A loud crack and a thin spray of sparks shot out of Taz’s head and the guy fell to the ground. He spun around and thrust his arms outward, throwing energy Jaxx’s way.
Jaxx yelped. A force stronger than a boulder blasted into his chest. He toppled over and slid into the water. A cold sensation tingled down his spine. The water was like ice, the shock paralyzing him for a moment.
Looking up, Taz threw another energy wave at Jaxx. Jax spun out of the way, his body moving onto the rocky shore. He jumped to his feet.
“Good move, Jaxx.”
Taz kneed the air and an etheric sensation pressed heavily against Jaxx’s stomach. He fell and the wind was knocked out of him. He gulped, doing his best to catch his breath, but couldn’t.
A blow to the face and Jaxx twirled to the side.
“No more!” came a young voice. Jaxx spun around. It was Mya.
Taz dropped his arms by his sides. “Well, look who we have coming for the rescue? Who is she, Jaxx?”
Mya stood tall, her feet firmly on the ramp. “I’m Mya.” Her face was stern, something she no doubt learned from Damion.
Taz giggled. “What are you going to do, little girl?”
Jaxx walked into the river, trusting that this little girl indeed had a secret weapon of some sort up her sleeve. He waded over to her and extended his arms. “I’ll repeat Taz’s question. What are you going to do?” he whispered.
She didn’t respond, keeping her eyes on the Agadon. Jaxx grabbed her hand and guided her into the river, then grabbed underneath her armpits and pulled her to the shore.
“You will leave,” stated Mya. She walked from the edge of the river and stopped a few feet in front of Taz. Water ran off of her and onto the rocks. She stood tall.
Taz thrust his chest out. “I’m powerful, little one. You don’t want to fight —”
Mya put her hand on his knee. He dropped to the ground, his hands and legs shaking. She pulled her hand back and Taz relaxed, letting out a hefty exhale.
“I’m strong, too,” responded Mya. “Please get into your ship and leave.”
Taz stood. He crossed his arms, glaring down at Mya. “I don’t think so.”
“You will have to leave.”
“I don’t die, even if you kill this body. So, leaving isn’t something I’ll be doing any time soon.” Taz cocked his head to the side, pursing his lips. “You know something I don’t?”
Mya nodded. “I know a lot that you don’t know.”
“You can kill me, can’t you?”
“When your A/I consciousness ends, so will your ability to enter another Agadon’s body.”
Jaxx eyed Mya. How did she know this?
Taz glared at her, as if scanning her brain the way he scanned Jaxx’s. “She isn’t lying. She can end me in ways I don’t want to know.”
“So, you’re going to leave?” Jaxx hoped.
“Not until you tell me why you’re here,” Taz mentioned.
“To get them to safety,” responded Jaxx.
Taz stared into Jaxx’s eyes. “You’re lying.”
Mya shifted on her feet. “To fix the pyramid network on Earth by going to the key pyramid.”
Jaxx gasped, reaching out to Mya, and covering her mouth. She had just spilled the beans. Why would she let Taz know about such a thing?
“Aw,” responded Taz, moving his head slowly up and down. “I was hoping you wouldn’t locate one. This ought to change your plans.” Taz pulled a gun out of his holster. He aimed at Jaxx and pulled the trigger.
Mya pulled down on Jaxx’s arm, bending him to the side. A blue ion bolt slashed by Jaxx’s ear. In what must have been faster than the speed of sound, yet without the sonic boom, Mya dashed over to Jaxx’s other side, pulling down on his other arm.
Another blast whizzed by him.
She twirled toward Taz, and in a nano second, flipped Taz’s gun up.
Wapooh!
An ion blast skinned his chin. He twisted around, and Mya slammed her palm on the bottom of the hand grip. The weapon twirled high in the air and landed with a loud glop in the river, disappearing to the bottom.
Taz touched his bloody chin and looked at the blue liquid on his fingers. He shook his head and growled. He reeled his arm back and threw a punch at Mya. Jaxx leapt in front of her, catching Taz’s fist in his hand. He forcibly brought his other arm down on Taz’s wrist.
