She collapsed to her knees as the monster’s cries faded, utterly exhausted.
This was what it felt like to do real battle magic? She was drained yet wired, her mind and body caught between needing to sleep immediately and feeling like she’d drunk enough coffee to power the entire Defense Force for a month.
She forced herself to stand. She had to get back across the ravine, and that meant using magic again.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn’t sure she had it in her. Her knees had been replaced by jelly, and her vision swam with black spots.
She looked across the void, seeing a small crowd had gathered, including Olaf, Esme, Ezekiel, and Ezekiel’s new friends.
They were all staring at her in wonder.
Sarah Jennifer waved weakly, then her knees gave way, and she slumped to the ground as unconsciousness stole over her.
Chapter Sixteen
While Sarah Jennifer was taking her unscheduled nap, Theor was putting everything he knew about battle to the test. His radio was jammed to his ear as he yelled instructions from his birds-eye view of the battlefield, directing the flow of the soldiers under his command.
Theor had risen to the rank of sergeant over the years and was no stranger to the monotony of logistics. Prior to joining the pack, he had always believed his strength lay in his sword arm. However, as in this instance, leadership meant putting into practice everything he’d learned about what it meant to fight using his mind.
The Finnish mages had joined him at his request and were working one to three with the warrior units along the eastern line as the Mad swarmed their defenses.
He heard the news that Sarah Jennifer was being brought back to the mountain and suppressed it, knowing full well what the news that their commander had been taken out would do for morale. He trusted that whatever had happened, she would recover given time. The major wasn’t indestructible, but Death himself would have a hard time arguing with her if she wasn’t ready to tap out—and she never was.
Theor concentrated on maintaining the barrier between the Mad and the mountain. He began to see a pattern in their movements, as though they weren’t heading for the mountain itself but the strange tear in reality beyond.
That gave him an idea.
His only job was to protect the mountain and what lay within. He’d heard about the alien creature that had come from the rift and how it had been unable to discriminate between the living and the walking dead.
He lifted his radio and dialed in the open channel. “All commanders, listen up. The Mad are not trying to get to the mountain. I repeat, the Mad are not trying to get to the mountain. They are heading for the rift.”
“What are your orders?” was the reply from multiple radios at once.
Theor considered before answering. If he was wrong, he was leaving the field wide open. However, he was almost a hundred percent sure he wasn’t wrong. “Retrograde to defense point B for your unit,” he told them. “Protect the towns, make sure they can’t get to the mountain. Otherwise, let them pass. All magic users, do what you can to funnel them to the end of the line.”
Inside the mountain, Mary-Anne awoke.
She opened her eyes as the Pod-doc lid was raised. She heard multiple voices speaking and saw Caitlin and Kain peering in at her.
“Can’t a girl wake up in peace?” she grumbled, smiling nevertheless. Looking around the room, she saw that the radio on the bedside cabinet was the source of the many voices.
Caitlin threw her arms around her, distracting her from the radio.
“Ma, you’re…you.”
Mary-Anne flashed her fangs, feeling better than she had in a long time. “You bet your skinny ass I am.” She turned her attention to Kain. “No hug from the wolf?”
Kain laughed and allowed himself to be drawn into the huddle. “Good to have you back, Ma.”
Mary-Anne looked around the room, smelling more Weres and that odd tang she now associated with magic.
Sarah Jennifer was lying on a cot with an IV in her arm, her respiration deep and even. “What happened to Major Grumpy-pants?”
That earned her a growl from the Weres standing guard at the door.
“You might want to take that back,” Ezekiel warned. “The pack doesn’t take insults to their Alpha lightly.”
Mary-Anne held her hands up and smiled. “My bad. I didn’t mean any disrespect. I’m grateful for her help. Is she okay?”
“She’s sleeping off Etheric drain,” Ezekiel explained.
Mary-Anne frowned. “I thought she was a Were?”
“She’s not just a Were. She has magic,” Caitlin told Mary-Anne.
