Reapers

by Bryan Davis

  “Stop begging!” Alex shouted. “You know what I want, and I won’t negotiate. Either Misty or Shanghai will die. It’s up to you. You have five seconds to decide.”

  “Five seconds?” My breaths came in gasps. “But I can’t—”

  “One!”

  “Alex!” I fought to wrench my arms free, but my captors held them fast. “Listen. We can be reasonable. I’ll reap the prisoners. I won’t do anything to stop you from—”

  “Two!” Alex yelled, “Don’t think I won’t kill her, Phoenix. I already killed Colm. I’ll kill Misty with a flick of my finger! I won’t bat an eye.”

  “But she’s just—”

  “Three!”

  Misty closed her eyes and wept. “Oh, Phoenix. I love you. I love you so much.”

  “Alex!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Listen to me!”

  “Four!” Alex pressed harder, forcing Misty’s chin against her heaving chest. “This is your last chance, Phoenix. Say you’ll kill Shanghai right now or Misty is dead!”

  “No!” I lunged, but the powerful clutches jerked me back. “You can’t! You won’t!”

  “Wrong answer.” Alex slid her finger into the trigger. “Her next destination is the abyss.”

  A scream pierced the air. A dagger flew by and sliced into Alex’s forearm, knocking her gun hand back. Shanghai charged in the dagger’s path, stumbling out of control. Peter let go of me, dove at Shanghai, and grabbed her ankle, sending her into a headfirst slide. When she stopped, she twisted back, and the two wrestled, punching and clawing.

  Still holding the gun, Alex pulled the dagger from her arm and tossed it to the ground in front of me. Blood oozed from her wound. Without a hint of emotion, she switched the gun to her other hand, set the barrel against Misty’s skull, and pulled the trigger.

  The gun popped. Misty jerked. Her eyes rolled upward, then closed. She slumped in the chair, motionless.

  Alex shook her head. “Such a waste.”

  “No!” I screamed. “You couldn’t! You didn’t!”

  New pops sounded. Smoke erupted everywhere. With Peter no longer holding me, I snatched my arms free, clubbed the rifle bearer to the ground, and ran at Alex, scooping up the dagger on the way. I slashed the blade across her cheek, punched her in the eye, and shoved her with my foot. She flew backwards and struck her head on a pedestal, then lay there dazed.

  I cut away Misty’s bonds and spotted Shanghai and Peter. Shanghai’s spent capsules still smoked near her hip. Peter held her down and raised a fist. I slung the dagger at him. The blade plunged into his thigh. Clawing at the hilt, he rolled off Shanghai and writhed in agony.

  A yellow flare arced across the sky, fizzling as it descended.

  I dug into my pocket and threw the capsules where I thought the other guards might be standing. More smoke erupted. Amidst shouts of confusion, I lifted Misty from the chair, hoisted her over my shoulder, and hobbled to Shanghai. She crawled on all fours and collected our cloaks and belts, her body barely visible in the haze. When she scooped up both sets, we broke through the wall of smoke and staggered toward the Hilton.

  The searchlights followed us. Shouts flew from behind. Tromping feet drew closer. The Hilton lay only fifty steps ahead, though it warped and swayed from side to side. The lights illuminated a thin line dangling from the roof. “There’s Sing’s rope!”

  “I see it!” As we picked up our pace, Shanghai put on her cloak and belt. “But you can’t climb with Misty!”

  “I have to try!”

  We halted at the rope, wheezing. When I set Misty down to catch my breath, Shanghai fastened my belt in place and draped my cloak over my shoulders. “Listen! You have to… to leave her behind.… She’s dead!”

  “But her soul!”

  “No time!” She fastened my clasp with a quick snap of her hand. “We can’t wait!” She leaped, grabbed the rope, and climbed hand over hand.

  I looked back at the cloud of smoke. The guards had broken through and now closed in, seconds away.

  Crouching low, I kissed Misty’s cheek and whispered, “I’ll be back for you.” I thrust my arms into the cloak’s sleeves, clutched the rope with two tight fists, and climbed behind Shanghai. Every inch felt like a mile, every pull like a knife blade ripping my muscles.

