The streets of Cova Dois were completely empty, and people had hidden in their homes. Gunshots echoed repeatedly, coming from various parts of the city. In some areas, the sound of gunfire was frantic, signaling some sort of battle.
Cecilia led the group while the others followed her; none dared to speak for fear of accidentally getting caught in a fight because of it. Eyes followed them from the windows, and even though people were frightened, they couldn't resist their urge to know what was going on. The more cautious ones used pieces of mirrors to observe the street, while others recklessly stuck half their faces out. Trampled bodies were a constant sight, most of them elderly or children.
The true terror wasn't the fact that so many dead bodies littered the streets, nor the gunfire, but rather something capable of freezing the blood of anyone who knew what they were seeing. One body bore long slashes, and its limbs had been violently torn off. Arms and legs were strewn across the sidewalk. One arm had struck a wall, leaving a long bloodstain from the concrete down to the severed limb.
Gabriel passed by Cecilia, who was still leading the group through the city, though she had come to a halt. The woman had frozen in place. The young man recognized those wounds all too well; he had witnessed them on his first night in the Cova. The modified ones were roaming the city.
"This has got to be a joke," murmured Cecilia as she drew closer to him.
"I wish it was," replied the Corvo. "A sick joke, no doubt, but I wish it were just that."
"Those things are loose," Naomi said, confirming what everyone there already feared. "The Doctor released more experiments into the Cova."
A sense of unease consumed Gabriel as he ventured through the empty streets with the two women. The silence was almost supernatural, pushing everyone's tension to its limits. To make things worse, they constantly felt eyes watching them. Many belonged to civilians, but who could guarantee that none of them were more of those monstrosities—or worse, a Corvo?
The horror show only continued as new mutilated bodies appeared at every turn. Faint whispers and muffled sobbing could be heard if one paid attention.
"What do you think of Guilhermina?" Naomi broke the silence.
Gabriel nearly jumped in surprise, turning to his companion. He didn't understand the sudden question, and his nerves jolted again as he stepped over a man who had been trampled. The dying man was still breathing, but his condition was far beyond any medical help. Gritting his teeth, Gabriel crouched beside the man, whose torso had been mostly crushed, and discreetly reached for a throwing knife strapped to his ankle.
Smiling sadly, the Corvo looked at his companions, who returned his gaze with heavy hearts. The injured man didn't understand what was happening; the pain made his thoughts sluggish. In a swift motion, Gabriel drove the blade into the man's neck, ending his life painlessly.
There was no struggle; the body simply stopped moving. Gabriel knew he had done the right thing for the man. Yet the bitter taste and urge to vomit filled his mouth with saliva. He pulled the blade out, wiped it on his pants, and returned it to its place with the others.
Cecilia understood what she had just witnessed. She knew Gabriel had just done a good deed, which struck her as oddly amusing in a way. After all, even acts of goodwill in the world they lived in were deeply screwed up.
— Guilhermina, — Gabriel replied, standing up slowly and keeping a neutral expression. — An old lady who likes cats.
— Obsessed, — Cecilia added as the trio moved away from the body.
— I won't deny that, — Naomi chimed in quickly. — But I'm talking about her involvement with Martha.
— She was the one who chose the hotel, — Gabriel murmured, starting to see Naomi's point.
— Exactly, and all the meetings were arranged through her.
— I thought the cat lady, — Cecilia interrupted. — Worked with the Bunker.
— Maybe, — Gabriel commented. — But with the way things are, I wouldn't be surprised if there were some inside the Bunker working with the Doctor.
Gabriel felt a sharp jab in his ribs as Naomi nudged him. Irritated, he turned toward her but quickly understood the reason for the gesture. He saw Cecilia, silent and serious, as the group remembered that Mateus had gone to seek help from the Bunker less than five minutes ago. Barely twenty minutes had passed since Gygy's death.
It didn't take long for them to reach the Nest. Turning right at the end of a street, the trio spotted the wide avenue leading up to the hotel where the Nest was stationed. Unlike the rest of the city, the street was bustling—with Corvos.
Naomi realized where the sounds of battles that had echoed through the streets came from. A truck had overturned in the middle of the road, smoke rising from its wreckage, with its wheels still spinning slowly. Corvos surrounded the vehicle, all on high alert, fully equipped with their gear.
