Immortal Brother Where Art Thou (The Immortality Curse Book 4)

by Peter Glenn

  I’d managed to trap us.

  “Let’s go back, Li,” my brother said. “I think I can get the platform to go back if we try hard enough.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “There were no elevators or stairs down there. There has to be a way out of here somehow.”

  “Think, Li. The guards had to get in there somehow. We need only find their way out.”

  He had a point, but I knew going back was the wrong call. I could feel it in my gut, and outside of that one time it had told me I wanted guacamole, my gut was never wrong.

  “There has to be something I’m missing,” I said aloud.

  Beneath us, I heard shouting and the sound of metal clashing on metal as the downstairs floor no doubt erupted into chaos once more. As the platform finally reached the top of its path, the noise died down, but I knew the fighting down there would only continue to worsen.

  No, there was no going back. Not after the mess I’d wrought.

  “Come on!” I shouted.

  I ran up to one of the glass walls of the arena and smacked Grax’thor into it dead-on. The blade bounced off the glass much like it had the robot from earlier. I peered at where I’d hit the glass. It wasn’t even scratched.

  “Oh, come on!” I yelled at it. I sliced at the glass a few more times, but none of the strikes had any effect whatsoever. Not even my magic sword, which cut through bone like it was putty, was having an effect.

  “Aah!” I threw my sword at the glass with all my might, but still it did nothing.

  “It’s okay,” LaLuna said, putting a hand on my shoulder. “You did your best, but that glass is impenetrable.”

  “No!” I shook my head and started pacing. “I won’t let it end like this!”

  I pulled out the tiger claw. It had cut through everything so far with ease. Maybe it could cut through glass, as well. It was worth a shot. I jabbed at the glass with the claw, and a miracle happened—a tiny crack appeared. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something.

  “Yes!” I formed a fist with the claw in front and hammered away at the glass. The crack widened. “You’re mine now, bitch!”

  Taio came over, staring at me in wonder, and patted me on the back. I was doing it. I was saving us for real this time.

  “Do you smell that?” LaLuna asked, sniffing at the air.

  It was only then that I noticed a strange whirring noise in the background. It sounded just like it had during my fight with Taio. My eyes shot up the ceiling. Sure enough, there was a tiny hose there, emitting some sort of gas into the chamber.

  My face paled. “We have to hurry!”

  I went back to punching the glass. It gave some more, but not enough. Taio started to smack his katana at some of the outer cracks, and they widened a bit further. Still, it wasn’t enough. I could already feel my strength slipping.

  We were all going to die here. I just knew it.

  “Come on!” I screamed at the glass. The hole in the glass was big enough and deep enough that I thought I’d almost clawed all the way through. Just a little bit more.

  “That’s it!” Taio shouted from behind me. He hacked at the glass some more.

  “I’ve almost got it,” I told them. “Put all your effort into it. We’ve got this!”

  Taio wailed against the outer cracks again and again. The hole widened further. It was almost big enough to squeeze through now, but we still hadn’t broken free to the other side. LaLuna joined in, sending blazing hot bolts of blue fire careening into the glass. It melted slightly where the fire touched, adding to the overall carnage.

  But none of it was enough. We needed something more.

  I smashed my fist into the glass again. The smell of the gas was easy to make out now. I could feel my vision starting to get cloudy. We didn’t have long to go. “Come on!” I shouted again. But my energy was starting to give way. It wasn’t going to be enough.

  Then a thought came to me. The crack in the glass was big enough that I could fit the full tiger claw into the gap. I jammed it into the wall and took a step back. Each step was harder than the last, and I thought I was about to fall over, but somehow, I kept upright.

  “The claw,” I said to LaLuna. “Hit… the claw…”

  She was barely visible. I thought I saw her nod, but I wasn’t really sure.

  I fell to my knees. “The claw,” I repeated. I coughed hard. My voice was barely a whisper. I clutched my throat, and my chest burned as the poison filled my lungs. It was over. It was all over.

