His words didn’t make sense and Pace didn’t even try to figure them out. It’d be easier to just pass them through his mind without trying to understand. But Pace didn’t come here to listen to riddles, he had his own business to attend.
“She’s heading our direction, commander.”
Kinson grunted for a split-second Pace thought he saw a sour expression on commander’s face, but before he could process what his eyes had perceived, a chiseled from a stone face returned.
“Do you understand that it might be a trap? After all, Dukas and Agent X escaped us. They might communicate with King’s Valley and set this up. You must take this into account.”
“I know, but I couldn’t care less.”
“But care you must! The fate of the world can’t rest on a whim!” It was impressive how commander could talk about the future of the world with an angry expression.
“I don’t care, old man,” Pace repeated with an emphasize. If commander believed that Pace would abandon Ines, then it showed how ignorant Kinson was about him.
Kinson’s eyes narrowed. A promised of violence swirled in them. If commander decided to attack Pace… the odds wouldn’t be very favorable.
“Calm down or you’ll burn yourself to a pile of ashes,” he had turned around, opened an iron case, and after a minute of rummaging he picked a piece of paper. Such a reaction Pace didn’t expect.
“Here, read it,” commander handed it to Pace. “I meant to give it to you later, but I don’t think we have that much time.” What the hell is talking about?
The piece of paper turned out to be a letter…
To Pacem Virgo
When you’re reading these words, it means I’m gone from this world. I could say; don’t be sad, but our emotions are the source of our strength. You must feel to move ahead. Whatever the circumstances of my death, you have to start planning the future.
There is so much I didn’t tell you. Part of the reason is – we had no time. But I’ll be truthful with you. The less you know at this stage, the better for you. Anyway, the world is in your hands now, as it is the crew and the Horned Pony, Captain Pace.
Go, finish what we started.
Captain Pembroke Isalia Dorado
Pace had blinked, then blinked again. This was a solid hoax. He wouldn’t buy it. They’d made him believe once… but then it happened. Captain Pembroke died. Exactly, as he predicted.
“What is this?”
Tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. He couldn’t stop them. He didn’t want to.
“Our captain’s last words to you. Captain’s will, if you like.”
“But they make no sense. It’s gibberish…”
Commander materialized before Pace with unimaginable speed, his hand shot toward him, grabbed his jaw and lifted him up. Pace wanted to scream that commander would die because of touching his naked skin, but Kinson only shuddered off the effect of the virus.
“I don’t ever want to hear such words from your mouth. Captain Pembroke, gave up his life for the sake of this world, as has done vice admiral Carbon before him and countless more. Common marines can fight pirates and believe that their world is safe and sound within their tiny puddles they call the seven seas. But that’s an illusion. There are threats and there are threats. Captain chose you because of all people only your fate can defeat the approaching danger. So, stop your immature behavior, and get your shit together marine. You have three weeks to be ready to take the command of this ship. Now, you’re dismissed.”
*
Pace
Pace didn’t return to the quarters right away. His mind felt too twisted for that. He needed breathing space. The forecastle seemed appealing, no one was there. The only other person on the main deck should be Ed, who held the steering wheel.
As Pace approached the rail, he noticed Riss sitting with her legs daggling beyond the edge of the ship. The flutter in his stomach increased its intensity at her sight and he began wondering if everything was right with his head. Riss was a very attractive woman with pink hair and a mischievous smile that could melt the hardest block of ice. He didn’t see this earlier and the heat between his legs confused him. Why now? It was connected to Ines. Strange, thinking of her didn’t change things. He still craved Riss’s touch. But I can’t touch people. My touch can kill. Except, Kinson and a few more…
“Pace,” she said without turning. Did everyone possess a sixth sense or what? “It seems I’m not the only one seeking solitude. Come, join me.”
Pace hesitated because it was as she said, he wished to be alone. But the newly found desire wore his reluctance off in an astonishingly quick pace.
The sat in the comfortable silence, and yet Pace felt a need to speak, to share something with her. It seemed like Riss was the most enigmatic person on the ship despite being a daughter of vice admiral. Why she wore an officer uniform without a rank? And what connected her Dukas? There was no point mentioning her Gift. Pace only understood that she could manipulate them as she wished. So crazy to even think about it.
“I don’t know what to do,” Pace said out of blue.
“You aren’t the only one,” she smirked weakly. For a second, she didn’t conceal her emotions and he detected unimaginable sadness within her. The bond with Ines has allowed him to read people’s emotions sometimes. Pembroke was extremely important to Riss. How does he expect me to fill his shoes? It’s impossible. I know nothing about the world. I have no experience and strength to meet the threats they were talking about. I need her on my side. She’ll understand that I can’t be captain. Kinson can have it.
“Captain left me a letter…”
Riss spun around but didn’t move from her spot. Curiosity in her gaze burned so brightly he wanted to shield his eyes.
“I can’t say I’m not jealous, but then I’ve never wanted such fate as yours. Seeing how my father shapes the world. It destroyed him. No one can do it without consequences.”
“Wait a minute!” Pace protested. “So, you’re in league with Kinson?”