The palm trees lining the avenue swayed indifferently to the macabre events around them, dancing in the sea breeze.
Strange figures on the ground caught Cecilia's attention. She easily recognized the human bodies fused with metal parts and pipes. Fourteen of the Doctor's experiments lay dead. Mangled Corvos added to the grotesque scene.
Noticing the trio approaching down the deserted street, the Corvos visibly tensed; the recent attack had put everyone on edge. After a quick exchange of glances, one member of the group approached the newcomers—a slim man with black hair, his clothes splattered with red bloodstains.
— Now's not a good time, — the man said, his hand resting on the grip of his revolver. — Go home until the situation is under control.
— Bernardo, — Cecilia responded, ignoring his command. — It's me!
— Cecilia? — The man's eyes widened as he recognized his Nest companion.
— Yes.
— Where have you been? We thought you were dead. — Bernardo didn't wait for an answer. — I almost didn't recognize you with the new hair.
— Bernardo, — the young woman said, approaching him and patting his shoulder. — A lot has happened in the past few days, and I'm not even going to get into the last few hours. They've been hell.
— I missed that foul mouth of yours! — Bernardo replied, moving his hand away from his weapon. He glanced at the two figures accompanying Cecilia and asked, — Who are they?
— Friends, — Cecilia answered immediately. — I'm not sure I can say much more, but they're on our side.
— Naomi, — the Corva said by way of introduction.
— Gabriel, — added the man, raising his left hand to identify himself.
Bernardo scrutinized them without hesitation. The man was clearly confused, and understandably so—he was standing in a battlefield strewn with people fused to metal or pipes, their bodies mangled. Finally, he nodded in acknowledgment.
— Nice to meet you. — Then he turned his attention back to Cecilia. — I assume you know what's going on.
— Some of it, at least, — Cecilia admitted. — But the latest events? I have no idea.
— I see, — Bernardo said. — Where's Mateus?
— He went to the central Nest to ask the Bunker for help.
Bernardo's expression darkened at this news. He clearly knew something.
It wasn't long before the other Corvos, who had been guarding the overturned vehicle, approached. Some took a moment to recognize Cecilia, but soon she was surrounded by her comrades.
Naomi noticed two sandbag walls near the Nest's entrance, likely filled with sand from the beach. Even from a distance, she could see the constant movement of Corvos, dressed in black, running back and forth between the lateral streets and the Nest.
Gabriel nodded back at the Corvos who greeted him, noticing their stares at the wounds on his arm. He didn't blame them; the salve gave the cuts a thick, reddish appearance. He turned his attention to Cecilia, who seemed relieved to be among allies again. He wished he could share her sentiment, but after Martha's betrayal, he trusted no one. His hatred for the traitor burned fiercely, and he longed to confront her.
— It's best, — Bernardo spoke loudly enough to be heard over the reunion, — to report what you know to Kasca.
— Enjoy it; she's still herself, — joked one of the Corvos around Cecilia.
— She hasn't used the Berserker yet? — Cecilia asked, visibly relieved.
— Thankfully, no, — the same Corvo replied.
They moved away from the group of Corvos, who resumed forming a defensive perimeter. Gabriel and Naomi exchanged speculative glances about what the Berserker could be, but neither said a word. They simply walked side by side through what had been a battlefield.
The avenue leading to the Nest cut through C-8, one of the residential zones. As a result, people peeked out of their windows constantly. Shouts demanding to know what was happening echoed from both sides of the street.
As they neared the sandbag wall, it became clear. Two walls, each thirty meters long and three meters high, stretched across the entrance to the Nest. Corvos sat atop the sandbags, holding firearms, visibly prepared for another attack.
— Bernardo, — Cecilia called out. — Why did you react like that when I mentioned Mateus going to the central Nest?
— I don't want to alarm you, — the man's voice was heavy with worry. — But we haven't had any contact with the place for a while now. — He paused for a moment before continuing. — You should brace yourself for the worst.
— I doubt that thing, — Cecilia replied, trying to keep her voice steady. — Would die so easily! He's tougher than a cockroach.
— I hope you're right, — Bernardo murmured.
A bridge crossed the artificial lake in front of the Nest, where fat carp swam, oblivious to the terror unfolding around them. More Corvos noticed the group approaching, clearing the way for them inside the sandbag barrier.
