Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, Nathan surveyed the damage. Sparks rained down on the cockpit from stripped wires in the hull and he could smell burnt electronics. His vision blurred. A wave of vertigo kept him from standing.
The tinnitus in his ears deafened him to any cries for help while his blurred vision made finding anyone aboard the Raptor difficult in the shadow darkened hull. Nathan put one hand in front of the other and crawled toward the light at the rear of the jet. The crash had ripped the entrance apart and daylight poured in.
Outside, Nathan collapsed on his stomach in the grass. The cool breeze on his skin chilled him while the scent of earth revived him. The fog in his brain lifted, and he rose to his knees then to his feet. With careful precision, he picked his way around to the front of the Raptor. The nose of the jet rested on top of a mound of dirt pushed up by the same force of impact that created the crater the rest of the jet sat in.
Nathan looked up at the broken windscreen. Sunlight glinted off it and more sparks fell outside the jet. He watched a shape appear inside the cockpit and lift one leg over the broken glass. Drachen lowered himself to the mound of dirt before they locked eyes.
“You hurt?” Drachen asked.
Nathan coughed to clear his throat. “Not bad,” he said, “where’s everyone else?”
Drachen jumped down into the crater. He walked toward Nathan and said, “Virgil didn’t make it. Bled out. Ivan is DOA as well—broke his neck in the crash. King is with Scout on the other side of the jet. Only minor abrasions, they’re fine.”
He pushed past him and Nathan fell into an uneasy trot to keep up. They rounded the rear of the Raptor, and Nathan saw blurry shapes on the rim of the crater. Drachen stopped him with a hand against his chest. “Let’s not forget though, everyone aboard the second Raptor is gone. Thanks to you.”
Drachen pulled his right hand back and punched Nathan square in the jaw. Nathan stumbled and fell to the ground while Drachen shook off the pain in his hand. Nathan’s cybernetic jaw made a hard landing for any fist.
“Hey!” Alexis shouted. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Drachen glared at her. “Because of you two, Tyrell and I are all that’s left. Good call on keeping the location secret—that worked out real well.”
Nathan rolled over and got to his feet. He ran his tongue along the outside of his teeth and touched a thumb to his lip. It came away bloody. He spat and charged Drachen. They grappled as Nathan’s head spun. He received a blow to the stomach and returned an uppercut that split Drachen’s lip and staggered him to one knee.
Tyrell rushed between them and kept Nathan from charging again.
“Are you two quite finished?” Alexis asked. “Maybe you could compare dick size another time.”
Drachen rose to his feet and spat blood onto the grass. “She’s right. We’ll stow this—for now,” Nathan agreed but punctuated it with a menacing stare. “We need to move,” Drachen said, “We don’t want to be here when the air force arrives.”
“How far are we from the border?” Alexis asked.
Drachen climbed out of the crater and answered, “Doesn’t matter. We’re headed the other way.”
“You can’t be serious?” Alexis objected, “Your force has been wiped out. We can’t make San Duhamel. We need to turn back before anyone else dies.”
Drachen shook his head. “You’ll never make the border. Best case scenario, they think you’re a remnant and shoot you on sight. And that’s best case. If they think you’re part of this clusterfuck…” he waved at the surrounding debris, “… then you’ll wish you were dead.”
“So that’s it?” Alexis said, “If we can’t cross the border, how the hell were we getting out of here?”
Drachen said, “In four days, at the rendezvous point. Given that much time, Holt will find us passage.”
“On another plane?” Nathan ridiculed.
“Unless you prefer to walk.” Drachen said, “As long as we have what we came for, Holt will get us out of here.”
“And how are the five of us supposed to get this stone from Crowley and his army of augments?” Alexis demanded.
“Enough,” Drachen said, “We don’t have time to debate this. The air force could be here any minute. We need to gather what supplies we can and move out.”
“This is suicide.” Alexis looked over at Nathan. “We can’t go along with this, Miller.”
“Then head for the border and die there,” Drachen said, “but the rest of us have a mission to accomplish and it isn’t over yet.”
“Miller,” Alexis pleaded with him. “for once in your miserable life, do the right thing.”
