Not on Her Watch (The Serpent Experiments Book 1)

by Nicole Zoltack

  "Assignment?" Taer raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Assignments."

  Neil refrained from shrugging. "You want those people killed. Seems like one assignment to me."

  "Very well." The Colonel beamed and even laughed. His amusement spread to the doctor, who joined in.

  The two were still laughing as Neil left the room. He had work to do, and if he played his cards correctly, he would still gain his tattoo before the sun went down.

  >>><<<

  Neil's first target was the most important man on the list, namely Gerlin Dalith, the so-called leader of the civilians. What is he doing? Trying to band them together as a makeshift army? No wonder the Hidden Serpents need him eliminated. He poses as a threat.

  Dalith was not within the city but a small neighboring town near a tiny river. Bearing only the knife he'd used to decapitate Taroh Darr with, Neil made his way through the sand toward the embankment. It pleased him immensely that he had used Darr's own weapon against him.

  Maybe that can be my call signal. Kill my foes by the very weapons that they exploit.

  Just as the gentle river came into view, Neil hesitated and then bent down to tuck the knife within his boot. Satisfied, he crept forward, listening for any sound outside of those from nature.

  It didn’t take him long to spy a few tents. There, near a campfire, was Gerlin Dalith. A tall man with darker skin, he wore no shirt and black shorts. His muscles flexed as he pointed, directing others to construct more tents.

  They were abandoning the sandy buildings? That made sense. The entire city looked like a war zone, but this area here seemed peaceful yet.

  Not for much longer.

  Eventually, Dalith stopped talking and headed for the stream. He walked farther away from Neil though.

  Of course.

  No matter. Neil jumped across to the other bank and did his best to go from rock to rock. He wished to keep a low profile. If he had to kill more than Dalith, he would. Most likely, someone else would take Dalith's place once he was killed anyhow.

  Kill one, two, three… The numbers will keep on rising, and that's fine by me. Sometimes, war is needed for there to be peace.

  Dalith was wading in the water now, washing over. Neil had to admit that it was hot today. His clothing certainly did not help.

  Thankfully, Dalith had placed his clothes on the far bank, the one where Neil stood. He hid behind a boulder and slid the shorts closer toward him with his foot. Swiftly, he ransacked it and found a short sword. The blade was all nicked and scuffed, obviously well used. There was a gun as well, but Neil ignored it.

  He slowly footed the shorts back to where Dalith had placed them and waited. Five long minutes later, splashes could be heard. Wet footprints sounded on the sand. As soon as Dalith bent down to grab his shorts, Neil stepped away from the boulder, took aim, and launched the blade. It went blade over handle and then buried in the leader's head.

  Neil walked over, decapitated the man, and then wrapped the head in his shorts. He tied the shorts into a kind of knapsack around his belt and adjusted it so that the head wasn't visible.

  Humming softly to himself, Neil walked away, happy that already one was marked off his list. His pant leg was growing slick from the blood, but he didn’t mind. Nothing could slow him down.

  >>><<<

  Next up, Neil figured the former president should have had her fill with hiding away. There was a small mountain range to the east of the island. Some land caves had formed near its base, and in the southernmost one was where the former president was rumored to be hiding.

  The land caves, Neil was surprised to see, actually looked more like sand dunes formed on the beach. From the back, they appeared to be huge sand hills. There wasn't much space for a person to live inside one, maybe enough to lie down to sleep. There were plenty of animals though for eating. A small pond nearby might offer safe water. Yes, it was a decent enough hiding spot.

  Once Neil arrived, he waited. The other land caves were visible from his vantage point high up in a surprisingly bushy tree. The others revealed people in and out frequently, but the southernmost one showed no movement.

  Was Mollay Kener not here after all? Had she left and would return shortly?

  Neil drummed his fingers impatiently on his thigh. He didn't want to waste time. Waiting wasn't the way of warriors.

