.jpg)
LOS 87
Around the same time.
Another transport vehicle arrived at Larson Pier. Only three ships were docked at the pier. Among them, the largest, most rusted and dilapidated ship was scheduled to depart first.
The soldiers, including Luise, stepped out of the car. Luise watched as they opened the rear doors and unloaded a stretcher carrying a woman.
Anna was completely unconscious. At least, that was how it appeared to them. One of her arms hung limply, and her complexion was pale. The ship that would carry the woman, who looked as if she would die soon, let out a thunderous roar.
Luise was anxious. Why was Giles nowhere to be seen? Anna would be boarding the ship shortly. There wasn't much time left. If he didn't arrive in time, Anna would have no choice but to die.
She had to buy time somehow.
“We have to hurry,” she murmured, using a double-meaning code.
“There isn't much time.”
The subordinates, taking Luise's words as an order to move faster, nodded.
“Understood.”
It was just as they were carrying the stretcher toward the ship. Anna, who had been lying quietly, suddenly bolted upright. Despite her broken body, she exerted a surprising amount of energy and began to flee barefoot.
Startled, the soldiers dropped the stretcher and chased after her.
“Stop! I’m warning you!”
Luise followed behind, pretending to chase her. Although it had been pre-arranged, she couldn't help but be amazed.
Anna had been tortured for days and hadn't even eaten properly. It was nothing short of miraculous that such strength could spring from a body so devastated.
Gritting her teeth as she fled, Anna intentionally knocked over workers moving cargo. Boxes crashed down, burying the soldiers who were caught off guard.
Luise shouted curses at them while glancing at Anna with anxious eyes.
When on earth is Giles going to show up?
If she were captured now without any result, there was nothing more Luise could do.
It was then. Suddenly, Anna let out a startled scream. Luise saw a soldier spring out unexpectedly and seize her arm.
-
A few minutes prior, after dumping all the subdued soldiers outside, Giles hurried his car toward Larson Pier.
Had the ship already departed? Perhaps it was because of the fight he had just had, but his heart was pounding violently and his body temperature was rising. His palms were sweaty on the steering wheel.
He drove along the road, frequently checking the rearview mirror to see if anyone was pursuing him.
Please, let me not be late.
Before long, the pier appeared before his eyes. Many ships were still docked. Among them would be the ship carrying Anna.
He couldn't see Anna yet. If she had already boarded, everything might have been in vain.
Giles parked the car haphazardly and got out. He was wearing the military jacket he had stolen from the soldier he escorted, with a military cap pulled low over his head. For emergencies, he had brought a pistol and a suppression baton.
People who would never imagine Giles Hessen strolling around the pier stepped aside for him. To a casual observer, he looked like an ordinary soldier.
He hurriedly searched the area, making sure not to look too suspicious.
Where is Anna?
The transport vehicle should be parked somewhere...
At that moment, he heard the sound of something smashing nearby. Giles could tell it wasn't a normal accident. The shouting of the soldiers soon gave him confirmation.
Giles ran toward the commotion, pretending to be a soldier arriving late. His prediction was correct. A woman in white with loose black hair was fleeing. It was Anna.
A wave of relief washed over him as Giles sprinted toward Anna. He still had to appear to others as a soldier coming to arrest her.
In an instant, Giles grabbed Anna's pale arm.
A scream rang out. Anna didn't seem to recognize him yet. Giles subdued Anna, who was struggling to break free from his grip, with both arms and whispered,
“Anna, it’s me.”
At that, Anna stopped snarling.
“Giles?”
“Pretend to be unconscious. Act as if I knocked you out.”
Luise and the other soldiers ran toward them. Giles took a deep breath while holding Anna, who had quickly stopped moving.
Fortunately, Luise seemed to recognize him. The other soldiers, who had not expected Giles to appear, were busy grumbling and rubbing their sore spots.
“Why are you only arriving now? We almost lost her. Follow me quickly; the ship is scheduled to depart soon.”
“Understood,” Giles replied, feigning a low voice.
“You useless lot, go back to the car and wait. We'll move immediately after loading the prisoner.”
