Triptych

by S. C. Mitchell

  She spoke alien?

  Everyone froze. All eyes turned to her.

  One of the aliens pointed a clawed hand at her. “Tsee bomannan.”

  She fisted her hand and brought it to her chest. “Xoman tu Lamida.”

  Phaze stood over Shade where he lay on the floor. She pointed her stun gun at the woman. “Who are you?”

  The woman cocked her head at Phaze. “I am your better. You should be kneeling.”

  A small twitch of the woman’s fingers and Phaze holstered her gun and dropped to her knees.

  “Magic,” El Brujo warned, and began casting a spell of his own.

  The woman sneered. “I think not.”

  A beam shot from her eyes, striking El Brujo, throwing him across the chamber into the wall. He dropped to the floor in a heap and didn’t move.

  Not good, and most definitely not a friend. Paul took aim at her thigh, hoping to cripple, and pulled the trigger of his Magnum.

  The shot rang out, echoing in the chamber, but from the barrel of his pistol, red flower petals puffed into a little cloud before fluttering to the floor.

  “Foolish mortal.” One side of the woman’s mouth cricked up. She strode toward him. “A rather handsome, foolish mortal though.”

  Paul couldn’t move, could barely breathe. His limbs were frozen in place.

  Maggie, sword drawn, jumped in front of him. “Leave him alone, Guinevere.”

  Guienevere? How did Maggie know this woman?

  Guinevere laughed. “Morrigan, we meet again, for the very first time. And this time I have the jump on you for a change.”

  She leapt forward, throwing an uppercut that sent Maggie flying up and out of sight behind Paul.

  Guinevere’s gaze shifted to him. She strode up to where he stood frozen in place.

  The aliens grouped up behind her, one of them hoisting its unconscious companion to its shoulder.

  She ran her fingers down the side of Paul’s face. “Oh, handsome man. I may have to have you before I destroy you.”

  As her finger continued down, the nail sliced his body armor and shirt open from neck to belt. Pulling the shreds aside, she splayed her hand on his bare chest. Her eyes widened. She ran her tongue across her lower lip. “Oh yes, it’s been way too long since I’ve had a human, and you will most definitely do.”

  Was that some kind of complement?

  Maggie’s voice rang out from behind him. “I said, leave him alone.”

  Paul couldn’t turn, couldn’t speak, couldn’t warn Maggie to run. Guinevere was possibly the most dangerous enemy Xi Force had ever faced.

  And Maggie was all alone against her.

  But he was frozen in place, unable to speak. Helpless.

  Chapter 8

  Maggie’s gut twisted. Her legs shook as she pulled herself up, drew Fragarach from its scabbard, and advanced toward the woman. It was Guinevere. The same woman she’d seen in her flashback in the Fae Realm.

  Z-Bot, Shade, and El Brujo lay like rag dolls, unconscious or worse, on the floor of the chamber. Paul and Phaze looked to be frozen in place, under some spell. If Guinevere could take them out so quickly, what chance did Maggie have against her?

  But, the Morrigan had bested Guinevere again and again throughout history, so there had to be a way. In any case, Maggie refused to run away and leave her friends behind.

  Begorrah. The golden cord Donavan had given her lay on her dresser upstairs.

  I’ll have to subdue her first, then run and get that cord.

  Easier thought than done.

  Two of the aliens began to close in on her. The third, with the unconscious fourth still draped over its shoulder, hung back.

  Guinevere smirked. Her gaze shifted to Paul. “Go to sleep, handsome. I’ll use you later.”

  Paul slumped to the floor.

  Maggie’d only skimmed the section of Gran’s notebook on how the other Morrigans defeated the Fae Queen. Some caught her by surprise, others used powers Maggie had yet to master, or even begin to discover. She thought she’d have more time.

  But that didn’t matter. This was it. She’d have to figure it out as she went.

  First things first. She needed reinforcements.

  Concentrating, she shifted into her three aspects.

