Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “Em?” Chevalier asked, coming into the room.

  Emily looked up at him, “I’ll be ready in a bit.”

  “I want to come with you today.”

  “Why?” she asked, setting down the Sprite and going through the closet.

  “You’re sicker this time. I just wanted to see what he has to say.”

  “He’ll say that I have morning sickness.”

  “Still, I want to go.”

  Emily shrugged and dressed as quickly as she could. She grabbed the glass of Sprite and headed for the garage. The four members of the Cavalry fell in behind her.

  “Two of you wait here, I’m going,” he told them, and two moved back to the door while the others followed them.

  “You drive,” Emily said, and crawled into the passenger seat and laid it back. Chevalier buckled into the driver’s seat and set out for town. He made the guards stay in the Jeep while they went in to meet with Dr. Hayden.

  Dr. Hayden came in, reading her chart, “How are you feeling?”

  Emily was laying down on the examination table, “Peachy.”

  Dr. Hayden looked up when he heard the sarcasm in her voice, “That bad, eh?”

  “She’s sicker this time,” Chevalier told him.

  “Shut up, Chev,” Emily growled.

  “Moodier, too,” he said, and grinned at the doctor.

  Dr. Hayden chuckled and sat down on a rolling chair, “You’re losing weight, are you able to eat anything?”

  “No, the toilet gods won’t let me eat,” Emily told him, irritated.

  “How’s everything else going?”

  “What else is there besides sleep and bathroom living?”

  “Ok, let’s see how things are,” Dr. Hayden said, grinning. He took her blood pressure and felt around her abdomen and then sat back down and wrote in the file.

  “Tell him to leave me alone in the bathroom,” Emily said, pointing to Chevalier.

  Dr. Hayden looked over at the huge heku and smiled, “He’s trying to help, I’m sure. I don’t like your color. I want to get some blood and check for iron.”

  “You’re taking blood?” Chevalier asked, fidgeting slightly.

  “No, he’s not,” Emily said, sitting up.

  “Yes, I am,” Dr. Hayden told her, and grabbed a tray from the table.

  “I’ll wait out in the lobby,” Chevalier said, quickly walking out.

  “Wimp!” Emily yelled after him.

  Dr. Hayden took a fast finger poke test and then put a Band-Aid on her finger before calling Chevalier back in and heading off to run a test.

  “Wimp?” Chevalier chuckled, sitting down.

  “Yes,” Emily told him, still lying on the table.

  Dr. Hayden returned a few minutes later and sat down, “Explains that… you’re anemic and have a low blood supply.”

  “He feeds off me in my sleep,” Emily grumbled.

  Dr. Hayden grinned, “I’m sure he does… so take these iron pills, we wouldn’t want him to starve.”

  Chevalier took the prescription from the doctor, “Will these help her mood?”

  Emily sat up and glared at him, “Excuse me?”

  “Nope, sorry,” Dr. Hayden told him. “We’ll see you in a month, please try to eat… lots of red meat.”

  Emily slid off the table and headed for the Jeep. She pulled away when Chevalier tried to take her hand, and became irritated when he chuckled. He got into the driver’s side and she leaned back in the passenger seat.

  “I can’t believe you told him I feed off of you in your sleep,” Chevalier said, pulling out into traffic.

  “She did?” one of the Cavalry asked, shocked.

  “Yes, she did.”

  Emily ignored them and shut her eyes. They stopped and got her prescription filled, and then finally pulled into the garage an hour later.

  “I have to go to a meeting,” Chevalier said, helping her out of the Jeep.

  “Yeah, whatever,” she grumbled and headed inside.

  Chevalier grinned at her guards as he blurred away. The Cavalry walked up to the bedroom and took their posts outside of her door.

  Emily immediately took one of the iron pills with some Sprite, and went into Alexis’ room. When she found it empty, she left her room and went upstairs to the makeshift school, it was also empty. She sighed and checked Allen’s room, but no one was there either.

  “Where are the kids?” Emily asked one of the Cavalry. She watched as his lips moved and then shrugged.

