“You're using non-lethal force, aren't you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Of course I am,” she said, offended by the question. “What kind of person do you think I am?”
She grabbed hold of Skye and launched themselves upwards, landing softly on the outer wall.
It took him a moment to regain his balance after the dizzying leap. Once his mind was focussed again, he took in his surroundings, noticing a handful of unconscious sentries scattered at random spots. He looked over the edge of the ramparts and into the arena, and saw a growing crowd filing in. Thousands of people stood noisily, eager to watch their new leader present himself on stage. Surrounding them were hundreds of armed officers, military personnel, and the occasional member of the Guard, all stationed at equally spaced intervals.
“The security's just how I imagined it would be,” he remarked upon seeing the authorities.
“So much for an aerial attack,” Sierra said, glancing across at the east terrace and the large transparent screen protecting the stage.
Skye was discouraged by the sight, but hardly surprised to see such a preventative measure in place. “Ren, there's a ballistic shield blocking the entire balcony.” He'd hoped that Sierra would be willing to shoot Archie from a safe range with her crossbow. It's the only strategy he had that kept them out of view of the civilians and media.
“In that case, you'll have to enter the main building and kill him on the balcony, face-to-face.”
Skye gritted his teeth, uncertain how they could gain access to the inside of the building without being seen. “That's impossible.”
“It's not impossible, Skye!” she snapped. “Get in there and kill him before it's too late!”
“Ren, he's not even here yet,” he hissed back.
“Fine, then hold your position and wait for his arrival. But as soon as you see him, take him out!”
Skye said nothing. Ren had already admitted earlier she'd sacrifice any of them if it meant killing Archibald, but her defiance was becoming a hindrance.
He sat on the ramparts, trying to conjure a strategy that would allow them access to the heavily guarded internals of the centre. Worse still, Black Dawn were nearby, and were probably keeping a safe watch over the president.
It was a highly perilous mission, Skye thought, and one that required a lot more than sheer hope and determination in order to succeed.
Forty-nine
Daye stood outside the convention centre. He could sense that White Shadow were nearby. He could also sense three of Black Dawn inside, but Nikolai was surprisingly absent. He turned around and faced the ever-growing line of citizens nearby. He walked toward them and stopped at the heavily guarded entrance portal, watching the guards intently study every person who was admitted inside. They would proceed through a large scanner which looked to detect any metal or potential weapons they had in their possession. Several other nearby guards had goggles on, looking up and down at anyone who made it through the first stage of security.
Daye simply walked through the security checkpoints, not being seen by a single person. Such was the benefit of his gift of mental projection. Choosing to reveal himself to no one, the man moved forward into the convention centre, gliding down the long entrance tunnel. At the end, the civilians and media turned right, whereas Daye turned left, arriving at the entrance to the main building overlooking the arena. He drifted in between the eight soldiers who blocked access to the public. His mind ventured through the wooden door, climbing a nearby staircase upwards. He hovered up several flights and stopped at the top, appearing on the lower balcony.
He was presented with a spectacular view of the inside of the convention centre. He gazed down at the thousands of people who had already entered the centre, with more filing in by the second. In front of the public access area were countless journalists and reporters from around the world, each with microphones and large cameras. This was an event the whole world would be witnessing.
He pressed onwards, working his way through the many hallways and rooms that weren't available to the public. He saw countless men and women in suits, all running around frantically trying to get everything ready for the imminent induction of their new leader.
He ascended another two flights of stairs and came to an open doorway which led to the upper terrace. He walked through it and onto the world stage, where equipment stood and lights shone brightly. From here, he was given a glimpse of what President Denning would see when he was to address his nation for the first time. The sight below was truly a glorious one to behold: a sea of fervent citizens, many holding the flags of both Athenia and the East Yue Union.
Daye frowned, looking carefully around the stage, wondering to himself why there was no podium or microphone. The thick protective glass in front of him indicated that this was indeed the location where the president would stand, but there appeared to be no other such signs.
An interesting thought presented itself. Daye opened his eyes, dispelling his projection. He was sitting pleasantly under a tree near the centre, far enough from the excited public. He closed his eyes, once again projecting his mind, this time to Nikolai's location. Almost immediately, his mind was standing in the hallway of the villa, just outside the suite.
He slowly hovered through the double doors, curiously eager to verify his suspicions. In the suite he saw Archibald sitting under bright lights, with a dozen large cameras facing him from multiple angles. He was conversing with Veronika Gunawan, his senior counsel. A handful of workers were preoccupied with their equipment, not paying attention to Archibald.
On the other side of the room, away from the staff, stood a tall man. Daye recognised the man instantly; he worked for White Shadow. His eyes appeared to be void and lifeless. Now one of Night's puppets, Echo stood helplessly in the corner.
In the opposite corner of the room sat Nikolai, his hands clasped and his face stern. He was watching Archibald like a hawk, until his head slowly turned left and stared in Daye's direction.
