What the hell?
He was outside.
He shook his head. How the hell did he get outside? Did he catapult through a window? No glass was around him. He studied his surroundings, immediately knowing what happened. He was in a portion of the building that didn’t hold. The walls had collapsed exposing him to the outside.
He stood, the weight of the cement making it difficult, though pieces of it were plummeting to the floor at every movement he made. He turned to make his way back in the building, then gasped.
A wall of cement, beams, and metal warped like tendrils was in front of him, blocking his way.
“No,” he yelled. He grabbed a chunk of collapsed wall and threw it behind him, then another chunk. Mya, Damion, or anyone else who was near the blast was most likely trapped under this shit, and he needed to get them out as soon as possible. He’d have to dig.
He grabbed another chunk and tossed it behind him. It didn’t land. That was peculiar. It didn’t matter. Between the ringing in his ears and the constant booming sounds of weapons fire, pieces of cement and drywall falling against the ground, it wouldn’t be the easiest things to hear over all of this commotion.
He pitched another chunk of cement over his shoulder. Again, no sound. He turned, then lurched back. A large, wide man, ashen blue skin, gray lips, and a bald head stood in front of him. An Agadon. The cement Jaxx had thrown was in the alien bastard’s hands.
The Agadon gave his tell-tale laugh, the sound of two chainsaws trying to get at each other through a metal I-beam. How they laughed without a sign of emotion baffled him, but right now, being baffled was the least of his worries.
A small ion cannon protruded and flipped up from the Agadon’s upper back. It lifted over his shoulder, aiming at Jaxx.
It recoiled, and a blue hue glowed at its muzzle, blasting an ion charge.
Jaxx sidestepped, then leaped high, avoiding a second shot. He brought up a fistful of Chi and came down with a punch to the blue freak’s head.
The Agadon took the blow well, stepping back, slightly off balance. He pounded his foot on the ground, straightening himself, and pulled out a side-arm, targeted Jaxx, and pulled the trigger.
Jaxx ducked and quickly moved around the Agadon. He reached up and broke the upper back cannon, ripping it out of the Agadon. Blue blood splattered, and wires stuck out of the alien’s back, all writhing like snakes snapping at prey, sparks spewing out of their mouths.
The Agadon reached back, then twitched and fell forward. Dead.
Jaxx spun around. More Agadon were rushing from the broken fence line, heading his way.
He was probably target numero uno. He was the reason they took out this base — he assumed. He was putting his little rag tag group he was a part of in trouble. They, especially the children, needed safety. They were safer away from him — if they hadn’t succumbed to the caved in wall.
He closed his eyes for a brief second, scanning for his friends and nephew. He smiled. They were alive.
In a matter of nanoseconds, a new plan formed in his mind.
He leaped over a portion of the wall, and dashed away from the building. “Hey, assholes,” he yelled. “Follow me.”
And, as if on command, the Agadon went in pursuit of Jaxx and away from the library. Not all of them, but more than he imagined would.
His new laid out plan was working. Now, if he could just find a craft to get him down to South America as soon as possible, he’d be numero uno in his own book.
11
Denver, Colorado
Where there wasn’t pain in his stomach in the not too distant past, there was now.
He pressed his hands against his squishy, liquid filled sack of a stomach. Yes, that had to be internal bleeding because the pain that consumed him in the moment was dull, as if the extra fluid in his abdomen was cushioning the agony.
The heat from the sizzling burst of hell that just rocked his and the building’s world, was emanating from rubble and debris around him. The explosion was still hot and fresh, sending steam toward the ceiling.
He pressed off the ground with his hands, cringing with a desire to drop back to the floor. Instead, he managed to sit up, fighting himself the entire way, his belly’s ache almost winning at every breath.
He dropped his head in his palm and let out a small exhale at what he saw in front of him. Nothing but a black, charred room with its doors blown off and dead doctors and nurses inside.
Probably dead patients, too.
“I’m dead soon.” There was no way he was going to get a bullet out of his stomach now.
