Chapter 5
Jesse Koda, Lord General's Retinue Squad Sergeant 'Trigger'
All Jesse Koda had done for the past few days was move. He knew that it wouldn't take the Inquisition long to realise that Achilles' captain was missing, and they wouldn't hesitate deploying a full-scale search team. He had moved from place to place, trying to keep a low profile. He'd steal what money he could during the day to hire out a room for the night.
As soon as he heard the heavy boots coming towards the room, he knew that no normal men were about to enter the room. He had made a dash for the window seconds before the Deathwatch burst into the room. He had fallen from the first storey of the house, rolled on the grass and dashed for the woodlands. No one had seen him leave. He'd left his gear at a nearby barracks so he could walk around the city without arousing suspicion.
Since then, he had gone from being one of the most influential men in the sector to becoming a ghost. He knew that big changes were about to hit the Tigers, and that he had to adapt. Fast.
He knew that he couldn't lie low forever. No matter how well he covered his tracks, eventually the Inquisition would find him in Ivy City. He needed a plan of attack, and he had nowhere to start but the death of the mayor.
Who would want the man dead? He asked himself as he sat in the tiny room he had rented for the night. It consisted of nothing more than a hard bed and flimsy desk. A narrow window let a sliver of moonlight into the room.
It was a question he had asked himself non stop since seeing the old man's corpse. Obviously someone who's trying to derail the Tigers.
He punched the wall in frustration, putting a hole in it. He'd been asking himself the same question for days now, and always the same answer. He took a deep breath.
He was playing a waiting game. The day Achilles had been arrested, he had gotten into contact with one of the few Eldar in Ivy City. The Eldar that lived in the city were mostly outcasts, but still provided an easy way for the Eldar to keep an eye on their human allies.
The particular Elf that Jesse had come into contact with was a drunken mess. He was a means to an end. The wretched creature drowned itself in the most potent of human spirits, and it had taken a lot of bribery and coercion for Jesse to get the xeno to get into contact with the elf that Jesse wanted.
The Ringmaster.
Or so he was called. To Jesse he was known by his name: Kaldeer. He was the leader of the harlequin troupe that called this sector their home. Kaldeer was the Eldar's top inside eye. He was effectively the Eldar's equivalent of Jesse himself.
Jesse was in a vulnerable position, and he knew that Kaldeer knew it. Despite their alliance with the Tigers, the Elder were as fickle as always, and Jesse didn't know wether to trust Kaldeer or not.
Tonight was the night that some of his questions would find answers. He was meeting back with the elf he had sent to fetch Kaldeer. If all went to plan, he would be in contact with the Ringmaster in days.
He decided he needed to get some rest before the rendezvous. He stepped across the tiny room and lay down atop the rock hard mattress in the corner of the room.
Jesse woke himself with a jolt. He quickly got up and looked out the window. It was just past midnight, judging by the position of the moon. Pulling his cloak far over his face, he placed a bronze coin on the desk and left the room.
The night air was frigid, made worse by the rain that was drizzling down. He set off down the dark street towards the agreed location.
After navigating the dark alleyways and making sure no one was following him, he arrived at his destination. It was a dimly lit crossroads. He stood across from a tavern, under a flickering streetlamp. He had chosen this destination in the hope that two humanoids talking outside a bar wasn't too suspicious, but much was suspicious these days.
He wasn't waiting long when he saw a cloaked figure hurriedly walking towards him. The figure came up to Jesse and leaned on the same lamppost as he was.
"You weren't followed?" Jesse asked, hardly moving his lips.
"I um, I don't think so?" The xeno replied, sounding uncertain.
"Turn up your collar so no one can see your mouth," Jesse said sternly. "Look like you're cold."
The elf did so.
"Did you contact him?" Jesse asked.
"Kaldeer?" The elf asked, too loudly. It took Jesse all of his willpower not to hit the alien.
"Yes, Kaldeer," Jesse said through gritted teeth. "Who else? Don't say his name again. What did he say?"
The xeno reached for his pocket, but Jesse stopped him with a hiss.
