by Amy Ruttan
As the flames subsided he saw Auyuittuq come bounding from the brush. The large polar bear was charging toward them and for one moment Mason wished he had his gun, because he was terrified beyond all belief.
Auyuittuq snuffed and motioned with his head toward the brush and that niggling thought that something was wrong became crystal clear to him. Something was wrong with May. She was in trouble and Auyuittuq had come to warn him.
Parker laughed. “You can’t have it both ways, brother. Save your woman or your brother. What will it be? You can’t hold me and save her from the Commander’s clutches. He’s far stronger than either of us.”
Auyuittuq pawed him. Insistent.
Mason glanced at his brother on the ground. The Phoenix Agency wasn’t here yet. He had no choice. He couldn’t let May die.
He couldn’t fail her again.
Mason released his hold on Parker. Parker got up and took off toward the shore, to a boat that was waiting for him. Mason watched as Parker climbed into the boat and sped away. His brother was currently lost to him and he felt that failure keenly, but there would be another chance to save Parker and there might not be another chance to save May.
Chapter Seven
As soon as May saw the Phoenix Agency chopper she panicked and ran into the brush. She had to get York Factory and get Lesa out of here. She wouldn’t leave Lesa behind, even if Lesa didn’t really have a problem with the Phoenix Agency.
Lesa had been the one to soothe her after getting her out of the psychiatric hospital when she was eighteen. She needed Lesa.
She began to weep as all those memories of being forced into psychiatric care, locked in padded rooms and force fed meds to stop her crazy thoughts, came flooding back. And she was terrified.
It was an onslaught of memories, stronger than they should be after all this time.
May stopped running and saw Auyuittuq waiting in the tall grass, pain gleaming in his eyes. A chill ran down her spine, because she realized she was being mentally attacked, like she had been before. Tears streamed down her face and she clutched her head.
“Auyuittuq, get out of here. Find Mason!”
Auyuittuq turned and scampered through the underbrush.
May wiped the tears away and then continued on her journey toward the Fort York factory site and the encampment where Lesa and Nash were.
“There’s nowhere to hide.”
The voice in her mind sent a shiver down her spine. She stopped and pulled out her pistol. The air filled with smoke from the wildfire that Mason had started and the sun was blocked by the storm clouds coming in.
She couldn’t see, the smoke stinging her eyes and burning her throat.
“Nowhere to hide,” the voice teased again.
“Get out of my head and show yourself, you coward!” She spun around, holding her pistol and ready to fire when she caught a glimpse of that bastard Commander Denham.
Another shiver ran down her spine and she felt his ice cold hand in her mind, probing her, trying to breach her barriers.
“You’re stronger than you were when we first met, but not strong enough.”
May spun around and fired at the figure standing in front of her. With a wave of his hand Commander Denham waved the bullet away and then, like it was nothing, held her, frozen in terror, as he broke down her mental barriers.
“Drop the gun, my dear,” he said.
May dropped the gun, weeping as she lost control of her body. She was a puppet and Commander Denham was the puppet master.
“That’s a good, girl,” he said. “How I’ve missed you, sweet May.”
Commander Denham was a young man, not much older than Mason. To anyone else he would be considered handsome, but May only saw the evil that lurked beneath that polished exterior. Cruel eyes that were focused on her, enjoying the mental pain that he was inflicting on her as he invaded every private thought.
He reached out and touched her face, like Mason had always done. It made her want to retch, because his touch made her ill.
“Do you like this?”
“Don’t touch me,” she growled.
An amused, cruel smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “I’ll do more than that when I’m through with you. Mason will have no choice but to do what I say when he sees what I’m going to do with you!”
May screamed as he filled her mind with nightmares.
“Scream for me. Scream!”
Mason ran through the brush, Auyuittuq at his side, and his stomach twisted when he heard May scream in agony. Auyuittuq lowered his head and growled and Mason understood the beast’s hatred then.
“Easy,” Mason said under his breath to the bear. “Wait for the right time to make your kill. If we do this too quickly, it could kill May. Do you understand me, Auyuittuq?”
The bear looked at him and Mason swore he saw a sign that Auyuittuq understood. The bear circled around the clearing, getting ready to make his move. Mason made his way through the brush and found the Commander holding May down. He had her pinned to the ground, his hand on her head, telepathically manipulating her.
Mason saw red and his hands burst into flame.
“Get the fuck off my woman!” He shouted.
The Commander looked over his shoulder and sneered as he saw Mason, and then looked at his hands.
“Mason LaCroix, it’s been a while, but I doubt you remember me from last year. You were in quite a state.”
“Get the fuck off of my woman!”
Commander Denham removed his hand, and May was left lying there, catatonic. He stood up and faced Mason.
“Your weapons, drop them, or I continue my mental assault on May.”
Mason held up his hands. “No weapons, just this, and I can’t really turn it off when I’m ready to kick someone’s ass!”
“You do harm to me and not only will I kill May, I will kill Parker. If you do what I say, then I won’t harm her or Parker.”
