Project Ouroboros (9 page)

— We were a little lost, — shrugging apologetically, El'Athar began to shake the snow off himself and Aleph.

— It's been three hours! — Because of anger Tekhina's deep voice sounded sharp and high.

El'Athar remained silent.

Aleph took off his hat and jacket, asking to take him to where he would sleep. Tekhina said that there was plenty of places for everyone, and they decided to allocate a separate room for each participant, despite the fact that each room had two beds.

— Yes, we had twenty people, and this base was built specifically for the expedition. We thought that it would be the first but not the last. Yeah... — Trier Lugal wilted, sitting in his chair in the common room, where almost all the space was occupied by a huge wooden table on which a radio and radar were already set up surrounded by paper bags and remnants of food.

— I've made door nameplates, — said Tekhina to Aleph — so you can find your room without problems.

— But why? — El'Athar could not understand the logic of this woman.

— Why what? All doors are the same, it is easy to get confused. So it will be clearer.

— Then I'll know where it is unnecessary to go — El'Athar chuckled, winked to Dr Ami and began to look for something edible in the packages.

— Good night — said Aleph. — Wake me up when it is needed.

He left and everyone became silent. It was late, though views have not changed at all, they remained grey and dull. Snowfall was almost over, and El'Athar sarcastically remarked to himself that Aleph had chosen the perfect time so that their way remained untraceable. How he looked then in the mountains, so alive ... This young man was much more complicated than it seemed at first glance.

— Have everyone changed to the local time? — The first to break the silence was the co-pilot. — Now it's 20.56. Lights out? When should we wake up?

— At five, — said Mr Lugal. — The most favourable time. — Usually the weather is calmer in the morning than in the evening.

Everything went silent. Irinae went last and turned off the lights everywhere having checked whether they locked front door. There was no one to come to visit them, but for some reason he wanted it to be locked.

El'Athar went to his room and found that someone had thoughtfully put all his stuff on a free bed. The presence of heavy curtains pleased him, as there was practically no light from the window. Deciding to touch them, the agent found that they were damp and moldy. El'Athar gently closed the curtains, hoping that his bed linen and blankets were not overgrown with arctic lichen.

These curtains had experienced a hurricane, but there was no one to change them... Adjusting nasty loose linens El'Athar noticed a figure walking in the mountains. And it was not Aleph.

He watched the dark figure for some time, but then decided to leave it and went to bed.

There was a knock on the door.

— Aleph?

— I hate to be alone at the end of the corridor.

— But you are at home?

— Yes. But I do not like to be alone. Even at home.

— Come, — El'Athar took a backpack off a second bed and put it in the corner of the room. — Is it all rotten in your room, too?

— Yes. The bed is terrible, although I know that the pilots took the bed linen, towels, a change of clothes, generally, all that is needed, not only food. But apparently, not for me. I've brought my favourite blanket and I feel good.

— You took a blanket with you?

— Yes. And as you can see — not for nothing.

— Get down on my bed.

— Yah...

— Get there, now. It's time to sleep. Especially for you. I need only 4-5 hours of sleep, so I'll read.

— Did you bring books?

— Yes.

— Now I wonder who of us is weirder. Blanket is at least practical — mumbled half asleep Aleph.

Having settled in, he literally fell asleep immediately and El'Athar was sitting on a creaky bed and revising documents on his computer concerning Hurricane Tiamat. Discoveries of that day simply did not fit in his head.

The man who went into the mountains didn't leave his thoughts, too, and it was increasingly difficult to breathe.

El'Athar made sure that Aleph was sleeping, standing over him for a few minutes, pondering about his mysterious sensations-illuminations. Ghost memories did not return, but they left a trail of warm inside. He wanted to touch someone, but there was only a teenager in bed who caused absolutely no emotion.

The agent sighed and began to dress. The time was eleven p.m., outside it was a little greyer, but there was still enough light to see the footmarks of mysterious traveler. Yes, it would be much easier to find him than El'Athar and Aleph before.

And it seemed that the agent knew who left the base and why.

Quietly and gently closing the door leading into the room, El'Athar with disappointment saw a co-pilot with a cigarette in his mouth.

— Also no sleep? — Heth released a plume of smoke.

— Yes, I'll walk a little bit, maybe then I could sleep.

— You have already walked today — the pilot chuckled.

— Can I have a cigarette?

— Yes of course.

— Would you like to take a walk with me?

— I'll just get dressed.

Het put out a cigarette and went to his room.

El'Athar lit a cigarette. In fact, he tried not to get involved in bad habits, because they might be integral features of the human personality. Every scout had to remember that the odour of cigarettes, a favorite perfume, in extreme cases — alcohol, were a  traces, as well as fingerprints.

El'Athar reminded himself that he did not drink for three days, and it seemed that he didn't have to come back to that habit.

Heth came back and they left of the building.

It was colder than in the afternoon, the air was so dry and chilly, that it was impossible to breathe.

— I also saw a man who went to the mountains, — said the co-pilot. — You're going to after him?

— Did you see who it was?

— Apparently, someone of the scientists. And I saw Aleph coming to you. Is he your brother? He's a little old for a son.

— Just a ward.

— That's strange, it seems to me you're alike.

— He had no luck with the linen, I had to give up my berth — El'Athar changed the subject.

— It's strange, we have taken quite enough of stuff...

— Was Dr Ami engaged household arrangement? — El'Athar just smiled, knowing that only she could do so.

— Poor child, he became an object of jealousy — Heth smiled.

They seemed to accidentally go in the same direction as the traveler an hour before them.

— I care about Aleph, because that's my job. She takes everything too close to heart.

