18

I can't expect a bigger nightmare: on the one hand, Janika is alive, but on the other...

she turned out to be Mariusz's wife!

I'm fighting a strong urge to knock the hell out of her.

— Don't hit her again.— it seems that Cornelius is already reading my mind with might and main.— The poison will spread through the veins faster... In the meantime, we need her...—

—Are you really going to give her the antidote?—I asked.

— If she shows human qualities, why not help her...—Cornelius said softly.

I sighed.

— Human qualities? And she's not even human...—I followed Cornelius, glancing at Janika from time to time.

I don't think I want to treat her like a human being.

I am ready to kill anyone who harms someone I care about...

For this huge number of turns, I did not realize how far we had come.

— Cornelius... Why do you trust her?—I asked.

— Who told you that I trust her?—Cornelius pushed the branches aside.— Come forward...—

Suddenly he froze with a look of obvious incomprehension.

— That's him...—His voice faltered.

— What do you see?—I asked.— Do you see Mariusz there?—

— Better! I am... I see my lovely "Sapphire"! Damn... Well, that's not why we came here...—Cornelius poked Janika in the side.—Is he down there? And where did Mariusz get the Sapphire cruiser from?—

— And how can I know that? He's always digging into his hardware and doesn't tell me anything about it at all... So I don't know where he got the cruiser from!—Janika took out her binoculars.— There, look. Do you see the burnt door? This is the entrance. It's impossible to get in there and not get caught on camera...—

— We'll get over it...—Cornelius tossed her a syringe.— Take it and leave...—

Suddenly, an air raid alarm sounded.

Cornelius rolled his eyes.

Well, that's what don't need to prove...

— You had at least two options, but you chose the worst!—Cornelius said, looking at the people in military uniforms arriving.

— Good, bad... The best, the worst... In war, the priority is quite different - alive.— Janika stuck a syringe with an antidote in her neck.

When Mariusz's men were nearby, Cornelius pulled a knife from the sleeve of his jacket and threw it at one of the attackers.

A few seconds later, there was an explosion.

— Either put down your weapons, or this old man will not live... or... Maybe we should give way to the young?—

We heard a familiar calm voice.

To be honest, I've been sick of that awful voice all these years.

Mariusz was standing on the car with two pistols, one of them pointed at Ryan's head, the other at Kirby's head.

— Mariusz...—Cornelius grimaced without turning around.

— Yes... Punishment is worse than the plague...—I said.— They have our guys...—

— Damn... All of them?—Cornelius turned around.

One of Mariusz's soldiers brought Lukasz.

— And where is Dariush? Where is this little bastard?—Mariusz waved his gun.— Yanika, come to me!

— They wanted to kill me, but this big guy foolishly gave me the antidote!—Janika said, brushing the fallen strands of hair from her face.

Cornelius smiled faintly.

— What have you done?—I asked him quietly.

Someone poked me in the back with the butt of a rifle.

They were taking us to Mariusz's headquarters... It's so weird...

I thought it was going to kill us right here...

— How are you, Ryan?—I asked my foster father.

— I'm fine, honey... So that's the secret you didn't want to tell me about...—he sighed.—Kirby is injured, his wound is serious...—

I noticed it myself that my brother is very pale.

Suddenly, that sticky squelching sound sounded again.

I had heard this sound a couple of times before, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

The advancing formation was shattered by Yanika's wild scream.

One of Mariusz's men grimaced and shook his boot, stepping on something.

I understood Cornelius's quiet gloating.

What the soldier stepped on was a piece of skin from Janika's head!

— He told me it was the antidote, you gave me the antidote!!!—Janika screamed.— What did you give me?!—

— There is no antidote to this poison!—Cornelius gets punched in the stomach, but he hasn't stopped smiling.— And a double dose of poison will increase the effect...—

— Mariusz, help me!—Janika screamed, rushing to her husband.

— Oh, yes, your touch is contagious now...—Cornelius said as the soldier she had touched earlier began to fall apart.

— Mariusz!—Janika held up her hands pleadingly.— Please help me...—

— I'm sorry, dear, I have no choice...—Mariusz raised his pistol and put a bullet in his wife's head.

She didn't even have time to squeal.

A bullet also flew into the forehead of the soldier whom Janika touched.

— Let's move on, nothing to look at!—Mariusz said angrily.

***

They put us in a cage, and Cornelia was taken away.

— Lukasz, where is Dariusz?—I asked, sitting down on the ice bars.

— When they entered the club, Darek went behind the screen and disappeared somewhere...—Lukasz rubbed his temple. The blow with the baton caused blood to flow directly into the eye.

— A secret passage, probably...—I said.—Kirby, how are you, my dear?—

— I'm fine, my dear...—My brother grimaced.— My soul hurts more than my body... When did you find out and how much do you already know about it?—

— Trust me, Kirby, I found out about this quite recently. We went to get the car from which the signal was coming, and there we saw her. Believe me...— I took off my jacket and tore off the lining to make a bandage for my brother's wound.—Did they go through everyone's pockets?—

— No, I don't think so.—Ryan said.— They only took my stick and my bag.—

— And what exactly do you need?—Lukasz asked.

