If war is the excuse for peace, pardons were flooded with rivers of blood.
The woman's breathing was controlled. Calm, quiet, worthy of applause. She doubted that even her partner, who was still finishing climbing the rope, could have heard. She would not lie, it had not been easy to arrange a blind spot along the entire side edge of the ship. He had to go quickly and cautiously while Nierl, from the HAUST team, distracted some sailors who were not at the festival being held in the harbor.
When Marlena had found out from Tilian, the blonde partner who had climbed up the rope, that some general had scheduled the invasion precisely for today because of a festival, she was surprised. Sure, the Lotevites should know the dirt about the "glorious" city next door, but she hadn't imagined it would be this bad.
The port was almost empty and that was what worried her.
The largest ship in the port of Gran Tlaboc leaving in the middle of the most important technology fair of the year would not turn a blind eye. And all the assassins hoped to be on the high seas when it happened.
However, what Lotevi wanted most at the moment could be accomplished: a war against Gran Tlaboc. His motives were already great enough to inflame the ego of all Lotevites. Each being more futile and more self-destructive than the other, these motives each had their own paradox to beat Gran Tlaboc in the technological race, even necessitating the destruction of Lotevi itself.
By the time Tilian finished climbing, Gior was already heading in the direction. Marlena hid beside a barrel, warning that VOR had already arrived. She assessed the entire perimeter they were in. The two hundred people that should be on this ship could be less, since this fair was very popular. However, there could not be fewer than necessary for the ship to move. Otherwise, the mission would be in vain and the escape from that city would be near suicide.
Soon the HAUST assassins came. The worm-haired woman entered first, analyzing the place just as Marlena had done. The brunette watched her discreetly as she stood beside the barrel. She didn't look for a hiding place, and that was what most caught her attention. That woman was the daughter of a prestigious general, Marlena knew she was not like the rest of the assassins.
An indecipherable smile was born on her large red lips.
Sophie Chasseur was standing beside her, staring at the wood of the ship with a lost expression. But Marlena was not fooled, she knew her ears were very attentive, listening for any step, any breath, any noise that could make them evident.
Just then came the Dendalian traitor. She knew the man's name, Krauser had made it clear to everyone at the first meeting in the High Command. However, calling him by that subtle adjective caused a sense of inferiority to him and his people. Something that made the Cermina expansion ideal clear to Dendalion. That was typical expansionist thinking, which she was loathe to have. But, she kept an eye on him, after all, he was a traitor.
The others came up in a small commotion. Each one tidying a corner so that they could not be seen. But the general's daughter seemed to be underestimating the work of those around her, ignoring that she too should hide. Marlena watched this quietly, trying to figure out what was behind this arrogant act.
But just as lightning crosses the sky in a few milliseconds, Sophie Chasseur turned the moment the mission leader set foot on the ship.
Her chocolate-colored eyes showed that Marlena was not missing anything. Watching every move of the general's daughter.
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Von was the last person to board the ship. After Niero went up, the observation of the harbor was in his hands. He couldn't say that he had been annoyed by it, because that hadn't happened. But he was pretty sure he would have cared a little about it, but he didn't. He had thought about it as he watched the passing sailors. Maybe that word locked inside him wasn't so strong. Maybe for him this was really just a mission and there was nothing personal there. Maybe he was strongly following what Niero said, being a constant reminder of Norgard Chasseur's personality.
The latter entered his mind as he climbed the rope. But he just ignored it, staring at the beginning of the mission he was curiously leading.
The plan of the ship was already projected in his head, he had logically chosen the shortest way to go to where the " cargo" was and reviewed the strategy to Liz when she was still in the car with Klen.
As she stepped onto the ship, she discreetly looked at everyone in their assigned places in a nodding manner. They were standing far apart, some beside barrels, others leaning against the wood that gave access to the main cabin. The length of the deck was quite large, which hid them well. Only Sophie was in sight, and he knew why.
He didn't even need to look into her eyes. Sophie just waited for him to enter to take the daggers from her backpack and put them in her belt. Being the only one already armed, she threw her empty backpack into the water.
- Change of plan. HAUST go first. - Sophie's well-known voice echoed in Von's ear, causing a slight smile to appear on his lips.
- Do you know the way? - He spoke as he crouched down and touched his hand to the wooden floor.
Sophie didn't answer him, just said a "Follow me" to her teammates.
The red haired woman picked up momentum on one of her feet and climbed a little over the outer wooden wall of the main cabin, looking over to the other side to see if anyone was there. She saw no one, so she decided to come out of hiding. She walked with light, quick steps to the ladder that gave access to the lower part of the ship. Niero and Magnun followed her unarmed.
