Ch. 33

Martis stared at the remote device Carlotta returned to him. It seemed simple enough, with four colored buttons in a diamond pattern, with a red button in the center. All of the buttons were also equipped with lights. He asked the members of the 906 about it, but no one seemed to know which button did what. They had even checked the Doctor's corpse, but found nothing. No notes, no clues of any kind.

This is almost worse than disarming a bomb! he thought. If I press the wrong one, anyone or everyone might die!

The one called Bryce stepped up and spoke to him, addressing the group as well.

"Whatever happens," he said, Anna nodding along, "we know you will do your best to try and help us." He turned to the group. "I know you are all frightened. I am too, but if today is our day to die, let no one have hatred in their hearts! Let no one fault this brave and selfless troop for only doing their job of war relief! Be patient, stay calm, and let the Sub-Lieutenant do his work. We will help him and the rest of the Pumpkin Scissors in any way.

"They saved us Shadowers when the mountain caves collapsed…when our beloved leader Luna became corrupted by her own hatred; they fought and took her down. We lost some lives that day, but they saved a great deal more. We gained the land on which we now live. We are allied with Rodelia's princess. Yes, she is young, but she is wise beyond her years, and she is kind. If we get out of this alive, let us do whatever is necessary to make sure she is safe! We owe her that much, don't we?

The group cheered in response. Bryce nodded.

"All right!" he said. "Then let's be part of the solution this time!" He turned to Martis, who gulped. "The rest is up to you."

"Gee thanks," Martis said, who suddenly wished he was anywhere else. It thundered overhead and he looked up.

"Let's get these people somewhere dry!" he said. At that moment, he heard sirens and was gladdened. At least Oland would be cared for.

The group of 906 huddled together outside. It had started raining. When the ambulance arrived, a worn-out and bloody Kavi seemed to appear as though by magic. When questioned on her whereabouts, she shook her head and said, "It's not important now. I'll tell you later."

When debriefed, she immediately took action and promised that after Oland was stabilized, she would personally escort him by her train back to the Empire. When told about Ulrich's actions, she was alarmed, but not shocked. Carlotta told Kavi what Ulrich said just before she passed out.

Kavi was thoughtful. "I'm thinking he's either been blackmailed, or something about Septieme or the royals is threatening the people of Cavelia. Someone got to him. Maybe someone somehow got to Jacques as well."

She asked the 906 directly if they knew anything about the incident, but no one spoke up. Either they were all genuinely ignorant, or one or more was lying.

As they placed Oland into the ambulance, Alice climbed in as well.

"You're in charge, Oreldo," she said.

"LT?" Oreldo said. "You're not staying? What about going after Ulrich?"

"I have faith in you," she said. She looked up and smiled at him, then looked at Oland.

"I lost him once," she said. "I'm not losing him again. Besides, the hospital will have a telephone. I need to report everything to Captain Hunks. He can get word to Dr. Caplan faster that way."

Oreldo looked at Martis and Stecchin, who nodded. He sighed and looked back at Alice.

"Don't let him out of your sight," he said. Alice smiled, and they shut the door, leaving as fast as safety would allow.

When the ambulance was gone, Kavi and her crew began to clean up, working with the royal guards and the local constabulary to coordinate a search and rescue party for Septieme. She also sent Carlotta and her team to locate and search Dr. Steinenburg's lab.

Hannah stuck close to Oreldo, who was relieved to see she wasn't one of the ones Oland had killed.

"Well, Four-Eyes," Oreldo said to Martis, "any ideas?"

Martis studied the remote device again. He turned it over and saw it was powered by an ordinary battery. The top of it was open with a sort of sensor. From looking at the suits milling about, he saw similar sensors at the neck, chest and each limb.

So, that's how the body seems to dissolve so quickly, he thought. This thing must transmit a sort of signal, like how people used to communicate by telegraph before the war. But…how can it do that without wires?

For it was during the war that someone invented the highly useful and decidedly convenient telephone. It too also transmits by wires, but is much faster. The difference before and after were remarkable, to say the least. He remembered studying about a particular battle that was stationed right at one of the telephone company's major factories and how they, the Empire, were able to obtain the secret technology necessary to make their own telephones. The concept was simple enough, and after the war the company made a killing selling their product to all countries. Oh, how some people in the government hated that! They wanted to keep it for themselves, but under the law of free enterprise, they couldn't be touched…legally. It didn't stop the intimidation and threats. Still, the telephone was very expensive, so those who purchased them were mostly the royal nobility anyway. Plus, it was a great way to create jobs, so eventually, the din died down.

