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Sunday, April 25, 2021

Stars are reflected in your eyes. Volume 4. "Book of Flame" Chapter 1

 

Continuation of the events of the first volume.

Returning in the evening from his next assignment, Kai drove into the tent to Bartholomew, as had promised. During this time, they practically did not see each other, constantly either he or his group were on assignments. Only when they met at the headquarters, Bartholomew each time friendly patting Kai on the shoulder invited him to their tent, to sit in the evening, to have a drink, and to chat.

He didn't want to get drunk today but wanted to see all the guys - Pepper, Torpedo, Ivan, and Frol, to listen to their news, to learn about life.

Going into their tent, he found all the guys except Frol. They perked up with his arrival, immediately pulled to the table, especially since they were just about to have supper. Torpedo and Pepper were cooking in the kitchen, it smelled of fried onions and meat.

Bartholomew began to ask Kai about his recent raids into the mountains with other groups, then he told about how they had regularly traveled for the second week to patrol the road in the valley area, where it was not very calm.

Ivan supplemented the dry story of Bartholomew with various funny details, Pepper and Torpedo, sometimes looking out of the kitchen, told about the events that had happened to them.

Kai immediately drew attention to the absence of Frol, but at first, did not attach any importance to this. When Frol did not appear for half an hour, he became worried but did not raise this topic in front of everyone, only casually clarified when he would finally come. Torpedo, not attaching importance to his question, replied that Frol should have returned long ago, but apparently delayed.

He immediately felt that something was wrong, but, not having a firm conviction in his premonitions, he did not want to tell the guys about it. Fortunately, his phone rang, and, referring to an important conversation, he left the tent.

Lieutenant Ivchenko called, who reminded the guy that the colonel was waiting for him in the office tomorrow at nine. Having heard this, he did not return to the tent but went to his jeep.

Arriving at the thieves' barracks, Kai asked the guards if Sebastian was here and he received a not very affirmative answer and at the same time an invitation to wait for him with them. With peripheral vision, he saw that the car was beginning to be surrounded - he did not like this state of affairs. Kai did not want to find out the reason for such actions now, he just sharply pressed the gas and, without giving anyone a chance to come to his senses, left.

It was clear that something was happening. Frol was gone. Sebastian and his men were absent. Kai didn't want to put these two facts together, assuring himself that they were just coincidences.

Now he was trying to think logically where there could be quiet, secluded places in the garrison, and immediately remembered that the unfinished barracks building, which was abandoned and located in the farthest part from residential buildings, fit the description. There was usually no one there even during the day, and even more so in the dark.

He turned the jeep around and drove to the building. Coming closer, he turned off the headlights and reduced the speed to a minimum, trying to remain unnoticed. Going inside the building, he heard voices and noise and also saw the light from the headlights of cars. He realized that the cars were parked at the back of the building, and judging by the voices, it was quite lively there.

Kai quickly followed the noise, wandering in the dark corridors and rooms. It seemed to him that his approach was detected, and he was not too hiding. This was no longer necessary.

Finally, he went out into the corridor overlooking the courtyard, and saw exactly what he expected: Sebastian's people, led by himself and Sher, stood in a semicircle, in the center stood Frol with handcuffs in his arms.

"Kai, I'm always glad to see you," Sebastian said, turning his head towards Kai, "but now you'd better leave."

"No need to arrange to lynch. Let him go."

Kai walked forward and saw that the grate of the gate blocking his way out was padlocked. Footsteps and the creak of a door were heard from behind. He rushed back, but did not have time - the door closed, the key turned, and he was locked in this space.

Having tugged at the door, which had just been locked, he returned to the grate, tugged at it, and realized that it could not be opened. Through the bars, he could see everything, but he could not do anything.

Kai pulled out a pistol. All this time, Sebastian and the others watched him throw.

"If you shoot, everyone will come here. You're going to court all the guys. After all, we kidnapped an officer," Sebastian looked eloquently at Frol.

"In any case, you will end up under the tribunal if you harm him," Kai held a pistol in his hand until he dared to use it.

"Nobody can prove it. His word without witnesses means nothing," Sebastian nodded at Frol, "unless, of course, you confirm it."

Kai shot an angry look at Sebastian.

"Do you think I’m capable of this?"

"So, enough empty arguments!" Sher stepped up to Frol and hit him with a fist in the solar plexus with a swing, Frol bent in half and hung in the arms of the boys holding him. "Here, nit, get for everything."