“You should have seen it,” Kain cut in, his voice awed. “She called pretty much an entire mountain down on the head of the beast that came through the rift.”
Mary-Anne shook her head, confused. “Rift? Beast?”
Ezekiel spoke up. “They are called Skrima. They come from another world, and they are being sent to conquer us.”
Caitlin whirled to face Ezekiel. “They? We only saw one.”
Ezekiel’s face was ashen and drawn. “While you were fighting the Mad, I looked beyond the rift. I wanted to see what kind of world Laughter came from. All I saw was legions of Skrima, all waiting to break through to this side.”
Kain covered his face with his hands. “I don’t believe it. As if the Mad aren’t enough to contend with. Now there’s an army of alien monsters waiting to invade?”
Esme swept into the room, carrying a fresh bag for Sarah Jennifer’s IV. “Don’t lose hope. We have a short window to take care of the Madness. Ezekiel and Lilith can hold the rift for a short time with your help. As soon as I have Sarah Jennifer patched up, she and I will release the cure, as you seem bent on calling it.”
“How?” Caitlin asked as Esme connected the bag to the line feeding into Sarah Jennifer’s vein. “What is the cure?”
Esme shook her head. “All in good time.”
Kain was quiet, his eyes fixed on Sarah Jennifer. Jaxon had claimed the space at the foot of her cot, his ears pricked. He looked relaxed, but Caitlin knew her canine companion. The German Shepherd was in guard mode.
Caitlin threw her hands up. “Fine. What can we do to help?”
Esme thought for a moment. “Wait a minute.” She picked up the radio. “Home Base to Base Camp. Come in, Theor.”
“What is it, Esme?” the reply came.
“Do you need support? I have a Pricolici, a vampire, and a sword going spare here.”
Caitlin raised an eyebrow at being reduced to her weapons capability.
“The plan has changed,” Theor told her. “The Mad are not coming for Lilith’s mountain. They are being drawn to the rift. We’re diverting them from the towns and villages. We’re going to herd them toward the rift and pen them in along the valley.”
That was news to Esme. “Seems like you should have reported that, Sergeant.”
“The major wasn’t answering her radio, then I heard she was being brought in. Tell me she’s not…”
“No, she’s alive,” Esme told him. “Just out for the count for the minute. Okay, I’m going to send these three to the rift.”
“What about Ezekiel?” Theor inquired. “Is he in the fight?”
Esme glanced at Ezekiel. “No. He’s staying here to protect Lilith. Keep diverting everyone you can to the rift. The real danger is coming from beyond Earth.”
“The Urai reported a gigantic beast,” Theor returned. “I don’t want to dismiss their claims, but—”
“Don’t dismiss them,” Esme told him. “There are aliens beyond the rift. Skrima. And a Kurtherian enemy who intends to use them to conquer us. I need you on your game. As soon as Sarah Jennifer wakes up, we have to get up to the BYPS to begin the saturation. That will take care of the Mad. Then we’ll just have the Skrima to deal with.”
“Just?” Ezekiel muttered. “You didn’t see them.”
“Understood,” Theor assured her. “I’m pulli
ng the line in around the Mad as they pass. We’ll surround the rift. Is Olaf there? I could use him.”
Olaf already had his clothing and sword bundled. “I’m heading back to the rift now that I know the major is going to be okay. The Urai are out there with no support.”
“I don’t think Laughter can send all the Skrima through at once,” Ezekiel told them. “I hurt her badly when I turned her attack back on her.”
“You still there?” Theor sent.
“Still here,” Esme assured him. “Olaf will get the troops at the rift organized.”
Theor’s laugh came through loud and clear. “Yeah? I think Mika will have something to say about that.”
“Mika can say what she likes,” Olaf interjected. “We have a chain of command for a reason, and until Sarah Jennifer wakes up, that’s me and you, buddy.”
He turned to Caitlin, Mary-Anne, and Kain. “I hope you three are in a fighting mood.”
Kain grinned. “Wait until you get to know these two. You’ll regret hoping.”
