Atlas (Apocalyptic Cries Book 1)

by Adalie Jordin

  I no longer see Luca grappling with one of the guards on the side of the room the Zerks are coming from. I don’t see Cade’s broad body as he tries to use himself as a human shield. There’s no Charlie, Price or Morgan. My one and only focus is on the man who started this all. His midnight eyes are lit up with excitement, giddy at the mayhem surrounding us.

  He’s enjoying this.

  When recognition alights on his face, he gives me the biggest grin I’ve ever seen. Fucking creep.

  Cade shouts, breaking our stare off. “Nyler! Surrender. There’s no need for more bloodshed.”

  Nyler throws his head back and guffaws. Hard, loud and manically.

  He’s legitimately insane.

  I sense, rather than feel, someone approaching at my back, and I whip around with my knife held high — ready to stab a bitch.

  I stop within inches of Lance’s left eye. He doesn’t even flinch. His lack of fear for death, or his faith in my ability to stop my swing, give him a confidence that astounds me. Ugh! No time for this. Whipping back around, I eye Nyler as he composes himself, little by little, until he’s the watchful snake once more.

  Tilting his head to the side to keep me in his line of sight, he ignores Morgan as she pulls at his arm to garner his attention. “Why in the world would I surrender, boy?” He demands scathingly. “I hold all the cards. You’re a few short of the deck.” He points to Luca, who’s limping his way across the room to our side, having managed to knock out the guard he was fighting, but no more.

  The Zerks have all been taken out, and the six remaining Atlas guards are circling back around to place themselves between us, Nyler, Price and Morgan. Jeremy and Nurse Nance sit in the center of the space between us, but it’s easy to see everything through the clear plexiglass rooms.

  There are ten of them, and five of us. We’re outnumbered two-to-one.

  Lance steps up close to Cade, whispering in his ear. I barely make out his words. “Craig’s got his cross-hairs on Nyler. Just give the word.” Make that six of us.

  “The prisoners?” Cade inquires.

  “Kenji brought the vehicle - she’s loading them up as we speak. Solomon’s disabled the trackers and is out there helping.” A quick glance confirms Charlie is no longer in the lab. Down to five again…. How had all of that happened without my noticing? Because they’re experts — or near enough to it.

  Cade nods and Lance steps back, going to my other side to keep me safely between them.

  Through their exchange Nyler had been inching his way closer and closer to Jeremy’s cube, until he’s now right outside the door, gripping the metal of the handle in one scarred hand. I go to step closer and the guards raise their guns, aiming for center mass on me and my team.

  When had I started calling them my team, my friends, and not just Cade’s? I don’t know — but they are mine.

  “I wouldn’t, little missy.” Nyler drawls. “You see, I don’t need you anymore, when I have him.” He’s through the door, stepping up beside Jeremy’s exam-like bed before any of us can react. How is he so fucking fast!? Nurse Nance gets out of the way, going over to stand by the machines. She hasn’t said a word the entire time we’ve been here.

  “What do you mean?” I force myself to ask. I don’t want to bite, but I’ll play his game, for the moment.

  “I’ve cracked it. Can’t you tell?” He points down to the glittering blackness leaching through Jer’s small body. “You see, I had it all wrong before. I didn’t want to get caught,” he rolls his eyes, showing us his exasperation at the admission, “so I took only the orphans; the old and abandoned. That way no one would notice their absence and stop me before I could finish my work. But because of them, I missed one very important thing.” He pauses for emphasis, being a dramatic tool. He likes putting on a performance, just like his daughter. When he’s sure we’re all staring, waiting for him to finish, he utters a single word, “Youth.”

  “Explain.” Cade barks.

  I know Nyler hears him, but he keeps his gaze on me. I’m the one he wants to pay attention to his production, and he’s making it blatantly obvious. “All the others were too old for my serum to work. When dear Prudence,” I flinch at my mother’s name on this man’s lips, “learned of my goals shortly after we wed, she was quick to see the brilliance in my plans. But after going over my lab reports, she made an amazing discovery. Your mother pointed out that, while my tests had nearly been successful in the past, it was only when we had a subject under thirty that we witnessed any real progress. She was positively delighted to find that her very own family could be immune to the call of ODR. Actual Pure humans. Prime specimens for my testing.

  “In her wisdom and devotion to me, she offered up her own children as a means to better the world. So here we have precious Jeremy. And look at him! He’s perfect!” Nyler crows, staring down at my little brother like he’s a treasure to be guarded for life. It has nothing to do with him being family, or a child… It’s because Nyler has finally done it. Finally attained his goal — with my brother.

  Nyler strokes Jeremy’s hair as Jer just lays there, doing nothing. Staring at nothing. Saying nothing.

