War Of The Four Worlds

by Michael Anderle

  Trey yanked the thug’s head down and brought up his knee, and blood blurted from the thug’s face as his nose broke. Two brutal follow-up blows robbed the man of his consciousness. Trey let the trash fall to the ground where he belonged.

  The remaining conscious looters moaned in pain, backing away from Trey.

  “If you didn’t win with all your guys, you ain’t gonna win with fewer,” Trey observed. “That’s just fucking math, bitch.”

  The men not grimacing in pain glared at Trey.

  “I’m not gonna waste your asses,” he explained, “because I don’t want my nana walking outside her house and finding bodies. She’s having a hard time right now, and she don’t need that shit.” He kicked Mr. Skull Tattoo, and his body rolled over. “So unless you assholes want me to beat you all down, you take your wounded, you get in your truck and you never, ever come back here. You dumb motherfuckers should get the fuck out of the city before you get your asses nuked.”

  The grimacing thugs picked up their wounded and backed slowly toward their truck, their gazes locked on Trey.

  Trey watched them go, his hands twitching and ready to go for his gun if they decided to be stupid. They loaded into their truck, piling their unconscious men in the back seat. The truck roared to life and sped down the street.

  A military drone skimming the nearby roofs zoomed after the truck.

  Trey sighed, then hurried back to the porch and opened the front door. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  “What if they come back?” Nana Garfield asked.

  “They ain’t coming back. They lucky if the National Guard don’t gun their asses down.” Trey offered his hand. “But I wanted to make it clear that no one messes with my nana’s house.”

  Two hours later, Zoe and the Garfields were halfway to Vegas on I-15N. Nana Garfield slept in the backseat, snoring loudly.

  Zoe had been smirking at Trey for the last ten minutes.

  “What?” Trey finally asked. “Why you looking at me like that? It’s making me nervous.”

  “Oh, my little supernova, you continue to impress. You drove back into great danger for a relative who was ready to die.”

  Trey scoffed. “I ain’t leaving my nana to get vaporized and shit, that’s for fucking sure. And what about you? You came with me. Who’s dumber? The person who does dumb shit, or the person who follows them?”

  Zoe laughed, the sound almost musical. “A good question. I think I’ve spent too many years forgetting what it means to truly live. With you, I feel alive again, and it’s not just your energy. It’ll be fun having your relatives stay with us.” She smiled at Nana Garfield. “My world’s more interesting with you around, Trey.”

  Trey grinned. “Glad to hear that.”

  Okay, I’ve taken care of what’s mine. Now it’s up to you, big man. I don’t know what you can do, but if you can do anything, save Nana’s house.

  Shit, might as well save the rest of LA while you’re at it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  James had never thought he would so look forward to a meeting, but after a day of sitting around in the barracks room, doing anything, even going to another room, sounded like a good idea, even with Shay distracting him.

  An armed airman escorted James through the maze-like hallways of one of the base buildings.

  I just want this shit over, and we still have several more days before that fucker shows up. I can’t even concentrate on barbeque. Fuck. That’s just messed up.

  Fucking Vax. Invade my planet and distract me from barbeque?

  The airman escorting James gestured to an open door as they arrived at their location.

  Senator Johnston sat inside, along with several military officers and various other people in suits James didn’t recognize or care about. They were in the middle of an animated discussion when he entered. Everyone stopped talking and looked at him.

  James grunted and sat in an empty corner seat.

  “Thank you for joining us, Mr. Brownstone,” Senator Johnston offered. “I’ll cut through the bullshit. Our boy on Oriceran is no longer doing his tourist imitation. He’s now started jumping, taking these big leaps like we’ve seen you do. It’s not the most graceful thing in the world, but he’s definitely sped up. Way up.”

  James frowned. “How soon until he hits that resonance place?”

  “By our current estimates, twelve hours.”

  “Do you have any idea where he might come out?” James’ hands curled into fists under the table. Twelve hours until he met one of his people. Twelve hours until he found out if he had a destiny, or if he would just be another victim of the Vax.

  Senator Johnston nodded. “Sometimes luck smirks a little even as she’s kicking you in the balls. The Oricerans have pinpointed what they believe is a possible exit point. It’s likely going to be near USC.”

  James frowned. “Near USC? I don’t think I came to Earth originally near USC unless shit was way different thirty years ago.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, son. I’m just telling you what the magical folks have told me. They passed along a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but it all amounts to that’s their best guess.”

  “We should get me over there then.”

  “Not yet,” General Hallwell, the base commander, interjected. “That’s not a good plan.”

  James furrowed his brow. “If we know where he’s gonna come out, why not let me be there to welcome his ass to Earth Brownstone-style?”

  “This Oriceran intelligence comes with caveats,” the general replied. “We’ve discussed this with Senator Johnston, and we don’t think it’s a good idea. You have to understand, Mr. Brownstone, the evacuation, as well as it’s gone, is still far from complete. Thousands of civilians remain in LA. The Army is making sure the area near USC is clear, but we need you to remain on standby until such time as the bastard comes through and we know his exact position. Everything we know about Vax military capabilities suggests he’ll be able to initiate an immediate offensive. We don’t want to waste precious minutes.”

