Rise of Kings and Queens

Chapter 31

IS IT A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE DEPENDENCY IS DESTROYED?

By L.M.Taurus

7/25/0028 UWC

5 hours after headline

Esme arrived at a world military hospital and found Yelena waiting outside of Cairo's room. "How's he holding up?" asked Esme.

"Not bad considering he took three arrows to the leg," answered Yelena.

Esme was about to enter the room.

"He's not in there," said Yelena.

"Where is he?"

"I'll tell you in a minute, but I have a question first."

"What is it?"

"I haven't seen Celeste in over a year. When you split us into groups of twos, you said you and Celeste were going to be a team, so where is she?"

"The less people who know, the better," said Esme. "I'm sure you already guessed what she's up to."

"I'm your strategist," said Yelena. "I should be consulted on the matter. I can only help."

"I wanted your mind on other things. Dependency is not our only enemy."

"Yet they're the biggest threat."

Esme raised today's paper. "The media doesn't think so. They say it's only a matter of time before Dependency is destroyed and I agree. What happened to Cairo will be the last victory they'll have."

"I hope you're right," said Yelena. She turned around. "Now follow me. I'll take you to Cairo." Yelena led Esme to the rehab center where they found Cairo using two bars to help hold himself up as he took a couple of steps. Irma, Leonie and Ji-hun stood by as they watched.

"Cairo!" exclaimed Esme. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Ha, it was only a superficial wound," said Cairo as he continued to try and walk.

"I do not consider three arrows through your leg as superficial wounds," said Leonie. "Those wounds are going to leave you six scars."

"I wear my scars proudly."

"This is my fault," said Ji-hun. "I should have arrested the Kallstrom sibling a long time ago. My carelessness is to blame for this."

"Stop that," said Leonie. "You're not to blame."

"No one is," said Cairo as he struggled. Leonie went to him and brought him a wheelchair to sit in. "The Kallstroms are just capable criminals," he said as he sat down. "They've survived three encounters against us. We just need to go after them with a plan."

"I'm surprised they would join Dependency in the first place," said Ji-hun.

"I was surprised about that as well," said Esme. "I thought we scared them off from joining Dependency last year."

"I think they joined them for the armors," said Cairo. "They had a big upgrade from what you had on their file," he said as he looked at Yelena.

"Yeah," said Yelena. "I have to give their files an update after I share my other findings."

"What findings?"

"That's the reason I called for this meeting," said Esme.

"Wait," said Cairo. "Aren't we missing a couple of people? Where are your partners?" He pointed at Esme, Irma and Yelena.

"I moved a couple of people around," said Esme. "I have Arlo and Luka together now and Yelena and Irma. Celeste is out on assignment."

"What's the new news?" asked Cairo.

"We might have bigger threats than Dependency."

"Who?"

Esme walked over to Cairo and handed him today's newspaper. "They are mentioned in that article," said Esme. Cairo began to read the paper. "There are three girls in Haiti who created their own armors. They're similar to Dependency's armors. They have their very own arm-cannons."

"It says here that they fought against Dependency," said Cairo. "That they helped the world military."

"That's true," said Ji-hun as he stood next to Leonie. "We were there."

"They're not bad girls," said Leonie. "They're just defending themselves."

"They wiped out the members of Dependency," said Esme. "They created their own armor and took the law into their own hands."

"They're just teenagers."

"And that's a problem as well. They are young and don't know better. They can make rash decisions and put people's lives in danger. We already know they're not above killing."

"I see your point," said Cairo.

"I do too," said Yelena. "But I think we can handle them."

"How?" asked Leonie.

"I think we should recruit them into the world military. They can end up being a really big asset to the world military."

Leonie let out a sigh of relief.

"The problem would be if they don't want to join the world military," said Esme. "We can't have regular civilians wearing world military like armor out in public. Never mind the fact that their armor is more dangerous than ours."

"Let's hope they join us," said Cairo.

"Let me be the one who talks to them," said Leonie. "I already have a good relationship with them."

Esme gave her a nod.

"Who's the other threat?" asked Cairo. "The only other group mentioned in the paper was Mexico."

"Them exactly," said Esme. "Kara thinks the person who put her in the hospital was Mexico's president, Delfina."

"Does she have proof?"

"No," answered Yelena. "Which is part of the problem."

"It gets worse," said Irma. "Delfina has also equipped herself with a suit of armor."

"What does Mexico have against us?" asked Cairo.

"She doesn't like me," said Irma. "She doesn't like Kara and Arlo because we are royals."

"I think Delfina is going to make a move to push us into retirement or remove Mexico from the world military," said Esme.

"They can't do that," said Irma.

"Doesn't mean they won't try."

"You can't let Mexico be the one to take out Dependency," said Ji-hun. "If they get that victory over us, they can use that as an excuse to remove themselves from the world military."

"We have a lot of work cut out for us," said Cairo. "Do we have any idea how we're going to approach this?"

"First thing we have to do is have the whole squad in the loop," said Yelena.

"I do have a plan for Dependency and it will be revealed soon," said Esme. "But let's start making plans to deal with Delfina Cordero."