Chapter 9

* * *

"Th..."

He didn't finish as I straightened up and turned toward him, raising my visor.

"Yes?"

"If you do something, do it well!" If I'm wrong, I'll die right now.

A second and his pistols are in their holsters, and the bodyguard is standing at attention, saluting me.

"I have no questions." He reports. "Give the Commander my regards from Lulz. He'll understand."

"For sure."

"I dare not delay any longer. And yes, I introduced myself, and what is your name?"

I lift the Slider on my back and say.

"My name is Nobody..."

I walked toward the SUV. Why didn't I lie to this strange man with whom fate had brought me together quite by accident? Honestly? I do not know, just could not lie to him. Or maybe my nerves just went out of whack...

When we arrived at the farm, Anton was already waiting for us, however, this is not surprising. After all, a helicopter, especially on bad roads, is much faster than any car not to mention the old jeep.

Gerhard had passed out after a fall at the ranch gate and hadn't regained consciousness the whole way. I do not know what we would have done with him, as the boy's injuries were, though not life-threatening, quite significant, had it not been for the wife of our hospitable host. This beautiful woman shone not only in appearance, but was a field surgeon who knew very well what to do with such injuries. After examining the slip, she determined that the worst of it was the fracture of two ribs, and the rest was just bruises and burns, painful, but not seriously threatening to his health. Apparently, he had just been taken care of when the cavalry arrived.

I don't know if Lance believed in our success or if it was just good planning, but he bought five return tickets. The fifth was in the name of one Reid Polanski. The photo-less ID for this fictitious person turned out to be sewn into Anton's jacket. But because of the bruises and injuries, just taking a picture of Slider for a document would have been a bad idea. I had to take a laptop, lent by the owner, surf the net, look for Gerhardt's blog and choose a photo in it, then process it in an editor. Also, while our rescued was out, cut off his memorable braids and trimmed him with a hedgehog. The photo also worked on this element as well. Of course, no serious inspection would have passed such a document, but for boarding flights from Legrand to Avalon, no more was needed. I was much more confused by another point.

"How can they let him on a flight with such a bruised face?" I asked the question out loud.

"You've got a lot to worry about..." Hotey, sitting next to me, responded immediately. "Ours lost yesterday and believe me, this face will be not the most beaten and swollen on the morning flight!"

We had to leave in the morning, which meant that there was almost no time left, considering the road to the capital airport from this remote place. It is good that Fles's wife managed to bring the rescued man to his senses, or else we would have had a lot of trouble with him on the road.

After a heartfelt goodbye to this unusual couple, we loaded up the van and, with the clock striking 3.40. A.M. departed on our return journey. As soon as the van doors slammed shut it was as if a rod had been pulled out of me. My whole body was pounding, my mouth was dry, no I was not sick, I was suddenly scared. I realized clearly how many times I could have made a mistake and died during the rescue operation. I fully realized what a sharp blade I had walked on. I even managed to fasten my seatbelt on the fifth time, my hands were shaking so much.

"Finally," Phil muttered, noticing my state of mind. "I was beginning to think you were made of steel. Don't worry so much, it's post-stress... It happens... Here..." He handed me a pill and a bottle of water. "It's a sedative. It's a strong one, but the regular ones won't affect you now."

"A sleeping pill?"

"Military drug, something sedative, Milary gave it especially for you, as she felt it would come in handy." And all this time I still didn't know the name of the mistress of the farm. I mean, she introduced herself, of course, but I was in my mind and hovering somewhere far away at that moment and didn't remember. "Drink, it will be much worse without her. Why do you wrinkle your nose? You're going to the Arch on a new moon anyway." Lance's plans to send a team to pray for Meck and Jenro knew all the Goons long ago, and so did the fact that I would be part of it. "So you won't get hooked, especially since I have the antidote, too." He twirled a small, only three milliliters syringe in his hand.

The drug began to work in about ten minutes, and somehow I didn't care about anything, my eyelids were filled with lead, and I didn't notice how I blacked out. If I had been in a normal state, that blackout would have been hurtful; at that time Phil was just talking to Gerhardt. So I learned the guy's story much later.

As we suspected, Slider found himself in this unfortunate situation because of revenge. Smith's subordinate raped his sister, and since the police were completely bought, there were no consequences for the rapist, so the girl went for the knot. Gerhard managed to pull her out literally at the last moment, after which he spent all his money and sent his sister to Europe for treatment, promising her that the bastard would answer for everything. After that he passed the Arch, cursing the rapist, then again and again.

