by John Walker
“Thank God for that.” Kyle took a seat on an empty bed nearby. “I don’t know how you feel, but I’m done in. Mind if I get some rest?”
“Go ahead.” Lysa kept an eye on Jok as he headed for some sinks in the back. I’m curious about your resistance. I wonder if we’ll have time to chat about it before we have to dive back into chaos. Alon snored nearby. Quilla drifted off as well. That left Tiller and Niva unaccounted for.
I’m sure they’re fine. Lysa didn’t have the energy to worry. She found an empty bed, flopping onto the mattress without bothering to remove her armor. She hugged the key, struggling to relax. Not being on my feet may have to suffice. Come on, woman. Take a deep breath. You’ve got time later to freak out. Plenty in fact.
Chapter 3
Cirilla squeezed her eyes closed. She clawed at the carpet, attempting to crawl but to where, she had no idea. A high-pitched tone screamed in her ears. It went on and on, blocking out all other ambient noise. Shouts seemed to come from a thousand miles away through a ventilation shaft.
Gunfire brought her back to the present. Blasters were going off outside. The exchange tore her back to her training days. She’d spent less than two years in the service though some lessons remained. Such as keeping her head down. Her first instinct had been to stand and see what happened.
The moments before Cirilla found herself on the floor fled her mind. She vaguely recalled the structure shaking… intense heat… falling. When did the ringing start? That doesn’t matter. She used her elbows to keep moving, blinking debris from her eyes. They stung from smoke but at least she had a view of the situation.
Most of the wall near the bed was gone. Only the smallest pieces fell into the room, which may have been a blessing. Any larger and she might’ve been crushed when they came in. She’d cleared the breach, which gave her some hope of standing. The windows were blaster-resistant, along with the structure itself.
Which is why they used an anti-vehicle weapon. Whoever they are. Cirilla wondered how anyone brought a large gun like that anywhere near the Lord Marshal’s home. That’s where I am! Memories rushed back. She’d nearly fallen asleep, lying there… dozing… when a whistle outside drew her attention.
Cirilla opened her eyes in time to see a bright flash half a second before it struck the house. The shaking tossed her from the bed. She landed on the carpet, crawling away. But what about Sev? She looked around frantically. If he was still in the room, she couldn’t see him. From her vantage below the smoke, she could breathe but visibility was limited.
“Sev!” Cirilla shouted. Doing so rewarded her with a mouth full of smoke, causing her to cough. Stop! Her mind screamed. If you don’t want to lie there and asphyxiate, you have to calm down! Which was easier said than done. The longer she sat there, the harder it was to relax.
Heat intensified. Even through her flimsy nightgown, she began to sweat. The washroom loomed ahead. Most of that part of the house was metal. Which either meant she’d be boiled inside or safe until rescue could arrive. When Sev didn’t reply, she continued to crawl.
Maybe I didn’t hear him. The ringing quieted, shifting to the ambient sound of fire crackling. She understood some of the shouting, soldiers giving orders as they conducted a battle. Have they already taken Sev out of here? I wouldn’t be surprised. He might be halfway to a private bunker already.
Cirilla reached the door then looked back over the room. I wish I knew where he kept any sort of weapon. She’d explored the house a few times with him. Unfortunately, he hadn’t confessed to having an armory. Or a secret way out for that matter. I’m not going to live through this.
The thought filled her with determination rather than despair. She had no intention of dying in a house fire. She grabbed the door frame, hoisting herself up. The smoke made the room hazy, but she could make out a path to the exit. The most expedient way out involved going through the breach.
Right into the firefight. Cirilla figured the rest of the house should’ve been safe. Unless they shot it elsewhere… but this is a clear assassination attempt. They were after the Lord Marshal, not his home. Bending at the waist, she dashed across the room, hustling for the door.
Another blast hit the wall, bringing part of the ceiling down on the bed. Cirilla yelped, bouncing off the wall as she stumbled. She flailed her arms, desperate to maintain her balance. Falling meant landing on debris, tearing herself up on the sharp edges. A flash of white made her eyes go blank as she stepped on something sharp.
