The Great Pack: Deathless Book 4

by Chris Fox

  Inexplicable fury welled up in her. What right did this…this creature have to continue drawing breath? Alicia was unconscious, maybe dying. The day before, it had killed John Rivers. Who knew what atrocities it had committed before that. How many lives had it destroyed? And all she needed to do was draw a little harder, and the creature would be gone forever. It would never hurt anyone again.

  She waited to see if Anubis would offer his advice, as he always did. As her beast had done before. Yet he was strangely silent.

  There was no one here to make the decision but her, so she chose death for Windigo. She’d drink his essence, and he’d never bother anyone again.

  Chapter 71- Uh Oh

  “Ark Lord, a situation has arisen that requires your input.” Ba’s digitized voice came from behind Trevor.

  He looked up from the console, facing the hologram. “What is it?” he snapped. “We’re almost done with this strain.”

  He hated letting irritation get the better of him, but his nerves were jagged glass. Ba didn’t seem the frivolous type, so it must be important. Still, the interruption was jarring. They were so close.

  “Unknown entities have entered the city, and tapped into the portal control obelisks.” A flickering holographic screen appeared behind Ba, showing a cluster of black, winged brutes fanning out around the obelisk at one end of the portal. “Nearly every other life form in the city is currently inside the central pyramid. As of yet, they seem unaware of the incursion.”

  “Fuck,” was all Trevor could manage.

  “What are they doing to the obelisk?” Anput asked. She approached the hologram, squinting at the demon crouched next to the obelisk.

  “Ah, their motivation has become clear,” Ba said. He raised a too-thin arm, pointing through the portal. “They’ve shifted the modulation. The portal control has altered the portal’s point of egress.”

  “Well, where is the portal pointing now?” Trevor asked, though he was positive he didn’t want to know.

  The hologram adjusted, bringing the point of view closer to the portal itself. The expected wall of jungle on the other side had been replaced by a busy tarmac—and what looked to be a full platoon of demonic troops.

  “It looks like they’ve got some high tech armaments,” Trevor said. “Those angry kitchen-appliance-looking things have got a shoulder-mounted energy weapon. I don’t know what the hairless dog things are, but they don’t look too friendly. What are the giants? They look like Anakim, with some technology thrown in.”

  “I recognize neither the giants nor the dogs,” Anput admitted. “I’ve seen most of Hades’ forces, and I can tell you about the winged demons, at least. Nox is the same breed. They’re corrupted Ka-Dun, Ka-Ken, and deathless. They’ll use everything we do—plus be stronger, tougher, and more resistant to shaping.”

  “So individually, they’re tougher than us. And they outnumber us, by what looks like a lot.” Trevor watched in horror as the demon army began to advance. They moved with military precision, more like Mohn Corp than any supernatural army. It was a terrifying fusion of everything Trevor had battled since Liz and Blair had come to him for help back in San Diego. “There’s what, twenty-five werewolves here? They’ll be overrun in minutes.”

  “And we’re locked in here, unable to even warn them,” Anput said. She scraped the wall with her claws. “Damn it. I tire of being powerless.”

  “We’re not, not entirely,” Trevor pointed out. “We’ve got a workable virus.” He started walking toward the stairs.

  “Wait, you want to take it, don’t you?” Anput asked, blinking. “Trevor, it isn’t ready. We have no idea what it will do.”

  “We’re out of time, Anput. Either we take it now, or we get wiped out by that demon army when they seize the city.” Trevor walked back to the pedestal. “Ba, how long will it take you to synthesize the mutagen I’ve been tinkering with on this terminal?”

  “It is best administered on level three. I can have the chamber prepared by the time you arrive,” Ba said.

  “Do it.” Trevor sprinted for the stairs, accelerating into a blur.

  “Are you mad?” Anput called, darting after him. She matched his blur. “This could destroy you. The potential benefits might take you weeks to master.”