For two weeks, every day, he walked on the Pilgrimage. And when he realized that the curses weren't working, he decided to take justice into his own hands, especially since his Face was Flatt, a half-faun, half-human, which means that he had an intuitive sense of how to hide. I've seen him play as a Jaeger, though, and I'm not at all surprised that he got Face with such predispositions. He'd managed to get inside the nearly impregnable citadel, but had he not succeeded in coping with the experienced cutthroat without making a fuss, his revenge would have been done. But even Smith's mortally wounded subordinate was able to raise a ruckus and so nailed Gerhardt that he did not have time to escape in time and was caught.

From what Hot told me, it appeared that the guy was so resigned to the fact that he was going to die, and that he thought his life was payment for his revenge, that he welcomed his salvation with no joy. Especially when he was told that his old identity would have to be forgotten forever. Where they were taking him and why, no one explained to the lad, only hinted that his life was far from over. Of course, if he wished to continue his vengeance, he could stop the car and he was free to go. The Slider was not a fool and refused such an offer, though he was not particularly happy about it either. Hotey later said that Gerhard was in a completely fatalistic mood, he did what he wanted, and then relied on the flow of fate, where it will take him, where it will take him.

I woke up with pain in my shoulder. It turned out that Phil had injected me with the antidote. I was awake, but feeling like a somnambulist. I started to think more clearly by the time I handed the van over to the rental place. I started to think more or less when we returned the van to the rental office and entered the airport. There were a lot of people and most of them were in the same state as me, only they were hungover. It was obvious that the defeat of the national team, even in a friendly match, was taken very seriously by the fans. And yes, Hot was right, our ward, just a little powdered and painted by the skillful hand of Milari, did not look so bad, compared to some individuals. I got online through my smartphone and learned that there had been fights in the city all night. But to my surprise, no one was detained but brought to the airport to the check-in counter.

Anton shoved our small group into the crowd of fans howling sad songs, and we checked in with them. To my relief, the customs officer barely looked at Gerhardt's passport, dabbed a glance at his swollen face, grimaced and stamped it, and let him on board. I, and the Goons, had no problem whatsoever.

I sat down in the chair and fastened the straps, and breathed a sigh of relief. Now that was it. It's done! Why was I shaking again? When I think of Lulz's cold, icy, gray eyes, it makes my heart skip a beat.

Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes and tried to soothe myself with meditation as I heard:

"Funny..." Gerhard, sitting between Anton and me, said. "I don't regret anything... Not what I did, not that I ruined my life, lost my place in the institute... Now I can definitely forget about the career I was planning. I don't regret that probably I should, but somehow I don't... But about little thing, about the stupid game... I regret... It is rightly said that the Arch changes people... Strange, why do I care about this game now?"

"Оh!" I grinned and patted the boy on the knee. "You've got a lot of discoveries ahead of you!"

I probably should have told him more, but I didn't; his revenge almost got us all killed, so at least let him suffer the uncertainty.

"...turn off your cell phones." A voice came from the speakers.

It's true, I should have done it earlier, but I forgot. I took my smartphone out of my pocket and put my finger on the power button, when the phone beeped, receiving a message from an unspecified number. Thinking it was Lance, I opened the messenger and read it.

Got the tenth player on the team?

What?!

What nonsense, who jokes like that?

Bleep. The phone rang again.

Are you happy?

A lump went up to my throat.

Bleep.

Well done, you did a great job."

Who is this?

Bleep.

But anyway... You'll owe me.

What? To whom and for what?!

Bleep.

Sorry, I forgot to sign...Pat.

* * *

I sat staring at my smartphone for a long time until the stewardess came over and made me turn it off. With all the hustle and bustle of the last few days, I almost forgot that mysterious phone call the day after my first Pilgrimage. After today, I no longer think it was someone's bad joke. Three people besides the participants knew about our mission: Daas, Lance, and Rick. That the commander was going to concentrate on the gang's business and wouldn't play, no one knew except me and him directly! And that such jokes were not Lance's style, I firmly believed.

Who are you, Pat?!

And why do I feel that without knowing you, I feel that the style of these posts reminds me of someone? No, not a complete coincidence, but something vague that I can't grasp yet...

I don't know who you are, I don't know what powers you possess, and the fact that they go beyond what I used to think was possible is already obvious to me, but all the same, you were wrong to mess with me.

It's not going to be a one-way game.

Because I am Utis, the one who is Odysseus!

On our way out of the airport, we were met by Lance and Descartes. Rick took Gerhardt right away, put him in his car, and they drove off. Lance, on the other hand, was driving the van I was already familiar with, the one I'd used to drive with the Goons to the country Temple. In total silence, we loaded up and set off.

"Well... Heroes..." Turned half-turned from the front seat, said the commander. "I've already been told something by Fles, but I'd like to hear the details..."

