by Debbie Behan
‘Glad you’re on board because I see no other way around this if we are to stop the damage this will cause.
‘No probs.’ Lisha gently shook the reins and moved off. ‘Come on Bree, he’ll be here any minute. Stop being so co-dependant.’
Bree looked uncertain.
‘Bree,’ Woody broke in on the conversation. ‘It’s loyalty that makes you wait, not love, I can feel that, but don’t confuse your work ethic by reflecting on Lisha’s comment. Keep your head clear and do what you know to be right. Rory trusts you, make the call he would insist upon.’
Bree’s face lit up, her smile cute as pie. ‘He would want me to wait. He puts me at the tail end; less spin allows me to use the extra power to push or drag the target where he needs it to be. Actually, it’s a trick Caitlin taught me.’
‘Then you know what to do.’
Bree stayed where she was, glad Woody allowed her to make this call.
Woody turned back to Caitlin. ‘I don’t want to see fireworks like your piss-poor, half-hearted effort earlier.’ His cheap shot annoyed her. Yes, she deserved it. Woody had been in service many centuries and to have someone alter his orders would have annoyed him. He sounded ticked off, and she would have relished retaliating with a wisecrack, but kept her cool, something she was also trying to master. Instead, she shook it off and took a breath, determined to show him that when on the job, she was trustworthy. With this in mind, she packed this missile being created with a little extra.
Tuned out on further influences, she opened her eyes and focused on the Dwarf Nova. There was no way she would fail. If she could prevent her team from involvement and possible harm, she would have to punch through this bad boy. She shoved the giant ball of burning flares and gas high above her. The thrust she gave it sent it spinning far into open space and at the same time launched the explosive missile. Both finally connected in a deserted sector of the universe.
Cheers went up around her, for the execution was spot on, and the explosive blast that lit up the sky left sparks that looked like shooting stars.
‘Now that was impressive.’ Woody gave a whistle and stilled. Lifting his strong jaw, he squinted and focused ahead with one ear slightly tilted, while the floating embers drifted from them.
Rory had arrived and joined Woody. The intensity of his stare was a worry. ‘What’s up Woody?’ He tapped his ear pod. ‘Axon, can you hear anything?’
‘Oh hell! Look out guys, it’s a comet, and the blatzing thing is out of control. It will reach you in seconds. Has Caitlin got anything left?’
Woody answered for her. ‘That was her second one in a short space of time. I’ll make her try, but even our rider, Cassie, can’t pull three out in a row.’
The comet was in sight. Aware how fast it moved, Rory left Woody and, using telepathy, shifted him and the rest of the team into position. The clean-up if they couldn’t stop the comet would be huge and he readied them for the worst possible outcome
Have news, Rory relayed to his team using telepathy. The comet won’t totally blow up the Home World, Ara, when it hits, but will destroy Axon’s home and take out most of the city of Klaxton. Cait, if you do have anything left, direct it and see if you can’t push this sucker up and away from here, or at least push it off course to save the town. Us guys can handle it from there. Axon said he can rebuild, but Klaxton is a poor community and he fears for their survival. As a last resort, he will transport the villagers away from danger, but his cover will be blown. Our boss has faith in us so I for one will not be letting him down.
Caitlin called upon her gift one last time, her hope dashed upon firing up, for it felt like a drained battery. Not even a spark of magic left her when she threw her hands up high in the air. She had shown off in front of Woody and used too much power on the last rocket. Unable to save Axon’s castle and the villagers horrified Caitlin and tears streaked her face as she strained to draw from within. The smidgen of magic conjured up was weak, which made her effort useless.
Rory was impatient when nothing happened and communicated his concern. Woody, what’s happened? She should have moved it or slowed it down by now, not sure if we can stop it in time but we’ll give it all we got– I call to the light! He shouted out a plea. His voice vibrated out as he put himself in a perilous spin, the quickest and only way to battle the oversized speeding threat.