  When Shanghai made it to the roof, she reached down. A shot rang out, then another. I grabbed her wrist. She hoisted me to the roof, and we tumbled over each other and lay facing the sky. Searchlights swept through thin smoke until they landed on us.

  Sing appeared out of nowhere, still wearing a head scarf. She grabbed my arm and Shanghai’s, and jerked us to our feet. “Let’s go!” Sing hissed.

  Shanghai and I stumbled along behind Sing, the searchlights tracking our every step. My cheeks burned. Blood dripped from my chin, but I couldn’t give in to the pain. Somehow I had to survive to return for Misty.

  I glanced at Shanghai. Her legs quivered. Her shoulders sagged. Although her eyes stayed open, they kept rolling upward as she battled to stay conscious and move forward.

  When we reached the back edge of the roof, Sing ducked under the lights and pointed at the ground where streetlamps illuminated the backdoor area. Two guards lay motionless in front of the door. “I’ll jump first,” Sing said, “then you’ll jump and use their bodies as a cushion.”

  “Are they unconscious?” I asked.

  “Dead.”

  “How did you—”

  “No questions!” Sing grabbed our collars and tugged us closer. “Just jump! The other guards are on their way!”

  Sing leaped over the side, crashed onto a guard’s stomach, and bounced to the ground.

  She looked up at us and waved frantically. “Now!”

  “Let’s go,” I said to Shanghai. “Aim for the closer guard. I’ll land on the other one.” We steadied ourselves at the edge of the roof and jumped.

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Shanghai and I landed feet first on the guards’ bodies and leaped to solid ground. When we righted ourselves, Sing waved from between two cars parked at the street. “This way!”

  We chased after her, staggering and stumbling. Shanghai favored one side while both of my legs cramped, making us fall farther behind with every passing second.

  After veering onto an angled side street, we turned into an alley. When we caught up with Sing, she leaped vertically, grabbed a fire-escape ladder, and pulled it down to our level. As she scrambled toward the roof, Shanghai followed, her shoes clanging on the metal rungs one slow clump at a time.

  I slogged behind them. My heart felt like lead, my feet like concrete blocks. I urged my heavy legs upward, step by painful step. It seemed that thoughts of Misty dragged me back. I had to rescue her soul from those monsters.

  Finally, I made it to the roof. Sing and Shanghai helped me climb over the parapet, and we lumbered stiff-legged to the other side of the building. Once we were out of view of the street, Shanghai and I flopped to our backs, coughing and wheezing.

  Sing pushed the center of her valve, lay on top of Shanghai, and embraced her. As I propped myself on an elbow and watched, the scene swayed like a pendulum. Sing locked her valve with Shanghai’s, then, closing her eyes, Sing tightened her facial muscles. Shanghai gasped. After a few seconds, her eyes fluttered open, and her breathing settled.

  “Phoenix’s turn,” Sing said, her tone calm and professional as she unlocked their valves. “Just rest for a while.”

  “Gladly.” Shanghai pushed up to a sitting position. “Thanks for the infusion.”

  “You’re quite welcome.” As Sing crawled my way, I lowered my head to the roof again. The building spun. Sing’s face appeared, the only stable image in the world. She lay on top of me chest-to-chest, locked our valves, and pressed her cheek against mine. “Don’t worry, Phoenix. You’ll feel better in a minute.” She hummed the words, calm and soothing, like the whisper of a breeze. “Colm’s family are all safe. No one will find them.”

  “Are you…” I could
barely move my lips. “Are you okay with doing this valve thing?”

  “Shhh. You’re delirious.” A tingling sensation flowed into my valve, fresh and soothing. “I don’t have much left, but I’ll give you all I can. And believe me when I say this.” Her lips brushed my ear as she whispered, “I would give my life for you. Without hesitation.”

  I heaved in a breath, lifting Sing’s body. The energy flow surged through my limbs and into my head, clearing my thoughts. The world stopped spinning. Everything in my vision clarified, sharp and in focus.

  After a few seconds, I breathed a quiet, “I think I’m okay now.”

  “Good.” Sing unlocked our valves, rose to her feet, and extended a hand.

  I grasped her wrist and rode her pull to a standing position. Sing snatched off her head scarf and shook out her curls. Now wearing knee-length shorts with her ragged shirt, she didn’t look much like a Reaper. “That escape was easier than I expected.”

