Romeo nodded, knowing that she was right. He was recruited merely out of necessity, rather than ideology. He couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had agreed with Nikolai back in the restaurant. If he had chosen his words differently, he may have been recruited by Black Dawn instead, and he and Juliet would be enemies.
Forty-three
“All traitors, they are,” Nikolai spoke loudly to himself. He stood in his suite, the lights turned off. The only available light flooded in from the night sky outside.
Tahlia lay on the chaise, trying to ignore him. It had been an exhaustingly long day, and the inauguration would be starting soon. She tried her best to close her eyes and rest, but Nikolai insisted on rambling on. Sabina and Aurelius were granted the opportunity to sleep in their respective quarters, while she was stuck with her bothersome leader.
“Traitors to the elites,” he bellowed again, referring to the Tianzu. “They act so righteous, so honourable, so exemplary, but in actuality they're nothing more than devious vermin, and they all deserve to die.”
Tahlia let out a loud exhale through her nose. She had attempted to leave the room on three occasions, but Nikolai insisted she stay and monitor the Tianzu's whereabouts at all times. There was no doubt in his mind that they would attempt to stage a final coup.
“I don't understand any of it!” he cried.
“Neither do I,” she agreed, finally beginning to accept that sleep would elude her.
Nikolai started laughing, much to her surprise. “Isn't it a fascinating world we live in? Here we are, with countless men and women who have dared to rise above and beyond the human race, and who have been rewarded with the gift of immortality and enlightenment, yet who all choose such different and opposing paths, and vie for the opportunity to pervade their ideologies upon the masses.”
Tahlia lay on the chaise and stared into the darkness, unable to interpret the speech due to her lack of Alexan fluency.
“Clearly,” he continued, “three rival factions are all driven by three different sets of virtues. It just proves that it takes but one individual, one leader, to have such an impact on the world.” He felt pleased with his philosophy, although needed no justification, as he himself was the living embodiment of one who had successfully manipulated the will of others to suit his own aspirations.
“Still, I just don't understand how it is that these people can be at the forefront of human evolution, and yet contort into the hollow, devoid individuals that lay claim to being so enlightened.” He grunted loudly, expressing his contempt for the Tianzu, but also his enthusiasm for the prospect of eradicating them. “The moment this inauguration is finished and the president is safe, I want us to put all of our efforts into finding and destroying the Tianzu. I want all of them wiped out, irrespective of how many there are.”
“What about Marion? Can you please kill her for me?” she begged. Tahlia had reminded Nikolai about her nemesis countless times, but he never seemed to show any interest in assisting her with her precarious dilemma.
“Not yet, my dear,” he dismissed. He glanced down at his wrist comm. “Not long to go now. I'd best wake the president. Tahlia, go and wake Sabina and Aurelius, if you would.” He cheerily strode over to the bedroom door and shoved it open.
Tahlia stood up, feeling restless and wary that Sierra would no doubt be at the inauguration waiting for her. She was beginning to wonder if Nikolai would ever keep his promise of helping her eliminate her foe. After all, it was the only reason she agreed to join Black Dawn in the first place.
Forty-four
The room was sombre as the group stood around Ren's desk. Ren pointed to the map of Athenia's convention centre on her monitor. The east end housed a tall building which faced the giant open courtyard. Thousands of civilians were expected to fill the yard, all eager to catch a glimpse of their new leader. The entire perimeter was surrounded by a towering wall, adding to White Shadow's challenge.
“The only way this will work is if you mount the wall,” Ren instructed, looking at Skye and Sierra. “Make your way over to the main hall here,” she ran her finger along the screen. “The wall's off limits to the public, so it should have the least number of guards. The president will most likely be on the main balcony overlooking the courtyard.”
Skye buried his face in his hands. “This plan's not going to work,” he groaned with a muffled voice.
“This was your idea. Have faith, Skye,” Ren offered, more annoyed than optimistic.