  “I don’t even care that you’ve stolen all my other lab rats — they’re useless to me now. It’s unfortunate, though, that the female wasn’t strong enough to endure the serum. I think we overdosed her a bit. What a shame.” The maniac shrugs, like he doesn’t give a shit, and my already steaming blood starts to boil in my veins.

  “You fucking bastard!” I scream, voice cracking. “She was a baby and you killed her!”

  A slow grin turns up the corners of his mouth. He’s enjoying my rage.

  Quicker than I’d usually give myself credit for, I raise my gun once more, widening my legs to keep my balance like Cade taught me, I point the barrel at Nyler’s face — if I aim for his eye, lethal rounds or no, his ass is grass. “Get away from my brother.”

  The grin never leaves his face as I hear the click of a hammer being pulled back. How that tiny sound echoes across the room so loudly - through the plexiglass even - I haven’t a clue. “You shoot me…” Shifting to the side, he reveals Nurse Nance just behind him. She’d gotten a hold of his gun somehow and has it trained, point blank, on Jeremy’s temple. “….and she shoots him.”

  “You wouldn’t. He’s your new shiny prize.” Lance interjects.

  Nyler finally breaks eye contact with me, turning to the older man. “Ah, but you see, there’s always a workaround. I may prefer the specimen I have, true, but you’ll find I’m rather open-minded.” He lights up with glee, nearly shaking with the emotion. “While my men take out the rest of you, they won’t touch her without my say-so.” Me. “And she’s all I need for another success. I’ve achieved my goals, but I’m not the only player here. Even if I die, there are others who will take my place.”

  And there it is. The catch twenty-two. If we kill him, everyone I care about dies and I’m left alive, alone and in enemy hands, to do with as they will.

  The room is silent, waiting for my next move.

  Fuck it.

  Several things happen in quick succession. A ‘thwunk’ sound shatters the silence as glass rains down from the observation window behind our backs. I watch as Nurse Nance’s body turns to dead weight, dropping to the floor, banging against every surface as she goes.

  She’s dead. A hole the size of a golf ball blown through the middle of her forehead.

  Nyler, stunned by this development, doesn’t stay idle. He snatches my brother up from the bed, using him as a human shield against any further ambush attempts.

  I run forward, intent on taking the bastard down up close — reason thrown to the wayside — but a firm hand attaches to my arm, yanking me back. I turn to see who’s grabbed me, to yell at them to let me go, but before I get a good look, the person knocks me in the side of the head with something, hard.

  My body slumps - vision fading around the edges - and the fucker who hit me swings me up into their arms, crad
ling me like a child as they rush for the stairs.

  Bullets ping, chaos reigning once more as Nyler’s men try and shoot mine. I can hear Nyler shouting, “Don’t hit the girl!” Over and over, then someone nearby grunts. The person holding me stumbles, but keeps running — up, and up. I don’t remember the staircase to the deck being so long. Pink mist fills my vision, something wet splattering my face. There’s a sharp pinch, just below my collar bone, but I hardly register it.

  My head drops backwards, and I get an upside-down glimpse of the room below. Madness.

  The last thing I see before total darkness takes me is Jeremy’s beautiful gaze locked squarely on mine. For the first time since he woke up, there’s a glimmer of something more there.

  He’s still here. He knows me!

  A spark of happiness races through me at the thought, but I can’t seem to catch it.

  Eyes falling closed, I succumb to the force pulling me into unconsciousness.

  THE END

  Discover the epic conclusion to Saedie’s story in the final installment,

  CORVIS (Apocalyptic Cries: Book Two)

  Coming soon!!

  About The Author

  Adalie Jordin

  A self-professed book addict, Adalie writes New Adult fantasy, paranormal romance and post-apocalyptic worlds for readers to devour. She lives in small town Texas with her loving husband and their horde of four rambunctious children. When Adalie isn't creating her own stories, you can often find her curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and the works of others like herself.

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  Acknowledgements

  I wanted to take a minute and say thank you to everyone who has helped me reach this monumental moment.

  My husband, first and foremost, has been my most ardent supporter. Through insecurities and triumphs, he's been right beside me this entire journey; he even says he's my very first fan, and I'm not going to argue. Lol I love you, sweets.

  T.H., S.W., K.H. and S.M., if it weren't for the four of you my book would be ten-percent gibberish at this point, I swear! You eagle-eyed ladies were my saving grace.

  Lovely Coven? Yeah, you! You're phenomenal human beings and I thank you so much for coming along on this journey with me.

  To all the authors (I'm talking to you, gorgeous Australian lass; you, too, British beaut), and PAs, who let me pester them with questions of 'how does this work' and 'but what if...' - you the real MVPs! I'd still be floating on a lake without oars had it not been for your sage advice and kind words.

  I've been dreaming of becoming a published author for over a decade, and that has finally become a reality, so just.... Thank you.