Naomi was waiting for the vehicle with Livya and Michel outside. She had opened the gate, which creaked in protest. She could hear their approach. On one of the boxes, Gabriel was sprawled out, making faces of pain, with his hand on the cut on his ribs.
Naomi saw the vehicle being driven by Livya. Michel was sitting beside her, anxious about the young woman's driving. As soon as they stopped, he was the first to get out, and the young woman handed Naomi the sewing kit.
"Michel told me you'd need it," she said.
"Yes, thank you."
"Have you explored the place yet?"
"Not yet, we were waiting for you two," Naomi replied, heading toward her partner.
Gabriel saw his familiar sewing kit. He was used to it by this point in his life. He simply took off his shirt while waiting for his partner to patch him up.
"Bia," Samuel grumbled, limping over to his partner, "Let me take care of your arm."
"It doesn't need stitches, just some ointment will do."
Samuel looked at the other with disapproval, but he knew Corva's fear of needles. He agreed, grabbing the jar of herbal ointment. He rubbed the green seaweed cream on the cut, making her laugh to mask the pain.
The bodies were scattered around the corners, giving the nighttime atmosphere a macabre feel. The campfires illuminated them, making it look as though they were just sleeping. Michel wrapped a torn piece of a fallen man's shirt around his broken fingers, protecting them as best he could, but nothing seemed to help the pain that came in constant waves.
Livya felt a slight nausea from the smell of blood that filled the air. She tried to focus on something else. After all, she had vomited before and didn't want to go through it again. Focusing on her companions who were patching themselves up or applying ointments, she noticed Naomi was finishing up the last stitches when she looked at Gabriel's face.
"Did you break your nose?" she asked curiously, seeing the swollen and red piece of cartilage with a bit of dried blood in the nostrils.
"No," the young man simply replied through clenched teeth as another stitch was made.
"It didn't just break," Bia chimed in, sewing up Samuel's cheek. "It's been broken for a long time."
"Shut up, Bia," Gabriel retorted. "I remember when yours broke, you cried like a baby."
"Yeah," the other said, seeming lost in memories. "Good times."
"How did it happen?" Livya asked, genuinely curious.
"Back during training," Naomi answered, concentrating on what she was doing. "There was an initiation before the first mission."
"Careful, Bia. I'm not made of leather," Samuel shouted as his stitches were being put in.
"They would punch us in the nose to break it," Naomi continued as if nothing had happened. "When it's broken for the first time, we're defenseless for a while."
"Your eyes fill with tears," Michel added, sitting near the fire. "It's hard to breathe, and there's an absurd amount of blood."
"Awful," Bia whispered.
"They don't do that anymore?" Gabriel asked, noticing Naomi had finished her work.
"No," Livya answered with some relief.
"Lucky bastards," Samuel grumbled.
Naomi once again borrowed her companion's aloe ointment near the fire and rubbed it hard on the stitches she had just made. After all the noise and shouting they had caused, scaring the animals, silence fell. But the first brave crickets and owls were already singing. They were all as prepared as they could be with the resources they had, getting ready to explore the area.
But before they left, Bia grabbed her weapon and struck one of the boxes on the side to see what was inside. From the cut made in the wood, a white powder spilled out like sand onto the ground. Michel, who had been watching, stood up and opened one of the containers with some effort. When he removed the lid, his eyes widened. It was filled with crates.
There was S.L. everywhere, in monstrous quantities, enough to destroy much more than just a single city.
"This is insane," Michel muttered to himself.
"Let's burn it all," Livya proposed.
"I agree," Samuel said, supporting his colleague. "But we need to see what those machines inside are first."
No one argued, and through an underground passage, the group entered the warehouse, following a long corridor with some bodies scattered on the floor. Doors lined the path that descended and then flattened out again. Livya peeked into the first room, which only had bunk beds and clothes, and in the next, she saw two people lying on the ground.
At the end of the path, a staircase with ten steps led them back to the surface, bringing them out in the center of the place. Naomi, the first to reach the area, didn't have much time to look around, but the shock she felt was something shared by all.
High-end equipment. Something that was only found in the Bunker. Two large glass tubes big enough to stand a person inside. One of them contained a white liquid, which Michel guessed was the spider venom. Both were connected by a tube in the ceiling, and the venom bubbled, making the glass look foggy. The one on the side dripped from the top, a liquid that was almost transparent.