“Have faith in what? How are we possibly going to be able to execute Archie and leave the convention centre alive?”
Ren tried to suppress her frustration. “Well obviously you'll need to rely on your speed. It saved you yesterday.”
“Nikolai and Tahlia will be there. They'll detect us before we even enter the district.”
“Most likely. But this is our last chance. We have to at least try something.”
“And what if innocent civilians are killed in the crossfire?”
Ren paused and stared back at Skye. She wasn't overly fond of the plan either, but in these final hours she was desperate. She didn't bother to answer the question, but the look on her face indicated she'd sacrifice anyone or anything to complete this mission.
“And what about myself?” Tango asked sarcastically. “I suppose I won't be able to just walk in through the main entrance, will I?”
Ren shook her head. “Out of the question. Sierra and Skye are the fastest, so they'll need to be the ones who take the president out. If we cause any commotion in the courtyard, the president will be taken away. It needs to be a clean operation.”
“So in other words, I'm going to sit this operation out?” he asked.
“You can wait in the van. Keep your comm on and listen for my orders if Skye needs help.”
Tango clenched his fists, unhappy with the plan of action. “And what about Echo? Is finding him a priority?”
Once again, Ren said nothing. She bit her lip and tried to avoid the scornful eyes of the group.
“If I see Tahlia, she'll be my first priority,” Sierra reminded yet again.
“And what will you do when you kill her, Sierra?” Ren spat, her face showing signs of agonising fatigue and anguish. “Will your life be whole again?”
Sierra froze. Her heart rate began to increase after hearing the question. She looked away and tried to suppress her rage. “My life will never be whole again,” she whispered as her mind went back into the past, reflecting on what Tahlia had done to her. “And I told you months ago, Tahlia was always going to be my main objective.”
“You promised us the other night you'd help us, remember?” Skye reminded her.
“If I see your president, I'll kill him. But Tahlia takes precedence.”
“Maybe you should accept the fact that you're never going to kill Tahlia,” Ren said. “Every time you get close enough, she flees. The only way you'll kill her is if she drops her guard, which is almost impossible when she can detect you when you're close enough.”
Sierra's body went rigid once again. Ren's words were a frustrating reminder that the cowardly Tahlia was indeed elusive. “She dropped her guard when I shot her in the arm,” she defended.
As the group debated Ren's poor strategy for the morning ahead, Juliet stood with her arms across her chest, shifting her weight nervously. Romeo stood beside her, his face pale.
Tango looked over and saw the terrified pair. It was no secret they were reluctant to march out to their death. Neither of them were yet suited for combat. “Why don't we let them stay here?” he suggested. “They'll be much safer in the base.”
For a brief moment, their faces lit up, hopeful that their survival had been prolonged.
“No,” Ren dismissed, “we've already discussed this. They're not safe in the base any longer. I can't risk having Black Dawn kill them while we're alone.”
Tango pinched his eyes. “Do you really think that Nikolai would send any of his soldiers here during the
inauguration? I can guarantee they'll all be at the centre.”
Ren slammed her fist against the table loudly. “I said no!” she snapped. “You need Juliet to monitor Black Dawn and the Tianzu when you get to the centre.”
“Ren, listen to yourself,” Skye said in a disgusted tone. “You're so obsessed with finding the president that you would risk their lives. Juliet can only sense other shengxian; not the president. Her abilities are redundant in this mission.”
Ren glared back at him, her eyes wild with fury. The tension between the group had never been higher.
“She was an enemy of the state,” Skye continued. “She'll be killed if she's seen.”
“No, she won't. The order was rescinded yesterday.”
Skye shook his head. “It won't make a difference. The police might not take action, but the Athenians will. Her face was all over the news yesterday. If they see the girl who tried to kill their leader, there'll be chaos.”
“Or she might be killed by Black Dawn, at the very least,” Tango added.
