by Jacob Holo
“Shut the doors!” Daniel shouted, stepping back slowly. “You can do it!”
Nicole scampered backwards, heart pounding in her chest. She tried envisioning the glass double doors closed, tried willing them shut. She opened her hands and a faint electric tingle ran down her arms. She could almost feel the cool glass against her sweat-slick palms.
With a sharp jerk, Nicole crossed her arms. The doors slammed shut, bursting three hornets like diseased zits.
Dozens of hornets buzzed in the air around Daniel, circling him. He swung his sword in wider and more desperate arcs. One landed on his back. He wrenched it off with his free hand, crushed it, and tossed the crumpled remains aside.
Hornets covered the far side of the glass loading doors, stabbing at it with long stingers and tearing into it with surprisingly powerful mandibles. Cracks spread and widened across its surface. A few hornets squeezed through before the doors burst apart in a floating cloud of glass.
The swarm arced up into the air, collecting into one angry mass.
“Run!” Daniel shouted. “Keep away from them!”
The swarm split in two. Half flew across the ceiling, while the other half dove straight towards Nicole and Amy. Nicole ran away, dodging through throngs of people and vaulting over a row of metal chairs. Amy lagged behind, huffing after Nicole. The hornets closed in behind them.
Daniel leaped behind Amy and arced his sword through the swarm’s periphery. A dozen dropped to the ground. Several landed on his coat and stabbed him with oversized stingers. He gritted his teeth and continued killing.
The second half of the swarm dove at Nicole from the opposite direction, cutting off their means of escape. Nicole turned back, sneakers squeaking against the floor tiles.
“We’re surrounded!” Nicole shouted.
“Not good!” Daniel said. He ripped hornets off his back and shoulders with one hand and swung his sword wildly with the other.
Hornets lunged at them from every direction.
The whole world exploded with blue light and thunderous noise.
Sudden force threw Nicole off her feet. She screamed, crashed to the ground on her side, and skidded to a halt. A wave of heat and pressure blasted over her. As suddenly as it had come, the noise died off, replaced with the dull thuds of hornets dropping to the ground.
“Are you hurt?”
Nicole stared up at the tall, young man standing over her. He was about Daniel’s age with a short cut of spiky blonde hair that seemed to clash with his well-pressed blue silk shirt and tie. He smiled and offered her a hand.
“My apologies, but the swarm was too close when we arrived,” Rüdiger said, ignoring what was left of the swarm near the terminal ceiling. “You must be Nicole.”
Nicole accepted his hand. Rüdiger pulled her to her feet.
“So you’re not hurt?” he asked.
“Umm… no, nothing serious,” Nicole said. “Just a few scrapes.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Daniel pulled off his trench coat and stamped out the burning sleeve. “If you’re done looking smug, would you kindly kill the rest?”
Rüdiger sighed as if bored. “As you wish.”
Nicole yelped and jerked back. Blue fire spun around Rüdiger in a double helix and collected in a ball above his open palm. Rüdiger looked up at the swarm, his fireball growing intensely bright. With a confident smirk, he threw the fireball overhand. It struck the ceiling with a deafening bang, and blasted outward with a blue wave of energy. The force splattered pieces of dead hornets across the terminal.
“Wow,” Amy said.
The fire around Rüdiger vanished. He rubbed his hands together. “I trust that will suffice.”
“Yes, thank you, Rüdi. Now Melanie, would you please stop that? I’m barely scratched!”
“Stop moving,” Melanie said. “Blood is soaking your shirt. It vill only take a moment to reset.”
Nicole’s first impression of Melanie was that she could have been Rüdiger’s sister, not just his cousin. Both were quite tall with golden-blonde hair and fair skin. Melanie’s red v-neck was so tight, it received Nicole’s shows-nothing-but-reveals-everything award. Her breasts received an honorable mention for being too-large-to-be-real. For some reason, seeing Melanie fuss over Daniel irritated her.
“Looks like competition,” Amy whispered into her ear.
“Oh, shut up! Shouldn’t you be cowering in a corner somewhere?”
