Ch. 17

Alice looked around the underground bunker. It was a small, but fully functional and independent unit and network. It was as though Kavi had her own personal army. Alice's neck tingled. It made her nervous.

Oreldo thought the same. "So to whom do you owe your allegiance, anyway?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Kavi directed them into a meeting room and closed the door. They all took a seat except Kavi, who waited. After a moment, the door knocked and she opened it to a familiar face.

"General Ulrich," she said, "I believe you are familiar with this unit?"

Ulrich stepped in and smiled, removing his cap. No longer did he wear clothes that displayed his many scars, but instead wore a uniform that echoed his days as part of the 903rd.

"Indeed, Madame," he said, moving toward Alice and the others to shake hands in greeting. "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you all safe and sound. I've been told of your adventures thus far. I know you must have so many questions. I and Kavi will answer them all now."

Alice looked at the others. So many questions; they weren't sure where to start.

"What…what is all this about, Kavi?" Alice began. Ulrich and Kavi sat down with them, pointing to a map of the entire continent.

"To begin," Kavi said, "the reason I'm showing you all of this is so that you know I'm being completely honest with you. After I explain my plan and position, I will ask you to join us." After seeing everyone's reaction she added, "Don't be afraid. It's a proposition with no strings attached. You can leave any time you want. I ask for discretion, though. What I do requires that secrecy and discretion be paramount."

Kavi took a deep breath and sighed. Ulrich reached for her hand and squeezed it. She looked at him and smiled.

"Confessing never gets any easier," she said. She looked at them all. "During the early years of the great war, my being Poet Laureate and performer was just a front. A lucrative one, to be sure, but it gave me certain advantages that I otherwise could never have."

"Does that mean what Lord Taylor said is true?" Martis asked. Kavi frowned.

"Either he is a very good guesser," she said, "or he's one of them."

Alice sat up straight. Her neck tingled again. "'Them'?"

"The other team, you might say," Kavi replied. The others quickly told Alice about the earlier conversation they had while she was speaking to Stecchin.

Alice shook her head. "He's…he's a brilliant strategist," she said, thinking out loud. "He's drafted and completed several complicated financial maneuvers for reconstruction in the Imperial Capital. It's not far-fetched that he could draw such a conclusion and make it look easy." She glared at Kavi, who wore a dark expression that was all too familiar. Her hand itched to draw her sword, but though Kavi was seated across from her, the table was too wide for it to have any effect.

"Are you telling me that you spied for the Republic?" she asked, trying to keep still.

"Yes," Kavi answered. Alice fought a shiver.

"Were you an assassin as well?"

Kavi closed her eyes as though she waited for a physical blow. "Yes, in the first three years. After that, I defected, went completely AWOL. That's the real reason the Republic ousted me and named me The Mad Minstrel."

Alice clenched her teeth and hissed. "How do I know that for sure? What is this place? Are you still-?"

"I am still a spy," Kavi interrupted, and held up her hands when Alice jerked forward but were stopped by Oreldo and Martis who held her back. "But to answer Sub-Lieutenant Oreldo, I owe fealty to no one, not even the King of Rodelia."

Alice surged forward again, giving a shout of outrage. Oreldo and Martis hung on for dear life.

"Murderess!" Alice cried, "You killed my countrymen! You should stand trial for war crimes!"

Ulrich quietly pulled in closer to Kavi, who wept in silence. He moved until he was slightly in front of her.

"You're right," Ulrich said, "and so should I, in their country. Don't forget, my former title is Disease Hunter! I have no idea how many people I personally killed by sickness or acid! Although, I can tell you the amount easily eclipses hers, not that numbers mean anything! After all, a life is a life! Even one is too many!"

With that, Alice's outrage subsided. Hot, angry tears spilled out, but she rubbed her face in frustration.

After a few moments, Kavi continued to speak.

"After seeing just how hideous the war was becoming on both sides," she said, "I used my position and many connections to form my own underground spy network. I have alliances…as well as enemies, in every country I have ever performed in. I keep tabs on all of it. Everything, and everything has a price."

"So you're an information broker?" Martis asked.

Kavi cocked her head to the side. "That is where the bulk of my funds come from," she admitted. "The trick is to always be two steps ahead and never tell any side the full story. Plus, getting them to change their minds is much better."

