Sepia Blue- Nameless: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 4

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  Gan’s faced darkened as he searched the dojo floor.

  “She’s not here,” Gan said in an almost whisper. “Where is she?”

  “How can you keep her safe, if she’s not here?” Rafael asked gently. “Where is she?”

  Gan’s hands began to pulse with violet power.

  “You took her,” Gan said, looking down. “Give her back.”

  “If you want to see Sepia again, you’re going to need to leave this place.”

  “Where did you take her?”

  “She’s not far,” Rafael said. “All you need to do is come with—”

  A fist covered in violet energy nearly removed Rafael’s head as Gan closed the distance instantly. Rafael just managed to evade the attack by sliding to the side and ducking.

  “Bring her back,” Gan said as the violet energy slowly crept up his arms. “Bring her back, now.”

  “I’d rather take you to her,” Rafael said, backing up slowly. “Can we do that? I can take you to where she is.”

  “No,” Gan said with finality. “Bring her back, or I will kill you. You let them give Velos a dark blade so that he could kill her. This is your fault.”

  More progress. Gan’s memory was returning in snippets and pieces. Unfortunately the pieces that were resurfacing painted Rafael in a negative light.

  “No, that wasn’t me, but Velos does want to hurt Sepia,” Rafael said. “Come with me and we can stop him.”

  “Go with you?” Gan asked as the violet energy now covered his entire body. “You sent Velos after Sepia. I will kill you, and then Velos.”

  “I didn’t send Velos,” Rafael said, circling around the dojo floor. “That was Regional. Someone else wants Sepia gone. Help me find out who it is.”

  “You’re a Director…Raf…Rafael,” Gan managed with some effort. “You’re responsible.”

  “At least you remember my name,” Rafael said. “Any chance you remember I saved your life a few times?”

  “I’ll make sure to inscribe that on your tombstone when I bury you.”

  “Thoughtful of you, but pass,” Rafael said, shaking out his arms. “Fine, you pigheaded fool. You force my hand. I’ll beat you back to reality if that’s what it takes.”

  A deep golden light covered Rafael’s hands as he slid into a defensive stance.

  Gan stepped forward, leading with an open palm aimed at Rafael’s chest. Rafael parried the strike with his bladehand, forcing Gan’s hand outward in a large arc.

  Gan rotated into the parry lashing out with his other arm, slapping Rafael across the shoulder. Rafael spun as the slap sent him across the floor. Gan closed the distance.

  His stonehand is stronger in here. I can’t let him hit me again.

  “Return Sepia or die,” Gan said, increasing the violet energy around his body. “Now.”

  “I’m sorry, old friend, but you leave me no choice,” Rafael said as he traced a ward symbol in the air. “This should be over soon enough.”

  The ward symbol flared with golden light as Rafael attacked. His bladehand struck at Gan’s major joints—he made sure to cut, but not sever. Even in a mental construct, Gan would adhere to the laws of anatomy and physics he was familiar with. Rafael intensified his attack until Gan could only react to his strikes.

  Gan tried to press an attack, but the ward Rafael had used prevented Gan from advancing against him. Rafael cut through muscle and tendons until Gan could no longer use his arms.

  A moment later, he was completely healed.

  “Shit, Gan, stop this,” Rafael said, backing up. “You need to stop.”

  “Once you bring me Sepia and you’re dead, I’ll stop.”

  “You want Sepia?” Rafael asked. “Then come get her.”

  Rafael jumped out of the window and into the zen garden. Gan followed him, slamming a palm into one of the large boulders, shattering it. Rafael ran across the garden and over to a thin, narrow wooden silver-colored bridge. It was wide enough for one person to cross at a time. It was the mental construct of the ward bridge Deb was maintaining—all Rafael needed to do was get Gan across it and he would recover from the stasis.

  “Stop running,” Gan said as he gave chase. “All you’re going to do is die exhausted.”

  “You have to catch up first, old man,” Rafael called out as he sped ahead to the bridge. “If you really cared about Sepia, you wouldn’t have lost her.”