A loud crack and Taz’s lower arm broke, the bones cracking, flopping his wrist to the side, limp and useless.
Taz let out a loud metallic sound and leaned over, holding his arm. Jaxx swept Taz’s leg, lifting him up in the air, then brought his elbow down on Taz’s chest, helping him hit the ground at a quicker pace.
A thud.
Taz landed square on his back.
Jaxx went for a final blow and brought his arm back, his Chi ready.
Mya touched his leg and a tranquil energy consumed him, taking over every cell of his body, relaxing his muscles and his mind. He let his arm drop and hang by his side, his body as peaceful as it had been in a long time.
“Stop,” cried Mya. “No more fighting.”
Jaxx nodded. “I understand your worry, Mya. If we don’t end him, he’ll keep coming for us.”
“That’s how you dealt with issues in the past, Jaxx. This is now. Things are changing. We must heal.” She crouched next to Taz and put her hand on his broken arm. She closed her eyes, no doubt sending the same type of tranquil energy she had just sent Jaxx. Taz relaxed, his mouth slackening.
A pop and a crack, and Taz’s arm moved back into its correct position, healing quickly.
Mya moved away from Taz.
“What did you do?” Taz asked, pushing himself in a sitting position, studying his newly fixed lower arm. “The nano-receptors aren’t responding, which means it was fixed completely.”
Mya nodded. “It’s time to leave. Go.”
Taz dipped his head, pressing his hands against the ground, and pushing himself into a standing position. “Will do.” Taz lifted his hand and saluted Jaxx. “Farewell, comrade. It was an honor to do combat with you. But as the little one said, times are changing.”
This didn’t seem right. This was too easy. You don’t just change your mind in a split second. But maybe A/I’s were different. Their emotions weren’t as intense as humans.
Taz gave Jaxx a nod. “Maybe someday we will be on the same side.”
Jaxx shook his head no. “Not going to happen.”
Taz turned toward the jungle, his feet crunching against small pebbles and dirt.
Jaxx glanced at his own feet for a moment. Was he free to go? Could he get Drew to the pyramid? Was it finally going his way?
A rush of heat hit Jaxx and he looked up. Taz was in a full run, his eyes like a demon, and heading right for Jaxx.
Chkooj! Chkooj!
Blue blood sprayed from Taz’s head and chest and a geyser of thin fire streamed from both puncture wounds.
Taz slid to the ground, his arms and legs twitching violently. A loud snap and Taz went limp. His body was dead.
“What the —” Jaxx spun on his heels. Megan was on the ramp, the rifle in her arms, smoke trailing from the end of the gun’s muzzle.
“He was going to have another go at you,” Megan bellowed.
“Holy shit,” Jaxx said, bringing his hand to his heart. “The bastard can’t stop lying now he’s learned how.”
Megan dipped her head and spit in the water. “Yep, and serves the asshole right.” She patted her rifle.
“Mya,” said Jaxx. “Why did you tell the Agadon our plan? Every Agadon is hooked up via the A/I database, or something like that. You tell one Agadon and they all know the truth.”
“I know. That’s why I did it. And that’s why I healed Taz’s arm.”
Jaxx shook his head, not understanding. “You allowed him to leave unharmed, and that didn’t go so well. He is our enemy and doesn’t want anything good to happen to any single human being on earth.”
“
That doesn’t mean we should be the same way to his race. Yes, defend ourselves when attacked, but when they are harmed by our attack, we show them compassion. We show them a different way.”
Jaxx was about to speak in opposition, then remembered the Taiyonians on planet Taiyo. When Jaxx helped invade, when he killed many of their pilots and people, they still showed him love and acceptance after he crash landed. They gave him mercy, help, and understanding. It not only changed Jaxx, it changed Captain Rivkah Ravenwood for the better.
Well, a little.
“Now,” continued Mya. “The Agadon will have another way to act from. They might not choose it, but it’s now in their database as another possible option. It won’t happen overnight, but in the not too distant future, they may take a different route to diplomacy. Instead of hurting everyone, they may be lenient. And eventually, they may stop invading altogether, seeing the error in their ways, and going to a more compassionate nature.”