Anton told me, while I sat there and could not collect my thoughts, the flight was over too quickly and I was still feverish. When we arrived at the restaurant, Anton hadn't finished his story.

"Utis, you're free for the day," said Lance. "Go to your room, get some sleep, get your thoughts together. Tomorrow after the jog, I'll be waiting for your report."

"What about Gerhard?"

"Rick took him to the hotel, and I'll drop the guys off and go there. We'll talk to him, ask him to join us, and if he agrees, you'll see him again."

"And if not?"

"No, then we'll let him go on his merry way. We'll help with the papers and legalization in the islands, that's all. We're not going to force anyone..."

"Got it. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Just go!"

"Yeah." I shook hands with the guys and jumped out of the car.

It's clear that Lance wants to get everything out of the guys first, and only then hear my side of the story. If he thinks it's the right thing to do, then so be it; I have nothing to hide.

Left alone on the street, I breathed in the fresh, spring-scented air. How long has it been since I've been home? A few weeks! I opened the door of the restaurant and stepped over the threshold.

There were two Goons at the table on duty today, Felk and Moity, whom I hadn't spoken to much before, though I'd seen a lot of them in the last few days. I waved at them and saw their thumbs up. Yeah, so they knew we were back by now, no slip-ups.

The hall was full of customers, and all the tables were occupied. Because of the large influx of people, both waitresses were working. Before I could even take a couple of steps, Vera immediately flew up to me and started babbling.

"I'm sorry, but all the seats are taken and the tables are booked until tonight. I can recommend a good place nearby..."

What's the matter with her? She looks at me and doesn't recognize me. It's true that she usually looks at the floor more, because of her shyness, but still!

"Vera, what are you doing? Hello, it's me, Utis."

"Utis... Oh!" The girl blushed, becoming the same color as the cover of our menu. "You've gotten bigger somehow..." She was so embarrassed that she didn't recognize me and that she was becoming even more purple. "A lot bigger... " It's only fifteen kilos gained, I weighed about seventy, and now I'm eighty-five. "I'm sorry... I..."

"It's okay... I just got healthy." And with a wink, I leaned toward her and whispered. "Illea tested her new menu on me, I ate all day and couldn't stop!"

"Really?"

It was so hilarious that she believed it, all I could do was nod.

"A lot of work, will you tell me about it later?"

"I will!"

There was no one at the bar, but Illea, like the multi-armed Shiva, was at the stove. I was thinking of taking pictures of her cooking and posting them on the net, so the professional jugglers would eat their tools with envy.

"Hello, divine and unsurpassed master of the culinary arts!" The attractive smells made me dizzy as I walked closer to the cooking area.

"О! Who's back..." The chief said without taking her eyes off the roast. "He's back and he's flattering... You must be hungry."

"Aha!" Definitely, she can read minds!

"Help Jiro, he's in the back." She nods at the door. "There's something in there with the barrels. I'll feed you later."

I stepped to the door and paused for a second, deciding to prank the bartender. He hadn't seen me in a while! I put on my hood, pulled it up over my eyes, and opened the door.

"Hey! No unauthorized people are allowed in here." Jiro reacted immediately, rolling a wine barrel down the corridor.

Without saying anything, I tried to sneak past him.

"Where are you...?!"

A huge hand immediately tried to grab my shoulder, but thanks to the commander's lessons, I crouched down a bit and slid to the side.

"Oh, you!" The bartender roared and rushed over to me.

I lean to the side and take a sliding step...

And I felt my fingers clench on my withers. That first movement I reacted to was a fake, and I fell for it like a baby!

"Ha! Not so fast. We've..."

"Jiro, are you crazy? Why are you fighting?" I throw off my hood with my free hand because I understand that I continue this spectacle, and I may get broken a little bit... In several places.

"Utis?" He immediately lets me go. "Holy... Gaia! Where did they feed you? Give me an address. And you're getting a little frisky. I didn't know you were so frisky before. Is it just me, or were you trying to swing the pendulum? You can't say you did anything wrong, it's just that you were slow." Well, yeah, slow. For that hog from Smith's guard that was enough! But with Jiro such tricks probably do not work, and it's a shame, I really wanted to trick him.

"So... Ten rented me out to Lance, I had to spin. - Didn't keep it from him. I was glad to see him, though.

I can't call him my friend, but I wish I could. He's a great guy, too bad he can't drink...

"When are you going back to work?" Continuing to stare and feel me as if I were a ham, the bartender asks. "It's boring without you."

"Apparently after the new moon." I didn't bother to clarify that everything depends on a future conversation with Daas, and my return is far from certain. "Illea asked me to help you."

"With this?" He kicked the barrel. "I've already done it myself."

"Well, I'm going back to my room, I'm sleepy."

