Episode 24

30 minutes earlier

Alec leant back in her chair as the team got ready to leave. They were ten minutes away from a tube, and the train was set to go in fifteen minutes time, giving them a five minute buffer period.

Yuki strapped the bag containing the vaporizer and looked at her.

"You okay?"

Alec nodded numbly, thinking over the many ways her plan could go wrong. She wasn't worried about the rescue - that had been prepared for, in as great detail as the limited time frame allowed. It was the escape that worried her, since it had been thrown together in a really slapdash manner. She stared at the train maps all over the table in front of her.

If anyone died ...

Alec broke away from her reverie to find Yuki placing an arm around her.

"It'll be okay."

*

She was eleven all over again. War was in full force, and the Vladosha household was in an equal mess. An older cousin, Dmitri, had been killed recently, and the womenfolk were all in emotional dissaray about the funeral plans. Those that were not crying were wringing their hands, and those that were not wringing their hands were crying.

The men ignored them completely and were writing up war plans.

"38 degrees to the south!" Father said. He was an imposing man, more keen to grab hold of the situation and act than sit by and think. Which, most unfortunately, was how Alec and Granpa handled strategy.

"Magisters attack from the west." said Uncle Sullivan, ignoring the renewed wails of Mother and company.

"Summoning circles are on the east, dammit! If we more them there'd be a higher chance of death!" Father bellowed, "The Guild is already breathing down our necks with their -" Alec was treated to a feast of new swear words, "- political agendas!"

"Shush." said Granpa, idely taking a frying pan from Aunt Mant, for she waved it in the air dangerously as she cried. "Our army can hold them off long enough while the magisters summon. And while the pentacles on the east are more vunerable, the oragi division can take care of oncoming threats."

"Oragi division? There's only 3 of them, and one's a kid!"

"I believe," Granpa said quietly, "in those seals."

At that moment, a cacophony of clashing utensils, wailing and tossed vegetables brought the discussion to a halt.

As Father bellowed at them to get out Granpa whispered in Alec's ear.

"Deaths are a normal part of every war." he said, eyes blinking sadly. "But thinking too much of death will kill you."

"Cousin Dmitri is - was -"

"A good young man. You just stick it out in times like this. Think no death. Just life.

*

5 minutes earlier

"We've gotta go." Chong Fen said, "Our part's coming up soon."

Alec stared at the three vials laid before her, beside the com kit. She thought back to Granpa's words.

"Sticking it out, huh?"

Chong Fen shot her a quizzical stare. Alec got up, her mind made.

"Help me turn on the taps. Everywhere."


Toskan Transmission
Moving out on blanket operation, Internal. Suspects will be apprehended within half an hour. Nobu units on backup.

Transmission end.