“Zack, a name that you should keep an eye on. Irene Idelson, the General’s secretary. A strict and straightforward person as the rumor goes.”
“Now you tellin’ me, to be bothered with a game of hide and seek inside these mansions…?”
“For a means of shortcut other than those places, she might be regularly checking on the journal, or it’s in her possession even. As a person who wanders around the facility, she should be somewhere.”
“Ain’t you too convenient dumping those work on me?”
“Whoever finds her first should make the move. Remember, don’t let your guise be blown, and run into her first, tailing her unnoticed. Not her snuffing you out first, Zack.”
Rukevic pointed his finger straight at his face. Those words were etched clearly in his mind, becoming even more vivid when the person in question is standing next to him.
Between the two given situations, the latter is what happened. The other way around. Who knows how long Irene had noticed his antics until now?
Zack is frozen. Thinking about what should he do.
“Audacious. Stand up and explain yourself!”
Upon hearing it, slowly Zack gets on his feet and stares back. Toughing up his expression even though deep down he wants to run away from the dire situation. He can only do so much as long the disguise is still attached to him.
Hopefully, the silent treatment would do him a favor this time.
“Quickly. I don’t have much time to deal with the likes of you.” Irene shoved his body hard, intimidating him by pinning him against the wall. “Explain. Say, what did you do here without my permission…??”
The terror of superiority overwhelmed his surroundings. Without any distance, he can feel the cold air blowing through his ear. In contrary to her burning furious gaze.
This bitch…!
“Careless. One should've something to say now?”
Tch, hold it…
“Persistent. How long will that mouth keep shut?!” With every second he clams up, she gets closer to his face. Might even sniff his manly hormone under the feminine getup.
…Shut your crap, Zack!
“What a farce. You rookie messing around with me? After I caught you lockpicking the Forbidden Part of the library, did you think I’m joking with you??”
…At this rate, my cover’s gonna blow up!
“Impudent. Perhaps you like it for one's mouth get torn apar-“
KABOOM!!
“What?!”
A reverbing shock rumbles throughout the entire building, making everyone in the vicinity startled by the loud noise.
“Is that… an explosion… just now?”
Seeing her off guard, Zack impulsively pushed her back a few steps. Despite that, her attention is already glued to the noise from the outside.
KABOOM!!
Another three consecutive explosions shock the Central House, followed by people starting to frantically run in random directions. In a blink of an eye, the quietude of the library crumbles. So do the books falling apart from the shelves.
What the f*ck did just happen…??
“Hurry. Let’s go, rookie!” Without a second thought, Irene grabs his wrist and drags him out of the library. Already forgot about the violation earlier. “Something big is happening out there, if anything, we should get out of here first!”
For a second, he can breathe freely again. As if the pressure tangling his chest has been cut loose. The one who saved him, is an unexpected event.
Seems like luck is still on his side, or is it?
Everything was laid into bare ruins.
The once grand dining room for the feast in honor of today’s guests is now already crumbled apart. A gnawing hole opened up on one of its sides. A nightmarish sight for those who survive.
With a limp body, Rukevic stands back on his feet. Dust and ember particles float around him. Coughing up as the pain from his back spreads to the entire body.
If were not for his quick reflex and sharp senses, he’s as good as a lunk of charcoal now. Good thing it only cost him both burned hands protecting his face from the flame.
Straightening his body. Throwing his gaze. Recalling what happened minutes ago.
Doing his job as a butler, being a waiter was his task this morning. Relentlessly went back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, even though it was only a mask and an act to be put in his guise.
“Venedikt, take these to the guests!”
A chef called him, giving him a tray full of wine glasses for the guests. Without much thought, he took it and served it right away. The General himself was there, yet he avoided alcoholic drinks. Perhaps too old for drinking in the morning. Offering it for the guests instead. Four in total.
Not only the executives from a certain company that came, yet along with their families were invited to the feast.
However, one of them collapsed after a sip. In front of the General, cynical stares fell upon Rukevic. Confused. Bothered. Agitated.
At that moment, the man drew his last breath. And then…
Beep. Beep.
KABOOM!!
A bomb ticked off. The explosion consumed everything.
And this is where he ended up in the situation.
…Talk about bad timing…
Leaving the thick burning smoke behind, he managed to escape the siege of fire. A wave of fresh air greets his injured body when he stepped out. Same thing with the sign of activity. The medics are currently evacuating the victims and other people inside the building.
The moment they saw him, they asked him about what happened inside the black smoke while giving a quick treatment for his wound. With a relieving sight in his eyes, Rukevic decides to take his time to reorganize his breath while assessing the situation earlier.
This is out of my calculation, we will be at a disadvantage here.
At this rate…
Wait, disadvantage…?
At that moment, Rukevic straightened his body after hearing another explosion taking place from the East Wing. The sound is startling everyone from the busy work in front of Rukevic. After a while, he then pulls the transmitter of his earphone out of the pocket. Searching for a name there.
<Connecting to Lana Novikov . . . >
<Connection accepted.>
“Hey! Are you fi-“
[Oi, How’s the plan?]
From the other side, the voice of his comrade reverbs in his ear, with the fiery energy mixed with annoyance behind it. Making Rukevic grin without realizing it.
