Gaslit Revolution

by Jason Gilbert

  Tabitha flashed through Kane’s mind. Ralphie. Antonia.

  Jones. Marta. Farnsworth. Wilson. All of them.

  Gunshots rang out. More shots, less organized. Return fire?

  Kane took off towards the sound, Wil close behind him. He crossed the street, turned down an alleyway, took a left towards the shop district. Bullets flew through the air, more rounds and blasts of magic hurtling back. Kane saw at least a dozen Special Forces troops hunkered down in the grocery shop firing from cover at a group of residents and Magician streeters. One of the street group shouted over his shoulder at the others, his dark features hard and set. He wore what looked like stolen Special Forces gear, the armor dented and scuffed, charred in spots where bullets had punctured holes into the original owner.

  “Magicians, cover us! The rest on me! Fire at will! Drive them back! Move!”

  Kane stopped, Wil catching up to him as her possum reappeared in her arms.

  “You heard the man,” Kane said. “We cover them.”

  “Ain’t my fight,” Wil argued. “Unless they got Lexi, ain’t my concern.”

  Kane glared at her.

  “I thought you said these were your people?”

  “They gotta fight now,” Wil said. “Lexi is what I care about, now. She can’t fight. Not like against no Blood Priest.”

  Kane shouted at her.

  “You ever want a chance at finding her? This is it. These people are that chance. We don’t help them, it’s that much less likely you’ll ever see her again. You don’t get to walk away from it again!”

  Wil blinked, then grinned at him.

  “You got a set of balls after all, Kane Shepherd,” she said. She whispered in the possum’s ear, then threw it at the battle. It screeched and whipped around in the air, shook as it glowed and began to grow. It hit the ground, the street cracking under the weight of the giant beast it’d become. Spittle dripped from its elongated fangs, its claws were now a good six inches long, and it stood six feet tall to its shoulders. Gunfire ceased for a moment, both sides staring in horror at the beast as it looked at the Revolutionaries. It seemed to grin, then reared around and barreled towards the Special Forces, leapt through the large window of the grocery. Kane could hear growls and chaos amidst screams that sounded from the store.

  “He on your side,” Wil called to the fighters. “Go on!”

  The leader nodded, shouted to his men.

  “Forward!”

  The group advanced on the store as Kane turned to Wil. She raised an eyebrow at him, crossed her arms in front of her.

  “That good enough, Kane Shepherd?”

  Kane smiled.

  “Good enough.”

  The leader stepped out of the ruined grocery and walked towards Kane as the last sounds of gunfire and carnage ceased. The possum followed, back to its regular form as it darted towards Wil and hid under her dress.

  “Christ, I’ve never seen that before,” he said. “What kind of Magician is this?”

  “Not one at all,” Kane said. “Conjure Lady. Name’s Wil. I’m Kane Shepherd. Who are you?”

  “Names Hoyle,” the man said. “Sergeant Gerry Hoyle, 21st Regiment, Special Forces. It’s good to meet you, Mr. Shepherd.”

  Kane looked at him, his body tensing.

  “How do you know who I am?”

  Hoyle shrugged.

  “Heard all about you. Especially that little stunt you pulled in the shipyard a few weeks back. Pissed off a lot of people, Shepherd.” Hoyle grinned. “I thought it was hilarious.”

  Kane nodded, eyeing Hoyle’s armor.

  “You turned on your own people?”

  Hoyle laughed.

  “My people?” he said with a laugh. “That’s rich. I quit a couple years back when it became a private army for the Oligarchy. Joined to serve the many, not the few.

  “Fair enough,” Kane said, relaxing only a little. “What happened here?”

  “I commissioned these men a few hours ago when word came around about the evacuation. We wanted to help. We’d just finished clearing the hospital. We were escorting the last group when we got attacked. Managed to get them to the Walking Bridge, but lost a few men in the process.”

  “Antonia Boudreaux?” Kane said. “Was she in that group?”

  “Negative, sir,” Hoyle said. “She would’ve been in the first group out. We wanted to clear the patients who couldn’t manage themselves first, get the ones less dependent to help. Worked like a charm till the Special Forces came at us. Managed to get the patients out, most of the staff. She and the others should be at the safe point by now.”

