Shot in the heart. Volume 6. "The Book of Flame". Chapter 1

 

Prologue

 

Love - what is it? Does it exist on earth? Or is it just self-deception, the fruit of an inflamed mind, and the justification of one's desires?

And the soul? Where is it? Is this also the fruit of an inflamed imagination?.. Although no, it exists. After all, if it does not exist, then what hurts so much inside? Why is it so hard?

 

And what is all this?.. Everything that happens in his life .... Everything is so strange that it does not resemble reality ...

 

Toyami watched the lights of Tokyo at night from his hotel room. He knew that the plane with Kai was already in the sky and was taking a piece of himself to another world - to where war reigns.

 

Only now he was analyzing everything that had happened during those days. He tried to understand himself: in what was happening to him, in what he felt, in what he sensed ...

 

Quiet light sadness mixed up inside him with the pain of parting. Heaviness from the realization of one's own inability to protect and save from all this evil world the dearest to him creation. How hard it is to understand that you are not able to influence anything ...

The only thing he can do is stand like this and look at the city of their love from a bird's eye view and feel how his heart shrinks from the feeling of emptiness ...

 

"Kai, I love you. And you never said those words, you never answered me, you never revealed your feelings. You just accepted my love and favorably allowed me to be with you. But this is a lot, too much to suffocate now with happiness and awareness of what happened between us. You finally recognized my love, did not drive me away, did not push me away. Not! You let me love you. And even if it is only such a small thing, but I knew that the path to you would not be easy. I consciously followed this path, drawing strength from the flames that I see. I go to this flame, it beckons me, and I am ready to burn in it, giving you all of myself.

My love, I will always be with you."

 

Toyami walked away from the window, exhaustedly sank into a chair, looking with unseeing eyes in front of him. He had never wanted to go back there to the war as much as now. He was pushed by the realization that the one he loves was there, and that he should be next to him. Let them be separated by kilometers, but he must be with him on that earth, in that hell, and protect the most valuable of all that he has found in this world - his love.

 

 

Chapter 1

 

I hide my love for you at the bottom of my soul,

But still, I can't hide it

It seeps through everything

And people notice

And they even ask: "What are you sad about?"

 

Saigyō Hōshi

 

  

***

 

Spring on this earth passed unnoticed. Here there is no rapid flowering of gardens, fresh greenery, and the first shoots of young foliage. There are only stones, dust, and the scorching sun. That is why no one noticed the transition of spring into summer, just as Kai did not notice it, having plunged into military life, which did not give him time for abstract thoughts and unnecessary memories.

Although sometimes memories overtook him, and then he became thoughtful and detached. Everyone noticed this strange change in him when he returned to the garrison.

His friends knew exactly the essence of this phenomenon. They caught him talking on the phone in French several times, and this once again confirmed their guesses. The name "Beatrice" they heard now too often in his speech. Sebastian was sincerely happy for his friend and when Kai said that he was going to Kamrat for three days of leave, Sebastian and everyone immediately bombarded him with questions about her. Therefore, Kai told them that Beatrice got married, but they continued to meet.

 

Sebastian took Kai by the elbow and led him out into the yard, away from prying ears.

 

"Why?" he looked into Kai's eyes.

 

"What "Why"?"

 

"Don't tell me she has chosen you over another."

 

"You're talking about this..." Kai looked aloof into the distance. "What can I offer her? Is this the life?" he glanced around at his surroundings.

 

Sebastian understood this too. He turned Kai back to him.

 

"Are you very worried about this, because she has married someone else?"

 

"I knew this and did nothing to prevent it," Kai turned away from Sebastian again. "I’m happy for her."

 

"You know, it’s not bad if you just have a relationship."

 

"Yes, I think so too."

 

"But you look so strange all this time," Sebastian again tried to look into Kai’s eyes. "I understand that it was hard for you to find out about this. Do you love her?"

 

"Sebastian, please… can we stop talking about this?" Kai hid his eyes and felt that he could no longer endure his friend's sincere concern and deceive him about what was really happening to him.

 

"Sorry, I thought it would be easier for you if you talked to someone about this. You carry everything within you. I can see how hard it is for you ... well, I won't talk about it anymore," Sebastian showed his hand towards the entrance to the room. "Let's go."

 

***

 

The next day, Kai was supposed to go to Beatrice. Her husband had come to Kamrat with her on business, and she would be on her own these days, as Mr. Winfrey was leaving Kamrat to look at the plant site. All this Beatrice happily told Kai, and Kai honestly told his friends about it. They were happy, genuinely happy for him. He saw this, and from this, he became even more disgusted and vile in his soul. Now he was deceiving not only himself, but he was also deceiving everyone! And he deceived Beatrice, and even if their relationship did not have a future, he still felt vile and low towards her. She was not in his soul, no matter how hard he tried to find her there. But the vilest thing was that he deceived his friends - seeing their sincere joy, he hid his eyes and tried to turn the conversation to other topics. Sebastian chalked it up to his shyness, but it wasn't like that at all. Kai felt like a traitor to them. After all, he allowed in himself a feeling that contradicts all their laws and concepts, all the principles of their life. In his soul, there was only Toyami, only he and no one else. He thought about him, remembered everything that was then between them and what was not. He lived with these memories, this fairy tale, this quiet, bright joy of finding the one who filled his life and warmed his lonely heart in his arms.

These hugs - he even now felt their warmth and how good and calm he felt in them, how could Toyami, hugging him, fence him off from this whole cruel world, with which he had been alone all this time. Kai found with him what he had been looking for for so long, he found what filled him, filled the void. He found his second self. He found himself. And it didn’t matter that now they were not together, it seemed to him that he was near, that the man's hands were on his shoulders, and this made him feel so good that he felt fear from the happiness that overwhelmed him. After all, this could not be...

