by P. T. Hylton
They were in a filthy studio apartment. A small kitchenet sat at one end of the room next to a toilet with a sheet hanging around it. A small bed sat at the other end. There were no photos on the wall, and only a few items that marked the place as occupied.
Jessica bent down and picked something up off the floor. Holding it up to the light, they could see it was a small model of the GMT's away ship.
"Wait," Brian asked. "CB, is this your hookup pad? Do you bring girls here?"
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "I too would like to hear the answer to those questions."
CB felt his face flush. "No! This is Wesley's place."
The others stared at him blankly.
"Wesley?" Brian asked. "Are you sure you don't mean Patrick? Or Ed?"
"Yeah, Wesley seems like more of a Hub type of guy," Jessica agreed.
"What can I say? The man likes the simple life."
Jessica nudged the bed with her toe. "I guess so."
"The point is it's a safe place to get some sleep."
"Tight space for three," Brian pointed out.
"We only need space for two. You both get some rest. I'm going to get us the help we need to pull this off."
It was a testament to how tired Brian and Jessica were that they barely argued.
As the other two settled in, CB took a moment to check his gunshot wound. He winced as he removed the bandage, not liking the looks of what he saw underneath. It looked like it might be infected. There was nothing to do about that now. If their plan worked, he could deal with it then. If not, it wouldn't much matter. A corpse didn’t care about an arm infection.
Next, he dug through the dresser in the corner, looking for something to help disguise him. He tried on one of Wesley's hooded sweatshirts, but it didn't come close to fitting his much broader frame. Finally, he settled on a hat and sunglasses. He grabbed a bit of food from Wesley's refrigerator and headed out the door.
CB made his way through the streets of Sparrow's Ridge, sticking to the infrequent shadows when possible. He reached his destination and stepped inside.
Thankfully, Tankards wasn't too busy that time of night. There were a dozen or so customers, but none of them seemed to notice CB. The bartender stared at him a moment too long, but thankfully he just continued pouring drinks, careful not to look at CB once he'd identified him.
CB quickly made his way through the bar and into the backroom.
The overweight, white-haired man behind the desk didn't look up when CB entered. "Employees only. Restroom's the next door over."
"I'm not here for the restroom. I'm here for a little help from an old friend."
The man looked up, his eyes widening. "Holy shit, CB. What are you doing here? Have you seen what Fleming's been saying about you?"
"It hasn't escaped my attention."
The man got up from his desk and shuffled to the door, making sure it was shut.
"Fleming had his lackey try to shoot me," CB continued, "and then he called me a traitor. How's that for irony? You've known me since we were kids, Billy. You ever seen me be disloyal?"
Billy grinned. "If anything, you're too loyal. Plenty of guys you probably should have stabbed in the back. Remember that Sylvester kid?"
CB chuckled. "Ugh, don't remind me."
Billy's expression grew serious. "I know what you've done for this city. You and your whole team. You guys are the ones that keep this bird in the sky. Hell, I remember when you lost your first team. You reformed the GMT out of sheer doggedness. Calling you a traitor is beyond low. Makes me want to punch that bastard in the face."
"I appreciate that."
Billy squinted at him. "You didn't come here to see what side I'm on, did you?"
CB couldn't help but grin. "Notice I haven't asked."
"Good. I would have been insulted if you had. So why are you here? You said something about a favor?"
CB hesitated. "It's risky."
Billy let out a boisterous laugh. "I spend every day of my life serving booze to the roughest crowd in the city. I may not be running around the surface fighting vampires, but I've been knocked on my ass a few times. It'll take more than a politician to scare me out of helping an old friend. What is it going to take to get the city running on track again?”
"Thanks, man. Listen, I intend to either fix this city or die trying. Either way, it's going to be over soon."
"Sounds good so far. What's my part?"
"I’m involved in a bit of a cat-and-mouse game with Fleming. I need some help keeping him off balance. If you can get a bunch of people from the Ridge to call in reports of me being spotted all over the city, it should buy me some time."
