They were forty feet from me. I don't why, but I started forcing my way toward them. A dozen Guardians followed my lead, and in seconds I had almost reached the young men.
The Critz were armed with swords, and what looked like boarding pikes. The fighting was intense, and in one really bad moment, a Critz ran one of the boys through with a boarding pike. I lost my focus for a moment, and as I ran through the Critz that had stabbed the boy, another Critz ran me through with a sword.
Wow! That hurt more than words can express! It hurt when I got stabbed, and then hurt all over again as he withdrew the blade. The wounds healed right up, but they still hurt like hell, even some time later.
Then, as I watched, three Critz cut Shooter down. They ran him though over and over, even after he fell dead. A Guardian next to Shooter cut off the head of one of the three Critz that had just killed my old friend. I killed the other two. I went berserk, and hacked at them so maniacally, it was as if I was cutting down wheat in a field, instead of living creatures.
The sun had been up for almost an hour, and the day was starting to heat up. Yet at this point, it appeared something began to blot out the sun.
I could only glance up, but I froze for a moment when I did. Floating silently above the battling masses, a huge spaceship was settling down. It was as big as a navy destroyer, and it was turning day into night as it settled closer and closer to the jungle.
The ship was now about fifty feet off the ground, and appeared to be just floating there. Looking past it, I could see another ship, just like the first, settling down closer as well.
A loud roaring erupted from the closest ship. There was an electrical snap, and the forest behind the Critz, burst into flames. What looked like a heat ray emitted from the spacecraft. Everywhere it went, the forest burst into flames. The Critz it hit withered, as if all the moisture was removed from their body instantly. They screamed, and died, in droves.
More Guardians began to appear on the ground. It looked to me as if they might be folding space from one of the two ships now floating above us. Far above us all, a tiny spot was growing larger! I could see that a third ship was on its way down!"
The heat from the now raging forest fire, began to force us back toward the river. I was searching for my people, and dealing with the Critz that tried to come after me. Blood covered the ground, making it slippery.
The two remaining Indian youths were still surrounded by Critz. I could approach them, but couldn't break them free. I finally folded space into the ring of dead Critz, and stood side by side with them. They had fought so hard, I just couldn't let them suffer a grizzly fate if I could prevent it.
One of the boys glanced at me for a moment, and smiled. It was as if he felt I could protect him. I could see he was still just a teenager. A Critz charged us, and we killed him together.
Fighting through the Critz, Koda was on her way with two dozen Guardians right behind her. Like the turtle formations the Romans had once used. The Guardians worked their way to us. Then they made a stand just outside the wall of bodies around us.
Three hundred yards away, the forest was a roaring inferno by now. The Critz around us were thinning out, and there would be no new Critz attackers coming out of the inferno.
In the distance, I picked up the mental image of the grey that had escaped me. He was running before the firestorm. Without help, he would soon face death in the burning jungle. Our position was secure enough for now, and being one to never leave a target running loose, I went after the man.
I guess I planned to kill him when I left our group. It was a reflex thing. I folded space, and stood watching as he ran past me. It would have been easy to kill him, but I hesitated. I don't know why, but I took off after him. Working to cross his path from the right, I blindsided him when I hit him. He went down hard, striking his head as he fell. He laid there, stunned or unconscious, I couldn't tell which.
I snagged him up, and folded space, returning to the camp by the river we had left moments before. The place was a scene of mahem. Dead bodies covered the ground. Smoke filled the air. The wind was blowing the fire and most of the smoke into the forest, and away from the camp. Despite that, the heat was tremendous, and at times trees on both sides of the river seemed to explode as they reached the point where spontaneous combustion occurs. The trees were full of sap and other forms of moisture that would scream as they prepared to ignite.
Critz were dying in the forest as well. Their screams were probably the most horrific. You knew a living creature was burning to death in that inferno.
