The space itself was ample, consisting of one large communal area, all white, with various rooms splitting off in every direction. Each bedroom had a bathroom attached and a small computer system like the one in Ethan’s old apartment. The main difference with this technology, however, was its ability to connect to other human cities as well as Kowend, which was something that Doryn and Halson would need.
“It’s weird,” Ethan mumbled under his breath as he took in the surroundings. “What’s weird?” Halson asked. Ethan sat on the elegantly dressed bed and fumbled with his hands. “I know I’m home but for the first time in my life I feel like I don’t belong here.” He glanced up to watch Halson cross the room and sit next to him. “I don’t belong anywhere.” Halson took Ethan’s hand, lacing their fingers together and smiled. “You belong right here, with me.” Ethan scoffed playfully and tried to pull away but Halson persisted. “I mean it Ethan, as long as we’re together, nothing else matters.” He ended the conversation with a kiss which naturally led to another and then another until finally Ethan broke away in need of oxygen. “We should get some sleep,” Ethan said after a beat. Halson nodded and they both changed into their sleeping attire.
Ethan was dripping with unease, interfering greatly with his sleep. He tossed and turned but nothing could release the knots in his stomach as they twisted and burrowed themselves deeper. Tomorrow would bring a new day but something in Ethan’s gut told him the outcome would not be good. Morning came and with it a new set of challenges arose. Word of their arrival had reached the Daventry city leaders prompting a surprise visit, which Ethan wagered was more of a chance to confirm his well-being.
Saia and Danica were sitting in the common room, conversing quietly when Ethan entered, drawing their attention to him. Saia was the first to rise, enveloping Ethan in a tight hug, leaving him at a loss. He stood rigid for a moment before finally relaxing and returning the gesture. “I’m so glad you’re alive,” she whispered sincerely. When she backed away, he shifted awkwardly, avoiding her stare. “Um… me too,” he replied lamely.
Danica remained seated but sent Ethan a small grin to show her support as well. “It’s good to see you Ethan,” Danica stated. He gave her a sharp nod and wandered to a chair adjacent to the couch. Halson hung back a few feet away, leaning against a door frame as if he were supervising the visit. Ethan found it alarmingly sweet, though Halson’s true nature was now on display for Saia and Danica, making them somewhat wary of him. Neither of them had ever met a MalJari, having only their previous prejudices to guide them but after several minutes they appeared calm in Halson’s presence.
Thankfully, they were spared the company of Doryn as he was busy organizing the city’s resources with Edred. Together they would catalog and record all available sources of power as well as strategizing possible hiding spots, escapes routes and any other data that could aid them in a fight. They were due to meet up later in the day but for now, Ethan was to remain in the dwelling.
“I’m assuming you know of MalStryker’s visit?” Ethan asked. Danica nodded, “Edred informed us about the nature of the visit.” Saia appeared uncharacteristically nervous, biting her lip before she asked, “Do you really think they mean us harm?” Ethan wanted to laugh in response but then he remembered how much the citizens of Daventry didn’t actually know about the MalJari. Ethan exhaled loudly, gathering his thoughts before replying, “They mean us more than harm. They mean to wipe us out completely.” The frank statement was a shock to the leaders, rendering them speechless. Saia was on her feet in a flash. “We need to warn the other cities!” she practically shouted. Halson cringed at the screech in her voice.
“I’ll get in touch with Locke, Alistair and Berwin,” she said quickly in Danica’s direction, “you contact Emmeline, Whitely, and Garrick.” Halson had finally heard enough and felt the need to intervene. “You’re not contacting anyone. At least not yet.” His words were said with an air of authority that had the two ladies stop in their tracks. “But we have to warn them!” Danica pleaded. Halson shared a look with Ethan before he spoke. “We have a lot more to discuss before we get any other cities involved. For all we know, the Commissioner’s threat could simply be a warning. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is give him a reason to attack.” Though still on edge, Halson’s words had their intended effect causing Danica and Saia to rethink their plans.
