Arise (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 3)

by L. Stoddard Hancock

  CHAPTER 51

  Xander and Deryn had momentarily locked themselves in a room on the sixteenth floor. It was a small research lab that looked like it had never been used. When Deryn spotted it on the map Luka had given them, she’d immediately steered them toward it. Her boots had malfunctioned in the forest and, after studying them in her prison cell, she was pretty certain she knew why. It would just be a quick fix and then they’d have an alternate escape route if Sam didn’t reach them in time.

  After Neo and Odette’s daring escape through a window during Xander’s rescue mission, all windows in the tower had been sealed shut. So jumping out of their current window was out.

  Xander kept an eye on the security cameras while Deryn did her best to keep her hands steady as she worked.

  “Our floor is still clear but, if we don’t hurry, the stairs won’t even be an option anymore.”

  Deryn nodded. She bit down on her tongue as she worked.

  And then she was done, slipping the boots on and testing them. She floated off of the floor until she hit the ceiling. Then she came back down and wrapped her arms around Xander, testing the weight with both of them. While they did rise, it wasn’t all the way to the ceiling. Their descent was rocky, to say the least.

  “It’ll have to do,” said Xander, taking her hand and heading toward the door.

  Deryn took charge of the map again while he focused on the security cameras.

  Xander had opened the door just a crack when he heard something and stopped. Two guards had come out of the stairwell onto their floor. Their wristbands beeped and they checked them.

  “Oh great. Now the prisoners are gone,” said one of them.

  “Whoever unsealed that manhole down there will be dead by morning.”

  Xander shuddered. It was Luka who’d unsealed that manhole. He wasn’t sure of the details but he had faith that his friend had covered his tracks.

  “Did you hear about that Guardian splattering on the sidewalk?”

  “Soren Tash? One of the boy’s downstairs was there when it happened. Said he walked right over the edge.”

  “Really? Why would he do that?”

  “Dunno. Word is he cracked. Let the toxic bitch go and offed himself.” The guard chuckled. “Best part is, that slave of his jumped right after him.”

  “The one the president just let go?”

  “Yeah. She did it right in front of her brother too.”

  The voices trailed off as they continued down the hallway, not even bothering to check the rooms they were passing.

  Xander looked at Deryn, who was staring off vacantly, her breathing slightly heavy as she continued to listen to the guards.

  “You okay?” he asked once they were gone.

  Deryn nodded but it wasn’t very convincing.

  “Mind if I ask who it is you feel sorry for? Soren or Fiona?”

  She shrugged. “Both. And Quigley. I know we’re supposed to hate him for betraying us but I don’t. He’s told me stories about Fiona before. She sounded normal. Fun even. He loved her more than anything. It’s just ... everything that happened to her, it’s so terrible.”

  Xander nodded. “And Soren?”

  Deryn took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I never realized it before, but I think I have a mild case of Stockholm syndrome.”

  Xander cocked an eyebrow. “Come again?”

  “It’s something I read about in one of our ancestors’ old books,” she explained. “It’s a term for victims who sympathize with their captors. Because I don’t hate him either, but I hate myself for feeling anything for him. I should hate him. I want to hate him. When he told me we would never see each other again, I knew he was going to do this. I didn’t stop him, and I feel terrible about that. Why do I feel terrible, Xander?”

  Xander frowned and kissed her cheek. “Because you’re a nice person who is incapable of hatred. Pure hatred, at least. It’s a good thing. Much better than being a cynic, like me.”

  “It’s not fair,” she said. “I deserve to feel hatred properly.”

  Xander smirked. “Properly?”

  “Yes.”

  “Deryn, he felt guilty over what he did to you. It may have taken him five years, but he realized his mistakes. That’s more than any other Guardian has done. It’s okay that you don’t hate him.” Xander nudged her chin and forced her to look at him. “I still hate him, and I’ll gladly hate him enough for two.”

