Chapter 24 Avoid Lethal Force
Avoid Lethal Force
I’m the only one who knows the code to the apartment, he reminded himself as his feet trod the patterned hallway carpet. She will be safe.
The keycode was reprogrammed with every new stay. Additionally, Nikhail was the only person, other than Nadya and Ryker, who even knew River was in the Southern Region.
She would be safe.
He knew that, and yet, he hated walking away from River almost as much as he’d hated the idea of her staying in the Central Region, away from him.
Checking his weapons one more time, the guns a backup in case his magic wasn’t enough, Nikhail forced himself to enter the elevator and press the button for the basement. His chest ached as the elevator descended, but he gritted his teeth against the pain.
He’d have to get used to this. After all, he couldn’t stay by River’s side every moment of every day.
If only she weren’t wearing prohiberis manacles. He would feel better if River had access to her power so she could defend herself if needed.
But he couldn’t force her to take off the shackles, no matter how much he hated them.
She will be fine.
Nikhail repeated the words in his mind as the elevator descended, hoping that if he said them enough, he would start to believe them.
The elevator doors opened, and Nikhail stepped into the underground parking garage.
The light above his head flickered, and dim lighting kept most of the darkness at bay.
Warm air enveloped him, a reminder that he was back in the region where he’d grown up.
He made a mental note to text his family later and let them know he was back.
It had been far too long since his last visit.
There was no time for that right now, though.
Three other soldiers, similarly dressed in black and decked out in weapons, were waiting for him.
“Indira.” Nikhail dipped his chin, greeting the woman on his left. She had deep-brown skin, long raven-black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and dark-brown eyes. “Thanks for coming.”
It was nice to see a familiar face. Before Nikhail moved to Lakewater, he and Indira had worked together.
She transferred to the Southern Region soon after Nikhail had left, wanting to be closer to her wife’s family.
When Nikhail had learned he was being sent on this mission, Indira had been the first person he requested to join his team, since he trusted her.
Trust was a valuable asset right now, and one he didn’t take lightly. The more Nikhail thought about the situation with the rebels, the more convinced he became that the Chancellor was right: There was a traitor in their midst. Someone was working with the rebels, feeding them information.
A chill swept through him at the thought, but he cast his fear aside. It was a problem for a later time.
“Of course. Anything to stop the rebels. Nikhail, this is Dalyn Noble.” Indira pointed to the man standing furthest from her, his glowing orange eyes giving away his designation as a werewolf. “And Taliyah Bonnelle.”
Taliyah gave a little wave. Black wings were spread behind her, and those, paired with her coal-black eyes, marked her as a vampire even before she opened her mouth, revealing her fangs.
“Nice to meet you all.” Nikhail stood at attention, arms clasped behind his back. That ache remained in his chest, but he was resolutely ignoring it. “Our mission is simple: Locate and apprehend Gale Harringdale. The Chancellor wants him alive.”
Even though Nikhail still had reservations about the Representatives and the disparity of wealth in their country, in this, he agreed with Chancellor Rose.
Gale Harringdale was responsible for the murders of over a dozen people, and he’d called for the deaths of every Representative and their families.
The rebel leader had to be stopped. Not just because he was threatening the Chancellor, but because he was calling for River’s death.
And as long as Nikhail drew breath, he would never let that happen.
“Looks quiet,” Nikhail said, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of the black box van he was driving.
“Too quiet,” Indira murmured from the passenger seat.
Half an hour had passed since they first arrived. There hadn’t been any signs of movement. Nikhail’s magic thrummed in his veins, a nervous energy that was getting worse the longer he was away from River.
The street was dark, and not just because it was two-thirty in the morning. Clouds covered the stars and the moon. Streetlights lined both sides of the road, but they were all broken. Shattered, as if someone wanted to hide what happened here at night.
The shadows couldn’t hide the derelict conditions of the neighborhood.
Run-down houses stood behind fences that were collapsing in on themselves.
Lawns were overgrown. Broken appliances littered front yards.
Rusty swings swung eerily, blown by the night breeze—the only sign that children inhabited this place.
Nikhail’s heart constricted. This neighborhood was a stark contrast to the elite, opulent ones that housed the Representatives. Did the upper crust even know about the disparities that existed between them and the poorest inhabitants of this country?
Did they even care?
He had no idea.
This wasn’t the only neighborhood like this in the Republic.
For every Representative, there were thousands of people living in hardship.
He was sure that equality had existed when the Republic was first founded.
For the gods’ sakes, the Choosing had been created to encourage unity to bloom among the members of the country.
Even that hadn’t been enough to stop the Republic from breaking, though.
It was impossible to deny the imbalance in the country, especially with the evidence of endemic poverty right in front of him. Thanks to his sister, Laurie, Nikhail knew all about cycles of poverty and how challenging they were to break.
Looking around, Nikhail understood why Gale Harringdale hated the Representatives and wanted to subvert the government. If Nikhail had grown up here, he might’ve hated them, too.
He could empathize with the rebel leader, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do his job. The man had threatened River, albeit indirectly, and Nikhail refused to let that stand.
“Taliyah.” Nikhail waited for the vampire to turn around. “Fly over the house, and find out how many people are inside.”
They had technology that detected heat signatures, but Nikhail refused to risk his team’s lives over a computer reading.
“Yes, sir.” Taliyah exited the vehicle.
A whoosh touched Nikhail’s ears as the vampire summoned her wings and rose into the air. Several minutes passed before she returned. Landing on vampire-silent feet next to the driver’s side window, she clasped her hands behind her back.
Nikhail lowered the window.
“I counted seven heartbeats, sir,” Taliyah reported. “Two slow-beating ones, and five regular.”
Nikhail rolled the information over in his mind. Of the five non-vampires present, one of them should be their target. He ran several scenarios through his mind, discarding them one at a time, until he settled on the one that would have the best possible chance of success.
He relayed the information to his team and waited for them all to agree before adding, “Remember, the Chancellor has ordered us to leave Harringdale alive. She wants to talk to him. Avoid lethal force at all costs.”
“Understood,” the werewolf rasped, orange eyes glowing.
“Don’t kill him. Got it,” Indira said.
“I understand,” was Taliyah’s response.
Satisfied, Nikhail exited the vehicle. The rest of his team followed suit, drawing their weapons.
Nikhail left his guns where they were. Instead, he extended his hands, palms facing the night sky, and reached within himself, calling forth the magic that was his birthright. His power rushed to his fingertips, eager to serve.
Shield us from sight, he implored, pushing his will into the wind, imploring it to protect him and his team. Hide us from those who would inflict harm upon us.
A warm breeze brushed his cheek in response. The wind would do as he asked.
Nikhail kept his palms extended as they approached the house. They moved on silent feet, settling into position.
When the front porch was in sight, Nikhail dropped his left hand, drawing his gun. The door was slightly off-kilter, as if someone had slammed it so many times the frame had broken.
He tapped his shoulder twice with his right hand, then pointed at the house. Understanding the signal, Indira slunk off to the right, and Dalyn to the left.
Nikhail took a deep breath, then advanced. The porch was rickety, and the boards were broken and rotting in places. Using the wind as a guide, Nikhail carefully ascended the stairs. He crouched in front of the door and pulled out his lock-picking tools.
There was a steady presence at his back, and he knew without looking that Taliyah was standing there.
The lock gave way with a tumble that resonated through the silent night. Nikhail held his breath, waiting for a shout of surprise. For an alarm to sound. For something.
Silence swelled.
Nikhail lifted his right hand and twisted his fingers in a silent signal.
They would enter in three… two… one…