Defender: Book Nine in the Enhanced Series

by T. C. Edge

  His conversation is hidden to my ears by the deafening soundtrack of war. The wailing from beyond the city now barely registers, hundreds of weapons firing at much closer proximity to where I make my stand. From our side, pulse rifles fizz and hiss. On theirs, chattering gunfire from rifles and handguns cackles into the air.

  What seems to start as a short stalemate quickly morphs. Using the shroud for cover, their Dashers slip quickly closer, and our own are forced to fight them head on. It appears as though they have no fear, rushing forward and trying to overwhelm us. It’s as if they know that more of our soldiers will be quickly arriving, and need to clear a path for their people to enter before that time comes.

  Yet we hold our lines as best we can, a good number of hybrids and Stalkers among our defence. They use their own gifts well, taking down the weaker soldiers that come our way with ease, battling those with greater power on a more even level.

  From my position, I see them cut down as they come, men dropping into the dust and consumed by the smoke. I’m responsible for several myself, the wall of fire sent from our soldiers’ weapons so difficult to penetrate.

  It seems they’re prepared to sacrifice men in their pursuit of getting through. I’m reminded of the Con-Cops as they rush, fearing nothing, perhaps conditioned to fight without any concern for their lives. They rush in great numbers, and are killed in great numbers, but I suspect these people are little more than cannon fodder, sent in first to distract us as their more potent warriors work their way forward.

  And so it happens. As we fire at the waves of soldiers, many of them zip here and there and quickly hunt down our positions. They shoot with heavy ballistics, explosive rounds now clattering into our cover and ripping our barricades apart. Our support isn’t yet here. But theirs continues to come.

  I know that we’ll soon be overwhelmed, that our defence of the breach is about to end.

  And so does Zander.

  With loud calls rushing to our men, we begin to displace and move back. Some hear, others don’t, voices hidden among the din. Hand signals are given too, but through the smog they’re not always seen. Only the clear sign of Zander retreating into the streets indicates to any of us who see that we can no longer hold the opening in the wall.

  So we move, withdrawing once more. Displacing to the north, we begin working our way to the next major cordon, stopping and firing and engaging when necessary. It’s unordered chaos, our men struggling to hold back the tide and soon beginning to get lost within the smog. This endless cloud that refuses to leave. This mist that may be our undoing.

  From my vantage at Zander’s side, I have little idea as to the scope of what’s going on. I see many of the enemy fall, dozens of them quickly killed as they come. And some of our men go the same way, the weaker among us caught out as we move back.

  Yet the bigger picture is so hard to see. I can only do my part, dodging incoming gunfire and retaliating with interest, spreading north with our soldiers towards the nearest set of barricades.

  Only when we have a short chance to stop, defending a new position deeper into the city, do I learn that our breach wasn’t the only one.

  From the radio, Zander learns the news and quickly passes it on.

  “Two other breaches,” he says. “In the northwest and over in the east. We’re getting reports of more Elementals doing the damage. They’re spreading in from three sides now.”

  “What do we do? Fall right back to Inner Haven? Defend the walls there instead?”

  “No. We defend the streets here. We make our stand here.”

  The fighting that follows is hectic. My mind is only able to focus on the single task of killing anyone who comes my way, and trying my best to survive at the same time. My gifts as a Hawk allow me to see the incoming men early, and my Dasher powers are enough to help me avoid some shards of shrapnel and violent barrages of gunfire before they drench my position in deadly rain.

  But I’ve never experienced anything like this. The attacks are continuous, aggressive, and seem to come from all sides. As we take position within a security blockade, joining the ranks of a number of our soldiers, we find ourselves quickly on the back foot once more.

  They come down the main street ahead like locusts, swarming from the shroud. And calls come from our flanks, telling of smaller attacks through side-streets, our enemy creeping down quiet alleys that we don’t have the manpower to defend.

  I consider it madness to try to hold them here, in a city so vast. We need to move further to the centre where it’s easier to defend, where the fighting isn’t so spread out. Tighten up our defences, and there will surely be fewer gaps? Right now, it seems inevitable that they’ll be able to work through places we cannot see, move inward towards Inner Haven without so much as a gun to call them to stop.

  But my opinion counts for nothing here. Our senior commanders and skilled tacticians have designed our defence to fight them off before they reach Inner Haven. The various blockades around the city are considered the likely points of assault. All other avenues are watched by smaller contingents of men, and though some streets with be left unattended, all will eventually lead to the major roads through the city.

  For all their planning, however, I doubt they expected this. Ever since the smoke came down, and the wailing began to call from beyond the walls, we’ve had our eyes and ears assaulted and neutered. We were put on the back foot, and have yet to begin striding forward.

  The breaches were inevitable. The retreat was inevitable. And unless something drastic changes, it seems that an attack on Inner Haven will be inevitable as well.

  As far as I see it, we have to attack to defend. Take out the sonic machines making all that racket. Kill the Elementals who seem to be holding this swamp of fog within the city.

  Do that, and maybe we’ll be able to fight them off. Do it not, and this night might just call an end to the city of Haven forever.

  And that I cannot abide.