  “No one’s seen them,” he told her.

  Emily grabbed her phone when it rang, “Hello?”

  Her eyes became furious and the guards all turned to look at her. They strained to hear, but the phone was turned down too low.

  “Touch one hair on their head and I’ll kill you… I swear,” Emily scowled, and the Cavalry crouched slightly.

  There was a long pause and then Emily screamed, “That’s it… you’re dead!”

  Emily slammed the phone shut and ran for the stairs, but Silas caught her with an arm around her waist, “Tell us.”

  She squirmed to get out of his arms and yelled, “No, I’ll handle it.”

  “Who has the kids?” he asked angrily.

  “Let me go or I’ll ash you, Silas!” Emily screamed, catching the attention of the Council. Suddenly, the fifth-floor foyer was filled with guards and the Council.

  “What’s wrong?” Chevalier asked, shocked that Silas was restraining her.

  “Let me go, now. I can ash the entire palace.”

  “Someone has the kids,” Silas said, letting her go. She started to push past the heku, but Chevalier took her arm.

  “Who has them?”

  “The Ferus do. They threatened to start torturing Allen if I don’t come,” Emily said, and pulled against Chevalier’s hand.

  “Where are they?” Kyle asked, his hands balled into fists.

  Emily turned and looked up at Chevalier, “Let me go. They have the kids.”

  “No, for once you need to leave this up to us… where are they?” he asked, holding her tightly.

  “I’m supposed to meet them in Salt Lake City, from there they will take me to the kids,” Emily said. “I have to go, they are going to torture Allen.”

  Kyle disappeared down the stairs, followed by Zohn, Quinn, and Dustin.

  “Let me go, I have…” she paused, and he let her go when she turned pale and ran for the bedroom door. He left orders for Silas to make sure she didn’t leave the palace, and went out to meet with the guards and Cavalry gathered with Kyle.

  Chevalier stepped up to them, “Kralen, see if you can trace the last phone call to Em’s cell… the rest of you, start attack preparations immediately.”

  “Who are we leaving with Emily?” Mark asked as the rest blurred away.

  Chevalier sighed, “I wanted to call in Thukil and Powan to help us in the fight… call Sotomar.”

  “The Valle, Sir?” Mark asked, concerned.

  “It’s going to take a lot to keep her, and our forces will be out.”

  Mark nodded, “Yes, Sir, I’ll call them.”

  Two hours later, a Valle helicopter landed and the Valle’s Chief Enforcer and Chief Interrogator arrived in the council chambers, escorted by members of the Cavalry.

  “Thank you for coming,” Quinn said. He sat alone in the council chambers, “Did Sotomar explain the situation?”

  “Yes,” the Chief Enforcer said. “We have masks with us and he’s equipping the palace for her arrival.”

  Quinn sighed, “She’s not going willingly, and doesn’t like the Elder we are sending with her.”

  “We understand that,” the Chief Interrogator said. “We have enough experience… with… keeping her, that we know she’s not easy to confine.”

  “I’ll be staying in a nearby coven, just in case,” the Chief Enforcer said, and grinned slightly.

  “That may not be an issue. She’s pretty weak right now from morning sickness. I’m not sure she could as
h many.”

  “She is ill?” the Chief Interrogator asked.

  “If you have questions, Zohn knows the situation… Chevalier is heading in to talk to her. She doesn’t know yet that we’re sending her away.”

  The two Valle followed Quinn up to the bedroom and stood outside, ignoring the close scrutiny of the Cavalry at her door. They both slipped on their menthol lined masks when they first caught the slightest hint of her scent.

  “Don’t do this!” Emily yelled, obviously frustrated and panicky. The others heard it clearly through the door.

  “Em, you can’t even get out of the bathroom for more than an hour, you’re tired, and it’s obvious you don’t feel well,” Chevalier said. “We’re clearing the palace out of anyone that can guard you and moving the street guards inside… you need to stay with the Valle.”

  “No! They said if I don’t come to them and fill the Elder roll, they will torture Allen… I have to go.”