And then came the cruel reality - it's wrong! He cannot fall in love with a man... Then Kai fell out of a state of light euphoria and fell into a severe depression

 

It's good that in his life there was no time to sit and be depressed.

Throughout the spring, preparations were underway for a large-scale summer campaign to clear the Zandar Valley of militants and eliminate Mahmud's gang. Therefore, he regularly went on trips in a team with Bartholomew and his guys, where they sat in ambush for several days, climbed the mountains, looking out for the enemy’s location, and collected as much information as possible to plan the summer operation, which was assigned to Kai from the center as the main specialist in this issue. Kai understood the responsibility entrusted to him. He knew that the lives of the people who would participate in it would depend on the elaboration of all the details. And this understanding did not allow him to withdraw into himself for a long time.

 

All this time he regularly called Toyami, but it was rarely possible to chat with him, since Kai spent most of his time on the road, and he did not take the phone there. But when Toyami managed to catch him in the garrison, they talked for a long time about everything and nothing. After such conversations, Kai seemed to grow wings, he came to life and flew above the ground, and then... fell into depression again.

 

All the guys treated him with understanding and sympathized with his mental suffering for Beatrice. And they were just happy that, finally, Beatrice flew to Kamrat and they would meet.

Having received a lot of friendly-vulgar instructions from all the bros, Kai went to the city to meet her.

 

He drove, trying not to think about who he was after all this. And even half the way to the city he succeeded, but then the thought of Prokhor accidentally arose ...

Kai slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the road. He buries his face into the steering wheel. He had never felt so bad before.

 

"Prokhor, my friend. I can't lose you! For me, you are the only person on earth who has always been with me, you have replaced my family. But if you find out about me…"

 

Kai clutched the steering wheel with his fingers, trying to switch the mental pain to physical pain.

Of course, Prokhor said that he would accept anyone, but he was talking about rape ... and now something completely different is happening.

 

He imagined Prokhor's face and how he turned away from him in disgust, and all his boys throw terrible words in his face about who he was now ...

 

Kai grabbed the steering wheel again. So he sat for a very long time until it began to get dark. Then he found a water bottle under the car seat. After drinking water, the guy felt relieved. He never came up with anything concrete in his thoughts. All this only led to more confusion and chaos in his head.

He pulled himself together and drove to the hotel to pick up Beatrice. Deciding that ... And again he realized that he had not decided anything. He just went to her, knowing that she was waiting for him.

 

***

 

The company of Beatrice had a beneficial effect on him. With her, he forgot everything. After picking her up from the hotel, they went to his apartment in Kamrat. A long time ago, he decided to rent a house here, as he came to the city quite often and did not want to deny himself a comfortable stay. Especially since the money allowed it. Therefore, he rented a very expensive apartment in a modern building in a fashionable part of the city. The apartment was huge - with several bedrooms, bathrooms, a large guest room, and a huge kitchen. Its condition was looked after by the butler hired by him, who, accordingly, was engaged in the control of cleaning, filling the refrigerator and bar, and everything else about the house. Kai did not delve into this, he simply expressed his wishes and paid for their fulfillment.

 

He warned the butler about his arrival in advance, so when they entered the apartment, they saw in the living room a set table for dinner, flowers, and lighted candles.

 

But they started dinner later, at first they didn’t have time to eat. They couldn't even make it to the bedroom. Spreading the clothes torn from each other on the way to her, they fell on the sofa and there enjoyed each other. Only after satisfying their first hunger and taking a bath together, which was as huge and luxurious as the whole apartment, did they go to the supper table that was waiting for them.

 

For three days they did not leave this apartment. It was crazy when time merged into one stream of passion. Although no, during this time they not only tried all kinds of ways to satisfy their desires, they also talked a lot, watched TV, just lay in bed in each other's company.

The butler regularly took care of their food, while doing it very correctly, so that they did not even run into the servants who cleaned the food and re-set the table.

Kai and Beatrice forgot about everything. She filled his thoughts with herself, erasing all sorrows and doubts from his memory.

 

***

 

They lay on the bed, resting after another passionate torture. Beatrice sat up, looking at him.

 

"We didn't talk about it..."

 

"About what?" Kai knew what she wanted to say.

 

"That I've married Winfrey."

 

"I read about it in the press."

 

Beatrice was silent, and so was Kai. He had nothing to say to her. She broke down first.

 

"You know, if you wanted to ... said then ... we could ... I wanted ... I love you."

 

"You don't have to say that."

 

"But why?"

 

"I can't give you what he gives you. My life does not belong to me. I serve and follow orders. I will be in this war for as long as those, for whom I work, consider it to be necessary," Kai looked into her eyes. "How can I offer you anything? To give you this kind of life..."

 

Kai got up from the bed, wrapped the towel around his hips, went to the window, and lit a cigarette.

 

"I'm glad you found someone who lets you live the life you want."

 

"But I don't love him! I love you…"

 

Kai turned to the window.

 

"Sorry… I can’t reciprocate…"

 

Beatrice, too, was silent for a long time, then, getting up from the bed, naked approached him and hugged him from behind with her graceful arms.

 

"Thanks for being honest with me. I'm a grown girl and I'll get through this. I am glad that we talked about it and now there are no omissions between us. Let's just leave it as it is, shall we? I don't want to lose you... will you be with me?"

 

"Yes," Kai turned around and met her eyes.

 

"I will come here when I can, and we will meet."

 

"I'll wait for you."

 

Beatrice smiled, knowing that he did not love her, but she was too good with him. He was her outlet in the world of the ideal life that Winfrey offered her. But in that tasteless life, there were no feelings, passions, madness.

All this was given to her by this young man with emerald eyes. She accepted her fate and rejoiced in everything that she gave her. So now, with all her passion, she clung to his scarlet lips, swollen from her kisses, and threw off the towel from his hips.