  Slowly, so as not to shake the leaves and alert anyone to his presence, Neil climbed down from the tree. He stalked toward the land cave.

  A yawn sounded. It seemed to come from the land cave in question.

  Neil didn't hesitate. He rushed to the back of the land cave and squatted.

  A woman emerged, stretching. She wore a long dress. A hood covered her hair. She certainly seemed to want to not be observed.

  Ignoring the others not that far away, she rushed toward the tree Neil had been in. A little farther past, she bent down.

  A trap. She'd snared two rabbits.

  Neil tucked the short sword into his other boot and walked over toward her.

  She straightened, stiffening with fear or maybe anger. "These are mine," she said.

  "I don’t care." He kicked forward, not at her, but around her so that when his leg kicked back, he swept one of her legs off balance. She stumbled, and a blow to her opposite shoulder had her slamming to the ground.

  Neil yanked back her hood. Yes, this was Mollay Kener.

  "You should've known better than to show yourself during the daytime," he murmured in her ear.

  "Be done with it already," she said. Despite her brave words, there was a hint of fear in her eyes. She was afraid of him.

  Anger and disgust filled Neil, and he pressed the back of her head closer to the rock-filled sandy ground. "You could have avoided all of this. How long have you been hiding? You could have helped us, sided with us. You could have helped to build us up. You should never have fought against us."

  "I should've fought," she whimpered. "I was a coward to have hid."

  "You are a disgrace to humanity for not fighting with us. You are a coward not for hiding but for not believing in the hope we have to offer the world."

  "I accept that I am a coward," she said, trembling slightly. She struggled against his might but hardly shifted his weight. His knee dug into her back, pinning her in place. "I accept that I was a coward, but I will never accept the Hidden Serpents!"

  Keeping his knee in place, Neil snatched the rope from Kenep's trap. He strangled her with it. She gasped and clawed at him, but she hardly put up much of a fight.

  She accepted her death. She knew she deserved it.

  Neil used the rope burns on her throat to dictate where to decapitate her and then used her hood to form another knapsack. Once her head was hidden beside Dalith's, Neil walked away.

  No one from the other land caves had stopped him. Either they hadn't realized what was going on, or they hadn't cared enough about their former president to save her. Either way, he ignored them for the time being. If they wouldn't side with the Hidden Serpents, eventually, he would have to deal with them too.

  Whatever the Colonel wishes from me, I will do.

  >>><<<

  Two down, three more to go. Neil couldn't be more pleased.

  The two heads bounced off each other and his leg as he marched along. His next target might not end up being a kill if he could play his cards right.

  It’s entirely up to Baragh Rinn if he needs to be put down or not. Why can’t more see the good we wish to offer the world? Clearly, Baragh has a good heart if he wishes to rebuild Grotto’s Bay. Why shouldn’t he be agreeable to help rebuild the world?

  Maybe he should’ve gone after the architect immediately after dealing with Dalith. He hadn’t realized how close the two had been.

  I’m growing arrogant and cocky. I should’ve paid more attention to the positioning before going after any of them.

  But what was done was done. He wasn’t going to let the heavy burden of guilt weigh him down. No. He would learn from h
is mistakes and do better. Otherwise, there might not be a next time.

  And I will do everything I can to ensure that the Hidden Serpent’s hopes transform the world.

  Just like the city, this town was ravaged. Sand covered every surface. The only trees nearby had all be uprooted. Several had fallen onto houses. Here, at least, the houses were brick, but most of the roofs were fetched. A closer of muddy thatch had him shaking his head.

  So much for being a great architect. You can’t use anything lightweight in such a windy environment.

  Perhaps Baragh Rinn had not been the one to design these houses. Stones were their best bet. Stones or brick.

  That the brick was all sand-colored made the buildings appear to be nondescript and identical. Neil headset to see anyone within any of the houses. Most did not have doors, and the windows contained no glass. They were merely holes the bricks had not filled in.

