Holt approached him and gestured for Drachen to speak in private. Drachen barked an order to one his men and strolled closer to Holt. If possible, the man looked even more ill-tempered than normal. Holt knew it had been a long night after the attempt on the facility and Drachen would not soon forget the near failure.
Holt nodded to him and said, “Once they give you Crowley’s location, I want you to execute echo protocol.” Drachen’s eyes glittered like those of a serpent. He looked across the tarmac at Nathan, Alexis, and Bradley. Holt asked, “Something the matter?”
Drachen repositioned the pack on his shoulder. “Not at all. It will be done.”
Holt stepped aside to allow Drachen to pass. He fell in step behind him, prepared to see his alliance off.
“Do you see the way he’s looking at you?” Quinn whispered in Nathan’s ear.
Nathan ran his fingers along the underside of the kavendium reinforced wing and glanced across the tarmac at Drachen. Quinn asked, “Do you imagine their conversation bodes well for you?” Nathan looked askance at him. “Don’t look at me like that,” Quinn said, “If I’ve thought of it, I know you have. What happens once they have the location?”
Quinn moved around to his other side and placed hands on his shoulders. “What happens to you once they don’t need you anymore?” Nathan rubbed the back of his neck. “You know what happens,” Quinn said, “You know what happens to sources who have outlived their usefulness.” Quinn ran his thumb across his throat in a slicing motion.
Nathan stepped out from under the wing of the Raptor and found Bradley. Their eyes locked and Nathan recognized the fear there. Quinn asked, “What happens to him? Assuming he holds up long enough to lead them to San Duhamel, what then? You know how this ends.”
Quinn waved toward the Raptors. “Open your eyes, Miller. See beyond your blind thirst for vengeance. This is restricted military grade weaponry, and Holt acquired it in little more than two days. Someone with that kind of pull could also find the best private contractors and mercenaries to use it. Do you think Holt is where he is because he allows people to maintain leverage over him?”
Quinn looked over at Holt. “You tell yourself you’re on this mission because you know Crowley’s location, and Holt needs it. But, do you believe it? It gnaws at you. With the reach Holt obviously has, he could find Crowley on his own. So why has he allowed you to pretend to hold leverage over him? What is Holt’s real endgame?”
“All right, listen up.” Drachen approached the Raptors with Holt trailing behind. “We’re wheels up in twenty.” He said, “For our civilian crew, this is your last chance to reconsider. The No Man’s Land is a known hell. Make no mistake, not everyone who goes will be coming back. If you want out, now’s the time.”
No one said anything. Drachen snorted and turned his attention to Nathan. “Suit yourself. Miller. We’ll need the coordinates once we’re in the air.”
Nathan stared at him. Quinn said, “He’s changing the terms. That wasn’t the deal.”
“You get the coordinates when we cross into California,” Nathan said, “That’s the deal.”
Drachen leered at him. “That was the deal. Deal’s been changed.”
Nathan growled. “Not by me.” He gestured to Alexis and Bradley and said, “Perhaps you’d like to find your precious stone without our help.”
Holt stepped forward. “Let’s not be hasty, Mr. Miller.”
“Then let’s not be changing the fucking terms of our agreement.” Nathan glared at them both.
“It’s a matter of mission safety,” Holt said, “If you will, Drachen, please explain.”
Drachen placed his hands on his hips, near the twin holsters strapped there. He said, “Once we enter No Man’s Land airspace, we won’t have long before the air force is all over our ass. And they will shoot first and ask questions later. We need to land fast and, given the remnant threat, we’d all like to land as close as possible to our target.”
“Bullshit,” Quinn said, “Holt can get us passage, but he can’t call off the dogs? Does that scan to you?”
Nathan nodded along with the explanation, then said, “Our original deal stands. You find out the coordinates when we’re over California or you don’t find them out at all.”
Quinn smiled. “That’s putting him in his place.”
“You stupid son of a—”
Holt placed a hand on Drachen’s chest to halt his advance. “We have a deal. If your teammates are okay with you needlessly risking their lives, then so am I.”