  Senator Johnston nodded. “I concur.”

  James’ gaze swept the table and passed over all the concerned government officials and military officers. “I’ve got a better suggestion if this is about getting me to him for quicker ass-kicking.”

  “We’re listening.”

  “Put me up in a chopper here about an hour before the bastard hits the resonance zone. If I’m already in the air, the chopper can take me wherever he shows up. I’ll be ready.” James growled. “And I’ll make this fucker regret ever setting foot on Earth.”

  General Hallwell nodded and turned to a major sitting beside him. “Get that going.”

  The other officer stood and rushed out of the room.

  Senator Johnston also stood. “I suppose I need to get ready for my part in this.”

  “Which is what?” James asked.

  “Keeping the Nine Systems Alliance honest,” Senator Johnston explained. “Let’s just say I give you my personal guarantee that the only thing you’ll need to deal with, son, is your disagreeable relative.”

  James grunted. “Good. I don’t want to have to watch my fucking back. You sure you can do that, though?”

  “Of course. We hired the best people to get us what we needed to be ready for the Alliance, just like we’ve hired the best people to help us fight the Vax.” Senator Johnston opened the door. “I’m hoping that by tonight you can go back to worrying about your wedding plans, Mr. Brownstone. I got the Save-the-Date, by the way. I do appreciate it.”

  “No problem,” James rumbled. “Don’t worry. Our venue’s not gonna be in LA. Even if this place gets blown up, we’re good.”

  Senator Johnston laughed. “Well, now, that’s one positive way to spin the situation.”

  Fleet Commander Laralan stared at the holographic image of Earth floating in front of him as he sat in his command chair on the bridge. He wouldn’t deny the beauty of the blue planet. It was cruel fortune that had for
ced him to lead this fleet to the system on a mission of destruction.

  Maybe the Spirits chose me to make up for the last Shepherd’s mistake.

  Other than being the same species as the last Shepherd, the commander had no relationship to her. He hadn’t even suffered like she had, having lived far away from any world ravaged by the Vax.

  Still, the commander kept returning to the same conclusion. If Aiyn or her successor had done their jobs, Brownstone would no longer be on Earth, and Laralan wouldn’t be forced into having to order its bombardment.

  Clicks and buzzes sounded from his insectoid Techain helmsman, the sounds hollow inside his breather helmet. “In position, Commander,” came the translation. His clawed, jointed fingers made several quick motions in the air, manipulating virtual controls only he could see thanks to projections inside his helmet.

  “Show me,” Laralan ordered.

  The holographic image of the Earth was replaced by an overlay graphic indicating the fleet was near the planet’s moon. They were preparing for a hard burn that would allow them to establish a proper geostationary orbit over the target city. From there, it was a simple matter of initiating the bombardment.

  Laralan narrowed his eyes. Shepherd 8224’s last report indicated that thousands of civilians remained in the city.

  May the Spirits forgive me for what I’m about to do.

  Chapter Twenty

  James tossed his coat and holster on the desk in the barracks room. There was no reason to bring a gun to fight the Purifier.

  Shay sat on the edge of the bed with a frown on her face. “I still wish I could help you.”

  “Some fights a man has to undertake by himself,” James replied. “They’re going to come here in a few minutes to get me to the helicopter. I’m sure if I asked Johnston, he could airlift you out of Los Angeles.”

  Shay snorted. “No fucking way.” She smirked. “You just want an excuse, don’t you?”

  “Huh? An excuse? What are you talking about?”

  Shay hopped off the bed and pointed at him. “An excuse to lose.”

  James grunted. “I’m not looking for an excuse to lose. I just thought it’d be safer for you.”

  “No. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want, even for a second, some part of your mind to think you have an out. If I’m gone, you might think, ‘Hey, I can always fall back.’” Shay shook her finger. “That goes for the wish, too. That’s Alison’s. Don’t be a pussy and steal it just because the Purifier gets in a few good hits.”

  “If I have to use the wish to survive, the fight would just end with him kicking my ass a second time anyway.” James shrugged. “I’ll take him out without it.”

  In truth, the only time he’d even thought of the wish lately was when he was talking to Shay about fighting the Drow. She was right. Any fight he approached thinking he might have a backup or a reset for was a fight he was already losing mentally. That might not be a problem normally because he outclassed almost everyone he ran into, but going up against another Vax, he would need to go into battle thinking there were only two choices: victory or death.

  Shay walked up to him and put her hands on his cheeks. “You just win, damn it. You pound this fucker into tiny little pieces until no one can even figure out what he originally was, and then you come back to me. Because I love you, and I didn’t love anyone before I met you. Shit, I didn’t even love myself. Don’t make me fucking regret that, and don’t think I can’t figure out a way to chase you into the afterlife to harass you for fucking this up.”

  James grinned. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Shay pressed her mouth to his for a deep kiss, and its heat blew out the few other worries James had. He reluctantly pulled away.

