The Mantis Equilibrium - Book Two - 21. Chapter 21 - Dozi, Ilya, & Tchama

“Dozi, wake up,” whispered a voice.

Dozi sat up with a start.

Tchama was kneeling beside her bed, right in front of Dozi’s face.

“I’m sorry to wake you,” Tchama said quickly, “but the Shifton neighborhood watch needs volunteers right now! The Messiahs are back, and they are threatening violence, but there’s a huge crowd standing against them. The night’s watch is leading the resistance, and they want whoever else they can get.”

Dozi looked over at Ilya. She was already awake and rubbing her eyes, trying to pep herself up.

The two of them spent a second entire day aiding the people in Gate Town, and they were both exhausted. They made it home by sundown, but it was still early in the night.

“I’m sorry,” Tchama repeated. “I know that you haven’t gotten much sleep.”

“No, it’s okay,” Dozi mumbled.

“Yeah,” Ilya agreed, she yawned and added, “we need to do what we can.”

“I’m going to go check on Ninyani,” Tchama told them, “and I’ll meet you with the resistance afterward. He stayed with Peggy last night after the show, and he’s been with her all day today. She’s keeping him hidden while this chaos is going down in Gate Town.”

Dozi nodded, and a moment later, Tchama was up the stairs and gone.

“I wonder when how near to sunrise it is,” Ilya said in a groggy tone. “I don’t think we got nearly enough sleep.”

“Agreed, but I think the sun only set a few hours ago,” Dozi replied. “There’s a lot of night left, but what we’re doing in Gate Town is important. Let’s go.”

They headed out and made their way across the city.

“Why didn’t we go with Tchama to see Peggy first, and then all three of us go together?” Ilya asked.

“Because the watch needs people now. I get it that she’s worried about Ninyani. She’ll be along soon.”

A few minutes later, they could again see fires burning and hear shouting voices. They crept down a side street and snuck into the neighborhood towards a crowd of people that included several Biological Shifts. Everyone was chanting for the Messiahs to keep out of Gate Town.

Across the street, a vicious group opposed them, and the indistinguishable noise of too many yelling voices caused a cacophony beneath the dark sky.

Dozi and Ilya took their place among the protesters.

“Fuck you, Messiahs!” Dozi jeered.

Ilya looked at her, impressed.

The Messiahs menaced and threatened, but they held their position against the much larger and unquestionably powerful group that resisted them. Even the simple act itself of being resisted caused the Messiahs to boil up into a rage, but still, they did not attack.

The noisy stalemate lingered in the powder keg city, as minutes stretch towards an hour, and then two.

Dark was the night, and there were still many hours until dawn★