[The Tempest trilogy: Book 2] After the incident in Ostrava's Neoclash arena, Zoya faces dangerous challenges. Nightingale's uprising threatens to destroy the whole Europe, the racist Yeomen movement steps up their campaing against Castaways and Rya...
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The AVIA Mall, at last.
The three squads of Wardens cleared another small area, making it easier for me to reach the complex. But another problem is emerging - Vultures. There aren't many of them, but when they join forces with armed Castaway goons, they can cause serious trouble.
The Wardens fight them relentlessly, but losses can't be avoided. The number of Castaway peacekeepers is limited, but Nightingale's henchmen just keep coming. And their concentration around the AVIA Mall is even bigger. However, I'm already in the shadow the aircarrier casts on the ground.
I bet Valentina is inside. Let's pay her a little visit.
The main entryway to the Mall is right in front of me. Well, the entryway is a bit inaccurate way to describe it since it's more like a giant gate with a massive AVIA logo above it leading into the main foyer. There isn't any kind of door, so the masses of visitors can just freely enter through the gate.
However, there aren't any visitors now. All the people to come inside are Nightingale's thugs who systematically scavenge the stores and warehouses so they can bring the desired wares to their mistress.
I am not going inside. I calculate the fastest route where I can get from here to the aircarrier. First, I have to get atop the mall, using the logo above the entrance as it provides many ledges to grab. Then, I will climb on the AVIA Tower, a few floors would be enough. From there, I can jump on the aircarrier.
Perfect. Now I only have to run past the army of thugs. Fortunately, they are mostly unarmed since their main purpose here is to raid the mall. Should be easy.
I prepare for the sprint, but then, something grabs my shoulder from behind and yanks me to the ground. Against the partly overcast sky, I see the familiar silhouette. My efforts to escape him were futile. He's here, probably more angry than ever before.
"No..." I gasp with a trembling voice.
Isaiah's left eye is now covered by a layer of molten tissue and the pigment scars around it are now accompanied by an ugly burn scar. When the bionic hand I threw into the molten metal exploded, a chunk of the red-hot substance landed on Isaiah's face, disfiguring him even further. Now he's standing above me, huffing heavily, his remaining eye filled with burning hatred.
"Isaiah... this isn't what I wanted!" I say.
What did I even mean with that? Him losing his eye? This whole situation? The crazy turn of events which changed us from intimate allies to implacable enemies?
Instead of replying, Isaiah just raises his bionic fist and strikes. I manage to roll away. The impact is so strong it raises a wave of concrete debris into the air. If there were any remaining traces of sanity in his mind, they are gone now. All that's left is the rage.
I jump on my feet. He takes a few more swings at me; he's faster than I remember him. Rage and pain probably fuel him. I can hardly evade, the less counterattack. It's only a matter of time before his fist connects with my face. When it finally happens, I black out for a while and when I come back to my senses, I see double. Unbearable pain pulsates in the left side of my face.
