Ouroboros 2: Before (22 page)

‘
Wow,’ he mumbled under his breath, again his voice did not echo outside of his helmet, ‘we could really use her in the future.’

It was a concept he kept repeating, and he'd be a fool not to appreciate why.

Not only was Cara amazing, he couldn't deny the connection that had blossomed between them in the short time they'd grown to know each other.

. . . .

A time that would soon be over.

When Carson found the dimensional bridge or the next time gate, he would have to either send the entity through or go through himself. In short, leaving Cara and her world behind.

That fact sat heavily with him. No, it ate away like acid seeping into his bones.

It didn't seem fair.

He had the brightest of futures ahead of him, and what did Cara have to look forward to? The eventual and inevitable destruction of Remus 12 at the hands of its own inhabitants.

He shook his head at the sadness of it all.

And then, for just the briefest of moments, he thought one thing: he could bring her with him. To the future. Her talents were wasted here, after all, right? He'd love to see her in action against the Barbarians. He'd love to see how quickly she could master the Academy course and climb the ranks of the United Galactic Coalition.

Yet as soon as those thoughts formed, he dismissed them.

No.

Absolutely not.

For one, he could not further interrupt the time line. By returning to this point in Remus 12's history, he had likely already done immeasurable damage, but to pull someone out of this history just because he fancied them, was unconscionable.

With that resolve sinking through him, it combatted his desire and he steeled himself.

Not too long after, Cara returned.

She'd actually clambered through one of the top windows to plant the bomb inside one of the rooms.

It was unbelievable that she could be so agile in such bulky and cumbersome armor.

He said nothing though; she had no idea he had the ability to scan and track her movements when she left his line of sight.

‘
This way,’ she hissed, waving him forward with a short and snapped move of her hand.

He obediently and silently followed.

The night around them was a cold one—he could tell that even though not a millimeter of his flesh was beholden to the elements. His armor told him. It relayed the exact temperature, wind speed, moisture content; it even predicted prevailing weather patterns.

It also told him that same acrid smell still filled the air. It was so different to the beautiful dew-scented air in the fields and forests outside.

In fact, this whole city was in contrast to that testament to nature.

It was such a clinical and cold place. From the soldiers to the buildings to the lack of people walking the streets.

He shuddered.

What had happened to these people to turn them into creatures like this? Had it been a single event? Something in their past? One mistake, one war, one assassination? Something that had soured their hearts and kindled their fear and hatred?

These were deep and heavy thoughts to be entertaining whilst conducting one of the most important missions of his career, but he couldn't stem them.

They kindled within.

This sense that something wasn't right, that something wasn't fair.

Cara kept leading him forward, pausing at all the right moments and waving him on when the coast was clear.

They made their way to a tall, dark building a block away.

This far out from the Central Security Facility, there were fewer guards, though his scanner did still pick up the occasional soldier here and there.

Again Carson wanted to ask where they were going and what they were doing, but he knew he had to trust Cara.

This part of the plan was down to her.

She knew the streets, she knew the soldiers, she knew how the government worked, and frankly, he was just a boy from the future hopelessly out of his depth.

Well, not completely out of his depth; he could fight. The Academy had taught him that.

But though he couldn't appreciate it in that moment, the Academy had not taught him how to fight like a Vexian.

Cadet Nida Harper

She was continuously aware of the gun strapped around her thigh. Its weight, its shape, everything.

As soon as Carson and Cara had left with the group of resistance fighters, Varo had led her to another room.

He said it was for her safety.

He said it would be the best place for her, should the 'Goddess' change reality around her.

Nida took that to mean should the entity corrupt.

Varo had taken a select group of men with him, and they all walked behind Nida, Varo in the front.

She didn't know what to feel.

But one thing was for sure—she did not and could not feel secure.

Her left hand kept twitching up and down, but this time it wasn't the entity displaying its control—it was pure and simple apprehension.

She wanted Carson to be back so badly it actually hurt.

Her shoulders were perpetually rounded, her back so stiff it sent a shooting pain down her hips and middle.

Come on, she kept begging him in her thoughts. Come back to me.

In many ways it was a truly pathetic thing to think. But in all ways she didn't care.

She just couldn't take being separated.

It was a palpable, agonizing ache.

A few times she'd wondered whether she should pluck out the gun, stun Varo and his men, and just make a dash for the Central Security Facility and Carson.

