She was about to move to the next building when she noticed a piece of scrap metal leaning against a wall. Its placement was a little too convenient.
Crouching down, she peered between the metal and wall to find it blocking a doorway. The room behind it would have enough space for at least a person to hide, if not a speeder.
Valentina started to reach for the large piece of scrap metal to move it, but a hand grabbed hold of it. She glanced up at Sergei.
“I have it, Valechka.”
She moved away, and he lifted the deteriorated metal easily, placing it to the side. Pulling out a flashlight from her utility belt, she shined it around the room. It was larger than she had expected. This might be what they were looking for.
She gripped the edge of the wall and stepped down into the building. The neighboring walls had collapsed, but there was enough room to hide several people and their speeders. Sergei crouched down, studying the floor.
“These markings are recent,” he stated, trailing his light over the pattern. “There were at least two speeders here. The tire marks belong to our vehicles—not OmniLab.”
Valentina walked over and picked up an empty hydrating pack. It was the same type the Coalition produced. She tossed it to Sergei, who caught it easily with one hand.
“This was definitely left by our people, but this was very sloppy,” she said, looking around the room again. “The scrap metal was too convenient, they left trash behind, and chose a poor shooting location. How could someone this disorganized have evaded our air surveillance?”
Lars's voice came over the headset, “What exactly did you use to create the dust storm?”
“Why? What are you thinking?” Sergei asked, his tone more curious than suspicious.
“Could whatever you have used made the dust heat enough to affect the thermal imaging? Maybe it wasn't their technology that masked their retreat.”
Valentina frowned. She hadn't even considered the possibility. “You suspect our own devices worked against us?”
“It's a thought,” Lars said.
“If that's the case, we may be able to discover more by viewing earlier or later surveillance feeds,” Yuri suggested, moving into the room with Lars right behind him.
Valentina could kick herself for her stupidity. She'd been so focused on the potential threat from the towers, she'd ignored other dangers much closer to home.
She calculated the distance in her head. “If they moved quickly, it would have taken them less than ten minutes to get into and out of their firing positions from here. Once the dust storm kicked up, that would have been more than enough time for them to retreat.”
Sergei frowned. “You had no way of knowing, Valentina.”
“I should have,” she snapped, moving to climb back out of the ruins. She studied the ground outside trying to search for any indication of the direction they'd gone. If they had moved in after their crew planted the pulses, they wouldn't have been detected. “Not only did I manage to cover their retreat, but the dust storm removed all traces of their vehicles.”
“Valya,” Yuri began, grabbing her arm. “Your plan was a good one. Our scouts should have located this hideaway.”
She pulled away from him. “No, Yuri. This is unacceptable. Neither one of us would have tolerated such a mistake from any of our people.”
“I did not catch it either,” he argued. “Stop kicking yourself and focus.”
Valentina nodded, recognizing the wisdom in his words. She could beat herself up later, but they needed to find these people. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, trying to put herself into the attackers’ mindset.
“Let's assume they did not have the skill to make a long-distance shot,” she began, the words clarifying what they knew about the shooters. “They also lacked the discipline to do more than make a cursory attempt at hiding this location and did not bother cleaning up after themselves.”
“Keep going,” Yuri encouraged.
She opened her eyes and began to pace the length of the building, the movement helping to sharpen her thoughts. “They were not experts at infiltration, but they were able to put a competent plan into place after we changed our meeting site at the last minute. Our people should have noticed them or their tracks when they came out to bury the electrical wind pulses, so they must not have been here yet.”
Yuri nodded. “We did not come back out to check the devices because OmniLab already had drones in the air. That left them with a very narrow window to get into position.”
“We know at least two people were involved in the shooting itself,” Sergei added, “which means they would have needed additional support from a remote location for the plan to work.”
She nodded at him, a sick feeling in her stomach. “Someone from our camp must have been involved, either on the pulse crew or by providing information about the meeting site. We didn't share information with any other camps. Nikolai wanted to keep the details quiet until after the meet.”
The potential implication struck her, and she swore. They'd left Nikolai unattended. If they had someone in their camp with a vendetta against Nikolai, this would be the perfect opportunity for them to act upon it. Without another word, she turned and ran in the direction of the vehicles. If anything happened to him, she'd never forgive herself.
Valentina raced into the camp with Yuri and Sergei right behind her. Nikolai hadn't been answering her calls, and she was in a near panic. She threw her unwieldy helmet to the side and headed directly for their quarters, knowing Yuri would check Nikolai's office first. She shoved open the door to find Nikolai wiping his hands with a cleaning cloth, a look of irritation and disgust on his face. His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her, but she ignored it and threw herself at him.
“Valya,” he murmured, taking a small step back to brace himself as her weight crashed into him. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss against her hair.
“You idiot,” she grumbled against his chest and then peered up at him. “Why didn't you answer my calls?”
He frowned down at her. “I must have left my commlink in my office. Why didn't you call dispatch?”
“I see you're still alive,” Yuri acknowledged.
“Yes, but Regina is not,” Nikolai replied, gesturing behind him. “She's in my room.”
