by J Gaines
He reached the edge of the woods and stopped, looking out at the field in front of him. The grass was long, and a steady rain fell on the moonlit countryside. He breathed in deeply as he prepared himself for what was to come, delaying the inevitable as he felt a presence join him. He didn’t turn to it, trusting the intentions he wasn’t sure of. Others joined him, and he closed his eyes, letting his senses tell him everything he needed to know. It was time. He opened his eyes and leapt into the grass, sensing that the others had followed. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, enjoying the refreshing spray from the long grass and the freedom of the night. There wasn’t another living person for miles, he knew it, and he was glad. He turned to see the grass parting beside him, and then looked the other way to see the same. He didn’t stop, instead finding a hidden burst of energy that propelled him to run even faster. He was leading now and shouted at the top of his voice as he vaulted a fence. He’d never known a feeling of freedom as strong as this one and didn’t want to stop. He heard a call from behind him, and then many more. The reply was different to his, it wasn’t a cry filled with elation, but a call that was warning him, signalling that danger was approaching. He stopped suddenly, heeding the warning and dropping to one knee. He bowed his head and listened. He was being approached from all sides, but this wasn’t the danger and he still wasn’t scared. A couple more seconds and he’d be with them.
*
“Come back to us, Amias.”
“Is he okay?”
“I think so, but his heart rate was dangerously fast. It felt like it was going to explode. I’ve never felt a heartbeat so strong.”
“Have you finished stitching him up?”
“Yes. Now it’s up to him. How are you feeling, Jasmine?”
“I’m okay. How long until he’s able to talk?”
“He could talk now, he’s just not. He’s weak and he needs rest. But if I’m honest, he looks remarkably well already for somebody who’s been shot.”
“How long until we stop, Max?”
“We can stop soon, and then one of us can get food and any supplies we need. Then it’s a few more hours until we get as far as we can go by road. It won’t be safe to get any closer – we’ll need to dump the van and go by foot.”
“He has to have time to heal!”
“We can give him some time. But not much.”
*
He heard his name, but it was a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time. Sadness filled him as he recognised who it was, and he felt hot tears well up in his eyes. Blaise stood in front of him.
“One, two, three.” He smiled and held up his fingers as he counted. Amias looked at him; he didn’t understand, but wished he could capture this moment in time and stay there. He was a man, as Amias had last seen him, but there was something in his face which was different, mischievous but beautifully innocent, as he had been when they were boys.
“One, two, three.” He laughed and Amias realised he was looking down at him. He held out his hand and Amias clasped it greedily, holding on tightly and feeling the strength it possessed. Blaise pulled him to his feet.
“One, two, three.” This time he looked at Amias sadly. A tear rolled down his cheek, and more followed.
“Help me, Blaise.”
He didn’t reply, his youthful eyes still watching Amias sadly. They studied each other, and Amias was unsure of how long had passed. He wanted to embrace him, but for some reason he knew he couldn’t; it was too much, and more than he was allowed right now. Blaise suddenly turned to his right, as if he’d heard something, or sensed another presence. He turned back to Amias and smiled in a way Amias had never seen before.
“One, two, three. Wake up.”
*
“He’s back.”
Amias stared up at the roof of the van. They were still moving, and he saw Sophia come into his line of sight. He could smell petrol, and something else. He painfully pulled himself up, using his elbows. His shoulder began to throb but he ignored it, placing his palm on the floor and pushing himself up so he was sitting.
“Amias, you should rest.”
He smiled grimly. “I am resting, Sophia.” He began to pull himself to the side of the van, but Sophia intervened, taking his weight and helping him to rest his back against the cold metal. He looked around at the others. In the darkness of the van, he could still see the look of surprise from everyone except Jasmine. She looked at him differently. His eyes fell on hers and she lowered her head.
“You truly are a miracle, Amias,” replied Sophia. “You should be dead.”
“The others?”
“Gone.” Amias grimaced, and Sophia examined the dressings over his wound. “Are you in pain? We managed to get some painkillers when we stopped for fuel. We also got some medical supplies to clean your wound and dress it. Not that I think you needed it, your body is already doing amazingly well at healing itself. You’re already what I’d consider three days into the healing process for a normal person.”
“It doesn’t feel like that.”
“Stop complaining, it was only a scratch.” Amias turned to see Max looking back at him from the driver’s seat. “Good to see you up and about. We were starting to get tired of your incessant talking in your sleep.”
Amias frowned. “How far away are we?”
“Nice to see you too, Max!” Max turned back to the road and shook his head. “We’re close. We’ll stop soon, and then we need to talk.”
“What is there to talk about?” replied Amias.
“Oh, nothing. Nothing important, like our strongest asset having a hole blown through his shoulder.”
“Sophia has said I’m healing well.”
“You are healing well. But you’re not strong enough to face what’s to come. It would be madness to go ahead with the plan. And it’s not just you. We’re four people down and Jasmine has given you a lot of her blood.” Sophia sat back down in front of him with a look of resignation.
