Cynetic Wolf
BLOODY MARINARA

The room was just as I remembered it, dull and outdated, but with an air of power. Around the table sat the six Council members, Lilia still occupying Hrun’s old seat.

“As I was saying—” she began before recognition dawned. Her eyes flared a second. “Raek, you’re back. We were so worried. Is Lyam here?”

“Shut up, Lilia!” I snapped. “Don’t you dare say his name.”

“Raek, is everything okay?” She looked concerned, her voice placating.

“Cut the crap. I know you murdered him, murdered your own friend because he got in the way. I was there!” I yelled. “I heard it. I heard everything!”

“What are you talking about, Raek? You must have gone through—”

“Quiet, Lilia!” Paer cut in. “Let the boy speak.”

“So, you’re in on this too?” Lilia glared at Paer. “Is this a coup?”

“What are you saying, boy?” Mico’s unsure eyes bounced between us.

“I’m saying Lilia and two of her cronies killed your friend Lyam, administered some nanodrug with Potassium Chloride. It gave him a heart attack! I heard the whole thing.” I stared at her, seething. “I think she did the same with Hrun.”

Something felt wrong. I couldn’t place it, but something was off. Lilia’s hand twitched. What could it be? Gun, itch, unconscious tick, call for help... I tensed.

“Raek, why would I do something like that?” Her voice had taken on a honeyed innocence.

“Power!” I growled. “Power and control. That’s been—”

The door behind us burst open.

I reacted, diving. Small spherical projectiles bounced in as I tackled Lars. They exploded and I brought my blaster to bear, shockwaves rippling the room.

My shots missed, blasts of light whizzing past me. The intruders had opened fire.

Most of the Council had been thrown to the floor. Blood dripped from Lars’ forehead and my ears rang. Was he okay?

Rolling, I dodged shots streaking toward me. A flash. Lilia sprinted past and the traitors disappeared into the hallway.

Jumping up, I checked Lars. He’d live. The rest were okay too, just dazed.

I darted out the door. She wasn’t getting away, not again. Hurried footsteps ahead.

Rounding the corner, someone sprang. Skirting the knife and their blaster, my claws tore at his throat as two more appeared, lobbing lethal micronades my way.

I shot the first from the air and kicked the second away. Explosions engulfed the hallway, smoke billowing, as alarms rang.

Dashing through the soot, I fired twice. They crumpled before they knew what hit them. Where was Lilia?

At the main entrance, the ground in front of me erupted. Dodging behind the barrier, Lilia screamed, “Don’t make me do it, Raek!”

Do what?

I peered out, ducking as two more blasts hurtled past. Lilia stood across the expanse, arm wrapped around Fenni’s delicate throat. Fenni’s eyes bulged in inhuman fear.

Another glance. Lilia had shifted her gun to a stammering Fenni’s head. “Lilia, I, I don’t understand. What—”

“Shut up, you gossiping, good for nothing skank!” Lilia’s eyes raged. “This is all your fault!”

“Lilia, let’s talk about this!” I stepped from behind the wall.

“You ruined everything!” she spat. “Not a step closer. Don’t! I’ll do it.”

Would she? I put my hands up. “Let her go. You don’t have to do this.” If I could lure her into a false sense of security... How long it would take to shoot her? This wasn’t Fenni’s fault. “We can do this, together, you and me. We can overthrow the government, make things right.” She was nodding.

I took a step forward and she stiffened, hatred shattering her calm. “One more step and I’ll blow her brains out!”

Fenni whimpered, pants darkening as her bowels released. Shit, Lilia wasn’t kidding.

Shifting my body, I took a step back and lined up the shot. I had it. Deep breath. One chance. Fenni couldn’t die too.

Three, two—Lilia fired. Nooo... Fenni collapsed, blood spraying everywhere as I fired twice and Lilia leveled her blaster.

Lilia’s shot went wide, but mine rang true, launching her into the air. She smashed the wall behind her with a crimson thud.

I sprinted over.

Poor Fenni. She hadn’t stood a chance, head blown off before I could react. Why had I hesitated?

“You bastard!” Lilia’s eyes were unfocused, breath coming in short, sporadic bursts as she grabbed the gaping hole in her chest. “You, you—” A fit of hoarse coughing sent spasms through her body as blood drained out of her, pooling on the floor.

I stepped closer, and she raised a determined hand. Against all odds, she’d held on to her blaster. “You!” she whispered in a quiet scream as her eyes locked onto mine.

Her gun twitched but I fired first, finishing the job.

“That’s for Fitz, bitch!”

Lilia slumped to the floor, unrecognizable, upper part of her face and torso gone.

Feet clattered. Paer, Zedda, and Obowe appeared, gasping. Several more popped out of neighboring hallways yelling and crying. They had no idea what was going on.

“Order!” Paer roared. “Order!” She got things under control before it got out of hand.

Everyone was breathing hard. They walked to Fenni, then to Lilia. No point checking either.

Paer turned to the small crowd that had gathered. “Everything’s okay. Trust me!”

They looked from Lilia to me to Paer, and back again, eyes wide. No one said anything.

“Someone get maintenance to clean this!” Zedda said. “What happened?” she added in a softer tone, curious.

“Lars? Is, is he okay?” I stammered. I couldn’t lose him too.

Zedda nodded.

Phew. “Come on. Let’s go back to the Council room. We should talk about this in private.”

After a quick chat with maintenance, we trudged back. It was a long and somber slog.

Ganla jumped to her feet when we arrived but sat on Paer’s cue, eyes narrowed and blaster on her lap.

Lars had stopped bleeding and gave me a questioning look. “Fast thinking there, kid. You must have had a good teacher.” He laughed, wheezing in pain as he did.

“Raek, Lars,” Obowe said. “What is this?”

“Let the kid explain,” Lars said. “Raek, tell them about Lilia. Tell them what you told me.”

I told them everything despite the suspicious eyes and furrowed brows, and left nothing out. I told them about running away, replaceing Lars, escaping the city, even the cabin in the woods. By the end, they were shocked.

Everyone was silent for a good minute to digest what had happened and what I’d said. After a while, Paer spoke up, “They’ve been brainstorming ways we can maybe win this war. We had to keep you in the dark. I am sorry. We couldn’t risk Lilia discovering what we were up to.”

I explained the wolf pack concept of cutting off the head to kill the serpent, and outlined what we’d planned in Kiag.

Last, I brought up their original vision of me as a figurehead. “It sucks, but I think we have to. I don’t see any other way.” We’d exaggerate and hyperbolize as needed.

“I’ll only do it one condition,” I added when I’d finished. “We publicize everything once this is over. Including the fact that I’m not some deity or higher power, just an ordinary guy. And I won’t rule if we win the war! I don’t want that kind of responsibility or to be tempted with that kind of power. We create a true democracy, one person, one vote, with no one in this room eligible to run.” No ulterior motives. “Those are my conditions. Do you accept? We can leave the room while you talk it over.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Paer said.

Her fellow Council members nodded in agreement.

“Good,” I answered. The room was dead silent. “Then, as of this moment, we are officially at war!”