Pendulum

by Ciara Knight

  Too many.

  Fallon’s door opened with a clang. Stepping inside, I gasped at the sight. Every torture device imaginable hung or protruded from ceiling, walls and floor. I started forward, my eyes drawn to the man hanging from the ceiling, his limbs stretched just short of being ripped from his body.

  “Oh, my God, Fallon,” I gasped. Only a hint of the sweet man I’d met back in the Mining Territory remained.

  “There’s no god here.” Harrison shot a glare at me. “Melt everything in here, Semara. Fast.” He grimaced.

  “Free all the prisoners and help get them out of here?” Even without him telling me, I’d already planned to do just that.

  “Yes. But let’s start with Fallon. Melt his chains and I’ll catch him. Then destroy every piece of equipment in the Tower.”

  Swallowing hard, I nodded. Do you know who it is?

  Yes, and he’ll pay. But not now. “Get to work.”

  My gaze slid from the ceiling down the rusted chain that coiled around a metal bar. Shackles secured Fallon’s wrists to the bar. Blood trickled down his arms from a large spike driven through each palm. Tears burned my eyes as grief and rage boiled inside me. Barely able to maintain control, I shot two narrow beams of heat at his shackles, slicing through them.

  Harrison caught him as he collapsed toward the floor.

  I straightened and wiped the tears from my face. Heat radiated through every vein in my body. My hands shook and a bright orange light flashed, reaching every dark corner and crevice. A second later, the stench of molten metal filled the room, reducing everything to glowing slag and floating gray ash.

  I gently touched Fallon’s head, my gut churning at his pained expression and shallow breaths. Would I ever see his brilliant smile or hear his uplifting words again? “Is he…?”

  “Yes. Not for long, though. We need Ryder.” Harrison clutched him to his chest. “Hang on, man.” His mouth thinned to a knife’s edge as he took a step forward then stopped. “Go, Semara.”

  Gordon arrived just then, stumbling back upon seeing Fallon. “I-I didn’t know.”

  I grabbed his hand. “Gordon, please. Fallon’s dying. We need to get him to Ryder.”

  “Of course.” He grabbed one of Fallon’s arms and draped it around his neck, holding it in place. Together, one on either side of him, they carried him out.

  Blinking back tears, I checked to see that Fallon was still breathing. Barely alive, his head lulled forward. My eyes widened.

  Ryder…Raeth.

  I bolted down the slanting corridor. I had to prepare them before they saw his condition, especially Ryder. We couldn’t afford to have him react in anger. We needed him to focus and use his gift to heal Fallon.

  As I descended the steps into the control room, Raeth and Bendar glanced up from the consoles where they were monitoring all activity in and around the Tower. I ignored them, so focused on Ryder I didn’t even notice Mart standing beside him at the bottom of the steps. Grabbing his hand, I poured all my love into my touch. “We’ve freed Fallon but…You have to heal him. If you don’t, he’ll die.”

  Harrison and Gordon arrived as the last word left my mouth and laid him on the floor.

  Ryder knelt beside Fallon and growled. “Barabe Virzabi. They’ll pay for this.”

  No one objected. Even during a war, what they’d done to Fallon was brutal.

  At Raeth’s whimper, I wrapped my arm around her. Together, we watched Ryder’s hands press first, against Fallon’s chest, then slide over his arms, hands, and legs. Everywhere he touched, a healing silver light streamed continuously from his hands into his uncle. Wounds slowly closed. Fallon’s breathing steadied, his blanched skin brightened.

  I knew from experience that Fallon’s pain had been replaced by euphoric dreams or memories.

  Sighing in relief, I glanced at Harrison. Our gazes locked. In his eyes, I saw his shielded torment. When he’d connected with Fallon, he’d discovered how near death his friend was.

  Throughout the healing, Gordon had kept quiet. Now, he mumbled, “How could they? He’s one of us. They promised not to harm any Neumarians.”

  I stiffened. “Us?” My gaze narrowed on Gordon. “Promised?”

  Mouth thinned to a slash, Harrison stared at Gordon. “Did you really think they wouldn’t turn on you? How many times do they have to betray you before you realize they’re opportunistic thieves who prosper through others’ misfortunes?”

