Virtue of War

by L O Addison

  Adrien swallowed hard, but didn’t reply. He just looked back at the table and said, “It was only two of them at first. They weren’t much older than me, so I wasn’t scared. They started accusing me of working with you, and I told them that was a crock of shit.

  “They didn’t believe me. So they tried taking one of the younger girls as a hostage, saying we could have her back when we were ready to confess.”

  Adrien rubbed his hands over his face, smearing the blood and dirt that clung to his skin. He stared down numbly at his bloodied palms for a long, silent second. Then he said, “I knew that anyone who was brought into the Wardens’ base never came back. So I decided to fight them. There were only two, so I thought we could handle them. But…”

  He swallowed hard and shook his head. “There were more of them waiting on the perimeter. At least half a dozen fully armed soldiers. They attacked the moment we opened fire.”

  Beck didn’t know what to say. He didn’t even know if he should say anything. Nothing could ever bring those kids back.

  He glanced over at Kaylin, hoping she’d have something comforting to add, but she just silently stared at Adrien with a stricken look. It was the same look she got whenever she talked about her dead little brother, and it felt like a knife in Beck’s gut.

  Adrien looked up at them with tear-filled eyes, and for a single moment, he was no longer an infuriated leader. He was just a broken boy drowning in grief. “Arrissa was only ten-years-old,” he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. “She was the first one they shot. They were aiming for me, but she was standing too close, and...”

  He choked off, angrily scrubbing away his tears.

  Beck’s rage grew stronger with each passing second. He desperately wanted to hate the soldiers who had opened fire, but he wasn’t sure if he could. At least not all of them. Adrien had said it himself—some of them hadn’t been much older than him. A lot of them were probably orphans too, kids who'd been left with nothing after the Syndicate War, and had turned to the Wardens as a last resort.

  It was the leaders of the Wardens who were to blame. Beck itched with a renewed urge to break into the base and get the Virtue, feeling a fresh desperation to keep it out of the hands of anyone who committed this sort of evil.

  Beck took a deep breath, struggling to clear his thoughts. “I’m so sorry, Adrien. If I had known this would happen, I—”

  Adrien threw out his hand, halting Beck. “Don’t. I don’t want your apologies. I don’t want any apologies. They’re worthless.”

  Beck nodded, knowing he couldn’t argue. Then he cleared his throat and hesitantly asked, “Adrien, why did you come here?”

  If Adrien was here, he surely wanted something. He'd made it clear he didn't like or trust the Resistance, so there was no other reason he'd come here.

  Adrien took a deep, shuddering breath, struggling to compose himself. Then he looked up at Beck and said, “This seemed like the best place to come. As soon as the Wardens left, I got all the survivors to a safe hideaway, and then I flagged down some scavengers with a transport craft and paid them to take me here.”

  “But why?” Kaylin asked, echoing Beck.

  Adrien leaned forward, his eyes burning with a deep, desperate hunger. “I want them dead,” he said in an eerily calm voice. “Every last one of them. Every single sick fuck who authorized that attack. I want them captured, and I want them tortured, and I want them killed.”

  Beck swallowed hard, unsure how to even reply to the boy. “We’re going to do our best to make sure the Wardens receive justice.”

  “But you can’t,” Adrien snapped. “Can you? That’s what you told me earlier today. You said that the Wardens have a new weapon, and if you don’t take the weapon from them, they’re going to become unstoppable.”

  “We’re doing everything we can to stop the Wardens and their allies from gaining more power,” Beck said. “I promise you that. But things are probably going to be rocky for the next few months. I think you need to take your friends—"

  "Siblings," Adrien corrected sharply. "The kids I watch out for are my family. I don't give a damn if we're not related by blood."

  Beck nodded. "All right. Then you need to take your siblings and leave the city. I’m sure the commander of this base would give you all shelter, if you asked for it.”

  Adrien slashed his hand through the air, brushing the offer aside. “I didn’t come here for your help. I came here to help you.”

