“Who is this? Marks, do you know this man?”
“So it was you after all. You were the one who kidnapped Sepia,” said Gan.
“You did what?” said Magnus.
“Sepia and I have some unresolved business, old man,” said Marks.
“That’s going to be a problem. I’m here to make sure you leave her alone,” said Gan.
“That hunter is a renegade and needs to be debriefed. She clearly violates procedure and will be suspended pending an investigation,” said Magnus.
Both Gan and Marks looked at Magnus. Gan spoke first.
“An investigation? He isn’t planning an investigation,” said Gan as he pointed the gun at Marks. “He was planning an execution.”
“Ridiculous. I gave no such order. She was to be brought Home where I would…” Magnus looked down at his chest where two small red circles blossomed into pools. He turned to look at Marks.
“You…shot…me?” Magnus said as he collapsed to the ground.
“And still he doesn’t shut up,” said Marks. He held a standard issue Order pistol in his hand. It was very similar to what Gan held. Gan looked down at Marks’ gun. When the hell did he draw that? He’s fast. Marks began removing the silencer from his gun.
“He was going to have a fatal accident in here, but this is even better. You, angered at being retired early decided to take vengeance on the Overseer, shooting and killing him. I returned fire, but was too late to save him,” said Marks.
Gan was moving as Marks shot several times, hitting him once in the arm and throwing him off balance. Gan threw himself out one of the side windows and began to run to the main complex. Overseer agents rushed into the building surrounding Marks.
“Sir, are you okay?” said one of the lead agents.
“He shot the Overseer! Get him!” Marks yelled as he knelt over the body of Magnus.
The agents began to pursue Gan.
Looking through his scope, Cade could see the activity.
“Shots fired, Blue. It looks like Gan was hit.”
“Goddammit, where is he hit?”
“Looks like the arm, not fatal but he’s losing a lot of blood,” said Cade.
Sepia looked over the side of the roof and jumped down, landing on an adjacent roof and tucking into a roll. She ran an intercept path hoping to get to Gan before the Order agents did.
“What the hell was he thinking going in there alone?” she said. “How many agents are on the ground, Cade?”
Cade’s voice came in over her com.
“I’m counting ten on him, you’d better hurry since they will cut him off quick,” said Cade.
“Get the truck and bring it to the corner. I’ll be coming in hot,” she said.
“See you in two,” said Cade as he jumped off the roof and ran to their truck. He put it in gear and sped off to her location.
“Change of plans, Cade. He ran into the main complex. We’re coming out the south side.”
Cade turned the wheel as swerved around taking the truck to the far end of the facility.
“Got it, make this fast, Sepia. They looked pretty pissed,” said Cade.
“Why, why did you do this?” said Magnus between breaths.
They were alone as the agents pursued Gan. Marks made sure of it. He looked down at Magnus as he held his head.
“It’s time for you to retire, Magnus. The Order needs change. This is only the first step, in time I will control the Order.”
“You’re crazy, there’s no way you can do this alone,” said Magnus.
“Who says I’m alone? Besides, no one listens to the man who is dying. Don’t worry, it’s not your concern any longer,” said Marks.
He placed a hand over Magnus’s face and made sure he breathed his last. Several agents came in to report.
“Take his body to the vehicle. Has the assassin been caught yet?” said Marks.
“No, sir,” said one of the agents.
“Then what the hell are you doing here? Forget the body, I’ll do it. Join the others and bring me the man responsible for this!” Marks said as he pointed down to Magnus.
“Yes, sir!” The two agents ran off to join the pursuit.
Marks removed the specialized key card from Magnus’s jacket and placed it in his pocket. He bent over and lifted Magnus’s body and stepped outside to the vehicle placing the body in the back and waited.
Gan was getting dizzy from the blood loss.
“There he is!” the voices came from everywhere.
Gan could hear the agent voices behind him. The building complex was immense, but it would do him no good if he couldn’t put distance between them. He dashed into one of the rooms and stopped. Getting his bearings he realized he would be surrounded soon. Talk about amateur hour. This is bad. He wrapped the arm to stop the bleeding hoping it would buy him time.
Sepia entered the complex and took a deep calming breath. She slid quietly into one of the rooms and listened. They still didn’t know where Gan was, which was good. The bad part was she didn’t know where he was either. I need to practice my geolocation, she thought. She saw an agent approach her doorway and hugged the wall. As he walked by she grabbed him in a choke hold and put him to sleep. Walking down the corridor she imagined where Gan would go when she heard a shuffle in one of the rooms. She stopped midstride and so did the shuffle. She peered in to the room where she heard the noise and jerked her head back instinctively. A fraction of a second later and Gan would have broken her neck.
“Gan,” she whispered. He collapsed into her arms. His face was pale from the blood loss.
“Cade, I’m coming out. Prep a med kit, he’s in bad shape,” said Sepia.
“Prepped and waiting, better make your move now. You have more heading your way,” said Cade.
Cade saw more trucks arrive on the lot, agents spilling out of them and approaching the main building.
She peeked out the doorway to make sure it was empty. Holding Gan in a fireman’s carry, she ran for the back door. She made it three steps before the first bullet ripped into her thigh.
