Chunk 09

"I don't know, lieutenant, why Irma decided to invite you to our club," Okamura said, "but in your place I'd be jumping for joy."

"You're jumping anyway..." escaped from me.

Irma and the corporal laughed.

"Really our guy," he nodded to her. "Cool!"

"Will you try?" Irma held out the bag again.

"Not all at once, okay?"

She nodded. The corporal dove like a lizard into the hatch. I climbed onto the armor.

"Irma, so what is this flower? And why haven't I seen it in the catalog?"

"You'll understand someday. Can't explain in two words."

The corporal stuck his head out of the hatch:

"Let's go already!"

Irma took me by the shoulder and turned me to face her.

"I've been studying the pollen for over a year. The corporal's treatment is a striking result, but far from the only one. And now I need a partner. A scientist, not just a dude with a rifle."

I shrugged uncertainly.

"Well... If it's not just drug dealing..."

"This is the most stunning medical experiment in history!" and she was the first to jump into the hatch.

The all-terrain vehicle tore off with such speed, as if the pollen had affected the engine too. I barely held on to the armor. I didn't even climb inside, I fell. Again I felt involuntary envy of their agility.

Drugs, brother, this is just alien drugs...

When the all-terrain vehicle stopped in the camp, the sun was already floating toward the west. I climbed out of the hatch and found that we weren't near the biostation as I thought, but near a huge warehouse complex. Irma, catching my surprised look, smiled.

"Come on, it'll be interesting," and jumped off the all-terrain vehicle.

5

We left the heavy equipment and suits. Irma unbuttoned her tunic. The wide belt of her army pants beautifully emphasized her waist, and I involuntarily thought that she was still insanely beautiful.

Inside the warehouses, Irma led us through some corridors with a hostess's air. The huge hangars were piled with so much of everything in the world that it seemed we could live autonomously for ten years, not experiencing the slightest need for anything. Then we entered some utility room where a hugely tall fat man sat in a chair. Although "fat man" — that's unfair of me. The guy was by no means thin, but had significantly more muscle than fat.

"Salut, Irma!" and he stuck out a huge fist.

"Hey there!" she bumped his fist with hers. "Meet our lieutenant. He's with me."

The big guy looked at her meaningfully:

"Totally with you?"

"Yes. Relax, he's ours."

The sergeant extended a sledgehammer-like fist to me too.

"Alex," he introduced himself. "Call sign Oven."

"Gil," I said. "Don't have a call sign yet."

"Won't rust on me, just so you know!" and Alex giggled. "Just don't take offense!"

Irma got out the bags of black pollen:

"Twenty per gram."

Alex raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Irma, soon it'll be cheaper than beer! Just give it away, what the hell!"

"Nobody will take freebies. Let everyone get a taste, then we'll raise the price."

"Ah... Cool idea," Alex agreed. "So what... Shall we go? It's starting soon."

And he shot a glance in my direction again.

"I told you: he's with us."

"Well, you know better," Alex slapped his thighs and rose from the chair. "Capybara's fighting now, and Mr. Oven bet a stack of bills on him!"

"I'm fighting today too, by the way," Okamura said.

"First time?" Alex broke into a smile. "Hang in there, bro, everyone gets wrecked their first time."

Okamura squeezed out a stupid smile.

"I actually have a black belt..."

"Anthem in your suit!" Alex cut him off. "Nobody here gives a shit about your karate. Capybara there smashes people against the cage — heard of that style?"

"Capybara will lose," Irma stated for some reason and headed for the exit. "Should have bet on the girl."

"Why the hell! The forecast for Capybara is ninety-six percent! And the girl was barely resuscitated last time!"

"Exactly," Irma said and left.

"What 'exactly'?!" Alex objected.

She didn't hear. Already in the corridor, Alex ran past me, shoving me well with his thigh, and caught up with Irma.

"Listen, sis, this won't do! Come on, spill! I'm risking money here!" and he grabbed Irma by the shoulder with his paw. "Why will Capybara lose?!"

She stopped, looking at Alex from below.

"Because I know. Want to earn — bet on the girl." Shaking off Alex's hand, Irma walked on.

