Reckoning (The Variant Series, #4)

by Jena Leigh

  * * *

  Alex stepped out onto the front porch, allowing the screen door to snap shut behind her. The sound of the argument unfolding inside carried after her as she moved across the wooden deck. She followed the heated conversation with a distracted ear, scanning the wooded property surrounding Magnus Pike’s home.

  Locating the object of her search seated upon the faded wooden seat of a picnic table across the yard, Alex left the patio and approached.

  The sun had set hours earlier, leaving the area to be illuminated only by the glow of the home’s exterior lights.

  “Fed up with the bickering already?” asked Jezza.

  Alex shook her head.

  In truth, she was far more concerned about Jezza right now than she was about hammering out the finer points of their upcoming attack.

  When her friend snuck away ten minutes prior, Alex was the only one to take notice.

  “Looking for fresh air, then?” Jezza asked dubiously.

  Another slow shake of her head.

  Jezza sniffed and cleared her throat. “I’m fine, Lex.”

  Alex was careful to keep her face neutral though, internally, she winced. Was that what she sounded like every time she rattled off the same reply to her friend’s notes of concern?

  No wonder they never believed her.

  Jezza finally turned to face Alex, her eyes bleary and bloodshot from crying.

  “I hate this,” she said, then turned away again, as though afraid for Alex to see the emotion in her eyes. “This not knowing… Dammit! I was certain that I killed Trent with that blast. But did I? Kenzie said Ozzie took him somewhere. Was he able to save him? Where are they now? And if he is alive, does he know it wasn’t me that attacked him? Or does he think that I betrayed him? I just… I can’t, Lex… I can’t focus on anything else. I’ve tried, but I just can’t.”

  Fresh tears welled in her eyes and Alex sat down beside Jezza on the bench, pulling her into a hug.

  And then she got an idea.

  “You know what?” asked Alex.

  “Hmm?”

  “Stand up,” she said and got back to her feet. Curious, but obliging, Jezza obeyed.

  Hey, Decks? Alex projected.

  Yeah, babe? Declan answered immediately, sounding concerned. Everything okay out there?

  I’m taking Jezza to find Trent.

  I… You’re doing what?!

  “Give me your hand,” she said out loud to Jezza.

  I’ll be back soon. I promise.

  Alex, you can’t just—

  Before Declan—or anyone else—could talk her out of it, Alex concentrated on her memory of Trent, focused on her desire to find him in order to help Jezza… then jumped.

  The girls reappeared in a dimly lit room. Alex’s heart leapt in her chest as she recognized the small space for what it was: a hospital suite.

  They’d arrived facing the door to the hall. Jezza was the first to turn around—and the first to let out a choked cry of alarm.

  In the hospital bed, Trent lay with his eyes closed, his pale skin gaunt and sickly gray beneath the glow of a single fluorescent light posted above the bed.

  He wasn’t moving… and neither was the flat line of the heart monitor.

  Someone had turned off the sound on the machine, meaning that there was no long beep to accompany the lack of a heartbeat—but the display was easy enough to read.

  According to the monitor, Trent’s heart was no longer beating.

  Jezza dropped Alex’s hand and rushed forward, tears breaking free once again and streaming down her face as she leaned over Trent’s still form. She bent down to kiss him gently on the forehead.

  “No,” she whispered. “Oh, God, no. I’m so sorry, love… I never meant to—”

  “No need to apologize, gorgeous,” said Trent, his voice rough from sleep. “Unless you’re apologizing for taking your sweet ass time in coming to visit. That is an apology you might actually owe me.”

  “Trent!” Jezza jerked back, gazed down at Trent’s open eyes and smirking expression, and broke into a beatific smile. “You’re okay!”

  She leaned down and kissed him fiercely, eliciting a strangled noise from Trent.