The Dendalian traitor still had the katana sheathed at the side of his waist and Magnun, the young wizard could summon his beasts whenever he wanted. When they reached the side of the stairs, the leader again observed and listened to her surroundings. There was a man standing guard on the stairs Sophie stopped Magnun from advancing against the man. She showed him the beautiful daggers shining in the mid-afternoon sun and offered the young assassin a victorious smile.
A second later, she was standing behind the man, covering his mouth with her free hand and pressing the sharp blade against his neck. She carefully dragged him to the end of the stairs, controlling her and the man's steps. When she saw the last step, she pushed the man under the ladder and drove the dagger into his belly.
Her green eyes followed every second less the guard had to live, as he waited for Niero and Magnun to slowly arrive, his body was going through small spasms, yet he could not utter a word. Sophie had been so accurate that in a few minutes he would be dead.
- May I take the body? - A voice unknown to her at the moment spoke near her. What she saw was a thin boy, about fifteen years old. His hair was completely shaved, but his eyebrows showed a reddish tint.
However, he did not have white skin as was usual for redheads. He was a sunburned brunette, similar to Von. This was Magnun.
-Why? - She stared at the green pupils, as bright and flashy as her own.
- Food. - Sophie frowned, remembering what he was and eager to see his ability.
She turned away, looking into the dimly lit great hall. There were several men there, some lying in hammocks, others drinking and chatting, some even with something coming from the kitchen. They were all distracted, not realizing that they were being invaded.
He took a deep breath. Being distracted did not mean not paying attention. And getting through there would be a challenge.
- If you can't get through this room without being seen, SUMAR may already come.-
She looked to where Magnun was and saw something beside her. The thing in front of her surprised her, but she had expected something like that. The thing had no body and no shape, it was just as if the air was moving. She could see behind the moving being, she could see the dim light coming from the deck illuminating the man's flesh being torn and devoured. But there was nothing there. Nothing.
Von walked down the stairs and Liz followed him. The amber-eyed woman seemed to be the one who suffered most from the mission, since stealth missions were not her specialty. Then a man with short light brown hair appeared, carrying a crossbow on his back.
- Whoever doesn't make it through, I'll cover you. - Magnun spoke in an amused tone, as if he thought his own words were funny.
Sophie looked at the double door that would give access to the cabins, just after this corridor full of dormitories was over, there was another double door where passing through would lead to the room with the "cargo". This was her objective. She took another deep breath, irritated that she was taking so long to analyze. There must have been about fifty men in this lower part alone. Going unnoticed would be the most difficult part of this mission.
When a man opened the double door, Sophie saw her opportunity. She focused on him and started running. Her steps almost inaudible. Almost unseen by naked eyes.
Von saw her appear behind the man and slit his throat quickly, with the same quick tactic as before. He looked at Liz who was standing next to him, she nodded her head in approval and so he let off two weak smoke bombs towards the kitchen, running through the glare to where Sophie was standing.
The smoke was beginning to dissipate when he looked up the stairs again, searching for the group. His eyes roamed the bustling room, expecting to see them. However, all she could see were the men opening the round windows while they cursed at the people in charge of the kitchen.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned startled into nothingness, looking for that hand. Sophie closed the double door that connected the two rooms, diminishing the sound of the men rattling about.
- Surprised? - Niero's body was beginning to materialize along with those of the others. His blue eyes were closed and he gave Von an empty smile.
He stupidly removed his hand from his shoulder. His brown pupils were wide with imminent surprise. Liz and Klen looked down at their bodies, as surprised as Von.
-No time to explain.- Magnun spoke with her usual relaxed manner. Sophie locked the door and started walking ahead down the corridor full of dormitories.
Von took her by the wrist, turning her around at the same moment. Her green pupils stared doubtfully into his brown eyes.
- I'll take it from here.- He warned her. Sophie understood this as a game of possession, after all he was still the leader.
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Marlena was at a strategic point. The VOR had split up. Gior observed the main cabin, where the captain and a few other men were having a casual conversation. He was on top of it in a part where he could not be seen, but he observed every movement of those men. He was also already calculating his route.
Tilian was lying on top of one of the timbers supporting the sails, on the main mast. That was the highest point on the ship. He could feel the people better in that place. From there he could see everything.
The brunette was stretched out on the wooden floor of the bow, being hidden by some barrels. Her machine gun was pointed at the exit of the ladder, facing the penumbra with one of her smiles.
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The corridor was very long, having several and several doors where the men's quarters were. This was not a pirate ship, or even a common trading ship, as everyone expected. It was a ship that needed no sails, but still used them as support. A ship that did not need at most fifty people, since it was not steam-powered or even powered by manual labor. It was the technology that made it move. There were cabins and more cabins and a recreation room for its sailors. There was also a central cabin where the captain commanded the route.
That ship was a fusion of the new and the old. And that was what worried them. When the corridor reached its end, Von opened the double metal door. The sight was disturbing. Liz entered immediately and had the same reaction as Von.
