Here it comes.
A figure approached them across the cafe. Lih knew at once it was the so far unseen Ivan Sarkozy. He was a well-made man in his twenties, tall, his eyes glittering blue.
As far as he could tell, Ivan was the only one who seemed remotely okay. Lih was sure that was because Ivan was along for the right reason, not just doing his job. He looked all clean-cut and stalwart, the very model of a young, capable officer. Under the surface ticked the heart of a hero. Lih knew his type. He liked Ivan since the moment they’d met in the office. And he looked… different… ready.
Lih wasn’t ready. His first taste of combat hadn’t gone down well. Shock trauma. He might get past it naturally, but some don’t. He was the one who worried people the most. He was a psych case, Lih knew. The timid behavior, the faraway stare. Not to mention his own, aching bruises. Hardly the most able and fit recruit in the history of police actions. He had an officer’s gun on him, but given its performance so far, Lih wasn’t sure how much use it would be.
In truth, he shouldn’t be here. But Dorian took what he could get, and even somebody useless like Lih was needed. Point taken, Lih will be watching Ivan for now. A minute later, Dorian drew the briefing to order.
Lih clutched his cup of fresh brewed coffee.
Tunnels, said Dorian. Lih moaned. Was there another way? He wanted to ask, but didn’t voice his opinion. He imagined Dorian’s cold answer, as if it was so obvious Lih must be a fool to miss it. He consulted the marked spots on the map. If the ex-atharim hunter was joining them later, that means they’re looking at noon at least to get their bearings, and turn around since they’ve investigated. That’s… half a day chopped off their schedules just like that. But, according to Dorian, by no means were they to rush ahead and hit them up without the ex-atharim hunter. Nox. He’s the very best, probably.
For the n-th time that day, Lih wondered what he’d got himself into. Sometimes it felt so decisively right, but the rest of the time the doubts plagued him. He’d broken an order— a pledge to protect Boda, and now he was heading into a situation in the tunnels. He wondered what would happen in enemy territory. Every time he thought he knew the horrors of fighting, it gleefully exposed new ones. He wondered how men like Dorian, or this ex-atharim hunter, could be remotely sane after a life of this.
Right then, he missed Costa. Costa should be here, he thought. He wondered what Costa would do in his situation. He was pretty sure he knew. This was a prime opportunity to discharge a mission—however Dorian and the Captain wanted to play this—for the CCDPD as expediently and as efficiently as they could. What it’s not was an opportunity to permit Lih his heroics. It wasn’t an opportunity to let Lih heap up glory by forcing an all out fight to make up for his failure…
A figure approached them across the cafe. Lih knew at once it was the so far unseen Ivan Sarkozy. He was a well-made man in his twenties, tall, his eyes glittering blue.
As far as he could tell, Ivan was the only one who seemed remotely okay. Lih was sure that was because Ivan was along for the right reason, not just doing his job. He looked all clean-cut and stalwart, the very model of a young, capable officer. Under the surface ticked the heart of a hero. Lih knew his type. He liked Ivan since the moment they’d met in the office. And he looked… different… ready.
Lih wasn’t ready. His first taste of combat hadn’t gone down well. Shock trauma. He might get past it naturally, but some don’t. He was the one who worried people the most. He was a psych case, Lih knew. The timid behavior, the faraway stare. Not to mention his own, aching bruises. Hardly the most able and fit recruit in the history of police actions. He had an officer’s gun on him, but given its performance so far, Lih wasn’t sure how much use it would be.
In truth, he shouldn’t be here. But Dorian took what he could get, and even somebody useless like Lih was needed. Point taken, Lih will be watching Ivan for now. A minute later, Dorian drew the briefing to order.
Lih clutched his cup of fresh brewed coffee.
Tunnels, said Dorian. Lih moaned. Was there another way? He wanted to ask, but didn’t voice his opinion. He imagined Dorian’s cold answer, as if it was so obvious Lih must be a fool to miss it. He consulted the marked spots on the map. If the ex-atharim hunter was joining them later, that means they’re looking at noon at least to get their bearings, and turn around since they’ve investigated. That’s… half a day chopped off their schedules just like that. But, according to Dorian, by no means were they to rush ahead and hit them up without the ex-atharim hunter. Nox. He’s the very best, probably.
For the n-th time that day, Lih wondered what he’d got himself into. Sometimes it felt so decisively right, but the rest of the time the doubts plagued him. He’d broken an order— a pledge to protect Boda, and now he was heading into a situation in the tunnels. He wondered what would happen in enemy territory. Every time he thought he knew the horrors of fighting, it gleefully exposed new ones. He wondered how men like Dorian, or this ex-atharim hunter, could be remotely sane after a life of this.
Right then, he missed Costa. Costa should be here, he thought. He wondered what Costa would do in his situation. He was pretty sure he knew. This was a prime opportunity to discharge a mission—however Dorian and the Captain wanted to play this—for the CCDPD as expediently and as efficiently as they could. What it’s not was an opportunity to permit Lih his heroics. It wasn’t an opportunity to let Lih heap up glory by forcing an all out fight to make up for his failure…
Viktor Lih
Officer of CCDPD
Officer of CCDPD