I smiled and for one moment in time, I felt hope. “Come back to me, and I’ll let you do it again.”
We both laughed and then his face turned serious. “Twenty-four hours, not a second more.” He handed me his gun and turned.
“Please be safe,” I said.
He nodded and ran back into the forest.
CHAPTER 11
I spent the rest of the afternoon concealed within some brush trying to get some sleep, but managed only a few fitful hours. My nerves tingled like I was sleeping on a bed of pins. My mind too preoccupied with John.
I kept talking to myself, trying to convince me he was fine. Ben was with him and he’d protect him. But deep in the back of my mind, I knew the truth. Max was going to kill him, and he was never coming back. Of that, I was certain. A cold familiar grip took hold of me.
Why did I let him go?
By nightfall, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I crawled forward to the edge of the bluff and counted the Targs on the northeast side. This at least gave me something to do. There were ten thousand one hundred and eleven, give or take a few. From what John told me, his brigade was less than two hundred men and woman. Even if they engaged them, the battle would be over quickly.
After that, I scanned the area with the armor, looking for something, anything, to give me an advantage. However, the Targs had the whole region locked down. They were clustered within evenly spaced zones of several hundred each with overlapping fields of fire for their stationary guns.
The patrol craft flew too high to be captured, plus they flew in teams, so no one area was left unexposed. The only possible way I could make it unseen was if I tunneled under them.
Despite this, I couldn’t get John or that kiss out of my head. Every time I tried to do something to occupy myself, my thoughts always turned back to him. It was always John’s brigade. How would John attack the Targs? Why did he have to kiss me? Was he safe?
Exhaustion overwhelmed me, and I sunk back into the brush and closed my eyes.
When the dawn broke over the horizon, I made a quick meal and pulled out my pack. I dumped out the contents and reorganized the items in it. After the tenth time I saw it, laying in the dirt by an outcropping of rock. The wood flute my father taught me how to play. A familiar emptiness jabbed its icy fingers into me.
The flute called to me, playing its siren song, promising me relief from my grief. I deactivated my helmet and reached for it. I brought it to my quivering lips and softly played the last tune he taught me. The one my mother used to play to me when I was a baby. At first, the sounds that came from it were scratchy and out of tune. As I continued to play, I thought about my father. Our time training together, the little moments in the flower garden by my mother’s grave, when he came and sacrificed himself to save me.
Dry tears fell, and I poured my heart into my music. Our music. Oh how I missed him.
Why did you have to die?
John was a lot like him, focused, passionate, and determined. He cared about his people like my father cared about the slaves. I knew he would sacrifice himself for me or anyone else without hesitating, and that terrified me.
No, if you come back I won’t let you die. One of us has to make it through this. Maybe that bastard already killed you?
“Lumenara—”
My heart stopped.
John!
I turned and ran to him, almost knocking him over. He deactivated his helmet, and we kissed, laughed, and kissed some more. It felt so good to be in his arms. I didn’t want to let him go.
“Hey, where’s my kiss?” a nasally voice called out. “After all, I saved your arse a couple of times as well.”
Ben had his helmet off and a Targ sniper rifle slung over his shoulder. He was grinning from ear to ear, and I almost didn’t see the scars. I jumped up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“See that mate. I got a kiss from your sheila.” A sly smile shown on his toothy face. “Better treat her right, or I’ll steal her from you.”
I turned to John. “What did Max say?”
His smile disappeared, and his eyes fell to the dirt. He kicked at it, lost in thought.
Ben clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Better tell her, mate. She’s go’in to find out anyway.”
“Tell me what?”
John looked at me with the same puppy eyes I first saw back in my cell. “I convinced the other Resistance commanders to help. Right now, they’re flying troops in from all over the planet, but...we also brought the nuke with us.”
Nuke!
I slammed my fist against his shoulder plate. “How could you—”
Oh my God, Max has it.
“Tell me you didn’t give it back to that bastard?”
“There was no other choice. Its fingerprint locked to Max’s hand and we were out of time. He’s the only one who can arm the nuke, and we need it to even the odds.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you insane? He was going to use it to kill every slave.”
“That won’t happen. The entire brigade mutinied against him when they found out what he was planning.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Ben stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder. “Because I got two of my best mates with guns in his backside. Max may be a coward, but he still wants to live.”
John pointed to a flat area in the deepest part of the valley. “We’re going to send in two squads to engage them there with long range weapons, then retreat and detonate it.”
“What about the slaves?”
“The slaves will be fine.” He caressed my cheek. “It’s just a one megaton blast and the slaves are behind an energy shielded wall on the other side of the volcano.”
Ben stepped over to the ledge. “After the blast detonates, the bulk of our men will split into two groups and head along both ridges to engage their reinforcements.” He folded his arms. “That should give us time to reach the Sanctum.”
My eyes flashed open. “Us?”
“We’re coming with you,” John said.
“No.” I shook my head. As much as I wanted him to come, this was my mission, and the closer John got, the more he would risk his life for me.