“O-understood.”
The soldiers who had followed Luise looked suspicious, but they ultimately left to follow their superior's orders. Luise walked ahead, lowering her voice so only he could hear.
“Why were you so late?”
“I tried to get here as fast as possible.”
“We almost put Anna on that ship. I'm glad you weren't too late. Look over there; the white ship on the far right is the passenger ship leaving for the Sephiroth Archipelago. I've taken care of the rest, so use this ticket to board.”
Keeping your identity secret is entirely up to you, she added. Giles nodded silently. They moved quickly. They didn't know when the soldiers who discovered Giles Hessen had escaped would storm the pier.
Just as Giles was about to head toward the passenger ship.
A familiar metallic noise sent a chill down his spine.
“Wait a moment.”
It was unmistakably the sound of a pistol being cocked. Giles did not hastily turn his head at the sound coming from behind him. Instead, Luise turned around to identify the owner of the voice.
Arent Holtzman was pointing a gun at her. He wasn't alone. Soldiers who had tracked Giles in the meantime were taking combat positions, threatening them with guns.
“Major Luise Gottlieb, we need to go through a brief verification process.”
“There are many civilians here; is it really necessary to pull out a gun?”
“Because something that serious has happened. Giles Hessen has escaped. It seems he fled in a car. It's obvious where he would head, even without anyone telling me.”
Arent glanced toward Anna, who was held in Giles's arms.
“Surely, he must have gone to rescue his lover, right?”
“Holtzman...”
“Stay still, Major. I've thought your movements were strange for some time now. If it's revealed that you intentionally tried to sabotage this operation, it won't end with mere disciplinary action. You there.”
Arent pointed at Giles and commanded,
“Look at me and show your face.”
What should I do?
He had no choice. They were facing about a dozen soldiers.
Inevitably, Giles turned around. Arent pulled off the military cap he had been wearing and let out a smile, as if he had known all along.
“Hessen. Did you really think you could win against Beldam?”
He scanned the stolen military uniform Giles was wearing with a look of disgust and aimed the pistol at his head.
“Put the woman down and get on your knees.”
Giles felt Anna's breathing grow rapid with tension. Realistically, there was no way to win a fight against armed soldiers while holding Anna in his arms.
Should I surrender?
Will Anna... die like this?
“Get on your knees!”
Arent shouted again. Giles wanted to close his eyes tight. He didn't want to accept the fact that he might have to let Anna go. He couldn't let her die so futilely.
“Giles Hessen, this is my final warning. Put the woman down and get on your knees. If you don't...”
Bang! Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. A startled Anna shuddered in Giles's arms. However, neither Giles nor Anna had been hit.
Arent's head slowly turned toward Luise. His facial muscles stiffened into an unreadable expression. He looked both enraged and bewildered.
As if asking if she had really committed such a foolish act.
His body tilted and he soon collapsed to the ground. Having confirmed Arent's death, Luise shouted to Giles,
“Run, you idiot!”
With her shout, the gunfire began. Giles ran with all his might without looking back. Anna, who had been trembling in his arms, peeked up and looked horrified.
“Giles, what are you doing?”
Giles was running toward the transport ship that would carry the prisoners.
“If we board that ship—”
“We have no choice! If we don't leave the pier, we both die! We have to get off Beldam soil. That's the best card we have.”
Boooooo—
The transport ship wailed again, signaling its imminent departure. Giles climbed aboard before it was too late. Soon, the rear gangway was retracted, and the ship began to slowly move toward the sea.
“Stop! Stop!”
The soldiers chased after them and shouted, but their voices were drowned out by the noise of the steam engine. Not even the sailors who could signal the ship to stop were in sight.
Only then could Giles look back. Behind the soldiers who were staring helplessly at their departure, a single officer lay collapsed on the ground. He saw the death of a man who had once been his classmate and friend at the academy.
He forced himself to look away. He had boarded this ship by sacrificing one person's life. It was not an achievement easily won. To ensure her death was not in vain, the two of them had to find a way to survive.
.jpg)