Both Guardians and Native warriors were moving around, but they were dazed. I dropped the grey, and he slumped to the ground. A hundred yards away, down by the river, a large number of Guardians folded space, and appeared. I felt exhausted, but I could readily see Madias start toward me from the crowd. I could tell the tall Guardian next to him was Harold.
Harold and Shooter had worked together for over twenty years. They had saved each other’s lives over and over. Now that team was broken. Things would never be the same. Harold lost it!
First came shock and sorrow. Then came anger. We all wanted revenge. Harold wanted it badly!
I told Madias the story of how I came to have a sleeping grey in my possession. Standing next to me, he reached into his robe and pulled out a small spray bottle that reminded me of a mace spray gun. Reaching down, he sprayed the contents into the greys face, and stepped back.
For a moment, the man laid there. He shook violently for a second, and then went still. What looked like a small tick staggered out of the grey's nose, and slowly moved across the man’s cheek.
Madias reached down, scooped the creature into a small vial, and capped the container off. He looked at me, and said, "This man is free from the influence of the Darkness. Don't harm him! He was being used!"
The look on Harold's face told me he would be happy to kill the guy.
The rest of the team appeared on the trail that ran along the river. A dozen natives were with them. Kathy and Koda were walking, but Tim was on a stretcher. Two of the natives were carrying him, and he appeared unconscious when I scanned his mind.
As they got close, the two women slowed as they saw what had happened to Shooter. Reaching into my mind, they could easily see what had occurred. Kathy stopped about twenty feet away, hesitating to come any closer. I stepped over to her, and hugged her to me closely. Shooter, Harold, Kathy, and Tim had been the first four person team I had worked with. We had been together a long time. We were all in shock.
Lying prone, a few feet away, the man in grey stirred. I felt Kathy, Harold, and Koda all go on alert, and I moved to ensure they wouldn't kill him outright. Madias was standing about ten yards away, giving commands. I don't think he was aware that the grey man was awakening.
The guy raised his head, and asked, "Where am I?"
"Someplace on the Amazon River," Koda responded quietly.
I could see the guy was stunned. A quick scan told me the guy really had no idea where he was. Several seconds passed, and he asked, "How did I get here?"
"That's a damned good question!" noted Kathy. Madias appeared to realize we were talking to the grey man, and stepped closer.
"What's the last thing you remember?" I asked.
"I was in Southern Indiana!" he replied, getting a little agitated. "I live in Columbus. I was out for a walk. It was cold, and now I wake up here. What the hell happened to me?"
"You came here and murdered a bunch of people," Harold growled quietly.
"I did?" the man asked in a whisper.
"No," corrected Madias. "You weren't responsible for your actions."
"I want to go home," the man in grey said. "Can I just go home please?"
I hesitated. We couldn't just let the guy go home. There would be too many questions. Madias told him, "You must remain here till we can figure out how to get you home." The guy looked pretty shell-shocked, and just nodded his head.
The fire at the opposite end of the camp had sprea
d far into the distance. The wind was blowing at a pretty fair clip, and while we weren't directly in harm’s way, it was pretty warm. Madias called over several Guardians, and instructed them to take the man in grey, and the remaining natives, down river to safety. As soon as they were out of sight. We folded space for Kathy's home.
Harold brought Shooter's body back with us. He was extremely stressed, and taking Shooter's death very badly. Totally exhausted, we stumbled into the house, where Lisa and Bugs were waiting on us. They had given Dona her initial medical care, and had now passed her on to a larger medical facility for further treatment.
It was agreed that we would all get cleaned up, and try to rest for a few hours. It was almost noon by now, and we decided to meet at dinner time, eat, and then go debrief.
I couldn't get Shooter's death out of my mind. It just kept playing out over and over again in my memory. The look of shock on his face as they ran him through the first time was etched in my mind. I was trying to get cleaned up, and found myself standing in the bathroom, staring at the mirror.