  She smiled.

  “Though, you do realize, he jumped off of the balcony we’re trying to get to, right?”

  Her smile faded. “Oh. Oh, shit. The balcony is going to be swarming.”

  “This whole place is going to be swarming soon enough,” said Xander. “My guess is, right now, Saevus is more concerned about our escaping than he is about the approaching army.”

  “Looks like we’ll be relying on luck again,” she said, pulling up the map. “I say we take it floor by floor. Check the security cameras in the stairwell and on the eighteenth floor.”

  Xander pulled them up side by side. There were people moving about, but the moment they saw a break between guards, Xander looped the security footage and they bolted.

  Getting out of that tower wasn’t going to be easy but, dammit, they weren’t giving up.

  • • •

  Elvira felt something off the moment she stepped onto her grandfather’s floor. She opened the plain wall leading to his private quarters and glanced around. Everything looked normal. But looks could be deceiving.

  She took out her Element and searched the room, making sure her back was never open to an attack. There was nothing abnormal, but her grandfather also had yet to come out and greet her.

  While entering the bedroom, she kept her Element held out in front of her, her back pressed against the wall as she scanned the room.

  Empty.

  Elvira’s weapon arm dropped.

  How the hell could the room be empty? Yes, there was an exit out of there, but the slide had been destroyed and there was no way a crippled old man and a four-year-old could get down.

  There was always the possibility that someone had come up. But how? Even hover-bikes couldn’t fly that high.

  And then she heard it.

  A little breath.

  Her head spun toward the bed.

  “Ronan,” she called.

  No response.

  With cautious steps, Elvira approached the bed. She knelt down and lifted the bedspread, keeping one hand on her Element.

  A set of wide green eyes stared at her from the back corner where he was curled into a little ball.

  “Where’s grandfather?” she asked.

  Ronan didn’t answer, his tiny body quivering in fear.

  Elvira held out her hand. “Come here.”

  He didn’t move.

  “Ronan, you can trust me. I’m your sister.”

  Nothing.

  “Mom told you I’d protect you, remember?”

  “I-I’m not supposed to leave.”

  “Things have changed.” Elvira stretched her arm out farther. “Come on.”

  Ronan’s hand moved ever-so-slightly. Their eyes met and he burst into tears.

  “I want to go home.”

  “And I’ll take you home. I promise.”

  His little body uncurled. He reached out and took her hand.

  Elvira dragged him the rest of the way out. She held him tightly against her chest as she left the room and headed for the stairs. There was no hiding what she was doing from security cameras but, at that point, she just didn’t care anymore. From the moment she learned of Ronan’s existence she knew exactly what she had to do, and there was no better opportunity.

  Elvira left the ninety-eighth floor and headed down the stairs. After only going down two flights, she heard someone running upwards at an incredible speed. She stopped and pressed herself against the wall, whispering to Ronan that he needed to keep quiet.

  The footsteps stopped one floor down and Elvira discr
eetly glanced over the railing. Finley was there, staring at the door to the ninety-fifth floor. It was her father’s personal security room. Finley had no business ...

  And then Elvira realized. Her father was in there.

  Finley took a breath before grasping the handle and walking inside.

  The moment she was gone, Elvira hurried down the next flight of stairs. She got past the door without it bursting open, so she kept going. The stairs were her best chance since her father was undoubtedly monitoring the elevators.

  He would not stop her from doing this.

  It was her right as the boy’s sister to decide what happened to him and she wouldn’t let anyone, not even her father, get in her damn way.

  • • •

  Finley’s heart raced as she stepped out of the stairwell and through the door on the ninety-fifth floor. There was another door. She stood and listened for anything abnormal beyond it, but the room was silent.

  She placed her sweaty palm on the handle, took a deep breath, and opened it.

  The president was hunched over the security camera monitors. When she entered, he turned, looking absolutely stunned by her presence.