"You'll look too obvious," he said. "Let me get it." Faking a smile, he clapped the eldar on the shoulder, as though he had made a joke. He slipped his other hand into the xeno's pocket and snatched out the scrap of paper in it. As he pulled it out he managed a quick glimpse at what was scrawled on it. The transaction took two seconds.
Ivy City Webway Gate.
"Do I look like a fool?" Jesse hissed. "There's no Gate in Ivy City."
"T-t-trust me, there is," The elf stuttered. "Follow the directions on the back, Kal- I mean- he's there tonight waiting for you. Now do you have my payment? I haven't had a drink in days I feel like…"
Jesse was only half listening to the flailing alien though. Movement in one of the windows behind the elf, a few doors down, had caught his eye.
"Uh yeah, sure," he said as he shuffled his position, putting the alien between him and the window.
Suddenly the elf's chest exploded all over Jesse.
Bolters, Jesse realised as soon as he saw the way the alien's chest exploded. A look of horror was frozen on his face as he came to realise what had happened to his chest.
The Eldar fell.
And was caught by Jesse's arm around his neck.
They cannot find an Eldar corpse here, Jesse thought to himself. He dashed towards the closest alleyway, yanking the corpse along. He heard the distant crash of a door being kicked in.
He was being chased. By monsters that were bigger, faster and stronger than him. He needed to get rid of this body and disappear as fast as he could.
He dashed through alleyways, trying to lose his pursuers among the complex grid of Ivy City.
It must have been working to some extent, as he heard someone shout "Split up and find him!"
He smiled to himself. The voice sounded frustrated, and now Jesse had the upper hand.
Divide and conquer.
He ran down another alleyway, looking for the perfect place to set his trap. As he was running he found it.
The alley he was running down had a small courtyard off to the side with barred windows looking in on it. Large, wheeled rubbish bins littered the yard. Moving quickly, Jesse dumped the broken body in the middle of the courtyard.
I can't put the body in a bin; it'll be found sooner or later, he told himself as he set up his trap. He ripped off his bloodied cloak and threw it over the corpse, before wheeling a bin out of the courtyard and into a position that he could hide behind it without having his pursuer see him.
He settled into his hiding place behind the bin, drew his combat blade, and waited.
It didn't take long for him to hear the heavy footfalls of a Space Marine coming up the alley. He tried to regulate his ragged breathing; he knew a Marine would be able to hear him if he breathed too loud. He thanked the Emperor that it was raining hard enough to cover the sound of his beating heart.
The footfalls slowed to a halt, metres from Jesse's position.
"I've found something," The Marine reported.
Jesse heard the feet slowly move towards the corpse. Now was his chance. As quietly as he could, he drew a deep breath and held it. Ducking out from behind the bin, he rounded the corner to see the hulking black armour of a Deathwatch Marine crouching over the corpse, examining it. He'd placed his boltpistol on the ground next to him so he could use his hand to uncover the body.
Jesse advanced towards the pistol, but just as he was reaching for it the Marine heard him and turned to face him. As soon as he saw the Stormtrooper, he lit up his power sword and slashed at him. The strike was about to cleave Jesse in half.
However, unfortunately for the Marine, this is exactly what Jesse was anticipating. He stepped inside the blow, towards the Astartes, and thrust his combat blade at the Marine's wrist.
This thrust, coupled with the force of the Marine's swing, allowed the blade to pierce the softer armour between the power plates. The Astartes shouted in pain and dropped his sword, but Jesse knew that it wouldn't stop the juggernaut for long.
He followed the thrust through by reaching for the pistol. He lifted the heavy weapon and blindly fired several shots point blank at the Marine's chest.
The first shot cracked the Marine's armour, and after a few more blood started pooling on the ground. He fired a bolt through the Marine's neck, and the kneeling giant slumped over.
His heart still hammering, Jesse unloaded the rest of the pistol on the Eldar's corpse. The explosive ammunition pulverised the body until it was no more than a scattered pile of gore – completely unrecognizable.