  Mart jabbed her finger at Harrison’s chest. “Ye be speaking ‘bout me people now. Europeans be good people. Gifts or curses, don’t care. I’m true to me people an’ so’s Captain Gordon.” She leaned forward, daring Harrison to challenge her.

  Ignoring her, he snorted, his gaze still fixed on the captain. “Stop trying to get in my head, Gordon. You don’t have the strength.”

  “Your head?” I scanned both their faces for answers.

  “You didn’t know?” Harrison said. “The captain here can dig deep into your subconscious, see things even you don’t remember.”

  “Same as you,” Gordon countered.

  “What’s the deal with mind control? Why’s everyone got it?” I asked.

  “M-mind m-manipulation’s believed to be a dominant gene,” Raeth explained. “It’s m-more common.”

  “You didn’t tell me you were a Neumarian, Gordon.” All the suspicions I’d had while on the Freedom surfaced, my feeling of betrayal growing. “You said it was hypnosis.”

  Harrison grabbed him by the throat. “You son of a bi—”

  “Got go,” Bendar said, shuffling over. His scrunched face warned bad news was coming. “Alarms.”

  “Need one more minute,” Ryder grunted.

  I ignored Bendar’s warning and advanced on Gordon. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

  “I thought it best if I helped you remember your past without creating a barrier between us. You have major trust issues. If you’d known I’d be digging into your subconscious, you would’ve blocked me. We never would’ve gotten anywhere. Not that it helped. We never figured out who the boy was in your dreams.”

  “Yes, I did. He was my friend.” I rested my hand on top of Bendar’s head. “Bendar was the young boy on the hill.”

  “But…but if that was Bendar, then it wasn’t…” He stepped back, his shoe thumping against the bottom step.

  Bendar grabbed my arm and shook it. “Thornton door open. Get him.”

  Don’t let Gordon leave, I told Harrison as I raced down the corridor and found the open cell. I still have questions he will be answering.

  The cell was similar to Fallon’s, various torture mechanisms hanging from the walls and ceiling. Without thinking, every implement turned to dust in a bright flash of orange light. Yet I doubted anything could remove the smell of death that had seeped into every pore of the Tower’s stone walls.

  At seeing Thornton, I stopped abruptly. His face was stricken with terror and tears were streaking down his cheeks. He sat board straight, his palms flat on his thighs. Not a muscle moved. “Go. Leave me,” he hissed.

  I rushed to his side and crouched in front of him, laying my hands on his. “What are you talking about? Are you hurt?”

  Thornton trembled so hard his teeth chattered. “Get out of here. I don’t know how much longer I can sit here.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “There’s a bomb. Can’t deactivate it. Please, go. It’s a trap.”

  A lump rose in my throat. “Why? How?”

  “Gordon told them you’d come for me.”

  “Gordon?”

  “He turned me over to them. I’m the trap, though if this bomb fails to kill you, they’ll kill you when you try to leave. Please. Please don’t die with me. Try to save yourself.”

  His stiff posture suddenly made sense. If he moved at all, he’d detonate the bomb.

  My pulse echoed in my ears and the room began to waver, but I refused to leave. “The only way I’m leaving here is with you. Please calm down. T
alk to me.” I crossed my legs and sat in the middle of the floor.

  His eyes shot to me. “Are you insane?”

  “No, but I won’t leave you to die here. You’re one of us, our friend.” Lying on my back, I scooted under his cot. My eyes widened at the size of the device. A cluster of wires, connected to the trigger switch mounted to his cot, fed into holes drilled into the walls and floor. I’d seen this before. More explosives had been hidden in the stone. It was a favorite of the queen’s general. If he stayed true to form, there would be multiple fail-safes built into this.

  Thornton was right. There was no way to get him out without blowing up most of the Tower.

  “Don’t even think about it. The bomb’s set to explode if any wires are cut. There is a controller. It’s the only way to disengage the trigger.”

  “Then I’ll find the controller.” I shoved up from the floor.