‘They won’t stop it in time, will they Woody.’ Caitlin’s heart thumped hard in her chest as he agreed. Her lips were so dry from stress, and licking them did little to ease the sticky sensation.
‘Come to me, Red.’ His powers drew her horse sideways to him. He lifted his leg and got on behind her. ‘With my help, we might just defeat that sucker. Let me teach you a trick of Cassie’s. She draws power from her horse all the time and has worked out how to use us when she needs to as well. The thing is, this is dangerous, and if not careful you could kill both your horse and me so be forewarned. Never use this on anyone else unless you really get how this works.’ He tied his horse loosely to Shargan’s saddle. He knew she needed her horse’s magic. Woody’s stallion was far too old for such a power up that would be necessary. ’Afterwards, I will be helpless, so you must get us both back to Ara. My team will feel my loss of life essence and come to my aid. ’
Tears poured from her eyes. ‘This sounds dangerous; what if I kill you? Woody, isn’t there another way?’
He shook his head. ‘Cassie did this in her earlier days too, but when her powers reached their full potential, as yours have already, she nearly took Kayden out. It was touch and go for a while. Thought we had lost him so only take what you need, okay, just enough to do the job.’ He whispered in her ear, ‘no pussy fireworks. Use it wisely.’
She wiped her eyes. The comet was in sight. The team had barely moved it; the gases sparked with the Rider magic, but it being so unstable, it was not enough to steer it off course. Caitlin took a deep breath, and touched her earpiece. ‘Clear the area, I’m giving it another shot.’ She made the call while calculating the size of the comet. To concentrate better, she closed her eyes as she only had seconds or all their efforts would be futile. Woody used his magic to begin the sequence and, learning quickly what he had done, she took over. Her plan was to build up enough explosives to stop the menacing fireball in its tracks, but the entire time she kept in mind Woody’s warning.
‘I won’t let you win, Hades, you evil tyrant,’ she heard Woody growl through gritted teeth as she drew the power from him and her horse. As she did so, Woody opened up the floodgate to his magic, and the magnitude of his power shot through her like an electric jolt. Snatching what she needed, she closed off the magic feed from Woody. His eyes rolled until only the whites were visible. Caitlin held steady as he slumped against her, and screamed out as the horse dipped too.
‘Don’t you dare fail me Shargan!’ The horse shook its head and kept them steady. She knew Shargan had got a fright. ‘We can do this girl.’ She pulled Woody’s mount closer. He would keep them all in the air until help arrived. This was going to take all of them if it was to succeed. Caitlin swung her arms up and down with vigour, shook all the power to her hands, and when she could handle it no more, shot out a wave of energy that congealed around the comet and froze it dead in its tracks. Lifting it quickly from her team and out of harm’s way, she shot out the rest of the emission and blasted the frozen comet to pieces. The soft coldness that remained dropped on them like snowflakes.
Rory and the team sat stunned with what she had just accomplished, yet freaked out when they saw Woody slump sideways, and half his body fall over onto his horse. He looked as if he was out cold.
Caitlin spun around and held the buckle of his pants, to prevent him completely falling from her horse. He was heavy. Exhausted, she tapped her earpiece then put her hand up for help. ‘Hurry guys, he’s too big, I’m dropping him.’
Rory put the horses into full flight, leaving the Riders t
o use their own magic to push them faster. He flew with supersonic sped towards her. Oh my god Cait, what did Woody just get you to do? Is he alive?’ He didn’t get any more from her after her hand went up, and knew she was in real trouble. They had only just arrived as Caitlin too collapsed.
Chapter Seventeen
Cosmic Riders Prevail
What am I doing in bed? Caitlin tossed the covers back and threw her legs over the edge of the bed. ‘Whoops.’ Her giddy head spun.
The door flung open, and Rory swaggered in. ‘Bout time you woke up, had me worried sick.’
‘What? How did I get here? I feel like I’ve been eating rug!’ She smacked her dry lips together, picked up the goblet on the side of the bed and sculled it down.