  “Sorry to startle you, sir. I saw you enter the elevators in an agitated state and thought I’d come check on you.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Ah. What a lovely fiancée you are.”

  Saevus turned back to the monitors, giving Finley a brief moment to glance around the room. There wasn’t much in there, but the panels were large enough that three people, one in a wheelchair, could very well be hiding behind them.

  She would bet good money that three people were doing just that.

  Finley took a step back and the president whipped around. “There is no need for you to leave,” he said, misinterpreting her movement. “Tell me, what is happening out there?”

  Finley shrugged. “I’m not sure. No one’s told me anything, but I don’t believe Xander and the slave have been found.”

  President Saevus suddenly looked angry. Finley took a step back.

  “And the prisoners? Have they been found?”

  “Not that I’ve heard,” she answered.

  Movement caught her eye. She used her peripherals and spotted Dakota motioning to her. He wanted her to lure the president away, but how the hell was she supposed to do that?

  Saevus clicked on one of the screens and a large hologram appeared above the security panel. He stepped back so he was beside her and observed.

  Finley moved her eyes along the image. It was the streets of Middle City overrun with members of the Resistance battling his guards. It looked like Izzy had managed to unlock the civilians’ doors, because many of them had joined the ruckus.

  “How’d they get in?” she asked.

  “The question of the hour.”

  The president took a flask out of his inside coat pocket, popped the cap and took a swig. He handed it to her. She thanked him and took a very small sip before handing it back.

  “What’s funny is, aside from the controls at the gates, there’s only one other panel that has the ability to open them, and it’s in this room.”

  Finley’s face tightened. “Oh.”

  “I watched the security footage at the gates. The controls were never touched.”

  Saevus slipped his flask away and stepped toward the panel.

  “Funny. Don’t you think?”

  Finley had her Element out as quickly as the president had his. Before he could fire straight through the security panel, she hit his weapon with a stunner.

  “What the -”

  He tossed it and bolted before it exploded. Then his angry eyes turned to her.

  “You!”

  Saevus charged at her. Her shaky hand couldn’t manage to find the damn button on her Element before he crashed into her.

  Dakota ran out from behind the panel, gun raised, but he couldn’t fire. Not when Saevus held Finley in front of him, his hands around her throat and crushing it.

  In a flash, April had activated her gravpack and was flying at them full speed. She slammed into them, forcing Saevus to release Finley.

  While April stumbled, Dakota snagged Finley and used his gravpack to rush them behind the panel.

  She was choking, gasping for breath while clinging to his arms. Even in her distressed state, she noticed something was missing.

  “M-my Element,” she said through a coughing fit.

  “It’s alright. He can’t use -”

  “No!” She dug her fingers deep into his arm, trying to warn him since her words were failing.

  There was a loud blast and a clang. Dakota ran to check on April.

  The woman was on her back, struggling to maneuver her gravpack as she rolled away from another blast aimed right for her.

  “Collin, stop this!” shouted Asher, rolling his chair out from behind the panel.

  The president’s eyes widened. “Father. I should have known!”

  He aimed Finley’s Element but, before he could fire, April activated her gravpack again and sped toward Asher. She caught the handles of his chair and got them both out of the way just in time.

  Finley ran around the other end of the panel, hoping to catch Saevus by surprise. But he caught sight of her too quickly and didn’t hesitate to fire.

  Finley’s body went numb as she stared into the barrel of her Element. She closed her eyes and waited for death, hoping it came quickly, but the force that hit her was much different than she’d expected. A hand cupped the back of her head as she hit the floor.

  When she opened her eyes again, she wasn’t completely surprised to find Dakota lying on top of her. An awkward but charged moment sparked between them when they made eye contact but, before either of them could interpret it, the president took aim once more.

  April appeared out of nowhere, kicking the man’s arm and forcing the Element to fly into the air. She used her gravpack to shoot upward and snatch it. Dakota scooped up Finley and flew toward the ceiling. April tossed the Element and Finley caught it.