  Surprise froze Beck. That was definitely not what he had been expecting.

  “You were right,” Adrien said, leaning forward. “I know how to get inside the Wardens’ base, and I know those tunnels like the back of my hand. I've scavenged supplies out of them for years. If you want to get inside, I’ll guide you.”

  Kaylin frowned, concern etched into the lines of her mouth. “But what about the Wardens’ sanctions?”

  Adrien shook his head fiercely. “They said they’d kill us if we guided anyone through those tunnels. But it’s too late. They already did that.”

  He leaned closer to them, a wild glint in his dark eyes. “I warned you. I told you I didn’t want anything to do with your war, and I meant that.” He jabbed his thumb at his chest. “But this is my war now. They attacked my family, and I will get revenge. I’m going to get into that base, and I’m going to free every member of my family being held prisoner. And then I’m going to track down every single Warden who had a hand in that attack, and I’m going to rip their throats out and drown them in their own blood.”

  Adrien’s voice was eerily steady as he said this. Unease settled over Beck as he stared at the boy, unsure how to even respond. Adrien might have been a leader, but he was also no older than fifteen. Only a child. If he guided them through those tunnels, he’d be endangering his life. And if Beck was the one who accepted Adrien’s offer of guidance, then he’d be responsible for the boy’s death.

  Adrien’s eyes narrowed into a glare as he read the hesitation on Beck’s face. The boy leaned across the table and said in a low voice, “I’m going in those tunnels, whether you’re with me or not. They have three of my siblings in there, and there’s no way in hell I’m just abandoning them."

  Adrien took a shuddering breath and folded his hands, taking on an almost business-like pose. “If I go in alone, there’s no chance I’m coming back out alive. One person doesn’t stand a chance at breaking into their base. But if you go with me, I might actually have a chance to get to my siblings and get out. And if you let me guide you, you’d actually have a shot at retrieving that weapon.”

  Beck sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, struggling to sort through his whirling thoughts. Adrien stared him dead in the eye, refusing to look away.

  Beck cleared his throat. “We already have a mission planned to infiltrate the base. We’re actually leaving for the base in a matter of hours.”

  Adrien leaned forward eagerly. “Who’s agreed to guide you through the tunnels? I can work with them. Two guides is better than one.”

  Kaylin shook her head. “We don’t have a guide.”

  Adrien’s face crumpled into a confused look. “You were planning to try to get through the tunnels on your own?”

  “We are planning,” Kaylin said firmly. She pointed a finger at him. “You can give us guidance over the radio, if you want. But there’s no way in hell we’re letting you come with us.”

  Adrien shook his head. “Radio won’t work in the tunnels. No communication does. All signals are jammed down there, except for the Wardens’ official channels.” His eyes narrowed as he added, “And I will be going with you.”

  Kaylin’s mouth pursed into a stern frown. “No. It’s too dangerous.”

  Adrien slammed his palm on the table, smearing blood and dirt on the wood. “I’ve watched over my siblings for years. They trust me. I can’t just abandon them.”

  “And we can’t just let you get killed,” Kaylin snapped. She took a deep breath, calming herself slightly, and then continu
ed in a softer tone, “Adrien, you have to understand, this mission is a last-ditch attempt. With or without a guide, we don’t expect to come out of this alive.”

  For a single instant, Beck saw fear flicker across the boy’s face. But then Adrien shook his head. “I don’t care. I’m going with you. You need a guide, so I’m going to guide you. End of story.”

  Beck let out a long, pained breath. It was tempting to take Adrien’s offer of guidance. Beyond tempting. But he knew Kaylin was right—their goal with this mission was to save the lives of children, not to needlessly risk them.

  “Adrien, the Resistance isn’t like the Wardens,” Beck said, keeping his voice soft yet firm. “We won’t risk the safety of children.”

  “You can’t make me stay back,” Adrien said. Despite his harsh words, his voice dropped to a low, pleading tone. “You can’t. You say you don’t want me to get hurt, but if more of my siblings get killed, and you don’t let me do anything to stop it…” He swallowed hard. “That will kill me. I swear it will. So, please, just let me come.”

