Rhian, Delphia
By the time afternoon rolled around, everything and everyone was exactly where they needed to be.
All the illicit whatnots from the lair were stocked in the warehouse where Councilwoman Blanchett was still being held captive. The Animals and the rest of our friends were heading to the Drop, while Gus and Guardsman Deville’s most trusted allies were ready to do what they had to do.
I’d never seen so much purple in my goddess-be-damned life. The people wore purple, carried things that were purple, and later that night, they'd probably be shitting purple, seeing as everything they were eating was also purple. There were streamers, banners, balloons. The entire bloody island gathered in the city centre, expecting the Tear and a speech from the Councilwoman.
Instead, they got me.
I worked my way through all the people, climbed the stairs to the stage, and settled behind the podium set up in front of a massive statue of Delphia. Given how short I was (still am), I reckon I looked a bit ridiculous standing on my tippy-toes and whatnot. But whatever. The crowd hushed, save for a few confused whisperings like, “She’s changed since we last saw her,” and, “She should have worn high-heels.”
“Good afternoon,” I said. And then I raised my voice and repeated, “Good afternoon!” seeing as I could tell that everyone was straining. They didn’t have excellent hearing. “I know you’re expecting Councilwoman Blanchett, but she’s, uh—indisposed at the minute.”
I paused while the people wondered.
“This is probably disappointing to everyone for different reasons. For most of you, I reckon you were excited to see her—I know it’s been a while since she’s paid you all a visit. Which, frankly, is unacceptable. I’ll be sure she knows that. There’s also the matter of the Tear, which I promise is safe, but also indisposed at the minute. For the rest of you—you know who you are—I’m sorry to say you won’t be watching the Councilwoman die today.”
I held my tongue while the people came to terms.
“I don’t mean to alarm everyone, but what I’m about to say, and what’s about to happen, will probably alarm everyone. There are Palisade traitors among you,” I shouted, “and they’re about to try slipping away now that they’ve realized their plan to blow up a bunch of people is a bust.”
One defect did exactly that. He didn’t get far. I waited while a guardsman caught and cuffed the attempted runaway.
“The good news is,” I carried on yelling, “there are guards sprinkled in the crowd, ready to apprehend the bastards.”
Another of the defects pulled out a pistol, waving it overhead like a goddess-be-damned showman. Almost everybody screamed, and just as he was about to turn the weapon on some poor lady, the defect took a bolt between the eyes.
I shut up while the people cheered.
“The better news is, there’s one hell of an arbalist somewhere up there waiting to make his move. If any of you fuckers try anything funny, I promise, my best friend is faster.”
A few kids giggled. Their parents were too late covering their ears.
Another three defects tried making a run for it, and another three guards didn’t let it happen.
Including Blue Jacket, that was six down and three to go.
“I know there are some in the crowd who’ve lost faith in Palisade, and who can blame you?” I said, still shouting. “Councilwoman Blanchett is basically useless, but she doesn’t mean to be. She just doesn’t know any better. See, the Liaison made certain she didn’t. He made her think everybody was feeling peachy—that he had everything under control. Instead of doing something about your problems, he sat on his hands, gobbled up your hard-earned notes, and sacrificed your trust only to lose his goddess-be-damned mind and die in a fire.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Another defect made a run for it.
There wasn’t a guard nearby, so he took a bolt to the side of his head. Trust Gus wouldn’t have made the shot if he didn’t think it’d land. Some people looked around, hoping to spot him. They wouldn’t have seen him even if they tried. Which they did, like I said.
Seven down, two to go.
I didn’t pause. The crowd was speechless.
“Look, while the Liaison was sitting in his fancy house, eating his fancy biscuits and daydreaming up ways to murder the Councilwoman, and while the Councilwoman was sitting in her fancy office, fluffing her hair and trying on fancy shoes, the ones who wear these stupid bloody armbands have, and always will have your backs. It’s literally our only purpose in life.”
“We love you!” someone said from somewhere.
I waggled my fingers in their general direction and carried on, “Bottom line: next time someone tries convincing you that someone else doesn’t have your best interest at heart, stop and think about who’s involved—about what they stand to gain versus what they stand to lose.”
According to the clock tower, I had less than three minutes to weed out the last two defects before having to make a run for it. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to try very hard. From somewhere deep in the crowd, they rushed the stage and darted up the stairs.
Random Defect Number Eight fell face first at my feet with a bolt through his back at the same time Green Jacket lunged at me. Either Gus didn’t have a clear shot, or he was leaving the last one up to me.
I’d find out later it was the latter.
Green Jacket came flying at me, so I grabbed for my daggers and dove them deep into his gut. The whole affair was a lot more violent than I was hoping for, but whatever. I withdrew my daggers, and the crowd went mental.
“We love you!” and, “We’re sorry!” and, “Just tell Blanchett we want more imports!”
I saluted the crowd and ducked underneath the statue of Delphia, reaching up into her skirt for the bundles of explosives strapped to her legs. A minute on the clock and I ran like hell. Dodging everyone I could, I leaped over the heads of those I couldn’t, and bolted straight for the sea. With every bit of strength in my tiny Strachan body, I threw the bundles and breathed the biggest sigh of relief in all the twenty years of my tiny Strachan life.
The explosions went off, but the water contained the blast.
Job done, and no innocents died apart from some fish.
Standing alone at the docks, I took a moment to think about what it would have felt like being blown to bits. And then I took another moment, and another, and another, until there were tens of dozens of people surrounding me. They clapped and cheered and wanted to know my name. I told them it was Rhian, squiggled a few S’s, and asked them all to go home.
I promised I’d tell the Councilwoman they just wanted more imports.
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Around an hour later, long after almost everyone agreed to go about their business elsewhere, Gus and I waited at the docks. Guardsman Deville had instructions to escort the Councilwoman to the Drop after pretending to rescue her, so it wouldn’t be long afore they arrived. It’d been a busy few days, and I felt little like talking. Good thing Gus didn’t need me to talk to know that. So, we stood around in silence, watching the sails on the ship in the distance ripple in the breeze. The Partisans above deck wandered around here and there, getting everything ready for the Councilwoman’s trip back home.
Another hour passed, and I returned Gus’s side-hug with a side-hug.
“At least Kelly will be happy,” I said.
“Blanchett should be, too,” Gus added.
I shrugged. “Aye, but she won’t be.”
“Reckon she’ll take you to trial?”
“Of course she will,” I said.
“I’m sure if we just explain—”
I shook my head. “Naw.”
“Why?”
I flashed my friend a cheeky smile. Another example of a time I didn’t need to talk in order for Gus to know what I was thinking.
Gus chuckled. “All right, mate, but if they sentence you to the Chase, I’m coming with you.”
The embark carrying the Animals, Riz, and Vinny was a speck of dust in the distance by now. At least if I got sentenced to the Chase, I'd have friends, somewhere. I shrugged again, and that’s when it happened.
Nineteen Partisans aboard a Palisade ship died in a blast that afternoon while the Councilwoman lived another day to enslave us. If I hadn’t been so goddess-be-damned intent on saving her stupid flaky arse, I’d spend the rest of my life wondering if I’d have known to save theirs instead.
Fucking. Hell.