They fell silent. The tracks were not very clearly visible, so to stay on track was quite difficult.

— I think — the co-pilot spoke again — that it was Dr Lugal.

— I think so too. He spent a lot of time here, and knows exactly where to go.

— I feel something strange. Like all these years, I was not at home.

Heth's dark green slanting eyes were filled with turquoise light.

Heck! El'Athar cursed himself for carelessness. Strange eye colour, the name from the ancient Semitic alphabet, atypical for a descendant of East Asia, and even a sense of presence. Thus, another Lamashtu.

— We need to hurry — said Heth. — I think he's not going back from there.

— Dr Lugal, what are you doing?! Stop! — The co-pilot as quickly as he could descended into the mine, where El'Athar with Aleph had been only a few hours ago.

— I've been waiting for this for thirty years! — Trier Lugal took off his jacket and approached the well. — I have to be there!

— Dr Lugal!.. — Heth wanted to rush to the distraught scientist, but El'Athar stopped him.

— Mr Lugal — began the agent — we, all here present, know what you want to see...

— You do not know! — Doctor grabbed the frozen slippery handrails and glared at El'Athar. — You know nothing, Mr Chief Agent! From the fact that you pop your long nose everywhere, you do not get wiser. I've been here, I've seen! And this pretty punk, who you are so fond of — is not the one you think he is! He is not a defenceless teenager, he is a monster! And I know how to defuse him, I know where his cocoon is, and how dependent he is on it! As all of them are!

A shot rang out and Dr Trier Lugal slowly slid down the icy stairs. El'Athar hid the gun and pushed the scientist into the well.

— Since he wanted to get there so much... — the agent stood at the edge for some time, looking down, but the sound of a falling body didn't sound. — Apparently, he's stuck on something, this well is not so deep. Oh ... one more cigarette would not hurt.

Heth stood dumbstruck.

— Only the blind do not know now, that I have worked in intelligence. Ugh! — El'Athar turned to the second pilot. — Do not worry, I'm not a monster. But choosing between a fool and twenty-two innocent biorobots, I chose them.

Heth remained silent.

— All Lamashtu are dependent on Aleph, he is a prototype. If he dies, the rest would die too. You included.

He first began to climb the stairs leading outside.

— You know... — finally the second pilot broke the silence, — I would like to smoke too.

— You understand...

— Yes, I do. We did not have time to save him.

— Exactly.

Heth pulled out his pack of cigarettes and they smoked.

Most of the way back there was a silence, and only in front of the station El'Athar said:

— If you are in any doubt about what has happened...

— No, I think not — Heth was thinking. — Now I understand everything. My home is down the well, right?

— Yes.

— Well, you've got guts. Well, to do it...

— I have never hesitated to kill the bad guy.

— Three hours have passed, it will soon be all lighten up...

— So, do you think now there is not enough light? — El'Athar grumbled the rest of the way.

The living room was in dim light.

Tekhina was still sitting on the sofa next to the radio.

— And you cannot sleep too? — Asked El'Athar.

— Where have you been? — she said in response.

— Walking. — The agent was cold and distracted. He was tired, sleepy, and did not want to discuss their relationship again.

The co-pilot said that, perhaps, he will have a rest and wished them a good night.

— I understand that you are interested in me less than in my studies, but it does not help to sleep soundly at night.

— You are not right. — It frankly did not break the ice and the agent remained as detached. — But I am what I am. Either you take it or...

— That's clear. — Responded Tekhina.

— I and Heth had a rough night, so I want to get some sleep.

He turned around and left.

...voices. Caves vibrated from the powerful echo, there was so many voices. In the dark mines appeared bright blue reflections of light, creating bizarre fantastic patterns.

...voices. They reminded shamanic singing, crying to the gods so ancient that they preceded the creation of the universe.

...voices. They woke up.

Wee hour was filled with the voices of ancient times, the voices of those ancient times, when people worshiped demiurges. This worship helped the gods to continue to exist, when people began to forget their gods — they died. It was the beginning of ...

Aleph cried. His head seemed to be torn into pieces, he grabbed it, as if he could get rid of the pain, keep it inside.

El'Athar jumped up from his bed and still not fully understanding what was happening, rushed to his ward.

— Quiet, quiet... — he tried to wrap him in a blanket and sat down beside him.

— Someone broke the calm of the cradle — sobbed Aleph and lay down again.

— He cannot do any harm, he is already dead.

— So you did it.

— I protected you. All of you.

Aleph closed his eyes and made himself comfortable. The pain in the temples spread out all over the body, bounded him. It seemed that he could not move. He wanted to thank El'Athar, but could not utter a word. The boy was clearly aware of the approaching finale of his suffering. But which?..

***

— Liner "Omega" calling station "Sigma". Do you copy?

— Station "Sigma" copy.

— "Sigma", we have a problem. An oxygen leak, we need help, copy.

— "Omega", roger that. I'll alarm to Captain Obé.

— Station "Sigma" calling for liner "Omega", welcome!

— Liner "Omega" copy.

— We send technicians to you. Tell your exact coordinates.

— Sending coordinates. We are ready to receive.

— How many people do you have on board?

— Fifteen crewmen and eight thousand passengers.

— Are they sleeping?

— Yes.

— Liner "Omega", our technicians will arrive in forty minutes, over.

— Roger that.

Space station "Sigma" was located close to the Earth, orbiting Mars, being the outpost through which ships arrived with people heading to the Earth. The "Oὐροβόρος " project was started three years ago, and tens of thousands of enthusiasts had already moved on the restored planet.

Did people come back again to destroy everything?