  Blue fire engulfed what was left of my vision as I felt a powerful shockwave wash over me, practically knocking me to the ground.

  Then my vision was clear again. Breathing became easier again, and my chest lightened. On top of it all, I felt a layer of cool, sweet air pour in from the now giant hole in the arena wall that was suddenly visible.

  “You did it!” LaLuna shouted. She embraced me. “We’re saved.”

  I got back up to my feet. The hole in the wall was truly enormous. Easily big enough to fit a person through. I shoved LaLuna and Taio out the hole first, then followed shortly after. A few people in the hallway scattered, and one of them shouted into a device in their hand, but I didn’t care. I could breathe again. We were all alive.

  “Come,” I said to my companions. “To Bao. We must rescue him and get out of here fast.”

  Both LaLuna and Taio nodded.

  We were in familiar territory now. Together, we headed around the arena toward the black mark area of the underground. No one stopped us or stood in the way. I think mostly they were just shocked that we’d managed to blow a hole through the arena glass like that.

  I threw open the door to the black area and stormed inside. No one seemed to be out and about, which was just as well. I didn’t feel like fighting anyone else at the moment.

  Soon enough, we came to Bao’s door.

  “We did it, Bao. We’re here,” I said to the door. Then I pushed it open.

  15

  “Simon?” I said, my brow furrowed as I peered into Bao’s room.

  “Welcome,” Simon replied, a knowing smile creeping upon his lips. He was sitting in Bao’s chair, fingers steepled together in front of his chest, watching all of us. He was wearing a finely-tailored gray suit with a white collared shirt underneath and a red tie. It reminded me of something Luke would have worn. Somehow, it looked completely natural on him in a way that his earlier outfit in Seattle did not.

  Damn. I’m not sure exactly what I’d expected when I’d opened Bao’s door. Well, Bao sitting there was on the list, though I’d been prepared for other options. But Simon Adler? Bao’s coworker from Seattle? That wasn’t on the list. Not to mention he didn’t look at all surprised to see any of us.

  “Where’s Bao?” Taio asked. He brushed past me into the room, holding his katana in front of him menacingly.

  “And what the heck is going on here?” I added.

  Simon let out a throaty laugh. “All in good time, I assure you.” He motioned toward a series of chairs near him. “Care to sit down?”

  The three of us all glared at him in unison.

  “Hm. I suppose not.” Simon frowned. “Well then, we’re at a bit of a stalemate, don’t you think?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

  “Simple really. I have Taio’s son. I am the only one who knows where he is. And you, good sirs, have me held hostage. Do you not?”

  He had a point, but I didn’t like it. I didn’t like any of this.

  “What’s your game?” I demanded. My hand slid down to Grax’thor’s hilt, but I didn’t make any attempt to wield her. Taio already had his sword out, and I could see LaLuna’s hands glowing a slight blue, so there was plenty of threat already.

  “Information, of course,” Simon said. His lips curled into a smile. “Gone are the days when kings or queens were forged by bonds of blood or piles of gold. Information is what makes the world go round these days, and the person who holds the most of it can do whatever they wish.”
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  LaLuna raised her hands and the glow on them intensified. “I don’t follow.”

  Simon lowered his gaze and let his hands fall to the armrests of his chair. “No, I don’t suppose you would, LaLuna of the fae. But then, you never have had designs on ruling the world, have you?”

  I let out a small groan. Great. Just great. We had another megalomaniac on our hands. Just how many people that wanted to rule the world was I going to have to deal with in this line of work?

  First, there was the evil Celtic queen. Then Regin the Unseelie fae. Sure, he’d only been concerned about ruling the fae world, but that should still count, right?

  And now this clown wanted to as well? I had the worst kind of luck sometimes.

  “Yada, yada, yada,” I said, interrupting. “We get it. You big, bad man, want to rule. I’ve heard the tale a thousand times. Where’s Bao?”

  Simon turned to look at me. His eyes seemed to pierce straight through me. “Ah, Damian. Straight to the point as always. You’re nothing if not predictable.”