  Kane looked at Wil.

  “We need to get to the subway station.”

  “Hell we do,” Wil said. “Ain’t goin’ nowhere till I find Lexi.”

  “We’ll find her,” Kane said. “But, let’s use help. You won’t be able to dodge a bullet by yourself forever.”

  “Is there someone missing?” Hoyle asked, stepping in.

  “Little girl,” Kane said, looking at him. “Wil adopted her, but it looks like Chesterfield grabbed her.”

  “There’s more of us,” Hoyle said, looking at Wil. “I’ve got two more teams rounding up the last of the evacuees. We can cover more ground than you. If she’s here, we’ll find her.”

  Wil looked between them. Kane could see the distrust in her eyes, the battle between two choices in raging in her mind. She grit her teeth.

  “Fine. I can get us there,” Wil said. “But only you, Shepherd. Ain’t got the power to transport a whole group.” She looked at Hoyle. “And you betta’ believe my ass will be back up here lookin’ for my baby.”

  Kane nodded to her, looked at Hoyle.

  “We can manage,” Hoyle said. “We’ll do a sweep, then we’ll bring up the rear. They aren’t firing on us with the airships, but I’m not giving that too much longer.”

  “Right,” Kane said. “We’ll meet you there.”

  Kane looked from Hoyle to her and back again.

  “Have you seen a little girl? About yay tall, dirty, blond hair?” He held his hand out to show Lexi’s height.

  Hoyle shook his head.

  “To be honest, sir, it’s a solid likelihood she’s not up here. My group evacuated the hospital, and my other two units cleared the women and children first. If she’s anywhere, she’s already in the subway.”

  Hoyle was still speaking, but there was no sound. Kane stopped, looking around as a voice whispered on an unseen breeze. Soft. Breathy.

  Frantic.

  “Kane! Kane, help!”

  Tabitha.

  Kane looked at Wil.

  “We gotta go,” he said.

  “Lexi!” she barked back.

  “If Chesterfield has her, we’ll get her back. We gotta get to the subway!” He spun on Hoyle. “Get your men together and get to the tunnel. We’ll meet you there.”

  Hoyle held his hands up.

  “What’s goin’ on?” he said.

  “Just be ready for a fight,” Kane said. He turned back to Wil. “Let’ go.”

  She stared at him, her eyes wild and furious.

  “If she come to harm, it’s your head I’ll come for, Kane Shepherd.”

  She waved her hand, the shadows coming to life around them. Kane felt darkness, the cold seeping into his body, his bones, the chill of death and sorrow surrounding him. The smell of forestry and pluff mud from the Charleston swamplands was replaced instantly by the small of mildew and stale air as the dead cold changed to something less bitter. Kane conjured a fireball, the light staving off the darkness. They were back in the tunnel right where Wilhelmina had left them earlier.

  “I said the station,” Kane said.

  “I ain’t been there,” Wil snapped. “This the last place I know. Can’t just zap us wherever. Not unless I sees it first.” She muttered under her breath. “Ungrateful little…”

  A shot rang out in the tunnels, followed by screams echoing off the walls from the darkness ahead.

&nb
sp; “Let’s go,” Kane said, taking off in that direction. “We gotta go! C’mon!”

  Kane didn’t have time to be impressed at how easily Wil kept up with him. He heard her possum squeak, glanced out of the corner of his eye as she fell into step next to him. The animal materialized on her back, clawing into her dress as it hung on for dear life.

  Kane heard something ahead, the sound of armor moving, guns being readied. Dozens of voices all talking at once, full of panic and worry. He saw two Special Forces soldiers ahead, their guns aimed, their backs to Kane. He saw a group of people in front of them. Civilians, panicked and wide-eyed as they cowered from the two soldiers aiming Tommy Guns at them. A few children held onto their parents, some crying loudly as fearful mothers hovered protectively.

  Kane felt the fury well inside him. He barked one word at them as if blowing a plume of fire from his mouth.

  “Hey!”