  Trevor dropped his blur when he reached the third level. One of the chambers glowed green, setting it apart from the rest. He turned to face Anput as she arrived next to him. “If we’re lucky one of us will survive the transformation. If we do, we can try to help stop that army. It’s the only play, Anput. I don’t like it either. We’re dead either way. This is at least a chance to make a difference.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not taking that virus. I’m confident I can escape this place undetected, and if I’ve learned one thing in my centuries its that only death is final. You can escape with me, Trevor. We can fall back. But staying and fighting is suicide. Taking an untested virus is even more so.” Anput’s eyes were filled with emotion she normally kept cloaked. “I like you, Trevor. You remind me a great deal of Anubis when he was young. You’ll be just as powerful one day—maybe stronger. But only if you live. Don’t do this.”

  “I have to,” Trevor said. He stepped into the chamber. The glass flowed into the opening, sealing him in. “I understand the risk, and I’m willing to take it. This war is too important, and we know what happens if Nox gets this place. Hades being able to make access keys seems like his endgame. Once that happens, we’ll never recover. The Builders will come, and we’ll be wiped out. We stop them here, or it may as well be over.”

  Chernobyl-green light shone from the ceiling, bathing Trevor in intense heat. The light vibrated through his body, and his vision blurred. His entire body lost all motor control and he tumbled to the floor of the chamber, twitching and spasming as the light began pulsing in an odd staccato. He jerked and thrashed, struggling in vain to exert any control. Anything at all.

  In the back of his mind, in the place where the risen lurked, he heard a scream. It was distant, and getting fainter. Trevor felt the risen struggling for its existence, and felt it keenly when the risen failed. It was eradicated—every trace scrubbed from his mind.

  “The purging is complete. Next, we will administer helix replication. Results may be…unpredictable,” Ba cautioned.

  The green light shifted to violet, and the pulses began again. This time, they were at a much deeper frequency. Trevor’s teeth rattled, and his vision went blurry. It wasn’t painful, exactly, just extremely uncomfortable. His entire body was being rewoven, but unlike the virus Isis had created this was happening in a measured, controlled way.

  Trevor thought he was getting used to the process when his spine snapped into a rigid bow. His arms and legs were extended, every muscle as taut as it could go. His eyes began to bulge, and a ringing noise overpowered everything. He could feel blood leaking from his mouth, but couldn’t make sense of why. He struggled to rise, but slipped, tumbling back to the glass at the bottom of the tube.

  Chapter 72- Call To Arms

  Jordan rested his forearms on his knees, letting his head dip. There wasn’t even much point in listening any more. Elia had launched another self-congratulatory speech about how wise and cautious they were being, and Davina and the rest of the council were nodding along. The audience reaction ranged from agreement to apathy.

  There wasn’t any anger, which told Jordan everything he needed to know. The disenfranchised weren’t so disenfranchised that they’d oppose the establishment.

  “I am sorry, Jordan,” Leti said, resting her hand on his arm. She leaned closer. “At the very least, I doubt they will attempt to imprison or bar you in any way. While you are free, there is still hope.”

  The air flickered and hummed next to Jordan, and he blurred into a combat stance. Ba’s wavering hologram resolved into view, bobbing its head apologetically. “Greetings, Ark Lord Jordan. Ark Lord Trevor has asked that I apprise you of a developing situation. May I continue?” Ba blinked those huge bla
ck eyes, making Jordan’s skin crawl. The motion reminded him of Set.

  “Jordan,” Leti cautioned from behind him.

  Jordan looked around. Elia had stopped her speech. She was staring at Ba, slack-jawed. So was the rest of the council. One by one the audience realized something had happened, and they, too, were turning in Ba’s direction.

  “What is the meaning of this, Jordan? Have you brought yet another enemy into the very heart of our stronghold?” Davina demanded.

  “I didn’t bring him to the city. Ba has been here the entire time, before us, and before even Isis found this place. He’s what the Builders looked like. Ark Keeper Ba, why don’t you tell everyone how long you’ve been custodian of this city?” Jordan didn’t try very hard to hide the smugness.