Of course she didn't though—as that would be suicide. But the point was, she couldn't shake the desire to do something.

Something. Anything.

Because right now it felt like she was walking blindly into a trap.

‘
You'll be safe with us,’ Varo said again, not bothering to turn to her.

His voice was unquestionably kind.

And yet it made her itch.

She took a steadying breath, but unfortunately it could not steady her nerves.

Instead, she clutched a hand to her top, feeling through the fabric until her fingers brushed against the hard bump of her implant.

In a surge she thought of going back to Carson.

Yet before she could actually do anything, the entity bloomed in her mind. That presence. That warmth.

It spread through her.

Forcibly calming her nerves.

‘
You will be fine,’ the entity whispered in her mind, its slow and gentle words flowing through Nida and washing away any trace of fear. ‘Follow my lead. I will take you home.’

With that, Nida's shoulders loosened, practically drooping as if she'd lost all control over them.

Varo noted the move, briefly turning to stare at her with a crumpled brow. ‘What is it, touched?’

She hated being called that. Of course she did. Touched? It was seriously creepy.

‘
Nida?’ He now used her name.

She wanted to ignore him, but knew it was petulant and idiotic to try. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, so she lifted her chin and looked into his eyes. ‘Nothing.’

Varo pressed his lips together and nodded. Then a strange look crossed through his gaze.

It made her stomach kick with something. It wasn't fear, but it was close.

Even though the entity had forcibly calmed her, it couldn't stop another, albeit smaller wave of worry from riding up her back.

She shivered.

‘
You are cold,’ Varo pointed out as he took off his own jacket and handed it to her.

She didn't want to take it, but she could not deny how cold she truly felt. Still shivering, she furled it around her shoulders.

He kept staring at her, his black eyes wide and searching.

She immediately turned away, staring at her hands instead.

‘
You must be terrified,’ he noted quietly.

Her back twitched at his statement.

Yes.

She was terrified.

She was going out of her mind.

It should have been nice to have someone acknowledge that. For all the help Carson had bestowed upon her, he hadn't yet noted that one simple fact.

But this was different.

She didn't want to show weakness in front of Varo. Because weakness could all too readily make her into a target.

Though Carson seemed to trust Cara, and it was certain the entity trusted the resistance, Nida only trusted Carson.

She didn't want to be here, she repeated to herself.

‘
Don't worry. We know what to do. You aren't the first to be touched.’

She stopped.

They'd been walking along through an empty slate-grey concrete corridor.

Her footfall had rung out softly, intermingling with the heavy boots of the resistance.

But now she ground to a halt.

No one slammed into her back though—the other members of Varo's team were keeping such a distance from her it was obvious they were scared.

Varo came close though. He hovered by her shoulder. ‘Nida?’

‘
What do you know?’ She suddenly asked. ‘About the Goddess, about everything.’

She knew she shouldn't be showing her ignorance. But right now it didn't matter.

She had to find out.

She looked up sharply, knowing there was a wild look in her eyes.

It was called desperation.

Because this situation was starting to get desperate.

Despite everyone's assurances, her gut told her Carson was in trouble, that this whole mission was a mistake.

‘
I'm just from a simple village, a simple girl, and I have no idea what's happening to me. So tell me, please,’ she said through clenched teeth as tears misted her eyes, ‘what's happening.’

Varo looked shocked. Then his brow softened, his cheeks slackening as he drew them down into a muddled but compassionate smile. ‘You really do know nothing, don't you?’

She didn't answer.

She'd asked her questions. She was not going to beg.

‘
I will tell you all you need to know. But first we must get you somewhere safe,’ he said quickly.

Nida withdrew.

. . . . 

Something wasn't right here.

She couldn't deny that any longer. She could not ignore her instincts, no matter how much the entity tried to dull them.

‘
Who are you?’ She asked through a ragged breath.

Varo clearly hadn't been expecting the question. His usually controlled if arrogant expression cracked with worry.

With suspicion.

With a look that told her he had something to hide.

She took a step back, but there was nowhere to go.

She was in a long concrete tunnel with no doors, no windows, and no escape.

There were a few harsh lights dotted into the ceiling here and there, but between their illumination the shadows gathered.

Right now Varo stood underneath one such light, and it served to accentuate how glistening and black his pupils were.

‘
Don't be afraid,’ he begged, holding his hands out and letting them hover close to Nida without actually touching her.