Wapoom! Bratatatatat ratatatatat!
Another blast somewhere in the building and gun fire nearby rattled his brain.
A moan echoed in the dim hallway. It was Segarra. He was less than an arm’s length away, his face, arms, and hands covered in hundreds of cuts. He touched his hair, then lifted his head up in a start. “Mya.”
She was out cold and lying next to Damion, also unconscious. They had some cuts, but not nearly as many as Segarra. A few motionless military men and women lay beside them; body parts were strewn across the floor.
“Drew?” It was Megan. She was crawling toward him.
Drew reached his arm out. A streak of lightning shot up his gullet and to his tongue. He pulled back, clutching his stomach again. They needed to leave him. He was holding this entire mission up.
“Let’s get you in the wheelchair and get you out of here,” said Megan.
Drew shook his head. There was no point in going anywhere. “I’m holding everyone back.” And they had to find that third child and get to South America with Jaxx as soon as they could. There were no if’s, and’s, or but’s. It had to be done, and done without him. “Leave me here.”
“That’s not part of the deal, Drew. Remember, we’re supposed to rule?”
Rule what? That part of the deal was never clearly spelled out. Rule the free world? Rule the entire continent? Rule a plot of land? Hell, he couldn’t rule a bag full of marijuana buds.
There was no way he was going to rule anything. Plus, he’d be dead and gone soon, flying high with the Mary Jane gods. Speaking of which? Perhaps he could find some medical-grade weed and notch some of his discomfort down. “Seriously. Go. Leave. You can lead or rule or whatever it is we’re supposed to do without me. I’m just in the way.” Being in the way was his least concern. Staying alive, let alone awake, for the next twenty-four hours would be a miracle. He gestured toward Mya. “Get those kids to safety. Find the third.”
Megan slowly moved her head back and forth. “Not. Gonna. Happen. Get your ass up.” She went to pull him to his feet. Drew didn’t budge. “Fine.” She pulled him by the shirt, dragging him to his wheelchair.
“Alright,” Drew screamed, the agony tearing at his stomach. “I’ll get in that thing.”
Another concussion hit nearby and the building shuddered. Megan fell to the floor, losing her grip on Drew’s shirt. She hardened her face and stood back up, pulling Drew to his chair. She tipped the wheelchair back on its wheels, and Drew managed to climb into a seated position, grunting several times; hot, searing hell jumping up and down his body like he was being trampled by spiked shoes.
Segarra coughed several times and slowly pushed himself into a standing position. He dusted himself off, getting his bearings. He went to take a step to help Megan, but paused, listening to the battle raging outside. His face changed from confused to worried. “My guys need help.” He shook his head back and forth like a dog getting water off of his body. “Aw, much better.” He made his way to Mya and bent down. He gently shook her. “Baby doll, we need you. Wake up.”
She squirmed, pushing her dad’s arms away. “I’m sleeping.”
“No, Mya, get up. Your work isn’t done,” said Segarra.
Mya stirred and opened her eyes, then blinked several times. “What happened, Daddy?”
“We were hit by what we call a screamer. It’s a projectile that screams right before they
hit their targets.”
Mya nodded. “Yeah, I heard that. I —” She hesitated. “Oh, no. Damion?” He was on the ground and curled up in a ball, black soot and ash all over him.
She sat on her knees and placed her hands on Damion’s back. She took in a deep breath and her hands started to vibrate. “He’s not doing well. He’s slipping…wait.” She pursed her lips. “Okay, I’m bringing him back.”
Damion sucked in a hefty flow of air and jerked back. “Whoa, what a rush.” He sat up quickly, his eyes darting back and forth from person to person. He rubbed his hands together and relaxed. He dropped his hands by his side and yawned and stretched as if everything was just fine and dandy.
“Okay, baby. We have to get you to do your energy thing,” said Segarra.
Drew wheeled forward, clenching his teeth to fight the pain enveloping his stomach. “She isn’t going to do that anymore.”
Segarra narrowed his eyes and put his hands on his hips. “Don’t tell me what my daughter will and won’t do.”