Nathan felt the eyes on him. Defiant, he set his jaw and turned on his heel. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
57
A glass bottle rolled down a steel staircase and echoed in the deserted factory. Chains swung from an overhead conveyor and clinked in Blur’s wake. His footprints marked the layer of dust accumulated since Pilgrim Steel closed its doors.
A door opened on the far side of the plant and Blur heard the loud clang as it swung shut. He stayed next to the outer walls and raced over for a closer look. An emaciated man shuffled through a shaft of sunlight. The man had no sense of urgency to his gait.
Blur sped past him and caused his long strands of white hair to whip away from his sunken eyes and gaunt cheekbones. The man’s only reaction was a wizened grin. He reached his hand out and rattled a set of hanging chains. “I know it’s you, Blur,” he said with a haunted voice, “And I don’t scare so you might as well come out.”
Blur rocketed up the staircase to a catwalk above the production floor. He zoomed along its length. The catwalk vibrated and made a hollow noise when Blur stopped and placed one hand on the railing. His face obscured by motion and low light, he said, “Hello, Grim. What are you doing here?” He vanished from sight and reappeared behind Grim. “Or can I guess?”
Grim made no attempt to turn around and a second later, Blur stood in front of him. The breeze from the movement tugged against Grim’s black garments. “Our master commands you return to face him.”
Blur scoffed. “He commands?” Blur vanished from sight again and appeared on the catwalk behind a set of chains. He swung the chains and said, “He commands and, like the rest of them, you listen.” He disappeared and hollered from the far end of the factory, “He no longer commands me!”
Blur ran past Grim and knocked him off balance. He stopped and smirked at him. His voice oscillated. “Tell me, why do you blindly follow his commands?”
“I owe him my life,” Grim answered.
“I owe him nothing.” Blur moved to within inches of Grim and whispered behind his ear, “Nothing.” He sped away and stood in front of him.
Grim said, “If you believe that, then you are as insane as they claim.”
“Watch yourself, old man. You’ll never see it coming.”
“Nor will you, I imagine.”
Blur shifted between two spots. He mocked Grim. “I’m a little insulted. I thought he would’ve at least sent his lapdog after me. Or maybe Ripper, but you? This makes me laugh.”
Grim stared at him with dead eyes. “Consider yourself lucky he wants you brought back alive.”
Blur circled him and created a minor vortex of air. “You can’t touch me, old man.”
“Who says I have to?”
Blur reached out his hand and grazed Grim with his fist. The tap sent Grim flying backward through the air. He tumbled through a hanging curtain of chains and collided against a cement wall. Grim rolled over and worked his dislocated jaw back into place without a sound.
Blur appeared in front of him and laughed. He tried to move again, but his legs gave out. Grim smiled at him. Blur collapsed to the ground and asked, “What did you do to me?”
Grim stood up and ran a finger across Blur’s forehead. His nail opened up a thin line of blood. “Do you feel that? I knew you would be stupid enough to touch me. Your precious legs are weakened—as are all your muscles.”
Blur widened his gaze and gra
sped at his limp legs. Grim said, “That would be the curare inhibiting the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in your neuromuscular junction. Your speed doesn’t do you much good if you can’t move.”
Grim patted his cheek. “Playtime is over, Blur. Time to go home.”
58
Alexis felt the harness dig into her shoulders. She sat in the back row of jump seats next to Nathan. In front of them, Bradley sat with one heavily armed guard on each side. In the cockpit, the pilot and Drachen rounded out the crew.
Outside, the second Raptor flew an additional seven soldiers. Despite the firepower, Alexis worried it would be nowhere near enough. A low hum resonated throughout the sleek interior. The distributed propulsion system far quieter than Alexis expected. She jostled in her seat from slight turbulence and leaned over to Nathan. “Who were you talking to last night?”
She watched his reaction. More turbulence shook the Raptor and Nathan gripped his seat tighter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” His voice left no doubt. He didn’t want to discuss it further.
