“Another firearm,” Raien groaned, then vanished into the air.
Without wasting another second, Charlie turned and faced Delta. “Are you alright?” he asked. He had witnessed the short encounter from above, but was quick to ensure his wife was unharmed. “Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No, I'm fine. But they've just left the station. We need to stop them.”
The pair turned and ran, bounding through the concrete halls of the large station. They rounded a corner and arrived at the main entrance hall, where hundreds of people sat waiting for the next train to the mainland. They sprinted through the hall loudly, startling the tired civilians.
Delta leapt through the front entrance of the station and landed in the dark street outside. Charlie joined her, searching their surroundings for the Tianzu.
“There they are,” Delta said, pointing left to the conspicuous trio in the distance. She led the way, racing down the path and almost knocking over several pedestrians as they went about their business. The station exterior was teaming with visitors who were either just arriving, or waiting for transportation.
She held her gun at eye level as she ran, steadying her aim. She had to ensure that no innocents would get in the way of her shot.
Delta never had a chance to fire the weapon. Raien appeared in front of her, his foot kicking her in the face, knocking her to the ground. She fell roughly and slid for several metres along the concrete.
Charlie was still lagging behind. He watched the attack unfold and raised his gun too, ready to come to his partner's aid.
Raien appeared behind Charlie and grabbed his neck, lifting him off the ground. Charlie struggled for breath as Raien wrapped his entire arm around his throat.
The altercation stunned the passersby as they walked along. Raien listened to the surprised reactions of the citizens. Most watched on in awe, whereas some had already begun to call the authorities.
Raien's double held Charlie tight while his original self kept walking along with Kai and Hana.
“Raien,” Kai said, “we're under attack.”
“No, we are fine,” he responded.
Hana stopped walking. “Let's finish them. We can't let them leave free.”
Raien turned around and watched his other self in the distance strangle Charlie. “Not yet,” he said. “We're in public. I don't wish to frighten the locals any more than need be.” He faced forward and began walking away.
Kai and Hana exchanged a frustrated glance, still sceptical as to why their leader insisted on allowing their attackers to live.
Charlie dropped to the ground as Raien's double disappeared. He moaned as he picked himself up. Delta climbed to her feet too, still stunned from the fall.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
He nodded, but turned his attention to the three Tianzu as they retreated into the distance.
The sounds of shouting interrupted their thoughts. They spun around to see four police officers from the station charging after them.
“We need to go,” Charlie said.
Delta looked back and forth between the police and Tianzu. “We can't let them leave!”
“We need to go,” he said again. He looked into her eyes and read her pained expression. He knew exactly what she was thinking, and that she didn't want to admit it aloud. They hadn't seen any of the Tianzu in three months, but the encounter had only been very short, and a complete waste of time. “We're obviously no match for them, Delta. We need to wait for Skye.” Both of them knew they were lucky to be alive. Attacking their enemy out of sheer rage, and while they were outnumbered, would be a poor decision.
She took one last look at the police officers, who were closing the distance quickly. She nodded, then turned and retreated. Charlie ran after her as they fled from the scene as quickly as they could. The last thing they wanted was to cause another lockdown.
Two
Sierra watched as the concrete wall flew past her window. She sat patiently on the train, observing her bland surroundings. Every few minutes she would see a glowing series of monitors, most of which depicted the same ad for a brand of Shizuno wrist communicator.
Skye looked at her curious face intently, wondering what was going through her mind. He assumed, naturally, that her absent-minded thoughts were revolving around how to kill Tahlia.
“Having fun?” he asked in an effort to pass the time. The maglev carriage was almost completely silent, with most of the commuters fast asleep. It was almost 4:00 AM local time, and the train had only just departed from Sujian International Station.
Sierra shrugged, neither content nor bored.
“We should get some rest,” Skye suggested.
“I slept on the last train.”
“So did I, but I'm still exhausted from everything that has just happened.”
Skye surveyed the carriage around him. The train was exquisitely designed, and very streamlined. The high-speed rail in the East Yue Union was one of the fastest in the world, and made travel between the five nations exceedingly efficient. Before him were dozens of passengers, all of them from many different walks of life. Some of them appeared to be tourists, whereas others were businessmen and women, possibly going to work, or returning home from it.
“I remember when this track was built,” Skye said. “It was all over the news because it's the longest tunnel in the Union.”
Sierra continued to stare out her window, watching another advertisement, this time for a different brand of wrist comm.
“You're thinking about Tahlia, aren't you?” Skye asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
“Of course. I'm always thinking about her.”
Skye laughed softly to himself. “I've never met anyone so obsessed with killing someone. I know Nikolai and Ren and myself always talk about killing Archie, but it seems different with you. It's almost as though you can't bear the thought of Tahlia living.”
She looked away from her window and up at Skye. “I can't,” she admitted. “She needs to be killed.”
Skye couldn't help but wonder why Sierra was so haunted by Tahlia's existence. He questioned Sierra about it several times, but she refused to divulge any information to him. In his fatigued state, he resisted the urge to pry yet again, but his inquisitive mind was eager for answers. “Are you ever going to tell me why you want her dead?” he slowly asked.