Naomi passed one of the Nest's guards, observing the interior of the barrier. A wooden walkway ran along the sandbags, and Corvos patrolled its length.
The inside of the building was spacious, reminiscent of a hotel lobby. Stairs climbed along the back walls, the floor was made of blue-tinted marble, and the walls were a pale white. All eyes turned to the group briefly before returning to their tasks.
Windows along the stairs let in natural light, offering a view of the vast ocean. The long communal tables typical of any Nest were set in the center of the room, forming two large rows. On them lay melee and firearms, along with ammunition, salves, and poisons.
Naomi was surprised at how quickly everything had been arranged. The Nest was ready for another attack. Seeing Cecilia had stopped talking to Bernardo, she took the opportunity to speak with her partner.
— There's no reason to hide it, — Naomi commented, gesturing toward herself and her partner. — We're Ravens.
— Yeah, — Gabriel agreed. — Our identities have been uncovered anyway.
— What did they mean when they mentioned Kasca's state? — Naomi asked.
The trio walked past a table where a boy, about seventeen, was selecting some poisons. Cecilia stopped and turned to them to answer.
— Kasca earned her title because of her combat style, which is only possible because of an experimental drug.
— Berserker, — Gabriel murmured, recalling the name he'd heard earlier.
— That's right. The substance puts Kasca in a state that's completely out of control. — As she resumed walking, Cecilia muttered under her breath. — My leader is nothing more than a drug addict.
The search for Kasca didn't take long. Cecilia spotted her near the staircase on the right, surrounded by other Ravens. She was talking animatedly with the group, not noticing their approach. Kasca was short, standing at about five feet three inches, with short black hair and equally dark skin. At thirty-two, the leader of the Nest was intently listening to a report.
Leaning against the wall beside Kasca was a two-handed sword, about four feet long. Its grip was simple, made of iron without any decoration. The sheath had Velcro along its left side, designed so the blade could be unsheathed with a single pull. Kasca's light brown eyes locked on Cecilia as soon as she noticed her, and, murmuring a few words, she dismissed the group around her.
— Finally decided to show your face, — Kasca said, a faint smile forming on her lips.
— Ma'am, — Cecilia replied. — I'd like to speak with you in private.
Naomi almost dropped her jaw in surprise. She had never seen this polite side of Cecilia before. It gave her an uneasy feeling, as if someone else were controlling her.
— Who are they? — Kasca asked, gesturing toward Gabriel and Naomi trailing behind.
— They're Ravens, — Cecilia said, then leaned closer to the leader. — They've come on a special mission. Sent by the Bunker.
Hearing this last part, Kasca's attention snapped to the duo. The realization that they were aware of the situation dawned on her quickly. Picking up her weapon from where it leaned against the wall, she turned her focus to the two. Speaking softly, though she didn't need to lower her voice much amidst the noise of the place, she asked:
— Do you know what's going on?
— Yes, — Gabriel replied.
— I see, — Kasca murmured. — Follow me.
The leader of the Ravens casually began walking toward a narrow corridor hidden beside the staircase. Naomi followed alongside Gabriel and Cecilia, her curiosity piqued about how this woman wielded a weapon nearly her size. Even though it was clear Kasca was muscular from her clothes, it still seemed to take more than just some strength to handle such a massive blade.
Cecilia had a feeling where they were headed. The tips of her fingers pulsed along with her heartbeat, a reminder of earlier injuries. The passage reminded her of the path she had taken inside the Gloria's Pit, but unlike that one, this corridor was illuminated and ended at a glass door, beyond which lay a terrace.
The terrace sat on a structure about six feet above the sand, connected to the Nest by a wooden bridge. Shaped like a triangle, it was covered by a dingy blue plastic tarp. Five bamboo chairs faced the sea, and a hammock hung between two metal beams.
Kasca laid her weapon on the wooden floorboards and climbed into the hammock, tucking her legs in all at once like a caterpillar in a cocoon. Cecilia took the chair beside her leader, reclining in the cushioned beach chair.
— You can sit down, — Kasca said casually, her arms dangling outside the hammock. Once the duo was seated, she continued, — Explain what's going on. But first, who are you?
— I'm Naomi, and this is Gabriel. I'll explain as much as I can, but we don't have all the answers.
— Better to have a little knowledge than none at all, — Kasca remarked indifferently.
