by Beth Reason
Chapter 17
Scarab stood and stared at the rain dripping off the overhang. The lights of the base below the mountain caught in each droplet and she allowed her mind to go blank while she watched the repetitive cascade. Far down the tunnel behind her, Weevil was giving Takar extra training. Lendyl was sleeping. Soldiers were scurrying around to prepare for the war. And she was a useless basket case. She knew the old weaponry and already had a working understanding of the new. She had sat in for about a half hour on the strategy meeting with the extraction team, but most of it was about the area in and around the corn sector, which she knew like the back of her hand. Her fidgeting was only a distraction, not a help, and she had dismissed herself after the instructor glared at her for the third time. So she went to the entrance and stared out into the rain. It was better than pacing.
A vehicle turned from the main road and started up the hill towards her. She watched it approach and couldn't stop the butterflies. It had been two days since Tenet left. They were just waiting for the word of his arrival at Bradwin's estate before they moved out. She clenched her fist and silently begged for this to be that word.
The vehicle slowed to enter the tunnel and Scarab had to stop herself from running up to it like a child. Fratz got out of one side and Krupkie got out of another. One look at Fratz's expression sent her heart soaring. "He's in there safe?"
Fratz gave a nod and a smile. "Sure thing, missy."
Krupkie made a motion for Scarab to follow her into the facility. "Better wake the entire team and round them up. The sooner we mobilize, the better."
They entered the mostly quiet research facility and Fratz walked to the dorm rooms, waking everyone with his booming command as he went. Krupkie took a position in the open area and waited for people to assemble. She watched Scarab closely. The woman was about to snap if she didn't hear something, and Krupkie took pity on her. "He's got your girl."
That was all she needed to hear. Scarab was ready to go. The urge to jump up and start running after them was almost overwhelming.
Krupkie watched as Scarab glanced at the door, her muscles tense. "I stuck with my end of the bargain," she began.
Scarab's eyes snapped to Krupkie's and her face turned red. How was it the older woman could read her so well? "And I fully intend to stick to mine," Scarab assured her.
Krupkie had her doubts. Truth be told, if Scarab cut out then, if she just sneaked out in the night on her own mission, it wouldn't really have any affect on the overall plan. Tenet was the key to setting things in motion. However, if she did, she'd be forfeiting support from a highly skilled extraction team. The woman was itchy to go, and Krupkie couldn't blame her. But Scarab was good enough to see the best plan. She always had been in the past, and Krupkie had no doubt she'd see reason on her own in this instance as well.
It didn't take long for the group to assemble. The extraction team was already awake, and they filed in like the well-trained unit they were, standing at the ready to listen to the debriefing. Lendyl did his best to look as alert, though his whole new unit, Fratz's special troops, had been soundly asleep and all stood trying to shake off the fog. Weevil and Takar stood together, apart from the rest.
Scarab wondered at that. Soon she would be leaving them. Soon they would all be taking their own parts in the war, and she hoped Weevil's guidance would be enough to keep Takar alive. He was a loose cannon. He was always out to prove himself, to gain glory. Scarab sincerely hoped Weevil's teaching could temper that. If he lead a charge on horseback against a bot army, he wouldn't get five steps before being cut down by lasers. And young Lendyl. While he found a reluctant acceptance in the ranks of Fratz's special group, he, too, battled for glory. Takar was driven by something Scarab didn't understand, but Lendyl was pushed by nothing more than the cockiness of youth, and Scarab didn't know which was more dangerous.
Scarab ran a hand through her hair. She could not do this. She could not worry about everyone else. Already her mind was too distracted by her own husband and daughter. She couldn't let herself be divided further. They were warriors, great Ogden warriors. She closed off the part of her mind that worried that they could fall. Though it felt like a betrayal, it was simply what she had to do.
When everyone who mattered was present, Krupkie began to speak. "We have received initial word and follow-up confirmation that Operation Bash Crash was a success." Scarab snorted at the name of the mission. She hadn't heard that before. "Tenet and Mr. McKay gained entry to some harvest blessing gala and made their presence known. Though they were seen by a few beforehand, those people were taken care of. Though it only happened hours ago, their media is already humming with the story and by all accounts, the mission went better than we could have planned." Krupkie had debated with Gundersson on their way to the mountain whether or not to tell Scarab about the next bit. Fratz believed it would make Scarab enraged, when they needed her calm. But Krupkie firmly believed it would simply drive her harder, firm the woman's resolve. Contrary to what Fratz seemed to think, Krupkie knew that Scarab wasn't a woman to act on emotion. She paused for a second and caught Fratz shaking his head out the corner of her eye.
