“I don’t,” he confessed, “and I am hungry, but my mission comes first. Once I complete it, I will report to my leader. If he gives me leave to have a meal with you, so be it. It is not up to me to go and eat when I should be handling a situation. Taroh Darr could be stealing from us right this very moment!”
The old woman nodded. “I commend you for your attitude, and I assure you I meant no disrespect. Follow me. I will take you to your target.”
She lifted a portion of her draped scarf over her mouth and forged ahead into the city. They avoided holes, dead bodies and animals, and stayed far away from windows. Overturned vehicles littered the street, and not a blade of grass grew here. It made for a reclusive, devastating sight.
Two blocks up, left for another two, a right for one, a left for three, and right for two more. Finally, the woman halted in front of a building that looked ready to collapse at any moment. The sand-colored bricks blended in with the ground. The place looked like a true hole in the wall.
“He should be down below,” she said. “Want me to come with?”
“No. I can handle this. Thank you…”
“Narcelia Alear.”
“Thank you, Nacelia.”
She was already walking away.
On second thought, Neil jogged over to her. “Take this and hold it for me.”
She accepted the backpack with some confusion. “Why?”
“I don’t want him to suspect anything.”
The woman nodded. “You just might do all right.”
“I hope so.”
Neil rushed back over to the place and walked through the hole that served as a door. Behind a boulder were stairs, and he slowly, quietly tiptoed down them.
At the bottom, he heard voices, and he hesitated.
“Marines… nothing… no…”
“Patient… time… world…”
The two continued to talk. Neil listened for a long while. Although he could not hear every word they were saying, he was fairly certain there were only the two speakers.
Should he wait until one left? Should he bust in on Taroh Darr without hesitating? The mission was for Taroh Darr alone, but if another was conspiring with him against the Hidden Serpents, he remained a threat. That person might well take up Taroh Darr's mantle. That would not do.
They are like cockroaches. They're everywhere.
Neil grinned. Cockroaches or not, he would kill them.
He slinked down the stairs slowly so that the element of surprise remained his. The wall contained alongside the stairs, hiding him from view.
"Others here. They will help."
"They will try to help. Everyone tries. Everyone fails."
"We can't give up!"
"You should," Neil said coldly as he left his hiding spot.
At once, Taroh Darr reacted. He brought up a gun and fired.
Neil could see the bullet. He realized it was heading straight for his head. He darted to the left and ducked.
The bullet missed.
Already, more bullets were flying, from both Taroh Darr and a boy of maybe fifteen years. Neil raced forward and kicked over a table. The table shattered, wood shard flying everywhere, but it proved a strong enough shield against the peppering of bullets.
The boy was racing away. Neil didn't mind terribly. He wasn't the true objective.
Taroh Darr, though…
Neil yanked off one of the table legs and stalked toward Taroh Darr. The man fired off another bullet, and Neil simply sidestepped it.
Taroh Darr fired again, only he was out of bullets.
"You can kill me," Taroh Darr said, "but we will never—"
Neil gripped him by his throat. "I will kill you, and I will never stop."
With a flick of his wrist, he snapped Taroh Darr's neck. From the man's body, Neil found a knife. It was a hack of a job, but Neil succeeded in decapitating him. After all, he needed proof that the mission had been completed.
Carrying the blood-dripping head in one hand and the bloodied knife in the other, Neil returned to the woman for his backpack. He slung it over one shoulder, accepted her words of praise and thanks, and returned to the Colonel.
My first kill. The first of many. Whoever said cockroaches are hard to kill is wrong.
Chapter 12
News of Taroh Darr's murder sent a shockwave of surprise and fear throughout the entire group. The sandstorm had halted two days before the murder. Two days that they had spent figuring out their plans all over again because the sandstorm caused too much devastation. Their previous plans were all shot to hell.
During their time grounded by the sandstorm, both the artificial but devastating one and the real one, the A-team had been busy. They had prepared as best as they could and helped many civilians to be safe during the storms.
Shauna had wanted to do more, but the first sandstorm did more than just kick up sand. It eroded buildings. The wind was so angry and powerful that it threatened to push tanks. A few overturned trucks had even been swept into buildings.
Can Grotto's Bay survive more devastating? Shauna wasn't so sure.
Padilla had been the one to bring them the news of the murder. The A-team had moved to a building slightly closer to the second site he'd suggested. Captain Jones figured that the building that was three in one made the most sense for them to go after first. He and the Lieutenant Colonel had figured out the route they would take alone with Rozene's and Felipe's input.
Shauna had been on guard duty that night when the Lieutenant Colonel arrived. She had nearly shot him before she recognized him.
The blow of this somber news could not be understated. Taroh Darr had been the only Hidden Serpent to defect. Without an inside man, they were fighting blind even if the sandstorms had ceased.
"How long had he been working with us?" Shauna asked.
"About a month," Padilla said.