Rory opened up the curtains, and the sun streamed in. ‘You’ve been out of it for some time, delirious most of it. How are you feeling?’
She put out her arms and swung her legs; all seemed to be intact. ‘Fine.’ She finally recalled what happened, and her words were almost a whisper. ‘How’s Woody?’
‘You did well Cait, he made it just fine. He couldn’t believe you returned the power that you didn’t use back to him. It saved his life, and the guy’s done nothing but rave about how talented you are. You’re Axon’s golden girl at the minute. Trust you to win all their hearts.’
He bent down on a knee. ‘Axon wants you to stay here even after we leave. Thinks it’s dangerous for you on Earth and doesn’t trust that we can look after you.’ He looked worried, his frustration at the situation apparent. ‘I want you to come home with us. You’re one of my team, and this is just too hard. I need us to train together. It’s the only way we can become spontaneous, to be one unit. Please tell him you’re coming home with us.’
‘Geez Rory, he’s the boss. Anyway, that won’t be for ages. We haven’t got a home, remember?’
‘Caitlin, you’ve been unconscious for nearly three weeks. The farm has been rebuilt, furniture and equipment went in yesterday, and it’s ready for us to move back in. I came up here thinking it was to say goodbye, but now you’re awake you can tell him your home is with us.’
Caitlin threw her arms around him. ‘You look so worried Rory. You know whether I’m here or there, you are and will always be my most favourite person. I miss you guys too when you’re not around. Look, help me to the bathroom, and once I’m dressed let’s discuss it over coffee. I’m parched.’
After a relaxing bath, Caitlin looked more refreshed. Rory was pleased when she kept her promise and sat out on the balcony with him so they could talk in private. Here, he caught her up on the comings and goings of Hades and his brothers. ‘Since they saw their plan had failed, the brothers have not been seen, not even visiting their usual hangouts.’
‘So we can assume they are planning something even bigger.’
‘That’s why I want us all together. To tell the truth, after that last attack and not being able to pick it up, I don’t even trust the security here.’
‘I doubt we will be safe anywhere until this is sorted out, Rory.’
Rory sat with a sullen expression.
Caitlin had been with Rory for what seemed like forever. She hated to see him worried, never mind how upset he was at them possibly living in different households. But to her, she didn’t feel as if they were parting as she would simply meet up with them at the rendezvous point from Ara and had already got Axon’s okay on this if she did decide to stay. But still, she and Rory did have a connection even beyond her understanding so at this point, for him, she was leaning towards going home.
Her mind skipped to Woody and how he had opened up some past memories in their last session. Not remembering much of the session, she did sense it was Rory who had healed her painful past. He did this by giving her purpose and a new family. The new life he built around her allowed Caitlin to move forward and leave whatever it was that scared her, even now, to think about, far behind. She owed him much, but there was also a part that had matured, made her want what he had found… love and happiness. Could she live without Rory and the team? They had been her world, her joy. But Axon had a piece of her heart now too. It missed a beat, and she blushed as the need to see him heightened. Could she say goodbye to the Home Worlds, Ara, Nigel the amusing butler, the crazed wolf Russo, or the man who was stealing her heart? Axon, the only man who made her melt, and in his arms had shown her she was no longer a girl. Her mind stuck on that for a minute. Why didn’t she say he made her feel like a woman? She had not been a girl for a very long time – yet she was thinking of herself even now as a little girl. It tugged at a memory, forced her to look away while trying to shake the feeling, but it kept repeating in her head, girl – little girl.
‘Where’s Axon?’
‘Are you telling him goodbye?’
‘I’m a Rider and belong with you.’ The grin she received was worth every sacrifice she was about to make.
* * * *
Axon’s smile widened when Rory walked her into the den. ‘Caitlin!’ It was a chilly night, the fire which had just been lit crackled and spat sparks as he poked at it. ‘Sit!’ He puffed a cushion on the couch for her.
