by Jade Kerrion
Danyael pushed to his feet, holding on to the wall for support. His world spun around him, but willpower kept him upright. "She was with me through ADX. She kept me sane after you took Lucien from me."
The general blanched, but he held his ground, chin lifted. "I did what I had to do, nothing more. You are critical to the super soldier project."
The super soldiers. Danyael's gaze cut over to Scar and the others loitering outside the command center. "We'll need the super soldiers to stop Sakti."
The general shook his head. "Reyes said that Sakti could have four or five hundred men out there. Even with the super soldiers, you don't have enough men to make a difference. If you leave the compound, you'll be arrested, and the council will send you back to ADX."
Danyael glanced at Zara, an involuntary movement that he checked quickly. Surrender wrenched his soul. "Everyone I love is in that city. I'm not going to let them get hurt."
Resistance coiled through the general.
Danyael touched him, empathy flowing through their physical contact. With the gentle persistence of a river carving a path through a gorge, Danyael wore down the general's opposition. "We can save lives, General. Isn't that what the super soldier program was always intended to do?"
General Howard's lips pressed into a faint smile. "Yes." He caught Danyael's arm as the empath turned away. "But it will cost you."
It was a warning, not a threat. Danyael met the general's cold, hard gaze without flinching. "I know Alex will claim his pound of flesh, but whatever the cost, I'll find a way to pay it."
A thin voice said, "I'm coming with you."
Danyael looked at Reyes. "No, it's not safe."
Reyes arched his eyebrows and waved his hand across the ruins of the control center. "And it's safe here? Thomas's doing this because he's angry. Maybe I can find him and convince him to stop this madness. I'm coming," he said firmly when Danyael opened his mouth to object. "I may be an old man, but I can still move faster than you."
Reyes had made a fair point. Pain and exhaustion had dragged Danyael down to the point where he could scarcely stand. His lips twitched at the mental image of himself being carried into battle. I just need to get through a minute at a time...the same way I got through ADX. He reached for his crutch, but brushed it with clumsy fingers, numb from the chill that consumed him from the inside. It toppled over, falling to the ground.
He pressed a hand against his spinning head and slowly bent down. The torn muscles in his left leg cramped in protest. His sharp inhalation of breath became a gasp of surprise as Zara wrapped her arm around his waist, steadying him. She leaned down to grab the crutch and pulled him upright before handing it to him.
"Thanks." He lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes.
"You should be in a hospital bed."
"I'll have time for that later." He adjusted his crutch and slowly limped out the door, accompanied by Reyes, Galahad, and Zara. Without being asked, the super soldiers followed.
Their first stop was the infirmary. Reyes's eyes widened when Danyael filled a syringe with liquid from a small glass container that he had removed from a cabinet marked "Authorized use only."
"What is that?" he asked.
"Hydromorphone," Danyael said. "Painkiller." He gritted his teeth, slid the needle into a vein, and slowly depressed the plunger.
"But if you can't feel pain, you could push beyond what your body can handle. You wouldn't know when to stop."
"I'll be careful," Danyael said.
Reyes frowned. "Danyael---"
"I don't have the strength to deal with my own pain right now. It'll be fine, Reyes. I promise." He discarded the first syringe and picked up another, filling it with adrenaline. The adrenaline shot helped almost as much as the painkiller. He straightened his shoulders. "All right, let's go."
Zara chuckled, the sound without humor. "I'm sure you're not the first person to attempt to save the world, but you're probably the first one to try while high on painkillers and synthetic adrenaline."
"What better way to go out?" Danyael smiled.
She grabbed his wrist, her grip tight. "The point is to live, not die."
"I'll keep that in mind." He glanced back over his shoulder at the sound of running feet.
Peter raced around the corner. "The general told us to go with you. He's sorry, but we're all he can spare." He shoved a set of body armor into Danyael's hands.
"Thanks. We'll need transports, enough to move the thirty-eight super soldiers."
"Three of our largest trucks should do it." Peter looked at his two companions and nodded his head toward the door. "We'll get them and meet you out front."