“It’s now or never, Sophia.” Amias did his best to lift his left arm but gave up after only raising it a few inches. He heard Sophia sigh. “I just need a few more hours, and I’ll be ready. It won’t make much difference whether there are eleven of us, or seven of us. The plan stays the same.”
“I told you,” Max shouted over his shoulder.
Sophia ignored him and closed her eyes. “And what is the plan? Tell us about Kaden’s base.”
Max turned momentarily, and then concentrated on the road and spoke loudly over the rumbling old engine. “It’s a purpose-built fortress. He had it built as a home for him, outside of the city, but since then it’s been expanded, and there’s a heavy security presence based there. For all of his talk of being all-powerful, he doesn’t take any chances. There’s a perimeter fence that’s guarded, and he has all of the highest tech surveillance. But there are ways to get in undetected; I’ve been through them myself.”
“How will we get in?” She turned to Amias. Amias gave himself a moment and looked around the van at the eyes staring back at him. The full extent of what he was going to ask them to do weighed heavily on him, and for a moment he wasn’t sure if he could find the words. He pulled on a clean t-shirt that Henry handed him. “Amias?”
“Sophia, you’ll take Henry and create a diversion. We want it to look like it’s a genuine attempt to access the facility, but we want it to be discovered. You’ll need to be careful and ensure you’re in control of when you’re discovered, and that you leave yourselves an escape route. You’ll also need to draw it out as long as you can, to give us as much time as possible. Emily, Joe, you’re backup for Henry and Sophia. If they’re discovered before they want to be, you’ll help to get them out of there. If for any reason the ruse doesn’t work, you may need to do something yourselves to get the attention on you. I don’t want any of you to be heroes. At all times make sure you have an escape route, and wh
atever happens, don’t come for us.”
“And what about you, Jasmine and Max?”
“Max is going to get us in undiscovered.” He shot a look at Max, who turned and looked back at him. “Once we’re in, we’ll try and locate Kaden and do our best to end this.”
Sophia sighed. “And what if Kaden isn’t there?”
He smiled at her, but Max replied for him. “Then we’re shit out of luck, sister.”
Sophia scowled at the back of his head and turned to Amias again. “This isn’t going to work. There’s way too much that can go wrong.”
“I know it’s risky, but whatever happens we’ve agreed to try and end this once and for all. I’m trying to make sure we don’t lose anybody else that we don’t have to. If I have to arrive at Kaden’s front door and politely ask to be let inside, I will, but we have at least some hope we can do this and not be discovered until we want to be. I won’t order you to follow me; these aren’t my orders, they’re my requests. After this, you’ll be in charge until you find John again, and then you have my recommendation to lead our people. I know they’ll be in safer hands with you than they ever would be with me.”
Sophia looked at him in surprise. “Lead?”
“Yes. You’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. You’re compassionate, and you’re strong, and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have leading me. I know I’ve made mistakes, and those mistakes have cost lives. I’ve let my anger at Kaden cloud my judgement too many times. But this time I’m thinking more clearly than I ever have before. And I know it’ll be hard for you to understand, but I have a feeling that now is the right time to do this, or there will never be another opportunity. Kaden will be over-confident after his attack on us; he may expect me to come for him, but he underestimates the strength of the people who stand with me. And that’s a big mistake.”
Before Sophia replied, she watched him for a few moments, as if she saw something she’d not noticed before. “I’m honoured you think that. And I’m honoured to have known you.” She wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek. “We won’t let you down.” She reached out to a pile of their weapons and returned holding his mother’s sword. “We managed to save this as well.” Amias took the sword and nodded.
They felt the van slow down and pull to a stop. Max swivelled around in his seat. “We’re as far as we’re going to get.”
Amias nodded. “Then we should all get some rest. At nightfall, we go.”
Chapter 27
Amias watched dusk fall through the rain-soaked windscreen of the van. The group had hardly spoken since they’d stopped. Each of them had gone about preparing their weapons meticulously and had tried to get as much rest as they could. Even Max had kept his thoughts to himself, sitting in the driver’s seat with his feet on the dashboard. His eyes were closed, but his fingers repeatedly stroked the smooth metal of his gun.
Amias turned his attention to his wound. It was still painful, but it had eased throughout the day and now he could almost lift his arm above his head. His other hand rested on his mother’s sword and his thoughts returned to her. He’d never felt as if he needed guidance more than he did now. As the day had progressed, his doubts about their plan had grown, and in the claustrophobic space in the van, there was nobody he could confide this to. He knew only too well that the group needed him to believe in his choice. Again, he realised it was only now that he knew his mother had been alive that he longed for the things he could never experience with her. He turned to see Jasmine looking at him from the other side of the van, and a strong yearning for her returned. He ignored the temptation to move to her side, knowing that if the others thought for a moment his focus was on anything but their mission, it would raise doubts in their minds. He noticed that now Max was watching him as well.