On a wooden table, dozens of cube-shaped molds sat beside trays. In front of it, a round object the size of a car had many doors. Samuel limped to one of them and opened it to see inside. There was a tray with the molds inside. A hot puff of air escaped as the young man opened it, making him step back a few paces. With a knife, he pulled the tray of iron out a bit to get a better look at what was happening with the molds. Inside one of them, something resembling a sugar cube was forming. And lastly, a large iron workbench with what seemed to be a pot attached at the top gave the object a funny shape. Naomi, who was closer, lifted the lid to see what was inside. At the bottom of the object, a piece of metal that resembled a propeller was still, but the whitish powder coated the entire inside of the pot.
Livya slowly began to understand how it worked. The tubes served to filter the venom serum, and with this raw material, they placed it over fire to dry it to the point of hardening into cubes. Finally, they would beat the cubes to release the powder in the strange pot.
The bubbles in the venom made a noise similar to boiling water. The enormous quantity made Gabriel feel nauseous. It was a simple laboratory, but with equipment forged by hands that knew exactly what they were doing. It wasn't something hastily put together like the laboratories the Ravens knew.
"This doesn't make sense," Naomi pointed out, grabbing a shovel next to the pot. The tip of the object was whitened by the drug. "How did they get equipment like this?"
"Do you think this Big Brother knows how to make this equipment?" Samuel asked.
"I highly doubt it," Michel replied, tapping the warm glass with the tips of his fingers. "This kind of knowledge is only available in the Bunker, unless..."
"What?" Naomi asked impatiently.
"Some lost knowledge," Samuel replied for his companion.
Livya learned about the lost knowledge. They were bits of information that survived the Third War of the Ancients. She hadn't thought it was true, but in the face of such a discovery, she had to reconsider it.
"Do you think it's possible we killed this Big Brother and his little Sister in the middle of the attack?" Bia asked hopefully.
"I don't know," Gabriel replied, looking at everyone with dark eyes. "To be honest, don't you think all of this is a bit strange?"
Seeing that no one was following his line of thought, the Raven walked over to the table with the cubes and continued:
"It was too easy. There weren't many people, and we didn't see those trucks anywhere."
"Like a trap?" Michel asked, frowning. "I don't think so. Why would they leave behind the equipment to make the S.L. and so many people?"
"They must have just fled," Bia suggested.
They were quiet for a while, as if the air had gained twenty kilos, making breathing difficult. But soon they dismissed the idea, except for Gabriel, who remained thoughtful near the trays.
"So now what?" Livya asked.
"I think it's over," Samuel replied.
"Wow!" The young woman returned to the subject, looking disappointed. "Are missions like this, ending just like that, out of nowhere?"
"If we completed the request, then yes."
Something suddenly flew through the air, heading towards the path the group had taken, followed by a grunt of pain. Everyone startled and turned to try to understand what had just happened.
Gabriel had thrown one of his throwing knives at a man slowly climbing the path, with a weapon in his hands, hitting him. Then the sounds of cars roared from all directions along with screams.
Naomi felt her chest tighten; they had really fallen into a trap. Armoring themselves, the group prepared to flee, but they heard Gabriel emptying his gun at the laboratory equipment.
"They won't be able to use any of it anymore," the young man said, satisfied, as he looked
Here is the translation of the text into English:
"Quickly," Michel said, pointing toward the tunnel from which they had come. "We need to get out of here!"
A storm of emotions overwhelmed Livya as she followed the others with quick steps. Had they been too optimistic, or did they simply want everything to be resolved?
"They used the people from this place as bait," Gabriel, who was leading the group, said. "They knew we would eventually discover this place and set this trap."
"Did they leave their own to die?" Naomi asked indignantly.
"Yes." That was the only response from the Crow, who stopped abruptly.
On the other side of the corridor, a man came running, holding a long knife. Bia stepped forward, holding her blade. The opponent, realizing he had been seen, lunged with a stab aimed at the young woman's chest, but she easily dodged and, using her free hand, grabbed his arm, twisting it and slamming him into the wall. The man barely had time to exhale before Bia's knife plunged into the back of his neck.
More of them appeared, coming down the opposite path, and their reaction showed they wanted to avenge their dead companion. Samuel and Michel quickly moved to join Bia at the front line.