  Taio advanced, then. He moved quicker than thought, swinging his katana and placing it directly onto Simon’s exposed throat. The tip grazed his pale skin ever so slightly, held steady by Taio’s unwavering palm.

  “My son,” Taio said in an angered tone. “Where is he?”

  Simon tsked. “Such a temper, Taio Xiang. But whatever for? Things always seem to go your way, do they not? Present situation exempt, of course. So why be so angry?”

  Taio’s sword tip pressed forward a little and a tiny pinprick of a hole opened up on Simon’s throat. “My son.” He pressed even harder. “Now.”

  Simon fingered the edge of the katana, seemingly unconcerned. “Temper, temper, little immortal. But all in good time, don’t you think? I’ll show you to your son soon enough, I promise.”

  He pushed on the katana, and it moved away from him as if by his command. Taio’s eyes went wide in shock, but he said nothing.

  “Now, put that thing away before you do something stupid,” Simon demanded. “Like I said, I’m the only one who knows where your son is. If you kill me, you will never find him.”

  I saw a bead of sweat appear on Taio’s forehead. It was only the second time I’d seen him display any kind of nervous reaction ever. And the first had only been a few days ago at Mei’s. Slowly, Taio retracted his blade and put it back into its sheath, then he nodded at Simon.

  “You too, guardian trainee,” Simon continued, staring at LaLuna.

  How did this guy know so much about all of us? It was uncanny.

  LaLuna sighed, but she let her arms drop to her side, and the glow on her hands slowly faded to nothing. “There,” she said through clenched teeth. “Now, where’s the boy?”

  “All in good time, I assure you,” Simon said. “Would you care for a tour first?”

  Once again, we all glared at him in unison, and for a second I thought Taio was going to smack him.

  “No, I suppose not.” Simon sounded more amused than anything and gave off a throaty laugh. “My little underling gave you one already, if I remember right.”

  Underling? Was he talking about Luke? Then he must be…

  “You’re the CEO, aren’t you?” I asked.

  Simon laid his hands bare. “In the flesh.”

  It was all making so much more sense now. Why he was here, dressed up like that. Why he didn’t seem concerned by our storming the place. With a single signal, he could probably have a hundred guards pin us down. As the CEO, he’d wield considerable power in this company.

  Plus, it made his whole ruling the world ambition a little more believable.

  But there were other questions I still needed answered. “So why did you pose as Bao’s coworker in Seattle? Why tell us not to go chasing after him?”

  Simon let out another chuckle. “All in good time, little immortal. All in good time.” He got up from his chair and took a half step forward, clasping his hands behind his back in the same motion. “Care to take a walk?”

  I got the feeling it was more of a demand than a question. The guy probably didn’t really ask that many questions of people, being in the position he was.

  “Fine,” I said, “but only if you lead us to Bao.”

  Simon nodded. “Indeed I will, Damian. Indeed I will.” He brushed past all of us like we weren’t even there. His skin felt strangely hot as he bumped into me. Once he was in the hallway, he turned to face us once more. “Shall we?”

  Grudgingly, we all followed him.

  We left the black project area pretty directly. There were several people milling about now, but none of them gave us so much as a wary look, even though we were three armed prisoners being led about by their CEO. I wondered just what constituted a normal day around this place if that didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow from the rank and file.

  “This is nice, don’t you think?” Simon said as he walked. “Taking a stroll like this.”

  “Humph,” Taio said with a growl. He lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “Don’t think you’ve won yet. I will have your head once my son is safe.”

  “Oh, I’ve no doubt you’ll try,” Simon replied. He gave Taio a half smile.

  I saw Taio’s shoulders tense, and I thought for a moment that he was going to try something, but he didn’t do anything. I wondered how hard it must be for him to hold back in that moment.

  If Simon had been using little Grace as bait the same way he was using Bao, I would have lost it by now. But not my brother. My cool, collected brother. He did nothing. I had half a mind to cut Simon for him, but I, too, stayed my hand. I could kill him later when I got out of here.