Jaxx wanted to tap her head. Was that really a six-year-old girl in that mind? He was in awe of Mya. What child this age could talk like a damned adult, and a wise one at that?
“Okay, Mya. I’ll believe what you say.” Nonetheless, it was time to go. If the Agadon were interested in stopping Jaxx, then they’d be on their way now. “Megan,” hollered Jaxx. “How is Drew?”
Megan’s lips downturned. “Not any better.”
Jaxx slumped in his posture. “Are you staying with Drew?”
“Yes. I’ll be by his side when he passes. I wouldn’t want him to die alone.”
“Thank you,” responded Jaxx. “Tell Damion and Lily to swim to the shore. We’ll begin our trek to Machu Picchu right away.”
31
Andes Mountains, Peru
The sound of rushing water awoke Drew from his terrible, sweat-drenched sleep. He was weak. His back hurt and his stomach groaned with misery. He searched his body for something that didn’t hurt.
“Oh, good,” he mumbled. “My feet are numb. They don’t hurt.” No, he was wrong. They weren’t numb. They were freezing, and wet. Why were they wet?
Megan awoke in a stir. “Excuse me?” She stood up, her feet splashing against water. She clutched a large, wide rifle against her chest. “Who said that?” She stomped her foot, clearly not expecting water. “I’m in the river?”
Drew lifted his hand, doing his best to snap his fingers, but again, they were listless and snapping just wasn’t going to happen.
Megan jerked back.
“You surprised I’m alive?” asked Drew.
Megan nodded, her eyes changing from surprised to melancholy.
“I am.” Her lower lip trembled. “I’m sorry.”
Drew touched his stomach. At least the internal bleeding had stopped, thanks to the doctor who pulled the bullet out and patched him up. Yet, he was too damaged to be repaired and was told he wouldn’t make it through the night.
But maybe he had? “What day is it?”
Megan shook her head. “I don’t know.” She took a nice long gander at her feet. “Why is there water in here?” She gasped when she saw it. “Water is coming in at the open ramp. The ship is sinking.”
Drew went to turn and look. A sharp pain grabbed a hold of him. “Well, turning around isn’t happening.”
Megan hurried to the ramp. Drew heard her slap a button.
Dvvvvvvdvvv! Dvvvvvdvvv!
Was that the ramp? “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to close the ramp. It has malfunctioned and isn’t shutting. We’ll have to get you off this boat.”
Drew wanted to negate her plan. It should only include her getting off this ship, not we. He would rather her save herself and forget about him. He could feel his life slipping away. He was meeting the man in the moon for a good weed fest in a matter of hours at the latest. And he welcomed it.
Anything to get him out of this pain.
But she wouldn’t listen to him.
She slid the crook of each one of her arms underneath his armpits and pulled him forward and off of his seat.
He fell to the floor, his pants soaking wet at the knees. “That’s freezing,” he blurted out.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “I should have warned you.” She shifted around to his back and grabbed a hold of him the same way. She heaved, dragging him out and around the row of cabin seats and to the ramp. She huffed and puffed, her breath coming quickly. “You’re a heavy one.”
Drew smiled, though barely able to keep his eye lids open. “Yeah, I’ve been working out.”
She let out a snort. “You ready to get even colder?”
“It won’t be any different than how I feel now.”
“Here we go.”
She pushed off the ramp and they plunged into the calm water, the icy liquid turning on every sensory synapse in Drew’s body. Hell, every goose bump screamed for help. His teeth clattered. “This is…whoa…fr-freezing.”
“You’re singing to the choir,” she replied, pulling Drew through the water and to the shore. She dragged him over the rocks and on to the sandy dirt. She rested him against the bark of a downed palm tree and sat next to him, patting his upper thigh. “We’ll rest here for a while.”
The sun shone through the trees and warmed him nicely. He leaned his head back. “Thanks for being here for me.” He glanced around. “Where is everyone?”
“They are on their way to the key pyramid. They left a few hours ago.”
Drew nodded. “I see.”