“Lumenara—”
“I don’t need you two to babysit me.”
“But you do need backup.”
“I—”
John grabbed my hands and gave me a focused stare. “Face it, you’re stuck with me, so get used to it.” He gave me a toothy grin.
“Me to,” Ben said. He closed a hand on my shoulder. “May as well give it up, Missy.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. I wouldn’t have to do this alone.
“Okay, but let’s get one thing straight. When we head to the Sanctum, I’m in charge.”
They both looked at each other, and John shrugged.
He then motioned Ben over to the tiger stone and pointed to the volcano. “It’s right there.”
Ben’s eyes squinted. “Now that’s a sight. You were right about that bogey being clearly marked.” He gazed into the Targ encampment and whistled. “We should put the nuke under that cluster of trees, that way it’ll be hidden and have the greatest impact.”
“Agreed.”
The nuke again?
I turned away. I couldn’t believe they were placing their hopes on Max. I could think of a dozen ways their plan could go sideways. “I don’t trust him.”
“But you do trust me?”
My head drooped. Did I trust John? Of course I did, but everything about this seemed wrong.
“I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that right?”
Oh, you would ask me that.
I sighed. “Yes.”
He pulled me around, lifted my chin, and stared deeply into my eyes. “It’ll be okay.” He wrapped his arms around me. “When this is all done, we’ll laugh and I’ll give you a kiss in the Sanctum.”
“Promise?” I curled my arms around him.
“Yes, ma’am.”
&nb
sp; I closed my eyes, and he held me tight. “Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER 12
Through my helmet, I watched as Max and the first two squads advanced into the valley. They were going to use jammers to blind the scanning towers and try to use the cover of the rocks and brush to hide their movements. That’s when our plan unraveled almost before it even began.
“Buggers,” Ben said. “You better have a look at this.” He pointed at the Targ encampment.
John and I moved over to him. Several columns of Targs advanced into the valley on our squads.
“That was fast,” John said.
Ben pointed to the valley. “Those towers were supposed to be jammed. How in the bloody hell did they spot them?”
“It doesn’t matter now.” John clicked his transmitter. “Max, look sharp and get that nuke set. You’re about to have company.” He took a deep breath. “How many Targs do you think are coming?”
“A couple thousand, maybe more.”
“That’s not enough.”
I felt like a child listening to an adult conversation I shouldn’t be a part of. I had no idea what to do. My father taught me hand to hand combat and how to survive, not war tactics. Up there, I could do nothing but watch.
“Beta squad,” John said, “Move up and engage the encampment with sniper rifles. Charlie squad, start pounding them with rockets.”
Ben inched forward. “Opening the barn door a little early aren’t you, mate.”
“If the entire encampment doesn’t bite, this whole operation will be for not.”
John reached out for my hand and I took it. He was nervous. Even with the armor on, I could tell by how he kept shifting his body. He deactivated his helmet, and then mine before staring deep into my eyes. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll get you down there safe. I swear it.”
I took a hand and ran my fingertips down his cheek. “I’m not worried about me.”
We both leaned forward and I nuzzled my face against his cheek. “Just don’t be a hero. Remember, you still owe me a kiss.”
He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
The Targ camp erupted with multiple popping sounds and thunderous explosions. Targ warriors poured out and moved to both sides. After a few minutes, they hammered the human troops with mortars and plasma rifle fire. The small force of humans dwindled as a dozen men fell, yet they stood their ground.
What’s taking so long?
Ben stood and raised his sniper rifle, but John yanked it down. “No! They can’t know we’re here.”
“In case you haven’t noticed mate, it’s a God damned shooting gallery down there.”
John ripped the rifle from his hands and gave it to me. “I know this is hard. I want to shoot those alien bastards as well.” He pointed at me. “But her safety is paramount.”
Ben stood motionless for a moment, then slunk back to a crouched position. “Right.”
“Max,” John called out, “what the hell is taking so long?”
“The timer must have gotten wet in the sewer. It’s not working and I can’t fix it.”
“Is it primed?” John asked.
“Yea, but someone will have to stay with it and press the detonator switch.”
“Then I guess your number is up.”
“Not a chance,” Max said. “Our deal was I set the nuke and you let me go.”
“Max, you son-of-a-bitch, either you stay and detonate that bomb or I’ll have them shoot you in the back.”
Ben deactivated his helmet and put his hands together like he was praying. He tapped John’s shoulder. “I got this.”
“Willie me lad, it’s your time.”
John turned and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Ben, no—”
He looked away and pulled John’s hands down. “It has to be done. Sam, you still with us?”
“Still got a cheery in this coward’s backside.”
“Good,” Ben said. “Get the rest of the men out of there and let Max go.”
A pause choked the air.
“Understood.”
Ben’s face turned pale while John lowered his head and sighed. It looked like Ben had just shot his own mother. I took him by the arm. “Who’s Willie?”
He hesitated. “He’s me brother and the only one I’d trust do this under fire.”
I stared into his dark sad eyes. I didn’t know what to say.
