Chapter 66
"Wait- what?!?!" Red reacted.
At the abandoned motel where it was half messy and organised, sat Red and Axton at the dining table in the middle of the room. They sat opposite each other. Red had a small notebook in front of him. Axton, a cup of hot tea.
Red skimmed through the notebook, eyes all over pages. Face showed mixed emotion of surprise with a touch of denial.
"Axton, this thing you showing me… is this legit?" As he finished speaking, he raised his head and stared at the Commando.
Axton put his hand to his thigh, leaning slightly forward. "If it wasn't, why would I write it down?"
"Why?"
"There could always be a leak in my Echo."
"No shit." Red let a small giggle. Then paused for a few seconds. "If this intel is true…"
"I thought you already knew about it."
"We don't have every information. What are your sources Commando?"
"Encrypted messages. Rumours and gossip. Echonet Archives. With the help of Tannis and Gaige, we manage to filter a believable chunk. Most of them are written in that language that I can read for some reason."
"Thanks to Alesia." Red mentioned.
"Well, the voices is not a good trade."
"That's true." Red nodded.
"I can give you a copy but I need you to verify it. Can you do that, Red?"
Red blew a long breath. "Well I need time to verify it. I'll update you this week. I can already see some solid ones."
"That's great." Axton raised one brow. "Looking forward to it."
"Question is…" Red closed the notebook gently. "Who are you, Commando?"
"Just a grunt doing his job." Axton took his cup and pointed it to the notebook with it. "That's top priority, soldier. Not me."
In The Null, Siren and Searcher fought with each other.
Alesia attacked with a leading fist. Red dodged the fist by taking two steps back. He threw the raincoat at her face, shrouded her sight for a moment. She pulled the raincoat away, immediately regained her sight. Red advanced to Alesia, connecting a flying knee to Alesia's cheek. Staggered, she dashed back covering her damaged cheek. Seeing the opportunity in front of him, Red pressured more with a jab. But at the very last moment, Alesia stopped her fakery, spinning her body and elbowing the back head of his opponent.
The Searcher bull through the pain, pulling his hand and giving a quick uppercut precisely to her chin. But the moment before it landed, he pulled his punch. Alesia startled from a moment, preparing for the pain but did not receive it. Alesia persisted forward trying to grapple the man despite her small size. Red saw it coming and disengaged immediately. Dashing back, Red pivoted his hip and lifted his leg. Alesia raised her arms to defend her chin. It was merely a bluff as he lowered the leg and used the other leg to kick the exposed side.
Alesia prepared for the pain but just like before, the moment of connection, Red disengaged. Seeing the pattern, Alesia stood still but maintained her guard up. She did not advance nor retreat. She waited to see what would happen.
Searcher Red lowered his guard and put his hand on his waist. "We don't need to fight Thundalya."
Her guard remained up. "What makes you think I won't kill you?"
"Because you need my help." He proposed. "Plus, there's so many things going on. I don't understand what is happening. I need more time."
"I don't need your help."
"Oh you will." Red said confidently. "You will and you will owe me a favour."
"And you think I will trust someone who betrays his friends?"
"Good point." He span his arms wide like a bird. "Kill me now then go to Tretho by yourself. Try not to get lost, Thundalya."
Alesia lowered her guard, looking at Red with nothing to say.
Red looked to his left and right, saw the raincoat not far and went to pick it up. "How the hell did Blue arrive at Vel'Asha?" He mumbled. "Did she saw some spirit that lead her to Vel'Asha?"
Alesia observed him quietly.
Red grabbed the raincoat. "Could it be…? I don't think so…" Red saw a bloodtrail on his left, then wiped the blood clean with the raincoat. Making it stained bloody red.
"You seem to be clueless for a man who has a plan." Thundalya mocked.
Red stood up and stared at her in disbelief. "You don't even know how you are still alive, do you?"
Alesia narrowed her eyes and made no reply.
He shrugged. "Guess we're the same."
The Searcher went to The Siren with the raincoat in hand. "I will lead you Tretho and help you when needed. From there, go through the City of Stone and at the end would be the Temple of Truth." Red stood behind her and put the raincoat on her shoulders, Alesia turning her head slightly to see him. "Maya should be with The Host at the temple, if you can survive Searcher Kharkov."
Alesia stared straight ahead. "The other Salisula, who punched me."
"I will fill you in the other details on the way to Tretho." Red turned away in the direction of Tretho. "We will see what happens next and maybe we can understand what's going on."
Taking the first few steps, Red realised he was walking alone. Red stopped and turned back. Alesia remained still.
"Why do you trust me?" With a serious face, she turned to Red. "You know I want to kill Maya. You get in my way, I will kill you too."
Hearing such statement, Red raised his head and gave some thought about it. A few seconds of silence, looking up in his thoughts, he answered back.
"The Host is a Siren, Aldari. She doesn't like you." Red looked at Alesia. "Her name is Akari."
Hearing the name, Alesia instantly inserted her hands into the raincoat. Walking close to the Searcher. Little reaction but a reaction nevertheless for Red.
Red nodded. Alesia wore her hood on. They walk side by side.
As the lightning explosion slowly diminished, it left a big mark on The Fields. A few trees were eaten clean. Dust rose up because of the wind pushed by the explosion, slowly settling down to the ground. A dark figure stood at ground zero.
Thundalya was the last one standing, victoriously yet affected negatively.
Alesia closed her eyes, shivering like she was in a blizzard. Her Siren mark dimmed, massaging her arm as the numbing sensation increased. Her gas tank expended, breathing through her mouth to push through the pain.
Kharkov emerged from the ground behind Alesia like a vengeful spirit!