“I hate to say that, but yes. Pembroke left letters for everyone except the orange-haired, the pirate and that old man who had stayed on Thousand Lakes island. It feels strange to know that he had some intimate words with others. Such a strange feeling.”
With a racing heart, he tore his gaze from Riss’s beautiful face. That all talk about the intimate stuff. He didn’t need that kind of distraction now.
“Riss,” Pace muttered. He was glad that the main deck was desolated, and the night was up. Some emotions were best hidden. “Who is she to Pembroke?”
Fire glittered in Riss’ eyes. Ah, she was so jealous.
“What do you mean?”
“Pembroke’s surname was Dorado.”
“Oh,” Riss gasped. “Bastard. I knew they hid something from me. I expected this from my father. He was nuts… Kink-son, we are going to have a conversation!” She barged out of the forecastle. Pace already regretted this talk. It might be he hadn’t been meant to tell this to anyone.
Chapter 35
Ines
The metal cage shook and rattled ominously but got them to the floor Zero. Corridors there were usually desolated according to Kimberlton. He told her that only one subject was held at this level. She smacked his arm for calling anyone this way. They weren’t subjects. They were living people. He had promised to never again do this, but she only narrowed her eyes suspecting that the years of practice wouldn’t let go so easily.
The prisoner at this level was called Umarau. He was only a kid when found by the Navy at some remote island. He killed everyone there. His power was unstable because of the trauma of childhood. He couldn’t use actively his Forbidden Gift, which only manifested while he slept. Umarau had broad back with long hair of the color of ash. He sat in the middle of the cell with his feet on his thigh. He looked as if he meditated.
“What’s his Forbidden Gift?”
“He’s a difficult example, Ines. When he sleeps the level of oxy
gen falls drastically, but it might be something else than the Forbidden Gift. We believe that he could be cursed by someone or something. The Forbidden Gifts aren’t the only source of magic in our world. We can let him out but taking him with us is a big risk. He might kill us the first night.”
It pained Ines’ to leave anyone behind at this place, but Kimberlton was right. Whatever afflicted this man sounded extremely dangerous, unless… she could use her power on him. Maybe, he also carried a virus that caused this strange ability to manifest during the night? If a virus could kill people exactly at their twenty-first birthday, then there could be anything they could do.
“We’re letting him out, and I’ll decide what next.”
“But Ines…”
“If you haven’t noticed, I can repel the Gifts’ and magical influence.”
Kimberlton knew he lost the argument with her. The ringing alarm had an even more severe effect on him than it had on Ines. He wanted to be done with it and gone from this cursed place.
Before the door opened, an electrical charge cracked in the air and woke up Umarau. He only shivered, but Ines sensed his rage. He hated being electrocuted each time someone visited him.
Umarau rose slowly, out of nowhere two pieces of sharp metal appeared in his hands.
“Stop,” Ines shouted before the prisoner made a move.
He turned to them, still holding the weapons. There was murder in his glare.
“I won’t go anywhere else,” he drawled. “I’m done being your plaything.”
“We feel the same, Umarau. We’re escaping this forsaken place.”
His pale face changed expression as she said his name. Disbelief and shock had filled him, and his inner rage lost a considerable portion of its strength.
“Who are you?”
Ines made a step toward the man.
“Don’t,” Kimberlton caught her arm. “It’s a trap. He doesn’t think straight. He’ll try to kill you.”
She strangled fear and rationality and opened her heart… her soul to this man. It happened instinctively without her conscious control. A mix of her and Pace’s strange traits. An invisible hand slammed into Umarau’s soul. He staggered back under the pressure and groaned. It wasn’t the rage that was deadly within this person. Beneath the searing emotion lurked a cold-blooded intellect. Years of mistreatment and imprisonment have wounded him. He could be healed, though it’d require much time.
Umarau shielded his eyes as if a shine came from her body. Worried Kimberlton asked if everything was alright, but Ines was silent sending waves of roiling purity toward the prisoner.
“There is no point killing him, Ines…”
“I’m not killing him, I’m saving him.”
*
Ines
Her heart and soul closed. Umarau was on his knees. Tears pooled on the ground before him.
“I didn’t want this… it had been an accident,” he sobbed.
Ines had spun her back to him and snapped, “it’s not the time to pity yourself. We must make our escape first. Kimberlton, show the way.” So, she not only repelled magic and read emotions or with Pace’s help had a hunch; she could also influence other people’s emotions. Oh, the body. Don’t forget the body.
The sharp metals in Umarau’s hands disappeared as swiftly as they’d come. The three of them rushed toward the stairs that led to the Level One. The alarm rung mercilessly. Ines wondered what it meant. Shouldn’t there be guards or some lockdown?
It didn’t take long to encounter the first guards. Four of them stood by the entrance to Level One.
“Halt,” one of them shouted when their silhouettes appeared in the corridor. “Stay were—”
A metal piece sprouted from the forehead of the guard. He dropped on the ground. The remaining three yanked their weapons out of scabbards.
“Leave them to me,” Umarau said. “I’ve trained for this moment since the day they put me in that cursed cell.”