  “You call that easy?” I sat down and leaned my back against the parapet. As I tried to settle my heart, Shanghai and Sing joined me, one at each side. A haze-covered moon and the glow of the lamps at street level provided enough light to see the rooftop and each other. “Give me a minute,” I said, “And we’ll talk.”

  While we rested in silence, the sounds of late evening wafted by. A radio played the news somewhere, and a dog barked, but no sirens sounded. Shouts from the direction of the prison ebbed and died away. Maybe the guards decided against pursuit. Since we weren’t prisoners and since it would be nearly impossible to catch us in the dark, why waste the time and effort?

  After taking a cleansing breath, I wrapped my cloak around myself and imagined Misty in my arms. Moments ago, I gazed into her beautiful eyes, heard once again her lilting voice, smelled her savory scent as I carried her body. All for the last time.

  Like a dam bursting, sobs erupted from my gut. Spasms shook my body, and I rocked back and forth. “I’m so sorry, Misty! I’m so, so sorry!”

  Sing stroked my shoulder, making quiet shushing sounds.

  “It’s not your fault, Phoenix.” Shanghai pushed her fingers through my hair. “Alex is the murderer, not you.”

  “Alex gave Phoenix a choice,” Shanghai said as she turned to Sing, “and he chose to spare me.”

  Sing nodded. “I get the picture. The ultimate ultimatum. Alex is the devil in a leather jacket.”

  When my spasms eased, I slid the pewter ring from my finger and painted a picture of Misty in my mind, recalling a time when she showed me one of her treasures. She wore a floor-length white gown, covered with lace and silk from top to bottom—her mother’s bridal gown. Even while little, she kept it in a hope chest and waited for her turn to walk down the aisle. By the time she reached her thirteenth birthday, she had latched her matrimonial hopes on me.

  But now it would never happen.

  Swallowing back another sob, I slid the ring on and whispered, “Misty, I’ll come back for you. Somehow I’ll find your soul and get you safely to the Gateway.”

  Sing looked silently up at the sky, her eyes watery. “And I’ll do everything I can to help you. I swear it.”

  Shanghai continued rubbing my shoulder. “Do you know what Alex meant by the abyss?”

  I shook my head. “She mentioned it once before but didn’t tell me what it is. Probably an idle threat.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Sing said. “Rumors among my people say they have a place to torture souls.”

  “Rumors. The Jungle is filled with them.” I blew out a sigh. “Maybe Alex is lying. Maybe she’s been lying about more than I could imagine before.”

  Shanghai slid her hand into mine. “What do you mean?”

  “The whole bit about testing to see if the energy would influence me. She kept goading me to kill you, but now I wonder…”

  “Wonder what?”

  “Well, like Sing said, the escape was easier than it might’ve been. Alex was knocked for a loop, but she wasn’t unconscious. She could’ve ordered the other guards to storm out that back exit and chase us.”

  “So she wanted us to get away.” Shanghai tilted her head. “But why?”

  “It’s a setup. The whole entertainment thing wasn’t designed to test the energy’s power. It was designed to prove my ability to counter it. Her words said to kill you, but her eyes said something else. She wanted me to conquer it.”

  “But killing Misty doesn’t fit in,” Shanghai said.

  “That part I haven’t figured out, but no matter what the purpose, Alex will use the abyss threat to get me back to the camp.” I looked at Shanghai, then at Sing. As I clenched a fist, I raised my voice. “Well, Alex is going to get her wish. I am going back. I’ll reap Misty’s soul. And I’m going to rescue every single one of those prisoners. After that, I’ll figure out how to get past the Gateway and see what’s on the other side. One way or another, we’re going to bring down the Council and put an end to their tyranny.”

  Shanghai pumped her fist. “Now that’s swagger!”

  A new tear crept down Sing’s cheek as she whispered, “I’ll keep hoping.”

  “While we’re waiting for things to settle at the prison…” I leaned back and nestled between Sing and Shanghai, then wrapped an arm around them and drew them closer. They seemed happy to snuggle.

  I gave Sing a quick summary of what happened while she was breaking the family out of the camp, including our staged battle to the death and Alex’s constant enticement to take the energy from the depot tube, though I left out the part about Kwame… for the time being.

