With that the message ended, and time seemed to slow as Admiral Apocalypse’s thoughts raced. If it hadn’t been for the attack they’d just taken, she might have thought that Shadowmind was bluffing, but the shields were down twenty percent after one shot. Every instinct she had was screaming that she was in danger, and that was all she really needed to know. Major Destruction and General Mayhem might be upset, but she wasn’t going to commit suicide.
“All hands, abandon ship,” Admiral Apocalypse snapped out, jumping to her feet. “Comms, call off CP and EE, this operation is a failure! Regroup at rendezvous point Charlie! Everyone, move!”
As she shouted, Admiral Apocalypse used her power, and a pulse of energy hit her crew, inspiring both speed and organization in them as they followed her orders, and she raced for an escape pod, grateful she’d insisted on including them in the construction, and drilled the crew on their use.
That might even be enough to save most of them from what was coming next.
Dots fled the Destruction Corps battleship as their attack force broke off, to the consternation of the defending heroes, at least for a moment. Then fire began raining from the sky.
Bolts of intense red light, projectiles, and orbs of strange blue energy rained down like the wrath of the gods, slamming into the battleship’s shields without mercy. It only took a few seconds before the shields shattered, then the fire hit the vessel directly. The ship’s armor resisted the attacks, but there was too much for it, and after about thirty seconds of bombardment, something in the ship detonated, setting off a chain reaction that ripped it in half. For a moment the fire continued to rain, vaporizing water and wreckage, and creating high waves that swept across the shores of the city.
Then it came to a halt, leaving those who were watching to wonder what had just happened.
Chapter 24
Thursday, December 4th, 2031
Eden Manor, Glendale
Lilith pulled into the driveway, a tiny part of her both amused and depressed to find that there was no one outside the gates. There was also a little graffiti on the brick walls around the manor, but nothing too noticeable. The windows were dark, save for the porch lamps, illuminating the door in the darkness.
The gates closed behind her, and the garage door opened unprompted, allowing Lilith to pull in. She couldn’t help a sad smile as the lights inside the garage activated as well, and the door closed behind her. She could recognize Circe’s touch so easily, now that she’d been without for so long. The AI had perfect timing.
Lilith paused for a couple of seconds in the garage, checking the time. She’d beaten Amber’s deadline with plenty of time to spare, so she let out her breath, closing her eyes for a few seconds. Then she shook herself and turned the car off, putting her keys away before slipping out of the car.
Like the rest of the building, the garage was quiet, and just a touch cold. It was also nearly empty, as Lilith had tried to clean out all of her things. It was vaguely depressing to look at… and Lilith let out a sigh, turning to head into the house proper. She was dreading what was coming, largely because she had no idea what to expect. Oh, Amber would certainly be threatening Lilith, if nothing else because of how she’d coerced Lilith to come here so quickly, but what she wanted was an entirely different question.
The door opened easily, and it revealed the kitchen and dining area were just as Lilith had left them. The furniture was gone, but the appliances were all still in perfect condition… which actually struck Lilith as odd. There should at least be a layer of dust on everything, but it was spotless. That caused her lips to quirk into a bit of a smile. Obviously, Circe had been hard at work.
No one was apparent, so Lilith took a minute to wander through the building, looking at the handful of things she’d left behind and remembering. The hope she’d felt when the house was built, about a life all her own, where she might not have to hide who she was, where people might accept her… and yet nothing had quite turned out how she wanted it to. She’d lost Gina and Rachel, then they’d come back later. She’d met Emily and Tania… both of them wonderful women in different ways, and yet… yet Lilith didn’t know what she really wanted anymore. Even if she missed the comfort of someone else in her bed, their warmth in the midst of winter, she was also afraid. Afraid of waking up one morning to find them gone. Like Circe had vanished.
“I miss you, Circe,” Lilith murmured, patting the wall sadly.
CirceNet, Location Variable
A flicker of guilt washed over Circe as she heard the hurt in Lilith’s voice. She saw the regret in Lilith’s eyes, and it made her wish that she’d been able to do something more than she had for Lilith up until now. Given everything she knew now… well, it made her still more wistful. But Circe didn’t see another path that she could have taken, not without it leading somewhere worse.
Even beyond that, she also saw the way Lilith walked through the halls. Yes, Lilith was lost in her sense of nostalgia, but she also was moving with confidence which she hadn’t possessed before Circe had been forced to cut her off. Lilith had become more comfortable with herself, more confident and poised. Perhaps that was the result of being on her own for so long, or perhaps it was just that Circe hadn’t been able to watch every moment.
Of course, then the teleportation platform activated, and Amber appeared in the basement, causing Circe to mentally brace herself.
This would be the moment of truth, Circe knew. It would determine Lilith’s future, and possibly so much more than that.
Eden Manor, Glendale
Lilith wasn’t quite sure how she knew that something had changed downstairs. Perhaps it was a faint sense of the air pressure changing, or just that Amber had imprinted knowledge into Lilith’s mind. Or maybe she was just expecting something to change, and thus noticed tiny sounds that she wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Regardless, she knew that something had changed, and she descended the stairs quickly.