  Gan roared from behind him.

  “That may have been a bit much,” Rafael muttered to himself as he ran across the bridge. Then he yelled, “She’s just over here, if you think you’re brave enough to get her!”

  Gan caught up to Rafael instantly.

  “Where is she?” Gan asked as he grabbed Rafael by the arm and squeezed. “I suggest you tell me before I rip your arm off.”

  Even though it was a mental battlefield, the pain was real. What was pain if not electrical signals conveyed to the brain along neural pathways? Everything happening in Gan’s mind existed along the neural pathways of both men due to the ward bond and ward bridge that connected them.

  “If you promise to make it quick,” Rafael said. “I’ll take you to her. She’s just over there.” Rafael pointed to the other end of the bridge. “She’s right over there.”

  “If you’re lying to me, you’ll suffer before the end.”

  “We just have to cross over, and then you’ll see her,” Rafael assured him. “Just over the bridge.”

  Gan ran across the bridge, pulling Rafael like a rag doll, his grip never lessening in intensity. He crossed over to the other side of the bridge and looked around.

  “Where is she?” Gan asked, getting angrier by the second. “Where is she?”

  “Right here,” Rafael said, striking Gan in the temple with one hand as he slashed down at the bridge with the other. “Closer than you think.”

  Rafael came to with a start and opened his eyes. Deborah lay on the floor, groaning. He went over to where she lay and helped her up and into the chair. Gan groaned from the bed.

  “Where’s Blueberry?” Gan asked, holding his head. “Oh, my head. What did you do?”

  “I second that question,” Deb said from the chair. “My head.”

  “I had to sever the bridge forcibly,” Rafael said. “Apologies.”

  “Can we not do that ever again?” Deb said, rubbing her temples. “My brain needs medication, stat.”

  “Where did you say she was?” Gan asked, with another groan. “What the hell did you do?”

  “She’s in the Park,” Rafael said with a sigh. “I did what was necessary to bring you back.”

  “Rafael, why do I have this overpowering desire to pummel you?” Gan asked, and then looked at Deborah. “Who’s this?”

  “When is that different from any other time?” Rafael asked. “This is Nurse Stern, the future head of this department. She helped facilitate your recall procedure and current retrieval—at great personal risk, I might add.”

  “I’m in your debt, Nurse Stern,” Gan said, gathering his clothes. “I have a few matters to tend to. If I survive those, I’ll be back to repay my debt. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Deborah said, regaining her composure. “The Director and I have an agreement.”

  “Don’t you think you should stay here and recover for a few hours at least?” Rafael asked. “You just underwent a recall procedure.”

  “Was it a success?” Gan asked, looking at Deborah. “Did the doctor pull it off?”

  “Absolutely,” Deborah said. “We just didn’t understand why you wouldn’t regain consciousness.”

  “Defensive mechanism,” Gan answered. “It seems I overcompensated and went too deep, but I’m fine now.” He looked at Rafael. “Are you coming, or do you need to recover?”

  “The thanks I get,” Rafael said, before turning to Deborah. “Thank you, truly. We really must go, but I won’t forget what you did here today.”

  Deborah nodded and left the room, slightly shaken.

&
nbsp; “The Nameless is in play,” Gan said. “We need to get to Sepia before it’s too late.”

  “Do you know a fast way to the Hunter’s Keep?” Rafael asked. “We would be approaching in daylight.”

  “Safer than nighttime,” Gan answered. “I know a few ways. Just let me get back to Gray HQ.”

  “About that,” Rafael said, putting a hand on Gan’s shoulder. “You may want to reconsider that visit.”

  “What happened?”

  “After Velos made off with the Nameless, you weren’t exactly hailed as the conquering hero.”

  “There are other ways,” Gan said, “without contacting the Gray. Whatever we do, we can’t let that sword fall into the hands of the Unholy.”

  “We have to accept that as one of the possibilities,” Rafael said. “You’ve been out for some time. Sepia…”

  “Tell me,” Gan said, his voice hard. “What happened to her?”