The opponents grabbed their weapons, but they were too slow. The Crows threw their throwing blades frantically until they had none left, causing seven deaths.
The shouting grew louder, making it clear to Gabriel that the larger group would be arriving soon. They had to escape while they still could. He was about to speak to everyone when a girl's voice echoed through the tunnel, which smelled of death.
"Did you find them?" the childish voice asked.
"Sister!" a man yelled, sounding relieved at the arrival of the other. "Yes, down here."
A massive figure began to descend the stairs. The entire body was covered in pieces of metal like armor, with a helmet that had two holes for eyes and several smaller ones around the mouth area. These were the only parts of the two-meter-tall body that weren't made of iron. In its hands, it held a nearly 1.60-meter-long iron shaft with a sledgehammer at the end, three times the size of a usual one. The figure entered the tunnel, nearly scraping its head on the ceiling. It looked like a moving wall of iron. It glanced at the bodies and then turned to the man, asking in a voice full of sorrow:
"Who did this to my family?"
"It was them!" the young man replied, pointing to the group of Crows.
Naomi felt a chill at the sight of the metal figure, especially when it spoke. Its voice didn't seem to belong to the body, almost alien. She gripped her weapon tightly, but she was in the back, only watching.
"They killed my family!!" The sorrowful voice of the Sister carried an undertone of hatred. "They will pay!"
She charged through the bodies like a bull, her speed almost unreal for her size. Then, she prepared to bring the sledgehammer down on the three at the front.
With swift movements, Michel and Bia jumped back, but Samuel faltered when his injured leg failed him. He barely saw the strike that came down like a blur. The sledgehammer hit his collarbone, breaking it in two, but it didn't stop there. The blow was so powerful that the iron piece continued downward, crushing several ribs and tearing through flesh in the process. Fragments of bone burst through the skin immediately, and his body was thrown to the ground by the force of the attack. He lay motionless.
A shockwave hit everyone as they saw their comrade die. Michel understood why the previous patrol said that even the Crows wouldn't stand a chance against her. He looked over his shoulder at Livya and remembered his dead former partner. He wouldn't let this happen to her, too. He shouted with all his might:
"Gabriel, Naomi, quick, take Livya and call for reinforcements!" He knew the veterans would protest, but there was no time for that. "Quick, leave this to us!"
Clenching her teeth in anguish, to the point of tasting blood, Naomi understood her teammate's desperation. She grabbed the frozen rookie and dragged her, shouting to Gabriel:
"Let's go, before it's too late!"
Reluctantly, the trio found a new path to escape, leaving the two behind. Michel stayed with his partner, watching as tears poured down her face, her eyes red with rage. It wouldn't have mattered if he had tried to make her run; after all, he knew exactly what his companion was feeling at that moment.
"It's up to us now," he murmured to her. "We'll kill her."
"They..." Bia managed to say, her voice thick with the deepest hatred. "We'll kill them all."
Bia charged at the killer of her partner, ducking just in time to avoid a blow that swept through the space where her chest had been moments before. Gunshots rang out from behind her at that instant. Michel fired when he saw the opportunity, unloading the magazine into Sister.
The Crow stepped back, opening more space, and fired back. The iron giant raised her arms to protect her face as she was sprayed with bullets. Bia kept pulling the trigger until the ammo ran out, switching to her last magazine and unloading it without mercy.
The sounds and flashes of gunfire blinded her for a moment, making black spots dance in her vision each time she blinked. But Sister stood there, the bullets lodged in her armor. She lowered her arms and said:
"That scared me."
Without warning, a new strike swept through the air toward Bia, who, despite her poor vision, managed to dodge on instinct, feeling the air of the sledgehammer as it crashed into the wall.
Michel was out of ammo and dropped his gun to the side. Just as he was about to join the fight, he saw Sister release both hands from the weapon's handle and punch Bia in the stomach.
The blow was so sudden and strong that it made the young woman vomit her dinner, expelling the air from her lungs. Bia looked at the bits of potato on the floor and a thought flooded her mind: My last meal will be baked potatoes. She smiled at this, watching the attacker pick up the weapon again.
Throwing her knife, which bounced harmlessly off the girl's protection, Michel only saw Sister, with one swift motion, rip the sledgehammer from the wall, sending it flying toward Bia's face. The sound of something breaking came just as Bia's body was violently thrown back, her face crushed against the floor.