  23

  I bring my request to Zander as we hold the enemy off at the blockade.

  Not far to the northeast of here, along the main artery running between the southern gates of Outer and Inner Haven, Drum’s own blockade is surely soon to be hit. And around the city, others are now deep into the fighting.

  The word between our commanders is that we’re holding strong for now. We can still displace to the inner blockades before resorting to moving straight for Inner Haven. The commands are simple: kill as many as we can before we have to move back. Reduce their numbers for the final assault, or else make them pay enough for them to have to withdraw.

  As Zander continues to coordinate on the radio, I slip to his side and announce my plan.

  “We need to organise small strike teams to move out beyond the walls,” I start.

  “Brie…not this again…”

  “Zander! Listen to me. How long do you think we’ll hold with this smoke and noise? It’s destroying us. They clearly know how to fight in it, and we don’t. It’s giving them an advantage that’s going to put us all in the ground…”

  His eyes begin to change a little as I splutter. He seems to give me a moment longer to continue.

  “They’re in the city now, we can’t stop that,” I go on. “Before, maybe it was too dangerous going out there. But now, half their army is through the door, and the rest are still coming in. Now’s our chance to strike out there before they reach Inner Haven. It might be our only chance.”

  He begins to nod, the roar of battle still raging around us.

  “What do you have in mind?” he asks.

  I recoil a touch at the query. He’s really taking me seriously. I didn’t expect that…

  “Um, is Colonel Hatcher still alive?”

  He nods.

  “Right. He gets together a few of his best men and heads north. We do the same here and head south. We take out these sonic machines and kill their Elementals before they have another chance to strike. I still think there are some out there holding this s
mog in. And the ones who destroyed the walls must be recovering. They have to be weak. If we can kill them before they attack again, we turn the tables. For good.”

  He listens as I shout over the din. Then he asks, “And how do we get to the south? It’s crawling down there. We might never make it…”

  “The underlands,” I say quickly, cutting him off. “You know them better than anyone. We go that way.”

  He shakes his head.

  “They’re mostly blocked. All tunnels are either buried from the fighting from before, or don’t lead that way.”

  I’m thinking as he speaks, and a rather horrible thought comes to mind. But, it might just work. It might be perfect.

  “The river,” I say, fixing him with a firm glare. “The underground river takes you right beyond the city directly beyond the southern gate. There’s no way they’ll know about it. We’ll come out in secret and strike at their heart. It’ll work…I know it’ll work.”

  I can see the concern already in his eyes. I’m fully aware that the plan is foolhardy at best, and downright suicidal at worst. But, then again, things have hardly been going our way recently. This might be our only shot.

  “Right,” he says nervously. “I guess the northern route through the underlands to the fields behind the church is still open. Colonel Hatcher could use that…”

  “YES! Yes,” I repeat, eyes bulging. “It’s ideal, Zander. Seriously, let’s do it. We can save the city!”

  My enthusiasm surprises even me. It’s not that I’m not afraid. I am. I’m terrified, in fact. It’s more that I can’t let them continue to come at us like this. I can’t let them creep towards my friends in Inner Haven without doing everything I can to stop them, even if I die in the attempt.

  Get rid of this smog, and shut down this damn wailing, and we’ll take away their advantage. But above all, if we can get to their Elementals when they’re weak, we have a shot.

  A slim one, sure…but a shot nonetheless.

  I wait a little longer for him to fully agree. He takes a bit more prodding, and I partially know why – Zander doesn’t have a great fondness for water. From personal experience, I’m fully aware that the journey through the underground river is a perilous one in itself, and something I’d never, ever want to repeat. But, here I am, suggesting we go that way willingly. I guess that means I must be desperate.

  “So…” I say, leaning in as we stay hidden beneath a barricade. “What do you say?”

  I see the cogs turning behind his eyes, and even slip into his head to see the trickle of concerns building. Zander isn’t reckless. He is a commander of soldiers and a fine strategist. Something like this, with so many things that might go wrong, isn’t a choice he’d ever usually make.

  Yet he knows, too, that it could pay off. That the risks are outweighed by the possible rewards. And that, right here, we will eventually be pushed back closer to the core of the city. Closer to the civilian population, hiding behind the walls of Inner Haven.

  We’re losing this fight right now, and he knows it. Something needs to change.

  I see it all behind his eyes, see him working through the possible outcomes. And though he still considers it foolhardy, he eventually decides to throw caution to the wind.

  “OK,” he says after some time. “I’ll talk to Colonel Hatcher, tell him the plan. Wait here.”

  My lips shape into a beaming, determined smile, and I watch as he creeps down the line towards the radio. He takes possession of the line from another soldier, speaks hurriedly for a few minutes, and returns to my position. All the while, I stay low, only occasionally firing away down the street at the enemy but mostly watching Zander for his reaction.

  When he reappears, he does so with his eyes aflame with purpose.

  “Hatcher’s holding the main street in the north. The best entrance to the underlands is a little south of where he is. He’ll be able to get there without too much trouble.”

  “Great! So he’s in?”