  “More or less,” he choked out when she released him. “Just a few bruises and fractured ribs from where they had to break the ice. Apparently you froze the water to just the right temperature and made the giant block as dense as physically possible. It would have taken too long to melt the normal way, so the Oz-man decided to take a hammer and chisel to it instead. Kind of glad I was unconscious for that part. And I got lucky—no frostbite.”

  “But I thought… The machine was…” Jezza pointed to the flat line still scrolling endlessly across the monitor’s screen.

  “Oh,” he said, rubbing absently at a spot on his chest. “That. Yeah, I ripped off the sensors earlier because the sticky crap on them was making me itch.”

  Alex couldn’t help it. She laughed.

  “All this time… I thought you were dead, Trent,” said Jezza. “We all thought you were dead.”

  Immediately, the mood in the room changed. Trent’s expression sobered.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Jezza asked, looking him over nervously. “Why are you still in the hospital?”

  Trent shrugged, then winced at the movement. “Ozzie’s got me in here under an assumed name. The doc and two of the nurses are Variants. They’re… aware of our situation. After he declared me ten shades of useless until my ribs heal up, he decided it was best to leave me in here until he could figure out our next move. Which reminds me—where the crap have you guys been? What was up with your eyes back at the compound? And what happened to the others?”

  Alex exchanged a glance with Jezza. If they attempted to answer all his questions now, they’d be here all night. And they simply didn’t have time for that.

  Jezza turned back to Trent. “Exactly how bruised are those ribs of yours?”

  Immediately grasping the real question lurking behind Jezza’s query, Trent hauled himself upright with a grimace and threw back the sheets. He slid gingerly from the bed and turned to root through the drawer of a cabinet sitting in the corner.

  Alex spun on her heel to face away from the open back of Trent’s hospital gown, a blush creeping into her cheeks. Looks like he still had a bit of room left to add more tattoos, after all.

  Not that they’d ever see the light of day… Unless, of course, he took to wearing that hospital gown in public.

  Jezza’s initial sigh melted into a chuckle. “Jesus, you really have no shame at all, do you?”

  “None,” Trent confirmed.

  Alex listened to the rustle of fabric—and the occasional pained grunt—as Trent pulled on a set of clothes.

  “It’s safe to turn around again, Lex,” said Jezza. Her voice held none of the strain Alex had grown accustomed to hearing over the last few days—and she knew she’d made the right decision in bringing her here.

  Alex held out both hands. Jezza claimed her left, Trent her right. A brisk chill and the feeling of faint pinpricks rippled up from her fingertips. Alex’s right arm disappeared from sight.

  Trent smirked. Alex dispelled the cool sensation creeping ever closer to her shoulder and focused instead on remaining visible.

  That was going to take some getting used to. Alex could only hope she would have it all figured out before they made their move to rescue the others.

  If she could control it, it would be a huge help. If not, well…

  Alex shifted her attention back to the task at hand.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  “Wait, wait,” said Trent. “I’ve never come back from the dead before. I feel like I should prepare an appropriately pithy commen—”

  “Do it, Lex,” said Jezza.

  They jumped.

  “—is no way that could possibly work, Declan,” Nate was saying. “We don’t have enough people to… to… What? What are you all staring at?”

 
Nate finally turned, caught sight of Trent, and barked out a laugh so full of relief Alex found herself smiling as well.

  “Trent?” said Declan, dumbfounded. “Is that really you?”

  “No, jackass, it’s the Ghost of Christmas Past.” Trent grinned, using his ability to render himself mostly translucent—the very picture of a phantom-like wraith. He dropped the illusion a moment later as Kenzie rushed forward to hug him. “Oof. Watch the ribcage, Red.”

  She took a step back, turning to Alex. “How did you find him?”

  “Same way I found you guys,” she said. “I just focused on Trent and our need to locate him. Worked like a charm.”

  “I’ll be damned,” Pike muttered. “What else can you do, girl? Because if we’re going to plan this raid out properly, we’re going to need a more thorough listing of your… y’know… assets.”