The HAUST team watched the corridor while Klen watched the double metal door as he entered the hall with his back turned, having his crossbow already armed for any unforeseen events. Von walked into the hall with calm steps to where the large, thick capsule-shaped tanks were. He swallowed dryly, knowing that this was totally different from what he had expected. He thought of weapons, even explosives. Never about...PEOPLE. There were fifty-seven tanks, two meters high and one meter in diameter. Bodies with pipes attached to their bodies, surrounded by a strange green liquid. This represented very well the words General Norgard had spoken to Von the day before. The absurdities of war were there. Biological weapons. Genetically altered humanoid bodies without autonomy, controlled by machines. Clones? Bodies of dead soldiers? Civilians? It could be anything. The SUMAR team assimilated this disturbing vision and accepted the conditions. This was part of the war. When it came to war...everything would become a commodity, even their own people.
- The "cargo" was assimilated. - He spoke in a good tone for all to hear.
Tilian climbed down from the masts by a rope. Her blond hair moved on the way down and left exposed a large scar close to her scalp. She touched the ceiling of the main cabin without pressing too hard. He looked at Gior, who was finishing the bandage on his wrists.
- Let's go.- Tilian said as he looked at Marlena still lying on the floor, however, she was carrying a machine gun and packing a second one.
He walked to the end of the cabin ceiling and entered through the balcony. The men only became aware of his presence when Gior jumped and fell onto the balcony as well, causing the noise to give them away. There were five men, not including the captain. Gior, with uncommon strength, went right up to the captain, punching him hard on the cheek, making him go backwards.
The men who were there started to attack the man. Gior threw the captain against the ground, punching him hard as he smeared his stripes. They tried to make him stop, but he just kept punching, destroying that man's face. The punches were faster and faster and harder, his face was already disfigured, his fist was dripping blood.
Nothing was done to make him stop.
When the captain was almost dead, Gior turned to the other five men with his ruby eyes shining just as brightly as the blood on his fists.
- If you don't want to die, accept us as your new captains.- Tilian said with crossed arms, drawing attention to herself.
The men looked at each other. They were not loyal to the owner of the ship. They weren't vassals or anything that swore allegiance. And if there was one thing they wouldn't risk, it was their lives.
- Done. - A man with a few gray hairs had answered him.
- IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE, GET ON DECK NOW! - Marlena shouted through the loudspeaker Tilian had arranged for her. She repeated this sentence three times, waiting for the men to come.
With the two mini machine guns in hand, Marlena waited impatiently for the sailors. As they started up the stairs, their brown eyes sparkled as they felt threatened by the machine guns. In addition to the two small ones in their hands, there were two more aimed at them, where Tilian was at their side holding the loudspeaker.
- IS THAT ALL OF YOU? - She shouted again through the speaker. The men covered their ears, afraid they would scream and be shot. - If it's just you. Good. - She stepped away from Tilian and began to walk among the men. They looked at her body with amazement, the black collar she wore showing off her curves. However, there were those who moved away from her, afraid that she would pull the trigger.
When she reached the entrance to the stairway that gave access to the lower floor, she pointed one of the mini machine guns to the sky, firing a small shot. Attracting attention with this, she continued:
- You are under new direction. Don't you dare question. Don't you dare rebel. Don't you dare communicate with other people outside the ship. - She paused as she noticed the ship beginning to move. She looked into the central cabin and saw Gior watching her. - Don't you dare kill any of us. Don't you dare to... - This time her voice was sadistic. - kill yourselves. Just get this ship to Innsmouth and you will get rewards. -
A commotion was heard afterwards. The men complained that they had heard the name of the Port-City of Innsmouth. Questions like who they were, or what they wanted, or why they were going to Innsmouth, were what was heard most.
She shot the first man she saw. - Don't you dare question.-
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The uproar only ended when the same man who had succeeded as captain told the crew that the ship was now in their hands. There was not much acceptance at first, that was obvious. However, it was not even because they were worried about the cargoes on the ship, for these were unknown to the sailors. It was because they had not rested for a week.
However, Tilian convinced them that by stopping in Innsmouth, they could rest as long as they wanted. As if it was a promise of a bright future, he also said that they would be very well rewarded by Cermina.
Which created more of an internal conflict. The sailors wanted to know the plans. Marlena killed two more men.
When HAUST and SUMAR showed up to show themselves, the men didn't even suspect that the teams had passed them. They weren't nice and didn't even want to know why more people to obey, they just wanted to keep their lives and go back to the house they had just left.
Gior spoke to the man who accepted the deal, his name was Denver. He was not an old man, but his few white hairs denoted that he was not young either. Not that a trusting relationship had been established there, but the two talked about the sea and the routes. This man was helping the dead captain. Now he would be Gior's helper.
