Chapter Two
Furious and Paulus sit and wait for their father in the interrogation room that's adjacent from the cell holding their adversary and former neighbor, Oriah Lex. Paulus has been distant ever since he learned that Solomon and Grace had escaped from the guards he ordered to take them into custody. Paulus knows that between his girlfriend's treachery and his failure to secure the Alcazarians, his status in the family and his city is precariously hanging by the proverbial thread.
The change in his demeanor has not escaped the attention of his brother, "Paulus, what is wrong with you? You need to focus, brother. We've waited a long time for this." Paulus responds quickly, "I'm with you. I'm just worried about her." Furious shrugs off his brother's excuses, "I've already said you need to rid yourself of that one."
Vitus enters the room and immediately begins directing his two sons. The brief conversation ends with a simple plan; two deaths. One is for the prisoner across the hall, the other for their kinsmen and current leader, Brutalius Kaine. Vitus knows his sons will do what is asked of them, "Once it's done, come back here."
As they get up to leave, the oldest one, Furious, stops just before the door and turns, "You just make sure you deal with that old man the way we discussed." Vitus immediately counters, "You don't worry about me boy, just worry about your cousin." When Furious finally leaves, Vitus closes the door behind him. Alone, Vitus speaks out as if he's talking to someone, "We are playing a dangerous game, my friend."
~
Paulus is the first to confirm Brutalius' location. He speaks into his communicator sending word to his brother, "He's still at the Acropolis so I'll meet you there." After a few seconds, a voice emanates back, "Good deal bro, be ready." Paulus pauses for a moment before holding the device up, pressing a few keys on its touch screen. He holds it to his ear, "Antonia, it's me. Message me back as soon as you get this. I'm headed to Alcazar with Furious. If you can, meet me at the breach in the wall. I love you, see you soon" He quickly puts the device back in his pocket and mounts his bike, racing off across the barren landscape toward Alcazar.
After only a few kilometers, Paulus spots a figure moving in the distance. It doesn't take long for it to become clear it's a Corsair soldier. But their rigid posture and slow methodical steps seem so bizarre to him, that Paulus comes to a stop just a few meters away. He dismounts his motorcycle. The closer he gets the more familiar the person becomes and before long, feelings of incredulity and heartache surge through him as Paulus' realizes it's his girlfriend.
He races to her, “Antonia! Where are you going?" But she doesn't acknowledge him, only keeps her pace steady. "Hey! What's wrong with you?" He pleads with her as he grabs her arm. She finally stops and slowly turns to him. Paulus smiles thinking he's gotten through to her, "I'm glad I finally found you." He goes in to hug her but suddenly, she makes a quick lunge and intense pain explodes through his left side. Paulus quickly looks down to see the dull shine of a knife handle protruding out of his ribs. He falls to his knees, partially from the pain, but mostly from the shock of Antonia's betrayal as she doesn't even look back and resumes her way back toward the southwest.
It isn't long before Furious rolls up on the man crawling across the dirt. He leaps from his bike, letting it slam on the ground as he realizes who it is. He quickly spots the knife sticking out, dripping with blood, "What happened? Who did this?" Paulus tries to answer but struggles for air while trying to resist choking on the blood that is rapidly filling his lung, "It was... Antonia... but... it wasn't... her." The effort brings even more coughing and blood now runs down the man's chin. Furious cringes, "I'll send a message for someone to come for you, just hang in there." With communicator in hand, Furious presses a button on its side and speaks, "Father, are you there? Paulus needs help, he's been injured." Vitus' voice immediately responds, "I'm sending someone to your coordinates, how bad is it?"
"Bad enough," is all Furious responds with as he takes the device away from his face. He leans down and whispers into his brother's ear, "This has got to be Oriah's doing, I swear dear brother, I'm going to kill ever Alcazarian left. Now where did she go?" Paulus can only utter one brief phrase that comes in such a declining whisper that it can barely escape his lips; "to Him." Furious stands, snorting loudly, trying to draw in his tears. He looks back down at his diminishing brother, "Say hello to Mother for me unless I see you soon." In that moment, he almost decides to stay with Paulus but the need for revenge is just too great. Furious picks up his motorcycle and as the engine rumbles over the wind, one phrase escapes his lips,
"First things first, kill the traitor."