Chapter 6

The pile of papers on Jonas's desk reached up to the man's chest, with only his head and neck visible above the wall of paper. The cramped room held its owner and the two Ravens he had summoned.

Naomi and Gabriel waited for their leader to explain the reason for such a sudden meeting. Earlier, Gabriel had found Naomi in the training yard, wearing that strange chainmail while practicing movements with a staff to simulate her katana. When he told her about the strange event, she almost dragged him to Jonas's office. He had to convince her to wait, and finally, there they were. The silence was heavy in the small room.

The pair were anxious, as they had theorized before arriving that the conversation might be about the S.L. incident and who was behind it. Seconds felt like minutes, and Gabriel opened his mouth to speak, but was promptly cut off by Jonas.

— I called you both here because I received a request from the Bunker. — Jonas gave specific emphasis when he said "request"; it was clearly an order. — Let's start from the beginning.

— The Bunker, sir? — Naomi asked, surprised.

The Bunker, along with the Overseas Civilization, was one of the places that had survived the Third Ancient War, and it was where all Raven recruits went for their training. If the largest city was asking for help from Cova Thirty-Four, a mid-to-small-sized community, it was indeed strange. That explained Jonas's worn-out state and his extreme exhaustion.

— I understand your confusion, Naomi — Jonas replied while organizing one of the piles of paper. — The message is urgent, and its content is troubling.

— Sir — Gabriel interrupted. — The Bunker has the largest Raven Nest of the forty-eight Covas. What could they possibly want with us?

— Let me speak first; I know it's unusual. — He gave the pair a tired smile. — And I'm fully aware that both you, Gabriel, and our Black Viper...

— Who? — Gabriel asked, puzzled.

— They didn't tell you? — Jonas smiled. — We have our first Raven with a nickname. — He gestured toward Naomi to show who he was talking about.

Gabriel turned to his partner, stunned, his mouth half-open and his eyes wide. He looked back at Jonas, thinking it might be a joke, but Jonas's face was serious.

— Naomi! What did I miss?

— Just a silly joke that started in the training room — Naomi responded, not giving it much importance.

— Is it because of your weird chainmail?

— Yes, it's because of that, and no, it's not weird.

— Chainmail? — Jonas asked.

— Yes, sir — Gabriel answered before his partner could. — It looks like snake skin.

— Interesting.

— About the Bunker's request, sir — Naomi cut in sharply, already irritated by the topic.

A bit awkwardly, Jonas shifted in his chair, causing the piles of paper to wobble, some almost falling over.

— Too bad it's just a joke — Gabriel muttered, and no one else would have heard if the room hadn't been so small.

— Naomi is right — Jonas continued. — The Bunker contacted me a few days ago. Something is wrong with Cova Two.

The pair exchanged confused looks. They both knew that Cova Two was the second-largest of the forty-eight, surpassed only by the Bunker in size and population. Because of this, five Nests had been placed there for protection. Of course, the official reason wasn't just for the protection of the Cova's residents. The real reason was that Cova Two had been a coastal city during the time of the Ancients—a metropolis. It was barely affected by the war that spread radiation across the planet. As a port city, it had established ties with the Overseas Civilization, which was the Bunker's supplier of oil, and by extension, the supplier to the cities connected to it.

— I don't want to state the obvious — Gabriel remarked. — Sir, the number of Ravens in that place is simply ridiculous compared to anywhere else!

— I have to agree with Gabriel this time, sir. — Naomi chimed in, even though she disliked disagreeing with the leader. Like her partner, she didn't understand what their Nest had to do with this.

— I understand — Jonas said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. — I spent the last week talking with them, and it seems the situation is chaotic for one simple reason. But first, I need to explain why. People are disappearing there, and so far, that's not unusual—it happens everywhere.

Both Gabriel and Naomi agreed. It didn't matter if there were Ravens or not—humans would never go a day without doing harm.