“Enough of this,” Ren growled angrily. “Take Juliet with you and leave her with Tango in the van.”
Skye stared back at her, his mind tormented. Ren once fought for justice, but her obsession was now leading to poor decisions. He wanted nothing more than to eliminate Archibald once and for all, but he couldn't bring himself to do it at the expense of another's life.
“None of this is going to work,” Skye warned again. “Let's just forget the mission.”
Ren's face became one of disbelief. Her jaw dropped. “Have you lost your mind?” She rose and shoved Skye roughly. “I told you to have faith, and now you're giving up before you even begin!”
“It can't work!” he erupted. “Not the way you want it to.” He inched closer to her and pressed his face against hers. “If we try to kill Archie, one of them is bound to die.” He pointed an ominous finger at Juliet and Romeo.
Ren flared her nostrils, her forehead pressed against Skye's. She was furious that the others failed to understand the gravity of the situation. “It's our last chance, Skye,” she hissed. “I refuse to let Nikolai and Archie come into power. They both need to be stopped, whatever the stakes. If we all die tonight, then so be it.”
The group's morale imploded. They were already apprehensive about going to the inauguration, but hearing the malicious words from their assumed leader dissolved any remaining confidence they had. They looked about themselves, uncertain how to react.
“Fine. We're leaving,” Skye ordered to the remainder of the group, and walked to the side door of the warehouse without another word. Sierra keenly followed, with Juliet and Romeo weakly dawdling behind. Tango walked over to a metal cabinet and removed a short dagger and scabbard, having learnt firsthand the dangers of fighting without a weapon. He turned and scowled at Ren before marching through the door after the others.
Ren gritted her teeth as she watched them depart. “You promised me the president would be our number one priority!” she screamed after them. Once the door had closed, she turned and kicked her chair over in a fit of rage.
She'd never admit that her hopes for success were not high, but she wanted to ensure they'd made every attempt to complete the mission. The thought of losing any of her team was painful, but not as painful as the thought of Nikolai and President Denning ruling the country with an iron fist. As a small group, Black Dawn was extremely dangerous. As a government, Black Dawn would be a nightmare, and Athenia would become a lawless dystopia.
Forty-five
Archibald inspected himself up and down in the long mirror in his room. Darkness flooded in through his window. Soon enough he would be crowned the new leader of the young nation. It was a dream he'd had for so long now, but he had walked a most tumultuous path to arrive at this moment. A large part of him was terribly afraid of working under Nikolai's watchful gaze.
“Now we just need the star of the show,” Nikolai said, waltzing proudly into the room. “Ready, Archibald?”
“Just about,” he replied, applying the final touches to his attire. The old man looked himself up and down for a final time, adjusting his tie. He was surrounded by over a dozen of the Guard in the suite's master bedroom. He hadn't yet noticed that their behaviour had been even more robotic than usual.
Nikolai walked between the possessed guards and stood behind Archie, towering over him. “You'll make a fine president yet,” he announced profoundly.
The words caught him by surprise. “You really think so?” Archie asked, humbled. He pondered the statement for a moment before accepting the compliment. “Thank you, Nikolai.”
The towering man derided the old fool's grateful remark. “I was referring to myself, of course.” He turned around and left the room.
Archie said nothing. Instead, he took a deep breath, then marched out of the room. The Guard followed inches behind him.
Out in the hallway, Tahlia stood tall in a black suit with her security pass around her neck. Sabina and Aurelius were dressed equally as sophisticated, with the exception of their protruding weapons.
“Where are the rest of your friends?” Archibald asked, noticing the absence of Kai, Hana, and Daye.
“Far enough,” Tahlia responded, keenly monitoring their location.
Archie remained silent, reluctant to question what could have possibly taken place while he slept. Although, it concerned him that Daye wasn't present—he was the only one who seemed to genuinely care for Archie's regard.
