David's Debt (First Wave Book 11)

by Mikayla Lane

  With a lot more training, Dizarion thought as a small smile played on his face.

  “What’s going to happen to him now?” Jodi asked her thoughts on the poor tortured boy who had no one.

  “Grai has two options available depending on whether or not he’s a hybrid,” David said, he was sure both options would be good for the boy. Grai took excellent care of all children no matter what their genetic makeup.

  “Phillip’s not a hybrid. He’s an original Terran. That’s why they were using him for abuse and not blood and food,” Tiernan said as he came out of his room and skipped towards them. “Can I please have another plate? I’m still hungry.”

  Jodi looked like she was going to be sick and David quickly stood and went to get his son more food. His wife still looked queasy as he took the plate from her numb fingers and handed it to his son. Tiernan grinned and skipped back to his room.

  “These people you work with, this alliance, can they do something about those horrible people? Can’t something be done to save these kids?” Jodi whispered, her voice catching as she spoke.

  David sat down at the table and took a sip of his coffee as he remembered how angry Grai had been when he’d heard about what they’d found in Germany and France.

  “The thing is, both of those people were already on our radar as working with either the Relians or the Dark Prime. Until now we hadn’t been able to get enough on them to do anything about what we knew they were doing. Now that we are aware this spirit baking thing is involved, as well as pedophilia we’re going to follow that angle, using multiple resources,” David promised with a growl.

  He’d never forget what he’d seen and learned and David wasn’t going to let it go. The emails he’d sent out earlier, approved by Grai, were still coming back to him, all with affirmative responses that they would meet with him to help.

  “I refuse to sit back and not do anything about this, David. I want to be involved. What happened to Phillip and his mother . . . it could have easily been Tiernan and I. I have to do something,” Jodi argued, her voice breaking with emotion.

  David was only a little surprised that Jodi would want to be involved and was glad that she’d said something. If she needed a mission, something to make her feel better and give her a reason to fight every day, he couldn’t have picked a better one for her.

  “We’re heading to Base Beta to hide the relics Tiernan got from Germany. After that I was going to meet some ex-special forces friends of mine that I think can help us. We can’t expose the alliance or what we’re doing here, but I believe we can still work together from different angles,” David explained, seeing Dizarion perk up at the news.

  “The Night Walkers can help with that as well. If we have specific targets, we can zero in on them and determine whether or not you’re looking at a possession or just an evil being,” Dizarion offered, enjoying the idea of destroying those like Ashacanna’s stepfather.

  They spent hours going over plans for the Night Walkers to help the ex-special forces group that David was quickly assembling to tackle the worldwide epidemic without compromising the alliance’s current planetary operations.

  *****

  Adrasteia moved quickly through the streets, following the energy path that acted as a beacon to guide her. She reached a hill where she could easily look down on the mansion in Germany and grinned at the symbols that glowed brightly through the stone walls and floors to the basement below.

  She sent a wave of energy exploding out of her body and waited until it came back to determine why the Dark Warrior had placed the symbols that had called to her from such a great distance. It had been powerful enough to draw her to the train station and take the trip from Greece to Germany. When the energy returned, Adrasteia grinned broadly.

  “I understand, Dark Warrior. Nemesis will handle this one,” Adrasteia roared to the wind as her rage seethed over what had happened in that home. “The innocent will be avenged and the guilty destroyed!”

  Using the power embedded in the symbols placed by the Dark Warrior, Nemesis began to expand it until the sigils shone like brilliant beacons of light. Unknown to human eyes, the blinding bright light blinked out as the basement walls started to crumble to dust beneath the large home.

  Loud creaks and groans echoed through the small town, bringing people out of their homes, wondering what the sound was and where it was coming from. With a wave of her hands, Nemesis collapsed the basement walls at the front and back of the house preventing anyone inside from escaping her wrath.

  Adrasteia grinned when she heard the screams of those trapped inside as they tried desperately to escape the crumbling home. She could easily see the energy traces of the humans inside and shook her head at what they were doing.

  “You won’t escape Nemesis!” Adrasteia roared to the swirling winds as she shot bolts of energy at the house.

  Seconds later the final retaining walls gave way in the basement, and the upper part of the house collapsed completely, sealing everyone inside.

  Adrasteia smiled in satisfaction at her handiwork as a line of vehicles headed up to the mansion to begin rescue efforts.

  “Not necessary. There are no survivors there,” she whispered to the wind. “Now, my real work can begin.”

  No one noticed the pre-teen girl walking back out of town to the nearest train station. Adrasteia hitched a ride and texted her mother on the way, assuring her that she was fine and would be home in another week. There was much to do now that she’d been awakened and she was anxious to begin once she’d seen and felt the evil permeating this world.

  “No one escapes me,” Adrasteia whispered as she boarded the train. “No one deceives Nemesis.”

  She looked around the empty train station when she felt an odd energy engulf her, and she turned to look at the light bringer sitting by himself on a bench. The grown man rocked back and forth as his fingers strummed on his thigh to a beat only he could hear.

  “My friend, let me aid you,” Adrasteia whispered when she saw the bruise on his face.

