The Iron Birds

Chapter Fourteen

Dinner was tense.

Orloff kept muttering in Russian while Kazova tried to hush her. Orloff didn't seem to care that her boss was on the last straw, and Vanka kept offering drinks to please the Eagle. Stepanova was quiet and picked at her turkey.

"I noticed something today," the Eagle said. Everyone looked up. "Your Birds have no motivation."

Orloff's features twisted. "What did you say?"

"They have no motivation," the Eagle repeated, spreading her hands. "They will become weak if they don't have a reason to fight."

"We fight all the time," Raven told her.

The Eagle ignored her and Raven tried to not let it sting when no one stood up for her.

"So I've been thinking," the Eagle continued, "detainment isn't enough."

"What do you suggest we do?" Vanka wondered.

The Eagle licked her lips, clearly excited to share this idea. This couldn't be good. More marching? Longer detainment? "These girls have been given life by us. We took their broken, worthless lives and turned them into soldiers. All at no cost."

Raven glanced at Heron, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. It cost them their parents and their freedom.

"After all we've done, the Birds should have to prove their worth. If they fail, we will have no need of them." The Eagle watched as everyone's expressions fade to shock.

"So what? You're going to toss them to the streets?" Heron asked. It was unlike her to speak up.

"Of course not. We already have bad publicity because of this one," the Eagle said, nodding to Raven and making her tense. "We will kill the defective ones."

Stepanova's jaw fell. "But . . ."

"What, Svetlana?" the Eagle sneered.

Stepanova shrunk at the use of her first name; it was a major blow of disrespect. A strand of blond hair fell from her intricate bun, but she made no effort to move it.

Orloff stood abruptly, shaking her head. "I want no part in this."

"If you show any more dishonor, Orloff, I will have you removed from this organization!" the Eagle shouted. By the way she said it, Raven was sure that meant Orloff would have the same fate as the Birds. She wouldn't be tossed to the streets.

It must've taken every ounce of Orloff's being to sit shakily in her chair.

"Good. I'll plan the tests and we will start tomorrow. Belsky, perhaps you could alert the medical team to have the injections on standby?" the Eagle asked.

Belsky paled.

"Belsky?"

"I—I don't . . ." She faltered, glancing at her fellow leaders for help. Orloff responded by downing the rest of her precious bottle. "Maybe we should take time to think."

"Oh, I have. Trust me, I've been thinking about this for a while."

"You should go," Vanka urged Belsky.

Reluctantly, Belsky trudged from the room.

"What the heck?" Raven demanded, fuming. Heron tapped her with her foot beneath the table, but she ignored it. "You can't just . . . you can't kill us! We have a purpose! To protect Moscow, remember?"

The Eagle shook her head, amused. "We aren't really protecting them. We're going to control them, which will ultimately protect them, I suppose. Isn't that right?" she asked the leaders, putting them on the spot.

"Right," Vanka said for all of them.

"You never told us that!" Raven shouted, slamming her hands on the table. "You said we would protect people! Not control them!"

"If you have a problem with that, I can assure you will be the first in line for an injection," the Eagle said calmly.

"Raven, please," Heron said. It was the tears in her eyes that made Raven jerk back into reality.

Stepanova stood. "Dinner is over. Everyone needs rest. I will clear the table."

With a gesture, she made everyone leave the table and head to their respective rooms in the villa, but Heron and Raven lingered.

Stepanova picked up napkins and wouldn't meet the girls' eyes. "I want you to rest. Both of you, go."

"No," Raven said, but she glanced at Heron. "Maybe you could—"

Heron's smile was tense. "Work on files? I was thinking the same thing."

She understood her assignment. Raven knew she did.

When Heron left, Raven scooped up the plates one by one. "I can't believe you just sat there."

Stepanova didn't reply.

"You sat there as that witch threatened the Birds! As she threatened your  Flock! Don't you dare tell me you agree with her, because I know you, Stepanova. Don't you dare tell me you aren't a coward, because I know you are. You're a coward!" Raven roared, smashing a plate with her iron fist. It fell in dozens of shards to the floor and she knelt to clean it up.

Stepanova lowered beside her with a dustpan. Her pale eyes were glassy as she whispered, "I am mad with myself." 

"You should be," Raven hissed. She was about to go on another rant, but Stepanova interrupted her.

"Do you remember that lesson I told you? About relationships and friends?"

"Yeah."

"I fooled myself." She leaned against the wall, gathering her legs close to her chest and suddenly looking very, very small. "Do you know how long I have been a Flock leader? How many years?" She didn't wait for Raven to answer. "I once became attached to a particular Bird. Her name was Wren," she choked out, her voice cracking at the Bird's name. She took a shaky breath and fiddled with a fragment of the glass plate. "She was smart and strong and determined. A lot like you."

"What happened to her?"

"She remembered things she shouldn't have." Stepanova's eyes pierced into Raven's.

She knows, Raven thought, horrified.

"She told me one day that she remembered," Stepanova continued. "I was sick to my stomach, but I told her, 'It will be okay.' I was young leader then. Foolish. I told Vanka and she—" She shuddered. "Wren was gone next morning. I never got to say goodbye."

Raven grabbed the shards of plate from her. "I don't know why you are telling me this."

"Because I won't make the same mistake." She lowered her voice. "I know you remember. I knew since the day you fainted in the infirmary."

Raven felt her blood run cold. "You have?"

Stepanova nodded.

"Listen, Step," Raven said, "you have to stop the Eagle."

Pain swirled on Stepanova's features. "You don't understand. I want to. But I'm a coward, like you said. I have no power."

Raven took her hands. "No, Stepanova. You do. You have the Birds, and like the Eagle said, we're the strongest force this world has ever seen."

Stepanova searched Raven's eyes, tightening her grip on her hands. "I am so, so proud of you, my Bird. I always have been." She brought Raven close, giving her their first embrace. That's when she whispered in her ear, "You need to escape. Find a way. Set the Birds free."