"It seems the great and mighty leader had decided to train his granddaughter with a shock collar." Krupkie spoke directly to Scarab, carefully studying her eyes to gage reaction. The woman burned inside, but set her jaw to listen to the rest instead of flying off the handle. Krupkie shot a quick "I told you so" look to Gundersson. "He shocked her right in front of the press," she continued. "All of Southland saw him electrocute his own grandchild. As I said, it went better than expected."
Scarab's rage burned hot inside and she forced herself to take slow, even breaths. She felt the scabs on her neck from her own collar and used that to help the rage turn to icy steel inside. They would pay. There would not be a single one involved who would escape unscathed.
Krupkie waited until she was certain Scarab was listening to continue. "He's in, he's got her. Mr. McKay was initially separated from them, as we assumed, but has since been placed back in the main house. An electro-perimeter has been established around the house, another around the grounds, and the transport grid itself has been disabled for that entire sector."
One of the men on the extraction team whistled. "They're not screwing around."
"There's more. The bot army has mobilized. They've been ordered to advance to seventeen miles outside of our border."
Takar couldn't help himself and snorted. "That's oddly specific."
Krupkie turned to him. "That's how far our longest range ballistic missile can travel." She flashed a grin. "At least, that's what they believe."
Weevil gave her a wink and grinned over at Takar. "I told you they always underestimate me." Takar tilted his head, then turned back to Krupkie.
"The actual troops are still far behind. Their transport grids end a hundred miles from the border, and they're too stupid to see the beauty in wheels." She rolled her eyes with the rest of the group. "So they're marching. On foot. For a hundred miles."
"And we be the barbarians," Fratz said, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his head.
"Pissed off barbarians," said one of his young soldiers. Lendyl raised his fist to the Mother in agreement, and Fratz was pleased to see that none of the other young troops gave him funny looks. His initial instinct was correct. They would work very well together.
"Can we get back on track?" Scarab asked. The soldiers could bond later, after she left.
"Extraction stage begins next," said Krupkie. "The bots are close, the troops are marching. It's going to be a little more difficult than we thought."
"Are we changing the plan?"
Krupkie shook her head at Scarab's question. "Too late in the game. We stick with what we've prepared. It's going to be tricky, but it's still our best shot. We're prepping the old transport now. You've got fifteen minutes to gather your supplies and say your good byes, then you'll head out. Any questions?"
No one ha
d any, and they broke apart to get ready for the next phase. Scarab didn't have anything to prepare. Weevil had put a small pack of necessities together for her, and she had her weapons strapped to her belt already. All that was left to do was to wish Takar and Lendyl well, and she suddenly dreaded the exchange. What was she supposed to say?
Lendyl approached. "Mrs. Lorne?" he said uncertainly.
Scarab took a deep breath. She couldn't worry. She couldn't care. She was already too divided as it was. The walls were up and they needed to stay there. "Mr. Bryn."
"I...I just wanted to say good luck to you."
Scarab swallowed. "And you." The words were cold and curt and she saw a quick look of hurt flash in the boy's eyes. She couldn't let emotion in, she just couldn't. A more experienced warrior would understand.
Takar and Weevil approached. "You honor our septad," said Takar to Scarab, taking over for Lendyl. "We will meet here again and return to our home." He said the words firmly and gave her hand a warrior's shake before turning and pulling Lendyl with him.
"Kinda cold, sweetheart," Weevil said.
Scarab pressed her lips together. "Take care of them," she said quietly, before turning and joining the extraction team.
Fratz approached and knew the look of a soldier about to go to war he saw in her eyes. "You get 'em, missy," he said simply. "Come runnin' and we'll get yer backs."
Scarab was relieved when he turned and walked away. Like Takar, Fratz knew what Scarab needed. She needed distance, not friends. She needed soldiers, not pals. She needed cold separation so she could think past the emotions that threatened to erupt. And when she got back, she would tell them how much it meant to her that they could give her that space.
Takar and Lendyl stood with Weevil and watched the extraction team get into an old transport and roll out. Lendyl rubbed his hand over the stubble on his chin, missing the beard that would have hid his sadness. As silly as it was, he had felt safer with Mrs. Lorne around. Her leaving hammered the situation home for him. Soon he would be riding out with Fratz and his team, and leave Takar as well. Soon, he would truly be on his own. For the first time in his life, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to honor his septad.