“Time to go.”
Amias nodded in agreement, and pulled himself to his feet, using his sword as a crutch, before Sophia could help. The others automatically picked up their weapons and rose with him. “It’s time.” He paused, looking at each of them in turn. “Virgil taught me how I can control my abilities and showed me the importance of channelling my strengths. John showed me how to be a man, and the true strength I can possess. My mother gave me my abilities, and later instructed me how to fight. But in the end, you’ve helped me understand true courage and sacrifice, and now I know what I’m fighting for. It isn’t revenge, or for power, it’s for you.”
Sophia pushed a gun into his palm, and tightly clasped his hand for a few moments. “Let’s go.”
He unlocked the door and jumped out into the wet night, glad of the rain that fell onto his face after being trapped in the van for so long. He tucked the gun into the back of his jeans as the others quickly followed, and he realised Max had brought them to a layby on a long country road.
Max was the last person to join them. “We’re around five miles from Kaden’s headquarters, and from now on we’re back to fields and woods. We need to move quickly and be as careful as we can be. For all I know, Kaden has this area and all areas surrounding his facility watched and guarded.” He strapped his weapon across his broad shoulders. “Follow me.”
They plunged into the nearest opening in the field. Max led, with Amias following at the rear. As they moved quickly through the wet grass, he found that with every step he took a jolt of pain shot through the left side of his body. He passed his sword from his right hand to his left and gripped it as tightly as he could. Pain emanated from the tips of his fingers, through his arm and shoulder and into his neck; he growled quietly. His dressings were hidden, but he knew Kaden would identify his weakness the moment he saw him. I need to end it as quickly as possible.
They moved quietly through the countryside, and despite the danger awaiting them, Amias found himself appreciating the beauty of his surroundings. The fields and small woods offered a peace he suddenly wished he could remain in. He looked down the line of the group and could see Jasmine ahead of him. Would she be happy to live in the solitude he craved? As much as he tried not to, his thoughts moved past what was to come that night and dwelled on the small hope that she might remember something. It would be difficult to leave the responsibilities of the altéré behind, but he hoped that if he could free them of Kaden’s threat tonight, he would be free as well, and Jasmine with him. Up ahead Max stopped suddenly under a small copse of trees, and the group gathered around him.
“This is it,” he whispered. “It’s time to split up. Sophia, you take the others and head through that field. In a few minutes, you’ll reach a fence.” He looked at his watch. “Give us thirty minutes to get in position and then it’ll be time for you to do your thing.” Sophia nodded.
“Good luck,” whispered Amias. “To all of you.”
Sophia turned to him. “Good luck, Amias.” She kissed his cheek quickly and turned as Henry and the others followed her. They were gone in an instant, disappearing into the darkness. Amias turned to see a grinning Max wink at him, and then he turned to Jasmine who unstrapped one of two swords from her back. She threw one forcefully at Max, and he caught it before it collided with his face.
“Thanks!” He laughed and fastened it around his shoulders.
Jasmine looked around nervously. “You said Kaden has the highest tech surveillance, and his facility is heavily guarded. But I’ve not seen any sign of security, or surveillance equipment.”
Max shook his head. “We’re not there yet.”
“She’s right,” added Amias. “This all feels too easy. I don’t think Kaden would be as sloppy as this.”
“I know what you mean, but he doesn’t expect this. The seven of us aren’t likely enough to defeat him alone, never mind break into his base and take on an army. In his over-confidence, he’s probably blind to an attack like this.”
Jasmine took a step forward so she was only a few inches from Max. “We’ll see if you’re right.” She leaned in even c
loser and said something that was inaudible to Amias.
Max swallowed nervously. “Same goes for you.”
“That’s enough, you two. Max, time to deliver.”
Max turned to Amias, and then slowly stepped away from Jasmine, glancing back at her agitatedly.
“Follow me.” He turned and ran quickly through the trees and into a field. Jasmine followed, and then Amias. Now Max had his rifle raised in readiness, and Jasmine did the same. Amias gripped his sword tightly. Within minutes, the field began to slope down, and Max signalled for them to be careful as they came upon slippery stones and mud and began to pick their way down a steep verge where the field ended. The rocks were treacherously slick from the rain, and it was all Amias could do to stay upright. He grasped for hidden handholds, and grimaced as he twisted and turned, feeling the pain that was beginning to burn in his shoulder and wind its way both upwards and downwards throughout his body. They finally reached the bottom of their climb, and as Amias’s feet fell onto the mud, he couldn’t stop himself from falling to one knee as the pain grew. Jasmine turned to him, unable to hide her concern, and Max stopped a few feet away.
“The pain?” asked Jasmine. Amias nodded, and she checked his dressing. “It’s wet, the stitches aren’t holding.” She turned to Max. “We need to stop; the stitches have come loose.”
Max shook his head. “We don’t have time. Amias, can you make it?”
