“Ready, I know." Sibylla lifted her practice blade from the ground and sheathed it away. She hated failing, worse, she hated getting lectured.
"Tell me," he said. "What was your first reaction when you saw it?"
"I peed in my pants."
He laughed softly to himself. He was always so calm, so confident—everything that she wanted be but knew she couldn’t as long as she cared.
"I was scared," she finally admitted, feeling a sense of shame come over her.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I'd never seen anything like it before. It was like…from hell."
"And you couldn't accept it?"
She shook her head. "No, I guess I couldn't."
"Apart from being ready, you must always expect what cannot be accounted for. If the world should open up and all the nightmares of hell rise up to attack you, I want you to reach for your blade and start cutting. Do you understand me? There is no running, no regrouping, only fighting."
"Until I die?" she asked, gazing up at him in silence.
He paused as he stared at her, the beauty of his eyes marred by a clear sense of hesitation. He was struggling, struck by something unexpected and unwelcome. "If need be…yes."
"Great," Sibylla said, looking away.
"Come," he said firmly, shoving away whatever had plagued him. "We are almost done with our sessions. And there are a few more things I have to teach you."
Sibylla trailed after as he led her back to the center of the dome. His hands went to her wrists as he slid behind her and she could feel the heat of his breath as he nestled his head next to hers.
They'd done this so many times before that she'd learned to give herself over to him completely, allowing the force of his muscles to guide her every movement.
"You've learned much," he said, steering her through a sword routine that he’d already taught her. But she indulged him, acting as if she was learning it for the first time.
"I've had a pretty good teacher," she replied with a smile.
He grinned. "Kind of a…jerk, though, yes?" he asked amusedly.
"More or less."
He swung her around, careful to hold her tight, careful to not let her go. "Did you get the codes?" he asked, his hand caressing down her forearm as it edged toward her bare wrist.
Sibylla's stomach lit with nervousness, and she eyed Williams and the other Eagles who were standing along the sides of the dome. "Yes," she said.
"Then we are almost ready."
Now that the escape was close at hand, she found herself hit with a host of worries. Would they get caught? Would they be shot? What would happen to the deal Sibylla had made? Her mind was swirling with doubt. But above of all, there was one that stood out from the rest.
"How do I know you won't kill me once we're free?" Sibylla asked.
His head shifted as if stung by the assumption. "And why would I do that?"
"Because…you're a killer."
"Like you?"
Sibylla glanced up at him. "I've never killed anyone in my life."
"But isn't that what your friends think? Those who call you, Killer?"
Sibylla winced, wishing that she’d never revealed that information to him. But she understood what he was saying. Whatever he'd done, whoever he'd killed, he’d done it out of a need to survive. Him being here was just a casualty of war. Yet, everything about this man was a contradiction. He was imprisoned, yet the most dangerous weapon on the base. He was funny, yet distant; sweet, yet cruel. Which one was he?
"The codes are alphanumeric," she whispered, handing him the piece of paper she'd hidden beneath the wrist of her body suit. She'd written out the codes from the drive. He took it.
"And the security windows?"
"There's a guard shift every six hours starting at midnight."
"And the difficult part?"
Sibylla sighed. "The passcode requires fingerprints and retinal screening. I don't know how you're going to get them."
He turned his head, and Sibylla followed his gaze, realizing that he was looking at Instructor Williams. "I'll think of something."
She looked up at him. "You're not going to kill anyone are you?"
He stared at her with a furrowed brow. "Why would it matter?"
"Because," Sibylla said. "It just does. That's my condition. Promise me you won't kill anyone."
He stared at her, seeming perplexed, then, as if accepting her ultimatum, gave her a solemn nod. “I promise.”
"Thank you," she said, turning her gaze back to her blade.
"I'll miss this," he said. There was a finality to his voice, a resoluteness that told her that he'd come to appreciate their time practicing. Resting into his embrace, she allowed herself to lie against his body. He didn't move away.
"After we leave, where will you go?" she asked.
"I have something I must do." He nuzzled her ear with his mouth. "Come with me," he whispered.
"Are you crazy?"
His hands fell to her hips, and she felt the strength of them through her suit.
"Why not?" he asked. "Where do you have to go?"
"I can't," she said, turning around to face him, her gaze lowering to his wide chest in shame. She hated to disappoint him. But she had her reasons. "I have somebody," she finally said.
"The one you've been doing this for?"
"I love him."
"He's lucky."
She looked up at him, finding his light, blue eyes staring at her.
"He doesn't care about you," he said.
"And you do?" The words had slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."
"I can take you away from this place. Teach you what you need to know."
"Back to Russia?"
Atra's gaze turned to the sidelines, as Williams stalked forward. Their whispered conversation had apparently drawn his attention.
"We should stop talking about this," Sibylla said.
“Fine. But you made me promise you something. Now it’s your turn."
"What?" Sibylla asked.
"That you consider coming with me."
"Atra."
"I'm serious."
Sibylla swallowed as she looked at Williams. He was closer now, flanked by the other Eagle who was aiming at Atra's head through the scope of his VK. They were only feet away. "Fine," she said. “I’ll think about it.”
