Chapter 18
Talin's chest was leaden with added weight. Her arms were immobile. The breaths from her mouth were coming in short, rapid bursts. She was stationary on the floor of the truck, feeling every vibration of the vehicle as it traveled the desert. She was trapped.
"Nobody is going to hurt anyone," Vincent had said. "It's a promise."
"Where's my father?" Brielle asked. "What happened to him? Why won't anyone tell me anything?" She was about to step forward when Talin blocked her way.
"Not so fast," the defender murmured her cautions. "Let me talk. Stay behind me."
Vincent removed his glasses and began wiping it on his sleeves. A corner of his mouth lifted. "Isn't that nice?" he said. "The two of you have been spending more time licking each other's wounds than clashing throats. I can't say I'm not pleased. But tell me. Who is on top?"
Brielle gazed at the defender quizzically, but Talin wasn't to be lead in this kind of conversation. It was the sort that invited trouble. "If you're asking who is on top, I'll be, if you don't go straight to the point," she said to the man. "And I'll make sure you don't enjoy my knife ripping through your gut along the way. Where do you plan to take us?"
Vincent replaced his glasses, not smirking anymore. "It is just as the soldiers said. You are no fun." He gestured to the space behind him, to the land that only he and his cohorts could see at that height. "I can't tell you for now. It's going to be a surprise. But. . ." He held up a finger. "Everything you're searching for is there. Are you willing?"
"I don't make deals with—"
"Give us a moment," Brielle cut off. She grabbed Talin's hand and pulled the defender toward unmanned rocks farther behind them where no one would be prying.
"What do you think you're doing, dragging me around?" Talin said, soon as they were secluded. She didn't like taking her eyes from the enemy. Vincent could give new orders and try to corner them. The small spot where Brielle took her offered no shelter from above. It had little room for maneuvering too. "This is no vantage point."
"I don't care about that," Brielle said. "Or anything else other than the answers. Let's think about this first before you say no to Vincent."
Talin seized her with a look. "You're acting suspicious. That's exactly what you'll say if you're working with him."
"Oh give me a break." Brielle squeezed the defender's hand. She still hadn't let go. Noticing this, Talin did the honors and tugged her hand away. There was no reason to get carried away with this. "You and your skepticisms," Brielle continued with a roll of her eyes. "We both know two things- one, you trust me now. I don't know how, but I can feel it."
"And the second?" Talin said. This conversation was dragging more than it should, but she still felt the need to ask. A part of her couldn't believe that this was how they ended. She didn't trust Brielle fully, but from the way she saw things, the girl could be in danger from Vincent. Anyone in danger from Vincent wasn't her enemy- wasn't her responsibility either, but special circumstances called for different actions.
"I don't know what the second is," Brielle admitted. "Neither do you. That's the point. We both know that we don't know anything, and Vincent is going to tell us what's going on. Does that make sense?"
Talin's left hand closed onto the knife. She still had it clutched, forgotten with all the disruption. At a moment's notice, she could throw it onto someone's neck, if she so wished. Was it needed now? She mulled over the options and released air through her mouth. Fog occluded her face before it cleared out. The temperature was getting lower and lower. As if to prove her point, Brielle shivered.
"Okay," Talin said, looking away from the girl. "We will go with your father." She cleared her throat. "With Vincent." Her eyes glanced back to Brielle, and this time, a command was behind them. "I will never trust that man, and since I'm not fully sure where your loyalty lies, you need to stick with me. One wrong move and I kill you. Clear?"
Brielle's eyes brightened. She didn't seem to register the part where Talin was threatening to kill her. "I won't do anything to get in your way," she swore.
Vincent and his men perked-up when they saw the two girls heading back to the middle of the rocks where they can see them. "Have you made a decision?" he said.
"What will you do if we disagree?" Talin said, knife at the ready.
Vincent shrugged. "Nothing. I know you'll come with me. Irrational as you are sometimes, you know the stakes behind this. Harming me won't undo anything."
Talin's eyes closed. The man played his cards well. "Okay," she said, lids snapping open. "We'll come with you." She nudged her head to Brielle. "But she stays with me."
"Fine. Be my guest." He lifted two fingers and gestured to his men. All of them dispersed at once.
Military trucks that were the same color as the sand on the desert were idle and ready for them when they came to the other side of the rocky area. The Enclave was far away now, almost blocked off by the stones.
"We have to hurry," Vincent said, his strides complementing his haste. "It won't be long before my mother senses that something is off, and I want to be as far away from here as possible. Give or take, we'll have a day between us."
Talin watched the guards front and back from them. They were more than twenty at least, all armed to the teeth. "Who are these men?" she asked. "I do not recognize any of them from the usual entourage."
Vincent waved his hand dismissively. "They're from all over the place. They're easy to come by if you have money. You encountered one back there." He jutted his thumb back to the rocky area.
