Endworld: Complete 3-Book Boxed Set by Sam Ryder

Author:Sam Ryder [Ryder, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-05-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Dead Enders

“I think you won them over,” Gehn said as we walked out of the meeting space.

“I hope you’re right.”

“Here’s the thing about Ender males—they wear their hearts on their sleeves,” Gehn said. “If they didn’t like you, you’d know it. You would’ve been spat upon, jeered. And since they don’t do a great job of controlling their tempers, you’d be dead already if they really wanted you dead.”

She was right. The very fact I was breathing was a positive sign, as strange as that was.

“Where are we meeting Belogon?” Gehn asked.

“Back at the Corp.”

We made our way back to Lustak’s office, discovering the door open and waiting for our arrival. Belogon and Lustak were staring at each other when we walked in, saying nothing.

“What’d I miss?” I asked.

“This asshole thinks hell would have to freeze over before we defeat the Rising,” Lustak said.

Belogon snorted. “An inaccurate paraphrase. You never were very detail-oriented.”

Lustak rose to his feet, upsetting his chair in the process. He looked ready to leap across the desk for some old-fashioned fisticuffs, but I rushed forward and planted myself between them. “The Rising won’t have to kill us if we kill each other first.”

Lustak stared at me for a long second, but then laughed and slapped me on the back. “A fair point. No infighting. You’re right. This bastard just gets my temper up.”

I didn’t point out that his temper was already up most of the time. I turned toward Belogon. “Can you control your tongue? You wanted Lustak sober, so this is the version you get.”

Lustak sat down hard.

Belogon said nothing, unfurling a hand-drawn map and spreading it out across Lustak’s desk.

“This is a rough sketch of Rome,” he said, pointing to various points on the map. “It’s the largest city in the Ends. You plan to breach the city’s defenses and fight your way to Atticus’s headquarters, break down some doors, and then kill him dead. Correct?”

“Something like that. But the details need to be worked out. That’s where we’ll need your advice.”

“OK, then I’ll give it. See here and here?” He pointed to the two main thoroughfares into the city, which was walled in around the rest of the perimeter.

I shrugged. “So what?”

Atticus isn’t a fool. He designed this city to protect himself. It’s his stronghold. These two entrances are choke points. Even with ten thousand men, you’d lose thousands just trying to get through these spots, which will be heavily defended.”

I frowned. His point made a lot of sense. No matter how many men we had, only ten or so would be able to enter the city at a time if they were shoulder to shoulder.

“What are you saying? What’s the alternative?”

“I’m saying you shouldn’t attack Rome. Find a way to draw his forces out onto the open plains. Then you might stand a fool’s chance of victory.”

“What if he doesn’t rise to the bait?” I asked.

“A siege,” Belogon said, practically licking his chops at the prospect. “Surround the city. Prevent any supplies from coming in from the outposts.

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