  When I finished, I turned toward Sing. “So, where are the Fitzpatricks?”

  “They’re safe with my people,” Sing said as she leaned her head against my shoulder. “The hardest part was relocking the door after I got them out. At least the prisoners I left behind were smart enough not to bang on it, but some of the women were crying. It broke my heart.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “And I have bad news. I heard Cairo’s a prisoner in the camp now. I didn’t see him or else I would’ve asked him to help me. He’s in danger because Alex plans to terminate fifty prisoners each day until they’re all dead and reaped.”

  “Fifty!” An image of Cairo playing his cello flashed to mind, then dozens of faces in the camp’s living quarters. We had to get them all out, and we needed lots of help. “So do you have your people involved?”

  Sing nodded. “The Eagle took Colm’s family in. She’s working on a new plan.”

  “Okay. That’s good. But what’s your role in the Eagle’s plans? I get the feeling that there’s a much bigger picture.”

  “I can’t tell you. I’ll spill everything soon, but I can’t yet. Not until it’s all over.”

  “Some of it already spilled,” I said. “Peter captured Kwame and reaped him. Just before he went into the tube, he said he’s your father.”

  “What?” Sing pulled away and looked at me. “My father? What are you talking about?”

  “No joke. He said to ‘trust Akua’ and that there was a lot more to explain. But he didn’t get a chance to say anything else before he got sucked into the vacuum.”

  Two deep lines dug into Sing’s brow. “That makes no sense at all. My father died right after I went to Reaper training.”

  I gave her a light shrug. “Apparently Kwame’s been dead for quite a while, so it’s still possible. He was a level-three ghost all along, and I didn’t even know it. But if he were your father, you’d have recognized him, right?”

  Sing scowled. “Phoenix, of course I would know my own father.”

  “Then why would he say that? Can a ghost be disguised somehow? You said his voice was the same.”

  “That’s true,” Sing said with a faraway look in her eyes. “He did sound a lot like my father.”

  “And he had the same name, the same nationality.” I picked up a chunk of gravel from the roof and tossed it. “Too many coincidences.”

  Sing held out her hand. “May I
see your watch?”

  “Sure.” I withdrew it and handed it to her. “I think it’s a little past eight.”

  “That’s not what I’m interested in.” Sing withdrew her flashlight and focused the beam on the cover’s engraving. “Very strange.”

  I pointed at the watch. “It says, ‘From A.’ Is that supposed to be Akua?”

  She shook her head as if casting off a daze. “This is all just too bizarre.”

  “Well, maybe—”

  “Let’s forget about it.” She gave me the watch and slid her flashlight away, her gaze fixed on the roof. “It won’t do any good to speculate.”

  “I guess not.” I put the watch back into my pocket. “But there’s more to tell. Alex said your mother has traveled beyond the point of no return, that she won’t be coming back.”

  Sing jerked her head up. “What?”

  “Alex knows you sent Tokyo to the Gateway, so she checked her status.” I lowered my voice. “Your mother’s gone.”

  Sing stared at me. Tears filled her eyes. After a few seconds, she whispered, “No.”

  “No?”

  Her hands trembling, she raised her voice. “No! Alex is lying! My mother is too powerful! She’s been preparing for this for—”

  “Hey…” I stroked Sing’s arm. “Don’t get so worked up. Like you said, Alex is probably lying. She’d do anything to keep us from learning the Gateway’s secrets.”

  “And now you know one of my secrets.” Sing sniffed and brushed away tears. “I told you my mother was there, but I didn’t tell you that I took her when you and I went to the depot. I couldn’t risk Alex snooping around the Gateway network looking for her.”

  I continued rubbing her arm. “It’s okay. I understand.”

  “So we’ll just assume Alex is lying and stay the course.” Sing shifted to her knees and looked toward the prison. The medallion slipped out again and spun at the end of its chain. “You’re right. We have to go back and rescue all the prisoners.”

  Shanghai grabbed the edge of her cloak and used it to brush a dark spot on her shirt just below her ribs. “This will be the mother of all prison breakouts. Us versus an experienced Cardinal, an Owl, and armed guards. And they’ll probably double security again before we return. But we can do it.” She pinched her shirt where she had been brushing. “Is this blood?”