Cyberknight: One Path

⁕ The Lynching Game (part 9)

[Audrey] - "There is nothing we can do. "

Said Audrey before tossing the Dane's chip toward her friends.

[Senju] - "What is this? "

[Audrey] - "I think it's fair that you know what is coming for us. After all, it's the end of our road. Go take a look in the other room, I made sure there were no voice recorder or camera in there. "

Although confused, Senju obeyed Audrey's instruction and left the dinner table with the chip.

[Oltevin] - "They want us dead, don't they? We misjudged Mike, it seems. "

Said Oltevin in an ironic tone.

[Audrey] - "They made sure to censor us from the media to remove us without people noticing. God... I should've looked at this information earlier instead of waiting until now. "

Said Audrey with frustration and regret in her voice.

[Oltevin] - "It's not too late to do something about it. "

[Audrey] - "Heh! Aren't you a funny man, Oltevin? "

[Oltevin] - "We still have time to find comrade Kadyn and make our escape if we act now. "

In a fit of anger, Audrey slammed her fist on the table before leaning toward Oltevin.

[Audrey] - "It's too late! There is nothing we can do! Mike's Lynching Game has us cornered. They have eyes on every single corner of the base and if we don't follow their rules, they can just as easily terminate us on the spot or accuse us of being spies for the Empire! "

[Oltevin] - "So you suggest we simply accept the mission tomorrow and die? Who else but us knows comrade Kadyn is in danger? Who else but us knows about Mike's plan? Last month, we were sent on mission to investigate dead comrades who fought against enemy. You saw what enemy did to our comrades, so I don't think we have chance to survive either. "

Yelled Oltevin with a resolute look in his eyes.

[Audrey] - "Then what do you suggest? If you are so good at talking, why don't you find us a plan or something? I saw what Sniper did to my country with my own eyes. If that bastard Mike, a man capable of killing Sniper, wants us dead, what escape do you think we have? "

[Oltevin] - "We fight like men. We do not cry or despair. I go talk to McCree again tonight. "

Upon hearing Oltevin's suggestion, Audrey despairingly allowed herself to collapse back onto her seat.

[Audrey] - "I saw your movie, Oltevin. McCree is a lost cause. He's now like one of those ultra-nationalist protagonist in your movie. Why bother? "

[Oltevin] - "Because he is not a bad person. He's simply misguided. "

Later, after an intense exchange of words between McCree and Oltevin, the clash of ideals finally began to strip away the voice of reason within McCree as he raised his pistol on Oltevin.

[McCree] - "Bullshit! Ya buster are either trying to attempt a coup or are bitter about your gradual irrelevance on media. Either way, I ain't buying any of the shit you are spewing here, partner. "

[Oltevin] - "And you trust Mike over all your comrades? We have never lied to you, we fought together through hell and back, yet you choose to side yourself against us? "

[McCree] - "I chose the side of justice. Mike brought justice to this wounded nation while all of you were just sitting around and letting us do all the dirty work. You have no right to accuse him of anything. "

Yelled McCree as he pushed the hammer on his gun.

[Oltevin] - "So? Are you going to shoot? Put a hole in a comrade who fought side by side with you. Kill like a savage beast. Spill the blood of a comrade all over your face. Let your fellow hyena slap charges of treason on my rotten corpse. "

Said Oltevin with gritted teeth and eyes without fear.

[McCree] - "I've arrested over 200 men and women. I've shot a dozen of them myself. What makes you think you'll get lucky with me? "

Said McCree with the same fearless resolve in his eyes.

[Oltevin] - "I showed you evidence, I tried to make you see reason, yet you refuse to bend. "

Said Oltevin with a disappointed look on his face.

[McCree] - "Ya know what I think of this chip and what Dane is saying? One damn word: Bull-shit! "

Said McCree before snapping the chip in half with his fingers.

[Oltevin] - "Audrey was right. You are lost, comrade. They put your face all over the walls for a reason. You are the new face of a regime based on fear and oppression for a reason. "

[McCree] - "Fuck you! I earned my place here. I did something with my power unlike you. "

Said McCree in a hateful tone.

[Oltevin] - "Can you even be here if not for comrade Kadyn? She guided us as we were still new to crystals. She saved us and stood up for us despite overwhelming odds when she could've died. If not because of her, we would've never survived until today to be arguing here like two bitches in heat. Now, comrade Kadyn is in trouble, yet you don't care. In fact, you never answer us about comrade Kadyn's status because you don't know anything about her either. "

[McCree] - "She's none of our business. She has her own life and Mike is taking care of her. Stay out of other people's business, ya damn creeps! "

Yelled McCree in anger.

[Oltevin] - "Also, you didn't earn this place. I fought with you to defeat that cyberknight. All posters in halls but I never see my name beside yours. We fought every battle as a team. You were not the man who defeated Famine, you were not the man who defeated the KD-assassins and you are especially not the man who solo-defeated enemy cyberknight that day! "

Yelled Oltevin accusingly while pointing at McCree.

[McCree] - "Get out of my office! Don't ever let me see your face again! "

[Oltevin] - "You know that Russian movie I love so much? Well, I believed any of the propaganda. All I ever cared about was the plot and story. It's about the story of three brothers fighting inside an iron coffin in a war they didn't start. I watch movie, not because of what they believe, but because of how they make me feel. "

At that moment, although McCree tried to hide it, Oltevin's words did reach his heart. Without fear, Oltevin gave a few taps on McCree's arm which was still holding the gun against his chest.

[Oltevin] - "If I don't return from mission tomorrow, please, watch this movie one last time at my funeral. This time, see through the propaganda and understand the message common to all men no matter their affiliation. "

Said Oltevin as he deposited a copy of the movie on McCree's desk.

As Oltevin walked toward the exit, he heard McCree throw the movie into the garbage bin. However, Oltevin simply shook his head and left without uttering a word or looking back. As soon as the door shut behind Oltevin, McCree dropped his pistol before letting out a few laboured breaths. As the dust settled, regret filled his heart as he realized what he had done against his friend.

On the other hand, Oltevin began noticing McCree's face everywhere he went inside the base. Ironically, the very person who argued against Russian propaganda became a piece of propaganda for something worse without even realizing it.

To be continued...