Her eyes locked on to Skye's. For a moment he wondered if he'd made a mistake by bringing it up again. “I thought you said the other night you weren't going to ask anymore,” she said.
Skye bit his lip. “I know. I said it was none of my business. I'm just curious to know though. I've told you everything about White Shadow, but to this day I hardly even know a thing about you. I think we'd make a better team if I knew what she did to you.”
“Does it matter?” she asked. “If I told you my reasons for wanting to kill her, and you didn't approve, would you intervene?”
Skye shook his head. “No. She's a dangerous individual who works for Nikolai and needs to be taken out. I'm just a very curious man,” he smirked. “I figured that you would've told me by now. We've known each other for six months.”
Sierra turned her attention back to the concrete wall outside her window. Aside from the advertisements and a means of combating claustrophobia, the windows on the train were useless for most of the underwater journey. “Do you have a plan for when we arrive?” she asked, changing the subject.
“My plan is to find Charlie and Delta. I have no doubt that Ren has already called them and told them everything. I'm actually a little nervous about seeing them. They were closer with Tango and Echo than I was.”
“Do you know where they'll be?”
Skye nodded. “I have their address in my comm. It shouldn't be too hard to find. But we'll need to keep a vigilant eye open. For all we know the Tianzu could be waiting for us once we arrive, and we're completely unarmed.”
He looked at the electronic map above the doorway in the carriage,
which said their estimated time of arrival at Nishihama was 8:37 AM. The dimly lit interior made his eyelids feel heavy. His body was trying to force itself to sleep.
“We don't know how many there are,” he yawned. “And we don't know what they're capable of. We need to be careful.”
“If you don't know how many there are, how will you know when you've defeated them all?” Sierra asked.
Skye looked back at her, unable to answer. “I'm sure we'll find out more information about them. No doubt Nikolai will probably be trying to interrogate them.”
His mind wandered, and he began to think about Juliet and Romeo. Both were fearful for their safety, but Juliet was far more reluctant to join Black Dawn; Romeo accepted the invitation seemingly without question as a means of protection.
“I hope they're okay,” he said to himself.
“Who? Nikolai?”
Skye snapped his head and shook it profusely. “No, I mean Juliet and Romeo. I hope they're safe and well.”
“Why wouldn't they be? Nikolai promised to keep them safe.”
Skye laughed at the strange observation. “And why would anyone trust Nikolai? He'll do whatever it takes to protect his own life, even at the expense of others.”
Sierra looked up at him. “Is that such a bad thing? Isn't it a basic instinct for us all to do whatever it takes to ensure our survival?”
Skye's eyes widened, her profoundness once again coming as a surprise to him. “Perhaps. But where do we draw the line?”
He stopped himself abruptly, too exhausted to engage in such a deep conversation. He once thrived on discussing such topics with Nikolai, but now saw the dangers in different opinions and ideals. White Shadow, Black Dawn, and the Tianzu were all rival factions, but had quite a lot in common: all of them fought for a cause they believed in resolutely, and their virtues were based on what they each perceived as peace and harmony.
Skye closed his eyes. His mind and body were unable to stay awake. It had been a restless three days. He had hardly slept on the five-hour train ride from Athenia to Sujian. He knew the journey ahead was set to be a dangerous one, and that he should allow his body the rest it deserved.
“She betrayed us,” Sierra said suddenly.
Skye snapped out of his trance. “What?” he asked, his mind returning to consciousness.
“Tahlia betrayed us. She fought for our cause, but then decided to side with our enemy. That's why she needs to die,” she said blankly. “She betrayed her country, and she killed someone I loved.”
Skye looked at her, staring at the ferocity in her eyes. It was the first time she had opened up to him about the delicate matter, and he felt grateful that she trusted him with the information. She'd been quite reclusive since they first met, but after what had happened in Athenia, she now finally seemed to be a member of White Shadow.
“I see,” he finally said, still reeling from the sudden admission. “What did she do to betray you? May I ask?”
Sierra stared outside her window. “It was bad, Skye. What she did ... it led to the deaths of many.”
“Rouvians?” he asked.
She shook her head, her gaze still focussed on the darkness outside. “Kaipurans. We're involved in the war, in our own way.”
Skye's jaw dropped. “You and Tahlia are involved in the war?” He waited for an answer, but she said nothing. He looked away, glancing at the back of the seat in front of him. The information was hard to process, and almost incomprehensible. The war between Alexa and Kaipura wasn't spoken about as much by the citizens of the Union, as they weren't directly involved. But this war, which seemingly had no end, was a topic everyone in the world was all too familiar with. “Thank you for telling me,” Skye said, deciding not to pry any further, although now more curious than ever. “In that case, I'll help you stop her. But I'll need you to help me find the Tianzu.”
“I'll help you find them,” she offered. “And yes, I'll need help stopping Tahlia. I can't risk her escaping again. It's frustrating.” Her knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists.
Skye sniggered quietly. “So, you do get frustrated after all. You never seem to show it.”
“Of course I get frustrated. I just don't let my frustration get the better of me like it does for all of you. But I want her dead, Skye. Do you have any idea what it's like to want someone dead, but it's impossible for you to locate them, and even harder to actually kill them?”