Then Sher began to strike blow after blow. Two guys were holding Frol by the hands cuffed behind his back. Now he was like a punching bag to Sher.

"Enough!" Kai shook the grate, "Sebastian!"

Sebastian stood with a blank face, watching how Cher beat Frol brutally.

Kai understood that he would not open the door with a pistol anyway, but the shooting would definitely attract the attention of everyone here. And this was not only the abduction of an officer, this was already a beating of an officer. For this, and the execution can be. So he didn't know what to do now.

He tugged at the grate in vain, but when he saw that Frol was thrown to the ground and was being kicked, he turned away and slid down his back on it, sitting down on the floor. He knew too well how painful such blows.

Sebastian saw Kai sitting by the grate and how he covered his ears with his hands, but restrained himself, did not do anything.

***

It became quiet, Kai heard it even through the palms pressed to his ears. He removed his hands, stood up slowly, turned. There, in the yard, Frol was lying, there were no cars and the guys, everyone left. He went to the door, which he had entered, it turned out to be open.

Wasted no time, he rushed to the jeep and, having gone around the building, drove it into the backyard. It was good that Frol was a tough guy and even after all this he practically got into Kai's car himself, he only supported him. He couldn't have lifted it himself.

By the nature of the injuries, Frol Kai understood that he needed to be taken to the doctor in the hospital. As much as he wanted to hush up this story, human health is more important.

His fears were justified. The doctor immediately determined that Frol had two broken ribs and badly repulsed internal organs.

While Frol was being bandaged, all the authorities came to the hospital, since the doctor immediately reported on this emergency. Kai did not resist this, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

The colonel arrived with two of his assistants and Lieutenant Ivchenko. They walked past Kai into the ward, were there for a long time, then went out into the corridor.

"Stand up!" the colonel's voice sounded cold and harsh.

Kai stood at attention.

"Who did this?" looking into the eyes of Kai, asked Pyotr Ivanovich.

Kai guessed that Frol hadn't said who had beat him. Why? Probably he didn't want everyone to think that he was a weakling and ratted those with whom he could not cope with the force.

"I've found Frol in the backyard of the unfinished barracks and brought him to the hospital. I have nothing more to add."

"So you don’t want to talk? Are you covering these freaks?! I know who was sharpening his teeth against Frol! Well, nothing, I'll get to them."

All were silent. Pyotr Ivanovich approached Kai.

"Impudent boy! Do you think you're inviolable here?! Do you think everything is allowed to you?! I'm fed up with your antics and your behavior! I’ll find justice for you!"

Pyotr Ivanovich several times walked past Kai, who did not utter a word.

"Surrender the weapon. You're under arrest. You will dig the trenches; it will be good for you. You've become too arrogant."

Pyotr Ivanovich turned to Lieutenant Ivchenko:

"Place the prisoner in a punishment cell, tomorrow under escort - take him to forced labor. And do so every day, until I say that's enough!"

The colonel and his assistants walked down the corridor towards the exit.

Lieutenant Ivchenko called the guards, took the pistol and his waist belt from Kai's hands, and, with a vile smile, showed him to the exit.

He was taken to solitary confinement. He was no stranger to spending the night in such. Crouched in a fetal position on the hard bed, he fell asleep.

Early in the morning, Kai was raised and escorted through the entire garrison to forced labor. In the distant part of the garrison, defensive trenches were dug. They gave a shovel, and he got down to business.

Sometimes physical labor, especially so monotonous as throwing the earth from place to place, brought peace of mind and inner harmony. Therefore, until lunchtime, he was in a state of immersion in nirvana, not noticing neither the scorching rays of the sun, nor the heat, nor the fact that his palms were bloody from the rough handle of a shovel.

***

Sebastian had been thinking all morning about Kai, about how he had just had been sitting with his face turned away yesterday, covering his ears so as not to hear the sound of the beating. Then Sebastian wanted so much to approach him because he understood why Kai was covering his ears - he knew these blows too well, he remembered them on his body. Sebastian had a conscience, but he couldn't act differently yesterday. His people needed to feel his power and strength. He could not be so human as Kai.

Sher with a puzzled face quickly entered the room where he was sitting with the bros.

"Kai was arrested yesterday at the hospital. He brought Frol there. Frol has several broken ribs."

"Enough about Frol! What's with Kai ?!" Sebastian interrupted him.

