The Omni Towers Boxed Set (Books 4-6): A Dystopian Fantasy Series

by Jamie A. Waters

  Walter approached from behind her. “We’re almost there. Just stay close.”

  He bent down and unfastened the cover grate. Jakob went first and Valentina followed, tugging down on her dress as much as possible to keep her weapons concealed. Fortunately, Walter was busy moving the grate back into place and securing it once more.

  The duct was short and stopped abruptly. Jakob crouched down in front of yet another grate, where she could make out a large room through the thin, metal slats. She sat beside him, curling her legs up underneath her. Walter crawled up to them a moment later and passed his utility tool to Jakob.

  He pushed out the grate, holding on to it to keep it from falling. Valentina scooted the rest of the way out and stood, noting they were on the second floor of a huge warehouse. This location was even bigger than the distribution center. Most of the activity on the lower level appeared to be handled by robotics, their whirring and buzzing almost symphonic. A few surveillance cameras caught her attention, but their positioning probably prevented them from capturing them on their feed.

  “It’s quiet this time of night,” Jakob whispered, placing his hand on her lower back. “Only a few people are here, and most of them are ours.”

  Valentina clenched her teeth. If his hand crept any lower, she’d cut it off. Making an effort to ignore him, she followed Walter across the walkway and over to a stairway on the opposite side of the warehouse. Apparently, he knew where the cameras were placed because he skillfully managed to bypass them.

  They navigated their way through a maze of shelving units and robots until they came to a much smaller storage area. Valentina could make out the sound of voices from within, and she hoped this would be the elusive Charles.

  Walter opened the door, and Valentina halted in her tracks, gaping at the man in front of her.

  “Uncle Grigory?”

  He spun around, ignoring the other three men he’d been speaking to. His expression was both shocked and downright pissed. “Valya, what the hell are you doing here?”

  She glared at him. “I should be asking you the same question.”

  Walter’s eyes narrowed. “You two know each other?”

  “She’s my niece,” Grigory snapped. “And she shouldn’t be here.”

  “You shouldn’t either,” she retorted, her temper starting to spike. If Grigory had anything to do with supplying weapons to the towers, she’d strangle him herself.

  An older man approached them and gestured toward her. “Walter, Jakob, how did this young lady come to join you?”

  “I met her at a nightclub earlier tonight,” Jakob began, warily eyeing her and Grigory. “She’s taken over Pavel’s position handling some of the inventory for the towers. I thought she might be a suitable replacement. Although, I thought her name was Valentina.”

  “Valya is a nickname, usually reserved for only close friends and family,” she said, glaring at Grigory and seriously doubting whether he still fell into that category.

  Grigory frowned at her and shook his head. Valentina paused for a moment, wondering if she might be misreading his presence. She hoped so, anyway. The thought of Grigory having a hand in these treasonous actions was unconscionable.

  “I see,” the older man murmured. “Is this true, Grigory? Is your niece handling the tower inventory?”

  “In truth, I don’t know what she does,” Grigory admitted. “I saw her yesterday and encouraged her to get married and have some babies. Based on her current attire, I’m wondering now if she decided to take my advice.”

  Valentina glanced down at her dress and shrugged. For now, she’d play along and assume he was innocent. “You didn’t specify how I should find a husband. I thought my options might be better in the towers. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go as planned. I seem to have stumbled into something.”

  Grigory’s mouth twitched in a smile, and he nodded. “Indeed.”

  “I find it interesting your niece just happened to appear tonight,” the other older man said, considering her and Grigory for a long moment. “Assuming this was a remarkable coincidence, her position may prove to be helpful. Tell me, young lady, do you feel like working with your uncle?”

  Valentina took the opportunity to study him in return. He appeared to be somewhere in his late fifties, maybe a little older than Grigory. On the surface, he had a certain polish with his trim goatee and neat suit. But underneath, she detected a coldness within him that was unsettling. He didn’t exactly emanate evil, but Valentina suspected something in his past had twisted him beyond most acceptable standards of morality.