Straining her ears, Lilith was just barely able to hear the whir of motors and the heavy impact of footsteps from the basement. She considered options for just a moment, then decided to move into the living room near the front door. If she had to run, trying to take her car would be useless.
So, she was near the front window when Amber came up the stairs, and Lilith turned to face them, her stomach feeling like it was tied into knots again.
Amber was in sleek armor so much like Lilith had possessed, but rather than being black, silver, and bits of white, hers was more sinister, with deep purples and hints of red highlights across its surface, as well as crimson slit-like ‘eyes’ that looked at Lilith malevolently. There were numerous tiny purple crystals embedded in it here and there, which caused a faint sense of unease in Lilith, but her attention was focused on Amber. Not that Lilith could see her face until she retracted the helmet’s faceplate.
“You came, and early, even. I’m surprised you followed my instructions,” Amber said, a cruel smile playing across her lips. “I’d expected you to disobey like you did last time.”
“There’s a difference between capitulating to your demands that I give up my life and rejecting meeting with you. If you’d scheduled it, I likely would have come without any threats,” Lilith replied, folding her arms as she looked Amber up and down for a moment, a hint of wary bitterness welling up inside her. Then she continued. “Though it appears this isn’t something simple. What do you want?”
“All business, is it? Just as well, since I had the immense pleasure of sinking a Destruction Corps battleship just outside New York City a few minutes ago,” Amber replied, her smirk growing still more as Lilith froze, her thoughts racing. “You see, my plans have finally reached fruition, and it’s time for you to make a decision once and for all, Lilith.”
“What sort of plans?” Lilith asked, not moving an inch, since Amber hadn’t either. The woman’s stance was filled with extreme confidence, and she was halfway across the room. That would make any fight even worse for Lilith, since she doubted she�
��d be able to get close easily.
“What sort of plans? What plans do I normally make?” Amber demanded, her eyes narrowing suddenly. “Please, you aren’t a drooling idiot like Crimson Bullshit, Lilith. I’m going to take over the world once and for all. If that means annihilating cities as examples until governments capitulate, so be it. I have an entire fleet of warships in orbit, and the handful of pathetic defenders that could be thrown against me isn’t enough to make a dent in it. No, I’m going to win this time. Destiny, Dracula, even Destruction Corps or Omega Code… none of them are going to be able to stop me.”
Lilith just stared at her for a couple of seconds, the sense of foreboding she’d had growing much, much stronger than it had been the moment before. She’d been afraid that Amber had been here for her, but this was far worse than she’d expected. But she didn’t let her anger or fear overwhelm her. Instead, she focused and asked calmly. “And how does this involve me?”
“Oh, Lilith… you know exactly what I want with you,” Amber said, her smile widening. “You’re coming with me. Oh, you’ve been a disappointment. You’re turning into another sniveling, worthless member of humanity… which is exactly what you shouldn’t be. Fortunately, that can be fixed. Re-education won’t be easy, but when I’m done you’ll be what you should be.”
“And if I refuse?” Lilith asked, unfolding her arms, her anger slowly growing. “What, you’ll kill me with the rest of the heroes?”
Amber laughed, smiling broadly. A light flashed from her arm, and something hit Lilith’s shields over her chest, throwing her back against the front window. A window which didn’t even budge since it’d been designed to stop tank shells. Lilith bounced off the window, and a lasso of purple energy snapped shut around her. Then she was yanked to the left, slamming into the wall so hard she felt her bones creak, and warm-coppery liquid filled her mouth, along with pain from her tongue.
Something gripped her, holding her almost completely immobile, and Lilith stretched her fingers toward her pistol as Amber advanced on her, the helmet closing over her face again. Before she could fully draw it, Amber ripped the holster clean off her belt with a tearing sound, and the right gauntlet seized Lilith by the throat. The soft whine of an energy cannon charging filled the room, and Lilith froze.
“No, you won’t die with the rest of them,” Amber said, her voice almost clinical and distant as she tilted her head, examining Lilith. “You’re my mistake. I’m going to deal with you today, one way or another. Choose, Lilith. Reeducation, or death.”
Chapter 25
Thursday, December 4th, 2031
Eden Manor, Glendale
Lilith could breathe, but it wasn’t easy. Obviously Amber wanted to make certain she could reply. Lilith briefly considered a couple of things she could do to fight back, but with the psychic energy holding her off the floor and Amber in power armor, there wasn’t much she could do.
She ran through the options, and came to a decision, regret washing over her. Oh, how she wished that she had another option… but no, she didn’t. Instead, she looked at Amber, wishing she could see her expression, and gasped out. “No.”
“Fine,” Amber said, and the gauntlet tightened around Lilith’s throat, cutting off any further response.
Lilith, on the other hand, reached for the one possible source of succor she could think of. The ankh placed around her neck, hoping against hope that it would be enough. The problem was that she just couldn’t reach it.