  “Listen to me… we’ll get there first. Kralen found the source of the cell phone used to call you. They are outside of a city only two hours north of Salt Lake City, we’ll find them.”

  “Let me go, you don’t understand…”

  “I fully understand, and that’s why you need to stay here.” Quinn was surprised at how soft and caring Chevalier’s voice was. He didn’t seem mad or angry with her fight.

  “Fine, the Valle will be easier to get away from anyway,” Emily said, and the Cavalry cringed at the determination in her voice.

  “That’s not going to work, we’re sending Zohn and…”

  “What!?” Emily screamed. “I don’t want Zohn anywhere near me.”

  “I’m going with the forces and Quinn is staying here with the palace. Zohn’s the only one that can go.”

  “The Valle and Zohn can’t stop me from leaving. You might as well take me with you,” Emily said calmly. Quinn could picture her, how her jaw was set and her arms were crossed at her chest.

  “You’re not being confined because we don’t think you can do it.” Chevalier explained. “You’re being taken to where you can suffer through morning sickness in peace, with guards who can stay with you and protect you, ones who aren’t worried about the kids or what’s happening in Utah.”

  “Damnit,” Emily yelled, and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door.

  Chevalier stepped out and grinned slightly, “That went well.”

  Zohn arrived, ready to go, “How many times did she cuss when she found out I’m going?”

  Chevalier turned to him, “Please, please, don’t antagonize her. We need to try to keep her blood pressure down and keep her safe. The more you upset her, the harder it’s going to make it for the Valle to keep her in the palace.”

  “I’ll be good,” Zohn said. “I plan on staying out of her sight unless… she tries to run.”

  Chevalier knew that’s not what he meant. He knew he would stay out of the way unless the Valle did something stupid.

  “She’s out. I’ll meet you at the helicopter,” Chevalier said, and turned into the room.

  Emily stumbled out, pale and shaky, “I’m going with you.”

  Chevalier grabbed her bag, pulled out the 9mm, and then picked her up.

  “You left my gun…” Emily complained.

  “You don’t need a gun,” he said, heading out of the room.

  “Put me down.”

  “No”

  “Chev, I’m not going.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  Emily glared at him, “Don’t make me ash you.”

  He kissed her on the forehead lightly, “You won’t.”

  “I need to go,” Emily yelled, and tried to squirm out of this grasp.

  “No”

  “Stop!” Emily screamed when he handed her up into the Valle’s helicopter. She fought against Zohn and the Chief Interrogator to get out of the Blackhawk, but they managed to buckle her in as the Chief Enforcer crawled into the Captain’s seat and they were soon lifting off. Chevalier could see her screaming at Zohn as they took off for the Valle’s main city.

  He looked over as two more massive helicopters flew toward them. Powan and Thukil were arriving. Suddenly, the roof was full of Equites heku wearing all black as they piled into the large helicopters. Chevalier was the last to climb in, and he sat by the pilot as they lifted off for Trenton, Utah.

  ***

  “Sir, she’s climbing out the window,” one of the Valle Imperial Guards said.

  Sotomar grinned slightly at Zohn, “We should make it mandatory that each faction has to hold her for a month… keeps our guards on their toes.”

  “I’d happily send her over,” Zohn told him as they both went outside.

  Sotomar and Zohn looked up as Emily scaled down the side of the enemy palace. There were rain gutters down the side of the building that she used to edge herself away from the sixth-floor room they had put her in.

  “Sort of disturbing, having the Winchester crawling down the side of a building,” Valle Elder Ryan said, joining them.

  “Go get her and jump down,” Sotomar said to an Imperial Guard.

  The Imperial Guard quickly climbed up the drainage pipe and soon had a firm grip on her.

  “Hey! Put me down,” Emily said, and then screamed when he jumped, landing softly on the grass in front of the Elders. She had a death grip on his neck when he landed and choked him a bit before she let go. She spun unexpectedly, and slapped the Imperial Guard.

  He glanced at Sotomar before bowing and blurring back inside. Emily turned to the Elders and crossed her arms.

