“They’re well marked,” Armina said, crossing her arms.
“Were you looking for signs when you ran to the hospital?”
Armina’s arms dropped. Point made. “No.”
Both women held their breath as footsteps passed by overhead once more. Queen waited until they faded completely before speaking again. “So, who is it?”
“My father,” Armina admitted. “My mother left with another man, who didn’t want me either, but I don’t blame her. My father is…violent. Nearly killed her once. I try not to go home. If I do, I wait until he’s asleep and try to leave before he wakes. He seems to prefer it that way, too.” She shuddered. “That’s why I do the web-show. When the camera is rolling, I see the world differently. It’s filled with possibilities that aren’t there in my ordinary life.”
Armina’s story struck a chord with Queen. Her childhood hadn’t been too dissimilar and she’d become a violent person in her own right, though she directed it toward the right people. That Armina had found a different, more creative outlet for the hardships in her life made Queen proud of the girl. While Queen joined the military to escape her past, Armina looked through the lens of a camera and asked, “What if…”
That violence had followed the girl was a shame. She’d never be the same if they survived the night. Not without a loving family to support her. As much as Queen wanted to comfort the girl, the footsteps hadn’t returned and Queen had a mission to complete.
“I’m sorry,” Queen said, “but I have to ask. Did you get a look at the thing, or things?” Queen pressed her. “Do you have any idea what they are?”
Armina looked her in the eye and nodded. Slowly, she bent down and picked up something up off the floor. She held it out to Queen, who saw that it was a digital recorder.
She flipped it on and switched it to playback mode. The faces of two laughing boys appeared on the screen. The one on the right, the one they called Oleg, was definitely the one she had found lying dead on the side of the road.
“Here, let me.” Armina took the camera from her, scanned forward, and handed it back.
Queen watched as Alexei disappeared from sight, and then as something hurtled out of the darkness, coming right at Oleg. As a shaft of moonlight fell upon its dark form, Armina hit the pause button.
Queen did not permit surprise to register on her face. In fact, there was not much in this world that surprised her anymore. The creature was, as she had thought, humanlike. Its face was in shadow, but she could clearly make out its powerful frame coated in fine hair. One hand was upraised, the light glinting off short claws. Not for the first time in her life, she found herself staring at something out of legend.
“It is the oborot.” Armina’s whisper was soft, almost reverent.
“The what?” Queen cocked her head.
“I think you would call it,” the girl said, her voice quavering, “a werewolf.”
Chapter 5
“A werewolf.” Saying the word aloud somehow gave substance to the mythical creature, making it seem a little less surreal in Queen’s mind. Someone who had not seen and experienced the things Chess Team had faced might have scoffed, but not her. “All right, then. I don’t have any silver bullets, but I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.” Time and supplies had been short, and Deep Blue had been correct when he said his connection had limited resources at her immediate disposal, but she had a couple of surprises in her backpack in case she should need them. “Okay Armina, let’s get you out of here.”
It grated on her not to see the mission through, but Deep Blue had made it clear that she was to slip in and out quietly. Besides, she now had Armina to deal with, and she wasn’t going to let the girl get torn apart like Oleg. She’d get the girl to safety and report in.
She returned the camera to Armina and led the girl back up the stairs. When they reached the first floor, she turned off and pocketed her flashlight. Letting her eyes adjust to the moonlit shades of gray all around her, she thought about the situation here. What would she tell Deep Blue? That she had reason to believe Manifold was manufacturing werewolves in Pripyat? That wasn’t anywhere near good enough. At the very least, she needed to confirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that Manifold was here, and locate their base of operations. Without that information, there would be no possibility of a surgical strike under the noses of the Russians. Anyone they sent in would be going in just as blind as she was. Like it or not, she wasn’t finished yet.
“Armina, we need to find a safe place for you to hide.” The girl frowned and began to protest, but Queen put a finger over her lips. “I promise I won’t leave you. I have more work to do here, and I have to be out before sunrise, but I swear I’ll take you with me.”