Progress was slower than Danyael would have liked, but within fifteen minutes, a car and three trucks rolled slowly out of the Mutant Assault Group compound.
"Where to?" Peter's voice came over the radio frequency. The three assault group soldiers drove the trucks, while Zara drove the car with Galahad in the passenger seat beside her.
From the back seat of the car, Danyael gave an address in McLean. Beside him, Reyes wrung his fingers together.
Zara's eyes narrowed. "We're going to Lucien's house?"
"Miriya said Sakti was seen as far north as McLean."
"Lucien's well-protected. He won't need us."
"Thomas's angry with me, or about me. Lucien's been hurt before, because of me. I'm not going to let it happen again."
Zara scowled but turned the car north toward McLean. "You'd still put yourself in harm's way to protect Lucien, wouldn't you?"
Not again. Hadn't they been through that argument once before, when Zara accused him of prioritizing Lucien over everything else, most particularly her? "Sixteen years of habit is tough to give up."
"I'd like to know where I stand."
"You are the mother of my child, which makes you important to me. Satisfied?"
Zara's violet eyes glowered at him through her reflection in the rear view mirror.
"Didn't think so," Danyael murmured. He released his breath in a soft sigh and turned to look out of the window. Avoiding difficult conversations was as cowardly as running away from a fight, but he had no answers that would satisfy Zara.
The four vehicles sped through a city trapped in the throes of terror. The car accelerated away from the three trucks, racing past burning homes and people who screamed and wept in the streets. Zara did not slow down, not even when the roads curved dangerously around McLean's heavily wooded estates.
Zara pulled into Lucien's driveway and cursed under her breath. Danyael's breath caught when he saw what she had seen. Too many cars. Too many lights. He opened the car door before she slammed on the brakes, and he was racing up toward the house as she screamed his name.
The front door was open, its lock smashed. The familiarity of his surroundings spiked his urgency. He followed the trail of emotions past the crumpled bodies of Lucien's security personnel. His hasty footsteps dragged freshly spilled blood over the marble tiles and lush carpet and imprinted them on the cedar staircases as he hauled himself up the steps to Lucien's study on the second floor.
Two people, waiting at the top of the stairs, threw themselves at him. A blast of pain sent them reeling back, but they recovered as he ran past. They did not have a second chance at him. Zara, who had been right behind Danyael, was on them. Someone screamed once, but not Zara. He kept running.
Danyael stumbled into Lucien's study and slammed the door shut behind him. His mutant powers lashed out, fear and panic whipping out of him and spinning into an empathic storm. The six men attacking Lucien recoiled, curling in upon themselves, pitiful whimpers emerging from their throats.
Lucien's gaze jerked toward Danyael. Lucien's blue eyes were wide, his expression stunned, but he was otherwise unaffected by Danyael's empathic powers. Their gazes met across the room.
Danyael smiled, wistful, almost sad. He lowered his internal and external psychic shields, and death entered the room. Danyael watched, his eyes dry, as the men
reached for guns and knives, for any weapon they could lay their hands on. The death sentence---the ultimate manifestation of an alpha empath's power---had fallen immediately; the act of dying took longer. Shots rang out, blades slashed across wrists and throats. One man seized the poker from the fireplace and smashed it against his own head until he collapsed, bleeding, dying.
The handle on the door jiggled. "Damn it!" Zara's muffled voice sounded through the door. "Open up!"
Danyael's back arched. He pressed his head against the door as his psychic shields locked around his emotions. Pain sizzled down the length of his spine. Only then did he step away and allow the door to swing open behind him.
Zara burst into the room. "What the...hell?" Her stunned gaze flashed back to Danyael.
Lucien closed the distance to Danyael in four quick strides. He curled his fists into Danyael's shirt and slammed him against the wall. Hate blazed in Lucien's blue eyes. "This is on you. This is all on you. They came for me; 'Bait for the cripple,' they said."
Danyael pulled Lucien's hands from his shirt and shoved him back. "You're safe, and if that's not enough, send me the carpet-cleaning bill."