Naomi recounted the events and what they had discovered to Kasca, who didn't interrupt, simply swaying in the hammock and staring at the blue tarp above. Naomi explained the Bunker's orders to investigate what was happening, the events at the brothel, and Martha's betrayal. When she finished, a long silence fell over the pier. The waves began rising with the tide, providing one of the few sounds alongside the occasional gunshots echoing from the Cova. Kasca brought both hands to her face and spoke.
— Two Ninhos teaming up explains why none of my messages were answered. — Kasca shifted in the hammock, leaving only her head visible. — Mateus went to the central Ninho for help, correct?
— Yes, — Cecília confirmed.
— I see. You should prepare for the worst. — The Ninho leader fidgeted in the hammock, making the metal creak. — If there's no word from him, he's likely dead.
— I'm aware, — Cecília replied, clenching her fists tightly, completely forgetting her injured fingers. She muttered under her breath, — Sarah will never look at me again.
— What do you mean by other Ninhos not answering your messages? — Gabriel inquired.
— The Cova is vast, — Kasca explained, swaying gently. — We use trained pigeons to carry messages and requests between Ninhos. Unfortunately, the only pigeons trained to reach the Bunker are in the Ninho Mateus went to.
— There's no way we can take on two Ninhos by ourselves, — Cecília said, her eyes reddening.
— True, — Kasca murmured, sitting up. — But what if it's two against two?
— What? — Naomi asked, confused.
— One Ninho responded to me. The one on the beach.
Gabriel recalled seeing it—a ship stranded in the sand. But the rain at the time had hindered his view.
— What was their message? — Naomi asked.
— They were attacked, — Kasca said gravely. — It seems the three Ninhos not aligned with this so-called Doctor were targeted.
— It was all premeditated, — Gabriel concluded.
— Exactly, — Kasca agreed. — Now tell me, Cecília, what's the next likely target?
— Easy: the power reactor, — Cecília answered without hesitation.
— What reactor? — Gabriel asked.
— Where do you think the Cova's energy comes from? — Cecília retorted without waiting for a reply. — The city is powered by a reactor that our Ninho protects due to its proximity. If I were the Doctor, I'd try to take control of it, cutting power to the parts of the city opposing me.
— The bigger issue is that the reactor runs on gasoline, — Kasca added, lost in thought. — And the beach Ninho handles the fuel shipments when the ships arrive.
— So, — Naomi concluded, — they tried to seize the beach to control the supplies.
— Everything you three are saying is just speculation, — Gabriel interrupted.
— Agreed, — Kasca responded. — Do you have a better plan? — Seeing Gabriel remain silent, she continued. — We need to act. If not by reason, then by instinct.
Kasca stood from the hammock, stretching until several joints cracked, and walked to the pier's railing. She gazed ahead, contemplating the calm sea and the squawking seagulls overhead. Without turning, she spoke.
— Mateus went to seek help from the Bunker, or maybe someone else did before him. We could wait and see if that help actually comes. — She turned to face the trio. — Let me tell you something interesting. The Ancients had stories of princesses locked away, waiting for someone to rescue them. Or heroes who showed up at the last minute to save the day. I'm not sitting around waiting for a savior. I'm not a princess standing idle. I don't expect anyone to cut a throat for me—I'll do it myself. — Her eyes grew cold. — There are no heroes in our world. No one's coming to save us. So, we'll solve this ourselves.
— Princesses are pathetic, — Cecília muttered.
— I agree, — said Naomi, slightly irritated.
— Another point caught my attention, — Kasca continued, indifferent. — It's about this so-called Doctor. If two Nests have been corrupted, it can only mean one thing.
— That the person behind all of this is in the Bunker, — Gabriel concluded.
— Where else would someone with such power be, if not at the heart of humanity in our current world? But we need to focus on survival for now. So here's the plan: I'll lead a group to secure the generator, while another team will head to the Beach Nest to assist in its defense. After that, I plan to meet with Vann to prepare a counteroffensive.
Vann was the leader of the Beach Nest, Cecília knew. But the plan had many flaws, the main one being the potential death of any of the Nest leaders.
— I'll go with you, — Naomi said suddenly to Kasca.
— Sure, — Kasca replied, turning her gaze to Gabriel, waiting for him to speak.