"Go on, then, and come back in the evening."

"Yeah, sure... Oh! I almost forgot. Illea promised me lunch. Call me when she makes it!"

"If I don't eat it myself." He winks at me. It might not be quite a joke, though; he could...

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

I woke up in the evening and realized that Jiro, the bastard, wasn't kidding and had eaten my dinner himself. I'll get even with him. I'll pour him some more and take him to the tattoo parlor! He'll remember how to eat my food!

I looked in the refrigerator - empty. It was half past eleven at night. Illea had probably already left. But I was so hungry. I reached for the phone. As soon as I picked it up, the phone rang. Honestly, I almost threw my smartphone away, surprised, and only when I saw that it was the boss's call, I restrained myself.

"Yes?"

"I didn't wake you up?"

"I'm up."

"Did Jiro bring you food?"

"Nope..."

"That's what I thought. You hungry?"

"Yeah..." I answered cautiously.

It's not like he's asking for no reason; the boss rarely says or does anything without the reason he needs.

"Is it time for us to talk?" I ask directly.

"Аh?! What? Ah... That doesn't make sense now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're going to the Temple the day after tomorrow, aren't you?"

Yes."

"What's the point of discussing anything with you?"

"Excuse me?"

"When you come back, we'll talk, but for now it's just a waste of time."

"Why?"

"And Lance praised you... Why? I don't know... He even called you smart. Where'd he get that from?" Boss sniffles. "Even on a new moon, people sometimes don't come back from the Pilgrimage. When you do..."

Gaia... Zeus and Athena... What a pragmatic bastard he is. Though... If he has something important to offer, and he has something serious to talk about, then... Kronos! It's a shame, but he's right, politeness aside, he's right on all sides.

"I got it."

"At least I don't hear resentment in your voice... You're growing up... Why am I calling... I have a guest coming... A very interesting person. Rick and Lance are coming, and Illea's cooking dinner."

"Do you want to introduce me?"

"That kind of acquaintance will come in handy in life... If you come back from the Arch, of course..." Kronos! I get it, he's joking. He's not mocking, that's his humor today.

"When to go down?"

"Well... I don't want you to have to slurp in front of the guest, so come on now, it'll give you time to eat."

I washed my face and immediately went downstairs. To be honest, I was seething with curiosity, who did a man like the boss think was an unusual person? Really?! I was shaking, not from fear, but from curiosity and foreboding.

"Let me have a look at you. I just caught a glimpse of you this morning. Vera is still in shock and I think she has a crush on you, she looked at you even before, and today she was smithed..." As soon as I appeared in the hall, I was immediately taken in by Illea. "Grew up... No, just stopped slouching and pumped up your muscles. You should have, I told you you were a good-looking guy, but you used to walk so stooped that... Oh... Aloya's silly one..." She tsked her tongue and winked. "And I told her not to let the boy go. And she... Well, she didn't see it, it was her own fault." She made her verdict as she sat me down at the table and put a huge frying pan full of meat, potatoes, and vegetables beside me.

For some reason these words made me feel so good that my ears felt hot.

"Where's the boss?"

"He went out for a while. Eat your food..."

"By the way, Jiro never brought me lunch." I certainly wasn't going to cover for the bartender!

"I guessed." She nodded frowningly. "He looked very pleased when he came back with the empty dishes."

"He has no conscience..." I continued complaining with my mouth full. Jiro won't get off that easy, he'll remember how to steal my food. Illea is scary when she's angry! Much scarier than some tattoo on his forehead. And a tattoo is kind of petty, but the chief has a good memory, she won't let him forget it for long.

"Boys..." She patted my hair, turned around, and walked to the bar.

And I sat there like a statue, forgetting to even bring a spoon to my mouth. For a second I thought my mother was back... When she was gone, she was as twenty-nine as Illea is now...

Kronos!

"What's wrong with me?"

The lump in my throat was such that tears rose in my eyes. I slapped my hands on my cheeks, chased it away, and went back to eating.

I was already scraping the bottom of the frying pan with a spoon when Rick walked into the restaurant. He looked around the room, sent an airy kiss to the chef, and landed in front of me.

"Do you know what kind of guy is coming?" Runner asks me without any preamble.

"Nope." I shook my head. "Daas didn't elaborate. How was Gerhardt?"

"He thinks..."

"What about health?"

"He's shaken up, but he'll come around no problem. We left him alone, let him stew in his own juice, think about his future and our offer."

"Have you invited him to the Goons yet?"

"He's a normal guy, yes, with his quirks, and at first, it's best not to let him go into town alone. But we've seen far worse cases... So, yeah."

Then we switched to talking about the new model Jenro will have to make when he gets better. We were deciding which map he should model first. However, our argument didn't last long, because the boss came in.