Valentina pulled back to peer into Nikolai's bedroom. Regina's body was sprawled face down on his floor, a large puddle of blood pooling beneath it. She gripped Nikolai even tighter and snarled, “That suka tried to kill you?”
“While I was trying to get back to sleep, no less,” Nikolai muttered, which explained his annoyance. Nikolai didn't enjoy being woken up any more than she did. “Between Yuri pounding on my door and people trying to kill me, I might as well forget sleep and get on with my day.”
“That's why she made it a point to tell me about the missing weapons this morning,” Valentina said, resting her head against Nikolai's chest again and listening to his heartbeat. She wasn't willing to let him go just yet. “She would have seen Yuri's initial security assessment, which mentioned the type of weapons used in the shooting. She must have suspected I would go out with Yuri to the ambush site to investigate and leave you here unattended. We didn't call dispatch because we didn't know who was involved.” She lifted her head to look at Nikolai and added, “I am sorry, Kolya. I failed you.”
He chuckled. “That's not possible, Valya. I can still take care of myself. I just prefer having you around.”
Valentina cupped Nikolai's face and stood on her toes to press a chaste kiss against his lips. “You are the most important of all of us.”
“I disagree,” he whispered, leaning down and resting his forehead against hers. She smiled up at him.
“Well, it's too bad we can't question her,” Yuri muttered, nudging at Regina's lifeless body with his boot.
Sergei sprawled out on the couch, seemingly unmindful about the dead body in the other room. “Did she say anything to you?”
“No,” Nikolai said with a frown. “I hadn't yet fallen asleep. I heard a noise and saw the gun. My knife was already in the air before I thought about it.” He sighed and added, “It's too bad. I would have taken my time killing her.”
“That is a shame,” Sergei agreed, reaching over to grab an unopened hydrating pack from the table. “Maybe next time.”
Valentina wrinkled her nose. She hated that Sergei was right. There would always be another assassination attempt, especially as Nikolai's power increased. This one had been too close, and she was more than a little shaken. When the world around you became crazy, interjecting a bit of dark humor could keep you sane. “I am not cleaning up the blood this time. It's Yuri's turn.”
“I did not kill her,” Yuri argued. “Nikolai can do it. He made the mess. Or better yet, have Sergei do it.”
“Have a grunt do it,” Sergei suggested, taking a swig from the hydrating pack. “Is there anything stronger to drink around here? Some food might be nice too.”
“There are a couple of bottles in the cooler,” Valentina offered. “Are the rest of you hungry? They probably finished serving lunch, but I can see what I can find.”
“Food would be good,” Yuri agreed. “You know what I like.”
“I'm also a bit hungry,” Nikolai admitted. “Yuri, stop kicking at her. You might damage my knife. That blade is one of my favorites.”
“I keep forgetting how scary you guys can be,” Lars said from the doorway.
Valentina and the rest of them turned to stare at him. Her mouth curved upward in a smile. If her brief glimpse into life in the towers was any indication, it was a wonder he'd adapted as well to living on the surface with them. “Does that mean you're not hungry?”
Lars chuckled and shook his head. “I must have lived among you guys for too long. I'm hungry too.”
She pulled away from Nikolai and winked at Lars. Sometimes, witnessing the precariousness of life made you cognizant of your most basic human needs. “I thought so.”
Valentina spread out lunch for everyone on the table and picked up an open-faced sandwich. They had gotten a couple of their newer recruits to clean up Regina's body. Other than a slight disinfectant smell, they hadn't done a bad job.
Sergei wrapped his arm around her waist and planted her in his lap. He grinned at her and said, “Nikolai got to hold you earlier. It's my turn.”
She swatted at his hand but didn't move away. There wasn't enough seating in the room as it was, and she didn't particularly mind. This had been a frequent game between them when Sergei had lived with them.
Yuri scowled at him but didn't object. Instead, he sat beside them on the couch and reached over to grab some food.
She took a bite of her sandwich. Before she could put it down, Sergei leaned forward and wrapped his hand around her wrist. Pulling it toward him, he took a bite of it and winked at her. She rolled her eyes.
“You are getting a little too comfortable over there, Sergei,” Yuri warned.
“Yes, I am very comfortable,” Sergei retorted, squeezing his arm around her midsection.
Valentina reached over to pick up another sandwich from the table and handed it to Sergei. “Eat and stop provoking Yuri.”
“It's more fun to watch his face turn red,” Sergei said with a grin before biting into his sandwich.
“We need to discuss our next steps,” Nikolai began. “Obviously, we cannot discount the possibility of more traitors within our camp. Since I would rather not torture those who are loyal to me, I am open to suggestions.”
“We don't have to torture all of them,” Yuri suggested, swallowing another mouthful. “Pick one or two. If we make it memorable enough, the guilty parties will show their hand.”
“Random torture, Yuri? We need to find you some new hobbies,” Valentina said, reaching for her tea. She leaned back against Sergei and mused, “Speaking of which, you never told me how you handled Pavel and Sofia.”
