Twelve Shades of Midnight:

by Liliana Hart

  See if Ice Man could do his resurrection trick after that.

  The secret passageways behind the labs and the prison cells were mostly rough-hewn rock or plywood over dirt, making silence difficult, especially with Carleton’s mobility issues. His left side didn’t function well any more, thanks to the bullet to the brain.

  Carleton stopped near a mess of supplies strewn on the floor. Strategically drilled peep holes, on the wall, revealed the corridor and various rooms on the compound.

  Carleton gestured to the hole nearest Winters.

  He stepped near the wall and surveyed the interior. A man lay strapped to a stainless steel table, wearing a metal head and face mask, immobilized by chains.

  By the SEAL’s tattoos, Alex identified Eric Northridge. The table next to him bore only the straps, but it had been shoved askew, telling Alex its former occupant hadn’t gone willingly.

  “Ramirez is missing.”

  “Dammit.” Carleton pushed through to the scope. “They’ve moved up the time table. We have to get Northridge out now before they come back.”

  “What about my father?” Samantha asked. “Where is he?”

  “He’s about thirty yards down on the left. We’ll get him next.”

  “Like hell,” Samantha said. “Meet me there.”

  “Gennaro—” Alex hissed, but she vanished.

  “Commander, we need to get Northridge into this corridor. Midnight’s been torturing them. When Eric recovers, he’ll help us. Gennaro can’t walk. The Admiral broke the doctor’s leg after he tried to escape.”

  Frustrated, Winters took one last useless look down the passageway, then turned back to Carleton. “Make this quick.”

  Carleton removed a panel from the wall, then pushed through the outer doors of a hollow cabinet set in front of the hole. That explained the supplies all over the passageway. He must have emptied it earlier.

  Using hand signals to communicate, they moved into the room and approached the immobilized SEAL. Alex didn’t know what powers Northridge had, but he was seriously incapacitated with chains and that Medieval-looking iron mask.

  While Carleton kept watch on the door, Alex bent over and whispered to his man. “It’s Ice Man. I’ve come to get you out of here. Can you hear me?”

  Northridge flashed a hand signal. Hurry.

  Alex unstrapped Eric as fast and as quietly he could. Moving someone wrapped in chains would be a whole other deal, but Alex didn’t see any way to break them.

  Carleton leaned forward and handed Alex bolt cutters. Probably the same ones he’d used on the hatch lock in the shed. Alex was very glad he hadn’t acted on his first instincts and blown the man away. Still, trust wouldn’t come as easily the second time.

  Alex cut the chains while Carleton kept them from clanging against the steel table. Northridge struggled to rise. From the raw scars on his arm, it was obvious that testing and torture had been done on him.

  They half-led, half-carried the SEAL to the cabinet and guided him through. He collapsed on the other side. Alex pulled Northridge away the opening, while Carleton restored some of the supplies and replaced the panel.

  “They drugged me, man. I’m in rough shape.”

  Since SEALs didn’t admit things like that, Alex knew it was bad.

  “Let me give you a shot of healing serum.”

  The SEAL jerked away from the voice, not having heard it till now. “Carleton, you damn traitor. Come near me and I’ll kill you.”

  Eric’s words were muffled, but his hatred clear.

  “Stop,” Alex ordered. “Carleton is helping us escape. They tried to take him out, too.”

  Northridge protested. “Ice Man, Carleton is the top lackey for Admiral Midnight. Don’t trust him.”

  “Right now, we have no choice. Where’s Ramirez?

  “Benson sent him with some guards. He’s being evacuated by chopper. They’re coming back to get me any minute. Admiral wants us moved to another compound.”

  Winters cursed. “There’s another one?”

  “Try several,” Carleton interjected. “They’re spread all over the country.”

  “What the hell does Midnight intend to do?”

  “Take over the government first,” Carleton said. “Then the world.”

  Alex gritted his teeth. “Northridge, take the damn shot. Then we’ll cut off the mask.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Samantha checked all the peepholes until she located her father’s room. He lay on a disheveled cot, his face to the wall. He seemed to be sleeping.

