Retribution (The Praegressus Project Book 5)

by Aaron Hodges

Hugging Ashley to his chest, a sob rattled up from his throat. His eyes burned as he clenched them tightly shut.

  “Hey, not so hard,” a muffled voice came from the vicinity of his chest.

  Blinking, Sam lifted his head and looked down. Ashley’s amber eyes stared up at him, streaked with red. “That’s better.”

  Choking with relief, Sam leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “I thought you were dead,” he whispered. “Twice.”

  Ashley gave a faint smile. “Not yet.” Her eyes flickered closed again.

  Sam glanced up as movement came from across the room. His throat constricted as he saw Hecate still standing, grey eyes staring at the fallen body of his mate. In the rush of the fight with Susan, Sam had forgotten about the other Chead. Now he tensed, readying himself for one last fight. He wasn’t about to let the creature avenge its fallen mate.

  But Hecate did not seem to notice them. Shoulders slumped, the Chead staggered across to Susan and fell to his knees beside her. Reaching out, he took the dead girl’s hand.

  “I’m…sorry,” he croaked, voice breaking. “I should never…have betrayed you…my mate.”

  A lump lodged in Sam’s throat as he watched the sorrow streak Hecate’s cheeks. Swallowing, he blinked back tears of his own, as a wave of compassion swept over him. Watching Hecate, Sam saw his grief from a moment before reflected in the Chead’s eyes. Only there would be no respite for Hecate, no reprieve as his mate’s eyes flickered open and she smiled up at him.

  Ashley had made sure of that.

  Sobs racked Hecate as his low keening filled the apartment. Sam stared, mesmerised by the Chead’s pain, by its humanity. Finally, he forced himself to look away, unable to watch any longer.

  Liz still lay where Susan had dropped her, just a few feet away from the grieving Chead. Climbing to her knees, she stared across at Hecate, as though she still couldn’t quite believe they’d won. Beyond Hecate, Chris stood poised, ready to leap if the Chead moved. But watching the creature’s grief, he slowly relaxed. His shoulders slumped, his wings sagging to either side of him as he looked away.

  Sam let out a long sigh as looked back down at Ashley. Her eyes were closed, but the soft whisper of her breath reassured him she lived. He just hoped the President’s blow to her skull hadn’t left any lasting damage.

  “We did it,” he said softly.

  Eyes still closed, Ashley nodded. A smile played across her lips. “We did.”

  Sam smiled back. His eyes travelled across to where the President lay. “We have to tell the world,” he said.

  “Redemption,” Ashley murmured back.

  His stomach clenched at that. Redemption. The word whispered through his mind. He glanced across at Chris, nodding slowly to himself. Ashley was right—this news would bring redemption for both of them. Whatever crimes they’d committed would be wiped away when the world learned what they’d done, when the people heard that their winged freaks had put an end to the tyrant.

  They would no longer be demons, but heroes.

  “Redemption,” he repeated finally. “For all of us.”

  Movement came from Liz as she staggered to her feet. Stumbling slightly, she looked down at Hecate. Her soft voice carried across the room. “I’m sorry, Hecate.”

  The Chead looked up at her, grey eyes blank. “You…” he growled, blinking. Lines creased his forehead as he frowned. “This is…your fault. You…tempted me.”

  Liz shook her head. “No, that was Talisa,” she whispered. “I never wanted any of this.”

  “Liar!”

  Growling, Hecate climbed to his feet. Liz’s eyes widened. She shuffled backwards, but her wings snagged beneath her feet, sending her staggering sideways. A shriek started in her throat, quickly cut off as Hecate leapt forward and wrapped his arm around her neck.

  “Stay back,” he hissed, his wild eyes swinging around at them. Holding Liz in front of him, he started to back away.

  Sam was already on his feet. He shared a glance with Chris. Slowly the two of them edged apart, though Sam made sure to keep himself between the Chead and Ashley. Breath held, they shuffled after Hecate as he retreated across the room.

  Teeth clenched, Liz stared back at them, her face a mask of agony. Her wings hung limply behind her, crushed against Hecate’s chest. From the way she’d moved earlier, Sam guessed they were broken. Her left arm, dangling uselessly at her side, was definitely broken. But with her right hand she had already reached up and grasped Hecate by the wrist. Her blue eyes flashed as she looked from Sam to Chris.

