City of Stone (The Watchers Trilogy, Book Two)

by T. C. Edge

  I turn to look at Theo, who's turned pale. He says nothing.

  “We will do what must be done,” continues the Master. “Many people on Eden will remember Aeneas Stein. He will take temporary control over there, I will maintain control here. We will unite the rebels with the regions. We will create unity.”

  “And you really think that's possible,” I ask. “It sounds too good to be true.”

  The Master stares at me angrily. I doubt he's ever spoken to quite so directly.

  “We have no other option, Cyra,” says Drake. “The Generals have concluded that no direct attack will work at this point.” He looks to the two generals, who shake their heads silently. “We have no choice but to work with what we have, and this is the best.”

  I sit back and find myself falling silent.

  “You have all been brought here today,” continues Drake, “because you will form the core of the party to find, and break out Aeneas Stein.”

  “No,” I say loudly, suddenly. My outburst surprises even myself. Everyone stares at me.

  “Excuse me,” says the Master.

  “No,” I repeat. “It's too dangerous.”

  In my head, the image of my dead friends reappears.

  “Cyra, you will do as you're ordered to do,” says Drake firmly.

  “That's fine. I'll go. But not Ellie, not Jackson.”

  Theo looks up at me, deep disappointment in his eyes.

  “You can take care of yourself,” I tell him. “The others can't.”

  “Excuse me!” says Jackson, rounding on me. “I can take care of myself just fine!”

  “You know what I mean. You can't see into the Void. You're sitting ducks under fire. Dad, you understand, right?”

  My father stares down at me, shaking his head.

  “We will all do our duty, Cyra. We can't rely on Watchers for this. Jackson and Ellie will come too. So will Lieutenant Murphy and Markus. We all have our part to play.”

  “But...”

  “No buts, Cyra. This is the course of action we are taking, and you are part of it. You will do as ordered.”

  I let out a long, deep breath and shut my eyes.

  You can change the vision, Cyra, I repeat to myself. It doesn't have to come true...

  The Master's voice brings me back to reality. He slowly looks from one of us to the next.

  “We are relying on you to break out Stein. We are relying on you to infiltrate Eden. We are relying on you to assassinate Knight. If you fail, we may all die here. You must succeed.”

  His words hang over all of us, heavy weights draped over our shoulders.

  “Get a good night's rest this evening,” he continues, “because tomorrow, your mission begins.”

  15 - Mission Improbable

  Ellie and I rise before dawn. Our bags are packed in silence. We meet Theo and Jackson out in the corridor, where we find Lieutenant Murphy waiting. No one speaks. The comfort and protection given to us by this fortress is about to be taken away.

  We're about to be on the run again.

  This time, though, we have a plan, and we're on the attack. It's all or nothing, no mistakes. We have no choice but to succeed.

  I sense a strange vibe from both Jackson and Theo as we walk. Towards me, and towards each other. The two have never particularly got on; they have merely endured each other as they've had to. But now, things appear to have reached a higher level. I feel jealously brewing between them.

  I shake the thought from my head. I have no time for it now. No time for emotions and feelings. All of us need to focus on the job. And my job is to make sure that they all remain safe.

  Lieutenant Murphy leads us outside onto the plateau. It's quieter than I've ever seen it, no one yet stirring. Ahead, I see Drake standing with Markus, who looks decidedly unhappy to be there. Both hold weapons and are well equipped for battle.

  Beside them sits a large helicopter with guns attached to the flanks. It's old, a relic of a war long passed, but apparently still runs. It will take us as far as we can go without being seen. From there, we will return to the ground and continue on foot.

  As we reach the flying contraption, something only Markus can fly, I look back at the mountain that was, for a time, our sanctuary. Inside, many hundreds of new soldiers sleep, soldiers I've helped train. And a small batch of potential Watchers, seeking danger in their unconscious minds.

  Athena hadn't been happy when I told her I was leaving. She desperately asked to come as well, of course, but I knew she wasn't ready.

