![\"parachute\"](\"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/parachute.jpg\")
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\u201cOk, so jumpin\u2019 out of plane is a lot fuckin\u2019 harder than it looks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky limps into the hangar behind Maccabbee. \u201cBut I gotta say, Rabbi, I\u2019m not too happy with your plan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee stops and turns to Mirsky. \u201cSergeant. Benny. It\u2019s the only way that you get to come along on the mission. We\u2019re parachuting out of a plane tomorrow. There\u2019s no way you can get trained in time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMalkuth will take care of you. It what he does, takes care of people. He\u2019ll get you down to the ground safely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky does a great imitation of a kid who doesn\u2019t want to take his medicine. \u201cBut him carrying me, me strapped to him like some baby\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee\u2019s been trained to listen compassionately and understandingly when people come to him with the stupidest shit. So he doesn\u2019t roll his eyes or cast aspersions onto Mirsky\u2019s masculinity. He just claps the Russian hitman on the shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to get on the ground somehow, we need you down there, and this is the best way that I could think of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Aware that he\u2019s behaving like an idiot, Mirsky leaps on the chance to change the topic. \u201cHow are you doing, Rabbi? Don\u2019t mind me sayin\u2019 but you don\u2019t look too good. Are you in good enough shape for a mission like that? You been getting enough sleep? You looked a lot better couple of days back, when you got this mission.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The Kabbalist just frowns and shakes his head, walks into the hangar. Sunlight cut by racing clouds accompanies them. But Mirsky\u2019s not wrong, anyone with eyes can see it. Maccabbee is sweating, even though it\u2019s another cold November day in Tunisia, circles under his eyes, unshaven. All five of the golems are inside the hangar, clustered around tables, talking, checking parachutes, guns, and and other equipment. Malkuth looks up at the approach of the two men and a worried look appears on his broad clay face. He opens his mouth to say something, catches sight of the look on Maccabbee\u2019s face, and visibly rethinks what he was going to say. \u201cLooks like we got all the equipment we asked for, Rabbi. We\u2019re ready for the briefing when you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n MIrsky looks at the five golems. They\u2019ve all got new uniforms, no more slashes or bullet holes. They\u2019re all moving competently, they know what they\u2019re doing, checking weapons, stowing ammo into pouches and packs. It\u2019s that mix that\u2019s getting to him, Mirsky decides. They\u2019re all moving like good, experienced soldiers, but they\u2019re walking talking statues. Walking talking statues that aren\u2019t even two years old. Weird war, what\u2019re you gonna do? What matters is that they\u2019ve proven themselves to be good at getting the job done. And then he sees what Geburah\u2019s up to and his eyebrows go up into his hairline.<\/span><\/p>\n Geburah has four holsters, pistol in each, as well as four long blades hanging by the holsters. It’s doing speed drills, drawing pistols, spinning them around, re-holstering them, drawing the knives, then back to the pistols, all four arms operating simultaneously. Anyone else, anything else, Mirsky would have said that it was nervous. But the golem is just eager, restless, can\u2019t wait to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n Binah finishes pushing shells into a clip and slots it into her rifle with a sharp smack. She looks around, sees everybody else is basically ready. \u201cWe’ve got leeches to kill. Geburah, what’s the plan?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It puts away its weapons with one final flourish and moves to the table, spreads out a map, refers to papers from the folder that Maccabbee was given. It holds the map flat with two of its hands and gestures with the others. \u201cBathory bitch is holed up here, at Castle Zahir. Drop zone is here, one valley over. We’re going to be part of a bunch of planes heading up to bomb Bizerte tonight.\u201d A hand points out the plane at the other end of the hangar. \u201cWe drop.\u201d Hand moves to indicate the parachute packs on the other table. Mirsky notices that the packs are huge, much larger than regular size. He realizes that they\u2019re the kind of parachutes used to drop heavy cargo. Like Jeeps. He feels a little better about jumping out of plane strapped to a golem. Geburah continues. \u201cInfiltration practices will be reversed since we’re moving against leeches. We move during the day and hole up during the night. Tomorrow during the day, we infiltrate the castle and destroy it.\u201d The four armed golem nods in satisfaction and looks around at the group.<\/span><\/p>\n Hesod isn\u2019t completely convinced. \u201cJust us? Long odds against all those leeches and whatever soldiers they might have with them.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo worries.\u201d That is more of a command than a dismissal from Binah. The female golem stands tall and sure, pistol in one fist. Mirsky wonders if he should be worried that her eyes appear to maybe be glowing a little red. Her voice has no doubts in it and there echoes to it that make Mirsky want to obey, want to believe. The echoes break and shatter on the rocks of his cynicism and knowledge. \u201cWe are going to fall upon them and destroy them. They will not be able to stand against us!\u201d But he has to admit, she\u2019s pretty damn persuasive. Especially since not only does she have a way with words, she can crush a pistol into a shapeless mass just using her fist. Binah throws the lump that used to be her pistol on the table, making the papers jump.