“Not anymore.” Amy bobbed her head at Rüdiger. “We’ve got a walking artillery piece now. Did you see what he did? That was incredible.”
“Yes, I saw it! It was hard to miss when the explosion threw me across the floor!”
“Okay, Melanie,” Daniel said, pushing her away. “I’m fine, seriously. You can stop now.”
“Now you are fine,” Melanie said. “Ve don’t vant you bleeding all over de place.”
Daniel grabbed his smoking trench coat off the ground and put it back on.
“You really need to improve your aim, Rüdi.”
“Sorry. I thought saving your life might be more important than your coat.”
“What kept you?”
“We were on the other side of the metal detectors when the freeze hit,” Rüdiger said. “We came when we heard shouting.”
“Sorry for de delay,” Melanie said.
Daniel pulled out his compass. “The hive lord is still around somewhere, but its signal isn’t clear.”
“Let’s see if a little light will help,” Rüdiger said. He materialized a small fireball in his hand and threw it straight up. The ball exploded like a flare, showering the terminal with harsh light as it drifted down.
Nicole caught a glimpse of metal legs and a fat body before it ducked out of sight several gates away.
“There it is,” Daniel said. He and Rüdiger led the way towards the creature. Nicole checked behind them and followed with Melanie and Amy. They walked across a normally-moving walkway and rounded an outcrop in the terminal wall that housed restrooms and storage closets.
A thick swarm of hornets rounded the corner and flew towards them.
“Oh, please,” Rüdiger sighed. He hurled a fireball into the swarm. It exploded dead center, scattering flaming hornet chunks everywhere.
They turned the corner. The hive lord crouched near an open gate, one of its eight legs resting on the reception desk. Its bloated abdomen looked porous, like a sponge made of tinfoil. Red eyes glowed within its hive-body.
KREEEIIIGH!!!
Rüdiger threw a fireball, but the hive lord leapt into the air, spun, and latched onto the ceiling. It scampered across it, incredibly agile for something the size of a car. Rüdiger threw two more fireballs, blasting out large sections of the roof. Metal support rods and white plastic panels fell down, stopped midway to the ground, and sprang back into place.
“It’s running!” Daniel said. “Follow it!”
Nicole and Amy kept up with the three tau guards. They chased the hive lord all the way to the far end of the terminal, which opened into a circular space lined with shops and loading gates. The larger number of windows allowed more of the morning’s gloom indoors. The hive lord faced them and leapt down from the ceiling.
Daniel jumped out of the way, rolled across the ground, and rose to his feet in a single flawless motion. The hive lord landed where he’d been a moment ago. It turned and dashed towards him, stabbing forward with its front legs.
Flames engulfed Rüdiger, coiling around him like a living serpent. He threw a fireball and struck the hive lord’s abdomen, blasting out chunks of porous metal and pus. The giant spider didn’t seem to notice, as if its abdomen weren’t a critical area. It swung a leg at Daniel, but he sidestepped and brought his sword down. The reaver’s leg flew off. It backed up, shrieked, and continued fighting.
Nicole heard metallic clicking behind and above her. She turned to see a second hive lord crawl across the ceiling and into the light.
“Behind us!” she shouted.
The reaver leapt towards her.
Rüdiger spun and whipped a fireball at the hive lord, striking its thorax in a burst of light. The creature flew back, spun in the air, and landed on its back. Its legs popped their joints, rotated, touched the ground, and lifted its body. Its head rotated 180 degrees.
“There are two of them!” Rüdiger shouted.
“Take it out!” Daniel shouted, dodging a flurry of attacks from the first hive lord.
Nicole threw one of Daniel’s knives at the second hive lord. The air cracked and the knife blasted through two of the hive lord’s legs, severing them at the second joint. It roared and charged forward. Rüdiger threw an overhand fireball, but the hive lord dodged to the right. The fireball exploded, sending chairs and fragments of passengers flying.
Nicole extended an open hand towards the reaver. She felt the tingle ride down her arm, felt the smooth, hot metal under her fingers.
“Ah!” she cried. Needle-sharp pain drove her to her knees.