"All the authorities came to the hospital. Then Kai was put alone for the night, and in the morning he was taken to dig trenches. He is digging them there now."

"He shielded us. He took it all upon himself," Sebastian said grimly.

"How do you know?" Sher looked at Sebastian.

"If he had said about us, they would have taken us all yesterday. We would sit in solitary confinement instead of him," Sebastian nervously walked around the room. "He shielded us. What else have you learned? How long should he dig?"

"Nothing concrete. They say that yesterday the colonel yelled at him so hard that the walls were shaking. In short, as long as daddy does not have a change of heart, Kai will dig."

"Who is there of our people?"

"There are a lot of ours, they wanted not to let him dig, but in the morning there was a big brass there. They say that after dinner everyone will leave, then our boys won't let Kai dig. He will sit and rest. They'll dig for him."

"Who is there from the leaders now?"

"It seems nobody already," Sher answered.

"Then let's go to him."

Sebastian went to the exit, the guys followed him.

Sher once again contacted his people, and they confirmed that everyone from the leadership had already gone. They calmly drove up to the place where the earthworks were being carried out and got out of the cars.

The shovel had already been taken away from Kai. Although he did not want to give, he saw that it was pointless to argue - the bros would not let him dig anymore, they would do everything for him themselves.

He sat in the shade, keeping hands parallel to the ground, palms down.

Sebastian quickly walked over and grabbed Kai's hands, turned his palms over - they were ripped off and bleeding.

"It always happens. I always rip off my palms as soon as I start digging," Kai said apologetically when he saw Sebastian’s upset face.

"Your hands are not intended for this," Sebastian turned to the frozen boys. "Why are you standing? Bring a first-aid kit from the car and water."

Kai tried to resist, but Sebastian himself washed his palms and, having treated him with an antiseptic, began to bandage him.

"Sorry about yesterday," Sebastian said without looking up and continuing to bandage Kai's hands.

"For what? You didn't beat me."

"I saw how you covered your ears ..."

"Yes, unpleasant memories appear when I hear these sounds of blows."

"What term are you assigned here?"

"I do not know. The colonel was very angry yesterday."

Sebastian finally finished with Kai's hands:

"Do you want to smoke?"

"Yes."

He brought the flame of a lighter to Kai's cigarette.

"Guys, fetch food!" he gave orders, despite Kai's protest. "You will eat. Or do you want to sip the official gruel, which you are supposed to?"

Kai shook his head. Even without feeling the taste, but seeing what the penalty boxers were fed with, he lost all desire to eat it.

"You shouldn't have done that with Frol."

Kai couldn't help but say that.

"It was not in vain. We have taught a freak a lesson!" Sher snapped proudly.

"You've taught me a lesson, Frol is now resting in the hospital ward."

"It's my own fault. Why did you get involved?"

"What if he died there from the beatings? After all, everyone knows who beat him anyway," Kai shook the ash off his cigarette.

Sher didn’t have anything to say. Sebastian was also silent, then he remembered the main:

"Prokhor still can't get through to you all this time."

"Yes, I have seen that he called. But you know that all this time there are constant trips. I couldn't talk there, but after returning I did not remember about his call, fell asleep. Well, tell me what he says - how is he?" Kai's eyes lit up with the memories of his friend.

"I'll tell you, but first about the main thing: he expands his business and wants to send his representatives here, or rather, to Kamrat. These are, like, his people. The main is called Lavr, and there are still guys with him. In general, I am here, Lavr is in Kamrat, Prokhor is in Moscow. The network is getting better. Regular deliveries. Well, you are the key one in everything - you understand yourself."

Kai looked at Sebastian.

"Yes, of course, they have time to play with all this, to establish a network, to supply. And lately, I have only been running around on the outskirts, shootings, shaking on an APC, sitting in ambushes and again swallowing dust ..."

Kai did not like all these Prokhor's things, but he could not contradict his friend.

"Come on, tell me in more detail," Kai leaned against the earthen embankment, realizing that it was still necessary to delve into these muddled up: what, where who, and how would deliver.

Sebastian stayed with him until evening. First, he spoke in detail about what Prokhor had said. Then they brought food, he made sure that Kai ate. Then they began to discuss and adjust Prokhor's plan for couriers since Prokhor planned all this from Moscow, and only Kai knew the features of the local traditions.