“Over here!” said the agent. She could hear the footfalls of the other agents rushing to her location. The flush of heat let her know that her ink was taking care of the injury. She kept running despite the pain shooting up her leg. She fell into the back of the truck with Gan. Cade took off as she slammed down the rear door, bullets ricocheting off the reinforced steel.
The lead agent headed to the SUV where Marks stood.
“Sir, he managed to get away,” the lead agent said.
“How did that happen?” said Marks.
“He had help, sir. The hunter that was here last night,” said the agent. Marks could see the man was observant.
“What’s your name, agent?”
“I’m Benson, sir. James Benson,” replied the agent.
“Good, Benson, you are now point on this, I have to get back Home and deal with the death of our Overseer and the transition of office. I want you to find the assassin and the hunter who assisted him in this crime. I am holding you personally responsible for this, Benson. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” said Benson.
Marks entered his SUV and drove away.
FIFTEEN
“Calisto. You have to take me to Calisto,” said Gan.
His voice was just above a whisper.
“You want us to go to 26th Street? Is she there?” said Sepia.
Gan was fading in and out of consciousness.
“Park. Go to the 59th and Columbus Circle entrance,” said Gan
“The park. Are you sure, Gan? It will be dark soon,” said Sepia.
“I can’t compromise Grey, and can’t go Home. Calisto is the best option,” said Gan just before losing consciousness again.
“Cade, we need to go to the park.”
“I heard him, but are you sure you want to do this?”
“If we don’t he dies in the truck,” she said.
“If we do, we may all
die in the park. Who is this Calisto, anyway?”
“She’s a friend, his friend at least. I think she can help him,” said Sepia.
“The park it is, then,” said Cade.
Cade accelerated the SUV as he went under the EL that carried the 7 train. Several moments later three more SUVs were behind them.
“We have company,” said Sepia.
“I see them. I’m going to try and shake them. It’s going to get bumpy back there so hold on.”
Sepia did her best to secure Gan in the rear seat using the seat belts and jumped into the passenger seat next to Cade.
“These guys are persistent,” said Cade.
He clenched his teeth as he made a sharp turn onto the bridge approach. Sepia lowered her window and began shooting at the tires of the pursuing SUVs.
“Can’t you keep this thing still? I’m trying to get a shot off.”
“You realize this is called evasive driving for a reason,” he said as he swerved across two lanes and into Queens Plaza. The SUVs followed the maneuver. Sepia smacked her head against the side of the door and cursed under her breath.
“Sorry, but if we are going to make the park before they box us in I’m going to have to punch it.”
Sepia rubbed her head. “Do what you need to do.”
She kept shooting and managed to hit the passenger side tire of the lead van.
“I swear I hit that truck’s tire,” she said.
“Won’t make much of a difference, since they are probably using run flats,” he said.
“Shit. Everything else is bullet proof on those things,” said Sepia.
“They’re Order vehicles, it’s the standard OP,” said Cade.
“So we need to put some distance between us then,” said Sepia.
“Let’s see if we can buy ourselves some time. Hold on,” warned Cade.
Cade swerved in to the outer roadway of the bridge, scraping the side of the truck. Sepia strapped in her seatbelt. The three trucks followed single file now.
“It’s not going to be a straight shot to 59th now. This will lead us out to First Avenue,” said Cade.
The lead truck rammed them from behind. Cade stepped on the gas pushing the truck even faster.
“At the bottom of the ramp don’t take the turnaround, go straight to 61st and cut left,” said Sepia. “What I wouldn’t give for a rocket launcher right now.”
They sped over the bridge, the Order trucks closing the distance.
“Hold on, this is going to be ugly,” said Cade.
The bottom of the ramp forked into a hairpin turn which also led into a straightaway. There was no way to make the hairpin at their current velocity. At the last second Cade wrenched the wheel and turned right, slamming the left side of the truck into the wall as a method of stopping. Losing just enough momentum, he sped down the straightaway. The lead truck tried to mimic Cade’s move but failed, slamming into the wall and totaling the vehicle. The next truck managed to make the turn and continued to pursue Cade.
“Make the left on Lex and take the right on 60th that will take us straight into the park,” said Sepia.
“What the hell did he do? I’ve never seen the Order this determined to get someone.”
“I don’t know, but whatever it is they don’t want him alive to talk about it.”
Sepia looked back as she was arranging her weapons and tightening the straps. She moved into the back seat where Gan was and began to get him ready to move. Don’t you leave me, old man. You don’t get to die today. She grabbed Gan and pulled him to the front row.
“Cade, go right into the park.” I hope I’m right about this, she thought. Cade swerved around a statue and drove right into the park destroying benches as he entered. The two trucks stopped outside of the park, and the agents jumped out weapons drawn. Cade drove further in until he felt he was out of range from their guns.
The pursing SUVs reversed several hundred feet and came to a stop as Benson got out of the truck and called Marks.
“Sir, the assassin and the hunter got away,” said Benson.
“Where are they now, Benson?”
“They have entered the park through the south exit near Columbus and 59th Street.”
As expected, thought Marks.