All of them had been roused once Padilla arrived. They had been talking for hours now. Shauna had taken the first watch, so she hadn't slept at all. That her body rejected fatigue didn't surprise her. She hadn't been sleeping well anyhow. All throughout the sandstorms, she had suffered throughout nightmares. Over and over again, she dreamed of Nathaniel dying. He drowned in the ocean on their honeymoon. A Hidden Serpent infiltrated their wedding and shot him before they could say, "I do." A plane crash. A car accident. Cancer. Even old age. Over and over again, he left her. Over and over again, she woke up nearly in shock from so much sorrow and grief.
Shauna had suffered through insomnia throughout high school. When she did manage to fall asleep, she would always remember her dreams. Normally, that was a blessing. Right now, that was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because she was used to sleeping only two or three hours a night and being able to function at full capacity. A curse because those nightmares she recalled in perfect, vivid detail.
"Are there any others who might be willing to defect?" Mack asked.
Padilla shook his head. "We can't rely on that. Not now. You'll have to continue on."
"Thank you for letting us know," the Captain said, clearly dismissing the Lieutenant Colonel.
Padilla hesitated. "Does this change your plans at all?" he asked.
"Do you have anything else to suggest?" Captain Jones looked so angry he appeared murderous.
The Lieutenant Colonel grimaced. "Sadly, I have nothing else to suggest. Stay the course and hope for the best."
Padilla left the building, but tension still rang high. Despair and gloom hang heavy in the air.
"I suppose now wouldn't be the time to say I wouldn't be surprised if we're hit with another sandstorm soon," Rozene said.
Shauna bristled with anger. "We can't wait another two weeks. Whatever they're doing to the Marines, it's huge. Can't you see that they're using the sandstorms to keep us at bay? They must know we're here!"
The Captain nodded. "I believe you're right, West. Even if there is another sandstorm, we can't remain grounded this time. We'll have to go in.
"
"Should we split into two teams?" Trinity suggested.
"If it comes down to that, we will. For now, we need a distraction of our own. Coral, Mack, we need something that will keep us in constant contact with each other but can't be intercepted by the Hidden Serpents. What do you have for us?"
"We have these." Coral handed out hi-tech-looking walkie-talkies.
"Please tell me we aren't going old school on their asses," Captain Jones said.
"More like we took the old and gave it a complete overhaul," Mack said eagerly. "We changed the—"
"Are the specifics necessary?" the Captain demanded. "No? Didn't think so."
Mack looked dismayed, but several of the others grinned. They had been working together as a team for a long while now. Mack's tendency to run at the mouth, babbling about new comms or the like, was well known. Some even called it legendary. The man never knew when to stop talking. Considering he was a Communication Sergeant, perhaps that wasn't too surprising. Then again, wouldn't you consider it a given that he should realize that silence was important too?
But Shauna hadn't told the Lieutenant Colonel about every group losing a member to be sympathetic. Trinity was a new addition. Brook Buchanan and Hunter Townsend were recent add-ons as well. Their previous medical officers had both contracted deadly viruses five months ago. One hadn't made it. The other was still touch and go.
Military life isn't for everyone.
"Are you certain they won't be able to hack the line?" the Captain demanded.
"Nothing in life is certain," Coral said. "We should talk in code at all times. We'll adjust the frequency we're airing on after every transmission. That should also help to inhibit their ability to intercept multiple transmissions if by some surprise miracle they do seize one."
"Good, good." The Captain nodded. "West, Fernandez, you two will go here, here, here, and here. Set up bombs. Schedule them to go off two minutes apart right at zero six hundred tomorrow. As for the rest of us…"
The Captain detailed a plan. There were significant variants to it, most likely necessitated by the possible upcoming sandstorm. Rozene couldn't be more specific than soon, and when pressed by the Captain, she snapped. Which was shocking. Rozene was normally unflappable.
"I am not a weather goddess. I study the sky, the air, the feeling, and the subtle changes. It is an art, not a science." She glowered at Felipe, some of her anger shifting to her partner. "Maybe that is why so many of the meteorologists are wrong so often. The weather is ever-changing. It's fluid and constantly churning. Certain patterns do emerge, yes, but the possibilities of what those changes will result in vary too greatly. Science can't be of much use."
"Forget I asked," Captain Jones said. "Will you have enough bombs to set off another chain reaction around twelve hundred?"
Alejandro rubbed his hands together. Excitement shone in his dark eyes. "Yes. And even more later. We can light up the night if you want to continue the operation past when the sun sets."
"Not a bad idea," the Captain mused.
He pointed out possible sites for demolitions. It was understood that Shauna and Alejandro would ensure that no civilians were hiding within those areas before blowing up any bomb. If any were, they would have to find another location. If civilians suddenly evacuated the area, surely that would tip off the Hidden Serpents. Everything about this plan required stealth.
And luck to some degree, which Shauna hated. She had never felt more ill-prepared for a mission before. The Hidden Serpents truly took their name to heart. That they could operate here, on an island, and be able to keep their weapons and hostages at bay was devastating. It was also a terrible, frightening display of their power. If they could somehow cause Asia to fall, that might prove unstoppable.
No one can ever lay siege to Russia.
But as the Hidden Serpents would grow in power, nations might start to think that joining them would be the smarter idea. If that happened, World War III could start.