  At Declan’s glare, Pike rolled his eyes. “You know what I meant, kid. If we’re going to go through with this suicide mission, then I, for one, would like to have a better understanding of our available resources.”

  “I second that,” said Brandt, turning his expectant gaze on Alex. “Well? What do you have to offer us, Miss Parker? And talk fast, because now that you and Miss Stone have officially gone AWOL, it’s only a matter of time before Carter moves house and our window of opportunity closes.”

  Alex thought for a moment, taking inventory of the different abilities coursing through her system at varying levels of strength.

  “Right now I can teleport and manipulate electronics thanks to the jumping ability, wield fire and water, use TK and telepathy, and heal.”

  Magnus’s mouth fell open.

  “Oh, hey now. Don’t forget your most impressive ability,” said Trent. “You’re a shade, too. At least for the next couple of days.”

  “Christ on a bike,” Pike mumbled, then looked to Declan. “That mean you can do all those things, too?”

  Declan nodded. “I won’t be as strong as Lex, but… yeah. We’ll both be carrying multiple abilities during the raid.”

  “Well, then. It only makes sense to go with my original plan of splitting into two teams, now doesn’t it?” said Brandt. “Miss Parker will accompany the team that goes after the Director. Young Mister O’Connell can accompany the team focused on rescuing the others.”

  A chorus of voices erupted in argument.

  Eventually, Nathaniel’s voice won out. “There is no way we’re sticking Alex with the job of tracking down Carter. If we fail to get the drop on her, it will all come down to an abilities-driven shootout. And no offense, Lex, but there’s no way you’ll be able to fight Carter to the death if that’s what it comes down to. You just don’t have it in you.”

  Alex didn’t argue.

  As much as she despised Carter, Nate was right.

  She didn’t have it in her to kill the woman—or to kill anyone else, for that matter. And in a raid like this one, if Alex led the team that went after Carter, she might find herself without a choice in the matter.

  No.

  Better to assist with the rescue team.

  As the argument droned on, Alex snuck a glance at the clock on the wall. Time was slipping by too quickly. They needed to figure this out and act. Now.

  Or Carter could abandon the facility and they might just lose the others. For good.

  Twenty-Seven

  Brian listened from his perch on the recliner as the heated argument in the kitchen slowly morphed into quieter tones of agreement and the group’s plan took on its final shape.

  He hadn’t spoken a word since just after Alex and Jezza’s arrival, hours earlier, but he was fairly certain no one had actually noticed.

  That was alright.

  He was used to observing the others silently from the sidelines. Despite his intellect, Brian was well accustomed to being treated like a child.

  It was to be expected. After all, he was only ten.

  What the others didn’t know and could never begin to understand, was that he’d already lived a dozen lifetimes through his endless stream of visions. Experienced more in a handful of years than most humans would in a hundred.

  After days of trying to force new visions—of trying to see what their future held, now that all his plans and painstaking efforts had finally come unraveled—Brian was forced to accept the agonizing truth.

  All of his earlier actions were for naught. The end was still coming. For Variants… and for everyone else, too.

  Brian’s earliest visions, the apocalyptic nightmares he’d been trying so desperately to prevent, were now seemingly set in stone. And it wouldn’t be long now before they began to unfold.

  But there was still hope.

  Brian wasn’t about to give up yet. Not when there was still one last action he could take.

  It might not stop the worst from happening, but at least it would give them all a fighting chance. And right now, that was the only thing that mattered.

  The conversation in the kitchen was winding down.

  They’d be leaving soon.

  Brian slid off the chair and approached Alex.

  “Take me with you,” he said simply.

  Alex turned to face him. She seemed surprised at first, then apologetic. “You know that’s not going to happen, Bri. I understand you want to help. Really, I do. But—”

  “No.” Brian shook his head. “You don’t understand. You have to take me with you. In fact, you’re going to. I’ve already seen it.”