"What about my security team?"
Danyael tensed. "They're dead. I can't help them."
"You can't help them? They're dead because someone else was trying to get to you through me. Again."
Danyael tripped over his guilt and concealed it behind his hurt and anger. "I'm not---"
"I will not stand between you and the people who want you dead. Fix this." Lucien's voice was cold, the order crisp.
Reyes's quiet voice broke through their argument. "Did they really say you were bait for the cripple?"
Lucien turned sharply to look at Reyes, who had come in behind Zara and Galahad. When he replied, his voice was quiet, once again controlled. "Yes."
Reyes sighed. His tired eyes sought out Danyael "Thomas means to hurt me by hurting you, maybe even killing you. The ones you care for are not going to be safe until we stop him."
"Will he be back at Sugarloaf?"
Reyes shrugged. "He's probably out in the city. Thomas was never the type to sit back and wait for his trophies to be brought to him. Who else could he go after?"
Danyael's gaze flashed to Zara. "Laura Itani, but she's safe with the council." Miriya.
What? I'm busy.
Is Laura still with you?
Huh? Yes, yes. She's sitting under the chair and drooling on the tablet Xin gave her to keep her quiet.
Thomas's after me. Is there any way to track him down?
Not really. He's not a mutant, so there's no power signature to lock on.
He's got to be in the city, somewhere.
Well, it's a damn big city and not enough of us to go around. No one has seen him yet, but then again, we weren't looking. We got our hands full just picking up the pieces Sakti's left behind.
You said you couldn't corral them, but there's a way. Me. They'll come for me.
Miriya snorted. Not only are you insane, you're suicidal. There are hundreds of very pissed-off mutants, most of them alphas, out there, taking orders from an emotionally and mentally unstable clone who wants you dead just so that he can spite his "father." And you're offering yourself up as bait?
Do you know any other way to corral them?
No, I don't. But bait implies a trap. What the hell are we going to do once we have them in one place? Say "Boo?" We can drag the police and National Guard into this, but they'll be crushed by mutants. The council doesn't have enough people to bring Sakti down.
Are there any alpha empaths in Sakti?
Hold on, I'll ask Xin. The answer came back several seconds later. No, there aren't many alpha empaths, and none of them are with Sakti.
So they don't know what an alpha empath can do. Really do.
Yes, that's a safe assumption. What are you going to do?
Do you have enough alpha telekinetics to create and sustain a telekinetic dome?
It would depend on the size of the dome, but---
Light pressure pulsed against his mind as Miriya's telepathic fingers probed deep in search for answers.
Her response was swift. No way. We're not doing that.
If you've got a better idea, share it.
Do you know how much trouble you'll be in, if you survive this?
Danyael asked pointedly, Will it be any worse than a life sentence at ADX?
Miriya huffed.
I'm out of options, Miriya. I don't know of any other way to keep Zara and Lucien safe.
Well, it could be the one way to permanently end Sakti's threat, Miriya conceded, reluctantly.
Let's do it. Danyael turned to Reyes. "How do you stay in touch with Thomas?"
"He has an unlisted cell phone." Reyes rattled off a ten-digit phone number.
Danyael conveyed the information to Miriya.
Irritation spiked her voice. That's not going to work. All the cell towers are jammed. We're not going to get a call through.
Xin's with you, right? She'll find a way to route that call. I'm at Lucien's home, in his study.
What are you doing there?
Supplementing his security team, Danyael said dryly.
Miriya sighed. Guess I was wrong about Lucien taking care of himself. All right, I'll tell Xin's she's been appointed the telephone operator. Stand by.
Zara scowled at him. "What are you doing, Danyael?"
"Coming up with a plan."
"An idiotic one?"
He shrugged. "According to Miriya, they're all idiotic."
The phone on Lucien's desk rang. Danyael held up his hand for silence and limped to the desk. He hit the speakerphone button, accepting the call. "Thomas."
A brief silence preceded the snarl. "Danyael Sabre. Is my father with you?"