All this was for me.
I marveled at how willing each of them were to give up their lives so I could accomplish my mission. A cold feeling a dread swept over me. I knew then that I couldn’t fail.
Ben’s shoulders straightened, and he stood up. “Come on Missy, we better get you behind this rock before it detonates.”
We moved directly behind the tiger stone. I held John and Ben’s hands. It was all I could think of to give them some comfort.
~~~
“Fire in the hole!” Willie said. John squeezed my hand. “Fire in the hole! Fire in the hole!”
A flash of brilliant white light screamed away on both sides of the rock face, and then thunder rolled under my feet. It shook me so hard it felt like my teeth were going to rattle out.
When the light faded, a sound like a thousand lions roared. Pieces of rock chipped and fell down all around us. It was terrifying and seemed to go on for several minutes. Suddenly, all was quite.
After several moments of silence, we crept around the tiger stone. The entire valley was blackened with the smoking remains of a shallow crater and trees on the outskirts being reduced to smoldering stumps. Even the face of the volcano itself had a black smoky smudge, rising up as if someone had scribbled on it with a piece of charcoal.
“Mother of God,” Ben said. “Now that’s what I call shrimp on the barbie.”
On the edges of the valley, thousands of wounded Targ warriors struggled to stand. They were shot by two columns of advancing human troops. At the base, maybe a few hundred uninjured Targs poured plasma fire into the human forces who answered in kind.
John stared at me. “Looks like you’re up.” He held out a hand. “Lead the way.”
We descended the plateau and entered the other side of the ridge that lined the valley. Once there, I ran at full speed to the base of the volcano, past the plasma fire and the ground that exploded under my feet. No point in being subtle anymore. A few Targ troops tried to fire on us, but missed wide each time and were quickly dispatched by John and Ben.
When we got to the base of the volcano, we stopped and hid behind an outcropping of black glass like rock.
John shielded me as part of a boulder several yards away exploded and showered us with fragments. “Does this seem a little too easy?”
“I was think’n that myself,” Ben said. “How come they’re not using the stationary guns?”
Easy?
I didn’t understand. It didn’t seem easy at all to me. “What are you saying?”
John peered over the blackened rock. “It’s almost like someone’s expecting us. Where to now?”
“One of the scrolls I read mentioned an area of red rock that marked the entrance followed by a riddle ‘Only the blood of my children will enter.’”
“This entire rock-face is red.”
“Then maybe all we need is a little blood.” I deactivated my armor. John and Ben took positions on opposite sides to shield me. I pricked my finger with my dagger and let a drop of blood hit the rock-face. A thin, ruby-red line appeared and stretched across the worn red lava rock. It disappeared a couple of yards to the side of me.
“We’ll cover you,” John said. “Find the entrance.”
I continued to drop my blood on the rock-face, following the glowing red line and trying to ignore the explosions and continuous zapping noises of the battle all around me. Much to my surprise, even when we were in clear sight of the Targs they ignored us, focusing on the human troops instead.
A few minutes passed, and the line split to form a doorway before racing to a small dot in the center and vanishing. The
spot was just large enough for my skull star. I removed it and pressed my skull star to the spot on the rock where the ruby light disappeared. It entered and door-sized portion rippled and became clear, like waves on the surface of a lake.
John and Ben turned their heads to me. John reached out a gauntleted hand, but it stopped on the surface. He pressed and then pounded, but it wouldn’t give way. Ben kicked at the gel like doorway, but nothing happened. He took a few shots with his Targ pistol, but the translucent surface just flickered.
“I don’t understand,” Ben said. “How do we get inside?”
A mass of Targ troops gathered below and surged up toward us.
“Get down!” John said.
He grabbed me by my shirt and yanked me to the ground behind him.
John took aim and fired at the flood of Targ warriors who began to howl and curse while scrambling to reach us, but nothing more. “I’ve got another question for you. How come they’re not firing back?”
Ben took a knee while shielding me with his body and opened fire. Dozens of Targs fell, and yet they continued to come without firing a shot. “Beats me, but if she doesn’t crack open that door, things are going to get real friendly.”
My mind raced, bringing up every Egyptian scroll I’d read. Nothing.
Several Targs in front pulled out electric whips and flicked them back.
Wait…
Only my children...
Could it be that simple?
CHAPTER 13
I took my bare hand and pressed against the shimmering doorway. The translucent rock was like a warm gel and my hand passed through. “The Targ armor. You have to take it off.”
An explosion shot pieces of hot rock that stung my back and neck, so I dived in. A moment later, John and Ben, without their armor or Targ weapons, stumbled in behind me.
Inside, it was pitch black except for my skull star which glowed with a brilliant light, illuminating several feet in front of us. Behind the doorway a group of Targs, seemingly underwater, were trying to grab at my skull star and push their way in.
They parted as a group of them brought up one of the stationary guns. I snatched my skull star and put it back in my head. The doorway disappeared, followed by a thunderous rumble.
Awaken: A Dystopian Science Fiction Adventure Page 7