“So, what do we do now?” Saia asked after a brief silence. Ethan stood from his chair to join Halson. “We wait,” he said. Saia’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Wait?” Ethan shrugged. “I want to see what MalStryker does first.” His words, though firm, did nothing to ease the apprehension clawing around the room. The last thing Ethan wanted was to play into the Commissioner’s hands by alerting the surrounding cities of possible trouble. The MalJari leader would see right through that and decimate them all without a second thought. He wouldn’t… he couldn’t risk that. “Okay Ethan. We’ll wait,” Danica said.
They exchanged pleasantries for a while longer before the leaders were called away on important business, no doubt in preparation for MalStryker’s visit. Once they were alone, Ethan decided a nap was in order while Halson took the opportunity to contact his father and fill him in. Though Ethan was technically fully recovered, he still found himself getting tired often. Halson encouraged the breaks, making sure that Ethan didn’t get overwhelmed. The sound of the front door sliding open, drew Halson’s attention away from his father and toward the living room. They’d been talking for the better part of an hour about their plans for MalStryker’s visit. “Halson, is everything okay?”
Halson nodded absentmindedly, though his eyes were still fixed on the doorway. He checked on Ethan and found him still asleep. When he looked back at the doorway, he was expecting to see Doryn or even Edred walk in but instead he saw nothing and that made his stomach drop. “Just a moment, father,” he said, setting down the tablet. Before he could fully stand, the room was breeched by none other than Preston Andrews. Immediately, Preston’s gaze landed on the sleeping form situated a few meters away. A wicked grin danced across his sallow face as his suspicions had been confirmed. Halson jumped to his feet, squaring off in a predatory stance, eyes aglow, hands ready to strike.
Preston snickered at the boy before returning his attention to Ethan. It was then that Halson noticed the others behind him in the living room. Among them Tyler Hanes, a handful of MalJari soldiers and most notably Danica Amethistine. Outrage overpowered the numbness that he felt at the sight of her. He raked over her, noticing the apologetic features on her face, not that it mattered to him. Right now, she was the enemy.
“I see you’ve recognized an old friend,” Preston said, motioning to Danica. Her shoulders hunched in shame as she averted her eyes to the floor. “Honestly, I thought I was going to have to threaten her but as it turns out, she came to me willingly.” He smiled at her. “The Commissioner was most pleased, wasn’t he Danica?” Halson glared at her but maintained his stance between Preston and the bed. He quickly surveyed the living room and realized they were severely outnumbered. “I don’t want to kill you,” Preston lamented. Halson scoffed. “That’s a shame because I really want to kill you.”
The smirk on Preston’s face was replaced with angry puckered lips. “Get him,” he ordered. Halson pushed the air around Preston, sending him flailing backward. The commotion was enough to wake Ethan, jostling him out of sleep. He scanned the room quickly; three soldiers on one side, two on the other, each one wearing the same arm bands he had seen in Daventry meaning their power was amplified. Halson watched Ethan, somewhat surprised by his alertness. Moving closer to the bed, he waited for Ethan to react, never once taking his eyes off the soldiers. For a few long moments, it was a stand-off of glowing eyes, each side waiting to see what the other would do. Ethan was uncharacteristically tense, breathing shallowly while his eyes darted between each soldier in rapid succession. He slowly edged off the bed, rising to his feet, ready to pounce like a caged animal.
One of the soldiers lifted a small device and aimed it at Ethan. Preston stood off to the side with Danica and Tyler, watching the scene in amusement. Tyler looked smug while Danica appeared stricken with worry. The Commissioner’s office assured her that they only wanted Ethan, leaving the rest of her people safe and unharmed. It wasn’t a decision she made lightly but the citizens of Daventry shouldn’t have to pay for a simple mistake. That was what this ultimately came down to; Ethan was a mistake. One that she had now learned from and will not repeat and though she didn’t want him to die, she knew it was the smarter choice.
“Do it!” Preston snarled at the soldiers. The device aimed at Ethan instantly shot a tranquilizer dart at his chest but they were not expecting Ethan to catch it midair. He studied the bullet shaped object before carelessly dropping it on the ground. When his eyes returned to the soldiers, they were more menacing than ever, almost challenging his foes. “Get behind me,” Ethan said to Halson. Without argument, Halson did as he was told and situated himself between Ethan and the bed.