“Not the reaver!” Rüdiger shouted. “Grab something else and hit it!”
Nicole crawled away, clutching her forehead. Rüdiger grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. The fire curling around him felt hot, but didn’t burn. He threw another fireball at the charging reaver, striking a leg and staggering it.
Nicole shook the fog and pain from her head. She looked around and found a heavy metal cart with three suitcases on it. She reached for it, clenched her hand, and jerked her arm towards the reaver.
The cart flew through the air and struck the reaver hard enough to crush half its face in. Putrid reaver fluids burst from the wound and steamed on the ground. The hive lord cried out in pain and cowered back.
Rüdiger held both hands in front of his chest, gathering energy between his open palms. The fire coiling around him swirled into the growing ball. Nicole shielded her eyes.
With a quick thrust of his arms, Rüdiger launched the fireball. It punched through the hive lord’s wounded head and exploded with a terrific snap-flash of light, heat, and a deafening boom. Pieces of the hive lord flew outward. Windows all around them shattered. A leg flashed through the air just above Nicole’s head and tumbled out the windows behind her.
Nicole saw Daniel still fighting the first hive lord. He’d wounded it, but the creature still moved nimbly, dodging attacks and striking back. A whole wall of shattered glass hovered behind them.
Nicole reached out with both arms and closed her hands. She felt the tiny prickles of broken glass in her palms. With a jerk of her arms, she pulled thousands of glass shards towards the reaver. It pattered off its hide and face in a thick sleet. The creature cried out, shutting its eyes and backing away.
With the reaver blinded, Amy took aim and fired. The crossbow bolt struck the reaver just above the head. It staggered back, its movements becoming sluggish. A sound echoed through the terminal like fresh ice cracking in a glass of water.
Frost spread out from the crossbow bolt until it covered the entire reaver. Its mouth froze open. Its limbs halted in mid stride. The hive lord looked around the terminal with frantic eyes, unable to move its body.
“Oh, very nice,” Rüdiger said. He summoned another fireball and whipped it at the hive lord. It struck and seemed to submerge beneath its iced skin.
A few seconds passed. The hive lord’s eyes opened and closed rapidly, and then began spinning wildly. The terrible creature exploded in a shower of frozen splinters. Most of the head remained intact. It rolled forward until Daniel stopped it with his boot.
“God, I hate these things!” Daniel punted the reaver head out the window.
“Did you really just start out?” Rüdiger asked Amy.
Amy stared at the shattered reaver. “I did that?”
“Most definitely,” Rüdiger said. “Well, the freezing part, anyway. Very nicely done, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Amy said, still staring.
“It’s been a while since I’ve worked with an accomplished cryo. Rüdiger Krieg, at your service.”
“Amy Taylor,” she said, still staring.
“A pleasure.”
Nicole found a bench and collapsed into it. Her hands shook and her chest was pounding so hard she thought her heart would leap through her ribcage. She fumbled with her hoodie zipper, pulled it up, and hugged her chest tight.
Rüdiger pulled out a cigarette pack and slapped one out into his palm. He offered the pack to Amy.
“What?”
“A smoke after the fight?” Rüdiger said. “I personally find it quite relaxing.”
Amy looked up into his blue eyes. She smiled warmly. “Sure, I’ll try one.”
“What are you doing?” Nicole asked.
Amy turned and stuck her tongue out.
“Mom and Dad won’t like this.”
“What are you going to do? Tell them?”
“Maybe!”
“They won’t believe you,” Amy said. She stuck the cigarette in her mouth.
Nicole hugged her chest tighter, feeling small. Amy was probably right.
Rüdiger handed over a lighter. “Here. See if you can make it work.”
Amy tried to light the cigarette a few times. Nothing happened.
“It’s not working,” Amy said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Rüdiger said, taking the lighter back. “Most people can’t get it to work. Mutable Law Number Two. Chemical reactions do not work in a tau freeze.”
“Why mutable?” Nicole asked.
“Because the law can be broken.” Rüdiger snapped his fingers, igniting a small blue flame on his fingertips. He held it forward. Amy lit her cigarette and took an experimental draw. She started coughing and almost spat it out.
