Influence (Influence Series Book 1)

by David R. Bernstein

  Then we hear, “All clear,” and the tension breaks.

  Farren is the first to move. He slides along the smooth wall before entering. Jax and Miya guide Maddux and me through next. I guess I don’t fully trust what I’m told, as I inch my head around the doorframe before entering.

  “This is a training room for new personnel,” says Miya.

  The room is big—like, really big. Several circular lights embedded in the top of the walls illuminate a large open space in the center. The focus of the lamps, trained on the open space, leave the outer parts dim. Other rooms that look like offices extrude from each corner. Each office has glass windows on both the exposed sides. A small workstation and chair are all that are inside. They look like they’re used for observation. Turning my attention back to the open space, I see a training floor that has faded blood spattered all over it. There’s a familiar musk to the room that reminds me of the cramped shelter dorms. It’s not overwhelming, it’s just a lingering odor that tickles your nose. A few hanging racks filled with long wooden sticks fill the back wall. Farren tells us this was the Talas dojo. That explains his impressive fighting skills, but it’s the last thing we need now—Magnus ninjas jumping out at us.

  “No one’s in here,” says Caiden while he fidgets with the training weapons.

  Maddux leans on the wall near the entrance. With his arms folded and his Mohawk now dangling in his eyes due to sweat, he looks impatient. He blows the pitch-black hair from his eyes and says, “Can we stop staring at this blood and move on?”

  Just as the words leave his mouth, an arm sneaks from outside the open doorway and clutches his neck. Maddux jolts his head back and slaps at the forearm as he’s pulled into the opening. A second arm emerges and jabs a dark object into his throat. A quick electric charge snaps on his neck. Maddux’s body tenses. Light from the weapon illuminates the figure behind him. A large man dressed in Magnus apparel towers over Maddux, who stands still as the jolt of electricity sucks the fight from him.

  Our group trains our weapons at the entrance. Farren steps in front of me, barely giving me an inch to see. Caiden and the others start yelling at the lurking figure, insisting he release Maddux. The man uses him and the entrance as cover. That’s when I hear a familiar voice from the hall say, “Please, now, let’s not get barbaric with our discord.”

  The privileged accent is a dead giveaway. Mavis Edgeley, my former captor from the Hawthorne hub, stretches his tiny, chiseled face over Maddux’s shoulder.

  “We are going to enter the room now,” says Mavis. “I kindly ask you to lower your weapons.”

  I wonder if that weapon is non-lethal. We could just take that beast down, but we would risk Maddux getting shocked again. But if no one is blasting away, then they probably know more about the tech than I do. Or maybe they don’t trust their own aim.

  Jax moves to the center of the room with one hand raised. With the other, he lowers his pistol to the ground. After the weapon is resting on the mat, he retreats a few steps and says, “Alright guys, let’s do what he asks.”

  I catch myself drifting from my protective scan of the hub. The safety of Caiden’s mind and the thought of more human bombs pull my awareness back. Depressed and armed, Caiden would make this situation much more complicated. I have a lot I want to say to that little man, but I can’t focus on him now.

  After several disapproving remarks from Caiden, the rest of the group follows Jax’s lead and places their weapons next to his.

  Still wearing an unnecessary, stuffy suit, Mavis slithers past the man holding Maddux. He and a couple of armed men move from the shadows into the center of the room. They stand several feet from us now. He catches my glance and, with a satisfied smile, says, “Oh, hi, Kaylin, I’m glad we’ve run into each other.”

  “You leave her alone,” Farren says.

  “This is too cute,” says Mavis. “Farren Knox has gone from ruthless kidnapper to knight in shining armor.”

  Farren’s anger inches his body forward. This time, I’m the one who holds him back from danger. With his jaw flexed and his brow tensed, I see how much he wants to take down Mavis. I’m able to keep him at bay for now.

  Not letting Farren respond, Mavis turns back to Maddux and grabs his dangling bangs, pulling his head up. He leans in and asks, “Where’s your better half?”

