Chapter 8
The Struggle
Captain Nottingham ordered the soldiers to set up the base around the cave. Krieg and Jessica set up the defense line using the Machina suit, aided by the ship artilleries. Some of them decided to take the rubber boats and explore the caves. The squad led by Nina was sent to find Alvin’s family.
They marched on the marshy road. Not far from the base location, they have found the military base nearby. Nina observed it with her binocular, there were many wounded people. Nina presumed that it was the same enemy who attacked them.
“Do you think they will avenge our base?” said Nina, cocking her rifle.
“Yep,” said Alvin, drawing his machine guns.
“This is duck hunting, wipe them off from earth,” scoffed Nina, and activated the cloaking device. It took about an hour to destroy the whole base. All of them fell on the ground; they burned the base, the black smoke rose up to the sky.
“Who are they admiral?” said Stein, looking at the ruins and the burnt camps.
“Bandits,” muttered Nina, stepping on the blackened wood. It squashed into ashes; the dust flew in the air.
“Easy victory huh?” said Alvin, grinning. “There will be bunch of these who will come for Ricky’s neck, better enjoy the spoils, any of them alive?”
“There is nothing to interrogate,” said Nina, walking up to one groaning man on the ground and shot him.
“Admiral!” shouted Stein. James flinched.
“Cold as usual,” muttered Alvin. “Well, well, I missed you, Polchinski.”
Nina laughed, putting the pistol back in her jacket.
“No spoils, Caravel, we have enough to carry. Move on now,” said Nina.
They marched until night. After sun went down, they settled down to have some food and water. They had bread and smoked fish. James and Alvin sat in front of Nina.
“Many have left Cassandra, I would very like to form an allegiance with militants that arrived in the island, but I don’t think we are going to have much luck. We all lack of resources even to survive, they will try to plunder. We have to find this man called Ricky Guido soon. Else, it will be pretty hard to hold the ground,” said Nina. “Hopefully the batteries don’t run out before we get to the creek. It’s been a while I’ve fought without the cloaking devices.”
“Watch out for the fucking mines,” chuckled Alvin.
“Yep, those fucking mines,” laughed Nina. “I’m going to get some water,”
Nina stood up, and went to the fireplace where the soldiers were boiling the water they got from the pond.
Alvin sniffed and turned to James, who was eating fish next to him.
“So, how was this Pestice lady you have encountered?” asked Alvin, smirking. James seemed to be little afraid of Alvin. Ever since he entered Nina’s army, he always had that jealousy upon seeing Alvin, as he was valiant and let the troops well. Stein added more to his feeling as he loved Alvin like a son. He rebuked Alvin and took care of him when he was in the army. But he didn’t like James, even made a suggestion to Nina to fire him as James is not fit to lead the troops. James became a Captain as a result of Nina’s continued nagging. These facts made James hard to deal with Alvin. He felt discouraged upon seeing him.
“What?” said James.
“You know, that legendary assassin, I’m eager to meet her during my career but never succeeded. It became an obsession now,” Alvin grinned.
“She is beautiful,” said James, coughed a little, biting the bread.
“Bewitching, is more an accurate term,” added Alvin. “Were you too, infatuated?”
James frowned, swallowed the water from his bottle.
“No,” said James, unsure, his eyes shook. Alvin looked at him and laughed.
“She grew up in the orphanage, found on the street. She had no name, didn’t even know where she came from. But later she was picked up by a secret police and put to the orphanage. Well, because of her unnatural looks, all men approached her like beasts. Also, among the peers, girls burned with jealousy, they attacked her with the razor and boiling water tried to ruin her. According to rumor, Sharine managed to hold them off by stabbing their body with a pencil and scissors. The principal at the orphanage named her Pesticide, as she always tend to destroy the group of people. Later she changed her name to more girly way, Pestice,”
“…”
“She grew up quite roughly and never backed down. Have done pretty good job, as a result, she couldn’t really adapt to the organization and all the hierarchy. People think that by her wits and skills she survived, but it was mostly due to her appearance. No wonder those stupid thugs falling in love with her, going war with each other, even dreamed about being tortured and killed by her. She destroyed six mafias by her own,” chuckled Alvin, biting his smoked fish. He chewed it few times and swallowed it. “Ironically, that Helen of Troy ends up being in the string of the pendulum, so-called the keeper of balance, the Assassins’ Chamber.”
“So you mean she is just a dumb beauty?” said James.
“No,” said Alvin. “It is true that she has skills, but no assassin by self can destroy the group of militants like that,”
“I think you are wrong, I think she is smart and strong girl,” said James. Alvin frowned and stared at him for a while; James avoided his gaze. Alvin burst into laughter.
“You are a funny guy,” said Alvin, chuckling; he stood up and went to the fireplace to get water. James felt his ear heating up, disliking Alvin even more.
At that time in the Basileus Republic, the city light was brightly shining. The car strolled down the street. Heston was wearing a light brown Burberry and Protter with grey suit. They were off the work, in the street for some night snacks; they grabbed the hotdogs from the vendor, talking.
“I don’t see why my wife hates this awesome thing,” said Heston, biting the hotdog.
“Yeah,” said Protter, his lips dripping with the ketchup and mustard.
“My wife is now into some gambling… So random, I cannot even comprehend in my mind. I’ll be knocking on your doorstep, freezing myself to death soon,” said Heston, gloomily.
“Huh, I always thought Gloria was not the type,” chuckled Protter. “It’s good to have some fun from time to time, I guess, how about the work?”
