He scanned the crowd until he spotted Sam, who was in a corner shouting at Izzy about the shield through his two-way. It needed to be down before the Peace Ops arrived or they’d never get through the city in time.
“Sam!”
Sam turned.
“The sword! Give me the sword!”
Sam blinked. It took him a moment to process what Xander had said, then he grabbed his sword from its holster and tossed it across the crowd. He’d brought it, for whatever reason, and right then it was just what Xander needed.
Xander caught the sword and marched back the way he’d come, an even stronger fire burning in his heart.
Someone fired a blast at him. He easily stepped out of its way and killed the person who had fired.
As Elvira entered his line of sight, he thought of his mother. Fighting for him until her last breath. Now it was his turn to fight for her.
Elvira was too distracted playing with Dakota to notice Xander tearing through the crowd. She knocked Dakota to the ground and cackled. When he tried to raise his gun, Elvira stepped on his hand and held it in place. Dakota screamed in agony as the woman’s boot jammed into his flesh and bones.
Elvira raised her Element. “I think it’s time you joined your mother.”
Before Elvira could fire, someone rammed into her and pushed her far away from Dakota. She stumbled and Deryn helped Dakota to his feet.
Something burned in Elvira’s core as she watched Deryn. The cousin she had despised from the first moment she saw her. When a spark had flickered inside of Soren, even as he stood beside his future wife. From the beginning he had always wanted someone else, and he was dead because of it.
Deryn’s green eyes met hers.
“This is for my husband!”
Elvira fired.
Deryn leapt out of the way.
Dakota fired at Elvira but she threw up a shield. She switched the setting on her Element and hit Dakota with a streak of blue light, knocking him to the ground.
“I’ll gladly kill you in a minute but, right now, stay out of my way.”
Deryn stepped forward and punched Elvira in the face. It would be impossible to kill her with conventional methods. She needed to be close.
Elvira barely flinched. She stood up straight and spit a little blood from her mouth.
“Is that the best you’ve got?”
Elvira swung her fist and punched Deryn right back. She took out her knife and Deryn did the same.
“I will gut you like you did Soren!” shouted Elvira.
She swung her blade at Deryn’s stomach, but Deryn sucked it in. She activated her knife’s laser but Elvira saw it coming. Still holding her Element, she activated a shield.
Then she charged.
Deryn stumbled back, doing her best to read Elvira’s movements and block them, but unable to attack. She went left, then right, then low, then high, then low again, then to the right. Finally, Deryn missed a strike and Elvira slashed her across the ribs.
It wasn’t deep but it stung like hell. Deryn felt woozy as blood dripped out of her.
Elvira knocked Deryn’s knife from her hand and raised hers to Deryn’s neck.
“ELVIRA!”
Elvira turned. A flash with Xander’s face zoomed toward her. Before she could focus on his fast movement, Xander had lifted his sword. Deryn kicked Elvira’s Element out of her hand before she could retaliate.
Elvira backed away. She lifted her knife but it wasn’t enough. A laser shot from the tip of Xander’s sword and stabbed through her gut a second before the blade made contact, her knife wielding arm still inches from him as the pain spread through her. She looked down, her eyes wide and unbelieving as blood dripped from the wound.
Xander twisted the sword inside of her. Elvira trembled and dropped her knife.
Xander smiled. “I’ve waited for this moment for five and a half years. Since the day you killed my mother, I knew I would be the one to destroy you.” He yanked the sword out of her in one forceful motion. Elvira struggled to stay on her feet. “Finish her, Trigger.”
Dakota stepped forward and pointed his gun at Elvira. “This is for my mother.”
A bullet shot out of the ancient gun Dakota chose to finish the job. It struck Elvira between the eyes. She collapsed.
Elvira was dead.
But the relief they all felt only lasted a moment, because there was a scream. A horrible, violent scream that spread across the balcony like fire. President Saevus was standing in the burning doorway.
