even got halfway open, tripping as he cleared it. Slapping a table with his free hand, he shoved away, taking stock of his situation.
It was another conference room, this one with four chairs and a large monitor to his right. Only one door offered a way in. Brahn rolled one of the chairs in front of the door before crouching beside the table. He aimed under it, leaning until he had a view over the back of his rudimentary obstruction.
One darted in front of the door as they flanked the exit. One peeked in, fading back. "I didn't see him."
"Idiot!" The other poked in, firing randomly. On his second shot, Brahn blasted him in the chest. Blood burst from his mouth as he slammed into the wall before sliding down. His companion grabbed his leg, dragging him away from the opening.
That's when Brahn chose to strike, driving forward. He kicked the chair in the hall, leaning out to fire three times at the man still holding on to the corpse.
"Hey!" A shout announced additional gunfire, blasts coming at him from the very end of the hall. Brahn leaned back, firing blind around the exit. In a short lull, he leaned out for some accuracy.
Pain burst through his left arm right at the joint. He huffed as he withdrew again, stamping out the smoldering in his armor. Brahn took a moment, staying in cover to gather some patience.
"Can you hear me?" Jok's voice startled him. "Brahn, come in."
"Yeah, what?" Brahn rolled his injured arm. It didn't seem to be out of the socket though that was small comfort.
"How're things up there? We're hearing a lot of gunfire... a lot of shouting."
"Because I've caused total chaos. I don't even know how many I've killed. There are two on me now. No priests, though. Either they're hiding or they have some other sneaky way out of here. Kind of doubt the latter. Anyway, what's going on down there? Do you have the data yet?"
"Fifty percent downloaded. We need Kivda to take that tower soon so we can send it to him."
"Yeah, I'm sure he's on that." Brahn drew several deep breaths, pumping himself up. "I have to concentrate. Only contact me with an important update." He grabbed another chair, moving it to the door. He shoved it out just into the hall so the handle remained inside. The guards opened fire, blasting the back.
He leaned out as they tore into the furniture, cutting both down with double taps. The chair burned, flames crawling up the back. He shoved it in the direction of the bodies before following it. His HUD still didn't show an accurate count of people, but there were more in there. The blips represented people, even if they skipped about.
Brahn pressed on deeper into the second floor. Might as well keep going. If they're only at fifty percent, it'll be a while longer.
***
Milna flew over the city toward the rendezvous programmed by Jok. Cirilla sulked beside her. The young woman hadn't spoken since they had boarded the ship; not since witnessing the Lord Marshal's end. Her compassion got the better of her and overwhelmed her common sense.
She fooled herself if she thought I wouldn't kill him. How does she intend to explain this to Brahn? Milna rolled her eyes. If he survives his engagement at the church. They were flying low, making their way for the temple. Or any of them for that matter. I wonder how well guarded the place might be.
No one from the tower challenged her vessel. Jok's falsified transponder worked wonders. They were a military relief vessel as far as any scans were concerned. Milna had doubted the effectiveness until no one attacked them while leaving the Lord Marshal's bunker. If she managed to keep a low profile, they might pull off their next task.
"What're we even doing?" Cirilla asked as if on cue. "Where are we going?"
"Supporting Jok and the others," Milna said, "they are at the church. We'll stay on the perimeter until they call for a pickup. One of them can send the data they've collected from the ship."
"Are you sure about that? It seems like a lot of information."
"Then we may have to land at the tower." Milna shrugged. "Either way, we're in the best possible position to assist them from here."
"Feels risky. What happens if someone contacts us?"
"Then we lie," Milna said. "It isn't science."
"Do you even know what to say?"
"I'm guessing you must. Considering your attitude now. From all your time working admin, right?" Milna sighed. "I'm sorry you didn't like the outcome of what happened with the Lord Marshal. I'm sorry you came along to see that."
"You wanted me to distract him. I wasn't there to convince him of anything."
"It helped." Milna shrugged. "But I didn't need you to do that. I could've handled the situation alone. Including that thug Aeden. I suspect he passed in a less... unpleasant manner. You were a friendly face in the end." She straightened her shoulders. "I was not." And maybe I should have been.
Sev had given her a great deal. Unfortunately for him, she couldn't forget all the things he required her to do for her freedom.
"You know," Milna said, "you've got some tender feelings for that man, but you don't know what he made me do. How many people I've slaughtered in his name. It would make your head spin."
"How would you know what he's like then? If he only ever gave you orders."
"You see some kind of benevolent old man, I suppose. Perhaps a tender lover. An experienced person to keep you company at night. But that's the facade. He's a murderer. A savage at his heart. If anything you saw was real, then I promise it's the best part of a rotten package. The pretty image he generated just for you."
