Рами Юдовин – Wind in the Hands (страница 8)

“You don't know what is going on in the City,” spoke the Soldier impulsively. “There are absolutely autonomous neighborhoods. Police fears to go there because there are no strangers from outside and you are an enemy for them. So many disturbing orders have appeared lately! I don’t advise you to interfere with them, they hate outsiders. They won't speak with the representatives of other religions.”

“I'm far from the religious representatives or communities, but I'm close to the people of spirit,” the Stranger interrupted him.

“And what's the difference?” the Soldier was surprised.

“The clergy serve a certain cult, their community, and their flock. But the people of spirit serve the Truth which is above any religion or cultural and national traditions,” the Stranger explained.

“I think it will be hard to explain to an enraged crowd. Teenager gangs are active in the City as vagrant dogs. They are merciless drug- addicts who lost their human dignity. Let’s go together. I have decided to quit my job. I have a professional breakdown,” the Soldier smiled.

“Good,” the Stranger was unexpectedly fast to accept the proposal. “Let's do like this: a day after tomorrow at about eight in the morning we meet at the ticket office at the railway station. If you don't come, it means you have thought twice. I will understand it.”

“And if you don't come?”

“Then you stay.”

They shook their hands firmly and went their ways. The Soldier left for his home and the Stranger went to the park, as it was not cold at that time.

Next morning the Soldier was making his decision, which was probably the most important one in all his life. “Maybe I stay; the Seer’s advice cannot be ignored. I will live a normal life. Stop battling and find a normal job. Every morning I will wake up with the woman I love, have kids. That's what happiness is about…

You are lying, boy! You know yourself. You won’t live a life without a sense of danger. That’s how many people live and I have a chance to do something important. I have touched magic. The Stranger has found me and I have met the legend: the Seer himself. And he was afraid of the Stranger. I saw fear in his horrifying eyes. I have a chance to become a companion of the man whom the Seer himself bowed to.

What do I have to lose? How many years have I taken the risk? And what for? Destroy terrorists? But they grow in numbers every day. No, I take risk because I do not like to lead a dull life. I enjoy risk, I like to feel that I’m one of the elite, and top rulers of the country know about me. Reports on completed operations find their way to their desk. Maybe they admire me.

But I saw the light… My feats turned out to be the fruit of vanity. I happen to be no warrior of the light but a bolt in the government vehicle flying down the slope as it does not have brakes. I will become a real warrior if I follow the God’s will. I have fought someone other’s and senseless war. And now I want to fight for Him. He rescued me and consoled me in His church. I owe Him my life. The God saved me. Was not it for this time? And now time has come to act. By the way, why did the Stranger appoint a meeting in two days? He was anxious to get to the City. Something is wrong here. I need to lay in ambush at the railway station and wait. He might decide to go earlier without me.”

Chapter 6. The Liquidator

After his guests had left, the Seer was lingering about the house aimlessly, came out into the garden, looked at trees, and smelt leaves. Having calmed down, he returned to his study and contemplated. The Seer had travelled all over the world, met people with almost fantastical abilities, but he had never seen such universal specialists as himself. He mastered telepathy, could hypnotize with his thoughts, read texts with his eyes closed, find hidden objects, lost people, shared the past in detail, never made a mistake in forecasts. However, even he did not have the power his recent guest had. It was something to think about.

“Something extraordinary is underway. It needs investigation and the sooner the better. Maybe it is necessary to prevent them from entering the City or vice versa help them. What is their purpose? Well, they don’t know that themselves.”

The Seer took out a cigarette and smoked. He tried to quit this vicious habit many times and did not have the right stimulus as he thought he knew what he would die of.

“First, who are they?” he contemplated. “They haven't introduced themselves. I don’t think their names will tell me anything. Let’s start with the silent one. What can be said about him? Slightly taller than the average, strong-built, but his muscles are trained in a natural way by many hours of trainings: he is too sinewy, lean, strong, and agile. His movements are very well coordinated and judging by his gestures, quick response, he moves cautiously and has a well-developed side vision. Is he an athlete? No, he is not an athlete; he smokes and is not young. He is at least thirty five. He kept silent all the time and tried to understand what we were talking about and wasn't catching flies. Stop! He sighed when we mentioned intelligence agencies. Is he a military?” the Seer asked listening to himself. “Yes. He is related to the army but he is not a professional Soldier. Ok, deduction and logic aside, I’m not a detective. Let’s go directly to conclusions.”

The Seer concentrated tuning on to the image of the silent man. He had a chain of associations: a crying and physically impaired boy, a teenager vehemently beating a suspended sack with his hands and feet, a young man in a military uniform shooting from a rifle. “He is not shooting at aims. He fought. Drills, drills,” repeated the Seer. “Uneasy training, absolutely closed institution, but not for me; now I will see what they are studying… A gym. Smells of blood, sweat, or something else, oh… that’s adrenaline. Full-contact fight, no protective gear. Why do they mutilate each other? Can fists play a decisive role in a modern battle where they fight with rifles striking the aim at a five-kilometer distance?”

The Seer was thinking. He was interested. “I see,” he said out loud. “It’s a stamina test. Those who withstand will work further. Lectures. Read by civilians: survival tactics, methods of killing, and camouflage. An optic rifle. It's clear what he has been taught. He is a liquidator and probably one of the best. Ok. What next?”

The Seer cringed in his armchair and continued, “Assignments? No need to be a clairvoyant to understand. First tasks in the group, then with a companion, and single tasks for several years. It's strange: single-man liquidation operations are not a normal practice. Why does he leave and return single? Why?”

The Seer got up from the armchair, nervously paced the room, stopped at the window and closed his eyes. “The liquidator’s partners perished. He is followed by death but it does not touch him.” He saw shelling: lumps of earth flow up in the air with pieces of flesh. Soldiers wailed and whined of fear. Even those who did not believe in God were praying. Young guys virtually sank their teeth in wobbling earth. Explosions smothered weeping and yelling. All died but one. “He survived when all were to be mutilated after that slaughter. Good luck? But it happened on a dozen of occasions and that means a regular pattern. He is dangerous, very dangerous.”

Chapter 7. The Medium

The Stranger had long dreamed of meeting the Seer. He had many questions he wanted to discuss, but still the meeting left a painful impression. Of course, the Seer is neither an evildoer nor the son of darkness as he was described by priests, but he did not have inner light bestowing hope and inward peace, either. A searching, strong and at the same time twitchy person. And his eyes, although strong, are unhappy.

“What is happening?” the Stranger was asking himself. “Why did I meet the Seer? Did I hope he would join us? Very unlikely. I have never seen a like-minded person in him before. But the Soldier is not my brethren either, but he followed me. The Seer possesses a rare talent but he doesn’t use it to explore the basics and laws of the universe. He seems to believe in the Creator but he is not searching for Him and does not try to understand His will. If he doesn’t want to preach, he could at least tell the whole world what is true, what in the sacred books comes from the Source of the Truth and what has been added and distorted. I can also detect something. I do this for myself but first, no one will believe me and second ‘something’ is not enough, we don’t have the right to a mistake there. But they won't believe him, either. Those who worship the sacred books do not respect the Seer and they won’t listen to him. He tried to make me understand four things. First, it is not known who made me go to the City. Second, the purpose of the power inside me is unknown. Third, I can find something unusual in the City. Fourth, the Soldier will encounter a deadly danger in the City. The last must be the most important one. I need to go away without the Soldier, it’s a pity but that’s best for him.”