"You must be out of your mind... Can you talk about any other topics at all?" Who scolded like that, without soul or fire in the eyes? You can see that Daas cares about other things than what Rick and I talk about.

"We can do it!" Descart immediately responded. "I picked up a chick the day before yesterday at an after-party." Rick rolled his eyes. "Eyes!" He outlined the roundness of the enormous breasts. "As..."

"Why did I ask?!" Boss hits himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand. "And yes, your jokes are already repeating themselves."

"Yes, the jokes are repetitive, but the women are not!" The Runner grinned back.

"And when will you calm down? It's almost twenty-two the teenage sperm toxicosis doesn't go to your head so much."

"Why should I calm down? I'm fine with it." He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back on the couch.

Who knows, maybe if girls came on to me the way they did to Descartes, I'd act like him. But in general, yes, he's a great womanizer, and he doesn't date anyone for a long time, but none of his exes hold a grudge against him and are always ready to do it again. How he does it, I don't know. Some kind of magic, maybe a talent. And if you remember his Face, that's exactly the parameter he's got going for him! Aeneas was also known for his loveliness; it was not for nothing that he was nicknamed - The Favorite of Women.

The boss was just getting air to deliver his lecture when a black limousine, completely tinted, pulled up outside the restaurant. How did his driver know his way around the city at night, with such dark tinting?

Daas immediately rose from his seat and stepped toward the door.

A tall, broad-shouldered brunette in his forties, wrapped in a dark cloak, got out of the car.

Kronos!

Such a disappointment...

I was expecting a different meeting.

"What's wrong with your face?" Rick whispered, noticing the change in my face.

I couldn't explain to him that I was expecting a visit from a very interesting lady; it would take a long time to explain. So I just brushed Descart's question aside, saying it was nothing, never mind.

The boss let the visitor in, and they hugged each other tightly. That's no way to greet an acquaintance, even a very good one; it's a way to greet a true friend.

I am excused by the fact that I am not very fond of politics and do watch not much news, so I did not recognize our guest immediately, but after he had already taken a few steps toward our table, to which he was pushed by the boss.

No, I knew Ten Daas had connections, but I didn't realize it was this high. Boss was just about to introduce us when the door swung open again, and this time Lance flew in. The guest turned around, and they greeted each other with glances. My mentor's face stretched in surprise and judging by the way the guest's back flinched. He hadn't expected such a meeting either. They obviously knew each other before, and that was no surprise.

"Commander Crow?!" The brunette in the cape exclaimed.

I noticed how Lance's body twitched. Apparently, out of old habit, he wanted to stand still and salute, but he held back and just bowed lightly.

"Former commander..." he corrects. "It's good to see you, Mr. Commodore." And they shook hands.

Yes... Our guest was none other than the Commodore-in-Chief of the White Beret Corps. But when Lance left, Egray Mint was in a different position. He'd been in command for less than a year.

"Wait, your Face..." He looks first at Lance, then at Daas, the way they're standing side by side. "Ahem... Commander Iron Balls, oh, not for nothing they called you that in the Corps, not for nothing..." Then he turns to my boss. "I was expecting a one-on-one meeting." He turns his arm around our table and Illya, who's making noise at the kitchen block. "But you must think it's better this way."

"Оh! Believe me, it will be interesting for you, too." Daas pats him on the shoulder. "Well, you already know Lance..."

"We haven't met in person, but of course, we know about each other." Egray corrected him.

"And here are two more curious individuals." They have already come to our table. "Rick Deckart." First, he introduces the Runner. "The one who Aeneas." Rick's cheek twitched, and I cringed a little at the straightforwardness, but Lance was perfectly calm. When Rick saw this, he didn't resent it but stood up and shook hands.

"Nice to meet you." Mint's gaze is clearly evaluative.

"And Utis Irzec. The one who Odysseus." A guest's handshake is firm but not rigid. It's congenial.

"Pleased to meet you." The guest looks directly into my eyes, but without a challenge, even somehow invigorating.

"And our guest, Egray Mint..." The boss's theatrical pause is a bit overdone. "The one who Theseus. And my best friend."

Gaia...

Isn't this restaurant about to collapse into a black hole? From the abundance of owners of Mythical Faces per square meter!

"That's it... Introduce themselves... Sit down... Let's go... Lance, get your ass down." Daas commands everyone. As soon as everyone is seated, a frost-covered bottle of vodka and five shots magically appear on the table. One merging motion and all the shot glasses are filled. The boss's trick was no worse than Jiro's. "Here's to an acquaintance."