  His older brothers took note of their conversation and turned around to see what was going on. Nate moved to stand beside Alex, staring down at Brian with a quizzical expression.

  “Psychic visions or not, there’s no way we’re taking you with us, kid,” said Nate. “It’s just too dangerous.”

  “And I’m telling you, Nate,” said Brian, keeping his voice calm and even, “that without me, your mission fails. You’re taking me with you.”

  * * *

  Alex crouched in the darkness between Nathaniel and Declan as they scoped out the guard tower and the rolling metal gate that blocked the entrance to the Agency facility. A facility that Alex would have been all too happy never to have seen again.

  The moon was mostly full, shining down from a sky devoid of clouds, casting a dim glow over the entire area—and keeping them confined to the shadows of the woods until they could agree upon their first move.

  The plan was clear once they were inside: split into two groups, recover their missing team members, and take out Carter by any means necessary.

  The one thing they’d yet to figure out was how, exactly, they were supposed to get inside the base first.

  Alex glanced over her shoulder for what must have been the eighth time since their arrival, making certain Brian was still kneeling behind her, at the middle of their group. He met her eye and smiled, his face and body shimmering slightly beneath the cloak of invisibility that Trent had cast over the group.

  Those within the shade of Trent’s ability could still easily see and hear each other, though any noise they made would be slightly muffled.

  What’s that massive building to the left side of the field? Declan projected.

  Alex quirked a smile. Telepathy was working out so much better than those temperamental comm devices. Not to mention, it was way quieter. Why hadn’t they thought to try this before?

  Her smile faded.

  Probably because they hadn’t been prepping for a suicidal raid on an Agency facility with no tech support to speak of and no comm devices on hand to actually use.

  It’s a hangar bay, she said, in answer to Declan’s question. Filled with jeeps and random equipment, for the most part. But…

  But? Kenzie asked.

  But it was mostly empty of people, Alex replied. In fact… Now that I think about it, I kind of had the sense that the whole base was running on a skeleton crew. I mean, looking at it from out here, those buildings are huge, but I kept seeing the same handful of faces inside.

  I
noticed that, too, Jezza projected.

  Thanks to Kenzie, even the non-telepaths were able to join in on the conversation. Red was working constantly to ensure that everyone’s projections were joined together in the telepathic equivalent of a conference call.

  Alex had yet to master that particular trick. It was impressive… and more than a little complicated. And, for the moment anyway, a job better left to Kenzie.

  Makes sense, said Nate. Carter’s not exactly the trusting sort. This op she’s been running lately with the implants… It would have been way too sensitive for her to share the details of her plans with more than a handful of necessary personnel.

  Trent shifted behind Alex, leaning forward to catch the group’s attention. Can any of you get a read on how many people might actually be inside?

  Kenzie shook her head. There’s something in the buildings that’s blocking my scans.

  Obsidian, Alex and Jezza projected simultaneously.

  Figures, said Kenzie. Once we get closer to those buildings, we won’t be able to communicate with each other telepathically anymore.

  Brandt huffed in annoyance. While that’s a lovely thing to realize now, can we please get back to the far more pressing issue currently at hand? How do you intend to sneak us past that barbwire-lined fence while the EM shield is still operational? I doubt those fellows in the guard tower are going to open the doors for us willingly.

  Oh, I don’t know. Alex smirked. Brandt’s snide comment had sparked an idea. I get the feeling they’ll be more than happy to oblige.

  Declan, correctly assuming that her new plan involved teleporting herself inside the guard tower, gave a vigorous shake of his head.

  Alex flashed him a smile and a quick wave, then jumped.

  The EM shield protected the area of the base within the fence, that much was true. But by the time the circle of protection reached the guard tower, its strength significantly lessened.

  In the end, it took a bit more effort than Alex anticipated to pierce the outer edges of the shield. A weaker jumper never would have been able to manage it—but after a bit of added force, she slipped through the remnants of the electromagnetic cloud easily enough.