 

Her kisses were passionate and hot, she enjoyed every moment of touching him. Slightly moving away from his lips, she, continuing to look into the green of his eyes, began to slowly kneel in front of him, continuing to caress his body with her hands. Then she absorbed his flesh.

Kai groaned and leaned his buttocks on the windowsill. He enjoyed her passionate impulse and what she gave him.

 

***

 

Saying goodbye to Beatrice and putting her in a taxi, Kai drove towards the garrison. He had to drive through the whole city to get on the road he needed.

 

It was the middle of the day. The sun heated the asphalt and mercilessly burned all living things. But the people who inhabited this city got used to its hot rays. Therefore, despite the sun, the traffic on the streets did not decrease, but, on the contrary, revived. In a huge traffic flow, one could see any make and model of cars - from the most modern and expensive models to such wrecked ones that it seemed that they crumbled right on the go. But the exotic traffic flow was not limited to this. Here you could also see ordinary wagons pulled by donkeys or unfortunate old nags, which, like many centuries ago, were carrying some kind of junk, it is not clear where and why. In this single living river flowing down the street, the past flowed into the present, and then just as imperceptibly disappeared.

 

And now, standing in a traffic jam, which was barely advancing, to the right of Kai, such a cart with greenery, harnessed by an imperturbable donkey, was also moving slowly. The calmness of the donkey could be envied. After all, traffic lights practically did not work in this city, the traffic here was regulated by its participants themselves, resorting to gestures, signs, continuous shouts, and constant horn signals. The noise was unimaginable. In such traffic without rules, usually, foreigners could not ride. Only those who had lived here for a long time drove cars themselves, while the rest preferred to take local drivers. Kai, on the other hand, liked it. He, despite the density of the flow, managed to drive here quite quickly, which surprised even local professional drivers. But now something happened ahead, because of this, a rather impressive traffic jam of cars and carts formed.

 

Kai closed the window and turned on the air conditioner. The only thing left for him is to admire the surrounding landscape.

The houses on both sides of the street were low, mostly five-story buildings. It was a poor quarter, people of average income lived here. The houses were of unpainted gray brick, soaked in the same gray layer of dust. Clothes were drying on the balconies. Those who did not have a balcony stretched ropes from window to window and hung on them some rags of unimaginable color and incomprehensible meaning. In stark contrast to all this, there were satellite television dishes mounted on rooftops or attached to the wall.

This city was full of contrasts. Only here one could see both poverty and luxury literally nearby, war and peaceful life... The city was huge and ancient, like the world.

 

Kai finally managed to get past the traffic jam, and now, driving and listening to music, he admired the grandeur of the city. There were different areas. Some slums were located on the outskirts of the old city. There, people lived in dilapidated buildings of unknown age or simply in tombs - burrows that remained from the old burial chambers. It was a scary part of the city. Only those who lived there went there, others bypassed the area as far as possible.

The old city was located in the eastern part. It was the most exotic place. The center of the city was occupied by the old bazaar - a real oriental bazaar, huge, noisy, and full of bright fabrics and exotic attire of the merchants themselves. Its dimensions were huge, it seemed to him there was no end and edge. There you could wander for a very long time, looking for a way out.

There were also areas in this city where very rich citizens lived. In such areas, one could see the interweaving of oriental luxury with the achievements of modern progress.

 

Kai liked to just watch the life of the city from the car window. He enjoyed contemplating the world around him, and whether it was modern buildings or the shacks of the poor, everything was beautiful for him, everything had its beauty and perfection.

 

He was brought out of this state of contemplation by a phone call. They called from the center. He had to cross paths with their man for an urgent assignment.

 

He had to drag himself again through the entire city center with its traffic jams and midday heat to meet the agent at the agreed place.

 

The meeting was arranged in one of the small restaurants in a busy part of the city. Kai was sitting at the table and slowly sipping mineral water. The agent was late, but when he finally arrived, he sat down at the table and immediately moved on to the essence of the work.

As it turned out, a sniper named Mustafa had appeared in the Al-Zaqawi group operating in the area. Most likely, this sniper was trained in a good foreign school and transferred here to work. Several influential politicians and a couple of allied army generals had already been killed with his rifle. Kai had orders to remove the sniper. In this regard, his return to the garrison was delayed while he remained in the city. Three people were given to help him, who were supposed to provide him with work and cover.

Having said all this, the agent left, Kai finished his mineral water and went to the indicated address to meet with the people who were supposed to work with him.

 

Before meeting with his three partners, Kai stopped by to change into camouflage at his apartment and took his sniper rifle. Now he was ready to work, realizing that it could drag on for several days, and maybe more. Kai did not even doubt that such a sniper was carefully guarded, and it would certainly be quite difficult to approach him within a shot distance.

 

The people who were supposed to work with him were waiting in the barracks at the headquarters, located in the western part of the city.

He passed through the checkpoint into the protected area and was escorted to the barracks where he was expected.

 

The first person he saw was Methodius - the same guy from the "old-timers" from the base of the airfield.

 

"Look, who's here!" he gritted through his teeth, "What wind brought you here?"

 

"Lot of wind up here," Kai was not happy with this meeting. It was now clearly redundant.

 

"We've also been brought here," Mifodiy looked at him appraisingly. "We are waiting for one asshole here to cover his ass while he is working."

 

"Are you a sniper cover?" Kai already understood who he would have to work with.

 

"Well, we ... Are you a sniper?" Ivan got up from the bed and walked over to them.

 

"Yes, I am a sniper. What information do you have about the object?"

 

"Didn’t they teach you how to say hello?" Methodius continued to examine Kai.

 

"Maybe we can get to work?" Kai had already resigned himself to the unhappy thought that he would have to work with these and wanted to start as soon as possible in order to finish as soon as possible.

 

"So, they didn’t teach ... sit down, now we’ll tell you what we have."

 

Mifodiy pointed to the bed and, seeing that Kai sat down on it, took out a map of the city.