  “There was an immense energy spike in the Park recently,” Rafael said. “I think Sepia may have transformed into the Jade Demon.”

  TWENTY-NINE

  Cade met with Hep at the entrance to the Park at 59th Street and Columbus Circle. Hep was carrying a small briefcase and had a long storage tube strapped to his back, matching the one Cade wore.

  “Thanks for moving so fast on this,” Cade said as they stepped into the Park. Even during the day, no one ventured into the Park without risking their lives. “I’m impressed. I know you could’ve used more time. There just isn’t any.”

  “I understand—even though I was somewhat sidetracked by that pair of Sisters you had me escort home,” Hep said. “Did you know one of them had faced a Drinker?”

  “Which was why I called you,” Cade said. “The aftereffects of tangling with a Drinker can be severe. She’s lucky to be alive.”

  “I heard some of that luck had to do with a well-placed shot by a certain gunman,” Hep said, glancing sidelong at Cade. “I made sure they got back to their compound in one piece. You ever meet their leader, Anna?”

  “No, thanks. I’ve heard the rumors about her,” Cade said, shaking his head. “So, did you manage to get it ready?”

  “Without an actual rift, there’s no way to really know,” Hep answered, handing Cade the tube. “Are you sure you really want to use this?”

  “Want to? No,” Cade answered, adjusting the second tube on his back. “Have to, yes. Sepia is in the Park. Velos and his dark blade is here too. This may be the only way to even the odds.”

  “Every documented use of a rift gun has ended in the shooter’s death,” Hep said. “You plan on taking down Velos on your own?”

  “Unlikely,” Cade said. “I’m not a Hunter and don’t wield a sword. I have a feeling that he’ll find Sepia and try to take her blade.”

  “She’d die before giving up her blade.”

  “Then you know the same Sepia I do,” Cade told him, his face dark. “I’m here to give her a chance to stop him. I’m her gunman—that’s my job.”

  “The rift gun has a double-action trigger,” Hep said. “Do you know how those work?”

  “As I said, I’m a gunman,” Cade said, giving Hep a look. “I think I have an idea.”

  “First pull activates the round, second pull releases it,” Hep said, raising a hand. “Just making sure. If it works, and that’s a big if, you’ll feel the siphon on the first pull. Try not to pass out between pulls. I’ve heard it can happen.”

  “First pull drains and loads the round, second pull fires. Got it.”

  “Whatever you do, try and avoid firing consecutive rounds,” Hep said. “You’ll get caught up in an energy loop and before you know it, you’ll fire a round and—”

  “It’ll be the last round I fire,” Cade finished. “Understood.”

  Hep nodded.

  “You still need a rift,” Hep said, handing Cade the small briefcase and tapping the side lightly. “Rift locations according to elevations and a one-shot mobile drilling apparatus, good for two hundred feet. I’m going to guess you’re going to need the rift fissures near the Keep?”

  “I do.”

  “I took the liberty of marking the locations of those rifts that are closest to the Keep,” Hep said. “Some of them even give you excellent firing positions on the Keep itself, provided that’s where everything is happening.”

  “I think it will be, yes.”

  “All you have to do is get into position, and remain undetected while avoiding the Unholy that will want to shred you to little gunman pieces.”

  “Walk in the park—literally.”

  “Coms won’t really work in there, but I included a flare gun,” Hep said. “If things get bad, really bad, use it. Someone will show up.”

  “Someone?”

  “I’m not the cavalry type,” Hep said, pointing to himself. “Not built for it. There are, however, individuals who owe me favors. I’m calling in some of them for this, because I like Sepia.”

  “Just Sepia?” Cade said with half a smile. “Now my feelings are all hurt.”

  “I tolerate you, but don’t take it personally,” Hep said. “We’ve never fought, so I don’t know you that well. Her, I know and respect. So if helping you will keep her alive and safe, I’ll do so to the best of my ability.”