— Perfume and a lighter. Otherwise Kirby will bleed out. Father, you were right - the wound is terrible...—I said.

— Perfume? I have a couple of perfumes in plastic pens. Which ones do you need?—Lukasz took out the perfume bottles.— But I don't have a lighter, I don't smoke...—

— I have it...—Ryan took out his Hells Angels zippo.

— Thank you, Dad, I can always rely on you...—I poured some perfume on Kirby's wound and set it on fire.

The brother distorted his face and opened his mouth in a silent scream.

— Calm down, my dear, the blood is no longer flowing...—I said.

— And a little easier, it seems...—Kirby touched the wound.— Did Mariusz teach you that?

— Do you know this man? So you both know him?—Ryan suddenly chimed in.

We all fell silent when two strange gray-skinned people walked past, one after the other at a short interval.

— They're watching us...—I said.— I would like to know where they took Cornelius... And where is Dariusz...—

— We should get out of here ourselves...—Ryan said.

— I'll get you out,— I said.—But I'm not leaving here without Cornelius!—

— I understand that you love him, but what can you do against them?—Ryan sighed.— Don't you want to live?—

— No, I don't want to! I don't want it without him! Without Cornelius, life will turn into a terrible torture...—I gently stroked the pendant.

— Then we'll think about how we can get Cornelius out of there...—Ryan sighs sadly.— I don't want you to be unhappy...—

I hit the bars with all my might. But what's my kick to the bars?

— You're just as explosive as Daniel...—Ryan suddenly smiled.— And just as crazy... You even remind me too much of him...—

— It's a pity that I don't even remember Dad...—Kirby suddenly sighed.— Does any of us look like him?

— Only Adrianna. Daniel and I are the same age, after all, I remember how at thirty-three he was not allowed to watch adult films without a passport and did not sell alcohol...

Adrianna is similar in appearance and character to Dan.—

— Well, how can we get out of here!—I squeezed the rod.— I wonder what the rods are made of...—

— Titanium... And lead. It's a terribly strange combination. Reminds me... Although, I'd rather not talk, since I watch a lot of TV...—Ryan sighed, looking around.— It's Cornelius!—

His usually weak eyesight did not fail him now.

I felt my heart clench with pity.

My lover's beautiful face was covered in blood, there was a wound on his temple, and his T-shirt was covered in blood.

Cornelius was being dragged across the floor, a long trail of blood trailing behind him.

— Cornelius!—I shouted.

He doesn't even seem to react to sounds...

He was dragged into a cage nearby.

— Cornelius!—I shouted, ignoring that one of Mariusz's men had hit the bars with a baton.— Cornelius, wake

up! — Shut up, don't you understand?— one of them opened our cage and swung a baton.

— Come on, kill me, you can shoot him now, but let me help him before that!—I said, standing up in the cage.— Come on, shoot now!—

Mariusz's men talked quietly to each other.

— The boss said you can't touch them!—One of them said.

Cornelius was so unceremoniously dragged into our cage.

— Cornelius, wake up...—I hugged him to me.— My love, open your eyes...—

I lean over and hear his trembling, birdlike breathing.

He's like a fragile, beaten sparrow...

I stroke his face, call him, try to bring him to his senses.

— A knife...—Cornelius suddenly whispers softly.— The knife is in my shoe...—

— I see...—I leaned over and gently touched his lips.

One of my hands slides quickly to the big crack in his shoe.

— I hope someday we will have a quiet life...—I whispered, settling his head more comfortably on my lap.

— But will we have fun without chases?— Cornelius smiles through the pain.

***

— What does this freak want from you?—Lukasz asked.

— Do you remember the day when we went into orbit after my sick leave? The day when "Sapphire" fell to pieces? Then the antimatter joined with my body... Mariusz has been looking for her all these years to establish universal authority... To become Julius Caesar of the whole universe!—He coughed and sat up.— There is a procedure to remove this antimatter from the body. Only the carrier is dying...— Cornelius paused, looking up - the guards were walking past.

— Is he going to take that antimatter out of you?—Lukasz whispered.

— Yes, apparently...—Cornelius said.— The first time I met Mariusz face to face, he snuck into my room at the hospital and persuaded me to leave with him... I immediately realized that something was wrong... My intuition has never failed me...—He was intently feeling his ribs, checking if they were broken.

— Yes, already, but you couldn't run far from him...—Lukasz tried to get into a more comfortable position, but accidentally bumped Kirby.

The little brother howled.

—Oh, I'm sorry, Kirby, please forgive me...—Lukasz said softly, stroking my brother's wound.

— I'm fine, Lukasz...—Kirby exhaled through his nose...—It doesn't hurt so much anymore...—

— I hope it won't bleed anymore...—I said.— Just don't touch the bandage... Otherwise, it may start bleeding again...—

— Get a bag of powder from the back of my jacket lapel... A paper bag that looks like a single serving of sugar...—Cornelius said.

