The Age of Ra

37. Gavrilenko

Setic troops stormed Mount Megiddo, crowding onto the summit from several sides at once and converging on the Freegyptians. They met no resistance. The Lightbringer had instructed his followers to lay down their arms. The fighting was over, he said. Everything that had needed to be done, they had done, and he was grateful to them. They had been brave, they had been loyal, and he would ask for nothing more from them.

The Freegyptians sensed a valedictory note in their leader's words. They were already perplexed, and this perplexed them further. Among some of them it had begun to dawn that the Lightbringer was not quite what he had made himself out to be. Others simply remained baffled. The Setics had attacked the Nephthysians? How could that happen? Did it mean the Setics were on their side? Were they joining the Lightbringer's crusade? Surely not!

A Setic colonel took charge of the scene. First he had his men round up the Freegyptians and make them sit in groups at gunpoint. Next he identified the infidels' leader, which was, of course, no great challenge. The Lightbringer was brought forward to meet him. He went passively, prodded along by a couple of Setic soldiers with their ba lances.

The colonel and the Lightbringer spoke together for some time. David, sitting cross-legged among the Freegyptians, strained to hear what they were saying, but there were too many other competing noises: the Freegyptians murmuring to one another, the clatter and clank of the Setic task force still passing around the foot of the mountain, and the far-off tremors of the battle being conducted to the south.

It was a long conversation, and the longer it went on, the uneasier Davie became. Finally the colonel nodded to the Lightbringer, who offered him a salute in return, not a snappy military one, a casual tapping of fingers to forehead. Then the Lightbringer turned and made his way back to the Freegyptians — specifically, to David.

''A word,'' he said, beckoning.

David stood, conscious of the ba lances that were aiming his way, each with a gape-mouthed Typhonic Beast head at its tip. He joined Steven, who led him back to the Setic colonel.

''Colonel Gavrilenko,'' he said. ''This is David.''

The Setic had a lugubrious Russian face but eyes like a jackdaw's, pale, beady, and quick.

''The colonel speaks English,'' Steven added. ''Better English than he does Arabic.''

''Colonel,'' David said.

Gavrilenko drew on a cigarette and puffed the smoke out in such a way that it didn't quite go straight in David's face.

''Your friend here says I can be trusting you,'' he said in a gravelly voice. ''You are good man.''

''That's kind of him,'' David replied, shooting a glance at his brother. The mask was still on. No way of fathoming what Steven was up to here. ''You realise, Colonel, that under the terms of the Global Convention for-''

The cigarette waved from side to side. ''No Convention here. Is not proper war. You are not proper prisoners.''

''Nevertheless we expect to be treated-''

Again the cigarette cut him off. ''You will be going home. All of you. I am giving my word on that to Lightbringer, and to you. Transportation will be arranged. A day, maybe two days, you will be returning to Freegypt.''

''Thank you, Colonel,'' said David. ''These people are civilians. Your soldiers should bear that in mind when dealing with them.''

''From what I am having seen, they do not fight like civilians. Fight better than soldiers. Like warriors. But yes, they will be looked after as well as can be expected. Setic high command is not interested in Freegyptians. We have, how is it you are saying? Bigger fish for frying.''

''The Nephthysians. Can I ask, Colonel, what's happened to the Bi-Continental Pact? How come the Setics have turned on their allies?''

Gavrilenko gave a shrug, his mouth turning down at the corners like a sad clown's. ''How am I knowing? I am not KSD. Not Commissar Chang. I am just soldier. High command says we launch attack on Nephthysians on Megiddo Plain, so we launch attack. Send Nephs scurrying like frightened mice. Horusites are also attacking Nephs.''

''Really?''

''Offensive has begun on western Africa. Horusite Atlantic fleet is bombing Congo. Marines landing at Guinea and Ivory Coast. Two-prong assault, us here, them there. Africa and Arabia crushed in the middle. Like in pincers of crab.''

''Horus… and Set? Together?'' said David. It seemed inconceivable.

''I know. And Osirisiacs not happy, saying maybe they come to aid of Nephthysians,'' said Gavrilenko. ''The gods, they spin and pirouette like the ballerinas. Dancing together, then apart. One moment one way, next moment another. What can we do? Everything has changed, and yet everything is still the same. New enemies, new allies, but war goes on.''

He dropped his cigarette butt and ground it out under his heel.

''So now you must wait here,'' he said. ''One day or two, like I am telling you. It will be OK. Is not so bad a place for waiting. Nice views.''

David felt that they had been dismissed. He turned to go. Then, noticing that Steven hadn't moved, he halted.

''Coming?''

Steven slowly shook his head.

Gavrilenko raised an eyebrow. ''Lightbringer did not explain?''

''Explain what?'' said David.

The Russian's lugubriousness doubled, every muscle in his face seeming to sag.

''I am having orders,'' he said. ''These things must be done. Freegyptians are civilians, not soldiers, but still, an example must be made. So this thing will never be repeated. Is just how it is. I will give you a moment.''

He went off to consult with a junior officer, leaving David and Steven alone except for the two Setics guarding them.

David looked at his brother and saw that he was trembling. He looked at him again, and suddenly the penny dropped.