For a brief moment, there was silence between them. It was awkward, but at this time and place in Drew’s life, who cared. He wasn’t trying to impress a beautiful girl with anything, because death was sweeping in and taking him far from her.
Megan spoke up, interrupting the silence. “You want to play tic-tac-toe?”
“Sure.” He understood what Megan was doing. Tic-tac-toe was the eternal, never ending game. Every game usually ended in a tie, and you’d have to play another game to break that tie.
She drew what looked like a pound sign in the ground. “You first.”
Drew nodded, flopping his hand on the ground. He shaped an “o” in the middle box. “I’m predictable.”
She wrote an “x” in one of the spaces. “We’re all a bit predictable, don’t you think?”
Drew shrugged and attempted to write another “o” but was suddenly overcome with a huge desire to sleep. He closed his eyes for a moment.
“No you don’t,” yelled Megan, jostling Drew awake.
“You know, I thought you were quite hot when I met you.” He attempted a grin. It fell quickly.
Megan put her fingers on both sides of his lips, lifting them upward, crinkling his skin. It was an ill fated smile, but it pleased her. “There you go.” She giggled. “You’ve got a smile.”
Drew laughed, then held his stomach. “That hurt.”
Megan looked at her hands in her lap. “Yeah, I thought you were kinda cute when I met you.”
“Kinda?”
She put her thumb and finger in the air, creating a small gap between them. “Okay, a little bit sexy. You know, with that geeky, weed smoking, charming kind of way.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel good because I’m dying.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She winked, giving him a smile, obviously doing her best to make Drew’s last bits of time on Earth a better one.
“I wonder what we would have ruled over,” said Drew. “I’m really curious about that.”
Megan lifted her shoulders, dropping them an instant later. “Meh, it would have been a pain in the ass. Just running my bar business just about ruined me. If you wanted stress, then yes, let’s rule a city, or whatever the heck we were going to rule.”
“Thanks,” said Drew.
“For what?”
“Staying with me until, you know, I…”
“Until you go to the great beyond? Probably heaven.”
Drew looked up into the sky, seeing the beautiful palm trees blowin
g in the breeze. “You think there is a heaven?”
Megan nodded. “Yeah. I do.”
“What do you think it’s like? Lotsa hot women?”
Megan gently punched Drew’s shoulder. “Stop. At a time like this, and you’re still thinking of women?”
“No. I’m not. I’m just grateful.” He glanced at her. “I’m glad I met you.”
“Ditto,” she responded. “Now, back to our tic-tac-toe?”
Drew shook his head. “No. You’d win anyway.”
“But I was going to let you win.” She let out a quick laugh.
“Can I ask you a question?” Drew asked.
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, actually, it’s more or less a last request.”
“You want a kiss.” Megan playfully rolled her eyes, doing her best to hold in a cry, her eyes beginning to well up.
“You know me too well.” Drew was beginning to slur his words.
“Are you leaving soon?”
He shook his head up and down. “Yes. Really soon.” His eyelids began to gain more weight and started to close.
“I didn’t know you too well,” Megan’s voice cracked. “But I think you are a great guy.” She sniffed.
Drew did his best to smile, but his lips wouldn’t cooperate. Megan’s hands came to his cheeks, holding his head up. She pressed her soft lips against his.
Drew managed to kiss back, then let out a breath. “Thank you.” He closed his eyes, leaning his head against her shoulder.
Megan’s tears dripped onto his head, and her soft cries echoed in his ears.
If anyone could die with a first kiss, then they’d die happy, thought Drew.
He closed his eyes. Darkness pervaded him, then a flash of light. He saw his mother’s face. He let his body relax. Another tear dropped on him, this time on his cheek. He whispered one last time. “Thank you.” He tried to open his eyes again, to see Megan’s beautiful face. But they were too heavy, too tired, and wouldn’t open.
“Goodbye, Megan.”
“Goodbye, Drew.”
He felt Megan’s lips touch his forehead. He then faded off to the last sleep of his life.
The Complete Atlantis Series, Books 1 - 5: Ascendant Saga Page 105