I just don't know what to do at this point. I'm used to having a target. This is like trying to attack a concept. You shove hard over at one spot, and something else worse pops up elsewhere.
There was something else! I’ve seen plenty of people die over the years, but this time, it was different. I was aware that every life destroyed at the battle, was killed at the bidding of an outside entity. Shooter, and all the rest, had died to please the desires of some horrific monster out in the depths of space.
Shooter had just been handed health, and long life, only to promptly be killed. It all just brought my blood to a boil.
Somehow, I managed to doze off. Sleep only brought nightmares.
I get the feeling, I better get used to them.
Chapter 18
Looking Back
I awoke several hours later. There was a tapping at my bedroom door, and when I yelled, "Come in!" it was Madias that stepped into the room.
Looking around the room, he asked, "Did you sleep well?"
"I slept like shit," I replied, still half asleep.
"We have a little time," Madias said. "I wanted to talk to you before your team meets to debrief. I can see that your mind is in turmoil. I thought it might help if we talked a little."
"I doubt it," I growled. "But I'll try if it makes you happy!"
Madias gave me a sour look. Then he said, "A few hours ago, you and your friends went into battle, and one of you died. Do you know what you were fighting for?"
"Well!" I responded, thinking. "Dona was in trouble..."
"And you got her out!" He asserted, interrupting me. "Then you went to defend a village of strangers! Why?"
"Dona told me to," I replied, thinking back.
"I've talked to her," Madias observed, looking at me closely. "She told me she asked you to warn them. Why did you stay and fight after they were warned? You could have left!"
"They would have been slaughtered," I answered, trying to think it through. I tried to express my motivation, but I just ended by saying, "It was the right thing to do! I couldn't help myself!"
I was feeling more confused with each passing moment. Shifting the conversation, Madias abruptly said, "The people in that village have been loyal to the Guardians for over two centuries. They are peaceful, and seldom see us, yet they believe we will protect them. When they needed protection, you showed up! Do you understand what that means to them?"
I was still sitting in bed, and closed my eyes, thinking. After a few seconds I said, "It wasn't a rescue, it was reflex!"
"Three boy were cut off, and you fought to help them," Madias noted. "Two survived! Do you know the boys I speak of?"
"I think so." I replied quietly. "You mean the two men that were surrounded by the circle of Critz bodies?"
"One of those young Earthers you helped save was the son of the tribe's leader," Madias said. "He’s grateful beyond words, and would do anything for you. He says you're the fulfillment of a legend among their people. They call you Deathdealer, and say you will defend them."
Images were appearing in my mind. Information related to the Darkness, and the long running battle against it, flooded my head. I could see that a current seemed to run through the events. As the images filtered past, I suddenly realized I was appearing in many of the scenes Madias was referencing.
It was beginning to sink in. I had a destiny to fulfill. Madias could see it, and I was beginning to see it as well.
There was something else I saw in the information I was given. Koda was going to be a major player as well. She and I were pivotal to stopping the Darkness, and the madness it brings.
Seeing my thoughts, Madias nodded his head slowly, saying, "You're just beginning to grasp what's at stake here. You still don't see it all, but it's starting to sink in. Can you see now why I said you need to sharpen your abilities? You’ll need every ounce of your natural combat skills for this battle. Your reactions must be automatic. There will be no time for hesitation, or all will be lost."
I found myself trying to think of a way to get my people out of harm’s way. It was one thing to fall into this meat grinder myself. It was another all together to let Koda and the rest go down with me. Again, Madias saw my thoughts, and just stood there, shaking his head no.
"They've risked too much already," I said. "Isn't there some way to keep them out of this?"
"You've trained them too well," he observed. "You couldn't chase them away with a stick now!"
He was right, but that didn't mean I had to like it. I decided that if I could find a way to keep them safe, I’d use it.
