Chapter 4

The door to Spencer’s cell opens, revealing a sliver of light that eventually floods the entire cell. Spencer looks up, but is blinded by the intense light. An uneasy feeling flutters about him. The woman walks in and moves to his side to begin helping him to his feet. Spencer doesn’t pull away and instead he cooperates. “We must move quickly, before anyone notices you are missing,” she says with a comforting voice.

“Who are you?” Spencer asks, his voice a bit shaky.

A smile comes to her face that he isn’t able to see due to the temporary blindness he faces because of the light. “My name is Natalya and to answer your next question—I am helping you because it is a matter of convenience.”

“Where are we going?” he asks as they begin moving toward the door of the cell.

We are getting you out of here and taking you someplace safe,” she answers in a near whisper. “From there you are free to go where you want.”

Shortly after leaving the room, Spencer’s eye sight returns completely. He looks over his rescuer with curiosity and hesitation. She is beautiful, but still he senses something off about her. He knows she is most likely more dangerous than she seems. They are waiting at a junction of what looks like incredibly long, narrow halls. So far the place looks to be devoid of life until now. Two guards are standing and talking a few meters to the left of the junction. There is no way for both of them to sneak past without either man noticing them and then asking unnecessary questions.

Natalya turns to Spencer and whispers her intentions. “I’ll go and take care of the guards. You head down the right until you reach the next junction.”

Spencer nods. Natalya rounds the corner, leaving Spencer behnd. “Chto prodoyazhuyetsya edyes? Pochyemu? V dva poyaozheniya vokrug?” she asks in a commanding tone. “What’s going on here? Why are you two standing around?”

“Mdbo...” one of the guards begins to say. “We are abo...” Spencer has taken the opportunity to slip down the hall opposite when the soldier notices him. “Ostanovites!” he yells. “Halt!”

Spencer doesn’t look back. Instead he runs harder, hoping in case shots are fired, he will not be on the receiving end. Neither guard gets that far. Natalya is in motion just before either guard is able to raise their guns. Within moments, both guards are lying on the ground dead. Spencer peers back around the corner after a few moments of silence. What he sees shakes him to the core.

Natalya stands between both guards with a pool of blood at her feet. One of the men has his throat ripped out and the other is missing his jaw, which Spencer locates lying a few feet away from its owner’s body. The woman seems to be savoring the moment. Her wings are spread out and it appears that she is eating something. Spencer stares until she turns around. Blood runs from her chin and she is holding a human heart in her hand. He looks down to the hole in the chest of the man that yelled for him to stop. Quickly, he turns back around the corner to wait for Natalya to get finished with her meal.

“Ayerzhite eto tut zhe! Oain osnovanie, teper!” another guard yells, pointing his gun in Spencer’s face. “Hold it right there! On the ground, now!”

Spencer is caught off guard and too far away to try and take the guard down, but it doesn’t matter anyway. Natalya is miraculously standing behind the guard. Instantly, she has the guard’s head twisted backward and his body is falling to the floor. The woman stands before him, a smile spread across her face and not a drop of blood is anywhere on her. Holding back his question about it, he asks a different one. “Just who the hell are you?”

“Right now your friend,” she answers still smiling.

There is something about her eyes that is alluring to the agent. It is as if she isn’t some vicious Goji, but a normal, beautiful woman standing before him. Shaking his head clear of the thoughts, he says, “From the looks of things, I’d say so.” This brings a giggle from Natalya, whose only response is for them to get moving. “Won’t they be missed or found?” he asks as he begins to follow her once again.

“Don’t worry about them,” she answers. “I have someone that will be behind us cleaning up.” She leaves it at that and doesn’t say anymore until they have finally exited the complex. The sun is shining bright, peering over the building as it rises from the horizon. Spencer figures that it is early morning. He asks to confirm he is right.

“There is a driver waiting for you at the next block over,” she says instead. “He’ll take you to a small café in which you will probably be met by someone that will know you.”

The man isn’t sure how to part properly from a situation like this. Before he has a chance to say anything, Natalya is already saying her goodbyes, “Until we meet again, Agent Reeds. Next time my kindness will not be so rewarding.”