"Guns for hire?" Brielle said, curiously looking as well. She flinched when Talin glanced back at her. "Sorry. You didn't instruct me to stay quiet."
Vincent smirked. "That's my daughter for you," he said. Both Talin and Brielle glowered. "The journey will take more than twelve hours. I suggest you catch some rest at the back of the truck while at it. You won't be refrained from doing anything. If you're hungry or need to empty your bladder, just knock on the divider for the driver, and he'll coordinate with us."
"Like hell I'll sleep through this," Talin murmured.
Two guards opened the back of the truck when they approached. "That's yours," Vincent said. He pointed to another vehicle beside theirs. "I'll be there."
Talin wasn't comfortable with this arrangement, but Brielle had other things on her mind. She was the first to enter the truck with an easy smile, like they were going on an adventure rather than a potential slaughterhouse. How the girl could act like this was beyond the defender.
"Update me every two hours," Talin said to Vincent, her back to the truck.
Vincent smoothed his hair. "Impossible. I'll be asleep."
"Two hours," Talin repeated firmly. She turned around and stepped on the platform that would take her to the truck. Behind her, Vincent's glasses glimmered before the door closed.
*******************************
Three hours later and all was quiet- everything beside the engine of the vehicle and the rush of blood on her ears. The temperature outside had dropped to a negative. She could tell because even with a single bulb on the truck's ceiling, the metal walls were pronounced due to the developing frost. But Talin was pretty warm. Brielle had made sure of that. The moment the truck had moved, the girl had snuggled to Talin like a blanket, and had fallen asleep on her chest. She was trapped.
It had been a long time since she'd gotten peaceful sleep. Talin wasn't fond of pillows or mattresses. She'd slept on them when she was in the city, at the president's directive, but most of the time she preferred the ground. For this reason, it was mind-boggling that she was enjoying her accommodations. It was unlike her.
"Talin. . . Talin, your hands." Someone was groaning. "No, not there. Talin!" The moan was succeeded by a slapping sound.
The defender jerked awake. In surprise, she jumped up to protect herself. Not a good move. Her head slammed on the roof of the truck, making her stumble back to a sitting position. Beside her, Brielle was breathing hard, hands splayed on her chest, red-faced and stabbing her with a stare.
"Did you? Did you just slap me?" Talin said incredulously.
Brielle pursed her lips. "You deserve more than that."
"What did I do?"
The girl's face reddened even more, yet she didn't speak. It confused Talin a great deal. Should she apologize? What for?
The truck pulled to a stop.
"How long was I out?" she asked, more aware of her surroundings. It was a mistake to fall asleep. She shouldn't have lowered her guard. "Where are we?"
Brielle bit her lips, uncertain. The instant her eyes skimmed Talin's head, her shoulders dropped. She moved nearer to the defender. "I should be mad right now," the girl murmured. "But you're bleeding."
"I am?" Talin didn't feel anything other than the drowsiness slipping away. Her hand attempted to go to her forehead. She received a slap on the arm.
"Stop," Brielle said. "I'll take care of it."
"It's nothing," Talin dismissed. "Cuts heal. Worse things will happen at The Offering."
"I know, and I'll be dying inside each time, so don't disregard it like that."
"Why? Why do you care so much? We're nothing to each other."
Brielle's eyes were a twilight color. They were like the lonely flowers Talin had seen once. They were still beautiful even if they were clouded with sadness. Talin felt an odd pull at her stomach from seeing them like that. She suddenly wished she hadn't been the one to cause it.
"I thought we'd at least be friends," Brielle said. "Because heaven knows I need one right now."
Talin looked away. "I am not a good friend. Never will be. I have a bad habit of letting people down."
Brielle's hand was gentle as she tilted the defender's chin to face her. "Then do good by me," she said. "Okay?" Her eyes glanced worriedly at Talin's head again. "I think we should really get that cleaned, but I haven't seen anything we can use in the truck. Maybe we should tell the driver." She bumped her fist on her palm. "No, wait. . . I know what we can use."
Brielle raised the hem of her tunic to eye level and started to pat it on Talin's forehead. The defender couldn't see anything while she was being tended to like a child, other than the cloth of course, but she could feel the warmth from Brielle's body, moving closer to hers. She could also detect the smell of new and old books.
Talin didn't have much time to read because of her training. But a couple of times she had visited the library. "What for?" she had asked one time when the president took her. "I won't be fighting with words. I'll be using a weapon. Learning has no place in my life."
"What about after The Offering?" the president said. "You want to live a normal life, yes? If so, you must go here to read whenever you're in the city or not resting. Learning ensures your future."
Since then, Talin had associated books with possibilities. Someday. . . Someday she would go back to the library as much as she wanted, whenever she pleased, and would learn to her heart's content. Someday.
"There," Brielle said, leaning back. "We make a good team, don't we?"