Alexis pressed the issue anyway. “I heard you downstairs. It sounded like you were arguing with someone.”
“I wasn’t.” Nathan’s knuckles turned white from his death grip on the seat. “Must have been talking in my sleep.”
Alexis grinned. “Not much of a flier, are you?”
Another jolt of turbulence sent them both forward against their restraints. One guard dropped the rifle he had been clutching, and it rattled against the hull.
Nathan grunted. “I’m fine.” His color said otherwise.
Alexis looked forward out the windscreen. “We must be approaching the Rocky Mountains.” The Raptor bucked again. “Would account for the rough air.” She watched the guard carefully retrieve his weapon, then turned back to Nathan and lowered her voice, “You need to come clean with me, right now, before we land.”
Nathan screwed his face up in obvious discomfort. He narrowed his eyes at her and asked, “What do you think I need to confess?”
Alexis glanced toward the front of the craft before she whispered to him. “I’ve noticed you several times staring at nothing as if something were there. Now, last night, I know I heard you talking to no one.” They stared at each other. “Do you suffer from hallucinations, Miller?”
Nathan scoffed. “You’re crazy.”
“Am I?” Alexis said, “If you’re seeing things that aren’t there, we all deserve to know before we rely on you having our backs.” Nathan’s gaze slipped over her shoulder, and she watched him scowl. “There,” she raised her voice, “you just did it again.”
Turbulence shook the Raptor for several moments. Drachen hollered from the cockpit. “We’re over the Rockies now. We’ll need the coordinates soon, Miller.”
Nathan flared his nostrils and closed his eyes. Alexis waited for him to open them again. “The truth, Miller. Now.”
“I’m fine. Why do you think I’m not?”
Alexis said, “You mean aside from seeing things and talking to yourself?” She noticed one guard look cockeyed at them. Alexis lowered her voice, “How about you keeping the location a secret at the risk of us being shot down? Doesn’t exactly scream sanity, Miller.”
“Jesus Christ.” Nathan scoffed. “Is that what this is about? Don’t tell me you trust Holt now?”
“It isn’t about trust,” Alexis said, “This is about survival.”
“One and the same, darling.” Nathan squinted at her. “How long you figure we’d survive without leveraging the location? Even now, once we give it up our usefulness is at an end. If I were you, I’d keep my head on a swivel.”
Alexis turned away from him. “Your life experience has twisted your world view. I may not trust Holt, but not everyone is a murderer.”
Nathan said, “Look around you, these look like the trappings of pacifists?”
Drachen hollered back at them. “Border is five minutes out. How about a sneak peek of those coordinates?”
Nathan grit his teeth. “You can have them in five minutes.”
“Enough,” Alexis said, “if you’re not going to tell him, then I will.” She felt Nathan’s hand on her arm and caught his hard stare. He shook his head in warning. Alexis sighed. “I don’t feel like being shot down today, Miller.”
He rolled his eyes. “You won’t be. Air Force has been patrolling these skies for what, six years now? And most days, not a fucking thing happens. I guarantee they’ve grown lax in their duties.” Nathan smirked. “We’ll be just fine.”
“I can’t believe she thinks you’re crazy.” Quinn asked, “Where’s the proof?” Nathan gave him a flat stare. “What are you looking at me for?”
“Bradley?” Nathan tapped him on the shoulder. “How you holding up? You look a little pale.”
Bradley turned his head to the side and wiped sweat from his brow. His skin was clammy and white as a ghost. “Something’s not right.”
Nathan nudged Alexis to gain her attention then strained his harness by leaning far forward. “What’s wrong?”
Bradley looked between Nathan and Alexis. In a breathless voice he said, “We need to change course. I feel danger ahead.”
Nathan gave him a pat on the shoulder. He hollered forward, “Change course!”
“Turn the plane!” Alexis shouted.
Without turning around, Drachen asked, “What the hell’s going on back there?”
“Bradley’s caught a vibe,” Nathan said, “We need to alter our path.”