“I sent few of the newbie to the border patrol agents, to get some testimony out of them. But they are many, many many,” said Heston. “I had enough worries about Cassandra long time ago; I mean look at the number of refugees it produced and all those terrorist bombings at the embassy! They are upset about pretty much everything.”
“Any good news?” said Protter, putting more pickles on his hotdog.
“No, not really,” said Heston, with a gloomy face.
“Apart from the politics and bullshit, the Island of Riddles have long been handled by the waste management unit… some parts are overdosed with the hazardous material,” said Protter.
“Those lame ducks… They didn’t know Ricky’s working there? Why didn’t they report to us until now?” sneered Heston.
“I guess they didn’t want to mess around and get shot,” Protter shrugged. “Plus, Island of Riddles have been long been pursued by a sort of cult groups in underground channel.”
“What about Nina?” asked Heston.
“Honestly I don’t give a shit about what Nina Polchinski is up to, although many government officers,” Heston glimpsed at the building, “are crazy over her.”
“What they are concerned about is Ricky, and a possible allegiance with Polchinski,” said Protter.
“…”
“Ever since his wife died, you know how he can turn against us,” said Protter.
“Yep,” muttered Heston, sensing his mouth dry. He gulped down the coke. “That poor billionaire.”
In the southern sea, Veron was inside the submarine. The huge metallic whale-like body glided through the deep pressing water. Titto was reluctant to talk to Veron, because he seemed
ill and insane; he started to talk alone.
Veron’s son, Morris, was whining all the time in the submarine, crying out that the submarines were too dark and narrow. The officers and Veron looked at him thinking that he is weeping for the death of his mother and showed fake tears made out of saliva. Veron scolded Morris to be strong and stupidly believed that those officers are showing a real grievance and mourning.
Titto was with Melady and Thompson family, who was already frightened at the tight, narrow, tiny, dark place, where everything seemed to be squashed in. Melady shuddered at the sight of soldiers’ sly looks and eyes full of contempt concerning them. The soldiers were being angry at them, rejecting them from being here. Veron, bearing guilt, gave small nurses’ office for Melady and Thompson family to stay; Melady prayed in the room.
One of the soldiers opened the room to hand out the food; he sneered at them, curling his lips, and gave out the beans and potatoes. Titto, who was heading toward the room, saw this and walked toward the soldier.
“Knock first, will you?” threatened Titto to the soldier. The soldier stiffened. His eyes were full of loathing.
“I’m sorry sir,” says the soldier.
“Give me the key,” demanded Titto, spreading his palm.
“It’s the Emperor’s sir,” snarled the soldier, not moving.
“Then I’ll give it to him.” said Titto, grabbing the key out of tightly held fist of the soldier. The soldier looked as if he was about to hit Titto, but he didn’t, he merely saluted at him.
“Of course sir,” he said and walked down the hallway. Titto looked at them bitterly, shaking his head and knocked on the door.
“Come… Come in,” said Mrs. Thompson, and Titto entered. Their eyes seemed to be little relieved at the sight of him. Melady looked at him with a tear gurgling eyes.
“Oh Titto, we haven’t expressed thanks for getting us in this turmoil.” said Mrs. Thompson. “Bless you, thank you very much.”
Titto didn’t say anything but instead he looked on the hallway. It was empty, Titto looked at the frightened face of Thompson family and reached for his belt and reached for the pistol. Mrs. Thompson shrieked a little; Mr. Thompson covered her, and dragged his daughter near him.
“We’ll be there in two days,” whispered Titto, handing Mr. Thompson a pistol with a cautious glare. “… In case we have two days. Put it in a pillow case, if someone tries to open the door by force, get it ready, and find me.”
Titto put the finger on his lips to stop Mr. Thompson from saying anything. Mr. Thompson put the pistol inside the pillow case. Titto heard the footstep approaching. He froze for a moment and stood up hurriedly.
“I’m glad that you enjoyed your food, you stinking pigs!” shouted Titto so that the soldier can hear; he grabbed the steamy potato from the dish and threw it on the floor and got out of the room. He glared at the soldier who was walking pass the hallway.
“Are you going to salute to your superior officer?” said Titto.
“Yes… yes pardon me sir!” shouted the solder.
“You sea freaks,” growled Titto, pushing him by shoulder and passed by. The soldier glimpsed at Thompson family and the potato on the floor at the nurse’s room. He scowled and walked away.
Titto knew as the hierarchy has been damaged, it is matter of time the soldiers become rebellious and try to behead Veron. He didn’t like Veron at all; but still, he felt sorry for the recent loss of his wife.
‘They will come for the kid,’ thought Titto. He tried to warn Veron but it was hard to do it in the confined place where people cannot be trusted. Furthermore, Veron was not the person who keeps the information to himself. The atmosphere was tense and heavy. The people’s eyes were bulging with red veins and the sound of Sonar and gurgling breathing filled the room. Titto strapped the knife on his belt, looking cautiously. He didn’t sleep well at night.
The fight broke out on the next day among the soldiers. One of them grabbed one’s hair and bashed his head on the metal scope in the submarine. The blood scorched out, although it was hard to distinguish as the red light glowed on them. It was a mess; the guy looked at the bleeding man with an arrogant and murderous glare, breathing heavily.
Veron didn’t seem to mind, spending time with his son. The higher ranking officers saw this and beat both of them up, the screaming echoed inside the room, for hours and hours. Mr. Thompson clutched tightly on the pistol, hugging his wife and daughter, not sleeping at all. Titto was worn out; he couldn’t think anymore. It was a long journey.