Matvei slid into the sleeping quarters, taking it in in one quick glance. A row of eight bunks circled the east wall. A brass-railed spiral staircase rose in the centre of the room. To the west, a wall partitioned the room with a single door on it. The sound of running water came from beyond the door and steam wafted from the crack beneath it.

  He frowned. Adamov said the room was open. But there were showers, and of the soldiers, there was no sign. They were in the showers…

  Matvei pivoted on his heel, lifting a finger to his half-mask as Klara stepped into the room. He pointed to the closed door and saw the brief confusion in Klara’s eyes before she nodded.

  She stepped aside and ushered Adamov and Nika through, pointing to the shower room door. Adamov and Nika both nodded, though Nika did so with a cringe. Then Klara indicated for Matvei to head to the next level.

  Somewhat relieved about not having to wrestle any naked people, Matvei stole up the stairs, knife at the ready.

  The next room contained several tables surrounded by chairs and covered in dirty dishes. Several worn couches lined the outer walls, interrupted by a stairway that curved up to the control room. An Alchemist soldier lounged on a couch by the door to the balcony on the western wall.

  The man looked up as Matvei entered the room, and his brow pinched together. He opened his mouth and rose, but already Matvei was moving.

  He brought his right hand up and, with an under armed flick, sent his blade whistling across the room. All sound died on the soldier's lips as he collapsed back on the couch, clutching his throat.

  Matvei heard a faint cry behind him, and he glanced over a shoulder in time to see Klara dispatch the second soldier.

  A series of muffled thumps sounded from below, followed by silence. Matvei locked eyes with Klara and they stood, unmoving.

  Despite the speed of the conflict, Matvei’s breath came hard and fast. Would soldiers storm them from above? Did they have a hope of succeeding at this mission?

  After a torturously slow minute, no sound came and Matvei relaxed. They had succeeded. Now to wait for the rest of the squad to arrive so they could take the control room.

  Soft footsteps on the brass steps of the spiral stairway announced the rest of the squad—included Yeger, who looked winded.

  As soon as Koskova Alchemist arrived in the room, the short woman looked up and held up six fingers. Then her eyes narrowed. “Someone is leaving the control room,” she whispered.

  Klara swore softly then said, “Get the bodies, take them to the balcony.” She sprinted to the man she’d killed and grabbed him beneath the arms, dragging him to the door on the western wall.

  Matvei ran to the man he’d killed, joined by Yeger, and hauled him to the door. Icy wind blasted over them as the balcony door opened. Moments later, they were all outside, huddled on the narrow ice coated space, bathed in the dull red light leaking from the control room’s windows above them.

  Shrugging deeper into his new Alchemist soldier coat, Matvei had to give credit to the Guild. They spared no expense on quality. He hadn’t noticed the coat being overly warm indoors, but out here? He barely felt the icy wind—except on what little of his face was exposed. Around him, the others shivered, their cheaper coats struggling to protect them.

  Finally, he understood why Adamov had refused to give up his coat. Certainly it was a symbol of the cruel Alchemist Guild, but it was simply the best coat in Serovnya. Not even the green Sentinel coats were this good—though he missed the brass mesh woven through the forearms of the Sentinel coats.

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  After a minute, Elana nodded to Klara, indicating the soldier had moved on.

  “So there are five left in there,” Klara said, her teeth chattering. “At least two are operators, and maybe a third to keep the spotlight on the train. That means at most three would be soldiers—assuming one soldier is running the spotlight.”

  “Agreed,” Yeger said.

  “The operators are at their stations,” Elana said, “and the moment we enter the room, they’ll try to send a message.”

  “Don’t forget they have a mild dose of speed and reflex extract,” Nika said.

  “So we need to strike them simultaneously,” Klara said, nodding as she leaned back against the balcony railing, staring up at the glass windows circling the control room. “How near is the door to each operator?”

  “One is only a few yards,” Elana said. “The other, however, is closer to ten yards away.”

  Klara lapsed into silence.

  “What if,” Matvei said, “Yeger enters through the window while I go through the door? Between us we could take out the operators before they had a chance to react.”

  Mikhail shook his head. “It’d take a second to break the glass, that’s enough time to send a message.”

  “Not if he could get on top of the tower and swing in,” Matvei said.

  “How would we coordinate an attack like that?” Klara asked.

  “Well,” Elana said, “if I’m inside, I can see when Yeger swings. That should time it well enough.”

  “I still don’t think it’d work,” Mikhail said. “How is Yeger going to climb past the open windows with no one seeing him?”

  The squad fell silent. Finally Adamov spoke up. “There should be a ladder on the south eastern side of the tower. We need to check, but I believe it’s set into concrete, the one point the windows are interrupted.”

  “Well isn’t that convenient,” Mikhail muttered, his words muffled by the wind.

  Adamov shot him a glare, the red light making his grey eyes glow. “No one is supposed to have access to this balcony beside Alchemists, and mounting a ladder to concrete is far more secure.”

  Mikhail lifted his hands, palms out. “All right, all right. Just saying it seems like a design flaw.”

  “Stop complaining about our good luck,” Klara snapped.

  Matvei pursed his lips. It would still only take a moment to send an emergency message, alerting the other towers that something was wrong. He turned to Koskova, an idea striking him. “Is there any uzhasgart in the operating gear?”

  After a beat Koskova spoke, a hint of surprise in her voice. “Ah, yes. There is a small amount.”

  “Can you interact with it from outside the room?” Matvei asked.

  “Only if I can get the Sila close to it. But perhaps I could cease up their gear for a minute to give more time with the attack.”

  “Good idea, Elana,” Klara said. “All right, Yeger, onto the roof. Once up, give us a few minutes to get into position inside, then with your grappling pistol, swing in through the windows.”

  Matvei felt his cheeks burn as he glared at Klara. Had she really just given credit for his suggestion to Koskova? Before he could object, Koskova said, “The soldier is continuing down. We need to go now before he returns or finds the bodies of his comrades.”

  “Let’s go then,” Klara said, opening the door and stepping in. They followed her, except for Yeger, who stayed outside, finding a place to climb up without being seen.

  Matvei pulled a knife out and tossed it in the air, deftly catching it by the hilt. His target would be side on, far harder than a straight attack.

  Klara pulled Mikhail aside and whispered something to him. His eyes narrowed as he ripped his arm free of her grip. “What do you mean it’s too risky?” he demanded.

  “You are the least trained here. Even with Trinity you could make a mistake that will cost us.”

  “What about Mother? She’s got no training!”

  “But she has uzhas. That gives her an edge.”

  “You have got to be making fun, right?” Mikhail said, his voice rising.

  Koskova looked over at the sound and joined them.

  “This is ridiculous,” Mikhail said. “Why did you even have me come? If it’s too dangerous or I’m too much of a liability against five people, what do you expect me to be against a cursed battalion?”

  “You’re right,” Klara said. “When it begins, you’ll stay here with Nika and cause chaos with messages.”

  “No,” Mikhail said.

  “Mikhail,” Koskova Alchemist said, her hushed voice hard as she scowled up at him, “stop arguing and do what you’re told before you jeopardise the whole mission!”

  Matvei let out a breath. Good grief, that family was rough. Poor kid, if he wanted to help, just let him. They all had the right to defend their country. Lady Death knew the kid actually wanted to help, unlike most of the rest of them…

  Still, not his place to interfere with family drama. Nope, let idiots be idiots, he always said. So Matvei sidled to the stairs and took them two at a time as the rest of the squad—minus Mikhail—gathered behind him. Koskova waited directly behind him, ready to give him the signal.

  So he waited.