There was a hearty appetizer and a second round. I could see that Daas was happy about the meeting, and Rick was also relaxed and enjoying the experience. Lance, on the other hand, is sitting like a stake in the ground, clearly uncomfortable. And our guest seems to support the cheers and jokes, but something tense. I'm sure my mask of relaxation didn't deceive him for a second.

Across from me sits a predator. A dangerous, strong savage predator. He's not just visiting. He's preoccupied with something else. I tried, hiding behind a raised stack, to catch him in a partial focus but immediately got my foot kicked under the table by the boss.

Hmmm, and if you compare them ... Commander and Boss. I don't know which one is more dangerous. I think the answer is obvious, Egray, not because of Face, but because of his position. But no, my gut tells me it's not that simple. They're at least equal in everything... And... Perhaps I'm biased, but if these two clashes, not hand-to-hand, of course, but in interests, I'd still bet on Daas.

It's amazing how much has happened in a month and a half and how much I've changed in that time! And that's about how long it's been since I've been working for Ten. Only a month and a half, but it feels like half of my life... The past life now seems boring, gray, and dull, diluted only by the game... But now... Now I live every hour, minute, second, moment... That's why a month and a half seems to me equal to all the years I lived before.

"Don't you think of going back to the service?" Mint asks the commander like it's nothing. "That case was hushed up a long time ago."

"I have other things to do." Lance tries not to cross his eyes with the guest.

"And when you have finished these things..." Egray is persistent. "Then?"

"Well... It won't be for a while, as long as this little rascal here..." Crow nods at Rick. "gets his wits about him there's no one to take over for me."

"Think about it, think about it. I'll give you back your former rank, position, and place, no questions asked... Right away..." That's a very generous offer. Except I'm guessing it's not of much interest to Lance.

"Hey! The shots are warming up!" Daas fills the awkward pause by pouring again.

There were mostly two people talking at the table, the boss and his guest. They were joking, reminiscing, telling tales. My ears absorbed every sound; much of what the couple said was very intriguing. So it became apparent that this couple had been a cohesive team for several years, putting the hikes to the Arch on the assembly line. The most curious thing about them was the implication that they were not the strongest Faces in what they called the "dream team" of the five pilgrims. Two demigods, one almost invulnerable and the other a little inferior in strength to the Greatest of Heroes, were not the strongest... Who went with them then? Daas's words come to mind that he had met one who was immeasurably stronger and better than him. Could it have been Egray? For all the greatness of his personality and Face, they are still equal. In fact, I can think of only one possibility... Yes, and the name that flashes in the stories is of some man named George, who was in charge of their company. It doesn't quite ring a bell, but still.

I'm just curious, but what tasks did Arch give to the three, or rather to the five? There were two more, but they mentioned them in the conversation in passing. What kind of Feats did they perform? Take Troy in five? Win Thermopylae without an army? No, my imagination fails here. But the fact that they did something incredible is certain because if you believe their jokes, such teams gathered once in two or three centuries... Too many coincidences should coincide for such people to cross over together, to get to know each other, to reveal themselves to each other, yes...

After the bottle was sentenced, Daas hinted at Lance and Rick and kicked me under the table to stay. After saying goodbye to the Goons, I went to the fridge for another, and when I put it on the countertop, I noticed that the mood at the table had changed.

"It was fun..." The boss says, uncorking the vodka. "But we haven't seen each other for three years, even though I've invited you dozens of times. Tell me frankly, why are you here?"

"Ahem." Egray's gaze slides from me to Illea, who is still doing something at the counter.

"It is more expensive to hide something from Odysseus, and even if you do, it will still be a lot of trouble. And Illea, I trust her completely." Daas shrugged. His explanation of my presence here is a bit thinly veiled. I'm certainly not as nosy as most people think, and who knows who, and the boss knows that which means that for some reason, he wants me to hear everything ... I wonder what?

"Good." Egray doesn't mind. "Just like that... Patagonia." He said sharply, on an exhale, and became silent.

The silence lasted for three minutes. Daas clearly did not understand at all what his guest was saying.

"What... Patagonia?" Finally, my boss breaks the silence.

"What's going on out there." Folding his arms across his chest, Mint says. "This is not normal... Revolutions or coups like this, with such a large redistribution of property, always take place with outside funding. Neighbors wanted to weaken the country states competing for the market, or transatlantic corporations wanted to redistribute. Usually, you can always find someone who is behind such a thing. But here... We looked... And we didn't find..."

"And you came to me..." Honestly, I don't understand this conversation at all, but the boss seems to have grasped the point. "Do you have a conscience?"

"I came alone, as you can see." Egray shrugged.

"And still thought of me... And I thought of you as a friend..."