  Understanding the need to be careful how she handled him and the situation, she debated her options. Until she understood more about Grigory’s role here, she couldn’t count on him as an ally. She was vastly outnumbered, and it was impossible to know how far away Yuri was from the warehouse.

  If his unbalanced stance was any indication, the older gentleman was carrying some sort of weapon. One of the other men with him was, too, but the third appeared unarmed. As far as she could tell, Grigory wasn’t carrying, which wasn’t necessarily a guarantee of his innocence. He could have been searched and his weapons confiscated before he entered this tower.

  Crossing her arms over her chest and praying the comms were working, she said, “I’m not agreeing to anything. I’ve had a rough night. Walter pulled a gun on me, threatened me, dragged me halfway through the towers through service tunnels, and brought me to this warehouse. No one has bothered to tell me anything except you need someone to alter inventory records so you can smuggle contraband into the towers. They assured me someone named Charles would answer my questions.” She paused and arched an eyebrow. “I’m assuming you’re Charles?”

  “You may call me that,” he agreed, observing her a little too critically for her taste. It was unlikely he’d respond to the damsel in distress routine or be taken in by her sex kitten persona. Dammit. She was going to have to adopt a new role.

  “Your uncle here somehow got wind of our little trading operation. Supposedly, he wants a cut. We’re having some problems verifying his identity though. Can you help with that?”

  She frowned. “I don’t know what to tell you. We’ve never worked in the same camp. Up until yesterday, I hadn’t seen him for several years.”

  Grigory sighed. “It’s like I told you. Ivan wants in on whatever deal you have going. We have no interest in your rebellion or plot to overthrow your government, but Ivan wants to run the new construction tower. We can help provide you with supplies, and in exchange, you make sure he’s put into power when the time comes.”

  Valentina tried to keep her body relaxed, but her heart was hammering in her chest. She was starting to believe Ivan had instructed him to investigate the thefts. Although, she was very curious to learn how Grigory had found out about Charles.

  Before she could say anything, a strange awareness filled her and she gasped. Kayla and Ariana once again swirled through her mind, but this time, there was something else. Thoughts, foreign and alien, filled her head, the chaotic brand of energy almost threatening to drown her with its weight. Her world tilted, and she reached outward, trying to stabilize herself.

  The bond with Sergei, Nikolai, and Yuri surged wide open, shattering her earlier efforts to suppress them. Sergei’s warm energy wrapped around her, and all three of them converged in her mind, grounding her and calming the tumultuous storm. She blinked open her eyes to peer into Grigory’s worried face. She started to push herself up from the ground, but Grigory stopped her. “Shh, Valya. Are you all right? You lost consciousness for several minutes.”

  She frowned, shaken and alarmed. “Yes.”

  “She had a lot to drink earlier,” Jakob volunteered, taking a step toward her.

  Grigory arched an eyebrow at her, letting her know he didn’t believe that. For whatever reason, though, he wasn’t going to dispute Jakob’s claims. Valentina merely nodded, willing to accept Jakob’s excuse so she didn’t have to invent her own.

>   “I’m not familiar with your drinks in the towers. They must have affected me more than I realized.”

  “Unlikely,” Charles said, studying her thoughtfully. “You would have felt the effects long before now, and it doesn’t explain your weapons.”

  Valentina inwardly cursed, trying to keep her body relaxed. She was still too shaken to play this game, but maybe her confusion would help lend believability in this situation.

  Grigory looked up at the other man. “I explained that to you already. Most of our people are armed. A young, attractive woman alone in a strange place would be remiss in not carrying some sort of weapon on her.”

  “It doesn’t explain how she managed to smuggle the knives into the towers or how she acquired such an expensive looking harness,” Charles replied, holding up her thigh sheath. “OmniLab security would have scanned her for weapons before she entered our tower.”

