Station, стр. 76

A prickling air of danger enveloped Hadder as heclosed in on the Caesar Bridge. Hadder looked around carefully,staring intently at the many shadows that fell across both sides ofthe Skirt, searching for signs of movement, glints of metal, orflashes of glowing eyes. With none found, he quietly made his wayto the Caesar Bridge, anxiously checking under the bridge andaround both sides for evidence of a trap. Again discoveringnothing, Hadder stepped lightly onto the bridge, his eyes glued tothe immense creature before him.

The Caesar sat in the middle of the bridge, his legsstraight out ahead of him as he leaned against the railing. Hishead was down, chin against his chest, giving the appearance thathe was fast asleep. His massive arms fell listlessly to hissides.

Hadder inched closer, trying to minimize noise onthe rickety wood. Although the Caesar's white top-knotted ponytailhung low and blocked his face, the hair, coupled with the pale blueskin of his hands, told Hadder that this was Galba, his old Stationwelcoming committee member.

The last thing Hadder wanted to do was startle oneof the city's titan enforcers, so he called out softly instead."Galba. Galba. Are you ok?"

Nothing.

Hadder grew bolder, moved closer to the restinggiant. Hunched over as he was, Hadder couldn't make out much,especially with the giant coat Galba was wearing. Finally, Hadderworked up the courage and knelt beside the guardian, lifting themassive head up and back.

Dead, open eyes stared back at Hadder, set in a facefrozen in a moment of surprise and horror.

"Fuck me," blurted Hadder as he dropped the head andfell back, his pulse racing and his breath coming in short,inadequate bursts. Hadder rotated on his backside, putting his backto the grisly scene, keeping the rushing waters of the Lethe beforehim as he calmed himself and collected his thoughts.

Several deeps breaths later, utilizing techniques hehad learned so long ago, Hadder managed to regain control. Heturned to once again regard the dead Caesar. With no blood to beseen, Hadder was curious as to the cause of death. He crawled overto the body and, this time, pushed Galba's entire upper body backagainst the railing, unveiling the death-wound.

"Fuck me," he repeated, staring open-mouthed at theCaesar's bare chest, which had been caved in by a blow ofunbelievable power. The size and location of the crater in Galbaensured that the Caesar's oversized heart would have detonated uponimpact.

"He's dead."

The voice from the other side of the bridge sentHadder reeling once more to the ground, a razor simply touching aviolin string under extreme tension. Cal stepped into the light ofthe Caesar Bridge.

"Jesus Christ, Cal, my heart almost exploded. Youwant two bodies on this goddam bridge?"

"He's dead."

"I see that. You know anything about it?"

"No. I found him a little while ago. Been patrollingsince. High alert."

Hadder got to his feet, walked closer to Cal to easeboth conversation and his mind as it seemed the safest place at themoment. "What the fuck happened here, Cal?"

"Dead Caesar."

"I see that. But who did it? Who could do it?"

"Don't know."

Hadder returned to the body, pushed the shoulders upwith his foot, revealing the wound. "What could have done this,Cal?"

"A hammer. A big hammer."

Hadder looked at the wound again, mentally measuringthe width and depth of the crater. Unless someone in Station hadfigured out a way to launch tree trunks end first at terminalvelocity, Hadder had to agree with Cal's assessment. "I thinkyou're right. But who the hell could wield such a heavy weapon? TheKrown? Sure. Ego Rounds before he died? Maybe. I know I haven'tseen but a fraction of Risers, but I certainly don't think thereare any that could best a Caesar. What do you think, Cal?"

Cal shifted from one foot to the other at the end ofthe bridge, looking anxious. The colossus' worry threw gasoline onHadder's own bonfire of fear.

"Cal?"

Nothing.

"Cal, is there some other Riser that could have donethis? Or do you think The Krown did the dirty work himself? Hethinks himself too valuable. There's no way he would jeopardizehimself like…"

"Maybe not The Krown."

"Ok, then there must be some other Riser that wehaven't seen yet. Some Elevated freak who…"

"Maybe not a Riser."

Hadder could feel his face scrunch up in confusion."You can't think a Setter did this? Their Elevations don't have anyreal value in…"

"Maybe not a Setter."

"Then who's left? Who else could do such athing?"

"A Caesar could."

Hadder had forgotten what he had eaten that day, buthe almost found out as his stomach lurched from Cal's terrifyingwords. He moved towards the frightening sentinel on wobbly legs."Cal, do you really think another Caesar could have done this?"

"Looks like it."

Hadder was dumbstruck, words falling out as if froma dump truck. "But, but, I mean, how? Aren't you, you know, likeprogrammed? To follow orders, I mean? Like, how does this evenhappen? What, what could make a Caesar want to hurt another Caesar?Aren't you all friends? Why? How could this happen?" Cal simplystared at the body of Galba as Hadder continued his blathering."Cal! Goddamit, answer me! Please."

Cal turned away from the corpse of his colleague tostare at Hadder. Although no tears formed in his purple eyes, therewas a sadness that had taken residence on his orange face. Still,he said nothing.

Hadder took a calming breath, tried anotherapproach. "Cal, you told me the Caesars didn't have free will. Ifthat's true, then how could this happen?"

Cal shot a look at Hadder that could almost beinterpreted as pity. "The city is changing. Some of the Caesars arechanging as well."

"How so?"

"We are starting to have dreams."

"Dreams of what?"

"Of lives beyond service."

"You mean lives outside of Station? You mean livesin the world?"

"Yes."

Hadder tensed, looking around with only his eyes forpossible escape routes. Going over the railing to take his chancesin the roiling waters of the Lethe seemed the only option. "Do allthe Caesars feel this way, Cal?"

The monster shrugged. "Yes, but few will act onthis, I think. Most are still loyal to Father."

"You mean Mister Rott."

"Yes."

"And those that aren't?"

Cal motioned towards Galba. "They are going to maketrouble."

"Would they fight with the fucking Risers?"

"Maybe."

"Jesus Christ, Cal, do you know who they are?"

"No. They hide among us."

An overwhelming sense of despair attacked Hadder.