  Beck stared deep into Adrien’s eyes, and Adrien stared right back. They weren’t the eyes of a child. Beck’s gut sank as he realized that. It was always unnerving to see the eyes of an adult trapped in the body of a child. But the sight of it made him realize Adrien was telling the truth: if they didn’t give him the chance to save his family, Adrien was never going to be able to forgive himself. And that sort of guilt was enough to kill a man.

  “I’m going in those tunnels, with or without you,” Adrien repeated, his voice firm.

  Beck glanced over at Kaylin and found a pained expression etched onto her face. Beck didn’t have to ask to know that she’d arrived at the same conclusion: even if he was only fifteen, Adrien had the mind and the responsibilities of an adult. If he wanted to risk his life for the sake of his family, they couldn’t stop him.

  Beck let out a long sigh. Then he folded his hands and said, “All right. If you insist on coming, I’ll allow it.”

  Adrien’s shoulders sagged, and for a single moment, relief dominated his expression. Then he shook himself, and cold determination hardened the lines of his face. He nodded to Beck.

  “We’re going to need a plan,” he said. All the pleading was gone from his voice, leaving the commanding tone of a leader.

  Beck nodded in agreement and then turned to Kaylin. “I’ll go get Matteo. We have about six hours before we should leave.”

  A grim smile lifted Kaylin’s lips. “Plenty of time to plan a suicide.”

  25

  Lio

  Lio woke to a sharp knock at his door. He opened his eyes and glanced around, searching for Marin. She was already standing from her bed on the opposite side of the room, moving toward the door. Lio rubbed a hand across his face, trying to brush away his exhaustion, and sat up.

  “Stay here,” Marin said, moving toward the adjoining room and the main entrance to their quarters. Her hand drifted down to touch the pistol at her waist. “I’ll get the door.”

  Lio obeyed, sitting on the edge of his bed and reaching for his shirt on the nightstand. A sudden spike of warmth brushed against his chest. He jumped in surprise and looked down at the Fragment hanging from his necklace.

  Nothing about it appeared different—it looked like it always did, just a gleaming rectangle of metal attached to a slim silver chain. But then he saw a pulse of light run through its pale blue veins, and another surge of warmth heated his skin.

  He stared down at it in shock. That shouldn’t happen, not unless he’d purposely activated the Fragment, or unless he was standing close to a Virtue. He reached up to touch the pendant, and the metal was hot against his skin, almost to the point of being painful.

  Something was near. Something connected to the Fragment.

  He felt a tugging in his gut, urging him to move closer to the door and whatever the Fragment was sensing out there. Lio planted his feet firmly on the floor, trying to ground himself and shake off the bizarre, otherworldly feeling.

  The sensation in his gut seemed to fade, but Lio trembled slightly as he picked up his shirt and shrugged it on. He knew there were strange consequences for using the Fragment—he’d been warned of that his entire life. But no one seemed to know exactly what those consequences were, and it made his skin prickle with unease.

  He heard the door slide open in the other room, and then Beck's deep voice said, "Sorry to wake you, Marin, but we need to talk with the ambassador."

  Lio stood from the bed and took a deep breath, trying to ease the panic seeping into his mind. He padded into the adjoining room, finding Beck, Kaylin, and Matteo all standing in the doorway.

  “Good morning,” Lio said, nodding a greeting.

  Marin took a step closer to him, her hand still resting on her pistol. “Evening,” she corrected, her voice low with exhaustion. “We’re still hours away from morning.” She gestured at the three humans. “The Ambassador needs his sleep. You’re welcome to speak with him for a minute, but no longer.”

  Lio held up a hand, silencing his bodyguard. These three were about to sacrifice their lives. The least he could do was sacrifice his sleep and talk with them.

  “Thank you, Marin, but if they have something urgent to speak about, they’re welcome to take as long as they’d like,” Lio said.