Her foot instantly went numb except for a small point on her arch. That throbbed, aching like she’d been stabbed with a knife. But she didn’t stop, limping for the door until she made it through.
The fire spread to the walls beside her. She hurried away to the center of the living room, then turned toward the front door. The entire frame had been blown out, jagged pieces of the wall bending inward. Whatever breaching charge they used didn’t leave pieces on the floor either.
What kind of gear do these maniacs have? Cirilla figured only military personnel had access to such explosives. Maybe security forces. They must’ve been robbed. What do I do? She made her way for the door, moving slowly despite the spreading flames behind her. Rushing outside felt like a bad idea, like she needed to employ some caution.
“Cirilla!” Sev’s voice came from outside, somewhere to the left… near the action. “Cirilla, can you hear me?”
She didn’t reply. A breached door meant people inside the house. Shouting might give her away. If they wanted anything, it must’ve been in his office which happened to be off to the right. Breaking into the computer would take time, which gave her a chance to escape… providing they didn’t leave guards right outside.
Our security forces must’ve taken care of them. Cirilla didn’t have much confidence in the thought. Not when the fighting continued. The people defending this house should’ve made short work of any criminals desperate enough to attack this place. But then, common terrorists wouldn’t have found themselves such powerful gear either.
“Cirilla, can you hear me?” Sev shouted the words, genuinely sounding concerned. Enough so that it made her heart ache. “We’re coming in after you! Right… unhand me!”
So they won’t let him, Cirilla thought. That means I’m not alone. She dashed for the door, yelping from the pain in her foot. Two hands grabbed her from behind, hurling her through the air.
She made contact with the sofa, bringing it over to its front. Momentum carried her into the coffee table, which she crushed before slamming into the wall. The experience left her dazed. She wallowed where she landed, muscles refusing to cooperate or move. Footsteps came close.
Get up!
Urgency made her tremble. Straining to stand didn’t make any difference. She cried out as a hand slapped her in the back, ripping her nightgown as she was yanked to her feet. Her head cleared as her attacker stabilized her. As they spun her around, she brought her knee up.
The blow caught her captor in the thigh, drawing a grunt. Dark hair, thick beard—she stared up into jade eyes, bloodshot and far too wide. Cirilla kneed him twice in the groin. She brought her hands in front of her face, catching his fist. Her block deadened the blow, but he still hit like an air car.
Fortunately, his grip loosened from her attack. Cirilla thrashed until she freed herself, stumbling against the wall. He came at her again, lumbering forward with arms stretched to the sides. She braced herself, giving him another few feet before throwing a thrust kick.
Her heel struck his abdomen, just below the gut. He huffed, bending at the waist. As he went down, she threw an uppercut. His nose gave to the attack, breaking easily. He tilted his head, staring at her with blood matting his beard, splattered over his lips.
Well… damn.
He let out a cry as he grabbed her by the shoulders before flinging her toward the fire. Cirilla landed on her side, intentionally rolling until the heat become uncomfortable. Flopping on her back, she watched him charge, heavy footsteps making the flo
or tremble. She bent her knees, taking half a moment to pray.
He came at her, bending as if he planned on scooping her up as he ran. She planted her feet on his stomach, using his momentum to fling him into the bedroom. Her knee seized up while sending a shock of pain into her gut. She shuffled away from the doorway as her opponent screamed like an animal.
Cirilla crawled to her feet, limping toward the front door. A glance back gave her a chill. Fire consumed the invader, and he thrashed about, a living torch gone totally mad. He didn’t find his way out and bounced off the wall before collapsing.
Cool air greeted her. Tears streamed down her face. Pain in the knee, the smoke, all of it conspired to throw her into a state of total misery. The moment she crossed the threshold, she started coughing. A few more paces took her into grass. Dropping to her side, she slumped there, spent.