  ~ ~ ~

  As Morgan pulled out of Maggie, she cast a spell of magical awareness, one of the first spells she’d learned from the magic section of Gran’s notebook. A quick gesture and a nonsensical syllable uttered under her breath and a corona of light surrounded Guinevere. The spell revealed the level of magical power in any spell or person.

  Guinevere glowed brightly, pulsing with magical energy. The intensity was almost blinding. This was one powerful bitch.

  Still, in multiple other lives, she and her sisters, Morgana and Morgause, had defeated Guinevere and sent her back to the Fae Realm. No doubt that took a lot of magic, which meant the heavy lifting would inevitably fall on Morgan’s shoulders. She’d only had a few hours of study and even less time to test her new magical powers. Had she learned enough?

  She had plentiful energy to work with but only a short list of incantations and spells she’d learned how to cast. And the magic felt awkward, like a robe three sizes too big. She’d inherited all the power of her predecessors. She hadn’t had time to grow into it.

  The warrior aspect, Morgana, set her sword for a charge. Never one for subtleties, that aspect would no doubt take the fight directly to the Fae Queen.

  Morgause, she mind-whispered to her other sister, try to wake El Brujo.

  They’d need all the magical help they could get. This battle couldn’t be won by sheer strength. Guinevere was a creature of magic. She pulsed with arcane energy.

  Begorrah, I’m not ready for this.

  Delay would be her best option. Keep Guinevere busy and hope Morgause could wake Xi Force and get them back in the battle.

  She shifted to her raven form and took wing, circling above Guinevere and the aliens, as she wove a net of magical energy in the air.

  The webbing solidified and dropped, entangling Guinevere and the two aliens standing behind her. The glow around Guinevere intensified as she burned through the webbing.

  Guinevere chuckled. “You’ve tried that before, you know.”

  Morgan didn’t know all the things this aspect had done in previous lives except for what she’d read in Gran’s notebook. “Did it work then?” The words tumbled out of her beaked mouth in a high-pitched squawk.

  It didn’t matter if Guinevere answered her. The taunt was only to pull the Fae Queen’s attention and allow Morgana a few extra seconds to close in on her.

  ~ ~ ~

  Fragarach in her hand, Morgana swung at the two approaching aliens with the flat of the blade, knocking them aside so she could advance on Guinevere. Her next swing targeted Guinevere at waist level, but it stopped short, rebounding as if the woman were made of rubber.

  Guinevere whirled on Morgana. Her eyes widened as a glee-filled smile spread across her face. “I knew hunting you down early would be my best course of action this time. You have no idea how to wield your powers to their fullest. This time, I win. And without an heir, the Morrigan dies with you.”

  She fisted her hand and a crimson beam of energy shot from it, striking Morgana and sending her flying back.

  Morgana hit the wall hard. Her head whirled. The sword flew from her fingers and skidded across the tiled floor.

  Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to crawl toward the sword. Get up. She needed to get back in the battle.

  Dismissively Guinevere’s gaze shifted up toward Morgan, “You’re next, little bird. Time to pluck your feathers.

  ~ ~ ~

  Morgause knelt beside El Brujo, her ha
nds aglow with healing energy. She didn’t have spells or strength like her sisters, but she had this. “Come on, El Brujo, we need you.”

  Possibly the strongest of the Xi Force members, the Mexican sorcerer would most certainly be their best bet against Guinevere’s magic. She’d seen him cast spells far beyond those Morgan knew.

  At least her Morgan aspect. She had a feeling Gran’s could have stood toe to toe against El Brujo in a dual.

  As her healing energy infused him, he groaned.

  His eyes flickered open. “Caramba.”

  “Yeah, we’re in trouble.” Morgause’s gaze shifted to Shade, the closest of the remaining unconscious Xi Force members.

  El Brujo pulled himself to his feet. “This woman, she took me by surprise before. But never again. Skarza.” A glowing bubble of energy surrounded him as he strode toward Guinevere. A slight hand gesture and a similar sphere surrounded Morgan as she circled in the air above in her raven form.