Then they told Kai about the information received during these days about the movement of the sniper and their assumption that tonight he would be near one of the famous restaurants since significant people from the political elite of the country should be walking there.

Despite the bad reviews about him and their recent behavior, Kai appreciated that the guys had worked professionally and had now developed a plan for a night raid in a very reasonable and detailed way.

 

Kai decided to trust them. They discussed the places of each on the plan of buildings and went to the exit.

 

They drove to the restaurant by Kai's car. Mifodiy sat down on the right in front, Ivan and Alexey - behind. All the way they admired his car and stuffed it with equipment in it, and Kai calmly answered their questions about all this.

The car was left two blocks before the object, then they acted according to plan.

 

At night they began to move along the dark streets, then moved to the roofs. The houses were so close that it was not difficult to jump from one to another.

 

Closer to the object, each went to his position. They identified for Kai the most advantageous one for a sniper, positioned themselves to see both him and the object, realizing that Mustafa would be covered by his guards, which they soon spotted.

It was good news - it means they were not mistaken: since there is a guard, Mustafa will be there too.

 

The sniper was waiting for a long time. The tension was unreal. Kai scanned every inch of rooftops and buildings through the peephole of his scope to pinpoint his hiding place.

 

The guests from the restaurant already began to leave, and Kai still had not found a sniper, however, like his guys, with whom he spoke on the radio.

 

At the moment the main guests left, Kai saw the reflection of optical sight. He aimed, but he also was spotted. They opened fire on him. The guys began to cover him, turning the fire on themselves. Since everyone fired from rifles with a silencer, the people leaving the restaurant did not notice anything unusual.

 

Kai switched hideouts since it had already been revealed and took aim. But Mustafa left.

The patrons of the restaurant calmly got into their armored vehicles and drove away. It became clear that Mustafa would no longer shoot today. Now it was necessary to understand: when?

 

To control the security of the general, presumably, whom Mustafa wanted to remove, Kai and the guys quickly packed up and returned to the car, drove to his house in another part of the city. They managed to arrive there in advance, before the arrival of the general. But Mustafa did not appear here.

 

So, after spending time before dawn on the roofs of one of the houses, they began to discuss the further alleged actions of the sniper.

 

Soon, Alexey, having traced the route of the general's movement and intercepted the negotiations of his guards, learned that the general would arrive at the embassy in the afternoon. Having quickly collected all the equipment and weapons, they returned to the car.

 

Having reached the place, the car was again left a quarter away, they reached the rooftops and the most convenient location in terms of visibility. They spent half a day on the roof, roasting under the scorching rays of the midday sun and languishing from the heat. But Mustafa was not there. This was reported by Alexey and Ivan, who were monitoring the situation. Mifodiy, on the other hand, made sure that another sniper did not get close to Kai, while Kai himself watched the embassy.

 

So they hunted for Mustafa for another three days, moving around the city. They slept in turn in the same place, in combat positions, replacing each other. They also ate there. Usually, Ivan ran to local shops for food, but with such heat during the day, he didn't feel like eating at all, only at night.

 

One night, after a quick snack, the guys went to their points. Kai began to look through the night vision binoculars of the roofs of houses. Mifodiy was sitting next to him, checking his machine gun.

 

"Do you want to smoke?" Mifodiy handed Kai cigarettes.

 

All this time they did not communicate, only briefly and to the point.

 

"Yes, very much."

 

Kai lowered himself behind the concrete railing and turned to face him. They rarely smoked now - they could detect smoke or a cigarette light. Mifodiy covered it so that this light could not be seen, and waved his hand, scattering the smoke.

 

After smoking, it became easier. Kai leaned back against the concrete railing wearily. All the jumping on the rooftops, the midday heat, and the sleepless nights were exhausting, as was, of course, the sheer stress of the task and the fact that they, too, might be hunted.

 

"Are you offended with us, or something, for that guy?" Kai guessed what Mifodiy was asking.

 

"Not. I have no time to be offended. But I do not like it when people assert themselves at the expense of the weak."

 

"You know, you're right ... But I've been here for more than a year and I've already understood: either you - them, or they - you. That is why I've united the guys around me. I'm tired to fight alone with such morons.

 

"And you became like that yourself."

 

Mifodiy was not offended by Kai's words, he simply looked at him studying him.

 

"Tell me, why don't they pity you?"  he turned the conversation to a question that was of concern to him. "You flew like a clockwork, now you have been roasting on the roofs with us for many days. Are you a contractor? Do you earn money?"

 

"Yes, I do. Go to your point, otherwise, we'll let Mustafa through," Kai, again leaning out a little from behind the concrete fence, began to look through binoculars.

 

Mifodiy realized that the conversation was over. That's just about working under a contract for money, for some reason he did not believe Kai.

Snow in pink sakura petals. Volume 5. "The Book of Flame". Chapter 3

 

Chapter 3

 

Two weeks had passed since the incident with Vadik. It was good that Kai was busy with flights to the limit, he had no time to think about what had happened.

 

From the center, he was summoned to a meeting in Kamrat with an agent to whom he was supposed to transfer a secret file with aerial photography and receive a new assignment from him. This time the meeting was made at the Riviera Plaza Hotel. After changing his clothes after a night flight, he left for Kamrat.

 

He found the agent at a table in the restaurant hall. Nicely enacting a friendly conversation at the dinner table, they exchanged the necessary information imperceptibly and said goodbye. The agent went out first. Then Kai got up, walking to the exit, he bumped into Emmo.

 

"Basilisk invites you to our table, well, don't disdain," Emmo said sarcastically, pointing to their table.

 

Kai did not want to aggravate the conflict situation here. He just went to their table and sat down at it.

 

"Are you on leave?" looking up from the food, Basilisk began to examine him.

 

"Yes."

 

"Will you dine with us?" strange, but in the tone of Basilisk, Kai did not hear aggression or malice.