In the evening, Sebastian and the guys left, as the authorities could return.

Kai was taken back under guard. Another night he spent on a hard bed in a solitary confinement cell. The next morning, everything was repeated exactly as on the previous day. In the first half of the day, he strenuously dug trenches, as his superiors stood nearby and watched the execution of the colonel's order, then the superiors left, but Sebastian and his guys arrived.

Sebastian immediately came with a first-aid kit and, pushing Kai onto the bench, began to carefully unbind the bandages with dried blood and dirt from his hands. Kai silently watched this touching action. After bandaging his hands, he was fed and given a drink.

He spent the rest of the day in their company, they called Prokhor and continued to correct his plan, the crossing points of couriers, hiding places, and paths along which they would go.

This went on for five days. On the sixth, instead of escorting Kai to earthworks, he was taken to the colonel's office.

Pyotr Ivanovich was sitting at the table with a stern face with his assistants - Lieutenant Colonel Prokhorov and Major Batulin. Lieutenant Ivchenko reported on his arrival, looking at Kai's pitiful look with satisfaction. The colonel and the rest of those present in the office also gazed with a squeamish look at his dirty uniforms soaked in dust and sweat.

"You’re lucky," the colonel finally spoke up, "an urgent task from the center, you’ll get the details from Bartholomew. You will work with his team. Departure is in half an hour."

The colonel turned to Lieutenant Ivchenko:

"Give him back his personal weapon," the colonel turned back to Kai, "but if I had my way, you would have been digging trenches all your life."

"Can I go?" Kai asked calmly.

Even in such a dirty, shabby look, he looked elegant and beautiful. It seemed that the dirt only further emphasizes youthful beauty.

"You are free," the colonel answered dryly and only now saw his bandaged hands. "What with the hands? Oh yes, you are a gentle creature, digging trenches is not a princely business."

"Can I go?" Kai remained calm listening to this.

"Yes."

Pyotr Ivanovich in his heart treated Kai well and even pitied him, but Kai's constant antics, his disobedience to the rules, a complete lack of discipline - all this disgusted the colonel, and, moreover, he could not allow himself to behave like that in his submission. He must maintain power here, which was why he acted so harshly with Kai - the guy gave him no choice in the matter.

Yes, he would have forced him all his life to digging trenches for his self-confidence, for how he puts himself above the rules, and for how he behaves and hides behind people from the center. What was there for him to do? Only such methods somehow put Kai in his place, although not for long.

***

Realizing that time was running out, Kai asked for a lift, stopping a passing car. At home, he immediately rushed to his laptop, opened a secret encrypted file, read his task: to slay the next leader from the group. He would have to do this while Bartholomew's group would be fighting with them. How he would do it, he would think over on the road. Now there was no time.

On the way sitting in Bartholomew's armored personnel carrier, he listened to the part of the assignment that was given to the group, since only he knew about the secret part. The road was long. They arrived in the evening and began to wait for the night to move on under its cover.

This operation took several days. The grouping was constantly moving. The locations for the attack were unsuccessful, because of this, the group followed them, masking their presence and keeping a considerable distance from them.

They moved during the day, went out on reconnaissance at night and monitored their movement until morning, and then again returned to their armored personnel carriers and followed the tracks. In between, they ate and slept in turns.

All this time, Bartholomew and his guys were formal and dry with Kai. Kai realized that this was after the incident with Frol, who was still in the hospital. And he also understood that they knew who beat Frol and knew about Kai's friendship with these people. They did not understand why Kai chose the latter between Frol and thugs. After all, if Kai had testified, those guilty of beating the officer would have been punished. They knew that Kai had said nothing and that he was digging trenches for it. Bartholomew and the guys were offended for such a choice of a friend. But now there was work, and no one began to find out, keeping the distance.

It was hard for Kai to see this, but he could not explain anything to them and, moreover, expect understanding from them. Therefore, he also turned to them only strictly on the case, although it was very difficult when such close people turned away from you like that.

At first, Kai wanted to talk about what had happened, but then, seeing the cold faces of the guys, he decided that this conversation would lead nowhere.

During the next stop, he changed the dirty bandages on his hands to clean ones. Without bandages, his hands were constantly bleeding, dust and dirt penetrated the wounds.

Everyone saw his torment, but no one came to help. Kai was offended for such an attitude towards himself, on the other hand, he understood them. After all, Frol was now in the hospital, the guilty had not been punished, Kai was covering them. How else should they relate to him?