  Sam gave the slightest nod. He understood. With her bare skin touching Hecate, it was only a matter of time before her venom incapacitated him. They just had to make sure he didn’t do anything rash before it took effect.

  “Let her go, Hecate,” Chris said, his voice shaking. “Take Susan and go, we won’t stop you. Just let her go.”

  Hecate’s eyes flickered to Chris, then back to Sam. Behind him, the mahogany desk brought him up short. Uncertainty flashed across the Chead’s face, but his hold around Liz’s neck did not relent.

  Sam clenched his teeth, trying to judge the distance. His strength was growing by the second now, as the last traces of the gas left his system. All he needed was a second, a moment to close the gap and pull Liz to safety.

  “Hecate!” he shouted, taking another step towards the Chead. “You heard what he said.”

  But now Hecate grinned. Pulling Liz tight against his chest, he glared at them.

  “Stay back,” Hecate growled, “Or I snap…her pretty little neck.”

  Chapter 34

  “Just let her go, Hecate,” Chris whispered. His legs shook, and suddenly those were the only words that would come to him. A sick sense of helplessness wrapped around his stomach as he watched the vile creature hold Liz hostage.

  Hecate stood in front of the President’s desk, eyes wild, a dark smile on his twisted face. He didn’t seem to care that Liz’s fingers were wrapped tightly around his wrist. It only added to Chris’s terror. In horror, recalled Hecate’s game with the hostages out in the desert. His stomach swirled. It was all he could do not to fall to his knees and throw up.

  This couldn’t be happening.

  “What do you want, Hecate?” Sam asked calmly.

  Relief washed through Chris as he glanced at his friend. He wasn’t alone. Sam was with him—strong, reliable Sam, the one who had never let them down. Sam would find a way out of this for them.

  He had too.

  Because Chris’s mind had come to a sudden, grinding halt.

  “Please, Hecate, just let her go,” he said again, his words a broken record now.

  “No,” Hecate laughed. The Chead was gaining confidence, his eyes flashing with a sick sense of joy at their fear. “At least, not yet.”

  “Don’t hurt her,” Chris croaked.

  Grinning, Hecate reached up and stroked a lock of Liz’s black hair. She flinched from his touch, but his grip pulled her back.

  “Oh, I won’t,” he laughed, his eyes turning on Chris. “At least, not if you give me what I want.”

  Chris swallowed. “And what do you want?”

  “What she wanted,” Hecate whispered. “What she…gave her life for.”

  Chris stared into the mad eyes of the Chead, then staggered as the full meaning of Hecate’s words sank in. A sick nausea filled his stomach as he shook his head. Opening his mouth, he croaked out something unintelligible, then closed it again.

  “The keys are…in their places,” Hecate continued softly. In his arms, Liz had gone still. Her blue eyes stared across at Chris, shimmering in the overhead lights. “All I need…is someone to help me.”

  The words shook Chris to his core. Tears stung his eyes. He could hardly breathe. Fists clenched, he watched, helpless, as Hecate dragged Liz around the desk until they stood in front of the silver panel. The key still sat in its lock, its dull black metal gleaming with the promise of death.

  “We don’t have…much time,” Hec
ate’s rasped, his voice slithering through the room. “I can already…feel her venom. Do not wait too long…Chris. Not like last time.” His laughter echoed around the room, taunting him.

  “Hecate, please,” Chris gasped.

  In his mind, he saw again the murdered family, their blood staining the asphalt.

  Beside him, Sam stood fixed in place, frozen by the creature’s words. Somewhere behind them, Ashley lay on the floor, but she couldn’t help them now. Chris had seen her after facing down Susan. His friend had used up everything she had.

  It was just Chris and Hecate now.

  “Come now…Chris,” Hecate breathed. “What do they mean to you? What have they ever done but use you? But hurt you? Join me. Use the key. Save your mate, and help me end the tyranny of those who created us.”

  “I can’t,” Chris’s voice shook. He said the words, but he didn’t know what they meant.