— This one?—I ripped open the collar of his jacket and took out a paper bag glued together like a bag of sugar from McDonald's.

— Does anyone have water, or do I have to choke on it dry?—Cornelius asked.

— I have a juice.—Kirby fumbled in his pockets.—Here.—

It was baby juice, a small portion for a couple of sips.

— Ugh, there's nothing to choose from... And the sensor is located only on me...— Cornelius was barely able to tear open the paper bag.— Adrianna, will you attack when Mariusz's people will come here... And then you inject me with the drug from the handle of my knife... The handle of the knife is unscrewed...—

Cornelius poured the powder into his mouth and poured the juice into it.

I don't know how much time passed, but somehow Cornelius suddenly began to convulse. He clenches his teeth, foam bubbles from the corners of his mouth, and his eyes are white.

Mariusz's people really came running very quickly.

— Help him!—I shouted.— He suddenly felt sick...—

It seems that our maneuver is already giving results - one of the three guys reached for the key.

When he entered the cage, I pierced his throat with a knife and threw it at the other two.

His rifle, however, remained in my hands.

— Ryan, here you go!I handed the knife to my foster father.— There's a syringe hidden in the handle of the knife, insert it into Cornelia's neck!

I started shooting at everyone who was running here.

It was scary to shoot without a bulletproof vest... But it's even scarier to live a life without Cornelius...

— Let's go!— I fired a rifle at the cameras.

He won't be able to watch us...

***

We ran outside.

There weren't as many people there as there were in the building.

It's strange that we weren't chased for so long...

the fallen tree was lying behind the fence. It's quite possible to hide there, but first you had to overcome the iron grate...

— Ryan, can you climb?—I asked my foster father.

The guardian sighed loudly.

— The grid doesn't look good... Let's tear it down!— He said.

— We won't all gain that much weight... Well, it's not torture to try! I, Ryan and Lukash will be the first in the ram!— He said.

— And why?—Ryan asked.

— You calculate the weight coefficient!—Cornelius said angrily.— And imagine what would happen if one of the three of us fell on your children!—

We ran away, the net flew out on the first attempt and Cornelius gasped when I fell on him.

— Oh, maybe I should have put you in front... Since when did you become so heavy?—

I gave him a good slap on the back of the head.

— Let's go!—I said.

We hid under a fallen tree.

— Adrianna, do you have a phone with you?—Cornelius looked out from behind the tree for a second.— Give it to me.—

— All right.—I pulled my smartphone out of my pocket.

Cornelius began to rummage through the contacts.

— How am I registered with you?—he asked.

— Uh... "Fallen Angel"... Don't laugh! After all, anyone could get into the phone at any moment!—I said, looking at Kirby and Ryan giggling.— Like children, damn it...—

Cornelius listened intently.

— What are you waiting for?—I asked, but my lover put his hand over my mouth.

I heard the ground begin to shake weightlessly with the sound of many feet.

Cornelius called his phone and a loud growl of an angry dog came from somewhere in the bushes, it seems...

The running changed direction, it looks like they all or a large group of them ran there.

There was an explosion.

— The forest is our territory. Let's rest and kill them one at a time...—Cornelius listened and sniffed.— The territory is free! —

— Are you sure?—Ryan asked anxiously.

— You can't be more confident!—Cornelius looked around.— Let's get out!—

Mariusz's soldiers were not as many as it seemed from the sound.

Cornelius broke off a long stick from a tree and wrote on the ground "The devil's squad will get you!"

***

— Wait!—Kirby clutched his stomach.— I'm bleeding!—

— Kirby, stop!—I took my brother's hand.— We need to do what we did before. Lukasz, do you have any perfume left?—I asked.

— Yes, a little bit.—He pulled out a second vial.

This time, Kirby just closed his eyes without making a sound.

— It seems to have helped...— He said.

— It seems that the blood stopped flowing...—I looked under the bandage and wiped the wound with my sleeve.— Yes, it's not bleeding anymore...—

— Shhh!—Cornelius put his finger to his lips. He signaled, "there's someone here."

With his fingers folded together, he materialized some antimatter and blew it with his breath towards the tree.

Darek screamed as the tree in front of him disappeared.

— Darek!—Corey sighed.

Dariusz ran up to his brother and hugged him.

— I already thought you are...—Cornelius did not finish his sentence.

— Come on, my car is here with weapons. How did you escape from there?— it was noticeable that Dariusz was overexcited.

— Hmm, a trick...—Cornelius grimaced.— And the taste of that nightmarish trick is still in my mouth...—

— I'm afraid to even think what kind of trick this is...—Darek chuckled.

It seems that he took a lot more weapons with him than the car itself weighed.

When we were disassembling the seats and taking out the magazines with cartridges from them, we heard a voice from a megaphone:

— Cornelius, you could have done with less blood - only your own. And now none of you will survive...—

We exchanged glances.

It's clear now that what happened before was just a battle.

The war has come now ...