  “Stay here and help the others,” I told her. “You know enough now. Search for new recruits, keep up the good work we've been doing.”

  “But I can help!” she shouted at me, eyes welling with anger.

  “I know you can, but you're needed here,” I said, hugging her for the first time.

  I realised then how tense her muscles were, her entire body rigid and knotted. I left her with a promise: “you'll get your revenge one day.”

  I didn't tell her the plan, of course. Apparently, it's classified. All those people inside, sleeping, worrying about how long the food stocks will last, whether they'll suddenly wake to find the armies of Eden at the gates. They have no idea what we're doing, where we're going. Most probably won't even notice we've gone.

  We climb aboard the helicopter, and sit in the cargo hold. Markus starts it up, the rotors turning, and I hold my breath as it slowly lifts off the ground. I look around at the others, and suspect that, like me, none of them have flown before. Even Theo appears a little uncomfortable as we soar higher into the sky.

  I look out of the window as we go, getting a good view of the entire, sprawling mountain range beneath us. Soon the plateau fades from sight as we enter the clouds, a white fog engulfing us. The noise is relentless inside, and no one talks. We just look. Look outside the window. Look at the floor. Look at each other. And think.

  The main thought that runs through my mind is a simple one; that this is a desperate mission. One born out of lack of choice, lack of options. One where this small handful of people are tasked with taking down the whole of Eden and changing the world.

  I linger on the thought for some time as we plough through the clouds. The more I think, the more negative I become. Who knows what awaits us down there. Who knows how many Eden soldiers are spreading through the Deadlands, defending the wall, making safe the regions. Who knows how many more soldiers Knight has recruited to the military in the wake of all that's happened. For all we know, the entire mainland could be crawling with patrols and checkpoints.

  Quite how we'll even reach the coast, let alone Tartarus, and then Eden, is beyond me.

  I sink into my own mind. An hour passes and I stay where I am, not talking to anyone, not even looking out of the window any more at the magnificent sight below. All I can think is that we're all being drawn to our deaths, tempted to the precipice.

  I doubt any of us will come out of this alive.

  I feel a hand on my shoulder, the sudden touch of another human snapping me from my daze. I look to see Drake sitting down beside me.

  “You seem a little preoccupied, Cyra. Tell me, what are you thinking about?”

  I turn my eyes up to everyone else, sitting quietly and alone in the cargo hold. Everyone shares the same pensive, yet committed expression.

  “We can't win, dad,” I say. “Look at us, we're only seven people. How can we achieve anything?”

  “It's not always the size of the force, Cyra, that wins the battle or the war. You don't need to cleave someone in half to kill them. Sometimes a pin prick to the heart is enough.”

  “So we're the pin?”

  “And the heart is Knight,” Drake adds quickly. “Like any despot, the stack of cards will crumble when he's gone.”

  “I understand that. Or, at least, I hope that will be the case. It's just...”

  “You doubt we can get to him?”

  I nod.

  “It's natural to think that way. We're up against en
ormous odds, and chances are we'll fail.”

  I look at him with stark eyes.

  “Then why are we even trying?”

  “Because we have no choice but to. Great success never comes easy. We have to maintain hope, and keep our chins up, and keep moving forward. Negative thoughts will only impede us. Keep that deep down inside, Cyra. Fuel yourself with a desire for revenge, for freedom. We have to believe.”

  Once more, his hand comes down on my shoulder and he squeezes lightly. His face carries a comforting smile, and his eyes light with an impenetrable will. I could hope for no one better to lead us.

  He leaves me alone, returning to the cockpit. On his way, I see him go to each member of the party, offering a few words of support. They all look at him, listen closely, and nod, before returning to their own thoughts.

  A couple of hours pass. We continue to cut through the sky, taking a direct route towards a quieter and less guarded section of the wall. Jackson is summoned up front to provide knowledge of the battlements.