  He couldn’t help the Chead end the world. He had come here with Liz to stop them.

  But he couldn’t face a life without Liz. Not again.

  The first traces of pain flickered across Hecate’s face. His lips drew back in a snarl, revealing yellowed teeth. “Hurry, Chris. Time is running out.” The fingers of his spare hand trailed down Liz’s cheek. This time she didn’t flinch.

  Instead, her crystal blue eyes stared across at Chris, soft, fearless. A sob tore from Chris as he looked into those eyes. Somewhere deep inside he felt a part of himself breaking, torn asunder by the impossible choice before him.

  His love.

  Or the world.

  “Tick tock, Chris,” Hecate’s voice whispered through the apartment.

  Chris looked at Liz one last time, taking in every inch of her, freezing her forever in his mind. The silky curls of her pitch-black hair, the sweet crinkle of skin at the corners of her mouth, the soft curves of her long neck. Her dark feathers hung behind her, limp and useless. She must have been in terrible pain, standing there with Hecate pressing against her broken bones. But as she looked across at him, a smile touched her lips, a silent farewell.

  Closing his eyes, Chris made his choice.

  Epilogue

  Two Years Later

  Chris smiled as the wind caught beneath his wings and lifted him higher in the sky. Air rushed past his face, tugging at his long hair and cutting through his jacket. Sucking in a breath, he savoured the crisp winter air. In his arms, the baby goat began to squirm, forcing him to tighten his grip around its tiny legs. One thousand feet above the Californian plains, he didn’t think it would survive the fall if he dropped it.

  He’d found the goat wandering alone in a field as he scouted for food. Unable to resist such a golden opportunity, Chris had swooped down and plucked up the kid before it even realised what was happening.

  Ahead, the towering peaks of the mountains loomed, calling him home. His wings beat down as another gust swept around him, trying to pull him from the sky. He glanced back, checking the progress of the storm. Behind him the sky was dark, almost pitch-black, and gathering himself he picked up the pace. He wanted to be home and indoors long before it struck the mountains.

  The crack of feathers came from alongside him, and looking around, he smiled as Ashley drifted into view. Her white wings swept down, propelling her into the lead. Chris sighed as her voice called back to him.

  “Told you a goat was too much.”

  Rolling his eyes, Chris picked up speed and chased after her. The plains fell away behind them, turning to the sharp rocky slopes of the foothills. Chris shivered as he looked ahead and saw the dark pines rising from the side of the mountain. In his mind’s eye, he watched again their desperate flight through the trees, all those years ago. He recalled the fear in the eyes of Richard and Jasmine as the soldiers encircled them. It all seemed so long ago now.

  Chris tore his eyes from the forest and looked up, focusing on the white peaks stabbing up into the murky sky. Thunder rumbled, echoing off the cliffs stretching up before them. Screaming, the baby goat started to kick again. Cursing his naivety, Chris tightened his grip and kept on. He wasn’t about to abandon the thing now, not after carrying it all this way.

  Below, the trees slowly gave way to the stark grey stones of the mountains. Here the soil was thin, the only thing able to survive the scraggly bushes dotting the landscape. He winced at the memory of their thorns. Scrambling up the side of the mountain, with guards hot on his heels, he’d hardly noticed them at the time. But the things had ached for weeks.

  Fortunately, the miracle of flight meant he no longer had to worry about such trivialities. Smiling, he watched as a blanket of snow turned the barren rock to white. Light shone from all around them as they soared deeper into the mountains. Watching the snow, he remembered the day he’d seen Ashley fall, how her blood had stained the snow red.

  But Ashley had survived the fall, had endured torture and torment where so many others had crumbled, and emerged stronger for it. From the very start, she had been their strength, always the first to offer encouragement, the one with the words to keep them going, whatever the odds.

  Yet it wasn’t until that day in the Kirtland Airforce Base, when all had seemed lost, that Ashley had shown her true strength. When all of them had failed, when he and Sam and Liz had succumbed to Susan’s power, Ashley had stepped up. Even injured and broken, she’d had the strength to prevail where no one else could.

