Gudsriki (18 page)

“I missed your humor.”

“Yeah, that's worth taking me away from my home in the middle of a class war. You know what's happening right now? They're raiding my home, destroying everything I own. Mom's paintings are about to be toilet paper.”

Wulfgar sighed and sat back. He set his book down on the end table.

“Even if that's true, I have no regrets saving you from a mob.”

“I didn't need saving, I was the one doing the saving. I was about to make a deal that would keep the mob at bay.” She swallowed to rid her throat of the lump that formed from exaggerating her meeting with Quiche.

“Would you like me to send a company to maintain order?”

“And leave a Texark arcology under Ulver military rule? You just have it so backwards, don't you?”

“Maybe I do. Why don't you explain it to me?”

She looked down and shook her head.

“I'm open here, Hati. I'm willing to do what it takes to make you happy here.”

“‘Happy' and ‘here' are mutually exclusive.”

Hegg rang at the door.

“Sire, an update.”

“Come in, Hegg.”

Hati sat on the back of a leather chair and stared at the books on the walls.

“Yes, sire. Unst is preparing for the full invasion. All intel forces are recalled and en route.”

“Good. The numbers?”

He fumbled through his papers. “The following will arrive at the Shetland Islands in between thirty-six and forty-six hours:

“From both the African and Mediterranean fleets, 3 battleships, 5 fleet carriers, 6 escort carriers, 6 cruisers, 37 destroyers, 37 frigates, 23 submarines, 61 mine warfare ships, 118 patrol boats, 214 amphibious, 99 auxiliary, 82 surface warships. Total active: 691.

“From both armies: 6 infantry regiments, 1 mountain regiment, 6 armored regiments, 5 airborne regiments, and 2 cavalry regiments. Total strength army: 57,386; strength army ground forces: 53,517.”

Hati looked up from the books, aghast.

“From both Air Forces: 6 very heavy bombers, 65 heavy bombers, 84 medium bombers, 79 light bombers, 299 fighters, 171 recon, 61 transports, 58 trainers, 33 communications. Total combat aircraft: 704. Total support aircraft: 152.

“Global satellite reassignments. It should be noted that we still aren't certain which satellites are fully functional. They're like the pogos and every other electronic system, some work, most don't. But we've sent signals to the following: 23 cutter satellites, 18 laser satellites, 2 platforms, 129 recon. Total reassignments: 172.”

“Do you think it will be enough?”

“Yes, sire, yes I do.”

“And their directives?”

“Absolute top priority: the live capture of Vibeke. The picture from the original massacred pogo is en route to every soldier. All will be informed of her capabilities. Secondary priority: the takeover of Orkney. The communiqué will arrive at Unst at 1630 hours.”

“Excellent, dismissed.”

Hegg departed. Hati coughed.

“You don't think it's enough?” asked Wulfgar.

“You're sending a world war's worth to catch one girl?”

“She's an important girl. And a tough one.”

“So am I, but you didn't send the combined forces to pick me up from Ballard Heights.”

“No, I sent Stiletto's men because you weren't—”

“As important?”

“As dangerous.”

Hati stood up and stretched. She knew it had been a low shot given what he'd put in and lost to bring her there. Wulfgar thought about no such things. He just watched her. He was beyond happy to have her safe at his home no matter what she said.

“You think I should give up on her? On Violet?”

“I think if Violet killed my uncle you should give her a ton of gold and a pat on the back.”

“Your lack of loyalty to this family is—”

“Earned. He was going to rape that girl. He deserved what he got.”

“He was still your uncle.”

“So was Oglaf, but you had him killed.”

Wulfgar set his book down on the end table and looked at Hati.

Hati looked right back. She had inherited his stare. He reminded her sometimes of looking in the mirror when he was enraged. Whatever fire burned behind his eyes, burned in her as well. No matter what she said or did to defy him, he felt all the prouder of her.

“What do you want me to say, Hati?”

“Admit you're selfish. You wanted your kid back, and you got her.”