  She passed through the partition, but remained invisible once inside the room. Hopefully, she could materialize enough to contact her father without triggering any alarms from the Kirlian sensors. She didn’t know if she projected energy in the alternate state or not.

  She hoped that she could at least prepare him for swift evacuation, and, if miracles existed, she could touch him and make him disappear, too, like she’d done with her blanket and clothes. If they could escape, without detection, she could save him.

  As she neared the bed, she noticed the odd angle of his leg. Dear God, they’d broken his leg and left it like that? He obviously couldn’t walk. Was she strong enough to get him out by herself?

  Her father moaned and shifted slightly on the cot.

  She had to take the risk. “Dad, don’t move,” she whispered. “It’s me.”

  Her father stiffened. “Get out of here.”

  “Not without you.”

  “I’m the bait for you and Winters,” Fear filled her father’s voice. “Guards are in the corridor, waiting to capture you.”

  “Good thing I’m invisible then and Winter’s is down the hall. If their machines had detected me, they’d be in here already.”

  “What? How is that possible?”

  “Serum.”

  Her father gave a soft cry. He seemed to shrink into himself on the bed. “I started all this. All I wanted to do was heal you and your mother. I am so sorry.”

  “I know, Dad. How about I rescue you now, and you come up with the antidote for me later. We’ll call it even.” She touched a small box on his nightstand, concentrated and it vanished. So far, so good.

  “Dad, don’t move until I tell you. I need to make you disappear and I’ve never done it to another person before. Let’s hope it works.”

  He lay still and she touched him, her focus totally on her father.

  He vanished.

  Relief made her light-headed. “Now, get up, but remain in contact with me.”

  “My leg. They broke it.”

  “I know. I’ll have to carry you. Don’t worry. I’m stronger now, too.”

  She kept her hand touching him and vaguely saw his shadowy form roll over in the bed and struggle to rise. She helped him and with each passing second he became more and more visible on her new plane. She eased his arm over her shoulder, straightened and turned.

  Several angry soldiers filled the room.

  Her father gasped. “Those men are dead. Midnight killed them all in this room. How can they be here?”

  Seeing the men broke her concentration, just the barest amount, but enough to trigger the alarms. The sensors indicated there were now two people, not one, in Dr. Gennaro’s quarters.

  Samantha threw her father over her shoulder, then lunged for the wall and passed through, but so did the bullets fired by the guards who entered seconds later.

  She felt the fiery punch of two bullets to the back. She couldn’t stop moving or they were both dead. She had to reach Alex.

  Alex, Carleton and another scar-faced man met her in the passageway.

  Alex grabbed her father from her arms. “You okay, Samantha?”

  “Fine.” She smiled weakly, determined not to let Alex know she’d been shot. “Let’s go.”

  She gritted her teeth against the burning in her back. Hopefully, she’d heal soon, so she wouldn’t be leaving a trail of blood for their pursuers to follow.

  Alex shifted he
r father in his arms. A moment later, Alex’s face whitened.

  Did he know?

  “Carleton,” Alex hissed, “Get us out of here fast, and bring extra serum.”

  Alex hated Gennaro. The heat of Winter’s rage flowed into his hands, but he reined it in. If he wasn’t careful he’d combust Samantha’s father while carrying him. He’d seen one bullet wound on the guy’s chest, but they couldn’t stop to help him now.

  The group bolted down the darkened passageway, but already Alex could hear the guards breaking into the passageway. Carleton had taken a perpendicular route off the main one, but there was no other turn in sight.

  Once the soldiers came even with this passageway, they’d mow everyone down.

  Alex had sent Samantha to the front, ostensibly to watch the turncoat, Carleton, but mostly so she’d be out of the line of fire.

  “Thank you,” the doctor wheezed, his reedy breath barely audible. “For helping me.”

  “Thank your daughter,” Alex growled. “If it had been up to me, I would have left you for the vultures, and not necessarily alive.”