  Maddux’s mouth falls open, weakened by the shock. He’s awake, but not fully there. I don’t think he’s able to respond, as he blinks slowly while his eyes wander. The hulking guard is all that’s preventing him from buckling to the ground.

  Caiden snaps his fingers to grab Mavis’s attention and asks, “What do you want with us?”

  “Want with you? This has nothing to do with you at all.”

  He turns back to the group with that cocky smile brimming from his mug. “Your little band of misfits is the last thing on my mind.”

  I’m done with his little show; I know he loves every minute of it. Not wanting to watch anymore, I blurt out, “Get to the point already.”

  “Oh, young Kaylin, if it wasn’t for this annoying resistance of yours, I would be so ecstatic to once again take you as my prize. But, alas, the days of taking orders from the Magnus Order are numbered. We didn’t anticipate Mr. Riley’s betrayal.”

  He pauses for a moment, his eyes trained on Jax. A few seconds pass before he returns his beady gaze to mine. “I’m just passing through now. I don’t really care what you do to Magnus. I just came to… settle a score, if you will.”

  “Settle a score with who?” asks Jax.

  “With whom, you ask? Well, I didn’t quite enjoy soiling myself and being locked in the darkest parts of my mind for those several hours.”

  He’s talking about the push Ava did on him when we freed Amanda from the Hawthorne hub. We left him paralyzed in fear just inside the hub’s outer gate.

  “You know what I remember the clearest?” he asks in a raised voice. “I remember watching my sister get murdered and dismembered by filthy Harvesters right in front of my eyes. But what could I do other than stare as she thrashes in pain?”

  I see his controlled manner start to crack as he relives the push. His calm demeanor changes to that of a person who truly did lose someone close to them. Knowing how Ava’s push works, I suspect Mavis’s sister must have truly been killed in some way by Harvesters. Ava’s push would have amplified the memory, forcing Mavis to live through the event all over again.

  Mavis brushes his fingers through his greasy, slicked-back hair to gather himself, eventually resting his hand on the back of his neck. That smile once again returns and a deep breath resets his uptight default setting. Slowly trotting back to Maddux, he nuzzles his forehead against our friend’s and says softly, “She will feel what I felt.”

  A quick thrust from Mavis’s right arm into Maddux’s stomach releases a breathless groan. Horrorstruck, I watch as Mavis pulls a darkened blade from Maddux’s midsection, spilling blood to the ground. I can’t move. My vision shakes as I nearly pass out. Barely holding myself together, I watch Maddux topple to the floor. A pool of dark blood spreads away from his body. It only takes a few seconds before his eyes shut. Maddux is gone.

  26

  PERSPECTIVE

  SHOUTS OF RAGE blend together as the room teeters at the edge of chaos. The three large rifles pointing at us are the only thing stopping our team from tearing Mavis apart. Jax clings to Caiden’s shoulders, nearly ripping his shirt off as he tugs with all his effort to break free. Farren remains still as he shields me from whatever comes next.

  “Well, that felt good… Like, real good,” says Mavis. “That will hurt her more than anything I could’ve done to her directly.”

  Jax has somehow kept Caiden from attacking as the reality of what has happened destroys the spirit of the group. A somber calm takes the place of the anger and we all just retreat to our inner thoughts.

  “Now, what to do with the rest of you, hum?” ponders Mavis.

  “Let me take care of this,
sir,” says one of the armed men.

  “So many former colleagues and fun new acquaintances all in one place. I’ve worked with Jax and Miya many times. And then there’s my favorite Magnus errand boy, Farren.”

  The muscles in Farren’s arm tighten, but he stays put.

  Mavis grabs the shirttail of the nearest guard and wipes Maddux’s blood from his hands. The man doesn’t even flinch. I suspect horrible treatment is just one more of Mavis’s endearing traits.

  “We can’t forget the all-powerful Kaylin, can we?” asks Mavis. “I would love to offer you all top positions in my next venture, but I suspect that request will not go over too well.”

  His grin returns. He steps a few feet behind the guards and says, “Tidy this up, gentlemen.”