We wandered a bit more between rows of containers and came to some heavy doors. These were whole gates. Alex entered a code on the access panel. As soon as the door slid aside, the noise of voices and roar of music rushed out from there.

"We'll see..." Alex grumbled and entered first.

The place we found ourselves in had a strange appearance. It was one of the hangars. In the center stood a huge cage — a circle enclosed by a metal mesh. I found Irma with my eyes. She immediately came up to me.

"Questions later," she shouted in my ear, shouting over the music. "Just watch!"

Meanwhile the hangar was quickly filling with people. Conquistadors gathered in groups. We ended up in the center of the crowd. Irma was soon pushed aside. After some time, applause and welcoming shouts rang out. I saw a barefoot guy, naked to the waist in camouflage pants. He was short and very broad-shouldered, almost square, his large bald head sat on a thick short neck, and his arms above the elbows were smeared with yellow paint. Then the far edge of the hangar exploded with applause, and the crowd parted, letting the second fighter through. Only when he came closer did I see that the muscular torso and stunning biceps painted red belonged to a girl. Also barefoot and in army pants. Her breasts were covered by a khaki tank top. I cringed inside. I hate women's fights.

From somewhere Alex appeared and grabbed me by the shoulders:

"Yellow is Capybara! He'll tear the brat to shreds!!!"

And Alex screamed a greeting so loud my ears rang. And then — like in a movie. The hangar filled with a roar of cheerful rhythms. Several conquistadors pushed the crowd away from the cage. The crowd chanted: "Capybara! Capybara!". The opponents approached the ring. And suddenly near them I saw Irma: she held out a bag of pollen to some tall bald guy. He scooped from there a bit each with a tiny spoon or spatula and gave it in turn to each gladiator. Both obediently inhaled the drug, covering one nostril.

"Check out what's about to happen!" Alex screamed and imitated several boxing punches.

"Why the pollen?" I asked.

"Go in the cage without it — let's see what's left of you!"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"You'll understand yourself!" Alex slapped me on the shoulder with his huge palm.

The music suddenly died down. Capybara and the girl entered the cage and walked to opposite sides.

A deathly silence fell. I involuntarily stepped forward.

"Let the fight begin!!!" the bald man proclaimed pompously into a microphone in a high singing voice.

The sound of a gong rang from the speakers.

The first seconds everything was as usual. Like at any similar competitions on Earth or anywhere. They circled around each other, as if sizing each other up. And then Capybara moved forward and down, trying to grab the girl by the legs. The throw was swift, like a mongoose. She managed to jump back, but the opponent still grabbed her right thigh and immediately with a jerk tore her from the ground and arched his back, throwing the girl over himself. The hall roared a sympathetic "Oh-h!" — she landed on her head. The blow was one of those after which you don't get up anymore, honestly! The thought flashed that this was it, but flipping over, the girl instantly bounced up. Like a spring. And then — I couldn't even properly track it. It seems Capybara had just managed to turn when she struck him in the face with her knee in a high jump. Something crunched loudly. He seemed not to feel it, grabbed his opponent in an armful, spun with his whole body and hurled her at the cage wall.

"Yes, little brother, a-a-a-a-h!" Alex roared, slapping me on the back with his palm.

The throw was so strong that the girl crashed into the mesh somewhere at three-meter height. She fell onto the arena, unsuccessfully landing on her back, and the hall for the second time issued a groan. But the girl smartly flipped onto her stomach and froze, propping herself with her palms on the floor. I was afraid to blink lest I miss anything. Capybara (his face and chest were now covered with blood) began walking around the girl along the mesh. She only turned her head after him — without getting up, like a lizard. And then she darted at him with one imperceptible jerk. The subsequent lightning exchange of blows is impossible to describe. She falls and immediately gets up. He covers and counterattacks. She falls again. Arms and legs don't even flicker, they flash. Now he falls, but almost the same moment he's on his feet again. All this had long ago crossed the boundaries of an ordinary fight. More precisely, this was beyond human capabilities... And here the girl jumps onto Capybara's shoulders. I don't remember exactly how. It felt like she just — and ended up on him, squeezing his neck with her knees. And the next moment, without unclenching her legs, she falls down with all her weight. Capybara staggers and also crashes to the floor. Then the girl sharply rotates her hips, and for the second time in the fight you can hear the terrible sound of broken bones.