  “You really are the savior, part of the Triune, aren’t you?” he asked.

  Triune was one thing, savior another.

  “Stay put. I’ll be back to save you. Got it?”

  “You won’t find it in the control room. The council has it,” Thornton warned.

  I stiffened.

  Why would they tell him where the controller was? It was like they were expecting us to go looking for it.

  “I won’t let you die like your brother in this Tower.” I placed a kiss on the top of his head. When I leaned back, I was rewarded with a weak smile.

  “Thank you,” Thornton whispered through more tears.

  I raced back down the corridor to a crowded control room. Prisoners leaned against the walls and each other for support. Four gaunt men and three frail women surrounded Harrison.

  As I joined Raeth and Ryder, the tallest of the men bowed to us. “Blessed be the Triune. I am Ridgecroft. Two years ago, the queen and her general took control of the UE. We,” he gestured to others surrounding Harrison, “the council have been her puppets since and are only brought out for high profile trials, such as the one for Fallon.” His expression saddened as he glanced down at Fallon still lying on the floor.

  Unable to hide my bewilderment, I stared. If the council was here—

  I looked from Ridgecroft to Harrison. “Why was the council imprisoned?”

  Harrison held up his hand for silence. “And the intel you’ve provided?” he asked Ridgecroft.

  “False,” Ridgecroft said. “It was sent by the general.”

  A quick glance told me everyone had come to the same realization. “They knew,” I said. “They knew when we were coming. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a reason for Thornton’s bomb.”

  “Bomb?” Ryder gripped my shoulders and turned me to face him.

  “Yes. If he moves from his cot, it will detonate. But there might be a way for us to disarm it. Perhaps we could join—”

  “Won’t work,” Harrison cut me off. Despite the council’s sworn alliance, never give too much information. Keep your gift to yourself for now. It’s good that they believe in the Triune, but let’s not show them your abilities yet.

  “How about this, then?” Gordon brandished a sleek, brushed silver box with a single orange button and handed it to me, Thornton’s controller. “Lifted this from the general. Guess my previous life of thievery and survival before I met my wife paid off after all.” He nodded to Mart, an understanding passing between them. Had they known each other before joining the ENR?

  Bendar took the device from me and plodded up the corridor toward Thornton’s cell.

  On a harsh exhale, Harrison focused a glare on Gordon. “Start talking.”

  Gordon swiped his nose with his knuckle and swallowed. “The queen’s general took my wife and son.”

  Harrison nodded. “I know that, Gordon. They’d also kept my daughter a prisoner all these years. But I didn’t turn traitor.”

  “They promised to return my family to me if I helped them capture you and the Triune!” Gordon shouted, his face pinched tight with duress.

  I wrapped my arms around Harrison, afraid he’d throw his fist into the captain’s face.

  “Were they the woman and baby boy in that picture I saw in your office?” I asked. At his weepy nod, I blinked back tears. “They’re dead.” The shock on his face nearly stopped me from continuing. “The queen never let up on her experiments of Neumarians, trying to join us with metal implants. So far, only Raeth and I have survived.” I relinquished my hold on Harrison and pulled aside my hair, showing him my communicator.

  “You know, you’re as dead as we are, Gordon,” Harrison snarled.

  Gordon sobered. “I can still help. There’s a spy in your midst.”

  “I’m aware of that. But even if I didn’t, that bit of intel wouldn’t save you. Oh, I’m not going to kill you, Gordon. I’ll leave that for the general.” Harrison glanced at us, then at Fallon.

  “Don’t worry about me,” Fallon said. “Take care of business.”

  My eyes widened at Fallon’s wink. They’d planned this. They’d suspected the UE Council no longer existed. That was the reason for the change in plans when we arrived. The traitor must have been privy to the battle plans from the beginning.

  “Wait, so Fallon sacrificed himself?” Ryder scowled.

  “Fallon used supplies for the Mining Territory as an excuse. We knew Malvek would turn him over for a price.” Harrison lowered his chin to his chest as he’d done when he had contacted Fallon earlier.

  I touched his arm, hoping to hear who he was communicating with.