Madias nodded his head again, saying, "Yes! You’ll have the power to keep them safe! Just remember! They have independent minds of their own, and they are fiercely loyal to you. There will be times you can't protect them from themselves. When that happens, you must adjust to the loss, and move on."
"I've never lost a person in the field before," I acknowledged quietly. I could see that Shooter's death was an open wound in my mind. It hurt to even think about it. "It'll take some getting used to."
"Don't get used to it," said Madias. "Protect your people as much as you can! Just keep in mind, this is a war we must win, or every friend you ever had will suffer!"
He turned to leave the room, and stepped through the doorway into the hall. He stopped there, turned back and said, "Tim has awakened while you slept. He appears to be alright. He has been arguing with your doctors about staying in bed. I suggest you might wish to go see him as soon as you're up and dressed." Then he disappeared, walking down the hall.
I got up out of bed, and got dressed. My stomach felt a little sore, but considering I had been run through with a sword several times in the last twelve hours, I felt pretty good.
Walking through the house, I was soon outside sickbay, and could hear Tim through the door going, "I just want out of here!" He was being nice about it, but I could hear in his voice that he was getting fed up.
It's funny, the whole telepathy thing. Without meaning to, I scanned Tim, and could see he was flirting with Lisa, and she was returning his interest. It was an odd sensation, like voyeurism I suppose. I locked my thoughts down a little, and stepped through the door, into the med bay.
Tim was sitting up, with his legs dangling over the side of the bed. If he slid forward, he would be standing. As soon as he saw me, he blurted out, "Can you speak to the warden, and get me paroled? The food sucks in this joint!"
"Yeah," I agreed, smiling. "But the guards make for great conversation and company!" I wasn't surprised when Lisa blushed, but I was shocked when I realized Tim's face was bright red as well. I let them off the hook, saying, "We're supposed to debrief in about ten minutes. Can you release this idiot so we can get back to work?"
Resisting the temptation to speak, Tim sat there quietly. After a second Lisa said, "I guess I can release him. He woke up an hour ago, and hasn't shut up since." Tim sat there with a smile on his face,
deliberately not saying a word. Turning to leave, I waved for him to follow me.
I led Tim down the hall, and out the back entrance of the house. As soon as we were outside with the door shut, I turned and told him, "If you hurt that woman, I'll kill you myself!"
"Whoa!" he yelped. "What did I do?"
"I can read your mind ya know," I reminded him. "Not very well!" I acknowledged, "But I can read your mind!"
He hesitated for just a second, and then asked, "Did you know, I always cared for Lisa? I would have never said anything, she was in love with Billy. After he died, she seemed fixed on you." He looked down at the ground for a second. Then looked up at me and focused, saying, "She's realized you two are just friends. For the first time, I thought of her as being with me, and she saw it in my mind." He hesitated again. Then said, "Funny how the telepathy changes everything!"
I could see he was being totally truthful, and had to smile, saying, "You picked a hell of a time to fall in love!"
Totally cold, Tim softly said, "Lisa told me about Shooter. It's a shitty deal. He finally gets a chance at immortality, and then gets killed by a bunch of monsters in South America. Somebodies got to pay for that!" He had gone pale, and started to shake slightly.
I decided we had talked enough for now, and asked, "Are you feeling up to the debriefing?" he nodded yes, so I keyed open the door, and we went in. As soon as we stepped in, I could hear several voices talking down the hallway. We walked toward the voices, and found Koda talking to Harold and Bugs in the command center.
Madias was standing quietly off to one side, as Koda spoke to Bugs, saying, "This is a war! I'm just starting to really grasp how evil these monsters are!"
"It's not about the sour grapes on the vine," I noted as I stepped into the room. "It's the roots we need to go after!"
"There may be a better way than that," Bugs said absent mindedly. “I believe that we might be able to interfere with the control the enemy has using an emittance ray."
"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Harold. He had a frown covering his face, and I could see he was still badly stressed.
The Koda Files Boxed Set - Books 1 & 2 Page 16
