“I betrayed you… I betrayed you!” he wailed, forcing his eyes open.
“What information have you leaked?”
“I…”
This time the soldier stepped on Eugen’s knee and slowly started applying his weight.
Eugen spasmed violently. “P-Patrols, guard details!”
“Who was your contact?”
“Never…never the same person. Th-They come to me!”
“What else do you know about them?”
“What…I know…”
Eugen’s pupils were darting around. His face was covered in an oily sweat.
It mixed with the dried blood already there.
Rita met the gaze of one of the soldiers.
Taking her meaning, he began to unsheathe the sword at his waist. There was the shrill sound of metal scraping against metal. Reflecting the candlelight, the blade cast fleeting sinews of light over the walls and the ceiling.
“M-Mathias! Mathias Kramer!” Eugen screeched.
Rita’s hands squeezed into fists. She felt as though her blood had frozen and boiled over at the same time.
Mathias. Her friend, her childhood friend, who’d killed one of her boys. She’d discovered long ago that he led the resistance. The intel was common knowledge amongst the Garrison.
It was nothing new. Yet to hear the name again, and in this fashion, shook Rita to her core.
He still expected her to be his kind Rita.
It was why she felt so let down.
“Commander!”
The urgency of the voice pulled Rita back to the chamber.
Eugen had somehow struggled to his feet. He shook off the soldiers’ hold with an incredible display of brawn and charged at Rita, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot.
He kicked the floor, soared over the desk, and extended his arm─
Crap, Rita bit her lip just as…Eugen halted in midair.
Then, as though time were running in reverse, he was jerked to his rear. His back collided into the floor. He rolled around groaning, and blood seeped out from a hole in his clothing near his buttocks.
Only just containing her amazement, Rita looked up.
Amanda was standing in the open doorway. She was in a crouch, her anchor-firing mechanism aimed in Rita’s direction.
Rita immediately understood. Amanda had used the Vertical Maneuvering Equipment to fire an anchor into Eugen to winch him back. It must have been tugged loose and recovered just as soon.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, thanks,” Rita expressed her gratitude.
Before her eyes the soldiers rushed to restrain Eugen and to bind him tightly with rope. She couldn’t help thinking, Why now? He had neither the will nor the strength to mount any further resistance.
Amanda walked into the chamber. Glancing at Eugen and the soldiers in turn, she narrowed her eyes in disgust.
“Why the ruckus?”
“I was questioning him. This kid, he’s with the resistance.”
“Don’t think you’re overdoing it a little?”
“They don’t tell the truth otherwise.”
“I wonder.” For a moment, Amanda regarded Eugen in silence. “Aren’t you just making them say whatever it is you want to hear?”
“Amanda,” the bespectacled soldier voiced a nervous protest.
She ignored him completely.
This is who she is. This is Amanda. She never thought twice about speaking her mind, regardless of whom she might be addressing. As a result, people tended to believe she wasn’t two-faced.
“Maybe it’s putting the screws like this,” Amanda continued, “that’s turning people against the military and giving rise to an organized resistance.”
“I disagree,” Rita countered without a pause. “If you aren’t strict with them, people degenerate.”
“Corner a fellow and he’ll take extreme measures. What happened now is a perfect example.”
Amanda pointed at Eugen. Bound many times over, he was sniveling and shedding tears from the pain.
Rita shook her head. “You’re wrong. He wouldn’t have told the truth if I’d been compassionate. He would have continued to leak inside info, degrading the whole situation in Quinta. I need to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
“I see.” Amanda let out a small sigh. “Well, you’re the king of these parts. I’ll do what you tell me.”
“Make sure you do. And…”
Rita surveyed the executive chamber. The soldiers who had brought Eugen in were hauling him to his feet. The bespectacled one was watching on with a tense look. The tester stood at her side, looking quite lost. Blood from Eugen’s buttocks rudely stained the floor’s wood panels.
Rita said to Amanda, “I owe you for your help just now, so I’ll overlook it. But I advise you not to voice such opinions in the future.”
“Guess I’ll be going then,” Amanda announced curtly, turning her back to Rita.
“Where to?”
“I’ve got patrols. Your decision?”
This jogged Rita’s memory. A while ago, she had put Amanda in charge of late-night patrols. “Right. Take care.”
“And you.”
Amanda left, her footfalls silent.
“Acting commander,” the bespectacled soldier said.
“Yes?”
“What should we do, regarding Eugen?”
“Continue his interrogation. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a little rest.”
“Yes, please.”
“You know what to do. Once you’re done.”
Rita heard the young soldier gulp. His eyes drifted in the direction of the plaza.
Suddenly interested, she asked, “Who tipped us off?”
“Oh, um…” the bespectacled solider hesitated.
“Yes?”
“The informant is from Eugen’s year. They’d been in the same team since the beginning and were close, it seems. That’s probably why he noticed.”
“I see.”
Rita had valued Eugen. She’d even granted him a large mansion for that reason. Perhaps his friend had become jealous. Perhaps that was why he’d jumped at the chance to inform on a teammate.
But no, she was wrong to look for malice. He’d fingered his friend out of a genuine wish to uphold order. Moved by Rita’s principles.
“Eugen’s mansion,” she said, “will go to the soldier who turned him in. Tell him he is free to move in with his family.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
There was a sudden rush of footsteps, and another subordinate leapt into the room.
“What is it?”
“Intruders at the east wall! Please proceed to verify─”
“Intruders? What do you mean?”
“I don’t have the details. But apparently fighting has broken out!”
“Understood. I’m leaving this place in your hands,” Rita ordered the bespectacled soldier. Then she headed toward the door. “I can come now. Show me the way.”
It would be another long night.