Mya put her hands on her hips as well. “No, Daddy. I don’t want to hurt anyone or anything anymore.” She held her chin high. She was strong, bold, and adamant as hell.
Segarra got down on one knee, his tone calm and forceful. “You listen to me, young lady.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “There are people — my people — dying out there to keep everyone in this facility and in this city alive. You can hamper the bad guys’ power in mere seconds.” He collected himself. “Do as you’re told.”
She held her breath, her face squishing together, holding in a cry.
Megan walked between them and put a hand on Segarra. “She ain’t doing it, cowboy. Leave it at that.”
Drew wondered if Mya should. It was for the benefit of humanity, so why not? He went to speak, then an imaginary knife dipped into his gut and twisted. He lurched forward, grabbing his abdomen.
Just kill me, please. Get this shit over with.
His mom appeared, her mouth twisted in anger. “You listen to that girl.” Drew gasped and reached for his mom. Maybe she could take him to the other side with her?
She faded and disappeared. It was an obvious “no.”
He eyed a gun on the floor near his chair’s foot plate. He leaned forward, straining against the bullet lodged in his gut that was using his stomach as a punching bag.
Segarra pushed Megan’s hand away. “Now, listen —”
He let out a yelp and fell to the floor, unconscious.
Damion took his hand off of Segarra’s knee and stood, leaning over a sleeping Master Sergeant, speaking like an adult to a child. “I did that to you because you are harming Mya. She won’t tell you, but every time she uses her power to harm all of those aliens, it sucks her own power. Too much could kill her, and she’s almost at her ‘too much point’ already.”
Mya’s hand went over her mouth. She plopped to the floor as tears streamed down her cheeks. Drew wanted to hold her, to console her, and tell her everything was going to be fine, but his own energy was draining, leaving him nearly useless, and he knew what he’d be saying to her was a lie, anyhow.
His stomach cramped and he bit his lower lip, doing his best not to scream. He squeezed the gun’s hand grip.
Damion hugged Mya. “All we need to do is find the third one of us and go with Jaxx to the key pyramid. We can stop the mean guys for good.”
“Jaxx?” Megan twisted around, searching for Drew’s uncle. “Where is Jaxx?” She had her hands out, palms up.
Mya closed her eyes, then opened them in a flash. “He is going on the mission alone. He can’t. It won’t work. He thinks he is the exception to every rule.” Mya looked up, eyes innocent. “That’s what I read from his mind. What does the exception to every rule mean?”
“He thinks he can manipulate — change — a rule,” replied Megan. “And he can’t on this one?”
Bratatatatat ratatatatat!
Megan ducked.
“We have to go,” said Damion. “I know where the third child is.” He dashed off toward the stairs. “She’s this way.”
Mya ran after him, and Megan moved behind Drew, grasping the push handles. Drew dropped his hand on the wheel and tightened the brake. Megan pushed, but the wheelchair didn’t move. He raised the gun and brought it to his temple, his vision fading, his life flowing down life’s mortal drain. “I’m holding you guys up.”
Megan screamed, “Don’t!” She lunged for the gun.
It was too late.
Drew pulled the trigger.
12
Denver, Colorado
There was always a way to get shit done on your own, and as an archaeologist, Jaxx was a pro at that. His DNA was the galactic key to opening and closing a pyramid network that only months ago was so far off his radar, he’d be more convinced that he’d be next in line to marry the Queen of England.
Wapooh!
He jumped and twisted his body into a dive. He landed hands first on a car, pushed off and flipped just as a searing ion blast zipped past his feet and slammed into a building across the way, singeing a black indentation into the structure.
Jaxx landed on his feet and ran as fast as his Chi would take him. He glanced over his shoulder. A gang of Agadon were racing after him. He was putting distance between him and them, except for one. This blue guy was catching Jaxx. Slowly, but surely.
He had to find a ship, which meant he needed to round the buildings and run back to the base he just fled. There, plenty of crafts were waiting to be stolen and flown to Machu Picchu where he could fix the pyramid network and save the world.
