I didn't have time to attack. The gun and Caner were too close to each other.
"Don't think too much, kid. You won't find an exit scenario from here. For your sake and your friend's, draw the gun and drop it on the ground."
I reached for my waist. The man edged the muzzle a little closer to Caner. I pulled my gun out of my belt and hurled the magazine and the weapon into two different corners. The shooter motioned toward the car; he wanted me to get behind the wheel.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"I'll be coming where you're going too," he said in a cold voice.
"We're not going anywhere, we're just trying to get away from there, that's all."
"Son," the shooter said, "I fell into this life long before you. I can tell what someone will do from the way they stand."
He looked at me in the mirror and sneered under his dirty beard. The road was short. I didn't have time to warn Karahan. At most they'd clash with the reinforcement that arrived, but this time Caner's life could be at risk. Because the system doesn't stop an operation for the sake of one survivor.
About fifteen kilometres from the end of the road my phone rang. The shooter must have felt the vibration. "Answer the phone," he ordered.
"I'm on standby, sir," I said.
"Twenty-four, we're waiting for you. You're past the allotted time — where are you?"
The shooter cut in:
"Don't ever mention me, or else your friend will…"
I understood. I nodded slightly.
"Sir, our tire blew out on the way. We stopped at a gas station and changed both fuel and tire. That's why I had to implement Protocol 12 (capture or pursuit situation)."
"Understood, twenty-four. Be careful, we're waiting."
I looked at the shooter. Either he was a very good actor or we really hadn't been noticed.
"Who are you, anyway? Why are you after us?"
"I don't think you're in a position to be asking questions."
"You can't be tailing me and my partner for no reason. You're a shooter; either you're protecting someone or you got a kill order."
The corner of his mouth moved slightly.
"You seem smart. But I won't tell you directly, kid. What I need is to reach the people who are holding your leash."
"I don't even know who's holding my leash. How are you going to reach them?"
"With the information I have, of course…"
His expression changed, as if he wanted to speak but was afraid. The gun was still pointed at Caner but the muzzle had slipped down a bit. I had to take that opportunity.
"If you really know something, tell me," I said through clenched teeth. "Otherwise you'll drag this game to an end neither of us walks away from."
The shooter chuckled softly and tilted his head.
"Kid… you're deeper in this than you think. I'm not just a shooter. You're not an ordinary soldier in this system either. But the main point isn't who I am; it's who's behind you."
A silence fell. My hands were sweating on the wheel. Caner's eyes were wide — somewhere between fear and astonishment.
"Who?" I asked without taking my eyes off the road.
His voice went hoarse, as if he were fighting with himself.
"You'll learn who they are in time. But someone from the inside wants to know you. Especially you, kid."
My heart sped up. I gripped the wheel tighter.
"Me? Why me?"
"Because what you carry in your blood interferes with their plans. You're not ordinary."
Right then, two headlights appeared up the road. Two black vehicles were waiting in ambush. The shooter cursed and raised his gun again.
"Fuck! Who are these now?"
"There… those are my men."
I slammed on the brakes. The car stopped abruptly. I struck the man hard with my elbow. Caner grabbed the shooter's throat and started punching. He took the gun from him, kicked the man out and threw him to the ground. The shooter lay motionless in the middle of the road.
We restrained Caner and calmed him down. The soldiers dragged him away. The others leveled their guns at the shooter and waited.
"Sir, this man knows things. Very solid things."
"Take him, we'll interrogate him at headquarters, kid."
"No, sir. The interrogation has to be here. He's been talking about the system and another project since morning."
"What project?"
"Our superiors… or another society."
I took the gun from the guard's holster and walked toward the man.
"You underestimated us, shooter. You thought I was green. But you don't know one thing: whenever I fall into a pit, I get out faster."
"Don't be so sure, kid. Your pit is deeper."
"Shut your mouth or you'll get a bullet right between your eyes."
"Don't worry, I didn't come to talk to you. I came to talk to him."
I fired once; the bullet tore through the man's right leg. He fell to the ground in pain but still didn't speak.
"Last chance, shooter. Make your choice."
The man writhed on the ground, clutching the wound with his bloody hand, and pointed to Karahan. Karahan stepped forward, seized the shooter by the collar and pulled him up.
"Talk, shooter."
"I don't know your blood, but this kid's blood is very valuable, Karahan."
At that moment a gunshot echoed. Everyone dived for cover. Karahan's face was suddenly splattered with blood. The shooter collapsed; his blood flowed into the dirt.
Caner and the others took cover behind the car and started looking for the shooter who had fired. They shot at every point of light they saw.
"You have to talk! Don't die!"
"Alright kid, he's dead now. Let's leave him and set the ambush!"
"No! He knew something about me!"
"He's dead, damn it, he's dead! If you hang around any longer you'll draw fire from below!"
Karahan pulled me by the arm and dragged me behind the cars. While he scanned the surroundings, I was still thinking:
Why was my blood important? What did he know about me?
Karahan ordered calmly:
"Get in the car!"
We all piled into the vehicle and drove off.
Caner spoke, eyes blazing with anger:
"The intelligence we've been chasing for months was ended by a single bullet. Months of beatings and torture were wasted!"
"You're right, kids," Karahan said. "We only have a few names left."
"What are you going to do about this, Alpay?"
Silence fell. I snapped out of my deep thoughts at Caner's voice.
"I don't know what's going on, but someone from the inside knows us. We have no choice but to follow the names we found."
"Alpay's right," Karahan said. "Let's look ahead and examine what we have."
"No one can be trusted right now," Caner said. "Every time we get information, it's taken from us."
We nodded. We agreed to continue the conversation later.
Hours later we returned to the safe house. As soon as we entered, the rest of the team greeted us. Karahan checked our condition and sent us to medical.
We rested for two or three hours. Night had fallen. Outside, Caner sat in a chair with his arm bandaged, talking with the others. I approached them. At that moment my phone buzzed with a message.
Karahan:
"Come upstairs. Alone…"
As soon as I received the message I climbed up to the roof of the headquarters. A warm breeze blew gently. Karahan had his hands clasped behind his back, watching the border gate. He noticed I had arrived.
"Look, kid," he said. "Here we are again, huh?"
"How many months has it been? Six… nine?"
"Exactly three years we've been together, kid. One of those years was spent trying to get free."
"Kid, you've come a long way. When you first arrived your light was dim. But now… you're different."
"Since you're saying that, we're heading into a new adventure, right? Am I wrong?"
Karahan smiled.
"You were always clever, kid — smarter than the rest of us."
"What's the new mission, sir?"
"It's time for your fame to walk. Get ready, Alpay Turan… you're going home."