“Ah,” Sergei murmured, running his thumb along her side. “Let's just say I made it clear I wouldn't tolerate anyone laying a hand on you again. Lars killed Sofia before I had a chance to make an example of her.”
She glanced over at Lars. The blond man shrugged and said, “I'm not a fan of torture.”
“It's a trait of many Omnis,” Sergei explained. “They have more delicate sensibilities in the towers than those of us on the surface.”
“That is a shame,” Yuri acknowledged, taking another bite.
“It is,” Sergei agreed.
“Scary motherfuckers,” Lars muttered, shaking his head.
Valentina grinned. “Then how do your people extract the truth? It's too easy to trick technology.”
“We use truth barriers,” Lars explained. “It's an energy field our kind can hold. You can't lie when you're standing within it.”
“Interesting,” Nikolai murmured, leaning forward. “I would love to see this in practice. Would your people be willing to provide a demonstration?”
“Possibly. Not all of us can do it, and it can be difficult to hold the shield for long periods of time. From what I've seen, you have over a hundred people here in this camp alone. If you could narrow down the suspect pool, we might be able to help you question them. I would suggest doing it back at the towers, however. My people will be wary about traveling to the surface, especially considering your camp's ties to the attack.”
“I understand,” Nikolai said, drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Alec was kind enough to meet us in a neutral location. Your people have shown they are honorable, and the attack was clearly not their doing. I do not seem the harm in visiting these towers.”
“No,” Valentina declared, putting her sandwich and tea aside. “You will not go to the towers, Nikolai.”
“I agree,” Yuri said. “It is too risky.”
Nikolai ignored their outburst. “Sergei, what are your thoughts?”
Valentina spun around to glare at Sergei. If he encouraged Nikolai to do this, she'd cut off his balls with her bluntest knife. Sergei searched her expression for a long moment and then sighed. “Do not ask me this, Nikolai.”
“I need to know the dangers,” Nikolai prompted.
“No!” Valentina stood and put her hands on her hips. “Nikolai, one of our own tried to kill you today. That was a threat we understood. We do not have the ability to protect ourselves from these powers. I will not see you walk into danger simply because you are curious.”
Nikolai rose from his chair. “There is more to this than simple curiosity. I wish to know more about them, yes. But if we have an opportunity to include them in our investigation, it will do much to ease tensions. It was our people who fired upon theirs too. They have as much right to know the truth.”
“Figure out another way,” she demanded. “I cannot lose you.”
“Valya,” Nikolai began, his expression softening. He took a step toward her, but she backed away from him.
“I mean it, Nikolai,” she said in an unyielding tone. “I will not play this game with you. Do not push me on this.”
She turned away and went into her room, slamming the door behind her.
Sergei frowned at the closed door, startled by Valentina's unexpected outburst. She'd always been headstrong and passionate, but something more was going on.
“This is your fault, Sergei,” Yuri said in a conversational tone and took another bite of his sandwich.
“What are you talking about?” Sergei demanded, irritated all over again. He was tempted to shove that sandwich down Yuri's throat. “I did not take sides.”
“She has been all over the place since you reappeared,” Yuri said, his mouth still full of half-eaten sandwich. He finished chewing and swallowed, reaching for another one.
Lars cleared his throat. “I think this is probably a good time to check in with the towers and grab another hydrating pack. I'll just… leave you to talk.” He stood and slipped out of the room before anyone could say anything else.
&
nbsp; Nikolai sighed and sank back down into his chair. “I'm afraid Yuri is correct. Valentina is more concerned about my welfare than usual.”
“Explain,” Sergei demanded.
Yuri gestured at Nikolai. “You tell him. If I do it, I might end up taking a blade to him.”
“Valentina is worried about losing more of her family,” Nikolai explained. “She already lost you once. Your reappearance has brought all those concerns back to the forefront of her mind. Regina didn't help matters either.”
“I see,” Sergei said quietly. “That is regrettable, but I am not going away again.”
Yuri snorted. “You fuck her again last night and suddenly you are here to stay?”
Sergei's eyes narrowed. “Watch it, Yuri. What may or may not have happened between us is none of your business.”
Yuri tossed his sandwich down. “You don't think we all know? She was wearing a small arsenal this morning. I thought it was because of the ambush until I saw you in the dining hall. Then it all became very clear.”
“Yuri,” Nikolai warned. “Sergei is right. This is not our business.”
“Fuck that,” Yuri declared, standing up. “I warned you against this. You invited him here knowing this could happen.”
“You know why I did it,” Nikolai retorted.
“And look what has happened!” Yuri gestured to Valentina's closed door. “If your actions drive her away, Nikolai, our agreement will be at an end. I will go with her. Choose your side quickly because I am done with this.”
Without waiting for a response, Yuri headed out of the room.
Nikolai gripped his glass tightly and threw it against the wall, shattering it into a thousand pieces. Sergei frowned, watching the normally stoic man swear loudly while pacing back and forth. He finally turned to Sergei, pointing at him. “You will fix this with her or get the hell out of my camp. I thought this might be a chance to correct the past, but they are both right. I will not lose them because you were an idiot three years ago and broke her heart.”
Flames of Redemption Page 14