Billy chuckled. "Shit, I'd do that for fun. Give me a real challenge."
CB looked his old friend in the eyes. "Fleming's not playing. If he figures out the reports are false, he's not going to be happy. If he starts pushing too hard, just let it go. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."
"You're from the Ridge," Billy replied. "We've got your back. We'll shovel some major confusion Fleming's way. But if you think this whole thing's going to end without anyone else getting hurt, I'm afraid you're as delusional as Fleming."
CB looked away, but he knew his old friend was right.
14
A few minutes after sunrise, the doors to Agartha opened and a lightly armored truck rolled out. The vehicle had been designed to carry thirty passengers, but today it carried only seven. The supplies took up much of the space, but the truck was nowhere near capacity, and it sped along the tightly packed snow on the road at a good clip.
Owl glanced back over her shoulder at George. “Thanks for letting me drive.”
“No problem. I saw how you handled that rover the night before last. If there’s trouble, I want the best driver we have in control of the truck.”
Alex grinned. “Besides, I told him you get cranky if you go too long without having your hands on the wheel of some vehicle or other.”
Owl didn’t bother denying it.
Alex was in the passenger seat, and George was seated right behind them. The rest of the team was a little further back, but sound carried in the vehicle and Alex could easily hear all their conversations. She turned to George and Owl. “You two think you can get the ship up and running before sunset?”
“I certainly hope so,” George said. “Hopefully with plenty of time to spare. I need to get the truck back to Agartha tonight.”
Owl nodded her agreement. “The batteries will be easy. As long as you’re as good as we keep hearing, George, we’ll be fine. I wouldn’t think the repairs would take more than a few hours.”
None of them mentioned the other task on their plates. Jaden and his vampires hadn’t come home. That had to mean they’d run into trouble. Best-case scenario, they were holed up somewhere. But if they needed help, Alex didn’t even know where to begin searching for them. Jaden had saved her and her team from Ferals twice now. If she had the chance to help him and his team, she had to take it.
And what if it came to a choice? Board the away ship and save New Haven or try to find Jaden? She didn’t know the answer to that question. Probably because there was no good answer.
“Hey,” Owl said. “You taking in this view?”
The truck was driving along a ridge that gave Alex a clear view of the landscape below the mountain. The sun glinted off the snow on the trees below. The ground was a field of glittering white, broken only by a smattering of giant rocks. The unexpected beauty took her breath away.
Owl spoke in a low voice that only Alex could hear. “I know there’s a lot weighing on you. There has been for a while now. You take it all to heart, too. Always have since your first day on the job. That’s part of what makes you a good leader.”
Alex frowned, startled by the truth of those words.
“We have a hard job,” Owl continued. “A deadly job. I mean, Simmons. Drew. Beth. We’ve lost some of the best friends I’ve ever had. It’s easy to forget this job has its pe
rks, too.” She gestured out the windshield. “I mean, come on. How many people in New Haven have ever seen a view like that? Or how many in Agartha, for that matter?”
Alex stared at the snowy valley beyond the ridge and felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known in a while. She tried to relish the moment, to just get out of her head and enjoy it.
Then another thought crept in. There were Ferals buried under that snow, just waiting for sundown. Every one of them had been a person once, and every one of them would thoughtlessly tear any human they got their hands on to shreds.
The thought almost made her laugh. Even on this beautiful vista she couldn’t help but see the dangers and feel the closeness of death. But she appreciated what Owl was trying to do. “Thanks. You always know what to say to help me keep my head straight.”
Alex glanced back at George. He was staring out the windshield too, but he didn’t seem to be enjoying the view. His expression was drawn and he was rapidly tapping his foot, sending a ratta-tat-tat echoing through the vehicle.
Ed tapped him on the shoulder. “You all right, big guy?”