He turned away and began to stare into the distance, forcing himself to think only of the task.

***

One night they saw that the group's camp was located very well for their plan, they returned to the APCs for a night attack.

The plan of action was quickly adjusted: from one side of the gorge, the armored personnel carrier of Bartholomew enters, from the other the armored personnel carrier of the Torpedo, cutting off any attempts to escape, and Ivan's armored personnel carrier drives into a well-located hill, where Kai will be, and from there they pour fire on everyone who is in the camp. The plan was simple; the main thing was that the area was conducive to its execution.

Kai was happy with everything, except that in the panic that would arise in the camp, he could miss the one he should kill. Therefore, he decided to go there before they heard the noise of the armored personnel carriers, and then he would have time to catch in a rifle scope the one he needed.

He slipped out of the APC, grabbing a sniper rifle, and moved along the path, which he had noted in advance, towards the enemy camp. He heard the noise of approaching armored personnel carriers, realizing that the guys did not look for him and wait.

He aimed the optics at the tents, suggesting that the main leaders should be in the largest, in the center of the camp. The noise of the armored personnel carriers caused a commotion in the camp, then voices and commands for the defense began to be heard. It was evident that night guests were not expected. The one, Kai needed, ran out of the main tent. He stopped, peering into the darkness, Kai pulled the trigger. The man fell. Judging by the bustle around him, the shot was a good one.

Panic arose in the camp, and here, finally, armored personnel carriers opened fire on all this chaos.

Kai lay in the same place and shot those who ran in his direction. He saw that a small part of the group went into the mountains along another path, but this did not concern Kai. He completed his task.

Then everything was quiet.

He returned to Ivan's armored personnel carrier. The man looked at him strangely but said nothing. They reached their group.

Bartholomew, seeing Kai, grabbed him by the collar of his uniform:

"Who are you, bitch, working for? You set us all up now! After all, it was you who shot even before we reached the points! You dumped in advance! Are you holding us for idiots ?!"

"I thought that an extra firing point would not hurt. It was too late to agree on this. Everything is right, the task is completed, we can return."

Kai knew he was wrong, but what could he explain? Now he was only trying to smooth over the conflict. Bartholomew shook him roughly again.

Kai closed his eyes, expecting a blow. Bartholomew saw this, froze, and then, releasing Kai, moved away from him.

"Let me at least hit him in the face," advancing on Kai, said Pepper, "if you cannot do it."

"Leave him alone. I've said set aside!" Bartholomew commanded. "We are back, all into cars!"

Pepper spat angrily next to Kai, turned around, and walked into his APC.

They drove back quickly, practically without spending the night only stopped for a couple of hours for rest.

Kai's presence was ignored by everyone. He endured it stoically, knowing they were right.

Returning to the garrison, everyone went to report to the colonel. He silently listened to everything. Now Bartholomew did not spare Kai, he said everything as it was. The colonel was silent. Then he thanked everyone for their good work. He let everyone go to rest, only Kai was unfriendly asked to stay.

Kai remained in the office under the colonel's gaze and the gaze of his assistants.

"Do you play your game?" looking into Kai's eyes, said Pyotr Ivanovich. "Look, don't overplay. If my guys perish, I'll strangle you with my own hands."

The colonel turned sharply and sat down in his chair.

"Why are you standing? You are free. If it weren't for those who are covering you, right now I would have strangled you. And so I can only say that you have a week of leave. This is not from me. It's from the center. You can go."

Kai left, still hearing the colonel's voice and his accusatory speech, and here his phone rang. He pressed the answer button on the machine without even glancing at who was calling.

"My sweet, hello," a voice sounded. " I want to see you. Will you give me such a gift?"

"Arshad, is it you?" Kai had not yet fully recovered from everything that happened.

"Someone else calls you sweet? Of course, it's me. You can rest with me. I want to fly somewhere, so I thought it would be more fun with my friends. For several days. Can you?"

"Yes," Kai did not attach any meaning to the word with friends, now he generally still poorly perceived everything.

"Well, that's good. You make me very happy with this answer. I am waiting for you in Kamrat at the Riviera Plaza Hotel, when will you arrive?"

Kai realized that he didn't even have time to come to his senses, to comprehend everything. But on the other hand - why? It's so good that Arshad called. Now he needed to leave here, change the setting.

"I'm leaving now," he replied.




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