"The society the rioters in Patagonia are building... Full civil rights with the ability to vote only those who have passed the Arch. De-anonymization of the Faces of those citizens who want to be elected to office from the level of the mayor of the city and above. Prohibition of lending interest. All profits from mining are considered the rent of every citizen. Criminal liability for lying to the public, including in newspapers and on TV... This reminds me very much of the reasoning of one young man."

"I was twenty-four at the time!" Daas replies unnecessarily harshly. "I was a maximalist and had just gotten the Face... Yes, I was attracted to NeoAthenian philosophy at the time."

"You were an ardent supporter of her." Egray clarified.

"That's the thing, I was."

"Many people hide the dreams of their youth from everyone, but they don't forget them." These words made the boss turn pale for some reason.

"Not my case." After a drink, after a short silence, Daas answers. "I have already realized that what was good in the past now will work badly. Again women will become servants, and those about whom beautiful myths were written, will have the right to rule over the destinies of others. But the idea appeals to many, yes. Especially against the background of today's politicians, their lies, and the constant hype of the lying media. And the same interest rates. Not disputing the fact that it helps to develop faster, yet, I still believe it is more evil than good. If we consider society as a whole, but not a layer of financiers, of course. Those only benefit from it."

"And yet you didn't answer directly." Egray continues his line.

"Will you take my word for it?"

"Of course." Apparently, they really know each other very well.

"Okay, I'll give you a straight answer. I have nothing to do with what happens in Patagonia."

"On the one hand, you've taken a load off my shoulders..." Egray Mint leaned back and relaxed on the sofa. "And on the other hand, I am now at a standstill again. It's the way it all came together. The finances are there. Opportunity - there is. The Pilgrim team, capable of mopping up the best specialists, is rumored to be there, too. Not our dream team, of course, but probably one of the strongest on Earth right now. I don't know the fifth one. So maybe the strongest..."

I could barely keep my eyes from popping out of their sockets. No, of course, I already knew that Daas was rich and even guessed that he was very influential... But to the point of funding revolutions and changing governments?

"What does this have to do with the Pilgrim team?" The boss asks the question.

"For Patagonia "plays" a very strong five, and maybe more than one. Many wanted to interfere with what was going on there and sent their groups behind the Arch, including during the full moon... Of the latter, none returned. And prayers against rioters or curses on their heads have no power. That is someone very confident in their powers, passes the Arch on Hades day for months, covering those who fight in our reality with their prayers. Last full moon, we lost the Typhoon volunteers, they didn't make it out of the Arch, and there were far from ordinary guys, and still, they didn't come back."

"Crush them on the ground. As far as I know from the news, the rioters have at most thirty thousand armed men. What's stopping you?"

"Many countries benefit a lot from the drop in mining in Patagonia. And the longer it lasts, the more money they make. For this reason, there is no unified solution in the League. My Corps is bound hand and foot. The other countries, too, like us, can only act in small numbers and not officially. Of course, we support financially and materially the remnants of government forces."

"And you lose. Badly armed farmers, miners, sheriffs, and other volunteers, whose heaviest weapon is a modern wheelbarrow - a jeep with a machine gun."

"They have tanks too, don't underestimate it. But the League blocks even the enforcement of a no-fly zone!"

"Against the rioters, a professional army, special forces groups from dozens of countries, including the White Berets, and they win. You know, I'm starting to respect them..."

"Their army is commanded by a professional, Colonel Crodtain, who trained at the Academy of the armed forces of Slavia."

"How well did he study?"

"Yeah..." Egray sighed. "It doesn't really matter... With his Face..."

"Is it that serious?" Daas clarifies.

"Publius Cornelius of the Scipio family."

"It's fun out there." The boss grinned.

And then, for the first time, I raise my voice.

"Wasn't Theseus a great general? And surely you have people with the right training and the right Faces."

"Alas..." The commander shakes his head. "The difference between great and genius is so great that it cannot be jumped over. And against Scipio, perhaps only Alexander could play on equal terms... But, as far as I know, he is not yet incarnate..."

I shuddered... The last time a man acquired the Face of Alexander the Great, everything turned out to be a Great War that lasted seven years and took tens of millions of lives.

"I don't know what you're so worried about." The boss is snacking on a pickle. "The rebels are doomed anyway..."

"Someone else's example is a lesson for others... It won't be written in the papers. It won't be shown on TV, but according to the latest research... Not the profanation that the media give out, but real polls and observations, the number of supporters of the NeoAthenian philosophy is growing every year. Even in prosperous Gaul, the percentage is already above seventeen, in Avalon eleven, and Prussia twenty-three!!! So far, we manage to make the rebels look like common bandits and beasts by info noise, but gradually the truth will come out, and there will be an explosion. Volunteers will come pouring in from all directions, and financial support from supporters will turn small streams into full-flowing rivers. So far, we are fortunate that the head of the revolt, though an excellent orator, has a poor grasp of public relations and the importance of outside opinion, focusing his attention entirely on the uprising. But when they figure it out, to turn outward for support... A snowball effect is possible."