  “He is. He’s going to gather a couple of Stalkers and make for the north immediately. We have to do the same.”

  “Right. So who’s going with us?”

  “No one,” he says. “This is a covert mission, and isn’t about numbers. We’ll be better suited going alone. And…if we die, I don’t want too many of our best soldiers falling alongside us. We need to ensure the city is well defended.”

  I nod, no argument on my lips.

  “Now come,” he says, looking towards the north. “Let’s get to it.”

  We begin retreating from the line, Zander informing the commander of the blockade of our plans. He seems somewhat distressed to lose us, but understands we have to go.

  “Hold the line, commander,” says Zander. “Spread the word across the city. We must hold the line.”

  The commander, a member of the City Guard, nods. He must be at least twice my brother’s age, perhaps more, and yet appears happy to take orders from him. It speaks volumes to me of the man Zander has become, not just to the Nameless, but the others who flock to our collective cause.

  With a final look, we press on northwards, hurrying away from the battle. As we go, the assault of constant gunfire lessens in my ears, and I’m able to get a better understanding of just how widespread the fighting has become. I can hear it now, ringing from where we came from, and from a little way to the east, and to the west as well. And all the way north, miles across the city, the faint sounds of battle reach my ears too.

  The picture grows clear. All major routes towards Inner Haven are now fully engaged. All avenues towards the core of the city are being tested, just like the walls were, for weaknesses. And, just like with our perimeter defences, our toil will soon tell. It may take hours. It may take all night and the next day too. But eventually, the enemy will work their way inwards, and will begin to eat away at our heart.

  That cannot be allowed to happen.

  I can’t let that happen.

  As we continue north, heading closer to the inner districts of the southern quarter, we begin to hunt for a car. Convoys of our men rush past, heading now towards the fighting, going to where they’re needed most. None can spare us the ride until we find one moving in the direction we wish to travel – to the western quarter not too far away, right towards the middle districts where the route to the underlands awaits.

  It’s a place I know well and once enjoyed. The beautiful underground cavern that held the waterfall and greenery, hidden away in the blackness that only my Hawk eyes could reveal. I used to enjoy going there when Zander first trained me. It was a place of peace and quiet, untouched by the city above.

  Now, we’re set to return, though I doubt I’ll have time to stop and admire it.

  Jumping into the back of a truck heading to help fortify the west, we move quicker now, unwilling to waste any energy we don’t have to. The streets are clear and easy to navigate, and Zander, as he does, gives the soldiers we join a pep talk as we ride through the city, heading northwest from the south.

  By the time we jump out, several blocks from our destination, the soldiers are buoyed and pumped and ready to go. We leave them as they continue on, pressing closer to the perimeter where they’re needed, and once again find ourselves alone and in a part of the city that is still so dear to me.

  It isn’t as it once was, of course. District 5 was once my home, a bustling and busy and colourful world, now dead and empty. The smog hides most of it, but I know that beyond the smoke the giant screens are black and lifeless, and the buildings are cracked and broken, and the people who used to live here are absent, either dead or reconditioned or over in Inner Haven, cowering as the war creeps closer to their door.

  So much has changed, and yet more change is yet to come unless we can stop it. A more dramatic change. A more profound change. A change that won’t just alter the complexion of the streets, but will obliterate them entirely. That won’t kill some of the people, but will rid this city of all who dwell here.

  The thought fi
lls me and keeps me going, all the motivation I, and all others defending the city, need. As the convoy moves west, Zander and I turn our attention towards the north, moving quickly now on foot through district 5 and towards district 6, right to the shelter that leads right down to the subterranean caverns beneath the city streets.

  We rush, our bodies adorned in tightly fitted black armour and combat gear, pulse rifles fixed to our backs, belts with holsters and firearms and an array of grenades to deploy if we need to. We are a two-man team, hybrid twins, set to cut right into the heart of our enemy.

  And like all soldiers who look upon my brother, I feel such strength by his side. It’s as if my powers rise several notches when I’m near him. As if our minds, linked as one, allow us to operate as a single entity. The more time I spend with him, the more powerful I become. I can now sense what he’s about to do before he does it. I can almost see what he sees, helping me get a far better perception of my surroundings.

  I know he must feel the same. And though he always wishes to keep me safe and away from harm, maybe we’re safest when we’re together, watching each other’s backs. Perhaps, as a duo, we’ll one day become unstoppable.

  If, that is, we live through the night.

  So on we rush, galloping through district 5 and towards district 6, the fighting still chattering away from all directions in the distance. We come to a large intersection, and I know that straight towards the west is the gate out of the city. And that not too far away, one of our primary blockades in this quarter will be under heavy siege.

  We step forward and make sure the coast is clear, before the rumbling of engines rises up in the air. I turn my eyes left and see a small convoy of two vehicles moving eastwards from the perimeter, heading, it would appear, towards Inner Haven.

  It strikes me as odd for any of our soldiers to be going that way, away from the fighting, until I see that the vehicle belongs to a rather important figure.

  “It’s Director Cromwell’s car,” says Zander, spotting the vehicles as they come our way. “He must only just be heading for Inner Haven. Better late than never…”