Daye's mind looked back at him, pondering if Nikolai could actually sense his presence. Only a handful of shengxian possessed the ability to track or detect others nearby, and even fewer could possibly detect a mental projection. He wondered if Nikolai's telepathy was powerful enough to do so.
Daye watched on. His suspicions about Archibald and the inauguration had been confirmed.
Fifty
Romeo was shaking uncontrollably. The silent wait in the back of the van was taking its toll on the young man, whose free mind was subconsciously contemplating his demise.
“It's alright,” Tango said, not sure how effective his words would be.
“How long do we have to wait?” Juliet asked, her masked face staring at the floor.
“Not long.”
He had been carefully looking in all directions, hoping that none of Black Dawn would approach them. When he last checked with Juliet, she'd informed him that they were still inside the centre. Nevertheless, Tango, wanting to take no risks, kept his eyes open at all times. He only hoped that Black Dawn's attention would be focussed solely on the president, but not so much that Skye and Sierra would fail.
Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head and stared out the window, looking into the dimly lit lot. Four armed officers were surveying the area, shining lights into the parked vehicles.
“Oh no,” Tango muttered.
Both Juliet's and Romeo's heads snapped upwards, their eyes wide with fear.
“The police are coming,” he said. “They're searching inside the cars.” He anticipated the security surrounding the venue would be heavy, but none of them expected there'd be any authorities out in the gardens.
“What should we do?” Romeo asked, looking straight to his senior for instructions.
“We need to leave. They'll see the bullet holes. Take your masks and chest plates off.” Obediently, they removed their armour and placed it under the seats. Tango did the same.
“Ju
st be careful,” Skye said. “Stay hidden, and don't wander too far.”
Without further hesitation, Romeo opened the side door and climbed out, with Juliet and Tango following suit. They walked casually, yet hastily, away from the officers and through the gardens.
“I can't be out in public,” Juliet said in a worried voice, her exposed head hanging down. She brushed her hair roughly in front of her face, desperately trying to cover it in any way possible. Skye had warned her earlier that, despite no longer being classed as an enemy of the state, she could still be recognised as a threat by bystanders after they saw her face plastered across the news yesterday for supposedly attempting to assassinate President Denning.
“I know,” Tango said, “just keep walking.” He turned around and saw the officers still back in the lot searching the vehicles and surveying the perimeter. They slowly disappeared into the distance.
“Stop here,” Tango ordered. “We shouldn't go any further. It's far too risky.”
“Excuse me,” a deep voice boomed from the shadows. Romeo let out a loud gasp, his anxiety at boiling point.
An armed soldier stepped into the darkness and shone a torch in their direction. “Are you lost?” he politely asked.
Juliet turned her head in an obvious attempt to conceal her face. Her heartbeat was beginning to spike.
“No, we're fine, thank you,” Tango replied after a second.
“If you're going to the inauguration, you'll need to take a left up ahead,” the soldier said, pointing to the path in front of them.
For the briefest of moments, Tango contemplating stating that they weren't going to the centre, but decided against it, concluding it would raise questions as to why they were loitering in the gardens before dawn.
“Oh, thank you very much,” Tango said. The trio started walking down the path.
“Wait,” the soldier called, “it's dark. Let me escort you.” He walked in front of them and shone the bright light onto the ground, illuminating the colourful flowers that bloomed along the trail.
The group followed, eager to avoid any unnecessary conversation. Tango quietly took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. While he was not afraid of combat, he wanted to protect Juliet at all costs.
They reached the crossroads. The soldier pointed to the left, toward the main entrance of the centre. Lights flooded the entire area. Juliet would be unable to conceal her identity for much longer.
“Thank you,” Tango said again, then walked away from the friendly soldier. Juliet and Romeo walked alongside, taking small, shivering steps. In front of them, the crowd had become even larger than before, all of them patiently lining up to gain admission into the centre.
“We can't stay here,” Romeo whispered.
Tango knew it too. The risks of standing in the long queue were immense. He turned his head and saw the soldier still standing, idly watching them walk away. “We can't turn back either without arousing suspicion,” he murmured. They were trapped in an impossible situation.
“Black Dawn's inside. Tahlia will know we're here,” Juliet spoke with a trembling voice. Her breathing became heavy.
“What about the Tianzu?”
She closed her eyes for a moment and pondered. “They're still nearby, but they're not coming any closer,” she said, a little surprised. She could sense that Daye was actually very close, but didn't bother mentioning it as she hardly considered the Kaipuran man a threat. He had only ever shown her compassion, and she didn't want to expose his location in case Tango left to pursue him.
They arrived at the back of the crowd and nervously stood in line. They glanced around and saw the soldier saunter along in their direction, keeping a watchful eye on the crowd. If they decided to leave, it might raise questions. Juliet's vision started to blur over the deafening beating of her heart.
“Skye, you need to hurry,” Tango whispered. “We had to leave the van behind. We're standing in line at the moment.” Both Skye's and Ren's mortified reactions crackled through the headset.
“Why on earth would you line up!” Ren demanded.