And it could be the end of the world if multiple nukes are launched.
No. No worst-case scenarios. Today wasn't about China, Japan, or Russia. The mission was about the Marines.
We have to save them. This plan will work.
But what if they were targeting the wrong base? What if even Tarok Darr hadn't known the main base's location? What if it had been changed after he defected?
>>><<<
Around midnight, Shauna realized that sleep was not going to happen. She wasn't surprised. She could never rest before she had to set off bombs.
The Captain was taking watch now, and she silently stood and crossed over to where he stood by the window nearest the door.
"Any movement?" she asked.
"Nothing aside from a few kids scavenging."
She hesitated.
"What's on your mind, West?"
"Tarok Darr. Who killed him?"
"A Hidden Serpent." The Captain readjusted his rifle.
"Why now?"
"Most likely because we're here. Or maybe he slipped up and they finally found his location. We might never know. It doesn't matter. He's dead."
The words sounded harsh, but she knew the Captain didn't mean to be. To some degree, to be a soldier, one had to be cold and detached. It was almost a form of brainwashing. To be able to bomb or shoot at others for irreconcilable differences meant one had to separate their mind from their actions. Killing meant surviving. It was a dangerous, repulsive game.
But that was war. This was war.
Tomorrow morning, their major entrance into that war would commence.
Chapter 13
The round face of Colonel Kronston Taer twisted into a wide, happy smile the moment Neil presented him with Tarok Darr's head. They were in a large room, the walls all a dark stone. The floor had no carpet, no rug. There were no pictures on the walls. The room was fairly desolate. Other than the table and two chairs, it was empty.
"Very nice." The Colonel accepted the still dripping head and placed it on the table. Within seconds, a pool of blood formed beneath it. Carefully, he pried open the dead man's mouth. "His tongue is intact."
Neil winced, shame and guilt filling him. "I didn't cut out his tongue or cut off his hands. Everything happened so fast. He immediately shot at me. I reacted."
The Colonel nodded. "He said nothing at all?"
"Nothing of consequence."
"Not surprising. He was a thief. You have done well."
"Well enough to earn my tattoo?" Neil asked eagerly.
The Colonel sadly shook his head. "I'm afraid not yet, but the day is young yet. I have another mission for you."
All in all, Neil was given five more names.
Gelin Dalith. He was one of the leaders of the civilians.
Mollay Kenep. She had been the president of Grotto's Bay. At one point, she had sided with the Hidden Serpents. Few outside of the Hidden Serpents knew that she still lived.
But not for long.
The former president should have been a Hidden Serpent considering how capable she was at hiding.
Baragh Rinn. He was an architect who was trying to rebuild parts of the city and the rest of the island but for the civilians. If Neil could not convince him he was on the losing side, Baragh was to lose his life.
Sorn and Sabrae Duskyrn. This couple had owned a boat. They had allowed the Hidden Serpents permission to use it but then changed their minds. Ever since they took it back, rumors suggested that they were trying to steal children away.
"They're brainwashing the children against us," the Colonel said angrily. "The youth is the future of any nation and especially of the world. We need the youth to understand that worldwide peace is at stake."
"Why anyone is against us is beyond me," Neil said quietly.
"Exactly so." The Colonel clasped his shoulder. "Exactly so. Here is a map with last known or suspected locations are marked off."
Neil accepted it and started for the door, which was essentially carved into the sto
ne. The two guards from before stood in the hallway. Neil had shrugged off his backpack and given it to the taller one who resembled a scarecrow.
"Aren't you going to take your backpack?" The Colonel had fallen him out.
Neil was already halfway down the hallway. He turned back sharply. "No, sir."
"Are you hungry?"
Neil hesitated.
"The truth, soldier," the Colonel demanded angrily.
"Yes, sir, but I can go without."
"Nonsense. You had your first kill for the cause. Come. We have a nice juicy steak waiting for you."
Five minutes later, Neil had consumed the largest, meatiest steak ever. The Colonel and the doctor were nearby, waiting him eat. Neil was too hungry to care.
"Impressive…"
"A testament to your experiment."
"I knew it would pay off eventually." The doctor sounded so pleased.
"You've only killed how many?" Kronston Taer remained far more skeptical.
"Let's not go there."
"Are you ready to start on another?"
"Almost. Almost."
"Keep me updated," the Colonel said critically.
Neil did his best not to eavesdrop as the two continued to talk. If they had information for him, they would share it. Otherwise, it was not his place to nose in.
He swallowed his last bite and stood. Immediately, the two fell silent.
"You think this is smart sending him alone?" the doctor whispered.
"Why?" the Colonel asked, a threatening tone creeping into his voice. "Think you failed in any way?"
"Of course not. But a partner might not be a terrible idea."
The Colonel huffed and marched over to Neil. The short, stocky man was almost like a toad compared to Neil.
"Do you want a partner?" he asked. "If you do, I can provide one."
"A partner?" Neil shook his head. "You gave me the assignment. I can handle it by myself."
"Assignment?" Taer raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Assignments."
Neil refrained from shrugging. "You want those people killed. Seems like one assignment to me."
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