  “I understand. You may still get your chance to do that,” the doctor gasped. “Those shots you heard? Samantha and I were both hit.”

  “Shit!” Alex stopped short, barely controlling the wild fury coursing through him. “She’s hit? Samantha!”

  “Help her, too.” begged Gennaro.

  In the minimal illumination of the red flashlight, Alex could see the blood on the back of her shirt. Then, she turned around. The bullets hadn’t gone through to the front so they were still lodged in her body.

  Alex glared at the father. “It wasn’t enough that you turned my team into monsters, but you had to drag your own daughter into your schemes?” Alex stopped. “Carleton, I’m bringing down this tunnel in a minute. Get the healing serum ready for the doc and his daughter. They’ve been hit.”

  Alex lowered Gennaro to the dirt floor.

  “I never intended—”

  “Save your bullshit for someone who cares. You’re only alive because she loves you and I love her.”

  Alex saw her eyes widen in surprise. “Deal with it, sweetheart.”

  The sound of heavy boots coming close ramped up his anger again. He stalked back several yards.

  “Everyone stand back.” Alex grabbed the metal wall panel and bent it until it nearly blocked the tunnel opening between them and their pursuers. He shot a huge fireball down the passageway, igniting the plywood and anything else in its path.

  Alex jammed the panel shut, then seared it with lightning, melting metal onto metal to hold it closed. Sparks flew and the stench of burning paint and plywood filled the passageway. He bent few more panels and fused them across for added safety.

  The muted sound of bullets hitting the first panels reassured him that he’d bought some time. Not much, but enough for the injections.

  Carleton had already administered one dose to Samantha, who was rolling down her sleeve. Then he turned to Gennaro.

  “Give it all to my daughter,” the doctor begged.

  Alex yanked up Gennaro’s jacket sleeve. “Love to, old man, but you need to live long enough to come up with an antidote or this whole world is going to hell.”

  “Admiral Midnight,” a young, very nervous soldier approached. “I have a message from Lieutenant Commander Benson.”

  “Let me guess. They escaped.” Midnight’s blood pressure pulsed its own beat in his head.

  Relief shown in the man’s eyes. “You already know Winters freed the doctor and Northridge?”

  “What?” Midnight backhanded the messenger, sending him sprawling on the ground. “Get out of my sight.” The Admiral turned and yelled to anyone listening, “Find that sniveling bastard Benson and bring him here. I want answers!”

  The Admiral whirled toward the nearest chopper containing Ramirez, four armed guards and a researcher loaded down with serums.

  “Are all the boxes and lab equipment in the back?” Midnight demanded of the pilot.

  The man nodded. “We just finished loading, sir.”

  “Then strap it down and take off.” At the last minute, he grabbed one of the guards by the collar and hauled him forward. “You tell your men that if this SEAL escapes, their lives are over. Understand me?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I will be checking on you.” He stepped back. “Get this bird out of here.”

  “We’re securing the lab equipment now, sir.”

  “Well, hurry, and contact me when you’ve landed in Texas.”

  The Admiral walked toward the other chopper, his anger seething through every pore in his body. Benson approached and Midnight readied his gun behind him.

  “Carleton’s alive,” Benson said quickly. “He took Winters and Gennaro down some secret tunnels I never knew existed.”

  Midnight stayed his hand. “You saw Carleton alive?”

  “Several of my men did, sir. Up close and personal. They didn’t realize his…change in status.”

  My God, the healing serum really did work miracles. “So Carleton lived through a frontal lobe kill shot?”

  “It appears so, sir.”

  “Interesting.” Midnight raised his gun. “Let’s see if you can.”

  The blast took everyone by surprise.

  The officer slumped to the ground. Poor Benson probably wouldn’t make it. Midnight had arranged for Carleton to get so much more serum. Still, the experiment’s results were reassuring.