  “I love you too, Shay,” James replied, the low bass of his voice almost a growl.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Mr. Brownstone, the helicopter’s ready for you.”

  Shay reached into her pocket and pulled out three small rings. She offered them to him in his palm. “All magic. Mostly glorified night lights, but I always carry a few on me in case you need a little boost. You know what you need to do.”

  James scooped up the rings and put them in his pocket.

  It was time. He reached under his shirt and removed the spacer.

  The pain of the bonding was like a distant dream as James’ thoughts focused on everything he had to defend: his church, his city, his woman, his daughter, his planet. He had been born a Vax, but he had lived his life as a human, and it was time to prove his loyalty.

  Not only that, it was time to prove who was the toughest son of a bitch on the planet.

  Initiation, Whispy sent.

  It’s time to achieve the primary directive. It’s time to waste another Vax symbiont.

  Yessss, Whispy hissed in satisfaction.

  “That’s all well and good, Angus,” the President explained over the phone, “and winning against both sets of aliens sounds at least possible, but we still have to consider the aftermath and how it might change things. It does us no good to solve this situation, only to have planetary riots the next day.”

  “Yes, sir,” Senator Johnston replied as he marched down the hallway. An open portal stood at the end, four wizards from the PDA standing to either side. “I’m well aware of that, but I can assure you we not only have our top magical personnel on the issue, but the Oricerans have been very generous in terms of providing additional magical resources for all the illusion magic we need.”

  The President sighed. “I still don’t understand. Won’t people know because of what has happened on Oriceran? Your reports have been unclear on that.”

  “That’s the funny thing. They’re not so keen to advertise what’s going on either, and Ambassador Yona assures me they’ll take care of everything on their end. The truth is, strange, powerful beings aren’t as much an oddity there.” Senator Johnston adjusted his phone slightly for comfort. “So, yes, the attack will be discussed, but as long as we win here, they can write it off on their end with a cover story about sending the enemy to the World in Between. It’s not like they have websites blasting news 24/7 over there. In some ways, it’s easier to manage the spread of information there despite all the magic.”

  The President sighed. “And what about satellites?”

  “Right now, one of the most impressive illusions in probably hundreds of years is covering greater LA area. It’s not like we can hide that magical signature, but the Broken Wand excuse gives people a reason to understand why they might sense it. We’ve also initiated warding and other techniques to keep the truth to people on a need-to-know basis.” Senator Johnston slowed to a stop in front of the portal. “If all goes well, no one who doesn’t need to know will ever find out what happened. Yes, there will be conspiracy theories for years, but they’ll never figure it out. Who could even believe the truth? Different aliens, Brownstone being an alien? Hell, I barely believe it, and I know it’s true.”

  “And if it goes wrong?”

  Senator Johnston laughed. “Well, that’s what I’m for, now, isn’t it? Don’t worry, sir, we’ve got this handled. I’ve got to get going. It’s time for me to go meet our other new friends.”

  An opaque dark portal ripped open over a sidewalk near the corner of Jefferson and Vermont. Any other day, hundreds of witnesses have would been present to gawk at the unusual sight. That day, only a few stray dogs across the street jerked their heads up from their bountiful feast to check out the strange phenomenon. The evacuation had left local garbage cans laden with delicious treats for the hungry animals.

  The metallic silver-green armored leg of the Purifier emerged through the portal, followed by the rest of his body. The dogs whimpered and fled, sensing the murderous intent of the new arrival. The portal closed behind the Vax.

  A few drones circled overhead, relaying their information to the military. They lasted for a few more seconds before the Vax blasted out energy bolts that ripped through them, reducing them to fallin
g chunks of melted metal and plastic.

  The Purifier’s loud roar sent the birds in nearby trees into the sky in a huge mass. The Vax didn’t bother firing at them. Instead, he turned toward a cement and brick apartment complex nestled in some trees nearby.

  The deadly alien channeled energy through both his arm blades and appendages. He released the built-up energy as one massive blast that screamed through the trees and struck the side of the apartment building. The massive explosion blew half the building apart, the shockwave knocking down several nearby trees.

  The Vax invasion of Earth had begun.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Commander Laralan strained against his seat straps. It was a bad habit from his younger days whenever a battle was approaching. An orbital bombardment might not constitute a true battle, but it was close enough for his heart and brain.

  The command center was a large triangular room with a half-dozen stations nestled in the heart of the ship. Most of the dark chairs didn’t look impressive, other than a few adaptive displays and controls on the armrests, but they all sent data feeds directly to ocular implants or generated active displays directly in front of the crew member manning the station. Virtual displays made it easy to customize the individual stations for missions.

  Commander Laralan didn’t see why they needed so much non-functional empty space, but from what he had read, Alliance psychological research had indicated that it was helpful for successful integration of the various different species who might serve on an Alliance ship. Not every species liked to be close to one another, and the ones who did, also didn’t mind the opposite.

  The commander tried to push the trivia out of his mind. It wasn’t long until their deadly mission. He’d participated in orbital bombardments before, but never against a target where so many civilians were still in place.