  “No,” she said softly, scrambling to come up with a plausible lie while Grigory helped her stand. She was still a little lightheaded, making her wonder if she’d hit her head. “They didn’t search me. I wanted to visit the club I’d been hearing about, but I was worried about not being able to protect myself if there was a problem. I saw Ambassador Sergei’s calendar and knew he was meeting someone in the Inner Sanctum. I timed it so I could discuss some inventory lists with him and go through their entrance. He’s allowed to carry weapons within the towers, so I wasn’t searched either.”

  The slightest trace of a smile crossed Grigory’s face. “Very industrious of you, Valya.”

  Charles’s eyes narrowed. “How well do you know the Coalition’s ambassador?”

  Something in his tone caught her attention, and she frowned. “Up until a week ago, the last time I saw him was three years ago. So, as well as can be expected.”

  “Your hair color is very distinctive. So are your eyes. Someone matching your description was seen going into his private quarters a few days ago.”

  “Of course I went into his quarters,” she argued, letting a trace of her temper filter through. “I’ve been handling the inventory for the construction tower. Sergei keeps his notes and instructions for me on his desk or in his office. He did the same with Pavel.”

  Charles nodded. “That would make sense, but it doesn’t explain why you were taken to a medical ward a week ago for treatment. Nor does it explain why the Inner Circle, including Alec Tal’Vayr and Ariana Alivette, has such an interest in you. A security officer also reported seeing you in their offices with the Coalition’s ambassador this morning while he was conducting some interviews.”

  Fuck. Valentina tensed, her heart hammering in her chest. Walter withdrew his weapon and pointed it at her. “Still think someone who looks like her would be interested in you, Jakob?”

  “Fuck off,” Jakob muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Grigory moved to stand in front of her and held up his hands. “I don’t know what you’re accusing my niece of being involved in, but she was injured when one of those Inner Circle members was taken captive. They brought her back to the towers for treatment. If she’s working that closely with Sergei doing inventory, it makes sense she would have accompanied him to various locations.”

  “We’re better informed than you give us credit,” Charles said, the chill in his voice leeching the warmth from the room. “I happen to know she arrived here again after the Coalition’s ambassador was shot. I heard she was more than a little distraught. One of the medics mentioned she works closely with one of your leaders.”

  Valentina frowned. Charles had already convinced himself she wasn’t who she claimed, so there wasn’t much point in protesting. The situation might still be able to be salvaged though. Straightening her posture, she moved to stand beside Grigory.

  “You’re right, but so is Grigory. We were both equally surprised to see each other tonight. I don’t know why he’s here, but my original purpose in coming to the towers was for medical treatment. I returned here again because supply shipments are being stolen from my people and being sent to the towers. I have no interest in your rebellion or your purpose here in the towers. My only intention is to locate those supplies so my people don’t continue to suffer. In addition to weapons, we’re also missing food and medical supplies.”

  “I’m afraid that’s going to be something of a problem,” Charles said, taking a step toward her. “You see, we have no intention of returning your supplies. But aside from that, I happen to know you’re lying. You’re an Inner Circle bitch, just like the rest.” Without another word, he pulled out one of the Coalition’s weapons and fired at her twice.

  Valentina staggered, falling backward onto the ground. It felt like a metal pipe had slammed into her stomach. Burning pain seared through her a moment later, and she winced, clutching her stomach. It wasn’t the first time she’d been shot, but it still hurt like a bitch. At least Charles had bad aim. As painful as being shot in the gut might be, it took longer to die from such an injury.

  “Valya!” Grigory shouted, dropping down beside her and pressing his hands against her midsection.

  Valentina cursed and pushed him away, needing to focus on the others. Bleeding out slowly was preferable to allowing herself to be executed. Charles was stalking toward her, his stance telegraphing his intention to fire at her again. She’d never survive at this range.

  Grabbing Yuri’s energy threads, she whipped the gun out of Charles’s hand. It slid along the floor toward her. She snatched it up, gripping it tightly, and fired at Walter just as he pulled the trigger on his weapon. The bullet ricocheted off the floor near where she was still lying but missed hitting her. Walter’s weapon clattered to the ground and he collapsed, either dead or dying from a fatal shot. Either way, he was no longer an issue.