"I worked with him all the time," Cirilla said. "He might've been stern, harsh sometimes. Never cruel. Not to any of us. I always felt welcome with him. He liked us, Milna. Perhaps that was your problem. Maybe he realized you had no feelings, no emotions to speak of. Which explains why he used you the way he did."
"I'm not sure why you think being hurtful helps." Milna looked her up and down. "I'm not going to feel bad for what happened to him. Not that it was by my hand nor that you lost someone you cared about. I thought Brahn might've taken your heart. Now, I feel sorry for him. He has to stand in the shadow of a mad man."
"That wasn't Sev!" Cirilla shouted. "You should've taken..."
"Stop," Milna interrupted. "I knew him well. I heard his commands. Stood by him occasionally to act as a bodyguard in meetings Aeden wasn't allowed to witness. I've heard him tell people things that would chill you to the soul. Spare me your indignation about him. You knew a tiny piece of the story."
"I..." Cirilla wiped a tear from her face. "I don't know what to say. How can a man do that then? How could someone be multiple people at the same time?" She trembled as she continued, "he... if he lied to me, then what about the two of us was real? Anything? Or did he invent it all? The feelings, the... physical..."
"You're attractive," Milna said. "I imagine that part was real."
"That's where you take it? Really?"
Milna shrugged. "The rest might've been fake. It's hard to say. What would make you feel better about it? How can you live with the situation? That's what I'd cling to."
"What's your answer? Are you fine with what happened?"
"Not in the past. But the future's mine." Milna furrowed her brows. "If we make it out of here alive, then I suspect I'll have the opportunity to make a different life. A better one with Jok. I have a lot to learn, though. So... I'm not entirely certain how it will turn out. If he's patient, then we'll be good."
"He seemed like it." Cirilla opened her mouth to speak. A beep interrupted. "Uh... I think we're being hailed. Looks like tower control."
"Go ahead." Milna pointed. "See what they want, let them know we're working on a support mission for Special Operations if they ask. Hopefully, they're just checking in." Please let this girl know how to fib. If not, we're in a lot of trouble.
Cirilla tapped the comm, leaning close to the microphone. "Yes?"
"Rescue Three," a stern, male voice spoke. "We have you on scan over the main city. What is your assigned task?"
"Security support," Cirilla said. "We have already recovered some wounded and are treating them aboard. What's the problem?"
"Our communication network throughout the city is having trouble. We're reaching out to anyone at the moment. You're near the temple. Can you divert course to see if anything untoward is happening?"
"What's wrong with the temple?" Cirilla turned wide eyes to Milna.
"They've missed a scheduled check. Now, we can't reach them. It might be interference from everything going on. But we want to be sure. As far as we know, none of the priests have left the building. You may need to take them to a secure area until further notice. Let us know when you are in position."
Cirilla muted the line. "At least they didn't talk about sending soldiers?"
Milna altered course then pointed at the cockpit directly in front of Cirilla. "Look." She put a scan of the area up, indicating a large group moving toward the church. They neared the stairs, marching in formation. "As you can see, someone already did. Looks to be... roughly thirty in total."
"But why would they do that?" Cirilla asked. "If they're having us check?"
"You heard them. They want us to move the priests to a new location. Which means those bastards are planning to sweep through, killing anyone who doesn't belong. Including our people." Milna checked their position. They'd arrive before the soldiers had the opportunity to breach.
This will out us. Milna brought up the secure comm, reaching out to Jok. "I'm sorry to break silence. Do you read me?"
"I'm glad to hear your voice," Jok said. "I worried. We're almost done. Brahn is keeping the security forces occupied. How soon can you be here?"
"We're on our way. However, so are thirty troops. Looks like they intend to take the temple back."
"Hm. I wonder..." Jok sighed. "One of the priests must've had a way to breach our jamming signal. I'm guessing they called for help."
"Not to tower control," Milna said. "They tasked us with getting the priests out."
"Really..." Jok chuckled. "Be prepared to do that."
"Wait, what?" Milna frowned. "I... thought you'd want us to blast the attackers coming in."
"Contact those forces," Jok said. "Let them know you're coming in for a landing. Tell them your assignment. Get tower control to confirm if they have to. Then, prepare to take on the priests. Only a handful of them survived, sadly. Talk to you soon."
Milna rubbed her eyes. "I don't like his plan."
"They're going to masquerade as the clergy?" Cirilla's brows shot up. "That's insane! Two of them are human! How will they not be outed?"
"I'm not sure how he plans to get around that." Milna shrugged. "But get the commander of that force on the line for me. I'll do the talking this time." She paused. "Good job with control by the way. You'll need to tell them what's happening shortly. If we need their help."