“Better than expected… I hope you’re prepared.”
[What the hell are you talking about?! What kind of f*cking plan do you have on your mind? Was all of this your doings too…?]
“Calm down a bit, will you? I know how bothered you are not being able to give me a heads up because of your limitations of technological knowledge, no?”
[Ain’t you too laid back to throw bullshit like that?]
“Said the one who hasn’t given any sign of useful information in the last three hours.”
[…Imma kick your f*cking ass if keep dissin’ the shit outta me.]
“Okay, I get it, Miss Lana. Keep your head cool, okay?” Harsh hisses can be heard from there. Rukevic shakes his head. “Unpredicted variables interrupted our plan, as you know. With that in mind, don’t you dare think of anything funny to escape or backstab me, okay?”
[…The only thing that I despise is how you read my goddamn mind so easily. But I’ll play along with your game. Don’t blame me if you’re on your own when it gets too complicated.]
“Fine, understood. Then…” Rukevic stands up and leaves the place immediately with a wide stride. “Keep on searching the General’s Office. Look closely everywhere. We don’t have much time. Even if we don’t know who’s behind this chaos, it’s a lucky charm for others.”
[Dude, imma beat your head real hard after going on reading things so precisely on my end. I’m already on it!]
“Did I spook you? My apology, comrade. Worry not, I’m securing our way out from here. If push comes to shove, we’d be able to quickly escape into thin air.”
[Talk for your sorry self, huh?]
“Don’t give me such a harsh response. You should be more thankful for your companion here.”
[I’m hangin’ up.]
“Did you even know how to do it with your technological limitations…?”
Instead of a voice, the sound of a cold silent breeze blew from the other side through his ear. No response. Rukevic chuckled lightly after knowing his answer as expected.
“Pfft… Fine, I’ll do it. Don’t pull any ridiculous stunt, comrade.”
[You’re not the one to talk.]
Scorching heat. Suffocating Ashes. Blinding smoke.
Even when the goal is within his grasp, Zack is already trapped before long.
Burning falling debris almost hit his head right in front of the door leading to the balcony outside. A loud hiss slipped out his tongue when his only way out was blocked. With the book in his hand, he glanced across the room.
Thanks to the locked drawer of the General’s desk, the only spot he couldn’t reach, and ended up smashing it to pieces. It took him too much time to do so. By then, a siege of fire surrounded him in the blink of an eye.
His sight locks onto a window, the only way out that has been blocked by burning wood. With time running out, Zack hisses in annoyance.
Gritting his teeth, Zack sets up his stance. Dashing forward rapidly and cutting through the thick black smoke. He jumps, extending his leg far ahead. Aiming straight at the burning rubble.
He kicked the blocked path out of his way altogether with the wall and window behind it. Flying his way out with chunks of wood and burning debris that falls to the indoor garden beneath.
Quickly grabbing the ledge with one hand midair. Swinging his body straight to the window of the room below.
Crash!
Thud!
Shards of glass scattered all over the place. Zack hit the floor and landed awkwardly, still clutching at the book. Shortly, a creeping silence engulfed the atmosphere of the room.
“Quite an entrance you have there, Zack.”
“Koff! Koff! You think…?!”
Right in front of him, Rukevic stands tall while taking his bag out of the locker. This is where they agreed to meet, back in the locker room.
“To think the locker room is right below the Colony General’s Office, after all, it’s pretty convenient for you. Also, the indoor garden is quite splendid, isn’t it?”
“Splendid, my ass! I almost kicked the bucket from those f*cking smokes.” Zack gets on his feet, throwing the book at him without a second thought.
“Where’s your guise? I expected you aren’t stupid enough to reveal it deliberately, no?”
“…That’s not important now.” Said Zack rolling his eyes.
“Don’t tell me, that the secretary herself saw through you…? That’s the case here, right?”
As if he hit the mark, Zack gulps his saliva nervously. “Enough bullshit. Get change already!”
With no wigs, and torn clothes in some places, Rukevic peers back at him. Zack turns away instead. Clicking his tongue harshly.
Their disguise as the butlers end here. Rukevic however, still with the same style as before.
Folded-sleeve white shirt, with a thin bulletproof black vest hanging down almost dragging on the ground, resembling the one he wore earlier.
Not much of a difference except for the harness stretched across his chest and back, complete with a pair of big caliber handguns on their holster. The black gloves on both hands and lastly, a plain white mask to cover his face whole.
“Ever heard of White Death, Zack? A notorious assasin of the old world. His identity should be fitting with this mask, being a true outlaw. Is this… enough…?”
As Rukevic said it, his voice is tracing off upon the sight of the person next to him. Instantly making him frozen in surprise.
Right before his eyes, the man who’s terrorizing the entire colony, who’s putting the entire brigade of enforcers on the edge is standing there. Glaring with a sharp stare.
At the most crucial of times, the well-known urban legend himself appeared next to him.
Gulping down his saliva, Rukevic is making sure, “You’re... Skullface…??”
“Shut up. I ain’t gonna accept any autograph today.”
With a drowsy sigh, he stares back with his grey eyes.
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