And his eyes ... his angry, wild eyes were pointed at them.
It was time. The president was ready to finish this. He was ready for blood.
CHAPTER 55
President Saevus walked forward. Even his own Guardians cowered in fear as he passed them, his body aglow as the flames swayed behind him. His eyes fell upon Xander.
The president lifted the Element he held, another one fastened to his hip.
Blue flames shot out of it and Xander knew instantly that this was his father’s Element. Saevus moved his arm in a curved motion in front of him. Everyone within a ten-foot radius caught fire, screaming as the blue flames ate through their flesh and bones until they were nothing. His Guardians. The Resistance. Mind-controlled guards. It didn’t matter. Ulric was among them. So was Gordon Mackey, the color returning to his eyes as they were burned from existence with the rest of his body.
When Saevus fired again, Chace leapt in front of the Element. As blue flames consumed him, he grabbed the weapon. The president dropped it, watching as the man took the Element with him into the afterlife.
Two friends and countless others, gone in an instant.
Saevus simply took out his other Element and continued forward. He did not stop until he was standing beside Barath, but his eyes never left Xander. “Kill the traitors first,” he announced to his followers. “All of them.”
Barath tensed. “But, sir -”
“Either your son dies, Barath, or you do.”
President Saevus continued onward. Blasts fired at him but dissolved when they hit the perfect bubble shield he’d placed around his body. It seemed that the mechanical spiders weren’t the only weaponry he’d developed in secret.
Barath looked over at his son. Luka was moving Everett’s dead body off of the battlefield so he wouldn’t be trampled. They locked eyes as Luka stood up straight and moved away from the body.
Barath aimed his Element. So did Luka. But just when it seemed like Barath was going to strike, he surprised everyone by moving his hand sideways and firing at Finley.
She ducked just in time.
“You heard the president! Kill the traitors first!” Barath shouted to the Guardians and guards around him. His eyes fell back on Luka. “But my son is mine.”
In a matter of seconds, Finley - the only traitor left who hadn’t been claimed - was swarmed by three Guardians. She killed one and Odette appeared by her side, killing another. Then five guards arrived. Neo arrived and took down one of them instantly.
Bronson was torn between helping her and going to Luka. When he moved in Luka’s direction, Barath shifted his Element and fired a gust of wind, knocking Bronson backwards. Luka tried to run after him but, before he could, his father’s Element was back on him.
“Don’t worry. He’ll get what’s coming to him.” Barath faced everyone battling Finley and said, “Keep the fag busy, while you’re at it.”
Two guards fired at Bronson. Luka looked at him and sighed before aiming his Element at his father.
Barath fired first, sending a blast that Luka easily blocked with a shield. He fired another and Luka sidestepped it. It was obvious his father wasn’t trying very hard.
Everyone cleared out of the way as President Saevus approached Xander. The shield around him was still going strong and no bullet or blast would hit him no matter how hard they tried. A knife someone tossed went right through it. That was something to note.
The moment his path was clear, Saevus fired a
blast at Xander.
Xander quickly deflected it.
Saevus sent three more, one after another. Xander was forced to dodge. He was still holding the sword and tossed it in Sam’s general direction, not wanting to hold the extra weight. Saevus switched the setting and the ground quaked beneath Xander’s feet, causing him to fall backwards and land on his gravpack.
“A quick death is too generous for you, Xander,” said Saevus in his cruel, hoarse voice.
Xander got back to his feet as quickly as he could. Dakota tried to distract Saevus by shooting a blast at him, but the president didn’t even flinch when it hit his shield. He switched the setting, fired and sent Dakota flying off somewhere.
Eyes locked, Saevus and Xander both raised their Elements.
“Have I really pissed you off so much that I’m your main target, even with Talon Leon right over there?” Xander nodded toward Talon. “I have to say, Mr. President, I’m touched. Flattered even.”
“You talk far too much, boy!”
