Beep beep beep beep BEEP BEEP BEEP. The alarm grew in intensity and pitch, blinking violet strobe lights. An award for greatness in the service sat next to a picture of a young woman. A man stirred in his bed, a cold bed without sheets or pillows, and rose as if from the grave. He stumbled to the window, where the rain pounded on the glass, and the distant thunder drowned out the beeping. Exhausted, crystal blue eyes searched through the torrent for meaning or beauty.
The Vandraedi was a city of stone and steel, built with cobblestone and paved with cement. A city of ancestors, slowly being replaced in the foundations by the advent of the steel and smoke. Beauty slowly being replaced by efficiency. It was built on low hills, and slanted streets were lined with simple stores, open doors and stalls. A river ran through it. Towers stood above it with dark windows and concrete barriers.
The man put on dark clothes in the dim light of his apartment. It was scant, with few luxuries. A newly bought couch he hadn't used yet. A fridge stocked with enough food to last him a week. He pulled on a dark leather overcoat and wrapped it around him tight, slid on a pair of shades, and pulled open the door. A letter fluttered to the ground, having been wedged into the door. He knelt and ran his fingers over the edge, peeling it open. Another notice that his apartment was going to be claimed and auctioned shortly if he didn't make payment. He hadn't paid in a year. He didn't need to. He knew people. People he was going to see right now. On the back of the paper was a series of letters and numbers. It was a code that only he and one other person knew. He stuffed the letter into his pocket and walked out, closing the door behind him, unlocked.
He took back alleyways and walked along the grass path that bordered the river. Black and gray umbrellas walked past him. Stony faces and eyes cast down- only those with business outside would be outside on a day like this. A vendor was selling umbrellas, but he walked past it. He didn't ever admit to needing things.
He found his way to a stone bridge over the river and stood under it, pulling out a wet smoke for a quick break. When he was sure no one was looking, he ducked into an open drain pipe.
Men in leather coats patrolled the underground bunker, machine guns at the ready. More ran here and there, rushing into the dark tunnels. The dark man pushed his way past those, past iron bars and swinging lights towards an underground warehouse. Guards held him up outside the door and demanded his identity- he rose his rain-stained head and glared at them, and, recognizing him, they let him pass.
Boxes of weapons, rations, and papers. Maps of the city lay rolled up loosely against the walls, while a larger map was pinned open and marked. Young men and women talked quietly in the shadow of ammunitions. His arrival quieted them. Some stared, others turned away and in hushed voices hurried away. There was a man with bright hair and eyes in the middle of the room, going over a map with an aged advisor beside him, nodding and gesturing. The younger man was speaking.
"..and if we take Kaupstef Square, we'll have good access to the shops and be able to protect them. Once they're under our protection the economy should level out, but- Ah, you've arrived." The men turned to the dark man. The older man looked nervously to the younger man. "Our informant! This is Ein and I am Zwei. Of this sector, anyways. We got your message from the middleman. You're early! Always liked that about you. Sleep well? Ah, don't shrug at me. I've seen your place. Don't know how you manage to keep it that cold, with the wages you get from the Palace AND what we pay you." The younger man took a breath. "Speaking of which.. said you had something important?"
The man nodded, and walked forward to the map between the two. He pressed a finger wetly to an intersection, an alleyway in the middle of a market square.
"The royal target will be passing through here. Ten o'clock. They're switching safecastles. That's all I know."
The bright-eyed man stared at the location, then took a marker and drew a quick red circle around where the man's wet fingerprint was laid. He placed his hands on the table, studying the map quickly and intently. "...damn. It's not much.. but it's more than we had to start." He turned to stare hard at the dark man. "You sure about this? She's going to be there?.. alright. You there!" He called out to another man. "Go send a messenger to the Homekastal. Tell Valdyr we've got a location on her tonight at ten." The man saluted and ran out.
He began to turn and pace back and forth. "Alright. I don't think we have time to gather the men for a full assault. They'll be too well guarded. Even if we set a trap.. Damnit. Valdyr's going to let me have it if I let a chance like this slip through my fingers." He stopped, tapping his chin with his fist. "Unless.. you. Our inside man.." Zwei turned to look at the dark man. "That operation a month ago. You took down the Chief of Security effortlessly. Made us look like amateurs. Think you'd be able to pull off an assassination attempt on the Princess herself?"