"This has been going on for a few months now," Jonas continued, "with an abnormal frequency. To make things worse, mutilated bodies have started appearing in alleys and street corners, in a grotesque, animalistic fashion. Naturally, I asked right away why none of the five Nests had done anything about it." He paused, waiting for an interruption, but when none came, he went on. "According to the Bunker, all reports coming from the Vault said the Ravens were investigating, but apparently, they weren't very convincing."

"Sir," Naomi interrupted, growing pale as she started to understand, or at least suspect, what was going on.

"This has to be a joke," Gabriel said, incredulous.

"You've already figured out the Bunker's concern. Exactly—one of the Nests might be responsible for this, or perhaps an individual Raven."

A sense of unease settled in the room. Facing a Raven would be entirely different from dealing with a criminal or a wild animal. If there were many involved, survival would be nearly impossible. Jonas shifted uncomfortably before continuing.

"We sent a pair there earlier, but we lost contact with them almost a month ago, so they're obviously dead. I'll be honest with you—I didn't expect the Bunker to reach out to a small Nest like ours, but the S.L. incident has earned both of you some standing within the organization, which is why you two are being sent to investigate."

"Insane," Gabriel muttered, laughing nervously. "This whole situation is insane."

"That's why you won't be going in alone," Jonas continued, fully understanding Gabriel's anxiety. "Agents from the Bunker have handpicked four other Ravens they trust from different Nests—two pairs. Their names are Cecilia and Mateus, and the other pair is Gygy and Martha. Remember those names."

"So the Bunker realized that sending two Ravens into a city where they don't know anyone by themselves would be idiotic," Gabriel remarked sarcastically.

"Unfortunately, what you just said is true," Jonas admitted. "These will be your allies for this mission. And remember, you will both be going in as ordinary people—you cannot reveal that you are Ravens under any circumstances."

The duo nodded. It was an extremely risky mission, and keeping up appearances would be crucial if they were to pass as mere travelers. Gabriel also recognized that anonymity could work in their favor, allowing them to observe objectively and determine if a Raven really was the culprit.

"There is a suspect," Jonas added. "A Raven being responsible is the worst-case scenario, but there's also a cult growing in the city."

"This just keeps getting better," Gabriel muttered, laughing nervously again.

"What kind of cult, sir?" Naomi asked.

"A disturbing one, I can assure you. They call themselves the Heirs and despise people mutated by radiation, treating them as if they carry some stigma from the Ancients. They incite persecution of these individuals, and both parents who have a deformed child and the child themselves are at risk of being stoned in the name of the Healer, the cult's leader. I can't tell you more because we don't have any further information."

"We'll have to figure it out ourselves," Naomi murmured, lost in thought before refocusing on her leader. "When do we leave, sir?"

"Tonight," Jonas replied. To her surprise, Gabriel didn't object. His eyes were clouded with concern about what might happen and where this situation might lead. "I asked one of the rookies to take your equipment, along with your medicine and poison bags, to Will and Susan. You'll leave with a caravan currently stationed at the edge of the Vault. I've already made all the arrangements throughout the week—it's the same one that took you to the Oasis."

That explained the exhaustion on Jonas's face, Naomi realized as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes.

"Common clothes will be waiting for you in your room. The bags are large enough to hide your combat gear easily. I don't think you'll need to use it, but it's better to be prepared."

"Sir!" Naomi interrupted. "How will we find the other Ravens?"

"I was about to mention that," Jonas muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Just before the Vault, there's a large mango grove next to the main road. The caravan leader knows where to drop you off. Within the grove, there's a shop focused on selling the fruit. The four Ravens will be there, and finding them should be easy."

He stood up, and the duo quickly followed his lead. Jonas looked them both over carefully—it might be the last time he'd see them—and then said:

"You're dismissed. And don't forget, if you discover anything, send a message to me or directly to the Bunker."

"Yes, sir," Naomi responded as she hurried toward her room.

"See you later!" Gabriel said, trying to maintain a calm expression.

With that, the door closed, leaving Jonas alone with his papers. He stared at the letters on the pages, focusing on the blank spaces. Muttering to himself, he said:

"Naomi, I hope you live up to the nickname you earned today."