  “We can’t let you scale down the side of the building,” Sotomar said, amused.

  Emily glared at him, “Am I a prisoner here then?”

  “You already know you’re not a prisoner here,” he said, and took her arm gently to lead her inside.

  “Good, then I’m leaving.”

  “I’ll make you a deal,” Zohn said. “Go two hours without throwing up, and I’ll drive you to Utah.”

  Emily’s eyes narrowed, “I don’t trust you.”

  “You should, I would like nothing more than to see you take your place in the Ferus as an Elder.”

  She glared at him and walked back inside.

  ***

  The four helicopters landed in a remote field outside of the small Northern Utah town of Trenton. General Skinner and Captain Darren met Chevalier off to the side of the forming troops.

  “Send in the wolves, keep low and try to blend,” Chevalier said. General Skinner nodded and moved off with his troops. Within seconds, there were almost a hundred wolves running over the Rocky Mountains toward the suspected Ferus compound.

  “I want a report before we advance, wait until Skinner gets back,” Chevalier said. “Ready them into teams of 50. We’ll come at them from all directions. No one claiming to be a Ferus is to leave that compound alive.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Darren said, heading off to meet up with his Cavalry.

  “Want me to check on Em?” Kyle asked, walking up to the Elder.

  “Talk to Zohn, don’t call her,” Chevalier said, looking over the majestic snowcapped mountains.

  Kyle returned a few minutes later, grinning, and Chevalier glanced at him, “So, how are they holding up?”

  “No one’s been ashed, yet,” Kyle chuckled. “She tried to climb down the side of the Valle Palace, but they got her. I guess Zohn told her if she can go two hours without being sick, he’ll drive her down here.”

  Chevalier frowned, “That wasn’t smart.”

  “Well, no, but when they didn’t hear her get sick… they… erm… helped,” Kyle said, and started to laugh.

  “I don’t want to know, just tell me if Zohn brings her down.”

  “Here’s Powan,” Kyle said. Chevalier turned and saw six wolves running toward them. As they neared, their illusion cleared and one of the Lieutenant’s came forward.

  “There is a compound about 10 miles east of here in a valley. It’s surrounded by cement wall
s that are 8 feet tall, not lined with anything. The guards are armed with guns, not sure what’s up with that,” the Lieutenant reported. “Looks to be about a hundred heku. General Skinner thinks it’s probably not their main city. It’s too small.”

  “Tell General Skinner to take the west wall. We’ll send Thukil to the north and City will handle the south and east,” Chevalier said, and turned to Kyle. “Take the south group. Kill everyone, I don’t care if they are fighting back or not. Leave anyone ranking for me to interrogate.”

  “Yes, Sir,” Kyle said.

  “Tell them to keep an eye out for Alexis’ scent. It’s Winchester, just not as strong as Emily. She’ll be the easiest to find and will let us know if the kids are here. We’ll wait until first light to attack.”

  Kyle and the Lieutenant headed off while Chevalier gathered the troops he was leading.

  ***

  “It’s amazing to me how she slips out so easily,” Sotomar said as he and Zohn went to the garage.

  “It’s annoying is what it is, how that mortal can elude us… with her scent, we should be able to track her without even trying,” Zohn said, stepping into the garage.

  “She’s in the H2,” a guard told them, and stepped back.

  “Well at least we know how she slipped out just now. That’s an easy fix and it’s already been remedied.”

  Zohn nodded and looked into the H2 when they arrived. Emily was curled up across the front seats. He sighed and opened the door, “Come on, Emily.”

  Emily shook her head. She was pale and shaky.

  “Child, you cannot leave,” Sotomar told her softly.

  “I can’t move… don’t make me move,” she whispered, and fought to keep from getting sick. The entire world was swaying slowly and she had a grip on the seat belt.

  “I don’t want to leave you in the vehicle. You’ll be more comfortable in the bed.”

  “No,” she whispered. “Just kill me. If you drain me, I won’t tell anyone.”

  Zohn’s body tensed and he glanced at Sotomar before relaxing, the enemy Elder was grinning.