George looked surprised at the question. “What? Yes, of course.” After a brief pause, he resumed tapping his foot.
Ed touched his shoulder again. “No offense, man, but the foot thing is driving me nuts.”
George’s face reddened. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. I guess I’m a little edgy. I’ve never been this far from Agartha.”
“No kidding?” Patrick asked. He called over his shoulder. “You hear that, everybody? Our boy George is popping his cherry on this mission.”
George scowled, turning even redder. “Thanks for putting it so delicately.”
Patrick nudged his arm. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine. Just a couple things to keep in mind. One: don’t let a Feral rip you to pieces.”
George looked like he might be ill.
“Two,” Ed said, jumping in. “Don’t do anything that’ll get us ripped to pieces.”
Patrick nodded sagely. “Come to think of it, that’s probably more important than the first rule. Number three: if you see Ed crying in the corner like a scared little bitch, slap him in the face and tell him to man up.”
“Hey!” Ed shouted.
“That rule seems a bit sexist,” Owl called back. “Who’s to say a little bitch is more likely to cry in the face of danger than a man?”
Patrick shrugged. “I’m open to feedback.” He turned back to George. “Final rule: have fun. Also, don’t die. Rule four has two parts.”
Wesley called up to George from a seat near the back. “Don’t listen to him, George. Just concentrate on helping Owl fix our ship. We’ll take care of the rest.”
“Agreed,” Chuck said. “It’s dangerous out there, but so are we. Even those two idiots razzing you take care of business when it’s mission time.”
“Yep, we’ll take good care of you,” Ed agreed. “And you get bit by a Feral, we’ll blow your head off before you turn.”
“Wonderful,” George said.
Alex reached back and slapped him on the knee. “Relax, you’ll be fine. Remember, you volunteered for this mission. Whatever happens, you’re going to have one hell of a story.”
Fleming sat at his desk, staring intensely at his radio, trying to comprehend the report that Kurtz had just given. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that? Because I’m positive I didn’t hear that right.”
Kurtz cleared his throat and spoke again. “We got a report that Colonel Brickman was spotted near the water-processing facility.”
Fleming gritted his teeth. “That’s what I thought you said. But that would be impossible, as we have him cornered in this building. The only way that could be accurate is if he somehow slipped past your people. Since you have the entire GMT and nearly every badge in the city outside, tell me how that could happen.”
There was a long pause, then Kurtz said, “I don’t know, sir.”
Fleming slammed his hand on the desk. “Then you’d better fucking find out!”
Sarah watched all this as she picked at her nails, a habit she had given up five years before. She got up and spoke into the radio. “Give us a couple minutes, Kurtz.”
She clicked the radio off without waiting for a reply. She’d tried being the faithful employee, the trustworthy friend, and even the doting woman for Fleming. But she was beginning to realize that wasn’t what he needed right now. He needed her to be the stern mother.
He stared at the radio in disbelief. “How dare you just—”
“Shut up. Another outburst isn’t going to get you out of this situation.”
He looked up at her, shocked. “Outburst? What else am I supposed to do? Have you seen the incompetence I’m dealing with? If we can’t even control this ship, how the hell am I supposed to take back a planet?”
“Let me ask you a question,” she said, keeping her voice as calm as possible. “Is Kurtz in charge of this city?”
“Of course not.”
“That’s right. Kurtz isn’t in charge. You are. If Kurtz isn’t cutting it, fire him and get someone who can do the job. But that’s a problem for tomorrow.” She slid around the desk, then leaned against it. “For today, the city needs you to do what you do best. We need you to be the man you were when you took control of this city. The one I took a bullet for. I need you to use your head, think it through, and problem-solve.”
He squinted up at her, still angry, but at least coherent now. “What do you think I’ve been doing? There’s a thousand problems coming at me every hour. How am I supposed to—”
“Then deal with them one at a time. Start with CB. Supposedly he’s in this building and at the water-treatment facility. At least one of those things isn’t true. Think it through.”