<\/span><\/p>\n Geburah smiles at her and then looks at Maccabbee. \u201cWhat do you think, Rabbi?\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee looks down at the maps on the table, the sparse Intelligence reports on Bathory and her Ahnerbe Section H connections, speculations on the Waffen SS units in the castle. He looks up at the golems and the man who are all looking back at him, all of them waiting to hear what he thinks. In the silence, a mechanic working on the plane at the back of the hangar drops a wrench and the clang echoes sharp and metallic through the space. Maccabbee smiles and opens his mouth to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n Then he collapses, hits the edge of the table on his way down, pulls maps and papers with him. <\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky doesn\u2019t even see the big golem move, something that large shouldn\u2019t be able to move that fast. In less than a blink, Malkuth is kneeling besides the Rabbi lifting him in his arms. The problem with golems, Mirsky discovers, is that they don\u2019t fucking budge. You can\u2019t twist in between them if they don\u2019t want to move. And right now, they\u2019re nailed to the spot. So he has to content himself with standing on tiptoes behind Hesod, peering over the golem\u2019s shoulder. \u00a0Maccabbee doesn\u2019t look good, looks like hammered shit, actually, but he\u2019s alive and his eyes are open in a face of grey and sweat. Blood flows from each nostril over his upper lip, a shocking red against the grey face.<\/span><\/p>\n Malkuth cradles him. \u201cRabbi! What’s wrong?\u201d A voice that afraid sounds strange coming from a shape that large.<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee just lays there for a minute, one hand paws weakly at Malkuth\u2019s uniform, his eyes are vague and distant. Then he breathes in slowly, cautiously, testing for pain, and his eyes focus. \u201cNo, I’m OK. Probably just some bad food.\u201d He tries for a smile that comes out as weak grimace. He tries to wipe the blood off his face, just smears it around a little. \u201cLucky me, I get to jump out of plane with the shits.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The golems all solemnly take in the obvious lie. Tipareth moves forward with a canteen in an outstretched hand. \u201cHere.\u201d The golem crouches down to give the canteen to Maccabbee. \u201cAnd this might help as well.\u201d He places his left hand on Maccabbee’s chest and concentrates for a moment, chanting softly under his breath. The Rabbi looks up at him with questioning eyes. Slowly, Tipareth’s eyes glow gold as does his hand. The golden glow sinks into Maccabbee\u2019s flesh and he visibly gets better. The grey leaves his face and his gaze strengthens. <\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky silently whistles to himself. That\u2019s a damn neat trick.<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee sits up straighter in Malkuth\u2019s arms. \u201cI didn’t know you could do that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe all feel the energy descending from the All Highest through you to us, keeping us … alive.\u201d Tipareth stumbles on that last word, lips twisting in irony. \u201cI just reversed the flow for a little bit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Possibilities cascade through Mirsky\u2019s brain and he examines all that he\u2019s just learned and thinks of how it all can contribute to his plans. He notices something else and factors that into his plans as well: the two smallest fingers on Tipareth\u2019s hand, the one he pressed to Maccabbee\u2019s chest, those fingers have crumbled to dust, leaving outlines on the Rabbi\u2019s uniform.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJust reversed the flow?\u201d Maccabbee clambers to his feet, incredulous. It\u2019s not just Tipareth\u2019s ministrations that have bought the energy back to him. The Kabalist\u2019s a scholar, first and foremost, and this is something new for him to sink his intellectual teeth into. \u201cHow is that even possible? You don\u2019t have the training, the knowledge! What prayers did you use?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tipareth smiles down at the excited man and, resting a hand on his shoulder, leans in close. \u201cDon\u2019t forget, Rabbi, none of us golems are human. We\u2019re personifications of Sephiroth brought down into this clay. We don\u2019t follow the rules as you. We have connections to God that you don\u2019t have. The knowledge and training are built in, so to speak.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Malkuth interrupts what is threatening to turn into an combination interrogation session and <\/span>yeshiva<\/span><\/i> class. He claps his hands together with a concrete crack. \u201cAll right, let’s go over the plan again. C\u2019mon, everybody gather around.\u201d Tipareth turns away with the other golems and looks down at the documents on the table that Malkuth\u2019s gathered up off the floor. \u201cHere’s some recon photos of the castle. Let’s see what looks like the best place to sneak in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky puts a hand on Maccabbee\u2019s sleeve and keeps his voice low. \u201cYou sure you’re fine?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He\u2019s jittery, like he\u2019s just taken a couple of those benzedrine tablets that the pilots swear by, and Mirsky doesn\u2019t like his color, from grey to sweating red. Mirsky thinks that the grimace Maccabbee throws his way is supposed to be a reassuring smile. \u201cI swear. What Tipareth did really helped. And it gives me some ideas on how to fight Bathory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky would feel a lot better if the Rabbi had taken any sort of breath between those words. He keeps his voice even and encouraging. \u201cYeah, like what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDon’t want to go into it now. I still need to think about it more. And it’s a very last chance idea, I’d only want to do it if things get completely fucked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWell, think fast, ’cause I’m pretty sure that this invasion of a castle with just the bunch of us will get completely fucked at some point. No air support, no artillery. Lay it out straight, Rabbi, is this a suicide mission?