Xander smirked. “I’m just getting started.” He activated his gravpack and flew into the air. “Catch me if you can!”
Deryn did not remove her eyes from Xander as she again helped Dakota to his feet. Her boyfriend had landed near the balcony’s edge and was laughing as Saevus pursued him. Talon and Nita were closing in behind them. Before heading back to Xander, Deryn moved in a circle, staring all around the battlefield. Her heart raced when she spotted Luka battling his father and Finley being swarmed.
“Dax, go help Luka and Finley!” she ordered. “We can handle Saevus. He may know a few cheap tricks but he’s no soldier.”
Dakota nodded. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
They hugged and separated.
Across the battlefield, Finley was knocked on her back after one of the Guardians shot a blast at her. An Element pressed against her chest but, before the person had a chance to strike, they fell on top of her in a lifeless heap. She shoved them off and stood back up, relieved to see that Dakota had come to her aid. But then his eyes drifted, searching through the crowd for faces he recognized.
“You should just go!” she shouted. “They’ve been given an order! They’re going to get me no matter -”
“No!” he shouted back at her. “They’re not going to get you, Scout! We’re going to get them!”
Dakota raised his gun, not an ancient gun of their ancestors like the one he had attached to his hip, but what appeared to be a boxier version of an Element. The Resistance’s own creation. He continued to fight against the growing pack of Guardians and guards. Finley gazed at him with misty eyes before shaking them away and joining him.
Bronson was fighting close by with his own nuisances. He was still trying to get to Luka, who was in the midst of a half-assed battle with his father.
Pressing the button on his Element that bound people, because it was quick, Bronson took a few enemies out of the battle. He moved toward Luka but, before he could get too far, a new person joined in. A tall and burly Guardian he didn’t think was of much importance.
The man smiled, revealing his jagged, yellow teeth.
He raised his Element, and he and Bronson engaged in battle. It wasn’t long before Bronson was knocked onto his back with a crowd of Saevus’s guards standing over him. The burly man laughed.
He was just about to fire when someone beat him to the punch. The man fell over dead.
Bronson looked up and watched as Quigley blasted the last few people out of the way. All of the guards Bronson had bound were already dead.
“Honestly, Bronson, we practically lived in that basement with Deryn and Ruby for the last few months, how are you this bad with an Element?”
Quigley held out his hand and Bronson took it, letting his oldest friend pull him to his feet. The moment he was up, he hugged him. “I don’t know. Nothing you do can really prepare you for this.” He paused. “What are you doing back here? And where did you get that Element?”
“It was Chace’s. He handed it off to me before he -” Quigley swallowed. “Do you really think I’m such an ass that I could just leave while you’re all out here fighting? That hurts, mate. That really, really hurts.”
“Well, to be fair, you were acting like an ass,” said Bronson, pulling away from him. “Why in fucking hell would you ever make a deal with -”
“I was desperate,” interrupted Quigley. “They killed Jenna, they threatened Fiona, and I didn’t want to put you in danger by telling you. A lot of good that did. I’m sorry. I was never going to leave Deryn and Ruby behind, but I wanted to get Fiona out first. It was a mistake.”
Bronson closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “You’re damn right it was. But I’ll punish you for it later. Luka -”
“He’s fine,” said Quigley, pointing.
Bronson followed his finger. Neo and Odette were there, helping Luka with his father.
“I recruited a couple others on my way over here. They were happy to help. After they each took a swing at me, of course.” He pointed at his swollen nose.
“But what about Finley?”
“She’s -”
There was a scream.
Ten feet away, Finley had been knocked hard on her ass. She hit her tailbone and a horrible pain shot up her back.
Someone kicked her Element and it went flying.
Finley tried to roll out of the way, but the Guardian grabbed her arm and twisted until it cracked. She howled in agony. Then he grabbed her leg.
Crack!
“Scout!”