“Yes. I am and I did. I don't regret it.”

“I had work to do there, important work. I have nothing here.”

“You'll have anything you desire! Anything.”

“Send me home.”

“Anything at all, just name it.”

She huffed and looked at the rug. Ornate. She knew he'd never let her go back. She knew it from the start. She had to make the best of it. She had to be useful again.

“Put me on your advisory staff,” she demanded.

“Okay,” he agreed.

“As my first advisement, I strongly suggest you give up on those Valkyrie girls.”

“As my first act with you as advisor, I decline.”

“Well, at least you listened.”

“Hati, you had me listening since you were born.”

She laughed and walked to the door.

“As your advisor, I also insist on an office and a research staff.”

“Done.”

“And 50,000 Loups a day.”

“Done.”

“And the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

“Not till you're eighteen.”

“I'm twenty-eight.”

“I know. August 9th. At 0300. It was a Friday. Cloudy.”

“I know you care, Dad. Caring was never the problem.”

“What was?” he asked, knowing full well all the crimes he'd committed, people he'd killed and tortured, and worse.

She knew he knew. She smiled grimly and left. Wulfgar picked up his book. He retained no memory of Hati's admonition to stop the hunt for the Valkyries whatsoever.

He found himself with some free time. He called Donatien.

“Yes, Little Boots?”

“I have an hour free. Convene an orgy.”

“Yes, Little Boots. What flavor today?”

“Any new blondes?”

“Four, sire.”

“Take them to interrogation three.”

He walked there, growing tumescent with every step. The anticipation was always the finest part, given the disappointment that inevitably followed. But not today. He entered the chamber to find three girls sobbing and one staring daggers. With angry eyes. Furious eyes. He ordered Donatien to remove the others. He took them to the next room to perform his own vile acts.

Wulfgar released the new girl from her bonds.

“What's your name?”

“Violet.”

“Not what he told you to say, your real name.”

“Cynth,” she said, a real Scottish accent peeking out from behind her tongue.

“Do you know what I'm going to do to you, Cynth?”

She stared at him and nodded for him to come closer. When he did she spat in his face. He breathed out warmly, happily, and hugged her gently. Snuggled to the side of her face.

“Perfect,” he said as he drew his knife.

 

 

V
IBEKE
'
S
POGO
set down gently on Unst at 1600 hours. The Wolf base was massive, built on the UKI base's remains. A powerful force preparing to wipe out Orkney.

She walked up to the gate guard.

“I need to see your base CO.”

“Who are you?”

“I'm Vibs.”

“Who are you and what do you want?”

“I need to borrow your growth chamber. I want to negotiate.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Yes. Let me see your CO. I can give you all of Orkney if you let me borrow your chamber.”

“You can give us Orkney,” he repeated incredulously.

“I can give you Orkney,” she confirmed.

He nodded and walked into his station. He hardwired his link into the port and made a call. A few seconds later he walked out to Vibeke.

“Intel will hear you out.”

Vibeke was surprised. She'd expected to be turned back. And that would be it, the end to her madness, the end of possibilities. But she was to see their intel officers. Under escort she was moved down under one of the tents into a small black room. Two women entered.

“How can you give us Orkney?” asked the woman on the left.

“I'm the girl who killed like a zillion of your men on the beach. I can do the same for you, plus I have all the intel on all their bases.”

“We should kill you right now.”

“But you won't. You need me.”

“We do not need you.”

“Well, you at least want me. Come on, I borrow your chamber and I give you all of Orkney. It's a good deal.”

“What are you? Who are you with?”

“I'm Vibs. I'm with no one.”

The women looked at each other.

“We'll be back,” they said together.

She waited in the small room, staring blankly at the wall. They would say no, and then it would be over. Violet would be dead for good. Then she'd be free. She longed for it.

They returned.

“You'll be escorted off the base to your pogo and allowed to leave. If you come back, you'll be locked away until the war is over.”

It was as simple as that. Mission over. She let them take her to the pogo, and she got inside.