The soldiers seemed ready to attack once more but each paused to glance over at Preston. “Kill them,” he ordered. Danica pushed off the wall to protest but was met with a sharp blow across the face. “You are in enough trouble as it is. I suggest you stay down or you’ll be next!” Danica was seething, holding her pained cheek, but remained on the floor. “You don’t have to do this Preston,” Ethan said. Preston raised a curious brow at the boy. “Just leave me alone. I won’t hurt anyone, I promise.” Preston couldn’t help the laugh that left his mouth. “It’s not up to you Ethan. It never was. The moment Godrik created you, you were destined for death.” Anger was boiling underneath Ethan’s skin, searing and rumbling for release. He wanted to live, even if it meant he had to die trying.
Suddenly the walls of the room began to whine and creak in protest as if they were being stretched to their limit. The light fixtures flickered and popped, raining glass on to the floor. A soldier to the right realized Ethan was the cause and sent a burst of energy toward him but Ethan pushed it back like it was nothing. Soon, furniture began to tremble and shake around them. Anything placed on the tables fell to the ground, breaking. Danica and Tyler searched the room frantically, unsure of what was happening but Preston growled at Ethan. “Stop him!” he yelled as the room began to fall apart.
Another soldier, bigger than the last, activated his arm band and sent another, more powerful blast, landing on Ethan’s left shoulder. Though the blow made contact, Ethan appeared unfazed and continued to destroy the room. The amount of energy emitting from him was palpable like an aura radiating from every limb. Even Halson was in awe. He watched as Ethan placed his hands across his chest, balling up his fists in the process. His breaths were coming in deep and forceful intervals. A crack in the wall caught everyone’s attention as it ran up and over the ceiling. Soon, the floor splintered and it became clear that Ethan meant to bury them beneath the streets.
As he moved forward, the MalJari soldiers crept back, smartly keeping their distance. Every time they tried to attack Ethan, the boy brushed it off and continued his assault on the room. Halson was right behind Ethan, tense and alert. Ethan carefully herded the soldiers along with Preston, Danica and Tyler into the farthest corner of the living room away from the front door. Danica and Tyler flinched and ducked to avoid being hit by falling debris. By now, the walls had begun to crumble, the light fixtures had fallen from the ceiling and most of the furniture was completely destroyed.
Preston’s face reeked of anger and disgust but in that moment, he was helpless to stop Ethan. “You’ll never get away with this!” he bellowed. Ethan watched him through hooded eyes, concentrating his energy at the hateful man. Once he reached the front door, he took one last glance at Danica, regarding her pitifully. “Ethan please!” she screamed. If only she had believed in him. But it was no longer the time to hope or wait for others to save him. Ethan had to save himself and he was determined to do just that. He closed his eyes and channeled his energy to his hands, sensing the moment the energy became too much. He opened his eyes and shoved his arms toward the room, covering the expanse in a shockwave so powerful it not only sent everyone off their feet, but also cracked the walls and forced the ceiling to cave in. The noise was alarming, echoing throughout the space. A thick wave of dust billowed from the rubble filling the hallway. When it was over, Ethan collapsed on to his knees, breathing harshly.
“Ethan? Are you okay? Ethan talk to me!” Halson persisted but the boy remained silent. Finally, he pushed himself off the floor and stumbled into the hallway. “We need to go,” he mumbled. Halson tried to reach for him but Ethan turned away. “Please Halson, we have to get out of here.” But Halson wasn’t having it. He grabbed Ethan’s arm and forced him to stop. He noticed the tears gathering on Ethan’s face, the trembling of his lip as he stood unsteadily. “I… I,” he began but got choked up on the words.
“Don’t Ethan. You didn’t have a choice,” Halson said, attempting to sooth him. Ethan shook his head but Halson maintained his hold.
“They’re not going to stop until you’re dead Ethan! Don’t you understand that?” Ethan tried to reply but instead he shut down, letting his impending emotions take over. His strained sobs filled the small space as the pair sunk to their knees. Ethan rested his head on Halson’s shoulder, letting the tears flow freely down his face. Halson rubbed Ethan’s arms to appease his suffering.
“I didn’t mean to… I didn’t want to…”
“I know,” Halson said. “I know. But they won’t stop and if it means they all die, then so be it. I’m not losing you.”