\u201d Mirsky doesn\u2019t take his gaze off Maccabbee\u2019s face. The Russian doesn\u2019t think that he\u2019d lie to him, but the two of them have different priorities. Depending on what the Rabbi\u2019s answer is, Mirsky might have to start looking for a boat across the Med a lot sooner than he\u2019d planned.<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee shakes his head and then has to concentrate on stopping it from shaking back and forth. \u201cNo. Not at all. We’ve got a really good chance. The golems are unstoppable once they get going and all the leeches advantages are nothing against them. We’ve got the edge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but they\u2019ve got the numbers, the leeches do. And they were Waffen SS before they were leeches. And those Waffen fuckers, they ain\u2019t nothing to fuck with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUnstoppable. That\u2019s what the golems are. You\u2019ve seen them in action. No bullets, claws, bites, nothing hurts them. And now I\u2019ve got this idea, I think it\u2019ll work against that Bathory bitch, squash her like the evil spider she is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you say so.\u201d Mirsky steps back to avoid the spraying spit. \u201cAnd, yeah, I\u2019ve seen the golems in action. Ok, so it\u2019s not a suicide mission.\u201d He looks past Maccabbee and sees something that catches his attention in the doorway of the hangar. \u201cListen, if you’re OK, maybe you go sit with the golems, make sure that they\u2019re not gonna drop us into Eisenhower\u2019s headquarters instead of the leech castle. Me, I gotta go see a dog about a man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, a man about a dog.\u201d Maccabbee grins at him. <\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky doesn\u2019t respond. In his head, he\u2019s already moving away, dealing with this new situation. \u201cYeah, one of them kinda things.\u201d \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maccabbee\u2019s smile fades and he studies the hitman. \u201cThe golems will help me if I need anything. You go do what you gotta do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Mirsky turns and goes out the door of the hangar. Maccabbee watches him go. When he sees who\u2019s standing there, outside the hangar, he nods to himself. \u00a0Then he goes to stand by the golems and listens to them planning.<\/span><\/p>\n Outside, the wind has picked up and it\u2019s colder. Mirsky buttons up his jacket as he approaches Duval, who\u2019s standing out of the wind, next to the hangar.<\/span><\/p>\n Just as Mirsky opens his mouth to voice the dissatisfaction clear on his face, Duvall goes first. His voice is clear and uncaring. \u201cWhat have you got to report, Sergeant?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cReal subtle there, Major. I’m sure Maccabbee doesn’t have any idea that I’m reporting to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLess of that lip, Mirsky. What’s Maccabbee up to?\u201d A small dog yaps and craps on the carpet, Duvall\u2019s voice would have the same weary annoyance.<\/span><\/p>\n Given how flamboyantly Mirsky straightens to attention, he wants Duvall to clearly know that he\u2019s being insulted. \u201cSir, yes, sir! Captain Maccabbee, he’s up to followin’ orders, that’s what he’s up to. Orders that’re probably gonna get us all killed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMaybe, maybe not.\u201d Duvall is clearly uninterested in the outcome of something so minor. He probably yawns at executions. \u201cWe need to know just how much damage those statues can take. So, you all come back, none of you come back, some of you come back, we get the information we need.\u201d The Intelligence Major shrugs inside his jacket. \u201cThey have no worries about attacking that castle?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n There are people in both Odessa and New York City that could warn Duvall that when Mirsky\u2019s tone gets this flat, he\u2019s very close to killing. \u201cNone. They all think that it’s a doable plan. They’re all real confident. Way too fucking confident, you ask me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t believe that I did. Report back to me when you return. I want you to submit your after action report to me personally.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Duvall carelessly returns Mirsky\u2019s salute and walks away. Mirsky stares at his back for a few minutes until he\u2019s out of sight. He could probably get away with shooting that piece of shit in the back of the head. The sound of a shot probably wouldn\u2019t even get noticed. And Marcus and his zombies will probably help with the clean up. Just a pile of polished bones. Mirsky breathes out long and slow. But no. Too much hassle for such a little guy. Duvall gets to live another day. Maybe when he gets back from this mission, maybe just before he heads out with Marcus across the Med to Leah, maybe then, Duvall gets one final report. The thought makes the wind less cold and Mirsky grins, all teeth and intent. <\/span><\/p>\n And then he goes back inside the hangar, to check in on this cockamamie plan that\u2019ll probably get all of them killed. He\u2019s whistling.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cOk, so jumpin\u2019 out of plane is a lot fuckin\u2019 harder than it looks.\u201d Mirsky limps into the hangar behind Maccabbee. \u201cBut I gotta say, Rabbi, I\u2019m not too happy with your plan.\u201d Maccabbee stops and turns to Mirsky. \u201cSergeant. Benny. It\u2019s the only way that you get to come along on the mission. We\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":221,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions\/221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}