Want to earn — bet on the girl...

Capybara went gray and froze. His opponent with a victorious cry does a somersault over her head, and the hall explodes with enthusiastic shouts. I turned to look at Alex, but he wasn't there — he was towering over the crowd already somewhere near the exit...

When I ran out into the corridor, Alex was turning the corner. Excited spectators poured out of the hall, discussing the fight. I ran after him, pushing through the crowd. And suddenly ran into Okamura, naked to the waist. Above the elbows his arms were in blue paint.

"I'm next!" he shouted to me. "Tell Irma, she wanted to watch!"

I nodded and ran on.

The corridor had long been empty. With great effort I managed to find the room where we first met Alex. Irma was there. Alex gloomily propped up the wall. And on the table lay Capybara, smeared with blood. Two guys with first aid kits on their belts were putting an orthopedic collar on the gladiator's neck.

"Thanks," Irma said, and the guys left.

"The corporal's about to fight..." I began, but Irma interrupted:

"Come in."

I closed the door behind me. The guy on the table looked terrible. If I understand anything about this, he has a serious injury. At least a neck fracture. A miracle he's alive.

"He needs a hospital..." I said uncertainly.

Irma shot a cold glance in my direction.

"Are you kidding? And what will we say there?" she turned to Alex. "Three days, and he'll be fine. But he can't go to the barracks. Can you arrange leave for three days?"

Alex nodded dejectedly.

"Irma, I lost money..." the big guy said quietly.

"Should have bet on the girl."

"Then who will bet on him if even I bet on the girl! And already half are shouting the fight was bought!"

Irma just shrugged and turned to me.

"How long until the corporal's fight?"

"Don't know, he was already going to the arena..."

"Listen, Irma," Alex interrupted me. "Favorites shouldn't lose! At least not like this! Otherwise people will stop coming here!"

"They won't stop."

"Irma, screw your matrix, I need him to win!!!" Alex screamed this phrase so loud my ears rang. "I'll be selling your pollen like the fucking coffee machine in the cafeteria, I swear! You'll get tired bringing it to me! Just figure something out, huh? Increase Capybara's dose or..."

"Can't increase the dose!"

"But you knew in advance he'd lose! So you know how to influence it!"

She thought about something, looking at her feet. Then looked at the big guy, tilting her head back.

"Need leave for a whole week. Not three days. Can you do it?"

"No problem," Alex answered readily.

"And he'll have to stay here. Not at your place, not in the barracks, not anywhere else. Here. Under supervision. Got it?"

"Whatever you say, Irma, I..."

"And you'll move two quotas a week."

"Two?!"

"What did you think!"

Alex thoughtfully moved his jaw left-right.

"Oki-doki, two each. And what will you..."

"Shut your trap."

Irma pulled out a drawer of tools from under the table. Rummaged in it.

"Need a wrench," she said.

Alex silently fumbled in some cabinet and held out to her a huge nickel-plated wrench.

"Lieutenant, hold his shoulders. If he jerks — he'll damage his spinal cord."

I didn't ask questions, walked around the table and pressed the gladiator's shoulders to the tabletop. Irma deftly stuck a roll of bandage in his mouth. The guy was surprised, but she didn't let him object, sealing his mouth with a strip of silver tape. He mumbled something in protest and started jerking. I leaned harder, holding his shoulders on the table.

"This will hurt," Irma said.

And the next moment she swung the wrench and hit the guy on the shin with all her might.

6

"What are you doing?!" I screamed.

The gladiator howled in pain, instinctively trying to sit up. Though I was stunned by what happened, I didn't dare let go of his shoulders — if he damages his spinal cord, he'll most likely die. I even had to lie with my cheek on his forehead so he couldn't lift his head. Alex was silent, but from his bulging eyes I understood he was in the same shock as me.

"Pollen perfects the imperfect," Irma answered calmly. "Accordingly, more damage — more improvements."

And she, swinging the wrench, delivered another merciless blow — to the other shin. I didn't have time to stop her. Capybara screamed and jerked like a fish on shore.

"Stop!!!" I barked.

"Hold the shoulders!!!"

I leaned on the guy with all my weight. His forehead was cold and wet.