Danyael cast Reyes a quick glance. "He's my father now, Thomas."
Thomas spluttered. "You---"
"Families, like friendships, are earned. You haven't earned yours. Why else would he be so quick to throw you over for a cripple?"
"I'll break your other leg. I'll break every bone in your body."
Danyael's voice was clipped, cool. "You're a coward. The Mutant Assault Group supported and trained you. Your five hundred best friends do your dirty work for you. Other people have made you who you are today, Thomas. On your own, you're nothing."
Thomas's response was an incoherent snarl. "I'll destroy you---"
"You can try. You will fail. I'll meet you at Theodore Roosevelt Island. Bring your friends. You'll need them to protect you from me." Danyael disconnected the call and sighed heavily. Miriya?
We heard the whole thing over here. Are you sure your empathic powers don't travel over the phone? You're awfully good at this. Talk about a mind fuck.
Thomas didn't need much encouragement to go over the edge.
Why do all the crazy people get obsessed with you?
Danyael's only response was a bittersweet smile.
Miriya continued, We'll get our people in place and keep out of sight until you show up. You be careful now, okay?
You too. Stay safe.
I'll be fine. Alex knows I'm critical to pulling your insane stunt off. He's surrounding me with so many bodyguards, my biggest problem is finding fresh air to breathe.
You promised to help Lucien.
I did, and I will.
Miriya, if...if I don't survive this, will you tell Lucien that I got through ADX okay?
Okay? You're so far from okay, Danyael. You can't even spell the damn word. People who are okay don't come up with plans like the one you did.
Lucky for D.C. I'm crazy, then. Will you tell him anyway?
If you think that's going to help him sleep better at night when I break the hold on his mind, then you really are crazy. Lucien's not that stupid.
He gave me every good thing I had in my life. I don't want him living out his life wracked with guilt just because I screwed up the last few years of mine. It wasn't his fault. Help
him understand that, please.
Miriya sighed. Yeah, of course I will.
Zara stepped in front of Danyael. "I'm coming with you."
"Absolutely not. I'm taking the super soldiers. No one else is coming with me."
"It's suicide."
"So why would you come with me?" Danyael said, his tone all calm reason.
She growled. "Someone's got to try to keep you alive."
"Nothing lasts forever, especially not life." He glanced over her shoulder and saw Lucien listening in on an increasingly heated conversation between Galahad and Reyes. No one was paying Zara or him any attention. "I need a favor."
"What?"
A deep ache, impervious to painkillers, lodged in his upper chest. He fought to steady his voice. "If I survive this, they'll send me back to ADX. Will you kill me before they do so?"
She stared at him. Her mouth opened, her throat worked, but no sound emerged.
Danyael took her hands in his, surprised by how cold they were. He stared down at their entwined fingers. "I can't go back to ADX. I won't survive long in there anyway, but even one day would be too much."
"You want me to kill you."
He nodded. "Yes. Make sure you're shielded---my psychic shields will drop when I die. Miriya will protect you."
"Why me?"
"Because I trust you to do it quickly. I trust you to do it right."
Her rich voice trembled. "And I'll have to live with it."
He raised her hand and breathed a kiss on her fingers. "I've lived with hate all my life. I'd like it to end with love."
"Mine?"
He chuckled at the incredulity in her voice. "No, mine." The truth came easily when there was no reason left to hide. "I love you, Zara. I always have."
"Get away from her!"
The backhanded blow caught Danyael by surprise, flinging him off balance and driving him to his knees. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He looked over his shoulder. "What---"
Galahad's face was contorted. His emotions flash flooded, a potent mixture of anger and grief. He seized Danyael, dragging him up. "You destroy everything you touch. You've taken everything from me."
The warning flare of Galahad's emotions gave Danyael a split second to twist away. Galahad's fist plowed into his side instead of into his stomach. Even through the haze of sensation-numbing painkillers, Danyael felt skin slice open and flesh tear. He pressed a hand to his side. It came away crimson and sticky with his blood.