Dakota tried to get to her, but three guards bombarded him.
The Guardian stood over Finley and pressed his Element to her heart.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” he said with a wicked grin.
A light shot out of his Element and Finley cringed. But it wasn’t meant to kill her. A blue light wrapped around her ankles and wrists. The Guardian’s smile widened as several others surrounded them, blocking them from view. He began to undo his trousers.
“No!”
Finley tried to shimmy out of there, but the Guardian fell to his knees and held her in place. “Don’t worry, traitor. I promise I’ll kill you right after. Maybe even during.”
Finley kicked him in the groin and he slapped her hard across the face. Then he grabbed her hips and pulled her close.
“No!”
“Yes, traitor!” He laughed.
She kicked him again. “Fuck you! I said no! No!”
“NO!”
Finley’s eyes widened. That last scream had not come from her. Suddenly, everyone was dropping dead around them.
“What the -”
The Guardian stood up just in time to see his murderer point an Element at his heart.
He fell flat at Finley’s feet.
Finley sat up, her heart stopping as she stared at her savior.
“Fin-ley.”
Her father fell to his knees in front of her. He touched her face, noticing the wound from where the Guardian had smacked her. She hit his hand away and snatched his Element.
“No! You should not have one of these!”
Stuart nodded. He leaned in and hugged her, accidentally agitating her injured arm. She cried out in pain.
Dakota dropped down beside her and shoved her father away. He took one look at her arm and snapped it back into place before she could object.
“OW! FUCK!” Finley used her good arm to smack his head.
Her father screamed in anger. He was going to smack Dakota too but Finley stopped him.
“No! It’s fine! He’s helping me! See?” She wiggled her arm to show him it was better. Stuart smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
“The leg’s no good,” said Dakota, barely noticing the exchange. “You’ll need someone who actually knows what they’re doing to fix it.”
“Oh, you think?”
Dakota ignored her tone and wrapped his arms beneath her. He stood up with Stuart watching Finley the entire time.
Finley kept her face hidden in Dakota’s shoulder. If any of Saevus’s followers saw that she was still alive they would surely come for her.
Dakota activated his gravpack.
“What are you doing?” demanded Finley as he flew into the air.
Her father screamed as he ran after them, unable to go any farther than the balcony’s edge.
“What do you think I’m doing? I’m taking you out,” said Dakota.
“What?” She began to kick, trying to stop him from flying any farther. “No! You can’t do this to me! I want to stay! I want to fight!”
“You’re fucking hurt, Scout! You can’t walk, and I can’t carry you the entire time! You need to get out of here before any Guardians realize you’re still alive!”
“But -”
“No buts!”
Dakota landed in the alley where he’d left Harper and April, but it was empty. He walked out to the street and looked around. It was still fairly clear, aside from several tunnelers fighting a cluster of guards near the corner.
“Finley!”
Two men ran over to them.
“Rees!” Finley shoved Dakota’s chest until he put her down.
Rees reached them and hugged her tightly. Then Lincoln took a turn.
“Did you see the women who were in this alley?” asked Dakota. “One of them is a healer.”
Rees and Lincoln exchanged a look.
“Yeah, they went to the tower.”
Dakota’s eyes bulged. “What? Why?”
“Izzy couldn’t get the shield down, so that girl with the pack like yours took her to the control panel.”
Dakota paled. “But April was hurt!”
“Yeah, she didn’t seem to care much about that. She sure is frightening for someone so small,” said Lincoln.
Dakota groaned. Yeah, that was April all right.
“I’m going to find Harper,” said Dakota, getting ready to take off.
“No need. We’ve got a medical station close by in the underground,” said Rees. He picked up Finley, despite her protests. “Let the girl fight with her boyfriend. We’ve got the ground covered.”
Dakota looked hesitantly at Finley.
“It’s fine, Trigger. I’ve known these men for years. They’re trustworthy.”
Arise (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 3) Page 59