Twenty seconds later the remaining guards lay dead. Umarau had some formidable skills. He moved with the deadly grace of a panther. She wondered where he came from.
“How many prisoners in the Level One?”
“Twenty.”
Ines stopped and looked at Kimberlton. They had no time to release everyone.
“Is there a way to open all cells at the same time?”
“After Olonnais’ escape they changed the system to stop exactly this scenario, but there is a glitch. The infused gemstones they use to feed the system can be swapped with incompatible ones. This should kick off the emergency protocol. Something that survived from the previous iteration of the system.”
“The infused gemstone? What’s that?”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
But the noise of a loud crashing stopped their conversation. Umarau hadn’t waited for them and started smashing the glass doors. Was this even possible? Why didn’t he free himself then? As if sensing her question, Kimberlton said, “the glass doors are only protected from the inside. Outwardly they can be easily busted.”
Ines had grabbed the guard’s weapon, a strange-looking sword, and joined Umarau. Kimberlton followed suit. In five minutes all twenty cells were opened. That went faster than she had expected.
“We should go ahead. Many of these people are unstable. They might even refuse to step outside.”
Ines wanted to save them all. Their lives couldn’t be wasted in such a manner, but as the scientist said. Some of the prisoners didn’t appear. Torn between running and checking on them, she had been about to choose the latter, but a squad of guards that filled the corridors from both sides decided for her. They had to run. Ines grabbed Kimberlton and yanked him closer to her.
“Any other way from this level?”
“No.”
“Then we fight,” she’d whispered, then she shouted as much as her lungs allowed her. “WE FIGHT!”
A roar came out of the prisoners’ throats. Their confusion was short-lived. That was positive.
Without waiting for the rest, she charged the first line of the guards. Spears trained on her, shields hiding the vulnerable spots. She sneered at their fear. As the edge of her sword touched the first shield, Kimberlton crashed against them as well. The first wound hurt as fuck, but Ines could not back down. Her life was at the stake here.
Umarau danced between them like a whirlwind, slashing and stabbing with cold precision. This was not a man to be crossed. The first line buckled under the onslaught and the guards started retreating or falling. Two more minutes and they were through.
“Go!”
Level Two looked nothing like the previous ones. Here, they emerged in the huge circular chamber tiled in azure color. The alarm still has rung, unpleasant drilling in the ears. In seven directions exits led to seven corridors. They all were tiled like the chamber giving Ines reminiscence of the only hospital in Karu. The memory made her tremble.
“What now?” she asked.
“This is the old segment of King’s Valley. Your cell was on the next level, but the higher we go the harsher security measures. This place is designed to be impenetrable.”
“What about the red-bricked staircase—”
“No!” Kimberlton cut in. “That staircase is a trap. If we get inside, they can shower us with poisoned water or worse.”
“I can…” Oh, shit.
“No, Ines. Your power won’t save everyone. The only way is a hard way.” It looked like his words came to be true because each exit filled out with guards. Ines heard sounds of fighting on the level below. They were cut off.
“Traitor,” a voice said from among the guards. “With a band of test subjects.”
A man with insignia of captain stepped out before the first line. His silver armor was mostly plain except for his shoulders, which were in the shape of sharks. The breastplate had an inscription in some, unknown to Ines, language. The gray cape ended an inch from the ground. The captain didn’t bother with
a helm. His blonde straight, silky hair flown down to his shoulders. He had markings above his left brow. Something told Ines that this man was a total asshole.
“You fell for the test subject, Kimberlton. You committed a crime punished by death.”
Ines was about to step before Kimberlton. While Kimberlton’s life was worthless for these people, her life still meant something, though not in the form she preferred.
“I’ll fight you, Kuran,” Umarau drawled.
“Test Subject Zero Minus, bring it on.”
The speed of Umarau reminded her of Asaif and his incredible agility. And yet, her savior from Karu was worn down and defeated.
Two short swords appeared in Kuran’s hands a sliver of a second before Umarau’s blades connected with Kuran’s neck. The impact of the four blades caused a huge boom and a shockwave. Guards and prisoners fell to the ground alike. What kind of monstrous strength do they possess? They must be stronger than Asaif by far
Captain Pembroke’s and the Government agent’s fight destroyed a building. Were these two capable of the same feat? Hopefully not.
“Woah,” Kimberlton echoed amazement that came from many throats. Ines slapped him in the face.
“We must use this and go. Which corridor is the best escape route?”
“Wait, Ines,” his teeth gritted. At first, she thought that he might be wounded, but it wasn’t that. Tears welled in his eyes. “There is a way to open the rest of the cells at the same time, but… it’ll require your blood.”
Ines looked at him astounded. Did he say it now?
“Lead me there. That’s our only chance to overwhelm the guards and get out of this place.”
Kimberlton clenched his fists, but he also knew the truth. Without releasing everyone their chances of escape equaled zero.
“Everyone! After me!”
They rushed toward the corridor with a number ‘1’ above it. The initial resistance of the guards stopped them, but they pressed with the savagery of animals that fought for their lives. Perhaps, in the eyes of the scientists and guards they were nothing, but animals. It didn’t matter. Animals or not, they had the right to live.
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