"In the cage, the one who was beaten harder last time always wins," Irma continued calmly and struck the fighter's thigh with the wrench.

He howled again and arched. This time I'll manage... I looked at Irma. Her gaze wandered over the gladiator's arm looking for a place for the next blow. Capybara stopped jerking, and his torso lowered back onto the table. And then I rushed at Irma.

"Back!" Alex barked, unexpectedly intercepting me with his huge arm. "I got the idea! She's doing everything right! Hold the shoulders!"

"Hold them yourself!" I stepped back from the big guy in confusion. "Irma, give him at least anesthetic!"

"He needs to adapt to pain too," she objected in a cold tone. "For him to win, he'll have to be broken after each fight. Otherwise he'll fall behind opponents."

Then I walked around Alex and headed for the exit. No one tried to stop me. The big guy leaned on the fighter's shoulders instead of me. Irma swung the wrench. I left the room, not understanding what was happening. Behind my back the wrench descended on the unfortunate man's arm with a crunch.

Somewhere nearby enthusiastic shouts of spectators rang out. I tried to orient myself where the exit was. Then quickly moved in the chosen direction. At first I even recognized the rooms I was walking through, and then found myself in front of an unfamiliar and completely dark hangar we definitely didn't pass through. Then I returned to the nearest turn and chose another direction. But also made a mistake: in a few minutes I was already standing at the gates behind which music thundered and the crowd raged. Damn...

I really didn't want to return to Irma... I thought that the music might mean the end of the fight... And as if in confirmation, the gates opened. I stepped aside, letting out a group of conquistadors carrying someone bloodied on their shoulders.

I tried to see who it was, fearing it was Okamura, but saw that the paint on the gladiator's shoulders was white, not blue. The corridor filled with people. Okamura appeared a few seconds later — on the shoulders of fans, with triumphantly raised arms. At least he'll show me where the exit is. And I began making my way to the corporal through the crowd.

"Okamura!"

He noticed me and jumped to the floor.

"I did it!!! Did you see? Without pollen, brother! Refused before the fight! And didn't take any during the day! Myself, you understand? Myself!!!"

"Yeah, fought great..." I lied. "Listen, I need to go, but I'm lost."

"Let's go together, don't rush! Give me a few minutes!"

Okamura went to the shower. I stood in the corridor thinking about where this damn raid with Irma had dragged me. Why did she decide to choose me specifically? But on the other hand — who? Anton — the eternally gloomy technician? Or offer to sell drugs to biocontrol commander Abu Asad? Oh right, it's not drugs, it's the greatest something-or-other. I remembered with what impassive expression Irma broke poor Capybara's leg, and I felt sick.

The corridor emptied — the next fight had started. Okamura wasn't coming out. All I needed now was for Irma to come and start feeding me all this delirium about a cure for all diseases again... Even if Okamura really did get on his feet after a spinal injury... And that still needs to be checked, what kind of injury it was... Where is he anyway?

I knocked.

"You almost done?"

No answer. Water was still running. He could be faster.

"You didn't forget about me?"

I don't know how I guessed something was wrong. Probably because the shower was running completely monotonously. It's not like that when you're standing under it. And I jerked the door open.

Naked Okamura lay on the floor in fetal position. His back was adorned with a tattoo of intertwined dragons, and they seemed alive — his whole body shook from strong fever. I ran up. The corporal was conscious. Yellow as wax.

"What happened? Can you hear me? Can you sit?"

He nodded. I helped him. Okamura wanted to say something and was already drawing air into his chest, but seemed to think. And then he was twisted in a painful retching spasm.

"Oh Lord..."

"Ate something..." he muttered listlessly, but it was quite clear that food had nothing to do with it: his vomit was thick and black as coal.

"I'll get Irma!" I said and ran out of the shower.

This time I found the way to Alex's closet quite quickly. They were there — putting splints on unfortunate Capybara.

"Something's wrong with the corporal!" I shouted from the doorway. "He's vomiting black!"

"What an idiot..." Irma hissed through her teeth, and I didn't understand whose address. "Lead the way!"

Nothing was left of the flexible and strong corporal. The person sitting on the shower floor was breathing rapidly and seemed to barely maintain consciousness. I entered after Irma, but she pushed me out and slammed the door.