  “I’ve been custodian of this city for approximately 2.4 million years. I can provide a more precise figure, if desired,” Ba offered. He shifted from foot to foot in a very human way. “Ark Lord, apologies for my impertinence, but the news I carry is rather time-sensitive.”

  “What did you come to tell me?” Jordan asked. He turned to the audience. “Say it loudly, so everyone can hear.”

  “It appears the city is under attack,” Ba explained. “An army of entities that Ark Lord Trevor has referred to as demons has massed outside the portal. Even now, they are marching.”

  “Nox.” Jordan’s blood went cold. He glared at Elia. “I told you he’d find us. Now he has. The time for your political games is over. Now it’s time to think about survival.”

  Elia was undaunted. She took a threatening step forward, that special blend of petulant anger rolling off her in waves. “You expect us to believe that this thing has been here the entire time? What proof do you—”

  Jordan straight-up Vadered her. He lifted a hand, squeezing two fingers as he pinched off her larynx. She began to choke, her hands shooting to her throat.

  “I exist to solve problems, Elia. That’s what Isis used me for, and she wasn’t too particular about my methods, as long as I got the job done. Right now, you’re part of the problem. Think very carefully about your next words. If you continue to be a part of the problem, then you’re about to get solved.” Jordan released her with a wave, turning back to Ba. “Show me this army.”

  Ba summoned a large holographic screen in the air near Jordan. It was a topdown view of the portal, and it showed a mass of figures sprinting through. Clusters of brutish demons commanded large packs of sleek black dogs, and their squads were stiffened by mechanized units Jordan was unfamiliar with.

  Towering behind all of them were a trio of forty-five-foot-tall monstrosities. Their thick black hide was lined with hardened steel plates. Where their right arms should have been, they had sleek black cannons. The barrels glowed with green circuitry.

  That kind of sophistication could only be managed by one corporation, even before the world had ended. It confirmed that Nox had control of their facilities, in Syracuse at least. It also confirmed that Vulcan was still working for them.

  “Ba, pan this image back,” Jordan ordered. “I want to see the whole city.” The hologram adjusted, rising to show the marble thoroughfares linking the various pyramids. Nox had sent patrols to watch his flanks, but the bulk of his army had a clear destination. Jordan turned back to the council. “Nox is coming straight for us. He knows we’re in here, and it isn’t accidental he chose this exact moment to attack.”

  Chaos erupted. Three councilors began speaking at once, and half the crowd rose to their feet. Jordan suppressed his frustration. This was what happened in an organization with no discipline.

  “Everyone shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down,” Jordan boomed.

  He harnessed his parade voice, backing it up with a touch of shaping. The result was thunderous, and it had the desired effect. People slid timidly back into their seats.

  “I wasn’t done speaking. The time for strife is over. I’m going to do everything I can to keep us all alive. To do that, I need you to follow orders. If you can manage that, we have a chance to live, and a chance to save this city. If not, we’re going to die and the place you consider most holy will fall into the hands of the Mother’s sworn enemies.”

  Davina stepped forward. “Just because—”

  “Are you part of the problem, Davina? Because I’m out of patience and out of time.”

  Davina’s eyes narrowed. “I will do as you ask until the end of this current crisis. I’d advocate everyone else do the same. All in favor?”

  Jordan could have stopped her, but chose to let the woman keep her dignity. Embarrassing her here would only make her more of an enemy. They could have their little vote.

  Each councilor nodded in turn, with Elia giving the last one. Grudgingly.

  Davina licked her lips. “What now, Ark Lord?”

  “Okay, let’s see how Nox is playing this,” Jordan said. He studied the hologram. The demons were moving swiftly, already reaching the building’s perimeter. “Ba, are there any other ways in or out of this building besides the entry tunnel?”

  “Negative. That is the only means of ingress or egress.”

  “Perfect,” Jordan said. He smiled grimly as the beginnings of a plan formed. “Elia, Davina, organize the council into squads. Each councilor will work with their supporters. Your job is to support and protect each other during combat, understand?” Many nods. “Excellent. Here’s what we’re going to do. Nox can’t take the city until we’re eliminated. He knows that we can’t get out, which means he can take his time coming in. He’s going to make sure there’s no back entrance, then his forces will charge the entryway.