30
Circles
Sibylla's boots crunched over the frosted ground as she continued along the mountain. They'd been marching for the past two hours, searching through the snow-covered paths for any sign of the enemy.
It was night now, and Sibylla could barely feel her fingers through the shivering cold. According to the readings on her visor, the temperature had fallen to -2 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a bone-aching freeze that seeped through the warming layer of her bodysuit and threatened to lock the joints of her exo-suit. They had to find them. And soon.
Glancing over her shoulder, she stared at the platoon marching behind her and saw a column of troops. Armed with VK-26's, they stared into the darkness with their night-activated visors, while behind them, a pair of Spider Tanks covered their rear, crawling over the mountainous terrain with fluid, metal legs.
It was the 22nd week of training; two more weeks before the final battle. So far, Yumiko had held onto third place, clinging onto her position with a win the week before. But second place had just lost, which meant, if they won tonight, their platoon would face off against Varya's in the championship match, where the leader of the winning platoon would be awarded the rank of Commander. It was an opportunity that Yumiko wasn't willing to pass up.
"Where are these bastards?" Yumiko complained. Her voice had become like a fly in Sibylla’s ear; ever-present and extremely annoying.
Sibylla ignored her, turning her attention back to the road, where she'd been troubled with thoughts of Atra. He'd managed to slip into her brain, unfortunately, distracting her with visions o
f light blue eyes and soft full lips. Was he really being honest with her? Could she actually trust him once they were outside the Nest? Her thoughts suddenly came to a halt as she heard a voice calling them to caution.
"I hear something," Tayshaun whispered. He turned to the patch of trees lining the upper side of the mountain and waited. He was back on his feet again, renewed by the medical devices that had graphed his damaged skin and mended his fractured bones. His return had been a welcomed one. Even more so for Sibylla, who’d been haunted by the feeling that she could've done more to protect him during the explosion.
Activating the visor of his helmet, he dropped to a knee and aimed his rifle at the forest. Around his neck was the same gold crucifix he'd been wearing on the transport carrier the day of the Drop. But around his wrist, he wore a yellow band that Anais had given to him in the infirmary.
"What do you see?" Yumiko asked.
"Nothing yet," he answered.
"Then why are we stopping?"
"Because he heard something," Anais shot back.
"I wasn't talking to you," Yumiko replied.
"Well, you 'd better listen," Anais said. "Because we might just be stepping into an ambush."
They were arguing over the comlink, allowing the entire platoon—soldiers freezing in the night who wanted nothing more than for this whole exercise to be over with—to hear that the leadership was just as confused as they were, if not more so.
Sibylla logged into the com, accessing a direct link to Yumiko.
"What do you want?" Yumiko barked.
"You need to stop fighting."
"Don't tell me what to do. You're not the one in charge here."
"So you keep reminding me. But if you want to keep the troops together, you need to stop fighting and show a little composure."
Silence followed as Sibylla let her words sink in.
"What do you want me to do?" Yumiko asked.
"Halt the march,” Sibylla replied. “Assess the situation and send out scouts to patrol the area. Anais was right about the ambush. Anyone of these turns could lead us into a surprise attack."
“And stopping won’t make us sitting ducks?" Yumiko countered.
"Not if we set up lookouts along the perimeter. I'll go first."
Yumiko let out a sound of frustration. "No," she finally decided. "We keep going."
Sibylla stood off to the side, as the platoon drove forward into the night. She didn’t like this. It was too aimless. When Koda reached her, she flipped back the visor of her helmet. He did the same.
"So, what do you think?" she asked, her breath turning to fog as she fell instep alongside him.
"It's cold."
Sibylla snorted. "I don't mean the weather."
"You mean how Yumiko's messing up?"
Sibylla held back her response, uneasy about openly criticizing a fellow recruit. As annoying, headstrong and selfish Yumiko was, Sibylla couldn’t deny the fact that she’d come to think of her as a friend. “I don't know. She's gotten us this far."
"You've gotten us this far," he corrected her, peering down at her with knowing eyes. "Every exercise we've won has been because of you. We all know it. And so does she."
Sibylla looked ahead at Yumiko. She was marching at the front of the column, her rifle cradled against her body. As if able to sense Sibylla’s glare, she looked over her shoulder and Sibylla lowered her gaze.
"Are you ready to take over, yet?" Koda asked.
"I already told you," Sibylla said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know that the Commander is free of criminal charges during wartime, right?”
Sibylla glanced at him. He was right, she knew. Being Commander protected her from going to jail. But what did she care about that now? She’d already made her deal. And by tomorrow, she’d be outside this place, running for her life and freedom. The last thing she wanted now was to be anchored here. “And I’m sure that whoever wins will appreciate that,” she said. “Besides, the exercises are already over. Just tonight and the next one. It wouldn't be fair to take over now, especially when Yumiko’s so close to her dream."
"You think that this competition has only been about Yumiko?" he asked, turning to face her. "Winning this thing is just as important to us as it is to her."
"I doubt that."