Caitlin punched Kain in the arm, then strode to the door. “Asshole. See if I save you from the next Mad that decides you look like a snack.”
Kain threw up his hands. “What did I say? Kitty-Cat just has a combative attitude. Besides, I am a snack.”
Caitlin stuck her tongue out at him. “You’re a bighead, is what. Come on, Jax.”
“Nice friends you made,” Esme commented to Ezekiel as they left with Olaf, bickering happily, with Jaxon prancing around their feet.
Ezekiel smiled. “Yeah.”
Esme’s eyes twinkled with empathy and sadness. “You had to end Helena’s life, didn’t you.” It wasn’t a question.
Ezekiel nodded miserably. “I would have been on my own when Helena succumbed to the Madness if not for them. I…I don’t know if I would have had the strength to give her the end she wanted if I hadn’t needed to keep them safe.”
Sarah Jennifer murmured, returning to consciousness.
“Leave it for now,” Esme told him. “I’m here if you want to talk after this is over, but right now, we have to focus on what needs doing.”
Ezekiel moved to stand at the foot of Sarah Jennifer’s cot. He smiled when she opened her eyes, all the angst he’d let build up vanishing, replaced by an overwhelming gladness. He braced himself for a verbal dressing down as the muzziness in her eyes cleared.
Sarah Jennifer groaned, her hand going to her forehead. She felt the IV in her arm and pulled it out. “What happened?”
Esme chuckled and handed her a glass of water. “You sucked up fair half the Etheric to deal with that ugly brute. You have a hangover, I’m guessing.”
Sarah Jennifer sipped the water gratefully, and when she was satisfied she was going to keep it down, she drained the glass. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so hungry in my life.”
“If you can walk, we’ll go to the mess and grab a bite before we leave.” Esme offered her an arm.
Sarah Jennifer sat back against the wall. “Give me a minute. My head is still swimming.” She looked past Esme to where Ezekiel was standing quietly. “Welcome back.”
Ezekiel was taken aback. “What, no verbal flaying?”
Sarah Jennifer shook her head and regretted it instantly when her eyes rattled almost audibly in her skull. “No lecture. We’ll have time to talk out the past, but right now, I need to know what’s going on out there.”
“Told you,” Esme cut in. “More important things than ego right now, my lad.”
Sarah Jennifer steeled herself and inched to the edge of the cot. “Food. Briefing. Coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.”
Twenty minutes later, she was sitting in the mess with a plate piled with a little bit of everything they had in the food stores. Esme and Ezekiel sat down opposite her, and Lilith joined them via the speaker.
Sarah Jennifer speared a pork chop and took a huge bite, chewing gingerly to avoid setting off the percussion section that had taken up residence in her skull.
“You eat, I’ll talk,” Esme told her.
“Mmf, shounds good to me,” Sarah Jennifer replied between bites.
Esme chuckled. “After you left for the rift, Ezekiel took care of Lilith’s predicament.” She turned to him. “Maybe you should tell this part.”
Ezekiel nodded. “Okay. Laughter is on another planet. She was using some kind of Kurtherian technology to connect mentally to Lilith. She attacked me when I interceded, but I was able to turn that around and get a good look at where she was.”
Sarah Jennifer frowned. “Which is?”
“In a Pod-doc. Or she was. I broke it, but she got out before I could kill her for what she did to Lilith.” Ezekiel scowled, his anger rising again. “While you were taking care of the Skrim she sent through, I got a look beyond the rift. She has an untold number of those things. She’s planning to send them through to destroy us.”
Sarah Jennifer dropped her chop. “We need to close that rift.”
“I don’t know how,” Ezekiel admitted.
Esme shook her head in response to Sarah Jennifer’s questioning stare. “No can do, Duckie. It’s beyond me how she opened it in the first place.”
Sarah Jennifer sighed. “Lilith? Anything to add?”
“I could make an educated guess as to how a rift is generated,” the Kurtherian answered. “But I can’t tell you how to close it. That knowledge was forbidden to all but the rulers of the clans. I can’t understand how Laughter-Brings-Meaning-To-Life acquired it. She was a lowly geneticist like me.”
