Bunny stared into Tyoma’s eyes for a long time before grunting again and standing back up.
“Viktor, why don’t you shut down the lifts?” Tavik said. “Pop some gas in there and it’s all done…easy.”
“You must be joking,” Viktor replied, rubbing his hands together. “I’m looking forward to this.”
Moscow
Sunday, June 8, 2138
11:07 p.m. MSK
Marcus waited outside the ladies room, trying to think of something he could say to dissuade Zoya from her current course. The idea of speaking with his backstabbing father again didn’t thrill him, but he didn’t see much choice, and his father might really be able to help in a situation like this.
This level seemed to be a spa, all glass walls, swimming pools and baths, exercise machines, and massage tables. When they’d come off the lift, two ladies in tights had been directing people toward a set of larger lifts on the opposite side of the long central corridor. When Marcus had come out of the bathroom the place was deserted.
«Papa?»
«Yes, I’m here.»
«I’m really angry with you.»
«I’m your father. I’m trying to save your life, which for some reason you seem intent on throwing away.»
«Why don’t you make things easier on both of us and treat Zoya as if she’s part of the family?»
«She’s not part—»
«I don’t care! I’m not leaving her to her fate. If you really want me to survive this, make sure we both do.»
«What do you want from me? You need to get out of this place. Do you have any idea what they are preparing for you?»
«Something bad, I’m sure. Isn’t there anything you can do about it?»
«Perhaps. There aren’t so many cameras, so I can’t find everyone. If I can locate the right people, I can help.»
«I thought you spoke with them, you know, to cut your deal to betray Zoya?»
«I did, but there are many signals located on the top floor and I have no way of knowing how many may be innocents. Despite what you think of me right now, I don’t enjoy the thought of harming so many people unnecessarily.»
«This could all end, just like that,» Marcus said. «Zoya will have nothing left…»
«I’ll do it if I must. Why don’t you talk her into leaving?»
«You think I haven’t tried? Why don’t you shut down the lifts? Then she can’t go up there.»
«They are on the private security system; I can’t touch them. I need you to stall her for, I don’t know, perhaps ten minutes. Either that or get her to go back down to the level you came from and take the central lift.»
«Why?»
«The way she’s headed is too dangerous. I can clear the way, but I need to break through the firewall of the bot they have up there, and it’s not a simple firewall. If she takes the central lift it goes all the way to the top, but that lift doesn’t stop on this floor.»
The door to the women’s room opened and Zoya slipped out. Outside of her obvious battering, she looked exhausted. She turned immediately toward the lift.
“Wait!” Marcus cried. She halted and looked back at him. “Can we please talk?”
“Why? You’re not stopping me.”
“So your life here is ruined, I get that. What if I can take you away from here? To…to anywhere! Where have you always dreamed of living? A nice sandy beach?”
Zoya scowled. “My mother’s apartment…with my mother and brother.”
“I understand. Truly. But think beyond that for a second. You can still have a life. A great life. We can bring Irina if you like.”
“Tell you what,” Zoya said, “after every last one of these bastards is dead, then you can talk to me all you want. For now either go away or stay out of my way.”
Marcus ran to intercept her before she entered the lift. He was afraid to touch her. It felt wrong, but as she placed one foot on the lift he decided he had no choice and wrapped both arms around her middle.
“What are you doing!” she cried in obvious outrage, glaring back toward him the best she could over her pinned arms.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt me. You need to listen. We—”
She jabbed an elbow into his paunch, spun out of his loosened arms, and shoved him to the floor. “Don’t you ever touch me! You hear me?” Her face was flushed; the bruises gave her a look like something from a horror vid.
Marcus put a hand to his stomach and sucked in a breath. He scrambled to his feet as Zoya turned back to the lift. As she entered the lift and told the lift to take her to the top, Marcus dove forward and jammed himself in with her before the door slid shut. Zoya held the pistol up near her face with both hands as the lift began to rise.
“You shouldn’t have come,” she said. “I’d suggest you get down low and stay there, unless you wish to get shot.”
Still struggling to breathe, Marcus squatted between Zoya and the lift door. «Papa, you’ve got to hurry with whatever you’re doing. We’ll be there in a few seconds.»
«Can’t talk now. Have to focus everything on breaking through to this bot’s code.»
Sweat trickled down Marcus’s nose. He tasted salt on his lips. His father hadn’t said what this bot was that awaited them, but it couldn’t be good. He glanced up at Zoya and saw a grim, determined set to her mouth. God, she’s beautiful. Dear Lord, I’ve never asked you for anything, but please let me save her.
The lift slowed, and Marcus knew the door would slide aside in the next few seconds.
Zoya knew that her extreme anger at Marcus was mostly irrational. But this was her moment. This was the time she could do what was necessary to honor the memory of her loved ones who had died this day. And this American seemed intent to get in her way and divert her attention from what she had to do.
As the lift slowed, her heart began to race and she embraced the now-familiar slowing of time. She began to lower the Gsh-18 handgun toward the lift entrance, taking aim, and prayed to take out as many of the bastards as she could. The lift stopped, the door began to slowly slide to the side…and Marcus rammed himself upright in front of her, his shoulder knocking her gun hand aside.
The outrage she felt at his action began to well up in her throat, but she shoved it down again as she peered over Marcus’s shoulder at the long carpeted hallway outside and saw what awaited them. There were no mobsters there. Instead there was a monster out of her worst nightmares. A dull metallic spider-like horror bristling with enough barrels to mow down an army. An eternity stretched between each of her heartbeats. What couldn’t have been more than a second since the lift opened felt more like an hour. Yet she was paralyzed, unable to make a decision.
Ever so slowly, Marcus screamed out, “Nooooooooooooooo!” just as one of the barrels began to spit minute slivers of steel. So slowly did time appear to move now that Zoya saw three of the slivers exit the barrel. There should have been a continuous stream of them, but there were just three and none of the other guns fired.
Zoya felt Marcus’s body jerk as the shards found their mark. She couldn’t hear herself, yet she knew she was screaming as she wrapped her arms around Marcus and cradled him as he slid to the floor of the lift.
The spider bot seemed lifeless now.
Marcus felt nothing, but his body wouldn’t respond to his commands. Twice he’d been punched in the gut and once in the chest, as if a boxing champ was using him for practice, but there was no pain. «Papa?»