 

"I've already wanted to leave."

 

"How long have you been serving here?" ignoring the words of Kai, continued Basilisk.

 

"Enough."

 

"What? Do you like to shoot?" Emmo looked up from the food.

 

Kai looked at them miserably. Basilisk caught this look.

 

"Enough stupid questions. If you do not want to eat, then what will you drink?"

 

"Wine," Kai nodded at the open bottle of expensive red wine on their table.

 

Indigo took it and refilled the guy's glass.

 

"Well, compatriot, let's drink to our dear home," Basilisk brought the glass closer to Kai's glass.

 

They clinked glasses and drank.

 

Kai drank a little and put the glass on the table.

 

"Kai, hello. How did you end up here?"

 

He flinched at the familiar voice, turned around, and saw Toyami standing behind him.

 

Basilisk perked up.

 

"And your friend did not warn you that will be here?"

 

Toyami looked at Basilisk in surprise.

 

"My friend?"

 

"Well, yes," looking at Kai, Basilisk continued in a not very friendly voice.

 

Toyami went to the table and looked closely at first at Kai, who turned pale, then at Basilisk, whose eyes did not express anything good.

 

"My friend is too obstinate, he doesn't like to inform me about his movements," Toyami replied, looking at Kai.

 

"Really? How long have you been with him?" in the voice of Basilisk slipped notes of suspicion.

 

"Yes, for a long time, but he does not like to talk about it."

 

"But he can declare that he is your friend, especially when it suits him," Basilisk could no longer hold back his anger.

 

"He's like that in everything. Right, dear?" Toyami put his hand on Kai's shoulder. "Let's go and talk privately," he sharply pulled Kai from the table by the shoulder. "Excuse us, gentlemen, but we need to communicate in a more intimate setting."

 

Without waiting for an answer, Toyami pushed Kai towards the exit.

 

They rode up in the elevator in silence. Kai knew he had nothing to say. Toyami glared at him.

 

On the storey, he allowed Toyami to push him into the room.

 

"Well, now, my friend, explain to me what all this means?" Toyami stood in front of Kai. "Although, I do not need your explanation. I already understood everything. You decided to hide behind me, our kind of relationship when you needed it. So, explain to me: is this a decent act on your part? Just don't need to say that there were good reasons for that. I would understand everything if you called me in advance and warned me about it. Now you made me look like a complete idiot. I'm not used to being treated like that."

 

Toyami walked over to the table and lit a cigarette while still looking at Kai.

 

"Sorry. I was wrong."

 

Toyami saw the complete confusion on Kai's face. He felt sorry for him.

 

"Tell me what this comedy was for. And don't lie to me anymore. I've practically forgiven you for my humiliation today. But if you lie to me now, I will no longer forgive you."

 

Kai, like a schoolboy in the principal's office, stood in the middle of the room. He confusedly talked about his friends, and what he did to save them, and what it all turned into. The only thing, he did not begin to talk about the kisses of Basilisk ...

 

He felt the piercing gaze of Toyami on himself, realizing his complete wrong in his deed, and therefore felt nasty.

 

Toyami listened to everything in silence. Then he took another drag on his cigarette.

 

"Well, what are you standing?" he examined Kai. "Climb on the bed."

 

Kai, as if hypnotized, walked over to the bed and sat on it, then lifted his head to Toyami.

 

"What for?"

 

"We will leave traces of the credibility of your legend. You sit down more comfortably, move to the headboard."

 

Toyami, going to the bed, put a pillow under the back of Kai, who was now completely sitting on it.

 

Then he took off his jacket and loosened the knot of his tie.

 

Toyami sat down on the bed so that Kai was pressed against it back.

 

"Well, what have you got the eyes of a frightened rabbit?" Toyami touched his face. "Do you even know who Basilisk is? Not really, I think. I often intersect with him in the club, you know, in Kamrat there is such a closed club with a certain focus, but it is better for such young and innocent creatures not to know about it," Toyami's fingers went over his lips. "I saw what Basilisk and his company were doing with the boys, you better not know this either…." Toyami brought his face to that of Kai. "And you decided to deceive Basilisk? You could have warned me. I would help you. Why didn't you do it?"

 

Kai darted between his hands and his lips, which were so close, not knowing what to answer.

 

"But I forgive you for such an act and I will even help you. I will create a legend of our relationship," Toyami's lips were so close that Kai stopped breathing. "Basilisk needs confirmation that you are my friend, and we will provide them to him."

 

"What is it like?" Kai whispered against Toyami's lips.

 

"Your lips should talk about kisses; your skin should burn from aspirations. We haven't seen each other for a long time. Basilisk must see the passion between us."

 

Toyami touched his lips, ran his tongue, bit his lip slightly.

 

"I don’t understand ..." Kai breathed.

 

"What do not you understand? I will make it so that your lips will be an eloquent confirmation of our ardent meeting, well, I will put a couple more sucks on your neck for persuasiveness. Well, why are you twitching? Do you want Basilisk to come off on you for your lies? You saw, he had already suspected deception ..."

 

Kai froze, Toyami took advantage of this and captured his lips, penetrating deep into his mouth with his tongue. Kai's thoughts rushed about in his head: Toyami's words, his deed, now this way out of everything ... And most importantly, what should he do? But then the thoughts disappeared, only a feeling remained - he felt good, delightfully good. Oh, how could Toyami kiss!  ...

 

It seemed that now he decided to try all the options of his kissing art with him. Indeed, Kai had already ceased to feel his lips, they were numb from the passion that Toyami brought down on him.

Only he was unable to lift his arms from the bedspread. He clung to it with his hands, crumpling and holding like a saving straw. He could not hug him, it was beyond his strength, it did not enter into understanding, or rather, not understanding what was happening now, but he could not hug his broad shoulders in this perfect starched white shirt. Therefore, he sat there, digging his nails into the plush of the bedspread.