  A beam of red energy, fired from the Fae Queen’s fist, ricocheted off the bubble before it could strike Morgan.

  As Morgause strode toward Phaze, movement beyond caught her eye.

  Shade sat up, then stood. Beyond him, Z-Bot did the same, at almost the same instant.

  “You guys okay?” They didn’t look it. Their movements were stiff, wooden.

  “We are functional,” Shade and Z-Bot replied in unison.

  Yeah, they were still unconscious. Kirk was controlling their movements from his computer station upstairs. Not at peak functionality, but at least they were on their feet and back in the fight.

  Kneeling beside Phaze, Morgause sent a healing wave of energy into the woman who was frozen in place on her knees. Could her healing power counter this paralyzation spell? “Come on, Kayla. Wake up.”

  “Sorry I’m late.” John Wylde bounded past, his wolf pack at his heals. He’d had a bit farther to come, residing in a cabin on top of the mountain headquarters. Thank goodness someone had called him in.

  The scuffle of feet behind her pulled her gaze.

  Aaron Braddock led a contingent of Pikes Rangers down the rubble pile. “Federal agents, lady. You’re under arrest.”

  Good try and the proper response to the situation under most circumstances, but Morgause doubted Guinevere would recognize their jurisdiction.

  Phaze moved. Her head swiveled toward Morgause. “I’m fine now. But damn, that sucked. I couldn’t move a muscle.”

  Morgause helped Phaze to her feet, and they rushed to join the others.

  Paul still lay at Guinevere’s feet. Did she dare try to approach? Pull him away?

  But with Xi Force closing on her, the Fae Queen retreated, herding the aliens toward the back of the chamber and the dark opening which had once been covered by the overhead door.

  Snapping her fingers, she raised a violet-tinged wall of energy between herself and Xi Force. “I got what I came for. I’ll kill you later, Morrigan.”

  She said something in the alien language and they dashed into the tunnel. Guinevere followed, disappearing into the darkness.

  Wylde and his wolf pack charged toward her, but the barrier stopped them short. Blocked, they could only watch her retreat.

  El Brujo chanted, wiggled his fingers, and the glowing wall dissipated, but precious seconds had been lost. Guinevere and the aliens had completely disappeared into the tunnel.

  As Xi Force approached the opening in pursuit, the ground rumbled. Chunks of stone fell from the ceiling of the tunnel, closing off the entrance.

  “Damn it.” Shade pulled rubble from the pile, trying to dig his way in. “It looks like the cave-in goes back quite a ways.”

  Phaze went intangible and disappeared into the rubble.

  Kneeling beside Paul, Morgause pulled him into her arms as she let her healing energy flow into him. Morgan and Morgana approached and slid into her, and she was Maggie once again, absorbing all of their memories and knowledge.

  Paul’s eyes fluttered open. “Maggie.” He took a deep breath. His eyes narrowed. “Did we win?”

  Chapter 9

  Paul directed a crew of engineers and a contingent of Pike’s Rangers to clear the rubble and secured the passageway. Quantum could have cleared it much quicker, but John Wylde’s very pregnant wife was under strict orders not to use her powers for fear it may affect her baby.

  Standing at the tunnel entrance, a wide opening at the base of their mountain headquarters no one had known about, Paul ground his teeth. This top secret location had been compromised, and he was determined to find out who they were dealing with. His Rangers were now combing the woodlands beyond for any trace of the aliens and that woman.

  Phaze had followed the woman and aliens up the ramp from below, but lost their trail in the dense forest beyond. “It was as if they’d simply disappeared,” she said.

  Standing with Paul, Shade shook his head as he took it all in. “This wasn’t on any of the schematics I received when we were given this mountain to use as our headquarters. Someone in Washington has been holding out on us. I wonder why.”

  “Maybe we’ll find out when that friend of yours from the FBI shows up later today. Can we trust him?” This went beyond a security breach into treason territory. It’s as if Xi Force had been purposefully set up. But why?