  And for once, it was a when in my head and not an if. I actually wanted to make it out alive for once.

  Well, isn’t that the damndest thing? Hopefully, it wouldn’t last.

  Simon stopped in front of a glass door a moment later. He pressed a small, white button next to it and turned to face us again. “Tell me, how has your stay been so far? Did you find the prison lodgings amenable?”

  “Heh. As if,” I replied. “You know damn well those cells are barren. At least American prisoners get TV.” Or so I’d heard. I’d never actually had occasion to be thrown into one.

  Simon eyed me up and down. “Yes, well, I thought about installing it, but most prisoners only stay for a few days, so it didn’t really seem worth the cost.”

  The way he casually mentioned the grisly death of his prisoners made me flush with anger. Sure, I was pretty lax with my own life, but I tried hard not to kill anyone else without a good reason. This guy was on another level.

  Of course, I already kind of knew that.

  The strange buzzing noise from before in the prisons came back, niggling at the back of my skull. The glass door opened, and Simon beckoned for us to all enter the small chamber beyond.

  I was wary of another trap, but we didn’t really have any options. So I went in. We all did, Simon included.

  “This is my own personal elevator,” Simon told us. He pressed a series of buttons on the inside and the door closed, then the elevator rose, moving swiftly out of the bowels of the earth and into the sky. It looked like we were headed straight for the top of the complex.

  “Do you like it?” Simon looked at each of us as if expecting a response, but no one said anything. “Tough crowd. It’ll only be a few more minutes before you’re reunited with your son, I promise. I am a man of my word, after all.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you ever shut up?”

  Not my smartest move, admittedly. But it sure felt good.

  Simon tsked and shook his head. “My, you are just as mouthy as my reports led me to believe, little immortal. But not to worry, you won’t have to suffer me much longer.”

  I absolutely hated the way he talked and acted, so certain of his victory already when I didn’t even understand the game. But I said nothing. I’d already tried his patience enough.

  The elevator opened a moment later, announcing we were on
the top floor. We piled out of the elevator and into an atrium-like room. All around us stood various plants, most of which I didn’t recognize. It was like a miniature jungle. And that buzzing noise had grown even louder now. I looked around at my companions, but they didn’t seem to be fazed by it.

  Just me then. Perfect.

  “Where are we?” LaLuna asked. There was a look of recognition in her eyes.

  “Ah, yes. You would recognize it, wouldn’t you?” Simon said, turning to her. “This little jungle is an exact replica of the Jungles of Seren from the fae realm. I found the magic got stronger the more the two looked alike.”

  “The Jungles of what now?” I asked.

  Simon tsked again. “I’m guessing that’s one little area you didn’t get a chance to see on your pleasure trip,” he told me. “Shame that.”

  “Yeah. Real shame.” I balked. The fae realm was not something I had fond memories of.

  “Suffice it to say, it’s a very magical place. So it only made sense to copy it,” Simon continued. “Shall we go to my office now, or would you like to look around a bit?”

  “Lead the way,” I told him.

  A small path snaked its way forward, and we took it, heading under a series of what looked like palm trees. We walked for what felt like minutes, and all the while, that buzzing noise grew even stronger until it was almost all I could think about.

  Soon enough, we came across another glass door set into a metal wall. Simon’s office, no doubt. Simon swiped a badge at the keycard lock by the door, and it clicked, flaring green for a few seconds, then he pushed on the door, and it opened inward.

  “After you,” he said, beckoning us onward.

  I went in first, followed by Taio and then LaLuna. Simon brought up the rear.

  “Bao!” Taio exclaimed the minute we got into the room.

  I turned to look at what he’d seen. There in the corner of the room was Bao Xiang. He looked to be hooked up to some sort of machine. His hands and feet were bound by giant metal rungs and there was a tube protruding from his side, as well as another tube inserted into his mouth and nose, presumably to feed him and help him breathe.