Drachen answered, “We’re crossing the border now. He’s just jumpy, is all. And speaking of the border, time to give it up, Miller. Where’s this party landing?”
Quinn said, “Maybe you should give him a false location? See if they make a move?”
Drachen barked, “Time’s wasting!”
“Miller.” Alexis placed a hand on his arm, and he knew a phony location wouldn’t fly. Without taking his eyes off Bradley, Nathan said, “San Duhamel.”
Nathan watched Drachen flip switches and overheard him with the pilot. “We need to transmit a rendezvous point and find an LZ.” A red light flashed on the head’s up display along with a warning alarm. “Shit!”
“What’s going on?” Nathan asked.
Drachen shouted, “We’ve been painted!”
The pilot explained. “Three surface-to-air missiles headed our way.”
“Hold on everyone!” Drachen ordered, “Time for some evasive maneuvers.”
Nathan crushed himself back against the jump seat and tightened his already tight harness.
“I tried to tell you,” Bradley sobbed in front of him.
Nathan glanced to Quinn but, for a change, he wouldn’t meet his gaze.
The Raptor banked left and accelerated. The G-forces further pushed Nathan into his seat. A sharp bank to the right and they glimpsed one missile streaking past the front window. The jet bucked, and Nathan heard the pilot swear.
“Strafing fire.” Drachen ordered, “Get us out of here!”
“What’s happening?” Alexis said, “I thought Holt got us passage across the border? Why are they shooting at us?”
“It’s not border patrol!” Drachen answered, “You were warned about the air force but still kept quiet. So strap in for a bumpy ride!”
The whine of a missile filled the interior a moment before the Raptor banked hard to the left. Nathan gripped the armrests until his fingers turned white. The roar of an explosion shook the jet. Nathan held his breath and watched an orange glow flash across the front of the jet.
“Fuck!” Drachen swore, “We lost the second Raptor. Get us the fuck down before it’s too late!”
Nathan saw a terrified expression cross Drachen’s face. The pilot said, “We’ve got company.”
“A fucking Dreadnaught,” Drachen whispered.
Nathan worked his jaw loose and hollered. “You have weapons on this thing! Fire back!”
“Fire on a Dre
adnaught, Miller?” Drachen scoffed. “You have a death wish?”
Fifty caliber tracer rounds lit up the sky between the larger Dreadnaught and the Raptor. Metallic bangs reverberated throughout the hull as round after round struck the jet. Another alarm wailed, and the Raptor pitched forward.
Drachen grabbed the controls and yanked back on the yoke. “Virgil!”
Nathan chanced a look to the cockpit and saw the pilot jerking in his seat. The blood gushed out of his leg. “What’s that alarm?”
Drachen wrestled with the yoke as the Raptor yawed to the right and continued to lose altitude.
“What’s happening?” Alexis screeched over the rising roar of the wind.
Drachen answered, “The hull’s breached. Virgil is bleeding out!”
“Can you fly this thing?” Nathan asked.
“Better question is can I land it,” Drachen said, “We’re going down. Brace for impact.”
An explosion rocked the Raptor along the right side. The last missile took out the right wing and sent the jet into a revolving tailspin. Nathan closed his eyes to stem the tide of nausea, but it didn’t work. He opened them a crack and watched the world spin. Ground-sky-ground-sky-ground-sky.
Someone vomited. Or more than one someone vomited. Nathan struggled to keep his head firm against the headrest. Up front, Drachen screamed and pulled the yoke to try and level out the Raptor. The ground rushed up to meet them.
They sliced through a tree trunk with a sickening crack that arrested their spin. Nathan rocked against his restraints as the Raptor smashed through more trees and careened off rock and dirt before it came to rest in a crater of its own making.
Nathan groaned. The world narrowed to tunnel vision before it went away completely.
59
A high-pitched ringing in his ears brought Nathan back to consciousness. He shifted and gasped from the pain across his chest. His fingers found the release button for the harness. Once free, Nathan slumped to the side and dry heaved, nothing left in his stomach to come up.
Singularity Page 24