  “Valya, ten o’clock!” Grigory yelled.

  Valentina turned and fired at the other man who was starting to draw his gun. It hit its mark, executing him. With this many potential threats, she couldn’t risk simply wounding him.

  Jakob turned and ran, and Valentina fired a shot in the back of his leg. He yelped, falling to the ground, howling with pain as he clutched his thigh. She couldn’t risk him escaping and bringing back more people.

  Grigory pushed off the ground and reached down to pull her up to a standing position. The pain in her abdomen was a sharp, burning pain, but she ignored it and trained the gun on Charles. “Interlace your fingers on your head. Now.”

  Charles glared at her but made no move to follow her instructions. “You’ll need to kill me first.”

  He reached down to make a grab for Walter’s abandoned weapon, and Valentina shot his hand. Blood spurted from the wound, but he tried to grab it with his other hand. Valentina advanced, firing again into that one. With a wordless scream, he rushed her.

  She narrowed her eyes, firing into his kneecap. He collapsed on the ground, wailing in agony. The other unknown man dove for the weapon, but she shot him too.

  “Bastard,” Valentina muttered, pressing her hand against her stomach. She was starting to feel lightheaded and had the suspicion the bullets had done far more damage than she’d first realized. The gun fell out of her hand, clattering to the floor. It was just as well. She’d used up all the ammunition in the chamber.

  Grigory secured the weapon near Charles, and then walked back over to pick up her empty one. Wincing, she stumbled over to her knives and tried to bend over to pick them up. The movement was too much, and she pitched to the side, hitting the ground hard.

  Grigory dropped the weapons beside her and pressed his hand against her abdomen. “Stop moving, Valya. You’re just making it worse. Do you have a commlink? They confiscated mine before they brought me to this location.”

  “No,” she managed, wincing and reaching into the front of her dress to pull out the microphone she’d hidden earlier that evening. She opened her hand to show Grigory and said, “One-way only. Yuri is almost here. Nikolai is… on his way.”

  Grigory took the micro
phone and spoke into it, “Nikolai, she’s taken two shots to the abdomen. One exit hole. She’s already lost a lot of blood.” He glanced around the warehouse area. “We’re on the lower level of a two-story warehouse somewhere off the construction tower breezeway. If you have access to Sergei, tell him we need a medic here immediately.”

  She grabbed Grigory’s arm. “Don’t… don’t let Sergei know how bad it is.”

  Grigory frowned. “Forgive me, Valya, but if Sergei can get a medic to you in time, I don’t give a damn what he knows or doesn’t.”

  She blinked up at him, part of her wishing she’d hurry up and pass out so the pain would lessen. That was one thing they never told you about being shot: it took way too long to lose consciousness. “Why are you here?”

  “Stay quiet and I’ll tell you,” he ordered, glancing over at the two other men who were injured and wailing. “At least Nikolai will be able to find us quickly with all that noise. It figures, the only woman here and you’re the only one not making a fuss.”

  She managed a pained smile. Grigory sighed and said, “I saw your face when you first walked in. You thought for a moment I’d possibly betrayed our people. I haven’t. I told you yesterday that Ivan’s shipments have been going missing. I reached out to Peter and found out some of his supplies have also disappeared.”

  She nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. “I heard that.”

  “Shh. You promised to stay quiet.”

  When she fell silent again, he continued, “All signs pointed to Sergei, but I don’t believe that to be true. He’s a bit of a bastard, but he’s too honorable to steal from his own people.”

  “It’s not him,” she whispered. The pain was beginning to lessen, which wasn’t a good sign. The cold chill within her was growing stronger.

  Through their bond, she could feel Sergei and Yuri nearby. They were almost there. Nikolai was rapidly heading toward her too, but she didn’t know if he’d make it there in time. She reached out to them psychically, embracing them with her energy one last time before slipping into darkness.