She jerked back, her shoulder striking the wall behind her.

‘
Who are you?’ She repeated.

She could feel the entity try to calm her from within, but right now Nida held onto her suspicion.

The entity was powerful, but even it could not know everything.

She had to rely on herself.

Of all the terrible things Sharpe had told her over the years, one stuck in her mind. Because she'd never been sure whether it was a compliment or an insult.

Sharpe had once told her she wasn't cut out for the Academy because she could not lead and nor could she follow.

Which meant she was the kind of person who had to make up their own mind and would languish in indecision until they did.

So right now, Nida made up her mind.

She pulled herself off the wall and she faced Varo.

She marshalled her confidence, her control, her training, everything.

‘
I'm not following you until you tell me what's going on. Something isn't right here. You let Cara go with Carson, knowing it was a suicide mission, why?’

Varo pressed his lips together but didn't say anything.

‘
Tell me. Tell me something,’ Nida snapped.

‘
You need to calm down,’ Varo tried.

‘
Not what I want to hear,’ Nida spat passionately.

A funny thing happened as the fire burned within. She no longer felt the cold, and neither did she need the entity to warm her.

She grabbed hold of her fear and fright and wrestled it into drive and determination. Taking a powerful breath, she let her hands bunch either side of her skirts.

If she had to, she was going to pull the gun out and use it.

Maybe Varo picked up on the fact she was done being pathetic and following everyone's orders.

He stood back and put his hands up.

‘
We need to get you away from the resistance,’ he said quietly.

She ticked her head to the side in surprise. Then her lips jerked open as she realized what he'd just said.

‘
What?’ Her lips trembled.

‘
It is clear you know nothing of this situation, so I implore you to trust me. I work for the Caroqs,’ he began.

She stood back, fixing her hands tight around her skirts. ‘Where's Carson?’

Varo drew into silence. ‘Though it breaks my heart to say this, I think the lovely Cara is leading him into a trap.’

‘
What?’ Nida slammed a hand over her mouth. ‘What do you mean?’

It was Varo's turn to tick his head to the side. ‘I have just admitted I work for the Caroqs, and you have not reacted.’

‘
Where's Carson? I have to get to him.’

‘
Touched . . . Nida,’ Varo corrected, ‘you cannot. Cara will lead him to the government. As beautiful and sprightly as she is, this situation has confirmed what I have suspected for some time. Cara is a government agent. A triple agent, if you will.’

‘
I have to get to him,’ Nida spat.

‘
You cannot. You cannot be risked. You cannot fall into this government's hands. This province wants only war. They are brutal and divisive people. Nida, you must realize what they would do to you if they caught you.’

Nida didn't understand. Not a word. And she now realized how dangerous that was. Varo could be making things up or telling the truth, and she had no way to tell the difference.

‘
Get out of my way,’ she said slowly. ‘I am not leaving Carson behind.’

‘
I cannot let you go,’ he said quietly.

Nida no longer thought.

She just acted.

She pretended to drop to her knees as if she were in pain.

Before Varo could do anything, she pushed back her skirts, grabbed her gun, and doubled back.

With her thumb, she set the gun to its lowest setting.

‘
Don't move,’ she snapped at Varo as she backed off, locking the other four men in her sights too.

They all had weapons, but none of them were pointed at her. As one, the group looked confused. They clearly hadn't thought she would turn on them, and they clearly didn't know what to do now she had.

If Varo were to be believed, she was of utmost importance.

She was touched.

Nida kept her hand locked over the gun as she stared determinedly at Varo. ‘I'm not going to ask twice. Tell me how to get to the Central Security Facility.’

Though Varo's hands were raised, and his eyes were wide, he still looked at her disbelievingly. ‘What are you doing?’

‘
I told you; I’m not going to leave Carson behind.’

Varo looked at her in silence. ‘He is manipulating you, touched. He is trying to use your visions for his gain. He has benefitted from the Goddess, he has taken her weapons, yet it is clear he wants to use them for his own design. How much do you actually know of this man?’

‘
A hell of a lot more than you.’

‘
Please, listen to me, you cannot go out there.’

‘
But I’m not staying in here,’ she spoke through clenched teeth. ‘Now, enough talking. Tell me how to get to the facility.’

Varo didn't speak.

. . . .

Nida double-checked the setting on her gun.

Then she winced, drawing her teeth over her lips.

She shot the man behind Varo.