  Several streets over, Neil finally heard voices. People were grunting and complaining. It seemed they were trying to make some repairs to a house, but they were more arguing than accomplishing their task.

  “If Baragh were here, he’d tell you the same,” a woman said angrily. “Listen to me.”

  Neil’s ears perked up with interest at the mention of his target.

  “Yeah, well, Baragh isn’t here, and I’m certain he would say I have the right of it,” a man said, just as angry as the woman.

  “It’s working on the north end. Do you really want to bother him?”

  “You go and get him if you’re so certain you’re right,” the man said.

  “In that swampland? No, thank you.”

  Neil heard enough. He could tell from the sun which way was north, and he headed there with haste. The buildings were even more devastated here. Broken in half. Huge cracks in the spare roofs that rendered the occupants wet whenever it would rain. Some of the houses nature had tried to reclaim with moss, bushes or even trees trying to grow on or near the houses. In one, a small tree was growing inside the house.

  Maybe we should let this island go back to nature and move somewhere else.

  But if they did that, their efforts would be delayed that much longer. No, they must stay the course.

  The sound of someone chopping wood rendered the stillness. A man grunted every few swings. Could this be Baragh Rinn?

  Neil cut through two half-destroyed buildings. There, just up that row of buildings was a tall, robust man. He was chopping down a tree that was threatening to break up two houses. Neil watched for a few moments. Yes. That red hair and muscular build matched to the photo of Baragh Rinn.

  The architect slowed his swing as Neil approached, but he did not lower his axe completely. He eyed Neil with skepticism but no fear.

  He’s a man who beats to his own drum. I can tell. How to turn his drum into ours though?

  “Hello,” Neil said.

  Baragh Rinn said nothing. His nostrils flared, and his lips twisted into a disgusted grimace. “There’s a river not far from here,” he remarked.

  Neil grimaced. Were the heads starting to smell already? Given how hot the sun shone on them, that wasn’t surprising. He’d grown accustomed to whatever stench without a thought. He’d never become disgusted or nauseated by the smell.

  “Can’t you build me a shower?” Neil asked conversationally.

  Baragh Rinn cocked his head to the side, appraising him critically. “I’m not a plumber,” he finally said.

  “You are an architect, correct?”

  “Yes, but the wiring and—“

  “Your efforts are wasted here.” Neil made a show of looking around. “There’s been sandstorms though here, haven’t there?”

  Confused and suspicious, the architect stared at him. “Are you near here?” he asked after a slight hesitation.

  “You could say that,” Neil admitted.

  “With proper support and a wider base, the buildings will be able to withstand any onslaught.”

  “I think it is commendable what you are doing. Truly I do. The civilians don’t deserve to be caught in the fire.”

  Baragh Rinn grinned, but he still seemed skeptical.

  “A new day will dawn,” Neil said slowly. “Your work can stand the test of time, or it will wither away, as devastated as these buildings. You are strong and capable. Your mind is an asset.”

  “I refuse to turn my back on those who need my help,” Baragh Rinn said.

  “But that’s just it,” Neil said passionately. “You can help to convince the civilians to join the upcoming battle. We are on the side of the people! We do not wish for the civilians to cower from us. They aren’t afraid of us! Deep down, they are afraid of having too much hope. They fear we cannot reshape the world. They are wrong, and you can help to show them that! Join our cause, and rally the civilians to our side. Do this, and you can continue to build for them.”

  “Why I build for you and your kind. The Hidden Serpents have killed more civilians than ISIS.”

  “The cost of peace demands war first. Change is never easy. Take a rapist, for instance. Can he change his destructive, devastating ways? Should he be given that chance? Can he be trusted to turn his life around? Certainly! But so many rapists do not want to change. They remain stuck in their hateful, terrible ways.”

  “You would compare the innocent civilians to rapists?” Baragh Rinn spat on the ground with disgust.

