22

Kirby turned on a video call on his phone, and Cornelius and I went along the route that Kirby had indicated to us.

— Turn off the street to the next street, then you will be in the distance. You're too close to each other right now! Mariusz wants to see you!—Kirby said softly.

— I don't care, let's pick up the pace and kill him!—Cornelius pressed hard on the gas.

We cut a few corners in the alley, and a little later we were, as they say, nose to nose.

Our car pulled out right in front of the one where the signal was coming from.

Cornelius called again to be sure.

When he heard a horn honk from the opposite car, he immediately opened the car door.

And he seems to have noticed something.

— Turn off the video call.— He said in a hoarse voice.

He smashed the window with his fist and opened the door himself. More precisely, he tore it off...

— Before the connection, Kirby. Hang up for now...—I said and interrupted the call.

When I heard a woman's screech, I also ran out of the car.

— Janika! My brother almost went crazy because of your death... It's a pity that you can't see your rotten essence behind your deceitful exterior...— unable to stand it, I tried my best and slapped her in the face.

The sight of the splattered blood roused me like an animal, and one blow was followed by another.

— Don't, Adrianna...—Cornelius said softly.— I think it's better to do something else...—

He took a long syringe out of his pocket and forcefully stuck the needle into the neck of the resisting girl.

— Now, maybe the conversation will go better...— he said, showing her the syringe.— There was a strong decomposing poison in this syringe. I'll give you the antidote only then, when you take us to Mariusz...—

His eyes flashed unkindly again.

And Janika's eyes are scared, the pupils are barely visible and her breathing is so fast.

— You know my husband won't make a deal for me...— She said.

Cornelius smiled maliciously.

— I know him...— He said calmly.— But you want to live...—

Vessels began to shine through Janika's body.

— Think about it...—I said.— Only you don't have much time left, the clock is ticking...—

The girl's eyes darted.

— Come on!— She said psychologically.

***

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.