  The soldiers spun around, their guns up. Kane conjured a second fireball for light, charged the first one, and threw it. It connected with the soldier directly in front of him, blew the man backwards and took his arm off. A vine erupted from the ground, wrapped itself around the neck of the second soldier as he tried to aim at his attacker. It yanked him to the ground, his legs kicking, his hands slapping at the plant as it choked the life out of him. Kane made it up to the soldier he’d winged as the man tried to aim his rifle one-handed. Kane yanked it from him and swung it like a baseball bat. It connected with the soldier’s helmet, and he went still. The neck on the other soldier broke, and the vine retreated back into the ground.

  Kane looked up at the crowd as Wil moved beside him.

  “Everyone keep moving towards the station,” he said as he began walking. “Are there any Magicians here?”

  “I’m a Magician,” one man said, raising his hand.

  “Me too,” said another.

  A woman raised her hand. A teenager. An older man and woman both put their hands up.

  “Where’s Chris?” Kane asked them.

  “He and that blond girl went up ahead,” said the first man who’d spoken. “Moving another group in. We’re the last of them.”

  Shouts and gunfire sounded from far back at the tunnel entrance. A few in the crowd let out panicked screams, some ducked as others made to move forward, away from the battle coming at them. Wil went to them, shouting at them to start moving as Kane stretched his hearing. Fall back. Lure them into the tunnel. Headshots only, conserve ammo. Magicians move ahead. Protect the people.

  “Shit,” Kane said. He pushed his voice in the direction of the noise. “Hoyle. Get out of there.”

  “Shepherd?”

  “Yeah, it’s me. No time. Move it. Fall back.”

  “We can’t! They’ve got us on both sides. I don’t know how they got–shit! Down! Down! Down!”

  More gunfire, bullets hitting concrete. Someone grunted, another called out. Man down! Man down! Get cover!

  “It’s a shooting gallery in here, Shepherd,” Hoyle said. “Can you hear me?!”

  “I’m still here.”

  “Get the people to the station! We’ll hold them off as long as we can! Shit!” Gun reports rang out, someone fell. “Go! Get out of here now!”

  Kane turned on the crowd, walking towards them as Wil looked over her shoulder.

  “Magicians! Form a barrier around the others,” he said. “I need a group in the rear. Everyone get moving now! Stay calm, move fast!”

  A few people came to the rear with Kane and Wil, others moving to their positions as the hundred people in the tunnel began to walk forward. More gunshots rang out in the opposite direction. Kane backpedaled, keeping his back to the group as he readied a fireball.

  His blood ran cold, his stomach knotted as he heard the last word he wanted to hear in a tight, half-built subway tunnel.

  “Grenades!”

  Kane rounded on the crowd.

  “Go!”

  A blast shook the tunnel, rock and debris falling from the ceiling as the crowd began to surge forward. Kane heard spells being cast and readied, heard Wil hiss as a small group made their way towards them from the where the explosion had come from. Kane cast his Ethereal Sight, saw Hoyle coming at them, limping, another man’s arm slung over his shoulders as he dragged the injured towards them. The ground started to vibrate, more dirt and rock dropping from above. Kane heard the wooden shoring strain, creak, frayed wood splintering off.

  “It’s coming down,” Hoyle shouted ahead. “Move!”

  Kane turned and ran at the crowd as they picked up speed, the tunnel shaking, the roar of rock collapsing from behind them deafening. The sound of cracking wood thundered as more shoring broke. Dust filled the air as the tunnel opened into a large area, the sounds of hundreds of people panicking at once drowned out by the sound of the subway tunnel falling in. Kane turned and called to Hoyle.

  “C’mon! C’mon!”

  Hoyle appeared from the dark, still far enough in the tunnel to be killed when it came down. He strained, the weight of his brethren holding him down. Kane watched as the man he was helping jerked away, went to the ground.

  “No!” Hoyle shouted, going to him. The man fought against him, pushed at him.

  Kane went back in, heard Tabitha scream his name as he went. He made it to Hoyle as the Sergeant fought to pick his man back up.

  “Let me go,” the man said. He was bleeding from his temple. His leg and chest were riddled with bullet wounds. His skin was pale, damp with sweat and blood. “I’m done!”

  “Bullshit, soldier,” Hoyle barked. “On your feet!”