No wires, Martis thought. That only leaves one other way to transmit a signal…radio!

He quickly ran around and started asking everyone where the biggest and most powerful radio towers were located.

"Someone, get me a map!" he said.

Earlier…

Kavi had followed the trail of blood back to the train station. She stepped onto her train and moments later left looking like someone else. Oftentimes even those who worked for her didn't recognize her.

She found Lord Taylor wounded in one of the restrooms in a mostly empty sub-basement. The area was being converted into one of those newfangled subways. He thought nothing of Kavi entering the men's room since she was disguised as a man. Pretending to be a former EMT, she applied first-aid and helped him sit down on one of the many benches that lined the subway station.

Lionel dismissed her notion for alerting the constable. She asked him a few ordinary questions, which he answered without much thought. She spoke to him in low tones, getting him to talk. Just when he was getting comfortable, he became aware that he recognized her voice. When he turned to attack, she was ready with a garrote. She wrapped it around his neck and slipped behind the bench, choking him.

"Tell me everything, milord," she hissed. "The Silver Wheel-who runs it? Not you, but I bet you know who does."

Lionel coughed. He struggled and flailed his arms, but he couldn't catch hold of her.

"I know you happened to be at that ball last year with Lord Hoost," she said. "He granted money to the local soup kitchen, where those poor commoners came from, did you know that? I'll bet you did! He's in charge of the financial district now. Convenient, isn't it? You really think people wouldn't notice and connect the dots? Well? Talk!"

She loosened her grip a hairsbreadth, but all Lionel could do is laugh. Kavi fumed. She held onto the garrote with one hand and drew a throwing dagger with the other. She stabbed him just below the shoulder where a cluster of nerves sat. He would have screamed, but didn't have enough air. The sound he did make was rather strange.

"Now, that was funny," she said. "If you can't play nice, I'll just have to teach you until you do."

She loosened the garrote once more and let him catch his breath. As he coughed, he sniggered again.

"You can't stop us," he wheezed. "We are Legion, a vaccine that will destroy this disease of a world."

Kavi was about to make him continue when she heard a faint whistle and dropped to the ground, releasing him. As she rolled, she saw twin blades on nearly invisible wires sing over her head. She backed away, holding her pistol in one hand and a short sword in the other. She saw the same longhaired, masked assassin stand in front of Lionel, retracting his weapons. He wasn't alone. A shorter, stout man had joined him. He also wore a bronze mask with the face of a gargoyle and held a briefcase.

Lionel coughed and tried to stand. "Wh…what took you so long?" he wheezed.

The tall man moved like lightning and slapped Lionel hard across the face, causing him to fall back on the bench.

"Shut up, fool," he hissed. "This whole mess is your fault."

The tall man turned to Kavi and seemed to look her over. He nodded his approval, and then inclined his head in respect, placing a hand over his heart.

"My compliments on a most ingenious costume, Lady Teague," he said softly. "If you hadn't used the garrote, I might've thought you were just another enemy."

Kavi stood still and aimed. "Are we enemies?" she asked. "I suppose I should thank you. I don't believe we've been formally introduced. How should you like to be called?"

The tall man nodded again. "You are right, my lady. Manners are important. You may simply call me Jack."

Kavi nodded slowly. "Very well, Jack," she intoned, "now that we are past the formalities, let's get down to business."

Jack tsked. "But we haven't gone on our first date, my dear lady," Jack said. "And I'm afraid this meeting is over. Grand?"

The shorter man stepped forward and held up the briefcase. The front of it dropped open and Kavi could see nine separate small chambers. She heard a small click and dove for cover as one of the chambers seemed to explode, spraying shrapnel toward her. The destruction of the floor, walls and ceiling was tremendous. Yet, when the smoke cleared, Kavi was nowhere to be seen, though there were drops of blood that led up the opposite stair.

"Forgive me, sir," Grand said. "I seemed to have failed."

"Don't worry," Jack said. "This was merely foreplay. I knew it would take more than that to kill her. She won't be hard to find, after all. She'll return to the fairgrounds now. We'll try again another time."

He turned to Lionel who was still sputtering. He shook his head with acute disappointment.

"I seemed to have failed as well," he said. "I watched you grow up, trained you and with you, and tried to instill the very principles that have helped us shape our world into what it is. We are only steps away from meeting our dream. You turn around and muck it up with your cursed ego. Years of grooming, and you've destroyed almost everything in a matter of days."

"All is not lost," Lionel said. "We just have to tie up a few loose ends, that's all."

"Exactly," Jack said, and promptly shot Lionel in the head.