“Thanks,” Amy said hoarsely.
“You look a little green,” Nicole said.
Amy stuck her tongue out again.
“Show off,” Daniel muttered, sheathing his sword.
“Jealous?” Rüdiger asked. He lit his own cigarette with a pinky finger.
“You wish.”
Rüdiger puffed a ring of smoke in Daniel’s face.
“Would you stop that?” Daniel said.
“I’m a pyro. People would think it strange if I didn’t smoke.”
“Whatever. Who’s holding the freeze?”
“I am,” Rüdiger said. “If you like, I’ll drop the freeze. We’ll find you by the gate after clearing security.”
“All right.”
Rüdiger nodded to Nicole and then to Amy. “A pleasure meeting you.”
The world vanished.
* * *
Nicole gasped, finding herself back at the McDonald’s table. Amy grabbed the table’s edge and coughed out a few wisps of cigarette smoke. The lights throughout the terminal flickered back on. Everyone looked around, wondering what had happened. A minute later, a man on the intercom explained the terminal had just experienced a momentary brownout and that there was no cause for alarm. Other announcers came on and repeated the message in Spanish and two Asian languages Nicole couldn’t identify.
“Hey, ladies.”
“Ah!” Nicole shouted. “Damn it, stop sneaking up on us!”
“Sorry,” Daniel said, taking the seat opposite the sisters. “I have to say that was remarkable back there, for both of you. Even Rüdiger was impressed.”
Amy leaned forward with a big, dumb grin. “Did you see what I did to that big spider?”
“Absolutely, I saw,” Daniel said. “Do you think you can do it again?”
“Maybe. It’s not exactly clear what I did. It happened so fast, but it also felt really natural.”
“If you have questions, talk to Rüdiger. He can probably share some pointers. Pyros and cryos aren’t too far apart in terms of technique.”
“Oh, I think I can manage chatting him up,” Amy said, still grinning.
“By the way, how are you two feeling?”
“Better, now that there are more of us,” Amy said.
“My ha
nds aren’t shaking so bad,” Nicole said. “So I guess that’s a start.”
“Good,” Daniel said. “Hopefully it will be a nice, boring flight to Frankfurt.”
“And what do you think the chances of that are?” Nicole asked.
“Hmm… fifty-fifty?”
“You are such an optimist.”
Chapter 9
Borehole
Nicole boarded the plane and walked down the aisle to the rear.
“You sure you checked it?” she asked.
“Don’t worry,” Daniel said. “I swept the plane three times. No reavers. So relax and enjoy a nice, boring flight.”
“All right,” Nicole said. She found her seat and stashed her hoodie in the overhead bin.
“I’ll see you when we arrive,” Daniel said. He headed for the back of the plane.
Nicole remembered what happened the last time she’d fallen asleep, but all the adrenaline had worn off and even the caffeine wasn’t helping anymore. She sat down next to the window and buckled in. Amy sat next to her, and Rüdiger took the third seat in the row. Melanie was in a seat across the aisle.
“Are you feeling any better?” Rüdiger asked.
“A little,” Nicole said.
“Look at it this way,” he said. “Once we’re airborne, we’re guaranteed eight reaver-free hours.”
After a short wait, the plane began taxiing for takeoff. Nicole rested her head against the cold window. Flight attendants performed the preflight safety lecture that no one listened to. The captain gave a short speech over the intercom, and soon the plane was accelerating down the tarmac.
The plane took off with a lurch that rang Nicole’s head against the window and sent her stomach into her throat.
“Ahh, the joys of riding near the back of the plane,” Rüdiger said.
“Mist, wir haetten business-class tickets kaufen sollen,” Melanie said.
“Too late now,” Rüdiger said.
The flight attendants served a breakfast of blueberry yogurt, assorted fruit, sausage patties, and orange juice. Rüdiger and Melanie ate with healthy appetites, but Nicole didn’t feel hungry. She reclined her seat and closed her eyes. Restless visions passed through her mind, but within an hour she drifted into a deep sleep.