He knew he had seconds before the rest of the Deathwatch arrived on the scene, drawn to the commotion like moths to the moon. Hefting the fallen Marine's sword in both hands, he slashed it through the barred window in front of him. The energised blade passed through the metal and smashed the glass. Jesse threw himself inside as he heard heavy footfalls at the end of the alleyway. He left the sword behind; it was too cumbersome to flee with.
He landed in a small, dirty bathroom. Not caring for his surroundings, he shouldered his way through the door and into a narrow hallway.
They'll have trouble fitting in here, he thought to himself with a smirk. He dashed down the corridor. One of the flat's occupants burst through a doorway to confront the commotion. He prepared to fight when he saw Jesse running towards him, but before he knew it he was lying on the floor, watching Jesse run out of his house.
He burst through the front door onto yet another dark street. He heard his hunters smash through the other side of the building. Screams followed, and someone bellowed "Arrest them!"
Jesse didn't hesitate dashing across the street into another alleyway. As he ran, he pulled the scrap of paper he'd taken from the dead elf. On the back were several street names that lead to the supposed Gate in the city.
Adjusting his course slightly, he made for the location.
After several minutes of running, he was sure he had lost his tail. He hadn't heard any commotions, and he hadn't left any tracks. But he wasn't stupid enough to lower his guard; he was dealing with Orks or the Tau anymore. The Deathwatch were a whole new league.
My league.
He was feeling safer and safer, until he ran across the second last street marked on the paper –
And straight into a spotlight.
The brilliant light dazzled him.
"There!" Someone cried. A sudden adrenaline rush snapped Jesse into action. He broke for an especially narrow alley just as someone fired shots at him.
They're trying to kill me! He realised with a shock.
He kept running down the alleyway until he came to a narrow bridge that crossed another street. A smile broke across Jesse's face as he realised that this was the street the Gate was supposed to be on.
He jumped from the bridge and landed heavily on the cobblestone street. The street was narrow, but that wasn't unusual in Ivy City. Highrise apartments with blacked out windows lined the street. Dozens of bridges crossed the long street. Dim streetlamps cast and eerie light over the scene.
He slowed his pace to a halt and began searching for the Gate. If indeed the Gate was here, he knew that Kaldeer would be watching him already.
Try as he might, he couldn't see any Gate. He knew that they varied in design, but there was nothing alien about the architecture of this street.
Suddenly a distortion in his vision caught his attention.
He cast his eyes about the deformation, and as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes, the Gate came into view.
It had been built into one of the arched supports for a bridge that crossed the street. From a distance, the support looked ordinary. However one he studied it closely, he could see intricate markings and dark stones around the inside of the Gate.
With a flash, these markings and stones lit up with a brilliant blue. White, smoke-like energy filled the Gate, and from it stepped the Ringmaster.
The Eldar had fabulous attire. He wore a colourful suit beneath a huge black overcoat. He adorned himself with fantastic trinkets. From his neck hung a golden skull, and from his hips a delicate sword and pistol.
Most striking about his appearance was the helmet he wore. A giant red, Mohawk plume ran its way down the centre of the helm. Etched into his face was a grinning, devilish skull. It made even Jesse uneasy to look at it.
"Take that off, look at me," Jesse commanded before the alien had a chance to speak.
"Tut tut, Trigger," The Ringmaster said mockingly, cocking his head. He started pacing around the human. "Don't you trust me?"
"Don't mess around," Jesse said roughly, grabbing his arm. "Your man was followed, and now I'm followed."
That put some urgency into the Ringmaster. He quickly took off his helmet and flashed a look of annoyance at the Stormtrooper.
"Good, it's you," Jesse said, still holding on to the harlequin.
"Of course it's me, fool." Kaldeer snapped, trying to break free of Jesse's vice-like grip, but to no avail. "Step through the gate before your incompetence catches up with us."
Jesse was about to retaliate, but shouts and footsteps from the end of the street made him think twice. He forcefully let go of Kaldeer's arm, before turning and striding through the Gate.
Jackson 7