Takar thumped Lendyl's shoulder and wished he had the way with words that had always come so easily to his brother. Wren would know what to say. Wren would know how to replace the fear in young Lendyl with the confidence that would see him through battle. The thought of his brother down there in the thick of things brought a lump to Takar's own throat and he felt as lost and miserable as Lendyl. He silently begged the Mother for her help in guiding them both. "We are proud warriors of Ogden," he said quietly. "We will not know defeat."
Lendyl tried to feel the conviction of Takar's words. "What if we do not see them again? I cannot face my septad in such failure."
Weevil laughed, startling the warriors. "Are you shitting me? You two obviously don't know them very well. I could tell you some stories..." He sighed. "Ah, the old days. My point is, now is not the time to worry about them." He pointed at Lendyl. "You need to worry about sneaking behind the enemy lines. And you," he turned his finger to Takar, "need to worry about keeping your cute ass safe on the forward assault."
Lendyl's eyebrow raised at Weevil's words, and his curiosity piqued further when Takar did not lay the man out for such insolence.
"He's right," Takar said tightly, feeling thrilled and embarrassed all at once. "Go meditate until your thoughts have cleared," he ordered Lendyl. When the boy trotted off down the hall, a look of confusion still on his face, Takar addressed Weevil. "Stop saying such things."
Weevil gave a little laugh. "And you clearly don't know me, either. God, for a big bad warrior, you don't pay attention. I say that shit to everyone." He turned and started to walk back to his desk. They'd have to finalize the plans for the forward assault, and he had to make sure The Beast was ready.
Takar frowned at Weevil's back for a moment. He knew he should leave it alone. "This is untrue." His frown deepened. He could never leave things alone. Weevil turned around and gave him a curious look. "You do not say such things to everyone. You only say such things to me and it is..." Takar had to swallow, too embarrassed to continue.
There was a time when it was true, when Weevil said those things to everyone, when he could be fun and flippant and superficial. The man was right, though. He didn't say those things to everyone these days. In fact, when he did, it was usually a farce. Usually. Not with the warrior, though, and it intrigued Weevil that Takar noticed. Weevil walked back to the warrior and tilted his head. "Do you know why I'm helping those kids? Why I'm putting myself out there?"
Once again, the odd man threw Takar for a loop. He jumped from one subject to the next, and it was impossible to predict what he'd say next. "No."
Weevil didn't know why he wanted the barbarian to understand him. He didn't know why it felt important. However, since there was very little in life that truly interested him anymore, he went with it. "Once upon a time, there was a little man who thought he was big. He had all the men and women he wanted to screw tucked away in his little castle that was stocked with gadgets and food and endless drink. People feared him because of who his world made him become, and he actually thought that was power."
Takar followed as Weevil walked while he spoke. He knew Weevil was speaking of himself and couldn't have torn himself away even if the Mother herself commanded it.
"This little man, he spent his life playing. He played with guns, he played with his money, and, mostly, he played with people. He was bored, you see? He lived the life his government had designed for him to live and every day passed just as dull as the last, no matter how he tried to liven things up. And then one day, someone came to his castle and asked him for help, someone young and hopelessly innocent and actually good. A good person, Takar." He turned to face the warrior. "And while his request seemed selfish, it took a long time to understand that it was not." They had reached the training cages and they stood and watched as a troop leader was taking the advantage of the troops being awake at night to get in some extra training.
Takar was silent, just waiting to see if Weevil would continue. To his relief, Weevil did. "You know what happened in the meantime? The government came looking for their kid." Weevil was speaking about Tenet, and Takar's ears perked up when that dawned on him.
"They sent their bots and their hunters into my castle and shook it up. They threatened to kill all of my toys, my collection of amusing playthings, if I didn't talk." He swallowed hard. He'd never told anyone the information, he never wanted to. But he suddenly needed to tell this warrior all the dark secrets he thought he could simply leave in the past. "I did what they expected of me, what they raised and groomed me to do. I told them what I knew... not all, mind. But enough to give them a pretty accurate lead. I told them, and watched them bully their way into the dead zone."
"You sold out your friends."
The warrior's words felt like a punch in the gut. "Yeah," Weevil said eventually. "Yeah, I did. And the pisser was, I didn't even get that until later. I blabbed, watched them walk away, and then turned around and picked up my life right where I left off." Takar heard the self-loathing in the man's voice and instead of walking away in anger and disgust, he stayed and listened. This man was sharing his burdens, for whatever reason, and Takar wanted to let him. "It was days later, days of me getting drunk and staying drunk, before I realized that I not only met a good person, but probably killed him." He shook his head. "God, I was a mess. Maybe I knew all along, huh? Maybe that's why I put myself in a good bender."