“Are you nervous, Your Excellency?” Nikolai asked as they began to walk down the hallway.
“A little, I suppose,” he admitted. “But more excited than nervous. I've dreamt of this moment my whole life.”
“A power-hungry man. You weren't satisfied when you were working alongside Paul?”
Archie grimaced. He was extremely cautious to discuss the past with Nikolai in case he enraged him yet again. He walked along in silence, counting down the minutes to his destiny. He was followed closely by Tahlia, Sabina, and Aurelius, and even closer by the Guard.
“Are we leaving for the centre now?” he casually asked, changing the subject.
“Not quite. I've long had a plan in place for the inauguration, knowing all too well that Skye would probably show up. But now I also have the certainty of the Tianzu returning, so I'll most definitely be putting it into practice.”
“The Tianzu?” Archie repeated. “I don't think you have anything to fear from Daye.”
Nikolai threw his head back and let out a short, sarcastic laugh. “Don't be a fool, Denning. Daye is obedient to his clan. If they want you dead—which I strongly feel they do—they'll see to your execution.”
“But I've spoken with Daye several times. I really don't think—”
“Stop mentioning that name,” Nikolai interrupted. “The Tianzu are no longer with us, and that's a fact. We'll stop discussing them as though they're our allies. So, I'll be proceeding with my plan.”
Archie was intrigued to hear what this plan was, but decided against asking. He continued striding down the hallway. He walked down a short staircase and arrived at the entrance foyer. Something up ahead on the balcony caught his attention—it was his former chief counsel, Adam Price.
Archie was delighted to see that his old friend was allowed back on the premises, having not seen him since West Tower. “Mr Price, I wasn't expecting you here this morning,” he remarked in a pleased voice. He stopped in front of him to converse with his loyal worker.
Adam's sunken eyes stared back into Archie's, their lifelessness piercing straight into his soul. Archie's heart skipped a beat once he noticed the gaping wound in Adam's neck. Dark, dried blood seeped from the fatal gash.
“Adam ...” he choked, unable to speak. He had no idea how to react to the horrific sight of his friend. Adam looked as though he was dead, yet he was still standing. In an instant, he remembered Night's terrifying ability.
“Keep walking, Denning,” Nikolai urged, pushing him forward.
<
br /> Archie turned around as he walked away, fighting back panicked breaths. Adam's demonic glare followed him as he disappeared down the staircase, the others silently following.
Forty-six
There was much more traffic than usual in the city for the time of morning. Many of the citizens had gotten up early and were making their way to the convention centre to witness their new leader be sworn into office. Among the countless vehicles was a conspicuous bullet-ridden van with a smashed rear window. It wasn't their preferred method of travel, but it was the only way for them all to move freely throughout the city. While Skye and Sierra were fast enough to trek around much of the island without the aid of a motor vehicle, they were unable to leave the others behind, and opted for the slower option.
“Juliet, Romeo,” Skye said, who was sitting in the front alongside Sierra, “I know you're frightened. Just stay here with Tango while Sierra and I go into the centre.” All of them were fully armoured with their masks and chest plates, this time including Sierra, who was adamant that Tahlia would be killed before morning's end.
His words were far from reassuring. Romeo stared out the window, aimlessly watching the Athenian skyscrapers drift past. Juliet was just as absent-minded, trying not to focus on what might eventuate.
“Skye, what are we going to do?” Tango asked.
“Just stay in the car. Don't leave under any circumstances.”
“No, that's not what I meant. What if this is another trap? What if we stay in the car and Black Dawn ambush us?”
Skye turned around from the front and looked at Tango behind him, then shifted his gaze to the young pair. “I don't know,” he admitted.
“Maybe Juliet can monitor our surroundings?” Romeo added hopefully. “That way we'll have enough time to escape if anyone comes after us.”
Juliet shook her head wearily. “We won't have enough time to escape if Tahlia senses us. She can transport herself anywhere she wants.”
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