  “Elia, Davina, your groups will be flanking that doorway. Your job is to tear apart everyone who comes through. Councilman Awa, you’ll be waiting at the stairwell leading to the next level. Leti, you’ll be leading everyone else. Your job will be to ferry any wounded down the stairs. We’ll hold the entryway as long as we can, then fall back to the second level. We’ll repeat, falling back until we reach the bottom level,” Jordan continued. Everyone was still standing there. “Are you people high? Fucking move.”

  That did it. People sprang into action, fanning out to obey the orders they’d been given. It was a start at least.

  He trotted to the entryway, pausing behind Elia. “I’m going to go get us a few more allies. I’ll be back in a minute. Elia, you’re in charge until I get back. Hold this door for as long as you can.”

  Chapter 73- Transformed

  Trevor awoke with a gasp. He was lying on Percy’s cot, on the first floor. He struggled to rise, but the room spun drunkenly. Whispers came from every direction, but none of it made sense. It wasn’t even real words, just fragments of sound he could nearly hear.

  “Don’t try to move,” Anput murmured. Her hand pressed him gently back into the cot. He tried to look at her, but his eyes refused to focus. A million tiny motes swam through his field of view. “The mutagen has nearly finished its work. I think the worst of it is over, though obviously I can’t be sure. Can you speak?”

  “Percy?” Trevor managed.

  “Yes, in a manner of speaking. After your little stunt he insisted on taking the mutagen as well. I administered it, then moved him to a reclamation pod. His vitals began to fail, so I placed him in stasis. If the controls are accurate, his life signs are still active. He should be safe until we can find a way to stabilize his helixes,” Anput explained. She placed a hand on Trevor’s forehead. “How do you feel?”

  “Like I was hit by a truck, then that truck backed over me a couple more times,” Trevor wheezed. Then it hit him. He’d wheezed. He was breathing. His hand shot to his neck, and he took his pulse with two fingers. “I’ve got a heartbeat. How the hell is that possible?”

  “We knew the virus would be unpredictable. It has pieces of both the werewolf and super viruses. Both are designed to work in living creatures. One of the changes must have had this as a rather unfortunate side effect,” Anput theorized. She gave him a sympathetic look.

/>   “Unfortunate? Are you serious?” Trevor said. He gave a whoop, offering Anput a fist bump. She left him hanging. “I’m alive. I’m breathing. I have a heartbeat. Anput, I know you’ve been dead a long, long time, but I was alive six months ago. I remember eating, and sunburns, and needing to sleep. I remember having sex, and taking a crap. You might not miss all of that, but they’re a core part of my identify—a part I just got back.”

  “Congratulations on your newly reacquired ability to defecate,” Anput said. Her mouth was twisted in distaste. “I’d be considerably less, ah, exuberant were my circumstances to have changed in the same way.”

  “What did I miss?” Trevor asked. He tried again to struggle into a sitting position, this time with more success. The strange sensations suddenly made more sense. His entire body was being re-written at a molecular level. Hopefully it would pass soon. The double vision was improving slightly.

  “Nothing that I can see,” Anput said. She gave a frustrated sigh. “Ba left to go warn Jordan, and hasn’t returned. Anything could be happening out there. Presumably, that army is roaming the streets. Anyone can enter this temple from the outside, so if they start going door to door we’re not going to have anywhere to run.”

  “I’m still an Ark Lord,” Trevor rasped. His throat was on fire now, the change altering new parts of his body every few moments. “Ba, can you show us what’s happening outside?”

  “Of course, Ark Lord,” Ba answered pleasantly. He appeared at the foot of the cot. “Though, you may find Ark Lord Jordan’s more colloquial explanation of more use. He will be joining us presently.”

  The air next to Ba warped, and the outline of a man appeared. The outline resolved into a very troubled looking Jordan. “Shit’s hit the fan. How up to speed are you two?”

  “Not very,” Trevor admitted. He stifled a groan, clutching his side with both hands.