Mason narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”
“The location of the prison. I want the location of the prison. I want to know the ins and outs and you’re going to give it to me. And you’re going to break General Knight out. Your brother Parker isn’t as strong as you are.” The Commander held up his hand and Mason was assaulted by a anguish, by fire and pain. Something strong and dark was trying get past his barriers into his brain. It was stronger than anything he’d ever experienced before, but he was stronger than it. He could shield himself from the onslaught. He could resist.
The Commander sneered, and pressed harder, but Mason resisted him again. And, as Denham made one final thrust, trying to break through his barriers, Mason used his telekinetic powers, lifting the other man off the ground and tossing him.
Commander Denham collapsed against the ground, unconscious.
Mason rushed to May’s side.
“May, oh God, May please.” He cradled May in his arms.
She came to. “Mason?”
“Yeah,” he whispered, relief washing through him.
She sat up. “Where’s Commander Denham?”
“Over…” Mason trailed off, because the Commander was gone. Startled, he stood up, pulling May up with him.
The static noise filled his head and he turned around just in time to see Commander Denham rise from where he’d been crouching, aim and fire the pistol in his hand.
Mason closed his eyes, as his life flashed before him, but then he heard a scream. Opening his eyes, he saw May’s body crumple.
“May!” Mason reached out and caught her before she hit the ground.
No.
“Get up, Mason LaCroix. It’s time you…what the—” The Commander’s words ended with a strangled cry as a god-awful howl rent the sky. Mason, cradling May, glanced over his shoulder to see what he knew was happening.
He’d seen enough bear attacks to know.
Auyuittuq rose behind Commander Denham, and Mason looked away as Auyuittuq made his attack. Then there was silence, and he heard Auyuittuq drag
the commander away to finish the job.
Mason turned back to May. Her breathing was labored and he pulled off his flannel shirt, pressing it against her neck wound, but she was losing blood fast. Tears stung his eyes as he sat there, helpless.
“Mason, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I should’ve never run from you or the Phoenix Agency. I was wrong and I was…”
“Don’t,” Mason said. “You don’t apologize for anything. I’m sorry I failed you. I promised you I would protect you. I love you, May and I’m the one who failed you.”
Tears filled her eyes and she reached up and touched his face. “I love you too.”
Sobs wracked his body and he felt completely helpless as he stared up into the hazy, smoked filled sky. This was not how it was supposed to be. He just found her again, he wasn’t supposed to lose her a second time.
“May?” A figure came rushing through the smoke. “May?”
May turned her gaze. “Lesa!”
Lesa came through the brush. She was an older woman, with gray shot through her black hair. Her dark eyes widened when she saw May on the ground.
“Oh God no,” Lesa cried out and she fell next to May.
“She was shot,” Mason said. “She’s losing blood fast. Please tell me the Phoenix Agency are close?”
“I left before they got to our hiding spot,” Lesa said. “I sensed that May was in danger and I came running. I see that I was right.”
Mason nodded and tears slipped down his face. There was nothing to be done and May was going to die in his arms. He couldn’t live without her.
“Use the fire,” Lesa said earnestly.
“What?” Mason asked.
“Use your fire and we’ll heal her, together. But, by doing so, your lives will be intertwined and you can never be parted. Do you want this?”
Mason nodded. “Do it.”
Even if it meant he had to leave the Phoenix Agency, leave behind his business and his brother and live out on the ice with May and Auyuittuq, he was willing to do it if May’s life could be spared, because he couldn’t live without her.
Lesa smiled and took his hand. “Use the fire.”
Mason closed his eyes and unleashed the flames. Lesa laid one of her hands on May, who was slipping away. Energy surged through him and he felt an invisible tether tie him to May. And he felt pain as May’s injury was healed.
Then warmth and a sense of peace. He opened his eyes and Lesa was smiling as she looked down at May. She was touching her head and May was staring up at him. The wound on her neck was gone. The only reminder of what had happened to her was the pool of blood on the ground.
“You’re both bound to each other. So no foolish escapades, eh?” Lesa leaned over and kissed May. “I’m going to check on Nash and tell the Phoenix Agency where you two are.”
Lesa headed back out into the smoke.
May sat up and touched Mason’s face. “What did you do?”
“Bound my life to yours so you can live. The thing is, I can’t live without you. Those years we were apart were shit.”
May laughed. “But… what about the Phoenix Agency?”
“If it means I can’t have you, I’m done with them. I’d give everything up to be with you and to keep you safe.”
May touched his face. “You don’t have to give up the Phoenix Agency, except, maybe no more missions?”
Mason nodded. “Deal. Can you resign yourself to a life in Yellowknife?”
May nodded. “I can.”
“And what about Auyuittuq?”
“He’ll roam around here and we can visit him. He’s happy here and this is where he belongs. He was my rebirth and he’s served his purpose. Of course, that’s if you allow me to come and visit him?”
“Anything.” And he cupped her face. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She kissed him.
Auyuittuq returned and sat, watching them. May stood and approached him. She held onto him and they touched foreheads. The bear snuffed and then glanced at him, lowering his head. Mason got up and touched Auyuittuq.
“Thank you, pal.”
Auyuittuq grunted and then turned around, wandering through the long grass toward the water.
May took his hand. “Let’s go see your brother.”