The ship started sailing in the late afternoon. With Denver's help, the "Deep Spear" was allowed to leave the port quietly. The technology fair that was taking place only served to make it less difficult to check the merchandise.
Cargo that they didn't know was in there.
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The first nightfall was the strangest thing Von had ever seen. The faint frequency of the ship made him almost quiet, made him almost let his guard down. Each one had gone to his corner. Or rather, each assassin had found a room for himself.
He set up a hammock, lay down among the sailors and talked to them about trivial matters. He knew nothing about the sea, knew nothing about sailing or the stories of the ocean. When night came, the sailors told their stories, he just listened. He wasn't amazed, but it wasn't unpleasant to hear either. It was just different.
Sophie, on the other hand, had found a room. Because of the fair, some dormitories were empty. Night had fallen and with it she had to get used to the rocking of the ocean. She had sailed a few times with her father, but she knew she would never get used to it.
She was stretched out on a single bed, looking up at the ceiling where a dim yellow light illuminated it. Sure, she hadn't once thought of dying or failing, but it had been exhausting anyway. The motorcycle trip and all the complexities of finding the "Cargo" had left her tired. Without realizing it, her eyes closed until she fell asleep.
One room next to Sophie was Magnun. And next to Magnun was Marlena. The room of the two had a gap in it, in which the wall had a small hole in it, one Iigando the other. Just like all the other people on that ship, when night fell, he wanted to go and rest.
If wars against another nation they already shed blood, internal wars bring down much more than just blood.
Marlena looked through the hole in her room just after taking a bath in the cold winter water. As she dried her hair, a macabre smile broke out on her lips, as it had done all along. She looked again through the hole and saw there the beginning.
She took a tranquilizer dart and fired.
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Sophie woke up thirsty. She hadn't had anything to drink or eat all day, only when she had left the house. But her home would be the last thing she would see in a long time. She looked up at the yellow light on the ceiling and recognized that she had slept like that, lying with her arms outstretched on the bed. She blinked several times, getting used to the light and building up the courage to get up.
She stood up and looked at the moving door. She still felt dizzy. She felt like throwing up even though there was nothing in her stomach.When her stomach rumbled, even though she was craving it, she decided to leave her room. She walked down the hall and opened the double doors that she had closed before. She looked at the men in the hall. Some were sleeping, others were still drinking, others stopped to stare at her. The only thing she did, however, was to cross the room and climb the stairs.
Von couldn't sleep. It seemed that if he let his guard down, he would die. He didn't know why, but he had this feeling. That's when he saw Sophie coming up the stairs. A smile broke out on his lips. He even knew what she was after.
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A little snow was falling from the sky. Sophie was standing in front of the bow, looking at the ship ripping harmoniously across the water. She thought about what she would start from now on. She thought about what she had left behind if she didn't come back from the war. She thought about Blair, about her father, about Samantha. She thought of everything, but felt nothing. She walked down the hall and opened the double doors that she had closed before. She looked at the men in the hall. Some were sleeping, others were still drinking, others stopped to stare at her. The only thing she did, however, was to cross the room and climb the stairs.
Von couldn't sleep. It seemed that if he let his guard down, he would die. He didn't know why, but he had this feeling. That's when he saw Sophie coming up the stairs. A smile broke out on his lips. He even knew what she was after.
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A little snow was falling from the sky. Sophie was standing in front of the bow, looking at the ship ripping harmoniously across the water. She thought about what she would start from now on. She thought about what she had left behind if she didn't come back from the war. He thought about Blair, about his father, about Samantha. He thought of everything, but felt nothing. As a few inches of snow fell, Sophie watched her fall wistfully, surprised that she hadn't felt anything for a long time.
- I brought you some bread. - The familiar voice echoed in her head, but Sophie didn't turn around.
- I don't want any. - She answered him nonchalantly.
- You came here to throw up, didn't you? - Von gave her a weak smile, but she didn't see it.
- How can I vomit if I don't have anything in my stomach? -
- That's why I brought you bread. -
- So you want me to throw up? - She laughed cynically.
Von sighed, wondering if it had been a good idea to be nice.He blamed it on his insomnia.
-Whatever, Sophie.- He placed the bread on the wooden stand and turned, returning to his hammock.
Sophie looked at the bread and her stomach rumbled again. She sighed deeply and turned away, giving up her pride and going to thank him. However, what she saw made the bread fall to the wooden floor of the deck.
-VON! - She shouted. He immediately turned around, looking at her in surprise. The wide green pupils were not aimed at Von, but at the mast.
He rushed to her side and grabbed her face with both hands, she was still not staring at him, just looking up. The glow he knew had dissipated.
He looked down at the floor and saw the bread.
When he looked at her again, she was pointing up toward the mast. Von turned slowly, almost in slow motion. What he saw made his brown pupils contract as well.
Magnun was tied to the main mast, his body was all shot up, and the blood that flowed out formed a river.