 

As if through the fog, he felt that the kisses from his lips moved to his chin, and the buttons on his jacket began to unfasten.

 

"What are you doing?.." he whispered with almost numb lips.

 

"Do you want me to suck you through your clothes?"

 

Toyami pulled away from him and enjoyed his contemplation, continuing to unfasten the buttons, then opened his jacket and ran his hand over his naked torso.

 

Kai sighed nervously, Toyami did not let him come to his senses, again grabbed his lips, then moved to his cheeks and, finally, to his neck. Kai was delightedly good to feel his passionately painful nibbling and then - a hot tongue on sensitive areas of the skin.

Suddenly Toyami pulled back, looked at him strangely, froze, and then abruptly got up and walked to the window, where he nervously lit a cigarette.

 

Kai sat there in prostration, not quite yet returning to reality.

 

The door flew open with noise, and Basilisk and his friends burst into their room.

 

"We seem to interfere you with something?" Basilisk carefully examined Kai sitting on the bed in an unbuttoned jacket and Toyami standing by the window, without a jacket and with an untied tie. "But we are tired of waiting for you. I had to find out your number at the reception," Basilisk looked at Toyami. "I wanted to offer you, guys, to go to the club with us tonight."

 

Kai's phone rang, he pulled it out on the machine and, without even looking, pressed the call. Hearing the voice of the head of the base, he immediately returned from heaven to earth.

 

"Yes…. I'm already leaving ... An urgent flight ... That's right .... Yes, I'll be there in half an hour…. Got it…. Yes," he pressed the hang-up.

 

Since he spoke Russian, everyone understood him except Toyami.

 

"This is from the airfield," Kai looked at him, speaking in English. "I have to go, an urgent flight."

 

"Are you flying fighters now?" Toyami looked closely at Kai's face.

 

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't say," Kai felt guilty again.

 

"It doesn't even surprise me. Why didn't you say that you serve very close to the city? We could see each other more often," Toyami tried not to pass off his concern for him.

 

"I practically don't leave there, combat missions are constantly going on, I barely reach the tent ... I won't reach the city," Kai saw that Toyami was upset by his words.

 

Basilisk coughed, realizing that the two had already forgotten about their presence.

 

"Well, well, let's not interfere with a touching farewell. Toyami, are you going to the club today?"

 

"Not today, I also need to return to the military unit."

 

"Then, gentlemen, let us take the leave," satisfied with what he saw, Basilisk with Emmo and Indigo went out of the room.

 

Toyami stood by the window. Kai began to slowly crawl out of bed, putting himself in order.

 

"I’ll call you, I can pick you up, I’ll take you to dine in the city," Toyami watched Kai's actions.

 

"Okay, call."

 

Kai hesitated, considering that it was stupid to say "thank you" for what was between them now, it was strange to thank for that, but he felt that Toyami froze and he was waiting for something ... That's just what?

He hesitated, not finding the answer in himself to this question, and without raising his eyes, silently walked out of his room.

 

In the lobby of the hotel, he also silently walked past Basilisk and his friends, they were also silent, only looking at him.

 

He got into the jeep, glanced at himself in the mirror - his lips were suspiciously red and swollen, he opened the collar of his jacket, there were fresh sucks. Kai blushed and buttoned him up, but unfortunately, his lips were impossible to hide. On the way to the airfield, he stopped at a small shop and bought a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator. All the way he was pressing it to his lips. This brightened up the picture of his appearance a little. Okay, he was quickly given an assignment, and he was relieved to put on an oxygen mask in the cockpit.

 

***

 

From this flight, he returned squeezed like a lemon. While changing clothes, he forgot to fasten the top buttons of the uniform, it was good that the first ones he came across were Senya and Vadik.

 

Vadik had already come to his senses from everything that had happened and wanted to thank Kai again. But the guys froze, forgetting what they wanted to say.

 

"Blimey!" finally said Vadik.

 

Senya quickly woke up from his stupor and, sharply pushing Kai into the shade of the tent, began to button up the buttons of his uniform.

 

"You had a good time in the city, apparently," seeing Kai's incomprehensible face, Senya continued to button up his buttons. "And how is she? Apparently, you caught a very passionate girl, or were you with a vampire?"

 

"A passionate one," Kai remembered who did it to him and blushed.

 

"Come on, what are you, like a girl, are you turning red? Well, you've had some fun, we're happy for you. But the commander would not be happy with your appearance. After all, you go to the headquarters?"

 

"Yes, for the report."

 

"Go now," Senya looked at him meticulously.

 

"Isn't it seen now?"

 

"Not. Go. We are waiting for you in the tent. There is cognac."

 

Kai was delighted at the prospect of cognac. He needed it now. All thoughts of what had happened began to cover him. At the headquarters, he mechanically reported on the flight, listened to everything that was said.

 

"You look bad somehow. Tired?"

 

"A little bit. May I go?"

 

"Go, have a rest."

 

Senya and Vadik were waiting for him in the tent. Their makeshift table had already been laid. This time there was a lot of chocolate. Kai chewed it on the machine, half-listening to the guys' chatter. Soon, from everything taken together, he began to fall asleep.

Snow in pink sakura petals. Volume 5. "The Book of Flame". Chapter 2

 

He saw Senya only in the evening of the next day, having returned from the flight, after which he was grilled at the headquarters for other three hours analyzing various aspects of the flight.

That something had happened, Kai knew immediately from his friend's face. They retired in the street. The guys went to the standing technique, there were no extra ears.

 

"Tell me," Kai sat on the hood of the UAZ, "where is Vadik? What has happened? You are pale as a ghost."

 

"You were right," Senya nervously lit a cigarette. "We are idiots that did not listen to you. I don't know what to do now."

 

"Maybe it's enough to wail? Come on, tell me!"