Sarah Jennifer thought for a moment. “Is there anything we can do to limit her access through the rift?”
“I’ll work on it,” Lilith told her.
“I’ll help,” Ezekiel added.
Esme got to her feet. “If you’re done fueling up, we need to get up to the BYPS and get started with the saturation.”
Sarah Jennifer nodded. “I’ll take the rest of this to go. Damn that Kurtherian. How did she get past the BYPS?”
“It’s made to protect us from outside threats,” Esme reminded her. “Nothing could have prepared us for an attack from the Etheric.”
Sarah Jennifer picked up her plate and got to her feet. “Then all we can do is get back on track with the plan. I just hope we can get the saturation taken care of and get back here before Laughter makes her move.”
“Call Enora,” Esme told her. “I’ll head below and get the pallets brought up to the plateau.”
Sarah Jennifer watched as the last of the antigrav pallets they had used to bring up the barrels loaded itself onto the airship. The preservative the nanocytes were suspended in would evaporate on contact with the atmosphere, but first they had to reconfigure the BYPS.
Enora was in high spirits as they took off from the mountain. “All complications aside, it is a joyous day,” she enthused. “The Madness will soon be a thing of the past.”
“How are the simulations looking?” Sarah Jennifer asked as she took her seat.
“Prevailing winds are favorable,” Enora confirmed, pulling up a real-time projection of the planet on the viewscreen. The global wind currents were shown with various colored arrows. “There are, as we were expecting, places where we will need to have the climate control modules intercede to ensure complete coverage. However, my projections have identified those areas. There will be no problems manipulating the weather systems to achieve our goals.”
“Your program should have finished uploading by now,” Esme told the AI. “We didn’t have time to check on it thanks to Laughter, but it’ll be no effort to send it out to the modules once we’re back inside the primary satellite.”
“The projection goes past ten days?” Sarah Jennifer inquired, recalling the brief had stated that as the outer limit of predictions.
Enora smiled. “Yes. Since we are modifying and controlling the systems, chaos theory is not a factor. We should see a reaction in the Madness-inflicted population within hours, and the saturation will be complete within six months as
projected.”
Sarah Jennifer nodded. “Good enough. What’s our ETA at the BYPS?”
“Three minutes,” Enora answered.
“Do we have any messages from Mars to deal with before we are cut off?” Sarah Jennifer asked as Esme entered the cockpit.
“No messages currently,” Enora confirmed. “Etheric comms are active, with the BYPSs around both planets maintaining a stable connection. We won’t be completely cut off.”
Esme slid into the co-pilot’s seat. “I have the nanocytes hooked up, ready to be dispersed. We’re good to go.”
Sarah Jennifer was eager to get it over and done with so they could get back to the ongoing crisis in Arkhangelsk. “Then I guess we should get this show on the road.”
The witch had a grin plastered on her face. “This is going to be pretty spectacular to see.”
They arrived at the primary satellite and went through the process of verifying their authority to access the network. Esme checked that the program for the climate control modules was ready and sent it out, then there was a few moments’ wait while she uploaded her modifications to the operating system.
Sarah Jennifer used the time to compose a short report for Bethany Anne. She knew it would be some time before it reached the Queen since the Baba Yaga was still far beyond the Federation, hunting down Kurtherians.
They returned to the Enora. Sarah Jennifer wasn’t alone in feeling the urge to complete their task and get back to New Romanov. The thought of Laughter recovering from the nasty shock Ezekiel had given her and sending the Skrima through the rift was at the forefront of their minds.
Enora was waiting with the interface to the BYPS onscreen when they got back to the cockpit. “I have confirmation from the EI that the modifications will work as you intended, Esme. The system is waiting for your authorization to enact the changes, Major.”
Sarah Jennifer swallowed hard, reminding herself that Bethany Anne trusted her to save humanity. She had no doubt that her intentions were good, and time was of the essence. However, there was something preventing her from activating the BYPS.
End of the Line Page 15