An ache settled on Talin's chest. "We better ask Vincent where we are. I'm growing impatient." She didn't dare look in the girl's direction again. For sure there was only one outcome with her rejection, and the burden of seeing those purple eyes disappointed was going to disquiet the newfound peace she was just rediscovering.
The door of the truck opened when Talin was about to knock. An armed soldier whose face was half-hidden by a filter mask beckoned to them. "Sir Vincent wants you to come with me." His voice was slightly muffled. "Right this way please."
More men were outside the truck, dozens, most of them unloading equipment's from silver boxes. They hardly glanced at Talin and Brielle when they were guided from the vehicle to a narrow, rocky path. Wherever this was, it wasn't the desert proper anymore. There were small patches of grass on the cracks on the soil. The ground was grey and hard, unlike the desert they had left which was soft and brown.
The narrow path stretched beyond them, and from the way the track was inclined, they seemed to be climbing a mountain. The farther they go, the more the smell of rotten eggs increased. Talin's stomach was strong to handle this, but Brielle had covered her nose and mouth.
"What do you think is in there?" the girl asked.
Talin quickened her steps so she was walking inches ahead. "I don't know, but stay behind me." Her mind was made. Brielle wasn't lying or working with Vincent. She had nothing to do with this. And from what happened with Armstrong, Talin was sure that the girl couldn't defend herself.
"Stop," the soldier said, rotating to them. "We're almost there. I need to inform Sir Vincent that you're here." He saluted and left.
When he was nothing but a dot in the distance, Talin swiveled to Brielle. "Have you seen the men near the parking spot?" she said.
Brielle nodded. "About fifty. They were bringing items and supplies. I think they're owned by our government. The eagle seal was on the silver boxes."
Talin hid her smile. The girl was good at observing. "Now that you know how many people are out there, you have to do exactly as I say," she instructed. "If Vincent acts out of norm, which he will because he's a son of a— You know what I'm saying. If he does, you don't hesitate. You come running to me."
Brielle tensed. "There's too many of them. There's only two of us."
"How do you think it'll will be in the competition? If things go wrong here, we will find a way to get back to the president. She will handle the rest, but we have to reach her."
"O-okay."
Talin glanced at the path where the soldier disappeared to, and in a few seconds, he was back to them. She'd heard his heavy footsteps long before. "Sir Vincent knows," he said.
They continued down the trail. The rocks were more jagged than the ones they've left behind. Talin was no stranger to this, only to the nauseating otherworldly smell that grew stronger with every step. She could do without the mask, but she'd hoped there was one available for Brielle. She didn't ask the soldier this.
Vincent was talking to a woman with straight blonde hair when they arrived. They were both wearing masks. The path had widened considerably. There was more moving room but less breathing space. The air was dank.
Vincent turned when he saw them coming. "My most valued guests!" he welcomed. "You don't know how happy I am that you're here."
Talin have seen the woman beside him a few times, but didn't know her by name. Brielle, however, seemed to recognize Vincent's companion. "Sarah?" she said.
"You shouldn't have come here," Sarah said, shaking her head. "I thought it was going to be over when the president made us leave."
"Uh-uh," Vincent said. The edge of his eyes crinkled. "We don't want to spoil the surprise now, do we?" He motioned to Talin and Brielle. "Come with me, the two of you." He glanced at Sarah. "You stay here."
As ordered, Sarah had been left behind, though she didn't look too happy about it. Meanwhile, the environment got hotter as they progressed. Another thing to note was how the path sloped down instead of upward like before. Talin used her knees to skid down easily. Going against the slide was demanding death. Nature was like this. You couldn't outrun, outclimb, or outwit her. You simply had to glide and hoped you survived.
The defender glanced over her shoulders at Brielle. Was that how the girl got her? "Are you alright?" Talin said. Brielle nodded, concentrating down. Sweat was running on her pale forehead, her clothes already wet. "Don't look at your feet like that. You'll stumble. Use your eyes to check your environment, and your body will follow."
"Over here," Vincent called. He had been walking ahead of them.
When they were back in stable ground, Talin understood where this was all going. Apparently, Brielle knew too. "We're heading to a volcano," the girl said aloud.
"I thought it was obvious enough," Vincent said. He walked in Talin's line of sight, his face as sweaty as any of them. "The main bridge is right behind those rocks. Follow me."
Onward they went, keeping Vincent out front. Brielle had turned awfully quiet. The girl hadn't said anything since blurting that they were going to a volcano, and had fiddled with her fingers as if in deep thought. Talin left her be to survey the environment. There were no grass anymore, just rocks in all sizes. It would be harder to run when the going gets rough, though not entirely impossible.