Nathan felt his head spin. He waited for the wave to pass then said, “Blur’s that way, so that’s where I’m headed.”
“You’d die for your vengeance?” Alexis said, “You’re insane.”
Nathan glanced back at the smoldering wreck. Through the wisps of rising smoke, he saw Quinn smile at him. “Maybe,” Nathan mumbled.
Bradley jumped to his feet up on the ridge. “Something’s coming. I can feel it.”
Drachen hurried to the Raptor. Through the sporadic flames, he retrieved survival kits and a weapons cache. He handed a kit to each of them and split the weapons between Tyrell and himself. “Leave the rest. Move out.”
Nathan heard a rumbling in the distance gaining ground on them. Unsteady on his feet, he scrambled out of the crater and followed Bradley into the woods. At the tree line, he took one last look at the crash site and saw the angry look on Alexis’ face before she hurried after him to catch up. Together, they ducked into the woods.
60
Crowley sat in the old throne room. The castle, once upon a time, had been a tourist attraction for San Duhamel. As such, a gilded throne had been commissioned and installed. He shifted on the hard seat. It was uncomfortable but sent the message he sought to convey.
He held a golden scepter in his left hand and leaned on the armrest with his right. His eyes swept the cavernous hall. Six columns held aloft a vaulted ceiling. Subdued light filtered through the stained glass windows and dappled the red runner along the stone floor. The huge medieval doors opened with a groan.
Crowley watched Brutalis drag Blur into the room. Grim hobbled behind them. The doors swung closed with a resounding thud, and Crowley tapped his scepter on the stone dais. A wicked grin parted his lips. “Well, well, well.”
Brutalis dropped Blur in front of the throne and took a knee. Grim reached the throne and did likewise. “Rise,” Crowley said. Blur offered a baleful stare in return. “Little trouble walking, Griffin?”
Blur gasped but said nothing. Paralysis held him in its grip, keeping him from moving a single muscle. Crowley turned to Grim and said, “Excellent work, as always.”
Grim nodded. He bent and stabbed a hypodermic needle into Blur’s arm. The injection restored Blur’s breathing to normal. Grim said, “His metabolism makes it difficult to guess dosage, but I’ve been giving him atropine to keep the curare from reaching his lungs.”
“I’ll take it from here.”
Grim bowed a final time to Crowley before he hobbled from the room. Crowley stepped down from the dais and stood over Blur’s prone form. “Have you seen the error of your ways yet?”
Blur glared back at him. Crowley watched him struggle and fail to move. “Of course you haven’t,” Crowley said, “You’re too stubborn for your own good, Griffin. Everyone here accepts my authority and bends a knee to my will. Everyone except you. And I’ve been patient.” He turned to Brutalis and asked, “Would you say I’ve been patient?”
Brutalis answered, “Yes, my master.”
Crowley smirked. “Obedience,” he said, “that’s all I ask, for the gifts bestowed upon you. That’s not too much to ask for.” Crowley narrowed his eyes at Blur. “Yet, you continue to believe your gift sets you apart—makes you beyond my reach.” He snapped his fingers and Brutalis stepped forward
to lift Blur up. He held his limp body under the arms.
Crowley reached out and lifted Blur’s chin so he looked him in the eye. “I hope I’ve proven you’re very much within my reach.” Crowley chuckled. “I can see your hatred. It’s pathetic and useless. I gave you a simple task. Find Scout and return him here. You failed.” He let go of Blur’s chin with a slap to his cheek.
“Worse still, I’m informed you abandoned Siren to pursue your petty vengeance.” Crowley clicked his tongue against his teeth. “I will tolerate no further disobedience from you, Griffin. You were given the chance to obey, now the choice will be made for you.”
Crowley retrieved a silver helmet with a full face mask from behind the throne. He held it up for Blur to see. “Recognize this?” Blur’s pupils dilated. Crowley acknowledged his fright. “Yes, you’re right to be terrified. The obedience helmet is quite archaic technology, and rather painful too, I’m told. I tried to avoid this, but you’ve left me no choice. A war is coming. I cannot abide failure or defiance.”