"..I'd die before I got close enough."
"Yes, that'd be a problem. Maybe we can GET you close enough. What if we set a trap.. for the royal target?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"It's easy. We stage an attack, pretend we're fighting you. You're in deep with them, they think you're one of theirs. They reach this spot, they see you fighting us, they'll react. Fight with you or try to rescue you. They won't abandon you to us. They'll trust you. Maybe not. Maybe let you get close enough to kill her. Maybe not- but if they take you with them, you can keep doing your work for us, but closer to the heart of our enemy than ever before. It's a victory for us either way."
The blue-eyed man looked hesitant, but overall approving. The older man, Ein, spoke. "There's a small flaw in your plan, Captain."
"Yes?"
"The Princess doesn't like men like him. Dark men... she's perceptive. She'll see what he is when she sees him. Just like Valdyr. Maybe she won't know what exactly, but she won't trust him."
Zwei frowned. "Hrm. She shares that, does she? Don't think she'd trust him if it was just him fighting alone?" He turned to the dark man, an appraising look on his face. "Then we sweeten the deal. Change the game." The dark man's face rose inquisitively. "I've got a ..stage trick, you could say. And a doll."
"What? That's- highly- Where did you get-" Ein sputtered.
"We'll discuss that later. But I think this is an opportunity. A rare opportunity.. Listen, here's the plan. This bit of magic's a bit complicated, so you've got to follow the directions precisely. You're going to take the doll with you."
"I see where this is going. Sweetening the pot.." A group had begun to gather around them. They smelled the blood in the air, the energy gathering.
"Exactly. Maybe she wouldn't trust you- but.. this might tip her over. You'll go in with the doll. Maybe give her a good stab, make her look wounded. Perform a bit of a stage magic just before the target gets there. She'll scream a bit. And the Princess' heart is just going to break. She'll trust you... and we win." The captain grinned. It was the grin of a cat, content with itself. "It's all down to you.. my friend." He placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Are you up to it?"
His eyes narrowed. Slowly, he looked to the older man, who shrugged and murmured, "It's a good plan.." The dark man nodded. Excitement began to build in the people around them.
"Then today, the peoples of the Vandraedi are about to take a great step closer to true freedom. Today, my friend, the revolution draws the knife close to the heart of oppression. Victory is at hand!" There was cheering. The dark man did not cheer. He did, however, offer an insincere smile. Talk broke out in the group, and murmurs of premature celebration. "Go and prepare. We'll set the operation time to be when the sun falls.. see us then for the extras."
As the dark man turned and began to walk away, the older man leaned in close to the Captain. "And the doll..?"
"Ah.. heh." The captain merely smiled as the man walked away. "Let us talk details, now, you and I. We need to make this trap as convincing as possible.. and I have just the idea."
A middle aged man in a crisp officer's uniform was leaning against the wall as the blue-eyed man approached the doorway out. "Leaving so soon?"
"...yeah. Need to get things ready. Need weapons.. and my work uniform."
"You didn't mention when you wanted a meeting set up that it was somnething of this caliber." The middle aged man's eyes were hard, staring through him. "You should reconsider your involvement in this."
"I can handle myself, Bru."
The man was no longer leaning, and pressed forward. "I know. Just.. you're going after the Princess. You know this is a suicide mission, right? What are you trying to prove by doing this?"
"..I'm not trying to prove anything." He looked uncomfortable.
"Okay. Than why are you doing it? You're just an informant. Let someone else handle this."
"I'm THE informant. You heard him. I'm the man for this job. No one can do this but me."
"I heard him.. and I don't think that's what he said." The other man sighed and turned to continue, but Bru pressed a hand onto his shoulder. "Listen to me! Don't do this. You can still get out. Trust me." The man brushed his hand off and pushed onwards. "Why won't you trust me?" Bru spoke to the man's back.
The man looked back. "You know I don't trust, Bru."
"You're not alone in this, M-"
"Don't." There was a long moment of silence between the two. "I want this."
"You seek death."
"We're acquainted." The man walked away.
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