  I move a little closer to listen to the conversation. Jackson, despite only being stationed on the wall for a couple of months, appears well versed in the sections that might be easier to bypass without being seen.

  The problem, of course, is that a helicopter like this makes a lot of noise, and is easy to see, and hear, coming. The plus side, from what I hear, is that the wall generally is only sporadically fitted with anti-aircraft guns, the threat of an air assault never considered relevant.

  Regardless, the aim is to get past the wall unseen. If not, countless patrols will be sent out to find us, making our onward journey that much more difficult. We just have to hope that no other Watcher has seen us coming, and that our progress past the wall and across the mainland is as seamless as possible.

  It's a lot to hope for, but like Drake said, it's all we've got.

  The atmosphere grows more tense as the minutes tick by. Drake comes to brief us on the course of action having conferred with Jackson and Markus up front.

  The only option available to us is to take a chance and hope that the quieter stretches of the wall remain just as they were before. That means taking a slight detour higher up towards the northern reaches, and passing through regions that none of us have ever travelled.

  When we cross the wall, it will be new territory for all of us. All we'll have to go on will be the words offered by those who came from the northern regions to guide us, as well as the maps provided by the Petram archives.

  We climb higher as we approach. It's remarkable how fast we've got here, how weeks on foot are quickly condensed into only hours in the air. If we can continue over the wall unseen, our progress across the mainland will be equally fast.

  I move towards a window as we grow nearer. The clouds have grown sparse in the sky, the heavens clearing into a clear blue, sunny day. Across the wide expanse of earth, I can see a single line stretching as far as the eye can see into the distance. We all huddle together, looking at this terrible man-made structure in awe.

  Jackson's eyes are particularly wide.

  “It looks so small from up here. Down there, it seems huge.”

  “Do you think anyone will see us this high?” asks Ellie. “Or hear us? Surely they have technology to know we're coming?”

  Jackson shakes his head.

  “I'm hoping this high we'll just look like a bird. Hopefully we won't be heard if the wind is strong enough down there. And don't worry about the technology, they only employ it at certain points. This far North, they never considered a threat coming. We'll be fine, Ellie.”

  His words calm her. I look at him and see a reflection of my father. Both are born leaders. They carry that natural ability to make people feel better, to ease tension, to inspire action.

  We all turn back to the window, and collectively hold our breath.

  “Here we go,” whispers Theo as the wall gets closer.

  We all search the ground below for signs of life, but are so high it's hard to see. I can see the hint of bases, of buildings, built behind the wall, but most are situated to the South. Directly beneath us, where the wall is naturally protected by a fierce range of jagged mountains, there appears to be little activity.

  We inch closer. Our eyes dip lower on the window until the wall eventually goes out of sight underneath us. We turn around and see it emerge behind us. A strange feeling imbues me. We're back on the mainland, back in the regions.

  I look up to see Drake's eyes glazing over a little. And through the din of the helicopter I see him say silently to himself: “I'm back.”

  Gradually, the wall recedes in the background. We watch it fade into the distance as we dip lower. Slowly, the world beneath us grows clearer, and the sight of old towns and cities spring up, of large stretches of open land, dotted with woods and old roads that criss cross the countryside.

  We continue down, flying lower. Confused looks pass between us. Up ahead, I see Markus calling for Drake. There's an urgency in his voice that brings us all forward.

  “Drake, fuel's running low.”

  “What? The counter said we had plenty left.”

  “It's playing up. This thing's old, some of these dials don't work properly any more. We have reserves, but will need to land to refuel.”

  “Damn...OK, find a safe spot, and take us down.”

  Drake turns to us all, huddled behind him.

  “Buckle up everyone,” he says, “We're going down.”

  And as we all sit down once more, I feel us slow and descend quickly. I look out of the window, and see the ground coming up fast. And down a long stretch of road, the unmistakable sight of flashing lights.

  They've found us.