In a while, the path opened in a wide arc, paving way for a crater. Gases billowed from the opening, emitting a smoke where the terrible odor was coming from. It was on a ledge that overlooked the fiery red bubbles of death did Vincent pause. He gazed at the expanse wistfully, like a king staring at his land. "I promised you answers," he said, talking more to himself. "And I'll give them to you now."
"What is this place?" Talin asked. She'd been alert all this time. There were no soldiers nearby. What was the reason?
Vincent cocked his head to the side. "Come here, little ghost," he said.
Brielle stepped by his side without questions. She didn't look well. Her eyes were casted downward.
Talin wanted to ask why. She was used to Brielle asking questions, not this.
"I discovered this place years ago while searching a strange rock," Vincent said. "It wasn't easy. I had to study the geological magnificence of the place, get to the nitty gritty of things. After some time, I found out that the rock didn't belong to this world. It came from another."
"Hold it," Talin said. "I don't. . . What is this?"
"Settle down. We're just getting to the good part." Vincent grinned. "Being a man of science, I began to theorize where the rock came from, how it got here, and whether we can take advantage of it. And now." He motioned to the crater. "After countless experiments, we have our answers. Before the war of the Old, natives called this place another name. They thought it's a portal to hell. But it turned out that it was a gateway to a new world. My world."
"Lies," Brielle whispered.
Vincent turned to her. "What did you say?"
Brielle raised her head, eyes full of hatred. "Not yours," she said. "You didn't do crap. It was my parents who discovered this, them who studied and theorized." She advanced a step to him, pointing. "I know because I've spent my childhood without a mother, and a father who was knee-deep in his studies." Surprise flashed on her face. "You stole his work. That's it, wasn't it?"
"I didn't steal anything, you little brat. I'm more intelligent than your father. My mother didn't think so, and now look where it got her." He loomed closer to Brielle, fingers shaking. "It was I who suggested to her, to all of those pompous presidents to do The Offering on the other side. My mother didn't want to. She had too many excuses. Worthless, bull! But I will continue this with or without her. Once you're on the other side, the program will commence. And you know why?" He looked at Talin. "Because you will follow her. You will want to kill her."
Talin wanted nothing to do with it. She couldn't fully grasp the severity of the situation, but what she'd heard so far was enough to say that Vincent was out on his usual dirty work. "I'm not doing your bidding," she answered with finality.
Vincent grabbed Brielle by the arm. "You will."
"Let go of her," Talin warned.
"Do you know why she's your sodales?" Vincent said. "Ask me."
Talin clenched her teeth. She'd kill him right now. There was no other choice. She seized the knife in her pocket. It would take her five seconds to unsheathe it and save the girl. The countdown starts now.
"It was Brielle's idea," Vincent said.
Talin's fingers hovered on the handle. They were lies. She shouldn't listen.
"Brielle blamed me for her father's disappearance and wanted revenge," he drawled on. "She also wanted to find him, and the only way to do that was to be in The Offering. She'd always known that it was going to be made in this place. The clues are all here."
"I don't know what the heck you're talking about!" Brielle yelled.
"She tricked me. She tricked everyone," Vincent said, "By coming up with the idea to gamble with Sector II. She knows I love my games. As her new father, I couldn't say no to both the challenge and her begging. Eventually, Sector II won the bet and got your partner as a reward. But the game was rigged. Brielle's doing of course. She'd been coordinating with Xander, Sector II's defender, behind my back. They wanted to get Mei. They know you'd lose willingly in The Offering if you had to kill her."
Talin covered her ears. "Stop," she whispered.
"My mother found out, again because she's a nosey old woman, and had to replace your sodales. That's why you're with Brielle. It was how she planned it."
"Stop it," Talin said.
"I have nothing to do with this!" Brielle protested. "I'm innocent. I was kept in the dark."
"Oh? Why do you always talk to Xander then?" Vincent asked.
Talin's eyes snapped to Brielle. She'd seen them conversing, back at the hallway of the Enclave and the atrium.
"Don't believe him," Brielle pleaded. "I have nothing to do with it."
"Now that everyone's informed," Vincent intervened. "Maybe it's time we do this. You know, little ghost. I have to congratulate you. Nobody, and I mean no living human had gone through that portal. My mother was against human trials. So far, we've only sent equipment's on the other side. We haven't surveyed the land because the cameras have to be set-up there. Remote doesn't work that well. The Offering is a good opportunity to explore. That's why I want to do it in that place."
Brielle tried to pry her arm loose from him. "Please. . . I'm begging you," she cried. "I'll die down there."
"You might," Vincent agreed. "Or maybe not. It's time to find out."
"Talin!" she said. "Talin!"
Vincent pushed her.
A/N: Hahahaha! Oh man. . . I'm really swamped with things to do. Do you like my story so far? I don't know how people will take it. I'll get another backlash for sure. And I don't know when I will get to update next. December is a busy month and I'm doing a personal project. So I guess. . . See you when I see you?