He nodded. “I do. His name is Nikolai.”
Skye yawned again, this time unable to keep himself awake any longer. He closed his eyes and relaxed his body. He would need all the rest he could get.
Three
Shin was restless, unable to keep himself still. He sat idly under the shade of a tree as the morning sun hit Kitadera, watching the still river nearby. He was impatiently waiting for the return of his leader, along with Kai and Hana.
A lone man jogged along the trail, his mind focussed on his breathing as he ran alongside the water. Shin watched him closely.
“I am your god,” the boy whispered.
The jogger slowed his pace when he saw Shin. Almost instinctively, he made his way over to him and offered a deep bow.
Shin smiled slyly to himself. “Thank you for showing your respect.”
The man stood upright again, keeping his gaze on Shin. After a moment, he snapped out of his trance. When he realised what had just taken place, he turned and ran away from the frightening teenager as fast as he could.
Shin began laughing uncontrollably, pressing himself against the tree. “They're always so afraid.”
His jubilant moment was interrupted by Karatsu appearing in front of him, his fists clenched.
“Shin, you've been warned before—do not use your ability on the innocents. It's a crime against Tianzu law.”
Shin waved a hand at his mentor, dismissing the lecture.
Karatsu took a step closer, his muscular body almost pressing against the teenager. “Shin,” he growled, placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.
Shin rolled his eyes. “Yes, master,” he conceded.
“It terrifies me to think of how many civilians you've used your ability on behind my back. It's no wonder so many people in Nishihama appear frightened whenever they see you.”
“I'm sorry, master,” the boy lied.
Karatsu continued staring at the juvenile for several seconds. “You're not a god. None of us are.” He turned and walked back down the riverbank and sat beside Kitsune.
Shin picked himself up and glared in Karatsu's direction. “I am a god, master,” he muttered.
He brushed the grass from his clothes and sat against the trunk again. It frustrated him to no end that his fellow Tianzu members were always so reluctant to have any fun. Shin was unable to grasp the concept of lazing around and practising mindfulness all day. As far as I'm concerned, master, he thought, the innocents need to know who we are, and should show us the respect we deserve.
The morning continued to pass at a sluggish rate. Shin kept himself occupied by counting the number of ducks he could see at any one time in the river, and by watching the families enjoying their Sunday morning.
Two long hours had elapsed before he finally saw the return of Raien in the distance, with Kai and Hana following closely behind. They sauntered down the trail lethargically, much to Shin's annoyance, adding several needless minutes to the already tedious morning.
Kitsune rose when she saw her leader return. She walked over to him and offered a reverent hug. “Welcome back, brother.”
He smiled at her, immediately detecting the worry in her voice. “Thank you.”
She embraced Kai and Hana in the same manner. “It's great to see you two again.”
“It's wonderful to be home,” Hana remarked as she surveyed her favourite spot in the city.
Kai turned and saw Shin sitting under a tree a short distance away. “Shin!” he called, beckoning him over.
Shin groaned, not overly thrilled to greet the only
Alexan in an otherwise Shizuno group. Nevertheless, he ran across to him, although noticeably frustrated by their delayed return. He offered none of them any affection, instead crossing his arms in a smug fashion.
“Let us sit,” Raien suggested. “We have much to fill you in on.”
Kai and Hana did most of the talking, spending almost an hour divulging all the information they had on Nikolai, Black Dawn, and White Shadow. They explained, in great detail, all of Nikolai's antics and idiosyncrasies, careful not to miss any notable or useful facts. Raien then continued, thoroughly describing the intentions of the two rival Athenian groups.
“If they're on their way to Shizudera, we'll need to take them out immediately,” Karatsu said.
“No doubt,” Hana agreed. “Knowing Nikolai, he'll already be here. He poses the largest threat to us all by far.”
Shin stood up, barely able to contain his excitement. “Yes! This is what I've been waiting for!” He danced around the riverbank without modesty.
“Sit down at once!” Raien commanded. “Karatsu, have you not yet taught this child to act in a dignified manner?”
“He won't listen to a word I say,” Karatsu defended. He was a proud and powerful warrior, and had repeatedly objected to tending to Shin's juvenile demeanour.
“So let's turn our attention to eliminating them. All of them,” Kai suggested.
“Absolutely,” Raien agreed. “But not yet. We are not to act at this stage.”
The group stared at their leader, confused.
“Raien,” Hana began, her voice almost trembling with rage, “they attacked us back in Athenia, and in Nishihama this morning. You told us we were to first regroup back in Shizudera, and that we'd then eliminate them.”
“And so we shall. But the order for the time being is to wait and observe.”
“No!” Shin shouted. “I've waiting long enough.”
Karatsu grabbed the child and roughly pulled him to the ground. “Raien, if these clans pose the threat that you say they do, why do you insist on waiting?”
“Because they're very capable fighters, and I don't wish to see any of you harmed. Also, they might just eliminate one another for us. Our law is to cause as little violence as possible. Therefore, you are to return to your respective cities and await further instructions.”
Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets) Page 46