In the net instant, she is stepping back inside, closing the door behind her. Spencer doesn’t wait around for something else to happen. Instead, he begins making his way down the street, hoping this person that knows him isn’t someone who wants to kill him. After all, he really isn’t in the mood.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Stalokavich,” General Wei says, motioning to a chair. “Lovely view, is it not?”

“Yes, it certainly is,” Sergey says warmly.

“I assume you have come here for something other than the view from my window,” Wei says, getting right down to business.

“I’ve been sent here by the prime minister to relay instructions to you.” A grin creases his face. “But, I have an arrangement to offer you.”

“On a more personal note, I assume,” Wei says, looking the gangster in the eyes.

“Of course,” Sergey confirms.

“First, tell me of Chernoff’s ridiculous plans for my army now,” the general demands. “Then we will discuss the real reason for your visit.”

“Chernoff fears that you are going to push further into Africa,” Sergey offers without hesitation. “He wants you to instead follow his plan and keep South Africa secured while committing troops to Madagascar.”

“And why would I want to do that?” the general asks. “He doesn’t have enough soldiers there already?”

“Which is why I am going to offer you an alternative,” Sergey says, ignoring the questions.

“Please do,” Wei says, parting his hands in an open gesture.

“You proceed with your plans, since China clearly isn’t hurting for soldiers, while my associate causes disruption within Chernoff’s ranks.” Sergey grins, feeling smug. “He will be too busy with too many fronts to be concerned with you ignoring his suggestions or alienating you.”

Wei crosses his arms over his chest and nods in agreement to the explanation. “But, Chernoff and the Russian army can be quite formidable. How can I be certain?”

“Like I said, he’ll have trouble of his own,” Sergey continues, ready for this. “Sure, there might be some retaliation, but as long as you hold out against it, Chernoff will realize that it is in his best interest to let you do what you want and keep you on his side.”

General Wei pushes off his desk, stepping toward the gangster and holds out his hand. “Tell your associate that I accept the offer.”

“Very good, General,” Sergey says, taking the general’s hand and shaking it vigorously. “You have made a good choice.”

­----

Sergey leaves Wei’s office, taking a detour to the restroom before leaving the building. As he uses the urinal, he hears the door open. There isn’t any sound of movement or noise, causing the man to bring up his guard. But instead of spinning around in defense, he takes his time and finishes up before turning slowly to face his attacker. To his surprise though, the room is empty save for himself. Shrugging, he figures he is just being a little jumpy. But then the man is suddenly lifted into the air and thrown into the stall. The door slams open as he hits the toilet. The toilet shatters form the impact, sending shards of porcelain in all directions. “What the fuck...” Sergey begins to say until the one responsible for the attack steps in front of him. “Gravlis? What the fuck is the meaning of this?”

“Orders,” the Goji says. “Though I would take the pleasure of killing you without them.”

“You traitor,” the gangster spats.

“Traitor I may be, but not in the sense that you are thinking,” Gravlis remarks. “You are a loose end that needs to be tied up.”

“Loose end?” the man repeats, trying to buy time while his mind races to answer his own question.

“Let me put it in a way your feeble mind can comprehend it,” the Goji taunts. “You have fulfilled your usefulness and are no longer needed.”

Sergey is now just beginning to pick himself up. There is no way he would be able to fight against the beast. He only hopes that he can talk his way out. “Natalya? You must be wrong. She will need me to control the Black Dragon,” he says, bracing himself to make the first move. If talking won’t do it, he will at least try to fight his way out.

“Who said anything about needing them?” Gravlis’ grin goes ear to ear, revealing a row of very large and sharp teeth.

Without waiting another second, the gangster launches himself at the creature with as much force as his body allow. Gravlis, not showing a hint of surprise, simply reaches out and grabs the man by his head. Sergey claws at the hand that holds him to no effect. His yells only come out in muffled tones. After several second of thrashing, his body comes to a halt. Blood pours down his limp body while brain matter oozes through Gravlis’ fingers. “Who said anything about needing you?”

Talilith knows of an underwater entrance to Chernoff’s newly converted base that will enable her and Samantha to enter unnoticed. Using a pair of DPVs or Five Propulsion Devices and scuba gear, they find the underwater cargo area. The area is empty and quiet. They hide the DPVs and proceed deeper into the base. Talilith takes the lead. Samantha remains silent and focuses on her mission of rescuing her partner.