He glared up at her, and for a moment she thought he was going to slap her. Then his radio chirped again, and Kurtz’s voice came through. “Sorry to bother you again, sir. We’ve had another report. CB’s been spotted in the agricultural sector.”
Fleming looked confused. Then a slow smile spread across his face. “Thank you, Sarah. You’re right. I let my emotions get the best of me. I need to concentrate on what I do best. And if Colonel Brickman thinks he’s going to outthink me, he’s going to be viciously disappointed.”
Sarah nodded. “I can’t wait to see you smash him.”
Fleming picked up the radio. “Kurtz, ignore the CB sightings. They’re false reports. He’s trying to play us.”
Kurtz’s voice sounded hesitant when he answered. “Are you sure, sir?”
“Yes. And I’m not so sure he was in this building, either.” He closed his eyes and was silent for a moment as he thought. “Here’s what I want you to do. First, try to get the names of anyone who calls in a CB sighting. There’ll be a price for those traitors to pay when this is all over. Second, find someone we can trust in engineering and work with them to figure out how CB hacked into the security network. That may not be the last breach. I want every network room monitored. And if the door to any of them opens without authorization, I want you to bring the GMT down on the intruder’s head before they make it two steps into the room. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Kurtz immediately replied.
“Good. Make it happen.” He clicked off the radio without waiting for a sign-off from the colonel.
Sarah smiled at Fleming, a true smile that made her eyes shine.
“What is it?” he asked her.
“It’s good to have you back, sir.”
Owl glanced over at Alex as the truck pulled into the old city of Denver. “This is going better than expected. Should I be worried?”
Alex shrugged. “Probably. But let’s not complain. Enjoy the good luck while you can.”
The road to Denver had been surprisingly clear. Jaden and his vampires must have pushed aside most of the obstacles, leaving the way open for the GMT’s smaller borrowed vehicle.
Owl slowed the truck as they approached the city center.
Suburban homes and smaller commercial buildings gave way to larger structures as they approached the crash site.
“Sure is different driving in,” Owl mused. “You get a better sense of the size of the city.”
Alex nodded her agreement. The sprawl of the city was hard to ignore when you were driving through it. The only other time she’d driven through the city, she’d been so focused on getting to Agartha before sundown that she hadn’t really taken it all in. She imagined what life would have been like before the infestation, maybe being a person who lived outside the city and drove in to work every day. This highway would have been crowded with cars. It must have been noisy then. Though the noise would have been preferable to the oppressive, dead silence that hung over the city now.
A few minutes later, Owl pulled to a stop near the away ship’s landing site. One glance out the window revealed that much had changed since their last visit.
She glanced at Owl. “Stay in the truck with George for now. Until we know it's safe.”
Owl nodded, her eyes fixed out the windshield. “Safe isn’t the word that comes to mind when I see that.”
Alex felt the same way. She turned to the team. “Everybody stay frosty. We have no idea what we’re walking into out there.” With that, she stepped out of the vehicle and took a good look around.
The last time she’d been here, the area had had the same dilapidated, abandoned look of the dozens of cities she’d traveled to in her time with the GMT. Now it looked different. There was fresh destruction. The place looked like a warzone.
Patrick cocked a thumb to his left. “Um, didn’t there use to be a building there?”
Alex didn’t answer. Instead, she headed toward the crater that now sat where the water-treatment building had stood.
“What could have done this?” Chuck asked.
“One hell of a lot of explosives,” Wesley replied.
That was Alex’s assessment as well. She turned to the parking lot and saw the transport truck Jaden’s team had used. It lay on its side, a mangled wreck. Looking around the parking lot, she saw signs of a fight. Doors had been ripped from the surrounding buildings, and bullet holes peppered the rusted remains of ancient cars. Most of the windows were broken in the surrounding buildings, and the fire escapes were twisted and misshapen.
