Arnulf again leaned back in his squeaky chair and tossed down the last of his port.
—Thank you, said Nava.
—I’m sorry, I’ve worn you out. But I do thank you for listening to an old man ramble on about his life. This was one story, I’ll have you know, Arnulf said with a laugh. Point to any book in this building, though, and I’ll have another to tell you.
—It was an honor, Nava said.
—It was my honor, Nava Halpern, Arnulf said.
Nava stiffened in her chair. She didn’t remember telling this man her last name.
—You know my name.
—I do, Arnulf said as he leaned forward, chair squeaking. Atlas told me about you. You studied at Oxford, and your father is none other than Austin Halpern, a high-ranking officer at ESCOM. You have a young child that, with great sacrifice and courage, you sent south so you could continue your work. He also told me how important you have become to the movement, that he holds you in high regard and considers you an invaluable member of the movement.
Nava rose, unsteady. She should have been more careful.
—I’d like you to have this, said Arnulf as he slid the Munif letter over to her.
Nava, stunned, didn’t know what to do.
—I can’t take it, she said.
Arnulf placed the letter in the clear sleeve and came around the desk to press it into her hand.
—It’s yours, Arnulf said. I insist. Now you must tell the story of Munif and how you came to possess his letter.
Two shots sounded.
Gunshots.
The sound came from beneath them, in the basement.
—I must go, Nava said. She slid the letter into her pocket.
—I’ll check the doors to the store and look outside. Be careful!
Arnulf shuffled away. In a moment she was down the stairway and pushing through the door to the basement. The guards were still gone. When she reached the meeting room, she had to push her way through a line of shouting people.
Rafiq stood, cornered by a small mob in front of which stood Atlas Kolek. Rafiq’s gun was raised and a cold expression was etched on his face. On the floor, in the arms of Katie Kollwitz, lay Hector Lorca, his hat fallen from his bare head; his eyes slowly draining of life.
—It’s happened! Atlas Kolek shouted. There was a disruptor event in Seattle, during ESCOM conference. The city is destroyed. Rafiq is responsible. He has drawn the blood of millions, along with that of his brothers and sisters.
Nava tried to meet Rafiq’s eyes.
—What’s going on? she said. Rafiq?
The pool of blood around Lorca was growing.
—Violence knows only violence, Rafiq said. Cleanse the earth with fire. I tried to get you to listen, but you wouldn’t. I found others who would.
—Rafiq! she shouted. What have you done?
Michael knelt next to Lorca and tried to check his pulse while Oliva Bross came over and tried to put pressure on his unseen wounds.
—Rafiq knows the science, Michael said. He’s the only one capable of making a disruptor. We never should have trusted him!
—Tonight the world changes, Rafiq said as he waved his pistol in the air. Tomorrow we rebuild it. The cancer has been attacked, soon comes its death.
—How could you? Nava cried.
She moved toward Rafiq. He turned the gun in her direction.
—Stay back, Nava! Atlas shouted.
—Nava! called Michael.
Staring Rafiq in the eye as she approached, she took hold of the black metal barrel and wrenched the weapon from his grip. The mob descended on Rafiq and he was quickly pinned to the floor.
Nava moved toward Atlas and handed him the gun.
A loud boom sounded from above.
The lights flickered. A film of dust descended from the ceiling.
Another loud ka-boom. More dust. Clive Werg’s poster lost a thumbtack and swung loose on its corner.
—Evacuate, Atlas Kolek shouted. All leave now!
—Sonic sensors, said Anrund Achebe as he ambled toward the door. They picked up the gunshots. They’ve found us.
Another boom shook the building and the lights went out. People screamed.
Nava stumbled in the dark and fell to the floor. An arm took hold of her and pulled her up.
—Come with me, a familiar voice said. I know this building. There isn’t much time.
—Elvin?
No answer.
Nava followed him toward the stairway where everyone was fleeing. Instead of making for the stairs with the rest, Nava was led toward a small hallway that turned away from the stairwell. Elvin lit a glowlight and fumbled for something on the wall. He lowered a lever that opened a small door. He pushed Nava to her knees and told her to crawl ahead of him.
—Michael? Nava said as she felt her way through the rough tunnel. We have to go back and get Michael.
Another loud explosion.
Walls collapsed above them, soil and rock falling on them.
—There’s no time, Elvin said.
They crawled through a passageway, the flickering glowlight showing the way, while repeated thunder reduced the tunnel behind them to rubble. At the end, an iron grate stood between them and the oily, dark river that rolled quietly under the cloudless sky.
—Push it! cried Elvin. He shined the light over the grate, revealing the latch that held it fast at the bottom. Nava threw back the latch, and the grate swung free.
—Go! cried Elvin.
She kicked at the grate and then crawled forward and slipped down into the frigid ink.
For a moment there was nothing. Just the sensation of being…something near death, but not quite. She’d had this dream before, she remembered, but she’d always been awakened. Wasn’t this just a dream? Why was it so cold?
Another splash. A hand pulled at her jacket and then she was at the surface, flailing, gasping for air.
—Be still, Elvin said. Take a breath. We can make it to the boats.
The outline of Elvin’s face appeared against the burning in the distance. She saw his long nose and the deep lines around his mouth. He lifted his hand from the water and pointed.
Together they watched as the Lyceum burned. A blast from a drone brought down a wall in an avalanche of brick and dust. Another blast reduced the building to a plume of dust and flame.
Nava drifted in the current, away from the orange and yellow inferno that stood out against the Berlin night, her body heavier and heavier as icy fingers of the river pulled her downward.
—Elvin?
She tried to speak but couldn’t.
She had no voice.
The river had taken it.
The End - Book One
Other Works by Martin Fossum
Short Stories
Ildarim’s Arrow
http://www.amazon.com/Ildarims-Arrow-ebook/dp/B00BDD57BK/ref=la_B004K6HQNY_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1368043239&sr=1-4
Stone Ogres
http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Ogres-ebook/dp/B00DFTBBJM/ref=la_B004K6HQNY_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381207874&sr=1-5
Books
Faking Smart!: Get Hired, Get Promoted and Become a V.P. in Six Short Weeks – GUARANTEED!
http://www.amazon.com/Faking-Smart-Promoted-Become-ebook/dp/B004OYT964/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1368043121&sr=1-1
Beyond Asimios: Book One Page 25