"If you hated the war so much," Oreldo asked, "why continue to pit them against each other?"

"That's the point! I'm not!" Kavi declared. "What I'm trying to do is maintain balance between them, until they get to such a point where they see that becoming allies will be much more beneficial."

"The Thin-Ice Treaty never would have happened without her," Ulrich added.

Alice gasped. She remembered the day of the cease-fire very clearly. It was the day she graduated from the Academy. She was so ready to fight for her country…only to find there was no longer a war to fight.

However, she quickly realized that there was another war, one of corruption and chaos. Saving her country from being overthrown by an outside force was no longer necessary, but the inner struggles proved to be just as harrowing, if not worse.

"And that's why you want our help, isn't it?" Alice asked Kavi. "We are a PR unit. Our goal is war relief and reconstruction, which is your goal as well, right? But you don't want to just rebuild the Empire, do you?"

Kavi nodded. "I still love the Republic," she said, "but I can never go home…not to stay, anyway. I'd be executed for high treason. If I wasn't so loved by the people, I'd have been indicted long ago. Still, there have been many attempts on my life, up until the treaty was signed. But I will never stop looking over my shoulder. My HQ is in Rodelia simply because Rodelia is peaceful with both the Republic and the Imperial State."

"The king doesn't know?" Martis asked, incredulous.

"Oh, he knows," Kavi said, "he just doesn't know all of it. He thinks this is just one of many bases. I do have a few other safe houses, but this is home, so to speak. I will say that Princess Septieme knows more. It's safer if she doesn't know all of it."

"And now that we are threatened by the 906th, we need to form a plan to protect it," Ulrich said, shaking his head. "I knew they joined our group in Cavern City and now Cavelia. What I didn't know is that they were still active, or who is controlling them now."

Alice thought for a moment. "Do the words 'Silver Wheel' mean anything to you?" she asked Ulrich. "That's what one of them screamed before he fell to his death in the tower. He said, 'I go to serve under the Silver Wheel.'"

Stunned, Kavi and Ulrich looked at each other.

"Can it be?" Kavi whispered. "It makes sense, but...I thought they were a myth, like the Illuminati!"

"Maybe somebody…or more like a lot of somebodies, wanted to bring them to life," Ulrich replied.

"Who?" Alice asked.

Kavi leaned in toward Alice. "I have heard reports, mostly from the Empire, that you are finding state-of-the-art weapons in unusual places."

"That's correct," Martis said. "A minor duke had a tank, while another had fully automatic rifles, which Mion of the Waterworks Company also possessed."

Kavi nodded. "And the Shadowers had the shield drill. Well, Section Three, I wish I could say those were the only things found, but reports have been coming in everywhere, including the Republic, and now Rodelia. My network's main objective is to figure out whom, how and most importantly, why."

"And you might just have finally given us a name," Ulrich added. "And if they play by the rules of the legend, even in a twisted sort of way, we might finally have a way to dismantle them."

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. Ulrich answered and spoke with someone in low tones. He took a report and gave it to Kavi.

"Good news," he said. "The riot wasn't as serious as was initially reported. Our subordinates were able to work with the local cavalry to quell the riot and chase off the 906 for now. A few grave injuries, but the only casualties were Divers."

Kavi sighed in relief along with the rest. "You trained them well, darling."

"What should we do now?" Alice asked. "We really should first inform the Princess that everything is all right."

"Indeed," Kavi said, "but now that you are aware of my…extracurricular activities, will you consider joining my cause? Your position as both a noble and a soldier would be very helpful."

Alice looked down and thought hard. "I can't betray my fellow countrymen," she said, "And I won't give you anything to hold over the nobility or my Emperor. You have entrusted me and my men with a lot…which I will not forget."

"My only goal is peace," Kavi insisted, nodding. "Like my train, I want to have no boundaries that cause prejudice or intolerance. Though I know different classes exist and likely will for all time, I know, like you, that all men and women are equal."

"To save lives then," Alice said, "I will help you when it comes to maintaining that balance. I don't want anyone suffering anymore on account of corruption in any form, regardless of what group, political party, kingdom, or country."

"Then we have an accord," Kavi said with a smile, holding out her hand. Alice paused, then shook it firmly.

Everybody up to speed now? ;D I hope so!