"You shouldn’t. For most of us, we never got a chance to be a part of something successful. Look at me, I've pretty much been on the run my entire life. Being the best platoon in the Eagles, and serving under someone great enough to become Commander, might actually make some of these peoples' lives worth something. And you could help them with that."
"What about you?" Sibylla asked. “Would winning make your life better?”
He laughed. "I don't base the success of my life on accomplishment, but on the people that I help, and the knowledge that I attain."
"Wow," Sibylla said. "Sounds like maybe you should be in charge."
"We all have our calling. Even if it's one that we don't want to hear."
Sibylla was about to respond when from somewhere in the trees came the sound of wood cracking. "Did you hear that?" she asked, halting Koda with a hand.
He looked up. "They're here," he whispered.
Bullets lit up the night as enemy soldiers fired down onto Sibylla's position. It was coming from the upper forest lining the trail, forcing Sibylla and the other troops down the side of the mountain. They took cover behind boulders, behind trees, behind anything they could find, lowering their heads and reaching for their rifles, as they tried to assess the situation.
"It's an ambush," Tayshaun yelled, letting off a couple of rounds at the enemy.
"I knew it!" Anais replied. She shot Yumiko a glare before firing into the trees ahead, causing Yumiko to reply with, "You know, if we weren't pinned down right now, I'd go over there and smash your pretty face in."
"Leave her alone, Yumi," Tayshaun interjected.
"What?" she asked, stunned. "Are you seriously gonna take her side over mine? Just because you think she's a piece of ass?"
"Why do you always have to refer to chicks as pieces of ass?" Tayshaun said. "That's all I ever hear from you."
"I hate to break up the discussion," Sibylla said, ducking as an electrical charge whipped past her head. "But if you wouldn’t mind, we're kind of in the middle of a battle.”
The firing was getting worse. Boulders crackled with electricity, while the few trees behind them, chipped and broke, sparking into dull smoke as they landed on the frozen ground.
"What happened to you, bro?" Yumiko continued.
"I grew up," Tayshaun answered.
"Grew up?" Yumiko repeated. "Are you kidding me? Let me tell you something, Preacher. If it weren't for me, your ass would’ve never made it out of the Marines."
"And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had any friends."
The gravity of his words brought the chatter to a halt, and Sibylla wondered where the real danger lied; between the two Marines or the fiery ambush.
"Forget this," Yumiko spat. “I’ve got a match to win. I’m gonna outflank these guys."
"Wait," Sibylla called out.
"You wait," Yumiko said. "I'm gonna fight."
"I said wait, damn it," Sibylla barked out.
"You don't get to order me around, Blondie. I'm the one in charge, remember?"
"I never forgot," Sibylla said. "But taking off like a lone gunman's not going to help."
"Oh yeah?” Yumiko said, flipping back the visor of her helmet. “And why not?"
"Because you're unhinged and angry. You need to calm down and focus."
"I am focused," Yumiko yelled.
Sibylla held the woman's gaze, seeing the fire in her eyes and the recklessness that came with it. "No," Sibylla said. "Not anymore. I'm taking over." Sibylla logged into the com and began to issue orders. "Alright, we need to outflank these guys. Bring the fight to them."
Yumiko glanced back at Tayshaun, as if expecti
ng him to get her back, but when he turned away, she realized that her closest ally had deserted her. "You can all go to hell.” She bolted up from her boulder and raced out into the night.
"Yumi!" Tayshaun screamed. He rose to his feet, ready to chase after, but Anais caught him by the arm, urging him to stay back. "Let her go.”
Sibylla logged into Yumiko's comlink and ordered her to return to her position. But Yumiko had already disconnected herself from the network, removing herself from Sibylla's visor.
"She's gone," Koda said.
Damnit, Sibylla thought, her teeth grinding in frustration. There was nothing they could do now. Yumiko was already entering the forest, disappearing behind a row of trees. They could either reinforce her position or let her strangle herself with her own fury. Sighing, Sibylla made a choice.
"Follow her, Koda," Sibylla said.
He glanced at her. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "And make sure she doesn't kill herself!"
Nodding, he peered into the forest of enemy troops, timing his launch as he waited for a lull in the firing. Bullets flew past the large soldier as he darted after Yumiko's trail, barely able to slip through the horizontal hail of gunfire.
Waiting a few seconds, Sibylla logged into the main comlink and addressed all of her troops. "All units, on my mark, prepare to advance."
Quickly, the Spider Tanks behind her stirred to life, their robotic legs shifting against the ground as they positioned themselves to aim at the dense forest to their right.
All around her, dozens of troops were readying themselves to enter the battle, their bodies rising to a squat, their hands tightening around their rifles in anticipation.
Sibylla took a deep breath as she unsheathed the blade on her back, the feel of its handle filling her with the familiar sense of power that she’d been becoming used to over the past couple of months. Rising to a knee, she raised her sword into the air and screamed, "Attack!"
Wood splintered loudly as the Spider Tanks began their ascent up the mountainside, barreling through the army of thin trees and crawling over the rocky ground in a smooth succession that looked more like the movements of giant centipedes, rather than regular tanks.
Sibylla of Earth: Book One of the Anunnakiverse Page 23