She had to come to terms with it. She let herself sit still as she said it again and again in her head.
Violet is gone. Even if they let me have it, there would only be a mimic, a forgery that would hurt me more. This is the best possible resolution. I will move on. A Valkyrie funeral
. “We have moved on, and we will not come back.”

Months earlier Violet was fingering and tonguing her and she was climaxing hard again and again and again, so hard that the muscles in her neck went sore. When she finally stopped, Violet cuddled up to her and sucked on the side of her breast.

“You moan like a walrus,” said Violet.

“You fuck like a percussion bolt.”

“You're welcome.”

Vibeke caught her breath. The wind hit them both, giving them goose bumps. Violet reached up and caressed Vibeke's collarbone.

“You know why I fell for you a year ago?”

Vibeke didn't answer.

“It was how you said ‘Good color for your suit, in case anyone forgets your name.' When I first got my Thaco armor that's what you said, and it stuck in my mind. Just the way you said it, kind of sarcastic, drenched in your absurdly soft rolling Norsk accent, just something about it made me so fucking hot for you. Your voice always does it to me, but that one time. Just…. Wow.”

“I don't have an accent.”

“You totally do.”

“What does it sound like?”

“Soft. Almost lispy but not lispy, more…. Trilling, like a purr I guess. Just incredibly soft, and it sucks me in somehow. It makes me want to suck on you and squeeze you and roll you into a little ball and fuck the living shit out of you.”

“Couldn't love me because I was smart or tough or something?”

“Of course I do. I wouldn't give a shit about you if you couldn't kill me two hundred and fifty different ways.”

“Two hundred and fifty-seven.”

“There's nothing I don't love about you.”

Vibeke thought. She wanted to tell Violet what she loved most about her, to reciprocate what she'd said. But she couldn't think of any one thing to say. Seconds passed, and she had to say something. She couldn't leave Violet hanging, leave her with nothing.

More seconds and the time had passed. It would be hokey to say it then. She stayed silent. Since Violet's death she'd thought of 101 things she should've said. And she'd never get to say them to her.

She put on her armor and foot fields, clingered one microwave and holstered the other, donned the repulse capes and field knuckles, grabbed the Talley Buffalo Cannon, and opened the door.

Her Tikari came out first; then she stepped out; then Violet's Tikari followed after. Both by her sides, her repulse capes blowing in the wind.

A soldier hit the alarm. It sounded across the base, deafening.

The base fortifications began to rise from the tarmac and inflate. Dozens of men flooded out from the nearby buildings. All took up a flawless formation like a horseshoe around her and raised their rifles. Fifty microwave rifles targeted her. Fifty lasers marked her.

Before they could call on her to set down her arms, she'd made a single sweep, discharging an entire clip of expansion rounds across the men, turning the horseshoe into a splatter. She struck the cannon, rotating to the next clip and hit her foot fields, then skated on.

Dozens of microwave beams began to hit her fields and send her into a deep cold. She burned through it with the heat of muscles straining to run, centimeters above the tarmac, straight for the inflated gabions in front of the marked medical tent.

An eight-wheeled kampfwagen rolled out from a port and laid into her with its main Oerlikon gun. Ice formed on her skin. She ran straight for it, her field taking hundreds of hits every second, draining her of every joule of energy. She sprang from her foot fields and jumped as she approached it, launching herself over its armored side and sending her directly over the Oerlikon's twisted exhaust manifold. Upside down, she unloaded another clip of expansion rounds into the manifold core. It didn't stop firing. In an instant the pressure inside the manifold exploded, engulfing the entire kampfwagen in flames as she hit the ground.

By now both Tikaris were orbiting her at lightning speed. They cut through the first few men who ran for her, weapons heaving beams and bullets into her. The most intense barrage came from a man directly before her, standing with a floater array. She ran straight into it and kicked him with her foot fields on, smashing his head against his armament. The others kept back, hurling more heat into her field, freezing her further inside. She hit the next Talley clip and destroyed them all.