  Kane got to them, his Ethereal Sight picking up the tremors in the walls and ground. He looked down at the wounded man, saw his aura fading, the color not nearly as strong as Hoyle’s. The soldier drew a breath, used what he had in strength, and kicked Hoyle off of him. Hoyle staggered back, tried to go for him again. Kane grabbed Hoyle, held him back. The tunnel shook again, this time not stopping, the quaking growing louder and louder. Kane jerked Hoyle around back towards the station as rock fell and dust fill the tunnel. He didn’t look over his shoulder, but he could hear the wave of stone and dirt coming down behind them, the tunnel closing off, the avalanche coming closer. He picked up his pace, pulled Hoyle along, shouted at him to run.

  Kane could feel it. They weren’t going to make it. So close.

  “Jump!”

  Kane kicked off, dove forward and hit the ground at a roll as the tunnel collapsed fully behind him, filled the station with dust and dirt. People rushed the opposite direction as he got to his feet and turned to see Hoyle on the ground still, but away from the tunnel as the dust began to settle, the way back into Hidden Valley blocked completely.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The station was vast with brick archways at every boarding platform. There were twelve platforms, all of them in various states of construction. The ceiling was twenty feet at least, columns reaching all the way up, concrete and decorated at the top with four lion heads facing outwards, each frozen in mid-roar. Benches were placed at each platform, each now occupied by people who were either too elderly or too sick to stand. A large staircase stood opposite the collapsed tunnel, the railings brass and discolored from years of neglect.

  The airship had truly killed the train.

  A group of people helped Kane and Hoyle up off the tracks after the tunnel collapse. Tabitha rushed to Kane, wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug, sobbing as she screamed at him to never scare her like that again. Hoyle was injured, but nothing that couldn’t be healed with a little magic. Broken bones, some cuts and bruising. Nothing different from what dozens of other refugees had sustained during the evacuation. A few of the other Hidden Valley Magicians had some healing capability and had set up a corner of the station as a makeshift medic area, healing the wounded as best as they could manage. Not many of them were doctors or medics, so some of the more serious injuries were beyond their capacity to fully heal. Still, they healed what they could and helped to
make the patients comfortable.

  Volunteers went around checking the gas lines to see if they were operational, and gas lights all over the station were being lit one by one. Kane let his eyes adjust to the dark as the sconces on each column and the pole lights at each platform were lit. He walked the area to try and get a sense of the layout.

  And possibly find an escape.

  “There’s no other way out,” Chris said as he walked with Kane. “The stairs over there lead right up into the old subway entrance in downtown New Chicago. It’s in the middle of the city.”

  “And they let a half-built entrance stay?” Kane asked. “I’m surprised they didn’t tear it down.”

  Chris shrugged.

  “They cleaned it up, roped it off. It’s kind of a historical landmark now. Place where people can see the ‘progression of technology’ or some bullshit like that.” He shrugged again. “The city folk get their kicks on shit like that. How much more advanced they are than they used to be.”

  “It also means that people wandering out of here will draw attention,” Kane said. “Great.”

  Chris turned to him.

  “You think Chesterfield planned this?”

  “I have no doubt in my mind Chesterfield planned this. I’m still trying to figure out why he took Lexi.” Kane looked back at the blocked tunnel entrance, saw a group at the base looking the rubble over, talking among themselves. “They used grenades to collapse the tunnel,” he said. “We aren’t meant to leave here.”

  Chris looked up.

  “Think they’ll try to collapse this station?”

  “Not likely,” Kane said. “It’s too big. The tunnel would’ve gotten some attention, but they can chalk that up to the shoring rotting out, and a good bit of it was in Hidden Valley, so no one’s going to care, anyway.”

  “We care,” Hoyle said, moving up to them. “That’s what matters.”

  Kane stopped and waited on him, watching him walk.

  “How’s the leg?”

  “They said they’d try again after a bit,” the sergeant said. “Give it time to rest. I can walk on it, that’s what’s important.” He looked between Kane and Chris before he spoke again. “They came in behind us as we were making our way here. There were more hidden out in the tunnel. I don’t know where they came from. It was an ambush.”