Secret War: Warhammer 40,000, Ben Agar [list of ebook readers .txt] 📗

I managed.

"Th-that you didn't believe Castella when she said you saved all those people," her voice was barely a whisper now. "Because you did save those people, Attelus, you did."

"Please don't talk, El," I said, wiping away my tears with a forearm. "T-try to save your strength."

"Thank you, Attelus Kaltos," she said, ignoring my plea, and she placed a soft hand against my cheek. "Thank you for caring for me despite all I did, thank you for being the only one who-who."

She never got to finish her sentence as her hand fell away, and she gasped one last time, then died still cradled in my arms.

 

Chapter 9

I looked back up to Olinthre, my eyes wide, and I could imagine my face being even paler than usual.

"Have you actually seen Taryst over the past few months?" I asked. "Has he been even more recluse than normal?"

"That's the thing," said Olinthre. "While he still never leaves his quarters, he still talks openly to the investigation squads and me, his mannerisms are the same nothing has changed except for his decisions.

Clenching my teeth, I shook my head. "You are aware that while we are having this highly confidential conversation, this Karmen Kons could easily be listening in that Taryst could have feigned her disappearance to draw out anyone conspiring against him...Like us."

Olinthre shrugged. "I know, but I don't care; if she truly knew, something would have happened right after I talked to Vex earlier, for all I know, she could be dead."

The corner of my mouth twitched in contempt; how typical of a soldier to think so simplistically.

Of course, Edracian had claimed earlier that my colleagues had injured this Karmen Kons during the Twilight bar incident, but it would be wise to take everything that deranged Inquisitor claims with a grain of salt.

I sighed and shrugged, placing the paper on a nearby cogitator, "for all our sakes, I hope you're right, frig it."

I could easily see where this was leading. With this development, perhaps I could "encourage" good Olinthre to go up to "Taryst's" condo and confront the rogue trader, the major taking me with him, of course. From there, I could get access to this mysterious door.

Finally, for the first time in a long time, it seemed luck was on my side for a change.

At least I hoped it was luck, this seemed to smack of something that Glaitis had cooked up behind the scenes, and perhaps she knew of my kidnapping and my deal with Edracian, but she hadn't tried to stop me yet.

"So," I said, attempting to push the conversation where I wanted it to go. "What are we going to do now?"

Olinthre's square jaw set in determination. "We're going up there, and we're going to ask Taryst what the hell is going on."

I barely held back a smile; everything was all according to plan, yess.

"What, now?" asked Vex, perplexed. "B-but, don't we need a plan first?"

"You don't need to worry, Vex," said Olinthre. "Because you are staying right here, I can't have your death on my conscience if anything should happen."

"And make no mistake, something will happen," I said with complete certainty.

Olinthre gave me a sidelong glare, a look which seemed to show his complete disbelief that someone so young could be so cynical.

He can think it's cynicism; I prefer to call it pragmatism.

Vex shook his head, a slight smile on his face, "no, I didn't expect that you would want me to come with you; I would very much get in the way."

"In fact," said Olinthre, his attention still on me, "I am leaving my men here to protect you, Vex."

My eyes widened in disbelief, as did Vex's, and the two so far silent Stormtroopers glanced at one another.

"But-!"

"No Attelus," interrupted Olinthre, then he turned to the Stormtroopers. "Aithyre, Geron, Daveth, Rayle, they have been good soldiers, no great soldiers I will not put their lives on the line for this crap; I won't, I just won't."

I opened my mouth to argue to say that if we went up there and if anything happened that Taryst would surely find out about their involvement and kill them anyway, that it was idiotic that we could use all the help we could get.

But I could tell arguing was pointless Olinthre had that determined look again; he would brook no argument.

Olinthre turned to me. "Sorry, Attelus, it's just you and me. I'm afraid."

My jaw clenched. "Let's get this over and damn well done with then," I growled.

The major smiled down at me. "Lets," and he began to walk to the door, but I stood still, my attention to the floor, shoulders hunched and shaking as I started to work up the courage.

"Attelus?" Olinthre asked.

"I'm sorry!" I finally blurted out. "I'm sorry about what I did Vex, I had no right; I was a jerk and a complete frig head. I'm sorry, I truly am."

Vex didn't reply for a while; I was already sweating the small space profusely with so many Cogitators stuffed in it made the place as hot as a furnace. Still, I was somehow sweating even worse now; my body glove's internal heat dampeners didn't seem to help at all.

"You were a jerk," agreed the young hacker, and I let out a long sigh of relief, not realising that I had held my breath the whole time, "and no, I don't forgive you."

My attention snapped straight to Vex; as much as it sucked to hear those words, I knew that he had every right not to.

"I-I understand," I stammered and turned to leave.

"But!" exclaimed Vex causing me to stop in my tracks, "but I will forgive you on one condition."