“The president's not on stage yet,” Skye said. “You need to get out of there immediately.”
“We can't. One of the soldiers escorted us to the line. He's watching us right now. If we walk away, it'll look suspicious.”
It took Skye almost an entire minute to respond. “Just stay where you are. Juliet, keep your head down. The centre's almost full, so they might stop admitting civilians.”
Tango looked at the nearby helpful soldier. With any luck, he thought to himself, the soldier would return to his post so they could leave the queue. Every metre they moved closer to the entrance significantly added to the risk of Juliet being spotted.
Fifty-one
Time passed at an agonisingly slow pace. Skye sat on the ramparts, gazing at the crowd. The centre was very close to full capacity, and the remainder of the latecomers would instead have to settle for the giant public screen on the outside of the complex. It may just give Juliet a chance to keep herself out of sight.
A gush of wind blew in his face as Sierra returned.
“There's no way to get around that glass,” she said. “I went through the door at the end of the wall, but there are too many guards and staff working in there. Even if they don't see me at first, they might realise they're under attack. We'll never get to the balcony.”
Skye cursed. “I would say that I'm surprised, but we knew this would be a challenge. The security here is supposed to keep people like us out, and Nikolai's involvement just makes it beyond impossible.”
“Skye, it's do or die,” Ren chimed in. “Hold your position in case the Tianzu make a move. If we're lucky, they'll do our job for us.”
“They won't,” Tango added. “Didn't you hear Juliet? She said they've stopped moving.”
“And I can't imagine the Tianzu would kill Archie. Their mission is to protect civilians, not murder them.”
The group fell silent. Ren seemed to be adamant the Tianzu would betray Nikolai and stage a last-minute attack against him. Despite their supposedly peaceful ways, it would not be in the clan's interest to let such a reckless man come to power.
“I don't know what to do,” Skye admitted. “There's no way for us to get inside and put a stop to the inauguration.” He looked down at the excited audience, who were still patiently, but loudly, waiting for the historic moment to arrive.
“Skye, listen to me,” Ren spoke slowly, “I know this seems impossible, but I'm asking you not to give up. It's a dangerous mission, but you and Sierra are both strong enough and fast enough to do this. As soon as the president is in sight, you can storm the building. Just don't look back.”
Skye looked to Sierra for her opinion. She said nothing. He couldn't see her face, but her eyes indicated that she wasn't overly fond of the idea of an invasion. They were both confident with their speed and fighting ability, but running into a firefight head-on would be a foolish decision.
The feeling of defeat began to weigh heavily over Skye. From the moment he began to suspect Nikolai's involvement in the campaign, he knew that success would be almost impossible. The only option they now had was to take on both the Guard and Black Dawn simultaneously by storming the terrace. Worse still, Tahlia was certainly already aware of their presence.
“I don't like it either, Skye,” Ren said, sensing apprehension from his silence. “And I don't want anything to happen to any of you. But we both know what Nikolai will do to this country. Once the inauguration's over, he'll take Archie and imprison him somewhere safe where we'll never be able to find him. And even then it might be too late. Who knows what policies he'll implement today.”
The sun's rays began to glow on the distant horizon. There wasn't a cloud in sight, allowing only beautiful streaks of orange in the east. Skye stared at the balcony, nervously waiting for Archibald to arrive. Deep down, he knew that Ren was right—this would be their final opportunity to defeat him at long last.
Tahlia
stood cautiously behind a large pillar, staring up at her nemesis and Skye on the ramparts. They were almost invisible to the public, but they were unable to hide from her ability. She remained in the shadows, knowing that if Sierra saw her, it would lead to a devastating public attack. Nikolai would not appreciate her destroying his ceremony.
Wearing a suit and with her hair tied neatly back, she was hardly recognisable. She stood alongside Sabina and Aurelius on the lower terrace with other members of the Guard.
Tahlia smirked at the determined Skye and Sierra. They were wasting their time by attempting to assassinate Archibald in the centre. Her orders from Nikolai were to hold her position with the others, but she couldn't help but wonder if this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Juliet, who she could sense outside the arena. The young girl was able to track other elites, and posed a great threat to herself and Black Dawn.
“Wait here,” Tahlia said to her silent teammates, who didn't even look in her direction. She slithered in between the dozen or so guards and walked back into the building's interior. Her inconspicuous attire went unnoticed among the numerous staff members, who were also clad in suits of the finest materials. She proceeded down the long hallway and turned left at the large staircase. Within a minute, she was back on the ground level, walking out into the busy plaza.
Tahlia was about to make her way across to the crowded entrance when she was suddenly deafened by the roars and whistles from the crowd. The ceremony had begun.
Fifty-two
The crowd was cheering wildly. Thousands of bright flashes emitted from cameras in the large sea of people. Skye and Sierra looked over to the upper terrace and saw a smiling Archibald standing with his hands clasped politely.
“There he is!” Skye gasped, stunned for a brief moment.
“Quick, get in there, now!” Ren shouted, her voice barely audible over the loud audience.
Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets) Page 39