  “Get the hell away from my boy!” An angry man yelled out from the ticket booth as he rushed over to them.

  Adrasteia stood and faced the abusive man who’d beaten his son almost daily. Until now. With a flick of her fingers, the man’s hands burst into flames, and he screamed and shrieked in pain as he tried to put them out.

  The man behind the ticket counter came running and tried to help as the man flailed around the train station, desperately trying to extinguish himself. Adrasteia merely smiled as she sent a wave of energy to awaken the young man.

  “I am Hans,” the boy whispered as he watched his father trying to put out his hands, making no effort to help. “Thank you for awakening me. It was becoming unbearable.”

  “I am Adrasteia, but my human name is Alita. You may come with me,” she offered already knowing the light bringer would accept.

  “I am meant to assist you,” Hans replied, feeling the truth of his words in the energy surrounding them.

  “I know,” Adrasteia whispered with a grin before she handed him one of the two tickets she’d purchased.

  Chapter Nineteen

  They made a quick stop in Dillon and dropped off Phillip at the MedLab. Although David was sure that Tiernan was right about Phillip being an original Terran, he and Grai wanted to make sure before sending Phillip to one of the childless human couples in town.

  Grai had assured David that the family he’d picked were good people and would love and care for Phillip as if he were their own. Before the boy had left, Tiernan had promised Phillip they would remain friends and stay in touch with one another since they would both be living in Dillon. It had made things much easier on the still distraught boy, and David was glad the two would still see one another.

  After the images David had seen of what Phillip could have become, he was hopeful that the friendship between the two boys would ensure it would never happen. Although he trusted his son’s word that the kid would be OK, the h
orror he’d seen was enough to make him want to watch the boy closely as he matured.

  “Base Beta in two hours!” the pilot called out as they left Dillon.

  “When is your meeting with your friends?” Jodi asked as she sat beside David on the couch.

  “In two days. We have to go back to Little Creek, Virginia for it.” David watched her face for any signs of distress.

  They were going back to the place where they had their first date, fell in love, and where they’d lived throughout their marriage until things fell apart. He was surprised to see the determination on Jodi’s face and not a bit of the depression or anger he’d expected at the news.

  “Let me guess, the Raven’s Roost?” Jodi asked with a teasing glint in her eyes.

  David couldn’t help but chuckle at her words.

  “Now where else did you expect a bunch of broke ass Seal’s to go?” David joked back.

  “Certainly no high-end places for you rough, tough, mean ass bastards,” Jodi replied with the same line he’d used on her when they first met, and she’d asked him what he was doing in a place like the Raven’s Roost.

  They laughed at the old jokes for a moment before Jodi turned serious and took his hand in her own.

  “We need to talk about what we’re doing,” Jodi said, her eyes on their hands as she refused to look up at him.

  “We’re going to work together and take down bad people. Only this time, my most important team members are going to be my wife and my son,” David replied without skipping a beat. “Add in a few old buddies and some new friends, and we should be able to kick some ass.”

  He knew by Jodi’s heavy sigh that it wasn’t what she’d meant and he wracked his brain for what he’d missed. When he still couldn’t figure it out, David squeezed her hand gently until she looked up at him. The look in her eyes told him exactly what she’d meant, and he gave her a smile, glad Tiernan was asleep, and Dizarion had disappeared for a while.

  “I told you what I want. I want my family. My son and my wife. If you need time, I understand that but I’m not going away, and I’m not giving up on us. Never again,” David swore, allowing his love for her to emanate from his energy.

  Jodi’s sigh did nothing to help him figure out what she was thinking or wanting from him.

  “I’ve been trying really hard to stay angry at you. At the world in general but the more I see and learn about what you’re doing now and the people you’re working with, the more I have to be involved. I can’t sit back and do nothing anymore. Not with the power I know I have now. Tiernan may have prevented the dark entities from coming near me but there are humans out there that are worse than anything I’ve ever seen in the dark realms, and I have to help. I won’t let you stop me.” Jodi’s dark eyes glowed unnaturally with her power before she stopped it.

  David’s heart clenched at her words, and he thought about them for a moment before responding.

  “You . . . we’re almost immortal, so at least I don’t have to worry about losing you. I would like you to go through some training, but I think you’ll do great. We’d be based in Dillon, of course, and when we’re on a mission, Tiernan can be watched by the people I trust the most,” David suggested, hoping it was the answer Jodi wanted to hear.

  “And what about in Dillon?” Jodi whispered, her eyes avoiding his.

  David grinned and squeezed her hand.

  “Grai has already gotten us a three bedroom house near his own so Tristan and Tiernan can be close together and protected. Not that they need it. I’d love for you to stay there with us, even if it’s in your own room while we learn to be a family.” David threw his thoughts out there and hoped Jodi wouldn’t laugh at him or say no.

  “You sure you want me there?” Jodi asked with a snort as she drew her knees to her chest.

  “You know I do, you can feel the truth in my energy the same way I can read yours,” David said, unwilling to let Jodi lie about how she felt. He could feel the hope radiating from her. “Do you still love me?”