  16 - Custodians

  The sound of the helicopter's rotors calms, and quickly the wailing of sirens fills the air.

  “Everyone, we've got company!” shouts Drake.

  He rushes back into the storage hold as Markus negotiates a quick landing. Down the road, what looks like four cars rush towards us. Quickly, weapons are passed out. Body armour is adorned. Game faces are put on.

  Drake turns to us all.

  “This was always going to happen eventually,” he calls. “Perhaps a Watcher saw us coming, perhaps we were spotted passing the wall, perhaps this is all just coincidence. It doesn't matter. What matters is we get out of here alive, all of us. Kill if you have to.”

  Drake looks at me. I shake my head. I can't kill these men.

  He turns quickly, and opens the main door. The sirens grow immediately louder. Jackson is quickly to his side as the two men step out. The rest of us follow, Markus bringing up the rear.

  “How long do we have?” he asks.

  I look at the oncoming lights.

  “Moments only,” I say.

  “Right, Cyra, Theo, to the front with me. The rest of you find cover,” says Drake.

  Jackson stands his ground.

  “I'm going nowhere, sir.”

  “Jackson, do as you're ordered. We can sort this out.”

  The cars continue to come at us, drawing close. Around us, a few sparse buildings sit, old and decrepit.

  “Those buildings. Go, now, offer covering fire if you have to,” continues Drake.

  Jackson begrudgingly steps away, rushing off towards the buildings with Ellie, Markus, and Murphy.

  I look at Theo, who stares forward.

  “What if they have a Watcher with them?” he asks.

  “Then we fight. We have three,” says Drake.

  Up ahead, the cars come to a sudden halt a hundred feet away. A host of Custodians quickly step out of them, armed with pistols. They take position around the cars, using open doors for cover. I count a dozen.

  The wailing stops, and a sudden silence hits. It's ended quickly by the sound of a man's voice, calling from the cars.

  “Who are you?!” he shouts. “Identify yourselves.”

  “We're soldiers from the wall,” replies Drake, thinking quickly. “We've been tasked with identi
fying weak points of entry along it.”

  “Show us your identification. Hold out your arms.”

  We all pull up our sleeves and show off the bar codes on our wrists. Codes given to determine our duties.

  “We're going to need to scan them,” shouts the man.

  “I'm afraid we don't have time,” calls Drake. “We are on a tight schedule and have only landed to refuel.”

  “I'm sorry, but we're under orders to inspect anything suspicious. It will only take a moment.”

  “Dad, no,” I whisper. “If they scan us they'll know who we are.”

  “Sir, she's right,” adds Theo. “We're going to have to take them out.”

  Drake stares at Theo, then at me.

  “On the count of three, we rush. Take them by surprise.”

  “No,” I repeat, “I'm not killing these men. They're innocent.”

  “I'm afraid we have no choice. If we let them live, they will report to Eden.”

  “And if they're killed, Eden will know anyway.”

  “But they won't know what happened,” says Theo. “Cyra, this is war. It's them or us, get it?”

  “What's going on over there?” shouts the man. “What are you whispering about. Come here and be scanned, right now!”

  Drake looks at me, then Theo.

  “Three,” he whispers.

  “I won't do it...”

  “Two,”

  “Dad!” I say, a little louder.

  Drake's eyes link with Theo's now only, ignoring me.

  “One...”

  They move immediately, and as one. Both dart forward fast, charging suddenly with their automatic weapons rising to their shoulders.

  “Stop!” shouts the man.

  They don't.

  “Fire! Open fire!” he calls.

  The world explodes with gunfire. I stand my ground, watching things unfold. Bullets whiz at me, but I see them early, their ghostly precursors hitting the helicopter behind me as I duck and weave. I move to one side, walking slowly, as Drake and Theo go to work.

  Nothing hits them. They move with effortless ease. They cover the ground quickly, and I see panic written on the faces of the men they approach, confused that all they hit is air.