“Hey!” Sev appeared at her side with several guards. “Cirilla… what happened?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Get a medic over here immediately. And check the house. There must be others in there. They want something. Don’t let them get it.”
“Sev…” Cirilla muttered. “I…”
“Don’t.” Sev touched her cheek. “You don’t have to talk. Just try to relax. They’ll take care of you.”
“What… happened?”
“I don’t know yet. Or who made this decision.” Sev scowled. “But I will find out. And they’ll regret it.”
“I… am tired.”
Sev brushed her hair away from her face. “I know. It’ll only be a few more moments.” His voice rose. “Where is my medic?”
“Sorry, sir!” a woman called back, “almost there! The soldiers out front have almost finished with that rabble. They were in a serious firefight.”
“I’ll be back, Cirilla.” Sev stood, hurrying off even as she reached for him. The medic rolled her on her back, pressing something over her mouth and nose. Oxygen pumped through, relieving tightness in her chest. She breathed deeply. It didn’t help the other pains, nor the stinging on her upper arms.
At least I don’t feel like someone’s sitting on my chest anymore.
“I’m going to give you something for the pain. Once I do, we’ll need to get you to the medical center. Can you tell me if anything happened to you in there? Anything I should be aware of?”
“Hurt… my knee.” Cirilla gestured. “What’s happened? Do you know who attacked this place?”
“No, but they are attempting to gather some prisoners. I heard one of the soldiers mention resistance fighters… but I didn’t know anything about that.”
“I’m… aware… of the… possibility.” Cirilla closed her eyes tightly, tensing up as the medic pressed at her knee. “That really, really hurts!”
“I’m sorry, it seems you dislocated it. Might’ve torn something too. I’ll have to do a full scan.” A blast hit the ground nearby, some thirty feet off at most. The medic ducked, practically falling on Cirilla. “We don’t have time for that here though. This place is insane! Such an attack has never happened in this area before.”
No, I imagine no one had the nerve to do so, Cirilla thought. But why would they now? Her head began to clear. Intelligence. I can almost guarantee they’ve done this. They’re trying to push Sev into needing them. They want him to crawl to their department so they can look into the attack.
And naturally, they already have a solution. If I’m right. She wouldn’t put anything past them. I wonder what objectives they gave these people. The ones who risked their lives to go into the house. Maybe they were supposed to assassinate Sev. By the time Renz could come home, they might already have a puppet in place to rule.
The Lord Marshal had to operate swiftly. Cirilla didn’t think he’d get prisoners though. That would be too convenient. Too many people stood to be incriminated with a single survivor. So they’d fight to the death. How someone convinced them to throw their lives away was another good question.
One she hoped they’d answer.
After I can stand up on my own though. A hypo hissed as the medic gave her an injection. It brought on a wave of exhaustion. Yeah, right now I think I’ll rest. The sound of battle, of fire faded out as she succumbed to the drug. As unconsciousness claimed her, she embraced it willingly. Time enough later… for action.
***
Sev heard a whistle, a high-pitched sound coming from a shoulder-mounted blaster. Those were meant for vehicles; attack shuttles, usually. He had half a second to react though he puzzled out why he’d be hearing such a thing in the middle of the night. So few people had access to such equipment.
Is a starship attacking the neighborhood?
The sound drew nearer. Sev shoved Cirilla out of the bed then rolled off his side. Only when he hit the floor did he realize his mistake. She’d been sleeping nearest the window. When the attack slammed into the house, he worried the debris might kill her. If not, the concussion stood a good chance.
Two of the security forces swept in as fire licked the ceiling. They grabbed his arms, dragging him into the living room. A squad held the position, following them out as they dragged him into the yard. He’d barely been exposed to any smoke before the cool, early morning air bit through his nightshirt.
“There’s a woman in there!” Sev shouted. “We have to go back! Right now!”
Gunshots broke out at the front of the house. A full-on attack force charged the scene. One of the security men, someone Sev didn’t immediately recognized, pointed at him. “Keep the Lord Marshal safe. The rest of us have to repel them.”