  The three gunmen form a clean line and raise their weapons. That’s when I feel it. Somehow, the awareness of more people in the room enters my mind. Our captors’ implants are disabled and the men are vulnerable. This doesn’t make sense, but I don’t waste any time questioning it before I shift my focus onto them. My push extends beyond my personal awareness faster than ever before. I encircle their minds with my consciousness. With precision, I flood their reality with feelings of guilt and confusion. The push takes hold and I see glimmers of their thoughts rush at me. I’ve made them relive Mavis’s attack on Maddux. Forced to watch his brutal death again from the guards’ perspectives breaks me from the push. Without hesitation, I retrain my attention on any outside push that might take advantage of our exposed team. Still, I have enough concentration to see my push take hold.

  “Gentlemen, I don’t have all day,” says Mavis to his armed escorts.

  The three men, locked on us, don’t move. The barrels of their guns remain trained on us, but their eyes shift with doubt. Impatient, Mavis grabs the shoulder of the closest man to Farren and me. Rattled into action, the gunman jabs the butt of his weapon into Mavis’s chest, sending him back to the wall just near the exit. A pathetic whimper is forced from his throat as he clutches his new injury. “What the hell are you doing?” Mavis demands.

  There’s a steady increase in unease as uncertainty opens cracks of opportunity for our group. Caiden looks to Farren as if he wants to take advantage of the confusion.

  The two other guards remain locked on our team, even as it’s clear they’re completely wrapped in my push. We just need them to break and we will overtake them.

  “It’s not alright what you did,” says the towering guard as he peers down at Mavis.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ethan,” pleads Mavis as he starts to put things together. “Hold on. Don’t you see what they’re doing? They’ve somehow disabled your implant and that little brat is controlling you now.”

  Farren turns to me looking for confirmation of what Mavis is saying. We lock eyes for a moment as he realizes it’s true.

  The hulking, shaven-headed beast isn’t persuaded. He lowers his weapon to his side and, with his other hand, grabs Mavis’s tacky velvet tie and uses it as a noose to control his movements. With a simple tug, Ethan pulls Mavis tight into his body as he lowers his thick neck to allow their foreheads to meet. Like a cornered animal, Mavis claws at the man’s biceps, hoping to gain an inch of space. The other guards switch between looking over their shoulders at the conflict and re-locking their sights on us.

  “That man did not need to die,” insists Ethan as he points the barrel of his rifle at Maddux’s body. “I’m sick of your little revenge games.”

  Mavis grunts as Ethan strangles him with his own tie. Desperation prompts the little man to flail his arms in hopes of finding a way free. Shades of deep blue spread across his face without the oxygen his lungs cry for. With little time left, he finds the stun weapon on Ethan’s side belt. “Hey, look out,” shouts Caiden.

  His warning is too late; Ethan stiffens and drops to the ground like a mighty oak. Mavis drops the weapon to loosen the tie that strangles him. The two other guards snap into action and turn on Mavis. This is our chance.

  Farren looks to Caiden and I suspect they’re thinking the same thing. Without any hesitation, they lunge at the distracted guards. Farren raises his leg and with all his strength hammers down on the closest man’s kneecap. The guard’s neck flings back as pain forces an inhuman howl from his body. I cringe as he collapses to the ground, then turn to watch Caiden throw an elbow at the other guard’s forehead, sending him into an unconscious spin before slamming into Mavis. His limp body pins Mavis to the ground. Farren uses the bottom of his boot to take out the other guard. Mavis is the only one still conscious. His lack of strength prevents him from moving. Watching his pathetic attempts to free himself gives me a small moment of satisfaction between the horrifying and sad events that just took place.

  We regain our weapons from the middle of the room before Farren rushes to kneel beside Maddux’s body. Caiden searches the gunmen and finds Magnus-issued restraints. While still unconscious, that familiar plastic material molds to the guards’ hands and wrists within just a few seconds. One question remains, though, but I didn’t have to wait long for the answer. Miya walks up to our huddle and pulls a black and silver device from her long-sleeved top. I recognize it to be one of Owen’s block disrupters.