Crowley opened the helmet and showed Blur the gleaming spikes on the underside. “These will reach your frontal lobe and provide a steady stream of serum to make you…compliant. I’m sorry it had to be this way, Griffin. But I told you—you will bend your knee to me.”
Crowley motioned to Brutalis for him to hold Blur’s head up. He placed the helmet over Blur’s head. Crowley stared into Blur’s wide eyes before he closed the face mask and locked Blur away from the world. The eye slits on the helmet flickered a moment, then glowed red. Crowley injected a full dose of atropine into Blur’s arm and waited for it to take effect.
Brutalis released Blur, and he collapsed to the floor. His limbs twitched as a range of motion returned. Crowley stepped back onto the dais and watched as Blur’s head lifted—the glowing red slits stared at him. “Rise,” Crowley whispered.
Blur got to his feet. His vibration returned, and he bowed his head. His voice echoed off the stone walls. “Yes, my master.”
61
Alexis reached out and gripped the trunk of a pine tree to pull herself up a gentle slope. The bark felt rough against her skin. She heard the distinctive cries of a Northern Shrike floating on the breeze as she hurried to catch up with Bradley.
He walked with a purpose. His eyes scanned their surroundings. She glanced behind her where Tyrell lumbered awkwardly through the scrub brush. Nathan and Drachen brought up the rear. Even from a distance, she shuddered from the sight of the black assault rifle slung over Drachen’s shoulder.
Alexis fell into line next to Bradley and waited for him to acknowledge her before speaking, “How are we doing?”
Bradley kept his eyes on the horizon and answered, “I’m not picking up any vibes, so I’d say we’re safe for now.”
“What’s that feel like?” Alexis asked, “Your vibes?”
Bradley took a moment. They stepped around a protruding tree root and changed their direction slightly. He asked, “Have you ever felt uneasy? Like something isn’t right? It’s like that only magnified tenfold.” He rolled his eyes. “The worst panic attack you can imagine.”
Alexis nodded her understanding. “How did you become augmented?”
Bradley looked sidelong at her as he brushed a branch aside. “I thought you knew?”
Alexis shrugged. “I know what I’ve been told. Not quite sure what to believe, to be honest.”
They came to a ridge with a three-foot drop. Bradley scanned the horizon. He took a deep breath and set one palm against the long grass. A wind whipped up out of the south and carried the calls of Scrub Jays to their ears. He leapt down off the ridge and continued to head northwest.
As Alexis followed, Bradley said, “They took me to a circular room. It must have been in one of the castle turrets. I felt claustrophobic in that room. I don’t know how to explain it, other than to say the darkness seemed to move around me. A slit opened in the ceiling, and a blue glow shone through. I remember being so cold in that light.”
Bradley shivered. “Then came the rage, like I had never felt before. It’s hard to describe, the intensity of it drove me mad. Next thing I knew, the light had vanished, and I woke in another part of the castle—augmented.”
He stumbled, and Alexis asked, “Are you all right?” Bradley wiped sweat from his face and blinked several times. “Are you getting a vibe?”
Bradley answered, “No, it’s odd. I don’t feel danger ahead, but I don’t feel safety either. It’s like…it’s empty?”
“Should we change course?” Alexis asked.
Bradley shook his head. “No. I feel danger all around us. This is the only direction to avoid detection.” He looked at her and gave a weak grin. “This is the way.”
“Are we there yet?”
Nathan rolled his eyes at Quinn and continued to hike. His calves ached from the rough terrain. He reached for his water bottle and took a drink to quench his growing thirst. Stowing it back in his pack, he followed Tyrell down a slope into a gorge.
Further ahead, he watched Alexis with Bradley. “What do you think they’re talking about?” Quinn asked. Nathan ignored him. “Oh, come on,” Quinn said, “You may as well talk to me, everyone thinks you’re crazy, anyway.”
Nathan flinched. He adjusted his pack and increased his pace.
“Hold up,” Drachen said from behind him, “This doesn’t feel right.”
Nathan stopped and bent over, resting his hands on his knees. He took deep breaths, and asked, “What doesn’t?”
Drachen motioned to the ten-foot-high cliffs on both sides of the emerald gorge. “Perfect setting to box us in and pick us off like flies.”