"Are you completely brain-dead?!" I heard her voice through the door. "I said you can't jump off pollen! Said it?!"

Okamura answered something quietly — I didn't hear what exactly.

"And how?! Proved it?!" Irma was shouting at him. "Look at yourself now! Get up!!!"

Judging by the sound, he vomited again. Irma cursed.

"Sorry," the corporal whimpered pitifully.

The door opened. Okamura was still naked and, swaying, stood in the middle of the shower. Irma's tunic was unbuttoned, the T-shirt from neck to waist was flooded with black — the corporal had vomited right on her. Taking off the relatively clean tunic, Irma threw it at me.

"Hold this!"

In one movement she removed the T-shirt, not paying attention to the soldiers in the corridor. Someone whistled — she wasn't wearing a bra — but Irma didn't bat an eye. With the clean part of the crumpled T-shirt she carefully wiped the black liquid from her skin. I stared stupidly at her breasts. Nice. Somewhere in the back of my consciousness flashed the thought that it would be polite to turn away. Irma took the tunic from my hands.

"Finished gawking?" she barked. "Help him get dressed!"

Okamura wasn't vomiting anymore, but his strength was only enough not to fall. We struggled for about ten minutes. Finally we got out. Irma grabbed the corporal from the other side, throwing his arm over her neck. Already at the all-terrain vehicle Alex caught up with us.

"Everything okay?"

"It happens," Irma answered dryly. "First fight."

"And what to do with Capybara?"

"Tomorrow he'll be able to walk, remove the splints. Don't change doses! Training — on the fifth day."

"Thank you."

"Sell the goods — that's your 'thank you.'"

Alex helped put Okamura in the all-terrain vehicle, easily picking him up in his arms. Irma slammed the rear doors of the all-terrain vehicle and shoved me with her elbow.

"Let's go!"

She drove the all-terrain vehicle herself. The corporal was still pale as a candle, but held himself better already. He even sat up.

"How are you?" I looked into his eyes.

The pupils were very wide, simply huge. He silently showed a thumbs up.

Irma stopped the all-terrain vehicle near the bio-company barracks.

"Take it three times a day," she said.

"You see, it makes me vomit right away..." the corporal said pitifully.

"Let's hope the rejection passes in a day. And you can't sleep!"

"Yeah, I remember..."

"Do whatever you want, got it?"

"Got it... I'll load up on energy drinks..."

Okamura climbed out the hatch — clumsily, like an old codger. I wanted to help him, but Irma stopped me.

"Sit."

You could hear him jump off and, it seems, fall. Then, cursing, he got up and heavily shuffled away.

"Why can't he sleep?" I asked in surprise.

"Because he'll die..." Irma said irritably and nervously pressed on the gas.

The all-terrain vehicle tore forward so fast I almost fell. In a minute we were at the biostation.

"Come to my place, I'll explain everything," Irma said, jumping off the armor. "You'll see the research materials, understand everything. Otherwise you're looking at me like I'm a monster."

Before my eyes indeed again and again rose her face at the moment when she was breaking the guy's legs.

"Don't need explanations, Irma, thanks," I also got off the all-terrain vehicle. "I think what I've seen is enough for me."

"You still don't get what's happening, right?" she slightly tilted her head, looking into my eyes. "Remember: 'what doesn't kill us makes us stronger'? That's about pollen. Literally. In a day what can't be achieved by years of training happens! And it's not about the bets that fat guy made. The fights are ideal conditions for an experiment. And black pollen is the key to perfection!"

"Okamura there can barely walk from perfection."

"His own fault. He'll recover. Pollen is a Nobel Prize, lieutenant. Saved lives, millions in earnings, world fame — whatever you want! A chance for all humanity. Understand?"

"Only I, Irma, don't really need millions. And fame doesn't matter to me."

"But perfection wouldn't hurt, right?"

I clenched my hand and rubbed my palm with my fingertips. The numbness in my fingertips hadn't gone anywhere, the "glove" seemed to have gotten even thicker... My head immediately filled with sticky, cold anxiety.

"Come on," she insisted, "I'll show you the research results, and you'll understand everything."

"You're sick in the head, Irma. In case no one's told you that yet."

End of Chunk 09 (Pages 97-108)