The Enemies

the Control Building

Rhea

I land on my feet as the several loud blasts shutter the Alpha street above me making the buildings collapse, killing everyone in them. The deafening noise is followed by the heavy thuds that come from large chunks of concrete hitting the ground above us. It makes the tunnel walls shiver too.

Drawl helps me to my feet and we head towards the control building. The further we go the quitter it gets, until all I hear is the sound of our footsteps ecoing in the dark tunnel. I try to concentrate on it as hard as I can. I have no idea if Oden is alive or killed by the blast. I try not to linger on the thought. We are the enemies. We have always been and always will be the enemies. It feels like someone hit my head with a crowbar. Even running cannot do anything about it.

I am the first to reach the ladder leading to one of the streets closer to our destination. The laser net must be guarding the entrance. One mistake and it will move towards us and cut our flash into tiniest of pieces in no time. We come equipped, though. Amazing, how Loite operates. I could only wonder what she could possibly do to recover this secret. Loite takes out the signal transmitter to reprogram the net and after several minutes laser gives a weak buzz and switches off. We can proceed further.

She smiles at me and says cheerfully, 'Can you imagine I spent two years to get the information on this laser net? It was top secret technology. I turned all Drell upside down to learn it even existed. But incredible as it sounds you managed to confirm the Beam to be installed in Moneree in five minutes. Impressive, Rhea.'

My smile is weak at best and I have no wish to reply.

The so-called control building was used as a technical laboratory where new equipment was tested. Apparently when Drellians captured Moneree they made it into a control center. The Karmian army left the city in a hurry. We were thrown out of the southern capital. It goes without saying the Karmians could not take heavy sophisticated equipment when they retreated. They managed to ruin most of it and took only the technical drawings. The Drellians made a mistake however. I would not locate the control center in the city considered target number one for each Karmian there was to spare. They did not bother to investigate as Drellians were certain Stolnter to be the most important target of all. We might seem a strange lot to them, but we know how to fight and can become vicious for the sake of our country. The thought depresses me even more. I became like Drellians.

Drawl is the only one strong enough to move the hatch. The rest of us just follow him. The ladder is rusty and my gloves pick up the color. The wind bursts through the now opened passage. I spot Drawl's smiling face as I emerge from underground back on Moneree streets.

'Kid, you were incredible! You will be a legend from now on!'

Drawl pats my shoulder and I force a smile. Again. I strongly disagree but have no wish to argue. My farther and Loite already stand beside me.

'We split. Rhea and I will take the southern side of the building, Loite and Drawl - the northern,' my farther orders and heads in the direction of the building.

'You did good. I am very proud of you,' he says when I catch up to him.

'I am leaving when this is over. And I judge you, farther. I judge you.'

No matter how hard I try, I still cannot blame him for what he has done. But I judge. He burns in his own personal hell. But I would rather add some more wood into that fire. How could he not share anything about her? As if he thought I would even allow a thought to betray that secret.

Guilt, hot and overwhelming, burnt me from the moment I set my foot on Alpha street. The eyes of nowdeceased major Paxton haunt me. I was torturing him on purpose and his pained stare made the lump in my throat grow larger with each word I uttered, until I thought I would not be able to talk. Nevertheless I played my part to the end. I desperately chase away the thoughts of Oden. For a hundredth time I wish Paxton would shoot me. The tight ball of feelings that I desperately try to control inside me unfurls with double force.