Ethan sniffled, leaning back to meet Halson’s eyes. No words were spoken out loud but much was said. They got back on their feet, glimpsing behind them at the debris that remained before making their way down the long corridor, toward the elevators. They knew Ethan’s little outburst would be noticed, as well as Preston’s absence, giving them no time to waste. As they rushed to the elevator, Halson realized his retinal and hand scan wouldn’t operate the machine. He was about to say as much when Ethan pressed his eye to the scanner and placed his hand down. To their surprise, it worked.
Ethan turned toward him and grinned. “I’m assuming you’ll explain that later?” Halson asked. Ethan shrugged but didn’t reply. Instead he faced the camera in the upper corner and with a flick of his fingers, destroyed it, smashing it to bits. “The 33rd floor?!” Halson exclaimed, after Ethan pressed the button to their destination. “We need to get out of here now, before anyone realizes what happened.”
“They already know,” Ethan whispered.
“What? Who?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not leaving without Godrik. There’s still something I need from him.”
“Oh Ethan! You’ve got to be kidding me! He’s the reason-”
“He’s the reason I’m alive!” Ethan growled, much to Halson’s astonishment.
“And right now, he’s our best hope of getting out of here.”
Halson didn’t respond, still shocked by Ethan’s hostility. What Ethan could possibly want from Godrik was beyond him. All Godrik had done from the beginning was make a mess of things. If it wasn’t for him Ethan wouldn’t be…
That was when Halson understood. Without Godrik, Ethan wouldn’t even exist, let alone be such a powerful force. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Godrik was the reason Ethan came into his life. He couldn’t begin to comprehend the bond they shared, he simply hoped it wouldn’t get Ethan killed.
As soon as the doors opened on to the 33rd floor, chaos erupted. Clearly, their attempt to shield themselves from the surveillance cameras was pointless. Ethan immediately thrusted his hands forward, blocking the incoming attack while Halson readied himself for hand to hand combat. Ethan was still trying to keep the soldiers back, a task made more difficult by the addition of new ones. In a matter of seconds, they were surrounded. That is until he saw Doryn and Edred rushing toward them. The diversion was suffici
ent for Ethan to gain the upper hand. As some of the soldiers dealt with Edred and Doryn, Ethan focused his efforts on getting to Godrik’s office. Halson took a hit to the face but countered with a blow to his attacker’s stomach followed by a knee to the face. He then grabbed him by the collar and threw him across the hallway.
Edred was being held down by a foot pushing into his chest. He was able to twist and kick the soldiers leg out, causing him to fall. Once he was down, Edred unleashed a series of vicious punches, eviscerating the MalJari’s face. When he finally stopped, he looked at Ethan and got an idea. He tried to pull and tear at the arm band of the soldier but couldn’t get it off. “Doryn!” he yelled. The MalJari gave his foe one final burst of energy, slamming him against a wall, when he turned to Edred. “Help me get this off!” It took Doryn a second to realize what Edred wanted to do but eventually he had Edred hold the soldier while worked the controls of the arm band. The device was like a computer, programmed to its host’s nervous system.
When Doryn finally detached the arm band, he called to Halson, getting his attention. “Put this on!” Halson backed up against a door and placed the device on his arm, snapping it into place. Upon activation, he roared in pain as the computer took hold of his brain. His eyes flashed a bright green before returning to their normal hue. He stood up straight again, swinging his arm in small circles, acclimating to the foreign sensation. He wound his head to the left, catching sight of Ethan fighting three soldiers at once. He channeled his power, relishing in its new-found strength and blasted two of the MalJari, incapacitating them.
Ethan smirked at him before returning to his own fight, blocking a kick to his side. He pushed a burst of air directly into the soldier’s abdomen, sending him flying back, hitting the floor hard. “Here,” Doryn said, handing him an arm band. He glanced behind him, noticing the soldier it came from was still unconscious. “It will sting for a second,” the MalJari explained, putting the device in place. Ethan nodded. “It can’t hurt more than death.” The band activated but instead of a light sting, he got an agonizing shot of adrenaline that sent him to his knees. It was overwhelming as the technology fought his human side, unsure of what to make of it. He gritted his teeth as the pain began to subside. His power coursed through his veins, heightened and far more frightening.
Awaken_Ethan Drake Chronicles Page 25