Rory helped Caitlin sit down, and could tell she was still a little weakened by the experience. He couldn’t wait to get her home and take care of her. Nobody, he believed, could care for her as well as he could. He bent to speak with her for just a minute. ‘I’ll give you time to talk and say goodbye, and then I’ll be back to collect you.’
He stood up to a surprised Axon and decided to use bluff. ‘She wants to come home with us, so we’re taking her when we leave.’ Not allowing Axon to respond, he trod heavily out of the room, leaving the door to close with a thud.
Axon, stunned, moved and sat in the chair opposite Caitlin, taking it slowly to give time to collect himself. He had already made it clear to Rory it was best she stayed with him, for safety reasons. Had that been the motivation for the decision? Now she was actually leaving, his mind was in tatters. He didn’t want her to go and was speechless.
‘You look tired, Axon.’ She stared into warm, kind eyes set in dark shadows. His face wore a frown.
‘I have missed you.’
‘And Rory’s comment has upset you?’
His head was down, and the slight shake of his curls made her want to get up and run her hands through them, and ease his worries. He cared for her too, it astounded her he was only just seeing that now. It was time to choose; she would hurt Axon if she left, Rory if she stayed. Caitlin loved them both. Rory, she trusted with her life. Did her trust run as deep for this gentle man that had become entwined in her life? The vision of her grown-up self making this decision faded into a girl, no – I’m not a girl but a woman. There it was again. Caitlin closed her eyes. The dark scared her, so strained to open them, but darkness was everywhere. Have I fallen asleep? Did Axon turn off the lights? What happened to the fire; did it go out?
It had strangely turned to night. She could barely see and feared everything – feared the hours of darkness, loneliness. Memories flooded back of her childhood, she was but a young child. She had a doll in her hand as the light went out – pitch black.
‘Where is everyone?’ she cried out. But alas, there was no answer, ‘I am here on my own, please come back!’ Her gulps of sadness had her fall to her knees.
She screamed. Was that me or was that the little girl? ‘Why can’t anyone hear me? I don’t know where my bed is,’ she cried, ‘and where is my doll I held?’ That girl – that is me?
Caitlin was locked underground, alone. Memories flooded back, and once again she was that little girl and tears ran down her face. ‘Someone, help me.’ She’s so scared, and the sobs break my heart. I can hear them so clearly.
Arms were holding her and now she wasn’t alone.
‘Don’t cry little one.’ I kept hearing that. ‘You are not alone anymore, so don’t cry.’ D
id I say that, or did someone else?
Her heart broke as she recalled the dark nights that sometimes lasted longer than the light. Meals left, but no contact. Doesn’t anyone care just a little?
‘Yes, we care, come back! Come back to us. You’re loved now and have a happy home, many friends.’ I hear a voice through the terror and yet now I run through the bush. I am grown, but I see a little girl that looks like me. I follow her through the harsh scrub, scared for the child that sobs and runs from me. ‘Wait!’ I call to her as I stumble over bushes and rocks. I have to get to her and even though I am hurting, this little girl is all I care about. Exhausted, Caitlin drops to the ground; she hears the girl no more and is at peace. She looks up and sees the sunrise of a new day and wonders where she is and how she has become such a mess. Cuts, bruises and exposed bone freak her out.
‘I remember everything!’ She cries on a shoulder only too willing to be there.
‘The little girl is better; she is grown up and loved so very much by me and she is finally happy,’ the person that holds her says.
I want to stay in sadness, but there is a happy ending for me. It is there, where I see the light shining through the cracks.
The brightness opened wider and wider until the glow of light illuminated. Axon cradled her gently, and it was he who had talked to her, and loved her. Without question, she wanted to always stay with this man, the man she loved. She knew for sure the little girl was happy, for she had the life she dreamed of all those nights. The little girl had finally poured out all her terrifying years of darkness to this man that cuddled her so-caringly in his arms.
Axon kissed her tearstained face and hugged her gently. ‘I love you. I will always love you, so please stay here and let me show you how lovely your life can be.’