  If only I’d had that strength, Chris’s heart twisted. He forced the thought from his mind.

  Squinting, Chris looked ahead, and cursed himself for forgetting his sunglasses. Even with the darkening sky, the glare off the snow threatened to blind him. Ahead, Ashley’s wings seemed to merge with their surroundings, almost disappearing into the storm. His strength flagging, Chris fixed his eyes on her scarlet hair, and chased after her.

  Time passed as they raced between the jagged peaks, every wingbeat bringing them closer to home, nearer to the facility. The thought still brought a smile to his face. Once the place had been a prison to them, a ghost that had haunted their dreams, hovering over their lives like some invisible force.

  After everything they’d been through in New Mexico, they’d needed a sanctuary, a place to escape from the chaos—if only for a while. It had been Ashley’s idea to reclaim the facility, to take the nightmare and make it their own. They’d tried to dissuade her from it, but by then there had been no arguing with Ashley. Not when her eyes were glowing anyway.

  Now though, Chris had to admit she’d been right. After the Chead’s raid, the government had apparently cleaned out the facility and abandoned it. With the Director running the laboratory beneath Alcatraz, Chris guessed there’d been no need for such a remote outpost. Either way, it had served their purpose perfectly.

  Together they’d made their slow way back across New Mexico and Arizona, following their instincts, retracing their steps back to the remote building in which they’d been created. Thinking of that time now, Chris couldn’t help but feel they’d been reborn within those cold walls. It was as though from the moment he’d woken in that steel cage with Liz, his old self had died, and a new Chris had emerged to take his first steps in the world.

  He shivered at the idea, and turned his thoughts back to those long days after Susan’s death. Outside, they’d found the Kirtland Airforce base in mid-evacuation, the Chead fled and the President’s winged experiments in disarray. Expression set, Sam had flown across to face them. A few short words had passed between them, and most had turned and fled to the skies. But a few had remained, joining Sam and the others as they took to the air.

  Chris smiled as he thought of them now. Dalton, Angela, Marcus, Rebecca, Abby, Lisa. Their new friends. Their new family. The six almost made up for everyone else they’d lost. In his heart though, Chris knew nothing would ever fill the hole in his heart left by those who had given their lives to protect them.

  The boom of thunder pulled Chris back to the present. Looking around, he swore as rain swept past, drenching him to
the skin. Ashley’s white wings reflected the lightning clashing overhead. Beyond her, Chris caught a faint glimpse of light on the mountainside.

  His heart lifted at the sight. Drawing on his last reserves of strength, Chris forced himself on. Pulling level with Ashley, the two shared a grim smile. Misery was etched across Ashley’s soaking face. Chris felt a pang of guilt as he realised she probably would have beaten the rain if he hadn’t slowed her down. Still, he consoled himself, she would thank him in the end.

  Finally, they found themselves directly above the bright glow of the facility. Angling their wings, the two winged renegades spiralled down through the darkness. Water dripped from Chris’s feathers, dragging on his wings, but it didn’t matter now. They were almost home.

  The courtyard in the middle of the facility beckoned. Chris breathed a sigh of relief as they touched down. Quickly he lifted his wings above their heads, sheltering them from the pounding rain. Ashley shot him a glare, eyebrows raised, and a smile twitched on Chris’s lips.

  “Better than nothing?” He laughed over the crash of thunder.

  In his arms, the goat began to bleat. Closing her eyes, Ashley gave a weary shake of her head. “Let’s get inside.”

  Nodding, they started towards the door. Light spilled out from the windows, and Chris glimpsed shadows moving inside. His heart lifted at the thought of the others. He hoped someone had thought to save them dinner. They were more than a few hours late, but that wasn’t unusual. Surely someone…

  Ahead, a hinge squealed as the door into the facility swung open. Lighting flashed, silhouetting the figure standing in the doorway.

  “Is that a goat?” a voice called.

  Laughing, Chris nodded. Picking up his pace, he moved towards the voice. He could sense the temperature dropping, as around them the rain turned to ice. The storm was building, preparing to hurl all its might against the stony peaks of the Californian mountains. It would be a long night.

  But with the warmth of home beckoning, Chris didn’t care.