  He covered my hand with his, and brought me into an ongoing update. Has our mole exposed himself?

  Yes. It was as you suspected, General, Briggs said. Per your orders, Dred kept Major Stevens under surveillance, but…

  Unfortunately, Stevens managed to make contact before he be executed, Dred told us. We be unsure if our position is compromised. How soon can we expect yer return?

  Due to additional, but not unexpected circumstances, I suspect we’re surrounded. Between Ryder and Penton’s weapons, we might just make it out alive.

  Want me to get Penton? Dred asked.

  Yes.

  Dred was here? I’d thought he’d been left at the Arc because he hadn’t fully recovered yet. I should have known better. Dred had sacrificed family, conquered Malvek, and flew to save us from the queen’s ambush on Acadia Beach. Nothing could have kept him from this.

  Why would a Neumarian betray us? I asked.

  As some humans and Kantians fight for our side, some Neumarians fight for theirs. The ones who blame me for starting the war, or for the deaths of their loved ones.

  Before I could ask anything else, more freed prisoners filled the corridors outside the control room. “What are we going to do with them?”

  Harrison turned a gimlet-eyed stare on the council. “It’s past time you chose a side.”

  “We choose freedom,” Ridgecroft said, without hesitation.

  “Good. I’d hate to leave you behind.” He gestured through the control room’s window at the battered, half-starved men. “They’re the beginning of your army.”

  At the sight of Bendar returning with Thornton, I rushed toward them, gathering Thornton into a hug.

  His thin arms wrapped tight around me, and my soul warmed at his touch. “My savior,” he whispered.

  “How are you getting out? The ventilation system will be blocked,” Ridgecroft said.

  Thornton released me and we turned to the others.

  Gordon scrubbed his chin. “Did they tell you the bomb’s controller was with the council?” At Thornton’s nod, he sighed. “As I thought, it was a trap. There’s still a chance, Harrison. They’re waiting for you and the others at the new council headquarters. They expected you to go looking for the controller there, so the immediate area should be clear.”

  “Don’t trust the traitor,” Ryder snarled. Sweat soaked his shirt. I knew even with the additional energy he’d zapped from the guards, fully healing Fallon had exhausted him.

&n
bsp; Harrison scanned the hall, clutching his gun tighter. “Neither do I.”

  “We’ll hold them back,” Ridgecroft offered.

  “Can you acquire weapons?” Harrison asked.

  Ridgecroft nodded. “Yes, there’s an armory one floor down.”

  Harrison nodded. “Good. Bendar, Fallon, and Thornton, go with Ridgecroft. Take all the prisoners to the armory, load up, and meet us where we left Penton.”

  Without waiting for confirmation, Harrison led everyone out of the command center. Back at the main door, Raeth opened it and we made our way into the next hall, Ridgecroft leading the prisoners to the left as we veered right.

  At the next junction, Harrison shoved me behind him and Ryder. “Take the lead, Gordon,” he ordered, gesturing with his gun.

  As Gordon rounded the corner, shots suddenly rang out behind us. Red lights flew by my head and I ducked, my hands shaking.

  Penned back against the wall to avoid the barrage, Harrison shouted to Gordon, “Get those doors open!”

  Gordon fumbled with his key card, finally managing to open the large wooden French doors. We all rushed across the corridor and inside, before slamming the doors shut.

  The large room, soared above us like a deity reminding me of our insignificance in the world. Soft light filtered through a row of stained glass windows and the ornate carvings etched into the wooden pews didn’t help settle my unease. Not a good defensive position if we were attacked from above. “What is this place?”

  “Sentencing by the council takes place here,” Gordon said.

  Fallon had stood there? Beneath that pulpit? How had he felt as they read off his sentence?

  Gordon rushed to the center of the room.

  A blast echoed off the stone walls and I spun around to the French doors, but they were still closed. Then screams pierced my eardrums. Swiveling back to face the middle of the room, I saw Harrison and Ryder, down on one leg, guns at the ready, their eyes searching the room for the source of the blast. Behind them, lying in Mart’s arms, was Gordon, blood gurgling from his mouth. A dark crimson was already spreading across his uniform.