Weevil sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair. "So, there I was, thinking I killed them, and who comes back but the hunter who I blabbed to. He missed. He didn't get them, and I had a second chance. I didn't tell him everything the first time and he knew it. So he started killing people, one by one."
"Jace?"
"Yeah, the rottenest son of a bitch you'd ever meet. Save Tenet's dad, t
hat is. He went through picking off the people I laughed with, joked with, screwed and pretended to love and..." Weevil closed his eyes and shook his head. "And the worst thing the bastard did was leave me alive." He drew a shaky breath, surprised at just how hard it was getting to talk. "Damn. I'd kill for a drink about now. Why the hell am I telling you this?"
Takar raised his shoulder, hoping Weevil wouldn't stop. "Sometimes the weight of one trial must be lifted before you face another."
Weevil studied the man for a minute before giving him a half smile. "Are all of you Celties so deep?" He waved his hand before Takar could answer. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just trying to bring a little levity to a heavy conversation." He smiled, but there was really no humor in it. He turned back towards the troops in the cage. "I, uh," he began before he faltered. After a moment he cleared his throat. "I got out of there. He left me among all the dead, and I didn't even stop to bury them. I just packed my shit and hit the road. I figured...hell, I don't know. I figured maybe I could use my connections and find the kids to warn them that Jace wasn't going to give up, that he'd never let it rest." He snorted at his own naivete. "You know what I found when I go out there?"
"No."
"Nothing. Nothing but trees and mountains and wild animals. My connections, all my supposed power meant shit. Absolutely nothing. I didn't find the Lornes. Instead I found a troop of soldiers out on patrol and was dragged in for questioning and ended up here. I can't leave. It's my prison. My penance. And you know what?" Takar shook his head. "It will never be enough to make up for it all."
Takar didn't know what to say, and once again wished he had Wren's way with people. He knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to pull Weevil into his arms and hold him through his pain. But that was something he could not do. Once again he felt the familiar awkwardness he always felt when he tried to interact with people.
Weevil saw the look of discomfort come over the warrior's face and he felt a disappointment inside. He didn't know what he expected, but he had hoped for something, some sign, some forgiveness or comfort or... "Aw, hell. I didn't mean to bring us down. We've got a lot of getting ready to do and I'm standing here babbling like and idiot and..."
"Thank you," said Takar quietly.
Weevil looked at him. "For what?"
"For giving me your burdens. It is an honor to carry your past with me. I will guard your secrets and hold them well." The words were spoken quietly and sincerely, the warrior's piercing gaze cutting right through Weevil.
There wasn't a single thing the man could have said that would have affected Weevil more. There was no judgment, either in his words or his eyes, simply acceptance and absolution. Weevil blinked, dumbfounded as a heat crept up his cheeks. Was he...blushing? He could not remember the last time he blushed, the last time he felt embarrassed or excited, or the mix of both running through him. "In another time and place, I bet you and I could have a great life together," he said quietly. He saw a look flash across the warrior's face, understanding, enticement, more than a little fear. Weevil took a small step back, not trusting himself and knowing that any advance would send the warrior running. He had lived in the Borderlands long enough to learn there were great differences in the way the different societies viewed personal relationships. He had no idea how a male-only relationship would be viewed by the Celtist religion, and he didn't want to compromise his new friendship to find out.
Takar was not good with people. He always had a difficult time with interactions and normally had to spend hours in meditation pouring over every little detail of a conversation to discern the real meaning behind the words. And yet, as he stared at the man who just poured his heart out to him, Takar firmly believed he was not misreading Weevil. It was so tempting to step forward. He was sure that was all it would take. He would step forward and the man would act and he would finally, finally be able to share his own burdens with someone.
Takar swallowed hard and took a deliberate step back. Though it took every fiber of his being to deny himself something he sought for so long, they did not live in a different time or place. "I am a warrior of Ogden," he said with as much authority as he could muster. "My life is not my own."
Weevil watched him turn and stride away, every inch the powerful warrior he claimed to be. He took a deep breath, and this time, when he let it out, he actually felt like he could breathe for the first time in years. There was a lightness in his chest that wasn't there before his talk, and his shoulders did not feel so heavy. He saw Takar glance back at him, and he couldn't help the warm smile that spread across his face. He took another deep breath, then whistled a little tune as he turned to head for his desk to prepare for war.
