Harvest, part 5

You wanted to see me, mr. Caine?

Carthat was standing on the open roof terrace of one of the long abondoned warehouses in Dam Torsad's Trade District. The Golend City underneath and above him was covered in different shades of red as the sun was setting and reflecting from nearby buildings and orbital vechiles passing slowly overhead. In his hand, he was holding a delivery. One that came in via interbus express this morning. A small wooden box, with a note attached on the outside. Note on the meeting place. The contents of the box however, included a female finger cut at it's base, adorned with a silver ring with the words 'Te amo' subtly engraved on it's lower side. Carthat closed his eyes. Te amo.




For me?

Inara looked down at the small wooden box Carthat passed to her. The summer day was young, but the sun was already high, piercing through a few holes in the vines covering the small shaded pavillon in Inara's family's gardens on Mikeb. There were crickets everywhere, chirping from the pinewood branches of the nearby forests, covering everything with their noise. Inara opened the box, looking at it's contents. She gently slided her hand inside, pulling out a silver ring with something engraved on it. She raised it and slowly read the inscription.

Te... amo...

I love you, Inara.




Carthat opened his eyes, with a single tear running down his cheek. he looked down again at the box and the finger in it and the silver ring reflecting some of the red tinted light of Dam Torsad. There were footsteps behind him. Faint ones, but still hearable A cyberknight of Carthat's experience could've heard someone approach without much an effort. He turned around, noticing a dark robed silhouette standing by the edge of the roof terrace.

Where is she?

The silhouette didn't respond, just standing silently. Carthat's hands were shaking as he grabbed his blade and pulled it out of it's sheathe. He took a step forward, keeping a battle guard.

WHERE IS SHE?

Carthat took another step forward, then quickly stopped. he quickly turned around, cutting his blade through the air and almost catching another robed silhouette behind him. The person behind him doged in the last second, yet lost balance and fell down on the ground before him. Carthat smiled, stepping over it and raising his blade.

Letting your henchmen taking care of the dirty work, Caine?

Not really.

The man lying on the ground in front of him spoke out, pulling his hood back. It was him. Carthat saw the picture. An associate of that Vindictus dog, Lucius.

... I am an honest trader, mr. Dakani.

Carthat leaned over the snake, growling through his teeth.

Where. Is. She?!

The man laughed, lightly shaking his head.

You abide by our agreement? You shall make sure she is alright, we shall ship her to a safe location, and then you agree to a duel between the two of us?

Carthat grabbed the man's robes at his neck, pulling him up and looking in his right eye, left one being just an empty black orb, with a reflection of Carthat's angry face in it. He growled agan for a second, and then let go of the frail man. Caine didn't seem like a hard duelist. This would be an easy one, Carthat thought. Vinductus has sent his henchmen after him before, he dispatched them all.

Fine.

Caine pulled himself up on his hands, slowly standing up as he dusted his robes. Carthat was still standing firm, blade in his right hand. Caine pulled his own blade from behind his back, balancing it in his hand lightly and returning it to the sheathe.

Very good, mr. Dakani. You shall find your mistress over there...

Caine raised his hand at the edge of the roof terrace, pointing at the immobile robed silhouette standing there, the one Carthat saw first.

... do make sure everything is allright before we proceed. I give you my word that it is only her finger I needed as a proof.

Carthat shrugged, looking towards the silhouette.

Oh, you think it's some kind of a trap? Very well... let me show you.

Caine walked over towards the silhouette, pulling it's cowl back and revealing the woman's head. She had a piece of ducttape sticked over her mouth, and a few bruises on her face, but it was Inara. Carthat took a step forward, with a mixed emotion of anger and relief.

I shall let you two exchange a talk before we start the duel, mr. Dakani. Take your time, but remember. Silence is golden.

Caine smiled and drew his blade again, nonchalantly stepping over to the center of the terrace, as Carthat ran over to Inara. She was obviously tied down, shaking around as if trying to break free. Tears were running down her cheeks and muffled yelling could be heard from her ducttaped mouth. He smiled softly, running his open palm down her cheek to caress her.

Don't worry, darling... everything will be ok. I'll be with you soon.

Carthat lowered his hand, grabbing the edge of the ducttape and gently pulling it open.

Click.

He narrowed his eyes, noticing a thin electronical switch glued to the side of the duct tape, now in an open position.

Click.

Suddenly his eyes went wide, as he turned around to look at the man at the center of the terrace, spotting a grin even from this distance.

Click.

A series of smaller explosions were heard as Inara's chest exploded, launching a million of little shrapnels into Carthat's face and chest, launching him on the ground in a blast of pain. One of them punctured his eye and he could feel a large open wound on his neck. He tilted his head up, noticing what remained of Inara with his undamaged eye. Just a half of a torso, with an open rift where her head and chest used to be. He cried, tilting his head back and closing his eyes, warm blood dripping from his wounds.

As I said, mr. Dakani...

He heard footsteps approaching, hitting louder than ever against the roof of the warehouse.

Click.

Carthat opened his eye, looking up at Caine holding a cocked pistol with a silencer pressed against Carthat's forehead.

...Silence is golden.





Click.