 

Senya began a long confusing story about their evening visit to a seedy hangout. He weaved into the story colorful epithets, obscenities, and constant self-flagellation. From all this, it became clear that their game of cards was at first successful, and they were carried away by their victories, and then they lost everything, and not just everything, they signed up for a very large, simply not lifting amount for them in the hope of winning. And, naturally, they lost. It was clear that they did not have that kind of money, in that they confessed to Basilisk, who solved the problem simply - by taking Vadik hostage and saying that if by the evening of this day this money was not available, Vadik would work it off with his ass, and in the literal sense. Senya was here, he did not know what to do. He could not turn to the leadership - this would be the end of their military career, for this, they would be kicked out immediately. But Vadik also needed to be saved. At the words of the Basilisk about "working off with the ass", he was distorted, but he did not know how to help his friend.

 

"Is Basilisk playing today?" Kai was also smoking, listening to all this.

 

"Yes. He is waiting for me there with the money. If I don't come, they will make an ass of Vadik," Senya realized that these words now had a completely direct meaning, and shuddered.

 

"Let's go."

 

"Where?"

 

"To play cards with Basilisk."

 

"How come? I won't let you in! You will also lose," Senya looked at Kai. "No! The Basilisk will not receive such a gift," he blocked the path.

 

"Trust me. Unlike you, I know what I'm doing. Senya, just believe me. And let's go already, I still need to put myself in order."

 

Kai moved resolutely towards the tent. Senya followed him, not knowing what to do - to slow down Kai, but then how to save Vadik? He was completely at a loss in all this.

 

Walking to change clothes, Kai thought about his decision to release Vadik. Of course, he could drive to the bank and withdraw money - for him, it was not an amount at all. But players like Basilisk are not treated like that. The Basilisk knew that the guys didn't have such a sum, and he knew for sure that they wouldn't collect it here from their acquaintances and fellow servicemen. So just giving Senya money would be foolish. Then Kai decided to win back this amount for him at cards. Although he did not like to play, this was a special case.

 

***

 

They entered a smoky room with gambling tables. The establishment was not one of the expensive, so mediocre. But here - Kai understood - such suckers as his friends were caught by certain individuals. With Senya, they changed into clean military uniforms, Kai donned his military black jacket for such an occasion.

Passing through the hall, Senya held Kai's hand and pointed to the table.

Kai took a closer look at those sitting behind him. Even without Senya's explanatory words, it was possible to understand which one of them was Basilisk. He was a tall guy of about thirty with a truly masculine beauty, with an athletic figure, but at the same time, not pumped up muscles. Everything in him was moderate, and the clothes were on the verge of shocking, and the hair was long, but, on the whole, not too defiant and carried with a certain charm, but without pretense. His two friends were about the same, also with good athletic figures, it was clear that they took great care of them, in rather outrageous clothes and with the same manners. Intricate tattoos adorned their skin were visible from under their unbuttoned clothing.

 

"These are his friends," Senya explained, "the one in a green silk shirt with a black vest is Emmo, and on the right, with an earring in his ear, is Indigo. They seem to be Russians, too, probably ..."

 

"Well, Senya, I've understood everything. Trust me, okay? Just stay with me."

 

Without waiting for an answer from Senya, Kai decisively moved to their table.

 

"Is it free?" he asked, sitting down in an empty chair. And he asked this in Russian, thereby immediately declaring himself to them.

 

They did not expect to see a young man elegantly dressed with such features in front of them and were hung up on surprise. But when Senya was next to him, they understood everything.

 

"Free", Basilisk answered smiling. "Did you come to win back the debt for a friend?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Yes," Kai took out of his pocket the money that he had taken from the ATM in advance and put it on the line. "Shall we start?"

 

"Yes," Basilisk was burning the guy through with his eyes, as did Emmo and Indigo.

 

The game began. Kai focused on calculating and memorizing maps. In general, it was not difficult for him - to remember everything and calculate the approximate cards of the players, as well as combinations of moves. He immediately guessed what the secret of Basilisk's success was - he counted well, but Kai thought better.

At first, the Basilisk was amused, then he tensed and became more serious and focused. But Kai won over and over again, the stakes increased, and if he lost, the Basilisk saw that he was doing it on purpose. When the amount at stake corresponded to Vadik's debt, Kai took the stake. He pushed the winning money lying in front of him to Basilisk.

"It's a debt to my friend. Will you let him go?"

 

"Let's go. I'll give you your friend," looking into Kai's eyes, Basilisk pronounced in a strange voice with subtext.

 

He took the money and went to the exit, like his friends. Kai hesitated, but then with Senya also went to the exit.

 

They were driving Kai's jeep behind Basilisk's car. All the way Senya lamented that going to Basilisk's house was a stupid idea. But when Kai asked him for another, more reasonable solution, Senya fell silent, also knowing that there was no other way out.

 

Leaving his car, the Basilisk, looking at Kai and Senya, told Kai to go alone, and he would not let the other into his house. Senya began to lament again.

 

"Wait here. Everything will be fine," Kai encouraged him.

 

He went to their house. The guards let him inside and closed the doors behind him.

 

The mansion was large enough and well-appointed. He followed the Basilisk until they were in one of the many rooms, it was dark in it, and Kai could not see the situation.

 

"I want to talk to you," Basilisk turned sharply to him and began to push him deep into this room.

 

Kai began to move away until he hit something, he staggered. They took advantage of this. Basilisk pushed him sharply, he fell back on the soft mattress, began to crawl away, but Emmo and Indigo quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him in different directions. The light came on, Kai saw that it was a bed, and he was crucified on it thanks to these two.

 

Basilisk slowly, like a cat, approached him. Just as slowly he climbed onto the bed and sat on top of his thighs, thereby finally crushing him and giving no chance of resistance.

 

Kai just lay there, didn't even twitch, only kept eye contact with the Basilisk.

