“It looked like something big was going on in there. I thought it might be important to find out—”
“What did I say at the council of war?” interjected Kalakia.
“Yeah, you’re right. I buggered up.”
“Your suspicions may have been warranted. Inaction may have cost us. But you do not exist in a vacuum. You are part of an interconnected family. Every decision you make impacts thousands of lives. Global stability could collapse, simply because you could not control your impulses. Do you not understand this?”
“I do,” said Scheffler. “I take full responsibility for what happened.”
Kalakia nodded approvingly and studied Scheffler’s face. The strain of being General was showing. Scheffler’s eyes looked weary and doubtful, with dark patches beneath them. His lips were pressed tightly together and his mouth was downturned.
“Tell me why you ordered a full retreat,” said Kalakia.
Scheffler cleared his throat.
“Didn’t have a choice,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy decision, I’ll tell you. We would have found ourselves in a bloodbath if we dug in. We needed to regroup.”
“The casualties in Europe appear to be the lowest because of your decision. And you were correct. Fighting on would have been counter-productive, to say the least.”
“So…”
“You were in a difficult place, and you made the correct decision.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” said Scheffler, exhaling slowly.
“Now, how will you deal with Frederich Abel? That reckless brawl could have cost us dearly.”
“Looks like he flipped out again. Not sure how long we should tolerate it.”
“You wish to terminate him?”
Scheffler went quiet for a long time.
“No,” he finally said. “I want him on our team.”
“You failed to tame him during his training. How do you intend to reign him in now?”
“He’s on Vidrik’s tail at the moment, so we’ve got no choice but to let him keep going. He could lead us to Stirner.”
“So you believe the potential benefits outweigh the risks?”
“Yeah.”
“How far his talents go will depend on how well you command him.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Remember, Vincent; you are no longer a soldier in the field. Put the warrior aside and expand your mind. Your realm of influence has vastly expanded, and shortsightedness will be the end of you. Always think multiple steps ahead. You must adapt quickly. As we all must.”
“I will,” said Scheffler. “You have my word.”
Kalakia turned and walked toward the study.
“Come,” he said.
Inside Kalakia stood facing the world map on the wall, and Scheffler joined him.
“The battlefield is changing rapidly,” said Kalakia.
“I know,” said Scheffler. “I feel like we’re walking on quicksand.”
“You said earlier that we must regroup. What did you mean?”
“I don’t know exactly. Last night while we were in the thick of it, I thought back on my time in Kosovo. We were caught in the forest, and the area was crawling with hostile soldiers. We had no idea of numbers or what their position would be at a particular point. Time was running out, and we had to extract our target. I solved the issue by laying charges in one direction and going another way. It worked. The enemy took the bait. You weren’t wrong before. I’m not a soldier anymore, but all I see on this map is one enormous battlefield. War is war, regardless of the scale. Why not use the same tactics?”
“Are you suggesting misdirection?”
“That’s right. We’ve been approaching this all wrong. When you’re a hammer everything looks like a nail, right? We’ve been dominant for too long. We forgot what it’s like to play chess.”
“And how exactly will chess help us in this situation?” said Kalakia.
“I’m not sure. If we’re using that analogy then I guess we need to focus on the centre squares and try to take the initiative. Can’t see how attacking helped us yesterday though.”
“What did last night teach you?”
“It taught me that we should never underestimate them again, that they’re ready for a fight. That if we keep going down this road it’s going to get ugly, and a lot of innocent people are going to die.”
“You believe we can avoid this fate?”
Scheffler exhaled and rubbed his chin.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s a tough situation. Morale is as low as I’ve ever seen it. The soldiers think you’ve lost your magic. That you don’t have a plan to beat these guys. They’re worried.”
“And what is your opinion? Have I lost my magic?”
“No way,” said Scheffler quickly, shaking his head. “You’re still you. Doesn’t mean you’re not human, though. I’d understand if you’re feeling the pinch.”
Kalakia did not speak for a long time.
“Thank you, Vincent,” he finally said. “That will be all.”
“Right,” said Scheffler, clearing his throat.
Scheffler hesitated, almost saying something before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind him.
Kalakia remained staring at the map for some time then went over and sat behind his desk, resting his head on his knuckles while ruminating about what Scheffler had said. He realised he had not eaten anything all day, having been unable to break through the nausea of the last forty-eight hours. He rubbed his temples to help ease the pressure in his head, then went into his bedroom to take a nap.
20
The headlights of the approaching police car lit up the street and quickly gave it away. It rolled by slowly, before Frederich emerged from his hiding spot behind a parked vehicle and continued creeping alongside the river, on his way to Vidrik’s last known location. To his right stood a series of houseboats floating quietly in the early morning darkness. It was apparent the city was still in lockdown. The neighbourhood had an uncanny vibe, as though danger could lie waiting around any corner. Frederich was glazed with sweat and the veins in his neck were throbbing. The leaves of the trees rustled briefly in the wind as he felt his surroundings with agonising sensitivity, every nearby crack or shuffle sending aftershocks through his entire body. He continued another block with the knowledge that a bullet could come from anywhere. The trees and houseboats became potential harbingers