Alesia's eyes shot open in total disbelief.
In two seconds, Searcher Kharkov emerged from the ground and locked his arms around her neck. Alesia moved her body aggressively, pulling away the arm from her neck. Trying to loosen the grip. Little did she realise that her movement made the lock tighter. Air was cut indefinitely. Skin turning blue. Kharkov lifted Alesia up and bent his back, making the standing rear naked choke like a hanging rope as Alesia's leg no longer touched the ground.
"You killed my brother…" Kharkov growled in her ear.
"Ghh…" Alesia's eyes rising up.
His eyes were like a predator. "I will make sure it will be slow."
"Stop, stop, stop!" Red decloaked, pulling Kharkov's arm away hoping to prevent a murder.
Kharkov and Red, eyes locked together. The predator's eyes disappeared, the caring eyes returned. From locking Alesia, Kharkov locked his arm around Red's torso. Letting Alesia buckle to the ground, finally having a breath of air in her lungs.
"You're alive…" The hug became tighter. "Thank god you're alive Red." His voice was shaky. "Thank god you're alive…"
"Yeah. I am." Red smiling slightly. began patting Kharkov's back. "Ouch! Ribs! My ribs!" The pats became taps.
"Breathe deep, keep your heart rate stable Kharkov." Red checked the pulse on Kharkov's neck. "Your heart rate is going to plummet any moment. Meditate and breathe."
Kharkov laid on the ground, his eyes looking at the sky. "You're not checking Thundalya?"
"I'm on it." Red nodded. "Don't move, just breathe."
"Fill me in after you're done." Kharkov closed his eyes, unmoved like stone.
Red jogged towards Thundalya, who kneeled down to the ground not far, slightly weakened compared to before. Her old age did not permit a quick recovery from the fight. She used so much of her powers that her marks disappeared.
"You alright Aldari?" Red called.
"I don't need your help, Hunter." Alesia looked at Red.
"Thing is, I already helped you. Kharkov would kill you if not for me." Red arrived at the downed Siren.
Alesia went quiet. Looking down.
Kneeling down to see her condition, Red inquired. "Your whole arm is starting to numb? Or are you starting to get tired?"
"The latter." She answered.
"Give me your hand."
Alesia complied, giving her left hand to Red. The Searcher put off his gloves and gently received her hand. Red's left hand glowed too, with his knowledge and some of his abilities, he checked on Alesia's condition. Red's face changed immediately, one brow raised with his mouth grimaced to the side. Red began to massage her hand and Alesia could feel improvement on her abilities. The numbness disappeared.
Alesia raised her head to Red. "You're more than you look, halfling."
Red stood up and helped her up. "The numbness is already a bad sign. I made sure to loosen a few Channels. Calm down on the powers if you can, you might not make it till the end."
"Noted." Alesia focused on Kharkov. "You can go invisible. He can be super strong because of his wife."
The moment she spoke the word wife, Kharkov opened his eyes and sat up. Red immediately gestured to him to calm down. "That's no threat Kharkov!"
Eyes changed black, Alesia saw Kharkov's wife sat beside him like a sweet maiden with her legs stacked onto each other to the side. Though her face showed such worry to her husband. Leaning her head close to Kharkov's shoulder, hands around his arms.
Her eyes returned to normal. "I assume you knew this all along?"
"His late wife is the source, that's for sure." Red jogged towards Kharkov, leaving Alesia behind. "He's stronger than normal but he has limits. He needs to stop from time to time or his heart will stop by itself. His wife is like Eridium to Sirens, basically."
Alesia followed from behind. "I see. So why are you so worried?"
"Because I need to make sure his heart keeps beating." Red arrived beside Kharkov and checked his pulse again. "Just relax a bit more Kharkov."
Kharkov kept his stare towards Alesia. The Aldari had no fear, gaining a newfound respect for Searcher Kharkov. She stopped right in front of Kharkov, answering the stare. Searcher Red gestured his palm to the Aldari. Alesia took a step back.
Red covered and whispered to Kharkov's ear. "I checked her hand, I'm onto something. Alesia is no threat to us. I just need more time, I'll show you the proof."
"And Maya?" Kharkov asked.
"She'll be safe. I make sure of it."
Kharkov closed his eyes and nodded. He opened his eyes and looked at Red. "I trust you Bratan."
"Good. Let's get some rest and talk a bit.." Red pat Kharkov's back. "Let her confront The Host and see how it goes."
"Da." Kharkov nodded and looked at Alesia. "Aldari. Maybe it was Red's plan but I want to say. Sorry to attack you."
A slight change on Alesia's face, amazed perhaps, she nodded. "I forgive you Salisula Kharkov. You're an honourable man."
Kharkov took off his jacket and gave it to Alesia. "I think…" His body began to ache. "I should give this to you. Isn't that right, Red?"
"Didn't thought that far but you're right. Make it more believable." Red commented.
Alesia took the jacket and wore it, zipping until it covered her breast yet not fully to the neck. "I appreciate it."
Kharkov nodded.
Red took Kharkov's arm and wrapped it around his neck. "Go to the Temple of Truth, that's where Akari and Maya waiting." Red lifted him fully from the ground, holding onto his back and legs, the man exhausted to the fullest.
Alesia nodded, she was on a mission. But before she proceeded, she turned to Kharkov. "Salisula Kharkov."
"Yes Aldari." Kharkov responded.
"Your wife has a sweet smile. She must be so special that you love her so much."
For a moment, Kharkov was taken aback but he responded shortly after. "Thank you. It was her kindness that made her beautiful."
"And know that even after death, she still loves you."
"Thank you and good luck to you, Aldari."