 

"Where are you from?" Basilisk ran his hand over his face. Kai moved away from his palm. "You are silent," he again passed his hand but did not let Kai remove his face. "You think well, but you haven't calculated this ..."

 

Basilisk bent sharply and began to catch Kai's lips with his own, Kai twitched, shook his head, but Basilisk held his face with his hands and soon his lips captured Kai's lips. This kiss was strangely gentle, not aggressive, unlike everything that happened here. Kai unclenched his teeth, letting him go, and just lay there and waited for him to finish it.

 

Basilisk pulled away, his gaze was different.

 

"Let me go," Kai looked into the eyes of the Basilisk.

 

"Who are you?"

 

"I serve at a military airfield. Did you ask about this?"

 

"A pilot?"

 

"Yes, when needed. They threw me here for a while," Kai felt the Basilisk's hands on him, which gently caressed his jacket.

 

"What is your name?"

 

"Kai."

 

"Are you Russian?"

 

"Are you, Basilisk, Russian?"

 

He laughed.

 

"You saw through me in the game. A clever boy."

 

"I did it for my friends."

 

"Noble. But only I am not distinguished by nobility," Basilisk leaned towards him. "You are so unusual ... beautiful," he again ran his hand over his face, then his finger across his lips. "Let's have some fun?"

 

"Let go," Kai jerked and turned his face away, Basilisk again grabbed his chin and pressed his lips to his.

 

"He has a friend," Basilisk pulled away from Kai's lips and looked at Indigo, he calmly continued. "Do you remember Toyami, Japanese? Well, with Kodji, his friend, comes to the club. So, one friend told me that Kay and Toyami were seen together in Las Vegas. Rather, he told me that Toyami had a very handsome boy with a beautiful name Kai, but he hid him from everyone, sort of like ..."

 

Basilisk turned his gaze back to Kai.

 

"This is true? Is Toyami your friend?"

 

"Yes," Kai understood that now this was the only correct answer and the only way out of the situation in which he had found himself.

 

Basilisk ran his fingers over his face for a while, thinking.

 

"You know, if Toyami is your friend, I won't touch you. But I didn’t hear from him that he has a boyfriend," Basilisk again bowed to his lips, "and if you are deceiving me, I’ll get your sweet ass out of the ground, and everyone will take it away in a circle. Do you understand?" Basilisk sharply pressed to his lips, then pulled away and got off Kai. "Well, what are you waiting for, let him go," he looked at his friends.

 

Kai rubbed his wrists and slowly got out of bed.

 

"Go to the car," the Basilisk watched as Kai, slightly staggering, gets out of bed. "Now they will bring your friend."

 

Kai went to the exit; he was escorted by Emmo.

 

"If you deceived us, you better die right away," examining Kai, hissed Emmo through his teeth and opened the doors to the street for him.

 

Kai, reaching the car, nervously lit a cigarette. Senya at first wanted to start questioning him, but then he fell silent and stood silently next to him.

 

Finally, they saw Vadik, he was pale, and he was shaking. But, in general, nothing happened to him, all this time he had been sitting in the basement.

 

Senya pushed him into the car, and they drove towards the airfield. Kai behaved with dignity all this time, but Vadik began to whimper in the car, realizing all the horror of what could have happened.

 

Senya gave him the rest of the cognac, which was lying around in the car, so they got to theirs. There Senya and Vadik went to their bunks, and Kai went to his place.

It was only when he was in place that he began to shake. Well, it was dark in the tent and everyone was asleep. He took out the rest of the vodka and, grimacing and gagging, drank it without snacking. Then he fell on the bed, wrapping himself, as he was, in his clothes in a blanket. Gradually, the stress turned into sleep, and then into an early wake-up call. He had a combat mission in the morning.

 

***

 

One night everyone was on the alert. It was necessary to urgently lift the planes into the air. It turned out that planes unidentified by belonging to any of the armies struck at their military base in square thirty-two. Kai and five other planes were dispatched to rescue the situation.

 

At first, they flew wing to wing, holding the formation, but, flying up, they split up.

 

Kai didn't like night flights. The impenetrable darkness of the sky, rare lights on the ground, and the black emptiness of space around ... He felt uneasy from all this. And now he felt unpleasant goosebumps running over him from the understanding of how high he was, and around him, there was only darkness and gloom.

 

Then this darkness was illuminated by the light of tracer bursts fired at them from enemy aircraft, and a battle ensued. There were more of those, or perhaps more planes were sent to help them. Kai only had time to keep his eyes on the situation on the monitor screen and change the angles of flight of his fighter, avoiding the projectiles flying at him.

 

At some point, he managed to drive one of the enemy aircraft directly onto his own, they did not get confused and stitched him with a fired projectile.

 

Kai on the radio heard rave reviews about the next finished off the skunk, as the guys called him.

This night's fight dragged on for a long time. Constantly talking on the radio, they all worked well, as one team, either covering each other, then leading the enemy behind them, thereby giving each other a break.

 

But, despite all this, one of the guys was hit. It seemed like they saw how he managed to eject. They immediately reported to the base to track his landing and send rescuers.

Completely exhausted, but having completed the mission, destroying all unidentified aircraft, they returned to the base.

 

The guys waited for Kai to get out of the plane, and, taking him with them, all went together to their tent, excitedly discussing the night battle. Although Kai was tired and was reeling from overloads again, he could not leave, seeing how the guys were happy with their common team and wanted to celebrate today's victory.

 

They all sat down on the beds, placing a table in the middle and quickly gathering all the available snacks on it. They uncorked the brandy and joyfully began to celebrate the return. Only seeing that Kai was already falling asleep, they let him go, although they continued to sit and chatter for several hours. Kai was no longer worried about it, he "precipitated" from fatigue and alcohol, he was no longer disturbed by the noise or the constant walking of the people.

 

Falling asleep, he was glad that now memories did not bother him ...