“Do not pursue them into the park. Leave one team stationed at the exit. Gather the rest of your men and return Home,” said Marks.
“But, sir, it’s possible we can pursue,” said Benson.
“The EMP field the park gives off will destroy all your electronics, and Benson do you think you are capable of being worse than whatever waits for them in the park?”
“No, sir, I just thought.”
“That is not what you are paid to do. Gather your men and head back to Home, now,” said Marks.
“Yes, sir,” said Benson.
The Order has fulfilled on its word. Let’s see if you keep yours, Marks thought as he hung up.
Cade stopped the truck and put it in park.
“Okay, now what? This is the proverbial jumping from the frying pan into the fire --except in this case the fire is a raging furnace.”
“I know. Let me see if I can bring him to. I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to be,” said Sepia.
She cradled his head gently and called out to him.
“Gan, Gan? We’re in the park, now how do we find Calisto?” said Sepia. In the distance she could hear the Unholy. They were coming. Gan opened his eyes and looked past Sepia.
“She knows I’m here. She always knows.” He closed his eyes again but Sepia could see he remained conscious.
“How long, Gan? How long before she comes here?” she said.
The Unholy were getting closer. She hoped there weren’t any Nightmares in the welcoming committee.
“I don’t know, Blue. Trust me, she knows I’m here. When she comes depends on how pissed she is with me,” said Gan.
“Do I even want to know, Gan? Why would she be angry with you?” said Sepia. Cade began prepping his rifle. “We have some activity, twelve o’clock.”
Sepia looked out the front of the truck to see some of the Unholy approaching.
“Dreadwolves. I hate them. It’s never just one with them,” said Cade.
“Gan, what is the deal with you and Calisto?” Sepia checked her guns and extra magazines. She would go through them fast with Dreadwolves.
“We have a bit of history. Don’t go out there with those wolves. We should be safe in here. Besides, I’m feeling better,” said Gan. Sepia looked at him and the color had returned to his face, but the wound still looked bad.
“Gan, this is a vehicle designed to prevent small arms fire from penetrating. Not the Unholy. They will shred this truck like tissue paper. Stop avoiding the question,” she said.
Cade had lowered a window and began shooting the Dreadwolves. As he had guessed, it was a pack.
“If you can get the pack leader they will usually run off,” said Sepia.
“Found him, and he’s hanging back. Probably waiting to see what’s in here before coming down.”
“See if you can wing him, usually that will send the pack running,” said Sepia.
Cade slowed his breathing and aimed. He squeezed the trigger, his shot grazing the rear flank of the large Dreadwolf. The pack leader howled, its gray coat bristling. Then it growled and ran towards the truck.
“Or sometimes all it does its make the pack leader attack you,” said Cade. The large gray wolf slammed into the driver’s side of the truck, denting the door.
“Is she coming or should I just feed you to them, Gan?” Sepia said as the truck was rocked again.
“Fine. She’s my wife,” said Gan defeated.
“She’s your what? You didn’t think this was an important bit of information?”
“It’s complicated, and you wouldn’t understand,” said Gan.
Cade started laughing. “We’re all going to be dog food and you’re afraid of your wife? Oh, that’s priceless.”
Another Dreadwolf rammed the truck. It would only be a matter of time before they attacked with their fangs. A few of the pack were gnawing on one of the tires. Cade reversed the truck to distract them before they shredded it.
“Electrical system is frying. If I turn it off it stays off. Even insulated we have maybe ten minutes before the EMP pulse destroys it.”
The Dreadwolves had the truck surrounded when a high pitched whistle pierced the air. The wolves stood still as a figure came over the crest of the hill. The pack leader padded over to the figure and waited. The figure walked over to the pack leader, bent down and whispered something to the leader. The pack leader howled and the wolves began to disperse.
The smell of fresh cut grass filled the air. It was the smell of life, of vitality. For Sepia it was the smell of the first day of spring, full of promise.
“What is that smell? It reminds me of mowing the lawn when I was a kid,” said Cade.
“That’s her,” said Gan.
Calisto, dressed in her usual attire looked at home in the park. Sepia opened the door and walked over to her.
“Hello, Hunter. I see you have found some measure of balance with your blade,” said Calisto.
“Hello, Calisto. Gan is hurt and needs help,” said Sepia.
Calisto cocked her head to one side. “Oh really, he does, does he?”
Gan exited the truck and made a show of walking around.
“I’m okay, really. I don’t think it’s going to get any worse.” He took a few more steps before collapsing.
“Bring him. It’s not safe here. Leave the truck running so it will serve as a distraction for the Unholy,” said Calisto.
“Is there any place in here that is safe?” said Cade under his breath as he carried Gan.
“For your kind, no. But for me there are many safe havens even within the land of Nightmares,” said Calisto as she led them away.
SIXTEEN
More than three decades had passed since the wards were weak enough for him to exit the pen they called their home. The time had drawn close to allow him to destroy the wards completely. All he needed was a named blade hunter foolish enough to enter the park. They were so close. His uneasy alliance with the Order was testing his patience.
Rise of the Night (Sepia Blue Book 1) Page 8