I could not help sigh in relief and turn back to the hacker, "name it."

"Only if you let me punch you in the face as hard as I can."

My eyes widened; that was it? That was all? It was then I was reminded of how young Vex was. Only someone of such youth would think that was enough retribution for such treatment.

I almost felt guilty, while I knew that a thin person could be just as powerful and robust a fighter as someone twice their size, Vex was never trained, and I have been punched in the face many times in my life, I could not help suspect that Vex's would barely even hurt at all.

Swallowing, I said, "h-how about three punches to the face Vex perhaps that would suffice more?"

Vex grinned, and I knew that grin well; it was one which I had also worn on many occasions; it was when someone knew that they were being underestimated, "nope, I think one'll do."

I frowned and nodded, scratching the back of my head. "Hmm, okay, fire away, but do you mind if I close my eyes?"

Vex's grin widened. "Why, are you scared?"

My reply was a brief nod; hell yes, I was scared. Scared that if my were eyes open when Vex tried to punch, my self-defence instincts would take over, and the poor kid would end up with a broken arm or worse.

Vex shrugged. "Sure, I don't see why not."

Closing my eyes, I leant forward, giving Vex a clear shot. Then the punch came, with no fanfare or ceremony, and he hit me right in my cheekbone with surprising strength. Sharp pain abruptly flared through my face, and I was sent sprawling to the floor so fast that I was barely able to stop myself from smashing my nose into the hard rockcrete.

He somehow had hit me harder than Edracian's mook did earlier.

Still, on the floor, I turned back to Vex, my eyes wide with shock and clutching my face, which was going to leave one hell of a bruise.

But it indeed was the least I deserved.

Vex was smirking triumphantly down at me as one of Olinthre's men approached and abruptly pulled me back to my feet. Woozy, I clung to the Stormtrooper.

Was I woozy? Woozy! How the hell could this kid hit so damned hard!

Vex grinned. "Apology accepted Attelus Kaltos,"

I nodded, still holding my face. "Th-thanks."

"I bet you are wondering why it hurt so much, right?"

Yes, I thought but said nothing.

"Garrakson had taught me how to punch while you were in a coma," said Vex. "That was nice of him, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, real nice of him," I said sarcastically.



Both Olinthre and I exited Vex's office, only pausing briefly for the Major to order the Stormtroopers to stay put and tell some other, supposedly inspiring hold the line crap.

We walked on through the cavern of cogitators, me sulking silently while still holding my cheek and Olinthre studying Vex's print out intently.

As we entered the corridors and out of the deafening crashes of the serfs, Olinthre said to me absently, "you really shouldn't keep touching your face like that Attelus, it won't help you at all."

My sidelong glare was the only reply which Olinthre got.

The major smiled, seemingly quite enjoying my suffering.

"Fine be that way, but I have to warn you, Attelus, if you were in the Imperial Guard and acted that way-"

"What would happen?"

Olinthre grinned. "You would just have to sign up to find out, wouldn't you?"

The corner of my mouth twitched then I turned my attention back forward.

"So Attelus, how long have you worked as an Assassin for?" asked Olinthre out of the blue.

"Why?" I growled, quickly realising that this sounded a lot like small talk.

"Why? Because I'm just interested, that's all."

I looked at him, trying to detect a reason behind this but came up with nil; that was what it exactly seemed to be, small talk.

With a shrug, I answered, "just made seven years now; how long have you worked for Taryst?"

Olinthre frowned; he was still studying that sheet, "around ten years, hmmm."

"What is it?"

Olinthre suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked straight at me. "Frig," he said. "That is one hell of a bruise you've got there, Attelus."

I raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Yeah, man, the kid got you good, yeah. It's all big and blue; we better see medicae Feuilt."

That was an act that much was blatant, but why would he want to see Feuilt? And if we did this, it would just use up even more of my precious time.

I sighed. "Yeah, okay, maybe he'll bandage it or something."

The major smiled, and we moved on.

"So what is your home planet?" asked Olinthre after a few moments of silence.

My brow furrowed, wondering where the hell this line of questioning was going; it was strange; I don't think anyone has ever actually asked where I came from before.

"E-Elbyra," I answered hesitantly, thinking that maybe I should not be giving out this information so freely.

Olinthre's eyes widened. "Ah! Elbyra! The small Agri world I know it actually."

My eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really, have you been there?"

The major shook his head. "No, no, actually I should re-phrase, I know of Elbyra; the way I found about the planet was because I once served alongside the Velrosian first regiment during my time in the guard."

I nodded; Elbyra was only recently taken in by the Imperium; it would be just over three hundred years ago, as I could recall from school. We Elbyrans attempted to resist at first, particularly the country of Maranger who have always been warlike, but we were still a little primitive; we were indeed