  Long minutes had passed before Jodi answered and David felt like he was sweating bullets the whole time.

  “I’ve always loved you. Even in my darkest moments. I just don’t know if we can have a future together after everything we’ve been through,” Jodi admitted, her sadness mingling with her hopes and fears.

  David shocked Jodi speechless by bursting out laughing. He continued to laugh as she slapped him in the arm to get him to stop.

  “What the hell is so funny?” Jodi demanded, trying to hide her own grin at his mirth.

  “I don’t know what you’d call the last week, but I think we’ve done one hell of a job of winging it together. Night Walker’s, Dark Warrior’s, relic quests, elite pedophile rings, child sacrifice, cannibalism and blood drinking! Hell baby, there isn’t much we haven’t already handled in a few short days. The only thing missing has been the ability to hold you in my arms at night, so we can chase away the memories together,” David said with a smile, hoping she’d recognize the way they used to tease one another mixed with the seriousness of his words.

  “I used to have moments of lucidity where I would remember the nights we’d lay in bed, making love to help chase away whatever had happened on your latest mission. I prayed and begged to have those moments back, so you could protect Tiernan and me,” Jodi whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

  David brushed the tear aside, put his hand under her chin and gently raised her eyes to his own.

  “There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by where I didn’t wish you were there. Just give us a chance, baby. Just a chance, that’s all I’m asking. We know we still love each other, and our son, as amazing as he may be, needs both of us. Now more than ever,” David argued, feeling Jodi’s conflicting emotions in her energy.

  “Base Beta in 3, 2, 1,” the pilot called out.

  David and Jodi remained sitting until Tiernan came running out of his room with his makeshift bag of relics slung over his shoulder.

  “We gotta go, guys! These things need to be put away until they’re needed,” Tiernan shouted in excitement.

  The second the hatch to the ship opened, Tiernan ran outside, and David and Jodi stood. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her beautiful face, placing a hand on her cheek.

  “Just a chance, baby. Just think about it,” David whispered before he placed a gentle kiss on her lips then took her hand and led her outside.

  They followed behind Tiernan as he ran to the repository and went inside after him. They both stopped and stood in shock when Tiernan grabbed the ends of the tied cloak and threw it up in the air. David moved to catch the relics he knew would fall and stopped when he saw the items suspended in the air.

  “Ha ha! Fooled ya!” Tiernan shouted as the items began moving of their own accord down the hallways where the other relics were slowly being thawed.

  David grabbed Jodi’s hand, ignoring the stunned look on her face as they followed the floating items. Tiernan’s fingers danced in the air as if magically guiding the relics to their new home. They reached a hallway that was almost entirely encased in ice. Very little had melted in this particular area, and David looked around for where the relics could go.

  Tiernan raised his arms above his head, and a stream of dark energy surrounded the relics. David could hear cracking and popping sounds all around them but couldn’t see anything through the veil of darkness hovering around where the relics had been.

  The dark energy disappeared as suddenly as it formed and David and Jodi stared in awe at the relics embedded six feet into the iced hallway.

  “How did you do that?” Jodi whispered, her hand reaching out to touch the icy wall now protecting the relics.

  Tiernan just shrugged and grinned at his parents before he started skipping back out of the repository.

  “Tristan is on his way here with his dad, can we play for a little while before we leave?” Tiernan asked in a pleading tone.

  Jodi looked at David, and
David just nodded his head still staring at the ice encased relics.

  “Yeah, I should probably debrief Grai anyway,” David agreed, wanting Jodi with him when he met with Grai.

  David figured that the more involved Jodi became in his new world and the more she could see how desperately she was needed, the closer they could become as a family. At least that was his hope.

  “They’re coming in now, let’s go!” Tiernan whooped as he ran out the door and down the street.

  Jodi and David just shook their heads as they followed their son out of the repository and into the sunlit streets. They had barely reached the portal when Tristan came through first with Grai following his son.

  Everyone watched the two boys clasp one another in a tight hug before Tiernan grabbed Tristan’s hand and pulled him towards the lake.

  “C’mon, Nessie is here today, and I want to see her,” Tiernan shouted as they took off down the hill to the lake.

  The parents watched the boys disappear out of sight before Jodi turned to David.

  “I should probably go watch them,” she suggested stepping away from David to follow the kids.

  David grabbed her hand to stop her from going and shook his head.

  “After what we’ve seen them do, do you really think they need us to watch? Besides, I think you should help me debrief Grai on what happened,” David said, hoping Jodi would agree.

  “I don’t care what they can do, I still would feel better keeping an eye on them. We can talk in one of the gazebos,” Grai said, taking off down the hill before David or Jodi could reply.

  They followed Grai and moved into a seated area not far from where the boys were splashing water on the prehistoric creature and giggling as Nessie splashed them back.

  “What the hell can of shit did you open?” Grai growled with a disgusted shake of his head. “We damn near have a mutiny going on with Fiorn’s people over it all, and even Ivint and the Tezarian’s are spitting fire at me.”

  “What are you talking about? What happened?” David asked, wondering what had everyone upset.