Terror flooded Michel as he saw the two dead bodies of his comrades and the sight of the person riddled with bullets, with the sledgehammer dripping blood. He felt his legs give way, but he had to buy more time for the others. Gripping his last knife, he charged.
An attack came from above, aimed at the Crow's head, who stepped aside to dodge. The sound of the ground giving way to the impact shook his bones, but there was no rest, for the sledgehammer barely hit the ground before moving again. Sister's strength was unnatural. This time, Michel only had time to get close to her massive body, hearing the blow destroy the concrete behind him.
Gripping his knife with both hands, he aimed for the space between the joints of her armor, where the torso met the abdomen, throwing all his weight behind it. He felt the blade pass through the gap but hit something hard, chainmail.
He tried to retreat when her iron boot struck his shin, snapping it in two and sending his foot flying forward in an unnatural movement.
Michel screamed in pain, collapsing instantly. He saw the brute removing her weapon from the wall and heading toward him.
"Wait a moment, sister!" A new voice silenced everyone, making the girl stop immediately as she descended the path. "Leave him alive for now."
"Sure, brother."
A tall man in his mid-forties descended the stairs. He didn't need to make way, as others simply stepped aside, admiring him with their eyes. Strong and lean, he approached his sister, looking at the bodies around them.
"We've lost too many to these animals," he said, looking at Michel with disgust.
"I killed two of them, brother!" Sister said, pleased, to the newcomer.
"I knew I wouldn't have trouble with these types, but I have to commend you, little Crow, for your effort with your two little friends," he said, dismissively pointing to the bodies of the other two. "You bought enough time for the others to escape. Well, not that it changes much. They'll die soon enough too. Sister, bring him."
The Big Brother left the tunnel with the others around him. Sister grabbed Michel's good leg, dragging him without care. As they exited the tunnel, the young man was met with kicks, spits, and a wave of insults.
The place was crowded with people of all ages, and more than a dozen cars were scattered in front of the gate. Big Brother stood on a truck, holding a strange microphone connected to sound systems. He cleared his throat twice and spoke:
"Crows, this is Big Brother." His voice echoed in all directions, amplified thousands of times. "I know that even with your tails between your legs, you can hear me. I see you destroyed my factory and my spider nest, and you're to be congratulated for that, but I'm really angry, so I'm not letting any of you go until I have your heads."
He jumped off the truck, taking the microphone with him. The cable stretched almost to its limit as he approached Michel, kicking his leg. The Crow's scream was deafening as it amplified along with the roar.
"I'm with one of your friends, and now, firsthand, I'll show you what's going to happen to each of you soon. Could you, sister?"
Michel could barely keep his eyes open due to the tears of pain, which made it hard to focus, when the blow came. The strike slammed into his chest, destroying his insides and crushing his ribcage. The blows kept coming, tearing Michel's body apart, and he had already lost his life after the first strike.
The sounds were grotesque and guttural, accompanied by the screams of the people around. The Big Brother made sure to keep the microphone close at all times to transmit. When he was satisfied, he raised his hand, and the hammer strikes ceased.
"Did you like it, little crows? Because I sure did, and I'm looking forward to when it's your turn." He pulled the cable from the box and ended the transmission instantly.
"Do you think they heard?" asked the woman, exhausted.
"Of course."
"Brother!" A woman emerged from the crowd, speaking. "Should we send groups after them?"
Big Brother thought for a moment, but he had already lost too much with his strategy. He didn't care about losing people, but it had already been too many.
He had an idea and immediately conveyed it to the young woman.
"No, send the Converted."
The crowd stirred nervously. He understood why; he also got nervous around them, but he kept a neutral expression until someone gathered the courage to speak again.
"How many?" someone asked from the crowd.
"Three should be enough."
"Yes, Brother!" they responded almost in unison, and a large group set out to prepare the Converted.
Losing the factory had been a heavy blow, but he had been counting on it. It was time to change location, and for the equipment, he just needed to ask for more. He felt a satisfied smile play at the corners of his mouth, but he controlled it and spoke aloud for everyone to hear:
"Let's go then. Take all the boxes, and don't forget the crows' firearms; they're always useful."
As they prepared to leave, the three Converted were setting out to hunt the Crows.