  “Thank you,” Cade said, extending a hand. “I appreciate it, really.”

  Hep took Cade’s hand in his massive fist and shook it.

  “Bring her back in one piece, and don’t get dead.”

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Cade said. “You better get going before someone mistakes you for an Unholy.”

  Hep laughed and clapped Cade on the shoulder, before becoming serious again.

  “Be careful in here, gunman. Daytime is better than night, but the place is still deadly.”

  Cade nodded, moving deeper into the Park and leaving Hep behind.

  He walked for some time, avoiding the Unholy and using cover as he approached the Hunter’s Keep. He’d ducked behind a small rock formation to review the rift map for an elevated firing position on the Keep when he heard the roar.

  “That can’t possibly be good,” Cade muttered as he climbed onto one of the positions marked on the map. He removed the drilling apparatus, which contained a small charge, and placed it over the location where the map indicated a sealed rift fissure close to the surface.

  He moved rocks and debris over the apparatus to muffle some of the sound before detonating the charge. With a low whomp, a small section of a rift fissure was uncovered. Cade could see the glowing, green energy racing beneath the surface. The smell of sulfur and almonds hung in the air around the recently created crack in the ground.

  Cade silently, but quickly, removed the rift gun from the tube.

  Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion.

  The rift gun was similar to his rifle in every respect except for the ammunition.

  There was no space for a magazine.

  The gun was designed to be placed in proximity to the rift. The barrel would slowly transform in color to indicate the level of rift energy contained in a siphoning receptacle near the grip.

  Once the threshold level was reached, the shooter could fire a rift round—a combination of rift and life energy. These rounds were lethal to the Unholy, destroying them by severing their connection to their source of life: the rift.

  The lethality to the shooter came from firing too many rounds on a rift gun. The wards on the gun acted as a siphon, draining the life of the shooter with each round fired.

  “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Cade said, placing the rift gun over the fissure. “I really hope Hep got this thing right.”

  The wards on the stock came to life immediately, draining his energy and feeding the gun. The energy from the rift funneled into the siphoning receptacle, and the barrel slowly transformed from black to a deep green.

  Cade looked through the scope and cursed. Velos was closing in on someone or something that looked like Se
pia. Half of her face was covered in a green haze. It took him a few moments to realize that he was looking at Sepia in her Jade Demon form. She may have been changed—drastically changed—but he knew her movements. It also helped that Calisto was sitting behind her and not fighting for her life. Meaning the dragon-lizard was a friendly.

  Sepia had become the Jade Demon.

  “Shit, Blue,” Cade muttered, not taking his eye off the scope. “What have you done?”

  He lined up his shot and only moved his head once, to gauge the level of energy in the rift gun. He reacquired his target, let out a long breath and pulled the double-action trigger.

  First pull.

  The energy drain was immense as he felt the life force escape his body. It mixed with the rift energy in the siphoning receptacle, as the wards grew brighter, forming a rift round of solidified energy. Cade’s vision clouded for a few seconds as a wave of vertigo hit him.

  A few deep breaths later, he managed to get himself under control and refocused on his target. He looked at the monster Sepia had become, and cursed.

  “Forgive me, Sepia.”

  Second pull.

  The unexpected siphon of energy was greater this time, causing Cade to reflexively shift his hands in response. The rifle deviated slightly as the round whispered out of the barrel and headed for its target.

  “Shit,” Cade managed before the world became black and he lost consciousness.

  THIRTY

  I managed to keep my body under control as the scales fully covered my skin.

  Perdition hummed in my hands as Velos closed in on my position. I heard the shot and rolled to the side as Velos’ shoulder exploded in green energy. The nimbus of black energy reacted immediately, covering the wound.

  Velos dropped Retribution, reabsorbing and forming it in his other hand.

  Beneath the black energy covering the wound, I could see the green glow persist. The feel of the energy was familiar.

  The rift.

  “It would seem your gunman is still alive,” Velos said. “I don’t know how he kept you alive on the streets. He should have aimed for my head.”