  “Those guards weren’t very thorough,” says Miya. “Wow, this thing really works.”

  Farren adjusts Maddux’s body to a more comfortable-looking resting position. He places him on his back, gently lowering his head to cement still warm from the freshly spilled blood. Even though he knows he is no longer with us, I see this gives Farren a sense of peace. He looks for something to cover his body with, but Jax steps in and says, “We have to keep moving. You know Maddux would tell us not to stop now.”

  We’re interrupted by Mavis as he manages to squirm just enough to sit up against the wall. “Please, I can help you. With my access codes, we can take down this hub. That’s what you want, right?”

  Caiden’s eyes roll back before he turns and stomps over to Mavis. He grabs the stun weapon from the ground. Hands and legs now tied, Mavis slides down the wall as his natural instinct to look out for himself kicks in. Slithering like a snake, he tries to roll away once he realizes what’s about to happen. A quick zap seizes his body, putting him out and—thankfully—shutting him up. Caiden hovers over his limp frame for a few seconds, clearly wanting to do more. After a deep exhale, he returns to Maddux.

  “Come on, man,” Farren says, raising his arms to the ceiling. “How are we supposed to use him like this?”

  “We just need his handprint and eyes,” says Miya. “He doesn’t need to be awake for that.”

  “I can take care of that right now,” Caiden takes out a small blade from his belt.

  “Hey, hold on,” Jax says, grabbing Caiden’s wrist. “That is not who we are. He’s coming with us until he becomes useless.”

  Both Caiden and Farren clearly disagree, but they manage to keep their mouths shut for now. If they had their way, Mavis would be strung up on those racks on the back wall while he slowly bled out. Or maybe that’s just my subconscious using them to play out my own desires.

  It’s settled then: we’re taking him to gain access to areas that might cause a problem for us. Refusing to carry him, Caiden leaves that to Jax and a reluctant Farren.

  We make a pact to return for Maddux’s body once this is over. Ava deserves to see him one last time.

  Back in the stale and darkened stairwells, we move up four more levels before Miya and Jax identify the key panel that will lead us into the Magnus executive wing. Windowless, double steel doors stand before us. I’m told that beyond this point is a lavish living area and the control center of the hub. The leadership and their most trusted officers never have to leave this wing to control the entire sector group. It’s basically self-sustaining and completely disconnected from the rest of the hub’s main systems. Even if a massive radioactive weapon wiped out the entire forest and substructures of the hub, this section would be able to ride it all out in full, lavish style.
Hopefully, what lies on the other side of these doors is the resistance’s last hurdle to a free and better awareness.

  27

  INTRODUCTIONS

  WE’VE TAKEN OUT the camera that was monitoring us at the entrance. With the surveillance feed cut off, whoever’s inside will know that something is up. There will be no way for them to see how many of us there are or our exact location. Miya and Jax believe the executive wing should be mostly undefended. If there were guards left, we would have never made it to this level without a fight. I hope they’re right. Let’s hope when it’s time, Mavis’s handprint will access the wing. If not, Caiden will be extremely upset that we brought him with us.

  We’ve dealt with tree-climbing snipers, smoky chaos at the outer gates, evil push attacks, and the painful loss of Maddux to get to this point. This executive wing is all we have left to overcome the Magnus Order’s strategic hold on the Southern Coastal region. Once Talas falls, it signals the removal of the corporate head and the rest of the network tumbles into disarray. The civilians will have the chance to regain control. With the pressure of the forced Magnus Influencers lifted, they can choose to stand for the people once again. It won’t be easy or clean, but change will come and it will come fast.

  Singed rubber from the camera wiring overtakes the musky smell from the hall. Rampant sparks from the torn out device intensify my anxiety. Standing several yards back, Jax, one of our gunmen, and I will wait for the room to be cleared before we move forward. I knew Farren would want to be front and center for this breach, but Caiden, who’s beyond fired up, will make them reckless. He wants revenge, and Farren will back him up no matter what.