  The door suddenly burst open and their heads spun collectively. Luka stepped in, appearing quite surprised as he took in the current state of the room and its occupants.

  “Th’fuck did I miss?”

  April took out her gun and aimed at Luka.

  “Not him!” shouted Finley.

  Saevus’s cold eyes narrowed. “I knew it.”

  He reached down and took a knife out of his boot, then charged at Luka. Luka dodged, but Saevus grabbed his hood and yanked him to the floor.

  “I can’t help but notice that you’re all going to great lengths not to kill me,” Saevus said with a laugh. “Could it be that you need me alive?”

  He was right. If they killed him now he would become a martyr to his followers, and what they needed was a villain.

  Luka struggled to grasp something in his pocket while simultaneously holding off Saevus’s blade wielding hand.

  April lowered a few feet and kicked the president in the head. But Saevus was prepared for it. He grabbed her foot and pulled until she fell onto her gravpack.

  Dakota dropped Finley beside Asher and joined the scuffle.

  Finley took hold of Asher’s chair. She pushed him across the room and out the door.

  “Move!” she shouted to the people fighting on the floor.

  Dakota pulled April to her feet and Luka gave Saevus one final punch in the jaw before they were all bolting for the door.

  They slammed it shut and Finley aimed her Element, using it to melt the handle beyond repair. The president cried out as he undoubtedly gripped the hot handle on his end. He smacked the door and his footsteps marched away.

  Dakota took out his two-way. “Izzy, lock all elevators immediately! I repeat, lock all elevators in the tower immediately!”

  “Done,” she responded a moment later. “What happened? Are you still in the control room?”

  “No, we had to leave, but the chip was never discovered.” He spoke quietly while faci
ng away from the door. “We’ll be heading out. Any word from Sam?”

  “Let me pull him up.” A pause. “He’s still moving through Middle City.”

  “Shit,” muttered Dakota. “Thanks. We’ll be in touch.” He put away his two-way and faced the group. “We need to get Ronan and get the fuck out.”

  “Agreed,” said April, taking hold of Asher’s chair. She looked closely at Luka, who was leaning against the railing, staring at something clutched in his hand. “What’s that?” she asked, still weary of the new arrival.

  Luka opened his palm and showed them an empty syringe.

  Finley stared, her jaw dropping. “Is that -”

  “Yes.”

  “And did you -”

  Luka smiled.

  Finley laughed until she snorted. “Sorry,” she said, throwing her hands over her mouth. “But ... oh my god, Luka. We got him. We fucking got him!”

  “What is that?” asked Dakota.

  “It’s what’s his name’s plant essence, or whatever!” she exclaimed.

  Dakota crinkled his brow.

  “Chace,” Luka clarified. “It’s essence of his priest plant.”

  Dakota’s eyes widened as it clicked. “Oh. Oh, fuck.” And then he laughed until he snorted. “You injected it?”

  Luka nodded.

  “That means it works faster. He’ll be dead by sundown.”

  “Then we’ll have to come up with another plan to get him alone,” said Luka, tossing the syringe over the edge of the stairs. “Let’s move.”

  Still not understanding but realizing this was not the time to ask questions, April activated her gravpack and flew Asher to the ninety-eighth floor. Dakota, Finley and Luka followed from the stairs.

  As they walked through the hall leading to Asher’s room, something strange beeped on Finley and Luka’s guard wristbands. They both checked.

  “Looks like Saevus just tried to activate the mind-control setting on our wristbands,” said Finley.

  Luka tilted his head. “Why didn’t it work?”

  “I deactivated yours while you were unconscious.”

  He looked curiously at his guard wristband. “Then why don’t I have black veins?”

  “I tattooed them,” she said, pointing at the faint lines on Luka’s wrist. “Lona’s and Atticus’s have also been deactivated.”