  “Akins,” Midnight called another officer over. “Secure Benson’s body in chains and send it in the chopper to Texas. Tell the guards, if he comes back to life, kill him again, and let the researchers examine him.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “By the way, Akins, you’re my new head of security. The position just opened up.”

  Fear flashed through the officer’s eyes, but he quelled it immediately. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Good,” the Admiral said. “Then capture the traitors and dismantle this camp. I’m leaving for D.C. in a few minutes. Don’t make me return.” Midnight smiled a Cheshire Cat grin. “I guarantee you won’t like it.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alex and the others made their way silently through the warren of dirt tunnels that gradually rose to the surface. They exited near some trees outside the perimeter of the transport area. Trucks shielded them from view, but armed soldiers ran back and forth loading up all the vehicles for departure.

  One Blackhawk lifted off from the helo pad. The rocking motion steadied and Alex saw Ramirez slumped against the window. Light glinted off the chains binding him.

  “Stay here. I can’t let them get away.” Alex turned to Samantha and handed her a weapon with a silencer he’d grabbed from one of the guards. “If Carleton moves, shoot him.”

  She nodded.

  Carleton glared.

  Alex sped silently through the trees, trying to reach a point where he could take the chopper down and rescue his friend, but the bird rose like the pilot wanted to escape a firefight below. If Alex tried to hit the helo now, the whole thing would crash. Could he risk it?

  Blue sparks shot from his hands.

  Just then on the far side of the helo area, Admiral Midnight stepped out from between several men, headed for another chopper and jumped in.

  Even if Alex ran to get closer, he’d be too late. The helicopter door shut and the craft lifted away. No way would that bastard escape.

  Alex raced to the nearest helicopter and cold-cocked the aviator sitting in the pilot’s seat.

  Guards had seen Alex and bullets swept the helo even as he revved the rotor blades to take off. One after the other, rounds punched into the craft and him.

  He blocked the pain from his mind. Not easily, but nothing mattered except stopping Midnight. Alex worked the chopper so the Kevlar floor mat bore the brunt of the hits as he took to the sky.

  Pushing the bird to its limits, Alex tore after Midnight’s chopper in the distance.

&
nbsp; Just as he caught up to them, more bullets strafed Alex’s helicopter and alarms sounded that something critical had been hit.

  Forcing his shaking chopper alongside Midnight’s, Alex sent a huge bolt of lightning into the sky. Indigo-violet trails of electricity raced the length of the helicopter, encircling it with St. Elmo’s Fire, blowing the terminals and sending the craft into a spin.

  The pilot fought for control, almost pulling out, before hitting the tips of the trees and ultimately crashing down the side of the mountain.

  Alex had no chance to recover before his engine stalled and his own chopper plummeted toward the ground.

  Klaxons went off all over the base, sounding the alarm for deserting the compound. Although difficult to hear the battle between the choppers, the pyrotechnics in the sky commanded everyone’s attention.

  Samantha watched in horror as the two helicopters lost control. Alex! I love you! Please don’t die.

  The connection between them remained silent. She went to race after him, when someone grabbed her leg.

  She turned to see it was her father holding her. He lay on the ground, panting.

  “I’m sorry. I hope he makes it.”

  “I have to go, Dad.”

  “I know.” A gurgling sound came from the father’s throat and blood trickled from the side of his mouth.

  She froze. “Dad? Oh, my God, Dad.”

  Northridge touched her shoulder. “I’ll go after Ice Man. I’m healing fast. Carleton, you dirt bag, protect them.”

  “Carleton,” Samantha begged. “Give my father some more healing serum. He’s dying.”

  “That was it. I don’t have anymore.”

  Tears filled her eyes. She yanked up her sleeve. “Then take some of my blood and give it to him.”

  “No. It’s too late, Sam,” said her father, using her childhood endearment.

  “No, Dad. This will work,” she cried. ‘It has to. I can’t lose you both.”

  Carleton retrieved an empty syringe, wrapped a rubber tourniquet around her upper arm, and then filled the vial from her vein.

  “Hurry, Carleton,” she urged.

  Her father coughed harder.