Глава 12

Guh... Urgh...

I really... don't have anything here.

Bollocks! We saw it with our own eyes. You used your stove. Where did you get food?

How come you have something to eat every day?!

I... I just found it by chance...

Found it?

Don't go overboard with him. If this guy gets an Oripathy attack, we'll all be dead.

Where's your storeroom? Spill it!

I really... Just found them... Someone has been leaving things on my windowsill...

Still trying to hide—

Are his words really so untrustworthy?

Even the Infected get lucky sometimes and find food, right? What's so strange about that?

And who are you? Here to rob him, too?

Hello. My name is Red.

Back in my Ursus days, they all called me 'Redblade.'

Pick up the pace. Stay close.

Hang in there! We're almost there!

Drat! There's more and more of them.

White Wolf, I've heard about you and your family.

I'm glad to have the opportunity to fight alongside you today.

For Londinium, and for Victoria.

What are you trying to—

Don't stop! Keep moving!

Sarkaz traitor and Victorian insects, it's high time we brought an end to this game of hide-and-seek.

Where do you want to run? Is it death that you want to escape?

You and your friends who are hiding in the shadows will all be torn to shreds. It's what you owe us!

This is what everyone in Londinium, Victoria, and across the lands owe us!

Run. Run! The storm will still arrive. You can't outrun war!

Shut your bloody gob!

(Gah, too many people. We need to find a way to break through here!)

(I only have one grenade left...)

Robben, take this grenade. Head down, and blow up the bottom deck of power layer.

Misery, protect them. The rest of you need to keep moving forward.

You—

Got it. Don't worry.

We'll leave the rest to luck.

Horn... You—

Shut up. I don't have time to pummel you again.

Hurry!

Horn turns around and faces a wave of enemies surging on her position.

She smirks a little. It is high time this all came to an end.

All this fleeing, the battles, and these sleepless nights.

Soldiers are meant to die in war.

I wonder... what Bagpipe is up to right now.

She tightens her grip on her weapon and prepares to charge.

Under the dark, cloudy sky, a strange sound can be heard zooming in ever closer from afar.

A familiar sound, although it has been a long time since it was last heard in Londinium.

It is only in their distant memories and fuzzy rumors that people can find that sound's source—

That's—

Horn, run! Take this chance!

You're...

(Heavy gushing)

'Victoria.'

Drat, these doors—

They're too thick. They can't hear us on the other side!

Grr, they took Clovisia and Catherine. Are they trying to use them as bargaining chips with the Sarkaz?

These despicable traitors—

Shining, can you open them?

We can't delay any longer. We don't know when the Sarkaz will make it here.

I will give it a try.

No! Don't! Don't make a big show like that! That's only going to draw the enemy here faster!

We have a bunch of critically wounded and non-combatants here. If we actually start fighting the Royal Court guys, even if <i>we</i> can get away, what about them?

We'd only be waiting to meet our maker by remaining here. I don't know what my friends are scheming, but my guys is they have more in mind than keeping us here.

My drone has a small laser cutting device. These steel plates may be thick, but if you give me some time...

How long will it take?

Oh, keep your pants on! I need to test the output first...

Feist, do you remember what happened to Old Bill?

It has to be... One of those monsters has got to have infiltrated us again. He fooled us again!

We were too careless. We should've noticed sooner!

Feist... Are those Sarkaz who can change their faces here too?

When those <i>things</i> exist, how... how can we trust anyone?

What if... that's not what this is?

They're our allies! They're Londinium workers, too!

I know. I grew up with them.

But what if...

What if this is their decision. This is the choice that Tommy, Patto, and Day made with everybody else?

But why...? We're supposed to be on the same side!

It's easier to believe that your allies were replaced than to accept that they've betrayed us.

But that's exactly what happened.

I can tell what they were thinking, more or less. Once the rage-induced fervor dissipates, it's not so easy to choose to keep fighting.

Clovisia said as much before too. In the end, we're just a bunch of normal people.

I have to admit that... even I fear leaving, just like them.

Fleeing and cowering... is the most instinctive choice that all normal people make when they are confronted with war.

Then <i>you</i> stay! Stay here with your friends!

I won't do that, Rockrock.

I have to face my fear. That's the only way I can remind myself... of the worth of bravery.

I have faith that they haven't crossed that line. I have faith that they were only sucked into this choice by fear.

But none of it matters now.

I will save Granny and Clovisia, just like I did last time.

But our wounded can't wait much longer.

The drone's laser's working on the door already! It'll take... uh, twenty minutes, maybe?

I'll help, too. I have tools on me!

Your hammer and wrench aren't gonna come in handy here.

Be patient. Just hold on a little longer, and we can leave this place safe and...

Wh-What? I didn't catch any Sarkaz movement!

Shining—

Oh, hey, Shining. Been a while. I heard you went to a family reunion?

W, you're here.

W! Half of Londinium heard that just now!

The curtain's drawn, right? I've always been pretty accurate with my explosives. Just the right amount.