  “All of us, one and all, have made mistakes, have completed failures. We have not always chosen the good and righteous path. Does that mean we should not try again? Together, we are stronger than we are apart. Together, we can help each other overcome our mistakes and failings. We can become better, stronger, as both people and as a singular country. Help us help you and everyone else here in Grotto’s Bay.”

  Baragh Rinn opened this mouth, hesitated, and then shut it. After a moment, he sighed. “I will consider your words. Give me a week—“

  “I will return here in three hours. Your choice had better be made by then. Good day.”

  With that, Neil turned on his heel and walked away. Either Baragh Rinn would see the light, or Neil would assist him in seeing eternal darkness. Neil had no preference either way.

  >>><<<

  That left the husband and wife team, Sorin and Sabrae Duskyrn. Along the way to one of the locations where their dock might possibly be hidden, Neil snatched the few flowers. Their scent was undoubtedly too faint to conceal that of the decaying heads, but so be it. He was trying.

  The ocean was so majestic and peaceful that Neil halted at the sight of it. The waves rolled endlessly, without ceasing, calm and pure.

  Just like the world will be once we rise.

  What did he want other than the world government? He could not even fathom it. The day would surely come. He would see to it that it did, and yet he could not dare to dream what might come for him then. He had no hope for himself, only the world. That some sought our devastation and war infuriated him. Peace was all he sought. It would surely come. Then he could consider what he wished for but only then. After the Hidden Serpents slithered their way to the top.

  Why serpents? At once, he knew why. Serpents had often been overlooked. Some said they were cursed to slither on their bellies for all time without arms and legs. Even so, snakes were among the most poisonous of creatures. They had adapted to the world. They changed to better themselves, to protect themselves and to fight back. Serpents were powerful, strong, and resourceful.

  I will be honored to join their ranks.

  Should he blow up their ship? It would be easy enough to do. More than enough rocks lined the path he was taking. With enough force, any one of them could cause serious damage to the hull. If the boat was docked on the shore, he could even pick up a boulder and smash it into the side of the boat.

  But the Colonel hadn’t mentioned if he wanted the boat left intact or not. Better to leave it afloat and return to destroy it if need be. If I destroy it now, and the Colonel had a use for it, I will be drowning in the
ocean without a boat to save me.

  Neil’s mission was to kill the enemies of the Hidden Serpents. Nothing had been mentioned about the boat. He would follow his orders explicitly. As a soldier, that was his duty.

  The boat came into view. It wasn’t huge, but it could probably carry about two dozen children at a time, fewer adults. If it only required a two-man crew to man it, that meant those two were severely proficient.

  But the Colonel hadn't wanted to convert the Duskyrns, so there was no point in trying to rally the ship owners to their side. They were stealing away the heart of the future, and the future was what the Hidden Serpents most wanted for the entire world.

  As such, Sorin and Sabrae Duskyrn must be dealt with.

  Two figures emerged onto the deck of the ship. Neil was far enough away yet that he could clearly see them, but they should not be able to notice him. The surf, although peaceful, roared just enough that he could not overhear the couple.

  Eventually, the male jumped off the boat and rolled. He sprang right back up. Like Gerlin Dalith, Sorin wore no shirt. Sweat rolled down his cheeks as he walked barefoot through the sand.

  His feet must be burned for him to not flinch.

  Sabrae rushed off the boat and spoke animatedly with her husband, her arms gesturing wildly.

  Neil stalked toward them, the dagger in one hand, the short sword in the other.

  Sorin began to walk away.

  His wife called out to him.

  Sorin turned toward her.

  Neil threw the dagger.

  "You forgot to give me a kiss," Sabrae said, arms spread wide.

  The dagger connected with Sorin's back. He slumped into his wife's arms.

  She kissed his forehead. When she wrapped her arms around him, she felt the dagger's hilt and began to scream. Trembling, she released her hold on her husband. As he slumped to the ground, Neil stepped over him and sliced her throat.

  From Sorin's body, Neil retrieved another short sword. He cut off the wife's head. From Sabrae's body, he found a dagger that eased decapitating her husband.