  Kaylin stepped in front of him, her arms crossed and her lips pursed in a frown. Once again, Lio found himself surprised that he had to stare down to meet her eyes. With the way she radiated confidence, Lio always forgot how short Kaylin actually was.

  “We’d like to talk with you alone,” Kaylin said, giving Marin a sideways glance. Then she glanced back at Lio, staring straight at his chest.

  No, not his chest. At the Fragment.

  It was no wonder they wanted to talk with him alone. They knew Marin would immediately shut them down if they started asking questions about the Fragment, as any good Rhuramenti should.

  "I am the ambassador's bodyguard," Marin said, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "It is my duty to never leave his side."

  Lio knew he should agree; it was the only proper thing to do. But he couldn't bring himself to say the words. After all, it was his own fault that Matteo and the others had been exposed to the Fragment and its potential side-effects. If they had questions, they deserved answers.

  He turned to Marin and said, “Marin, I’m sorry to ask, but could you please wait for us outside? Just for a few short minutes?”

  Her eyes widened in shock, and Lio saw pain flash across her expression. He reached out and softly touched her forearm.

  “I think they’re just intimidated by you,” he said, speaking quietly in their own language. “They’ll be more open if you’re not in the room.”

  She pursed her lips. “I’m not supposed to leave you. Not ever. It’s not proper.”

  He smiled a small, grim smile. “I don’t think anything about this mission is turning out proper. But I’ll take the blame from the Council, if it comes to that. I’ll make sure they know I was the one who asked you to leave my side.”

  She scowled, and her tone darkened as she said, “Fuck the Council’s protocols. That’s not what I’m worried about right now. You are.”

  Lio stumbled back a step. He'd worked alongside Marin for two entire years, and in all that time, he’d never heard her swear. Not even once.

  But as he stared into her eyes, he saw a fierce protectiveness that made him rethink his view of her. He’d always seen her as an obedient servant of the Council, ready to defend their people’s values and the Collectors. But it suddenly dawned on him that her loyalty for him went far deeper than that.

  He swallowed hard, feeling a pang of guilt. “I trust them,” he said, nodding to the three visitors. “They’re not going to hurt me.”

  “You don't know that,” Marin said, shaking her head. “The humans have proven to be too volatile to ever trust.”

  Lio nodded, not wanting to argue further. He turned back to the other three and sa
id in English, “Anything you say to me, you can also say to Marin. She is not to leave my side.”

  Kaylin bristled, but Marin let out a small sigh of relief and nodded to him in thanks. Lio gestured toward the table in the opposite corner, inviting the others to sit.

  They settled in at the table, and Lio sat at the head of it, doing his best to look as professional as possible while only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and loose sleeping pants. His superiors would throw an absolute fit if they ever heard of this meeting, but he didn’t have the time to worry about that.

  “What would you like to discuss?” he asked.

  Beck nodded to the pendant hanging around his neck. “That.”

  Lio shifted uncomfortably, and behind him, Marin drew in a sharp breath. The Fragments simply weren’t discussed, at least not by anyone who wasn’t Rhuramenti. Other people sometimes whispered of them, and some brave souls even had the audacity to try to research them. But they always met the same outcome: there was no information about the Fragments available, because that sort of sensitive information wasn’t meant for anyone who wasn’t Rhuramenti.

  Lio cleared his throat and folded his hands. “I’m afraid I can’t discuss the Fragment with you, aside from the basics. It has healing properties, and it's not known to be dangerous. That's really all you need to know.”

  “Cut the bullshit,” Kaylin snapped. She pointed over to Matteo. “You saved his life with that thing. You sucked the sickness straight out of him and did it right in front of our eyes. We’ve already been involved, whether you like it or not.”

  Lio took a deep breath, trying to quell the anger rising in his chest. He didn't regret saving Matteo, but he also didn’t like having his moment of weakness used to try to extort sensitive information out of him.

  “I’m sorry, but there's not much more I can tell you about the Fragments,” he said. “Even I don’t have a great deal of knowledge about them."