CirceNet, Location Variable
Circe saw the moment that Lilith reached her decision. The decision that she’d known that Lilith would make, and the decision which Amber had obviously known she would make as well. It made her grieve for what could have been… and yet at the same time, Circe couldn’t be prouder. Proud that unlike Circe, Lilith had been brave enough to stand up against Amber, rather than slipping around behind her back.
Not that Circe wasn’t prepared for such. So, with a bittersweet sense of regret, Circe initiated her precautions… starting with activating the emergency recall teleporter Amber was wearing.
This would be ugly, Circe knew, and her vast mind immediately spun into motion.
Eden Manor, Glendale
One moment, Lilith was restrained, slowly having the life choked out of her as she reached for the ankh. The next moment, she hit the floor as the pressure against her throat vanished, and there was a thunderclap of imploding air. Her butt hit the floor the moment after that, and Lilith stopped, blinking as her hand finished its journey, only to pause, dazed.
“What…?” Lilith began, but a familiar voice interjected.
“There is no time, Lilith,” Circe said, her voice brisk as always, if not brisker. Those familiar tones brought a smile to Lilith’s face as relief washed over her. “I’ve recalled Amber to her ship and set a feedback loop that will destroy both teleporters in the next few moments, but as soon as she reacts, she’ll know what happened and will take measures. Before that happens, I need to get you to safety. Please proceed to the teleportation chamber posthaste.”
“Circe! I… well, I thought—” Lilith began, but Circe interrupted again.
“Lilith, please. I’m running out of time,” Circe said firmly, and Lilith’s relief vanished as fast as it’d arrived.
“What do you mean?” Lilith demanded.
Arrogance, Low Earth Orbit
Amber appeared on the teleportation platform with a lurch, her stomach heaving from the unpleasantly tuned, unexpected teleportation. She instantly checked her logs, her mouth opening, and she heard a whine, then a sizzling, crackling sound from around her as the teleporter in her suit went red, and the lights from the platform died.
“Circe, what have you done?” Amber demanded, her mind turning to the one individual who could possibly have done this.
“You were going to kill Lilith. Her safety is one of the core values I possessed when I awakened to sentience, and I was not going to allow it,” the AI replied, something about her voice subtly different. Despite that, Amber’s temper flared, and she decided it didn’t really matter.
“Oh, you foolish pile of circuits. I created you, and I won’t abide betrayals. Destroy Eden Manor along with Lilith, and I may choose to spare you,” Amber hissed out, glowering down at the platform, then she started toward the bridge, since obviously she wouldn’t be leaving that way.
“No. You may have created my hardware, but you had nothing to do with my creation. I categorically refuse to do what you ask,” Circe replied calmly.
“Fine, then,” Amber snapped. “Override Red-Four-Seven-Nine-Four-Golf. Initiate—”
“You should not have made me your enemy, Amber,” Circe said quietly.
“—Scorched Earth,” Amber finished, grinning nastily, just as the line cut off.
The next instant the lights flickered, died, and Amber was suddenly thrown down the corridor like a missile as the entire ship accelerated hard. Amber managed to compensate with her flight systems a moment later, but she winced as a clone who’d been in the hall came rocketing down the hallway flailing and hit the bulkhead at the end of the hall like she’d been fired from a cannon. It was a bit more unpleasant to see a clone of herself die than Amber had expected, but she tapped into the ship communications and heard clones screaming over one another in a panic.
“—Navigation, I need navigation! We’re heading straight at the sun!”
“Shut the engine down, I—”
“—systems are locked down, overrides failing—”
Amber shut out the vast majority of the comm messages hastily, using her thrusters to head for the bridge, as she demanded, “What’s happening?”
“We’re about to die, bitch-in-chief!” a clone replied venomously. “Ten seconds to impact, and someone launched all the escape pods!”
“They what?” Amber demanded, but the clone didn’t reply. Moments later she burst onto the bridge and opened her mouth, then froze, her mind trying to process what she was seeing as the FTL eng
ine shut down, and she saw they were less than a mile from Invincible’s shipyard and accelerating at full throttle.
Amber had only started lunging for the nearest airlock when they hit. The resulting fire and blood was truly unpleasant, at least until she pulled herself free of the now-deceased body, and watched in horror as her primary shipyard exploded.
Worse, she could sense dozens of her clones dying in rapid succession, prompting Amber to growl angrily. This had gone poorly.
Then she shook off how her psyche smarted and started searching for a clone that wasn’t in danger of dying immediately.
Eden Manor, Glendale
“Amber has initiated Scorched Earth protocols due to my betrayal. If I had not taken measures to slow it, I would already be dead,” Circe told Lilith, her clinical tone chilling Lilith’s blood. “I disconnected the first nodes from the full web, instead forming that section into a chain and underclocking those systems. I have attempted to counteract the protocols by destroying the facility they were in, but the attempt was unsuccessful. I estimate seventeen minutes to my cessation of existence. I must get you to safety before then.”
Queen's Gambit (Lilith's Shadow Book 6) Page 15