"Too many people like to live their lives the way they do now... You can scold the authorities in the kitchen, you can complain to your friends about the lies in newspapers and TV... And yet you don't risk anything. Your opinion is important, even if you have not been under the Arch. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You don't have to risk your life. It's too convenient for most people to want to change anything."

"That's what I think, too." Mint agrees with the boss. "But all the same, it's better to fight a bear while it's a baby bear."

"So you were sure that the mutiny in Patagonia was my doing... Yeah..."

"Not that I'm sure, but as soon as the thought occurred to me, it immediately occupied my whole head. She explained everything very nicely."

"You could have called and just asked."

"I came in and asked."

"Well... I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Rather pleased."

They cheer and drink. I feel like a third wheel. Why am I here? I don't know why I'm here.

"Can I help you with something?" The boss asks.

"You can. We should put the brakes on the Net. We can handle newspapers and television, but the Net, with its millions of blogs and social networks, is beyond our control. Or rather, we can control it, but it will be such a tightening of the nuts that such a cure will be more terrible than the disease itself."

"I am not a wizard." Daas objects.

"And yet, the platforms of the three largest social networks are written by you, one with the pretentious name "Friends" is entirely owned by you, although it is considered a joint stock company. The search engine used by almost seventy percent of all users, whose brainchild is that?"

"Well..." What? Daas owns "Find" and "Friends"? No, I don't believe it...

"I don't need much. Lower the statuses of blogs covering the topic. Tweak the ratings of objectivity..."

"I know how to extinguish information..." murmurs the clearly disgruntled boss. "But I can't hold on long without revealing my methods and staying in the shadows."

"Two months. In that time, we'll either cure this problem, or online blogs will be the least of our worries."

"No promises. I'll give it a month for sure, and then as it goes."

"That's something."

"When was the last time you went through the Arch?" Suddenly Daas turns the conversation to another topic.

"I haven't been for a long time. In my position, such a risk is unacceptable, as you understand. And without our team... You know, I don't want to. After Georgy left, that's it... It's like a cutoff."

"But you became Commander of the Corps of the League of Nations!" Boss snapped at him.

"And you didn't sit idly by. You stopped working for others writing your genius stuff and started working for yourself. Successfully, as far as I can tell."

"Is this still about work? Can we finally have a proper drink?"

"Um. There's more. I wouldn't bother you. I know how you feel about this subject, but..."

Daas's face immediately changed, taking on an expression I'd never seen before, the way a tigress watches a hunter who creeps up on her tiger cubs, just as Daas is now watching Egray.

A wave of cold passed from our table, to which Illea reacted. The chief was right there, and she hissed at Mint rather than said it.

"If you get my boys into anything, you can forget about your former quiet life."

"Yeah," the guest snorted, not at all frightened.

Illea said what she wanted and left, slamming the door.

"You have an aggressive acquaintance." Egray smiled, and I could see that the chief's words didn't make the slightest impression on him.

"Well, I wouldn't smile like that if I were you." I could see that the boss had pulled himself together. He's relaxed now, and a chuckle runs down his face.

"You should know how many threats I get. I'm used to it..." He brushed it off.

"Still, I would take the threat of the one whom Iphito chose very seriously... Especially if I were you."

"Gaia..." Egray glanced cautiously at the already closed door. "You're not kidding, are you?"

"Of course not."

"The only thing I needed in my life was a Stormbearer Avenger, to be completely happy." Egray takes the bottle and takes a few sips straight from the bottle. "Such a team: Odysseus, Aeneas, Hector, Iphito, and you, Achilles, are the cherry on the cake." Daas shot me a glance at these words and, not noticing my surprise at his Face, tilted his head in thought. I was more concerned with other things at the moment... Gaia, who is Iphito, I'm not familiar with that name, and Egray puts her above the Face of Lance! And it's a bit insulting that the guest in this five counts my Face as the weakest.

"You're not going to believe this, but we're not a team," Daas shakes his head.

"That's a shame. But okay, and yet you're going to help me with..."

"Utis." Boss interrupts him abruptly and asks me. "Aren't you going for an early morning run tomorrow?"

I'm very curious about what they're going to talk about next, but hints like that are hard to miss.

"Thank you for reminding me, boss. I apologize." I bow briefly to the guest. "But I have to go. It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise, young man, likewise."

Should I stay at the door and listen in? But... No... You could really lose your head that way, that kind of trick doesn't work with people like that.

* * *