“Why don’t you call for backup?” Sev shouted, but the man was already gone. He turned to the young man charged with protecting him. “What’s your name?”
“Ghal, sir. Ghal Doss.”
“What’s happening here? What did you see?”
“A blue orb came from down the lane straight at your house. Lieva said it was a vehicle weapon, so we hurried this way to ensure we got you out of there.” Ghal hissed. “Oh, sir. You’re bleeding.” He took something from his belt, stepping forward. “If I may, it’s on your forehead. Looks like you got hit with a piece of rock.”
“Never mind the rock!” Sev gestured back at the house. “Cirilla’s still in there! We have to get her out!”
“My orders are to keep you safe, sir. I can’t—”
Another explosion went off, this one on the opposite side of the house. Flames licked the sky, followed by a great plume of black smoke. He didn’t need anyone to explain. That was a vehicle, taken out by another of the heavy weapon shots. Ghal twitched, ducking as if the blow came for his head.
“There’s nothing to worry about there,” Sev said. “They’re breaching the structure. They want something. And if they find Cirilla…” He clenched his fists. “Get on a communicator. I want a force to take care of these dogs.”
“I’m sorry,” Ghal shrugged, “but they’re being jammed, I’m afraid.”
Of course they are.
Sev looked over his companion. The security forces tended to carry a rifle, a sidearm, and various tools to get their jobs done. He gestured to Ghal’s pistol. “Give me that. I’m not standing out here unarmed while this idiocy takes place.”
“Just… you’re not going inside, right?” Ghal handed the weapon over.
“I’m defending myself.” Sev looked around then headed for the action near the lane leading up to the structure. Ghal hurried to keep up.
“What’re you doing? That’s where the attackers are!”
Sev nodded. “And I want a look at them. If you won’t let me save Cirilla, we can find out who attacked us.” Then gather some men who can help me take care of the people inside. He figured they wanted something from his personal computer. That or they hoped to take a hostage. Perhaps it’s a simple assassination plot.
Nothing would’ve surprised him. Not if a group had the audacity to hit his home. After all the years he lived there, all the time his wife spent in the house alone, it never came under assault. Nor di
d anyone attempt to breach the defenses to steal from him. Whoever thought this was a good idea is desperate or stupid.
Blue flickers lit up the night, flashing off the fabricated walls holding up an embankment of dirt. Security forces dug in behind mobile cover along with decorative stones. Perimeter defenses appeared to be offline. Support turrets should’ve been blasting away at the targets, helping to stave off the attack.
This is a far-reaching conspiracy. Sev figured the larger weapon was telling enough. Adding to it, the know-how to hack the defenses and to get a secondary force into the house. They aren’t after Cirilla. They want information. Data they can steal. This isn’t about either of us directly.
Kidnapping the Lord Marshal may well be the worst decision any group could make, despite their ability to pull it off. If they’d wanted, I think I’d be in their custody. He hustled across the grass, each barefooted step chilling his skin. He reached the cover of the low wall, crouching to get a look.
The light didn’t help him make out any of the targets. They were little more than silhouettes cast by their gunfire. Sev couldn’t tell if they wore regular armor or not. Such an attack required not only planning but real equipment. If they could hack the defenses and get so close to his home, they wouldn’t throw their lives away.
So what are they wearing?
Ghal came up beside him. The security guard looked like he might pass out. He held his rifle tightly, head looking in all directions. He leaned close though still had to shout over the din of combat going on not twenty feet from their current position.
“This is a terrible idea, sir! I should get you out of here. We can retreat to the neighboring structure. It’s our base of operations and—”
“Stop,” Sev interrupted. He squinted, craning his neck to get a look at the action. Darkness provided the attackers with some decent cover, though only against the naked eye. He figured his people had some form of vision-enhancing equipment, though Ghal seemed short of it. “Are your people not wearing some type of goggles?”