Nathan looked ahead into the gorge. Bradley and Alexis were already midway through it with Tyrell not far behind. He glanced up to the forested cliffs and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Straightening up, Nathan said, “If there were trouble, Bradley would’ve gotten a vibe.”
Drachen snorted. “You trust your life to his parlor trick?”
Nathan shrugged. “He’s made it through here once already. And, if you’d listened to him on the plane, we might not have crashed. He hasn’t been wrong yet.”
He turned and resumed walking. Behind him, he heard Drachen grumble. “There’s a first time for everything.”
The air grew still as the gorge closed in around them. Despite his vote of confidence, Nathan felt exposed. He hurried his pace. Wings flapped overhead as a pair of crows took to the sky. Nathan saw the dirt kick up to his right at the same moment he heard the crack of a rifle. Another shot rang out, and Bradley stumbled at the head of the line.
“Bradley!” Alexis screamed.
Drachen barked orders behind Nathan, “Get down! Find cover!”
Bullets struck the ground all around them. Nathan crouched low and drew his weapon. He chanced a look up at the cliffs but could see no targets. From the impacts on the ground, he knew they were surrounded—shooters on both sides.
Nathan scrambled closer to the left wall to cut off the angle of the shooters on that side. He raised his gun and squeezed off two rounds at the far cliff. Bullets continued to rain down around them. Their attackers were covered by the forest. Nathan looked for Alexis and saw her kneeling beside Bradley in the center of the gorge. He shouted for her to move, but his words got lost amongst the bullets.
Drachen raised his assault rifle and returned fire. Clouds of dust plumed along the far cliff where his bullets struck. The staccato noise echoed in the gorge. Nathan moved toward Alexis, but Drachen held him back. “Stay against the wall!”
Nathan squeezed off three more rounds and watched one shooter fall out of the bush clutching at their chest. “She’s exposed out there!”
Drachen fired another short burst into the trees. The report reverberated in Nathan’s ears. “She stayed in the kill zone—she’s on her own!”
Nathan gave him a look. Quinn said, “Remember, Miller, you’re not a hero.”
Tyrell fired anot
her barrage at the hillside, and Nathan took advantage of the cover. He ran past a screaming Drachen on his way towards Bradley and Alexis. Bullets whizzed past him. He flinched and returned fire wildly. Running past Tyrell, Nathan heard him scream and saw him twist around from the force of a bullet.
Nathan stumbled and fell next to him. Tyrell looked at him with fearful eyes as he clutched the wound in his chest. Blood flowed through his fingers. Nathan reached out and heard two distinct chuffs from above. He watched two canisters trail smoke as they fell to the ground. The smoke spread quickly and provided them cover.
Drachen hollered, “Move it!”
Nathan grabbed for Tyrell, but he was already gone. Nathan scrambled to his feet and ran to Alexis. Grabbing her by the wrist, he shouted, “We have to move while the cover lasts.”
Alexis had tears in her eyes. “I won’t leave him behind.”
Nathan looked at Bradley’s slack expression. “It’s too late for him. You want to live, you need to run.”
Drachen came screaming up behind them. “Move! Before the smoke clears!” Nathan pulled on Alexis’ wrist again, and she got to her feet. Together, they followed Drachen out of the gorge. They exited the smoke and faced six assailants holding rifles on them.
Drachen swung his rifle between targets and refused to lower his aim. Voices barked orders at them, and Nathan felt the breeze of an arrow as it flew past. It landed behind the remnants with an explosive charge. Nathan turned from the blast. When he looked back, all six men were regaining their feet. Another arrow whished through the air and struck a tree with a solid thwack. A steel cable unspooled from the end of the arrow upon which a lone figure slid down to the fray.
He landed in the center of the remnant’s circle and whipped his bow out to clip one of them across the face. His foot shot out and kicked the knees out of another attacker. The remnant hollered in pain—his leg bent the wrong way and obviously broken.
Their new ally retrieved two arrows from his quiver and with lightning speed shot them both at two onrushing remnants. Both of them dropped with arrows protruding from their necks. The remnant he clipped with the bow stood again and received an arrow to the stomach. The last two assailants raised their rifles to take aim.
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