''Shit, Steven…''

''It's OK, Dave. It's my own fault, really. I should have foreseen this. It's a shock, but actually it makes a kind of sense. What am I going to do, go back there to all my followers? They're already starting to suspect I've sold them a lie. Give them time and their suspicions will harden into certainty. Then what? They won't forgive me. They'll round on me like dogs on their master. Some of those warlords are not nice men. They'd make sure I paid for misleading them. It wouldn't be quick.''

''But…'' David indicated his own left cheek, meaning Steven's. ''This. What about this? You're Set's servant. Therefore you're on his'' — meaning Gavrilenko's — ''side.''

''Yeah, funny, that,'' said Steven. ''The colonel's orders come right from the top, I mean high-priest high. In other words, straight from the divine horse's mouth. So it would seem that I've been sold a lie as well, just like I sold everyone else a lie. Now that I've done what I was supposed to, I've outlived my usefulness. Set has decided it's better not to have me around any more.''

''No. This can't be. This is stupid.''

''I thought the Setics might hail me a hero. I was expecting a nice apartment in Moscow, a dacha on the Black Sea coast, all the caviar I could eat, all the vodka I could drink, all the Natashas I could shag. So many medals I could barely stand up. But hey, like the colonel said, an example must be made.''

''Speak to him,'' David urged. ''You know, speak to him. Use your power on him. Get him to change his mind.''

''Doesn't work that way, remember. I can talk someone into doing something, but as long as it's not against their nature. Does Gavrilenko strike you as the type to disobey an order? Not me. He's a soldier to the marrow.''

''You could try.''

''But don't you get it, Dave? He's not the problem. Set himself has decreed what's to be done with me. Nothing's going to change that. If it isn't Gavrilenko who does the dirty deed, it'll be some other mortal flunky.''

''But why? Why has Set just… abandoned you?''

''Hmmm, the least trustworthy of all the gods, notorious for his tricks and lies — why would he suddenly toss me aside like a used handkerchief? I don't know, Dave. Because he's Set, perhaps? Or perhaps because, as I am, I'm too dangerous to leave be. I'm carrying some of his essence around inside me. I could do all sorts of things with that, things that might throw a spanner in the works, especially now I know how expendable I am to him. He's played me, now he wants me off the game board, simple as that.''

David glanced around. The two soldiers guarding them weren't paying much attention at present. The other Setics seemed preoccupied, Gavrilenko included.

Lowering his voice, he said to Steven, ''We'll make a run for it. Hit those two, grab their god rods, blast our way out of here.''

''Dave.'' Steven's tone was warm, almost tender. ''No. I appreciate the gesture, but look. This — this whole escapade — has come to an end. We both know it. Your idea will only get the both of us killed, and that would be pointless. I'm all right with what's about to happen. I'm not saying that to sound brave. I really am. Maybe if I had longer to think about it, I wouldn't be. But look at it this way. I've had a few more years of life that I otherwise wouldn't have, and they've been fun ones. Exciting. An adventure. And I've had a chance to be reconciled with my big brother — even if it ended up with us beating seven shades of shit out of each other. By the way, sorry about what I did to your bad arm. Try and get that fixed as soon as you can, will you?''

''Steven, don't give in like this. There must be something we can do. Think.''

''Amazing,'' Steven said. ''Less than an hour ago we could've killed each other. Now you don't want me to die.''

''Maybe I just don't want someone else to kill you. It should be my job.''

A brittle laugh. ''Yeah, fraternal prerogative or something. Dave, do you think you're going home after this?''

''England? Haven't thought that far ahead. Why?''

''If you do, tell Mum and Dad everything. Eventually it's going to become known who the Lightbringer was. Someone somewhere is going to figure it out. Some journalist will dig around and get to the bottom of it and name and shame me. So perhaps it would be better if you told our parents first, rather than have them find out about it in a newspaper. But whatever you do, tell them the truth. Tell them why I did everything I did. Maybe Dad will somehow find it in his heart to sympathise.''

''Not the Jack Westwynter I know.''

''True. Then at least maybe Mum will. Oh, and Dave? Zafirah. Tell her…''

David gritted his teeth. Tell her what? That you love her? That you don't love her but wanted her anyway to spite me? What, Steven?

''Tell her how you feel about her,'' Steven said. ''Just come out and say it. If she's still alive, if she's up here somewhere, find her and talk to her. She may not be right for you, but who am I to judge? At least give it a shot with her.''

David was dumbfounded.

Steven turned. ''Colonel? Colonel Gavrilenko? We're done. Let's get this over with, shall we?''

He tugged off his mask. His eyes were wide and shone like glass. His mouth was tight. The scar on his cheek looked, at that moment, like nothing but a scar, like a random pattern of injury, which only through happenstance, and with some imagination, resembled a Typhonic Beast.

He thrust the mask into David's hand and, bareheaded, naked-faced, strode over to the Russian officer.

It was summary. It was swift. Five Setic soldiers lined up with their ba lances. Steven stood against a half-tumbled wall, facing them unflinchingly.

David turned away at the very last second, covering his ears. He looked out across the plain, which was burning. Smoke rose everywhere, from bombed-out farmhouses, from fields that were smouldering down to stubble, from the shells of wrecked vehicles. A brown haze filled the air, dimming the light of the low afternoon sun.

A flash of red flickered on the stones of the ruined city. Some of the Freegyptians who had a view of the execution winced and cried out in dismay. Others were flinty-eyed.

David raised the Lightbringer mask to his nose and inhaled the smell of his brother's hair and sweat.

Briefly, for a handful of seconds, Steven lived on in this world.