With everything in life, there was always an exception to a rule. And Jaxx figured he was the exception to the rule of three. He didn’t need the children. They were amazing humans, yes, and at the same time, they were in the way. Doing this alone meant he needn’t constantly worry about these kids’ safety — a ten-ton brick lifting off his shoulders.
Kashishish!
A window blew out from an office building up ahead. Shards of glass fell several stories to the street, smashing into a hundred more pieces.
A scream pierced the air. Someone was in trouble. Jaxx took another peek over his shoulder. The Agadon that could keep up with him was still a ways off, but gaining.
The alien lifted his energy gun and pulled the trigger. A blue bolt blasted forward, and Jaxx dodged. A car erupted on the side of the road, toppled over, and burned tongues of flames toward the heavens.
Another scream.
Someone was definitely in trouble.
Not good.
He had to divert his plan for a few minutes, and damn if this Agadon behind him wasn’t relentless. The prick didn’t know when to quit. Jaxx wanted the Agadon to chase him, but he never expected some — even one — to keep up.
Jaxx dashed over to a cross street, keeping the office building in his sights. He rushed down another road, the soles of his boots slapping hard on the pavement.
And there it was, right in front of him. The building where the woman had screamed. The building was mostly glass. A long flight of steps led to the entry. He paused at the base of the steps; his lungs heaving. The entry doors had been blown away; probably by Agadon cannon fire.
A third scream, and this one louder, closer. He made a fist and started his quick climb up the steps.
Inside, he ignored the elevators that lined a wall. He raced up a staircase, stopping on the fourth landing, his adrenaline activating every sweat gland in his body, nearly drenching him with perspiration.
He closed his eyes, searching for an energy signature. He nodded when he found her and the culprit — a young woman and a big-ass Agadon — and he didn’t like what the Agadon was attempting to do to the woman.
He kicked a door open that led to a hallway on the fourth floor. “Hey,” he yelled, his eyes like a laser, pointing him to the office doors where the scene was taking place. He marched forward.
There was a shift in energy and Jaxx stopped, waiting. The office door fl
ew open and metallic laughter followed. An Agadon emerged into the hallway, pulling with him a woman. Her dress was torn and her mascara was running down her cheeks.
She shook her head, her chin quivering. “Help me.”
The Agadon back handed her and let go of her arm. She fell to the floor and crawled down the hallway in the opposite direction.
The Agadon paid her no more attention.
Jaxx flinched as another ethereal flow interrupted him. An Agadon had just entered the building — the one who was closest in chase.
He looked down and to the side, concentrating, his peripheral vision keeping the Agadon in front of him in view and the doorway to the hall in view, waiting for the second Agadon to arrive.
The Agadon in the hall took a step forward, readying to pound Jaxx into the ground.
Jaxx thrust his hand outward, sending a ball of energetic Chi his way. It hit the Agadon hard, twirling him around. He dropped to one knee, his back now facing Jaxx.
Jaxx didn’t move as the other Agadon was almost to the fourth floor hallway.
“Jaxx,” came an Agadon’s tinny voice. “Nice to see you again.” It was Taz, stepping through the doorway, entering the corridor.
Jaxx couldn’t believe his own eyes. “How? Taz…I saw you die.”
Taz put his hand up, eying his ally on the other side of Jaxx. “Don’t harm Jaxx, Gog-19. You know the plan. He is the key and the reason we are here.”
Gog stood tall. “I understand, Taz. I could still beat him up a little, no?”
Taz shook his head.
“You don’t get them all, Taz,” said Gog.
Taz tilted his head. “All? I only need one.” He lowered his gaze and set it upon Jaxx. “This one.”
Gog bowed. “As you wish.” He turned. A click echoed in the hallway.
Whapoo!
Blue blood splattered over the walls and the floor, and smoke rose from a hole in Gog’s back, accompanied by a geyser of sparks. A small ion cannon that was usually connected to an Agadon’s upper back, lay next to Gog, broken in two.
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 96