Mason nodded. “Yeah and get Lesa and him out of here.”
***
Mason found Mike D’Antoni directing them to load Nash, who was on a stretcher, into the helicopter. Mike saw Mason and ordered the men to stop.
Mike nodded at Mason and clapped him on the back.
Mason approached the helicopter and leaned over the stretcher. Nash looked up and his blue eyes twinkled.
“Mason!”
Mason leaned over and grabbed his brother’s outstretched arm. “You’re very hairy. That is a serious beard you got going on there.”
Nash laughed. “Thanks. Were you successful in reaching Parker?”
Mason shook his head and sighed. “No, but Commander Denham is dead and perhaps the hold he had on Parker will be over and he’ll return.”
“Mike said that General Knight has been moved and we won’t know where. Probably for the best?”
Mason nodded. “How is your spine?”
“Lesa has done a good job taking care of me. I have movement in my left leg, but it’ll take some time before I can return to 62 Degrees North and the Phoenix Agency.”
“Don’t worry about 62 Degrees North. I have Bryant, Lexie, and now May.”
Nash grinned. “Okay.”
“We have to take him now, Captain LaCroix,” said one of the Phoenix Agency paramedics.
Mason nodded and stepped back as they loaded Nash aboard the helicopter. He returned to Mike, who was talking to Lesa and May.
“Where are you taking Nash?” Mason asked.
“Our hospital in Maine,” Mike said. “He’ll be taken care of. I was just chatting with May and Lesa, and they’re going to contact The Lotus Circle. I was going to suggest you follow up with it, but I think your powers are well in hand.”
Mason scrubbed a hand over his face. “I could use a vacation away from the north.”
Mike grinned. “Well, you could always head down there with these ladies. That’s if Bryant will take over operations of our bush plane service for a while.”
“I’m sure he will.” Mason shook Mike’s hand. “Commander Denham’s body will be out there, but I don’t know how much you’ll find.”
Mike winced. “Noted. Do you want to take the helicopter with Nash?”
“I have a boat,” May said. “I’ll take them back down to Gillam.”
“Yeah, but my plane, along with Lesa’s airstrip and mine, are gone,” Mason said.
“There will be a Phoenix Agency plane waiting for you in Gillam then,” Mike said. “No argument.”
“Thanks, Mike.”
Mike nodded and then ran toward the helicopter to ride with Nash. Mason took May’s hand and they watched as the helicopter lifted off the ground and headed south.
“Well, I don’t know about you two, but I would like to go back to Inuvik,” Lesa said.
“I think I’m going to Yellowknife, Lesa.”
Lesa grinned. “Well, you’ll always have a home in Inuvik.”
“Let’s go before the bears change their minds about us,” Mason grumbled. He took May’s hand and they walked back toward to the boat.
He may have failed in bringing Parker back, but he’d saved Nash, Lesa, and May.
And May saved him.
She made his heart whole once more.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
It was bitter cold outside and the wind was howling, making the minus twenty degrees Celsius feel more like minus forty, but at least Mason was able to wait in the warmth of the Yellowknife airport for the plane that was coming in from Edmonton.
It had been delayed by a snowstorm, but that wasn’t unusual.
Right now, with the howling wind and bitter cold, Mason wa
s missing the warmth of the south. He’d spent three months with May. First they had gone to the Lotus Circle for some training and then they headed out on a cruise.
A cruise that didn’t have polar bears swimming alongside their boat or the threat of the GKA hanging over their head.
The GKA had disbanded and the Phoenix Agency was almost done their cleanup of the rogue members of the GKA, but they still hadn’t found Parker and that worried Mason no end. He knew it bothered Nash too.
Nash had rushed through his rehabilitation, but he was walking again and was able to return home to Yellowknife, which was why Mason was here, waiting for his brother to return.
Finally the doors for the arrivals opened and he saw his brother walking through the gates. Nash’s face was like thunder as he approached Mason.
“What?” Mason asked, as he took Nash’s duffel bag from him.
“It’s news about Parker and it’s not bad, but it’s not great.”
Mason’s stomach twisted. “What happened? Is he dead?”
“No, not dead, but he was caught trying to break into General Knight’s prison to free him. He’s in custody, but Mike won’t tell me where. Mike said they’re going to help decondition him.”
“That’s not bad news, Nash,” Mason said.
“I should be the one helping. I’m the one who failed him.” Nash frowned. “Mike told me to rest. And I’m not sure they can bring our brother back. It’s all my fault.”
“Yeah and Mike’s right. Your spine was broken six months ago. Don’t worry about Parker, in time he’ll heal.”
Nash sighed. “Well, I’m not resting for long and then I’m going back out on duty!”
“I would try and stop you, but I know you. That won’t work.”
Nash grinned. “You’re a good man.”
They stepped outside and Nash cursed.
“What?” Mason asked.
“I forgot how fucking cold it is. Jesus, why the hell did I decide to come back here in the winter? I should’ve taken more time to rehabilitate.”
Mason laughed. “Come on. I’ll take you home. May has dinner ready for us.”
“Dinner sounds great.”
Mason could tell something else was eating Nash, but he wasn’t going to pry into his brother’s mind.