  Shade narrowed his eyes. “Dar was a good guy, and a good agent, but I haven’t seen him in years. But he was also the one to suggest I apply for this facility. One of the few who even knew of its existence. Let’s play this meeting close to the vest.”

  Paul’s phone beeped with an urgent message.

  “He’s here.”

  ~ ~ ~

  “They were dead. Stone cold dead. Hell, they autopsied one of ‘em. Cut ‘em right open and took out its guts. At least that’s what they said. I didn’t actually see one of ‘em cut up. But I did catch a glimpse of all four of ‘em laid out once, and they weren’t twitching. They sure as hell looked dead to me.”

  Maggie shook her head as the old man sputtered on. She wasn’t getting any kind of vibe off him—good or bad. That was probably because he’d been an FBI agent and was used to concealing his nature.

  Dar Ferguson was a friend of Aaron Braddock and Shade. He’d worked here at the Xi Force headquarters almost thirty years ago when it was called Project Ozone.

  Shade, hands behind his back, paced the conference room and asked questions as Dar gave his report. “Who did the autopsy? All the records of the project seem to have disappeared.”

  Dar nodded. “Doesn’t surprise me. The whole operation seemed surreal.”

  He shifted in his chair. “I mean, it was legit. A real spaceship crash. Not like Roswell and that whole Area 51 nonsense. But there are people in Washington who would have wanted this to go away quietly. That’s why the ship and those aliens were buried and left to rot, and we were all required to sign NDAs, which I am breaking by being here, by the way.”

  Pausing mid-stride, Shade threw up his hands. “I don’t get it. Proof of life beyond Earth. We are not alone. Why would they want to hide that?”

  Dar shook his head. “It wasn’t that. Those billionaire tech companies had to keep it secret to preserve the lie. All the big technology breakthroughs of the past couple decades, computers, the internet, cell phones, all came from what was extracted from that ship. Those big tech geniuses didn’t invent one freakin’ thing. They simply had a connection to someone in Washington who fed them the technology. And to keep it all quiet, those tech giants fed money back to Washington.”

  Maggie pulled out her cell phone. Technology from the stars. Who knew?

  Yet it made sense. The advancements, coming so fast and all of a sudden. From old, rotary-dial wired telephones to this. And everyone thought Bill and Steve and the others were so innovative.

  �
�Look,” Dar added, “I wasn’t in charge, just a low-level agent working a security detail back then. I didn’t know most of this until after I left. I pieced some of it together from a few shady sources, so I could be completely wrong. I was assigned to the upper areas for the most part and seldom got into the underground labs. And I wasn’t told shit.”

  Aaron raised an eyebrow. “So, who was in charge?”

  “That would have been Dr. Stacey. Guinevere Stacey.”

  Maggie’s gut churned as a cold chill ran down her spine. “Guinevere?”

  Paul, sitting beside her, placed a gentle hand on her arm to get her attention. Narrowing his eyes, he shook his head.

  Okay, not here. Not now. She nodded.

  She’d told him about Guinevere and her suspicions that the attack was connected to her getting her powers. How everything tied together, she hadn’t a clue.

  But this? Was it a coincidence the doctor’s name was Guinevere?

  It sure as hell didn’t feel like a coincidence.

  Shade began his pacing again. “I think we should see if we can talk to Dr. Stacey. Any idea where she is now?”

  Dar harrumphed. “Six feet under. She died in a lab accident about twenty years ago. Sorry, guys. That’s a dead end.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Paul entered search parameters into his computer workstation and sat back as he waited for results.

  Over his shoulder, Maggie leaned in. Her soft breath on the back of his neck sent a tantalizing tingle running through his gut straight toward his crotch. Yeah, she’d always had that effect on him. What was it about her that got his juices flowing like this?

  She was gorgeous, yes, but Paul knew a number of beautiful women and none of the others brought out anywhere near the reaction he got whenever he was around Maggie.