Systems In Chaos: Dissention

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Outside the hanger Vladimir came marching back through the doors and rejoined Garen. Garen and the rest of the soldiers were holding the enemy off as best they could, but they had already taken several dozen casualties and twice as many wounded. “Status report!” Vlad commanded.

“We’re holding, Vlad. But, we can’t hold out forever. More Imperials keep streaming into the base and we’ve lost two of the last zeuti. The last one is wounded and she’s out of the battle. If any more Hadi Marauders or Sorcerers show up... we’re finished!” Garen shouted over the explosions.  Dirt rained down from above as a rocket blew a crater into the ground on the opposite side of the armoured truck they were hiding behind.

Vladimir looked over out to see where the enemy was. There’s over thirty by a quick count, and all of them are behind co... Vlad saw something which caught his attention. A figure moved from one building to the next and then disappeared into the base. Got you. “I’ll be back in a bit.” Vlad got up to move out of cover and towards the base.

“Hey, where’re you going?” Garen called after him, bewildered.

Vlad looked back, “I have some unfinished business.” With that he burst from his cover and bolted towards the steel shacks. After a few close calls he was out of the line of fire. He moved in the direction he saw the figure moving. After a few guesses, he caught another glimpse just as they ducked into some shack. He followed.

Vladimir peered inside and saw Keimi kneeling beside a young guy and using one of her gadgets to free him from his bindings. “It’s alright Taus. We’re getting out of here,” she said to the lad. He heard a loud gasp when she turned and saw Vladimir’s hulking figure standing in the doorway. “V-Vladimir?” she asked, unsure. Her hand crept towards one of her pistols.

“It’s me. What are you doing here?” he asked her, calmly and flat. Underneath the layers of his voice fury began to boil in his blood.

She removed her helmet and look at him with sad eyes, “I-I’m sorry... I had to lower the defences. They had my brother. I-I did lo...”

“Don’t you say it!” Vlad snapped. He looked at the teen boy grimly before turning back to Keimi. His eyes were flat, and stared at her with hate. She flinched at his gaze, she knew he hated her. “Garen died because of you.”

Keimi knew that was going to happen when she’d given him the poison... but he had left her no choice. He would have stopped her and prevented her from saving her brother. “Vlad, I’m so sorry. I ha...”

“I said don’t say it,” he cut her off again. His voice was icy and his glare icier still. “My best friend died. He warned me about you, time and time again. But I told him he was wrong, that you were a good person. A decent person... I was falling for you...” He clenched a fist and the look of disgust crossed his face.

Keimi felt a pang in her heart, like it had been torn out of her chest. She tried to grasp it, but her body armour stopped her. It hurt. Hurt more than anything she thought was possible. She felt a warm tear fall down her cheek, and then another and another. “I know.”

“Sis?” her brother asked warily from behind her. He looked at Vladimir suspiciously.

Vladimir unbuckled his pistol and aimed it at her head. Keimi stared down the barrel, her whole body trembling. “I know you must hate me. I-If you truly want to... kill me. B-But let my brother go... he has done nothing.”

Vladimir’s hand began to shake as he held it up, aiming it at the person he’d fallen in love with. “Garen is my brother, and you killed him. I watched him die.”