— Since Naomi is going with you, — Gabriel responded, — I'll help the group at the other Nest.
— I'll go with you too, Kasca, — Cecília volunteered.
— Out of the question, — Kasca said firmly. — You need to treat your fingers first, and you'll stay at the Nest to defend it against potential attacks.
Cecília considered arguing but quickly gave up the idea. She knew it wouldn't work with her leader. Satisfied with Cecília's response, Kasca continued.
— Gabriel, Cecília, — she said, addressing the two as they gave her their attention. — I'd like to speak with Naomi privately. Cecília, get Crow uniforms for our two guests, and then take care of your fingers.
Following her orders, the pair left, leaving the other two behind. Gabriel glanced back one last time before heading back to the building, where Crows were passing by with freshly filled sandbags from the shore.
The two women were left alone as the sun heated the plastic tarp above their heads. A breeze from the ocean made Naomi's hair dance briefly. Kasca walked to where her weapon lay and sat cross-legged, leaning against one of the iron beams.
— You and your partner, — Kasca began, — were involved in the S.L. incident?
— Yes, — Naomi answered with a surprised frown.
Noticing her reaction, Kasca continued.
— I figured as much from the description we received. You're somewhat famous within the organization. I even heard you've earned a nickname.
Naomi couldn't hide her astonishment. The nickname seemed like an inside joke within the Nest, and she never expected other Nests to hear about it so quickly—certainly not in just five days.
— Why the curiosity? — Naomi asked.
— I read the reports, — Kasca explained, adjusting the weapon beside her. — Those strange half-machine, half-human creatures caught my attention. I couldn't help but notice a peculiar similarity to something else in the reports.
Naomi held Kasca's light brown eyes for a moment before realizing what the Crow was implying. In the S.L. incident, there were people entirely controlled by the Big Brother due to their dependency on drugs he manufactured. Naomi felt her palms grow clammy—something much bigger was behind both incidents.
— Perhaps, — Naomi admitted.
— The worst possible scenario is unfolding. Having two corrupted Nests is entirely the fault of someone in the Bunker.
— Not all the Crows in these Nests must agree with what's happening, — Naomi argued.
— It doesn't make much difference, — Kasca replied indifferently. — We're trained to blindly obey Nest leaders, who, in turn, answer to the Bunker. But you have a point—some might refrain from joining the battles ahead.
— Kasca, — Naomi said seriously, — why did you want me to stay behind? It wasn't just to chat.
— True, — Kasca said, standing up. — We'll head to the generator with a small group. If necessary, I'll use the Berserker—if it comes to that, of course.
— Alright.
— The issue is that the drug takes about thirty seconds to a minute to take effect. During that time, I'll need you to hold the line.
Naomi understood what Kasca meant by "hold the line": Crows and modified individuals would be part of the enemy. But her curiosity shifted to another topic in Kasca's words.
— What is this Berserker? — Naomi asked.
— This, — Kasca replied, pulling a thin brown vial from a bag of medicines and poisons. The liquid inside was invisible through the bottle. — It's applied through the eyes—one drop in each. It reaches the brain faster that way.
— What's the effect?
— Our bodies don't operate at full capacity because doing so would destroy them. But with Berserker, that limit is removed. Of course, there's a price—bones and muscles can break or tear. That's why I avoid using it whenever possible.
— And your nickname comes from the fact that your body can operate at one hundred percent?
— Exactly. I can dismember anything effortlessly.
— What's the price? — Naomi pressed, seeing the leader's confused expression, and clarified. — You said the drug takes a toll on your body, but there must be significant mental effects too.
— I'm used to the Berserker. I don't lose complete control. But for someone using it for the first time—prepare yourself. They won't be able to distinguish friend from foe. Their body won't feel pain or fatigue, meaning they'll keep fighting until they collapse.
— And because I'm a Crow with a nickname, you'll use me as a distraction while you wait for the drug to take effect, — Naomi deduced.
— Yes. I've lost too many of my people already. I don't plan on losing more. Don't take it personally.
— I understand, — Naomi replied sincerely. — I'd do the same in your position.
The door separating the pier from the Nest opened as Cecília stepped out, carrying folded clean clothes in her arms, her fingers freshly bandaged.
— You'd better get changed, — Kasca said, turning toward the beach. — We have a rebellion to crush.