City of Stone (The Watchers Trilogy, Book Two)

by T. C. Edge

  We all look around for a way out.

  “There,” shouts Ellie, pointing down an alley between the tall stands.

  We all look to the rear of my stage to see a passage leading away beneath the lowest lining of seats. A few people, still flooding from their chairs, drop down into it and begin charging off into the darkness.

  Jackson turns to us, taking the lead.

  “Theo, you go first. I will protect Ellie in the middle. Cyra, take the rear. Both of you look for threats, use the Void.”

  We all nod, no time to argue, and Theo begins rushing off with the rest of us behind. He knows the city, understands its dynamics, eyes searching constantly for bullets and explosions and deadly shrapnel.

  Bodies of soldiers lay strewn across us as we go. More come from other angles and are either taken down by our protectors above, or quickly dropped by Jackson or Theo as they march forward. I hold my weapon aloft, watching the dozens, hundreds of white lines cutting across us like a murderous web, each one indicating the path of a future bullet.

  Soon, we're approaching the passage. I notice regular civilians now, lying dead or injured, caught up in the crossfire as we rush on. Are they the ones who were calling for Theo's head, shouting abuse at all of us...or ones who called for mercy, for us to be saved and freed?

  Stray bullets don't judge, don't choose. Anyone can be a victim here.

  The passage looms under high walls, and we quickly enter it, escaping the latest barrage from a new group of soldiers gathering behind us. As we pass inside, Ellie stops and pulls a small device from her pocket.

  “I got it off a guard. Grenade,” she says.

  With the click of a button, the little circular device begins glowing red. Shouts emanate from beyond the opening of the passage, guards about to burst in.

  “Step back,” she says calmly, before rolling the explosive along the floor.

  Men pour forward, guns raised, but it's too late. They have no time to look down and see the death trap at their feet before a cloud of fire and dust engulfs them, incinerating them all and blocking off the opening as debris collapses behind us.

  I look at Ellie with shock. I've never seen her kill a man.

  She stares back, emotionless, a detachment in her expression. Something inside her has changed.

  “Let's go,” she says. “What are we waiting for.”

  The corridor is narrow and dark, but short. At the end, bright light shines. As we burst out into it, taking defensive positions, I see the towering buildings of the city centre encircling us.

  “What now, Theo?” calls Jackson. “Where the hell are we?!”

  “We're right in the middle of the city,” he calls back.

  “So where do we go?”

  Theo doesn't get a chance to answer. From ahead, the sight of two figures approach, matching gaits, matching clothes, matching expressions of impassion.

  I turn to Ellie, and see her glare harden. And then, she rushes forward.

  “Ellie!”

  I try to grab her, but she's off, charging towards the two men. But one in particular.

  Link.

  I follow behind, bringing Jackson and Theo with me. Ahead, Link, walking with Ajax, stops in their tracks. They seem uncertain as to how to proceed.

  “Ellie!” I shout, running a few paces behind. “Ellie! Stop!”

  She doesn't. She drops her weapon as she runs, quickening her pace. Link holds his ground as she comes clattering into him, fists swinging. He parries and dodges and holds her at bay.

  “I loved you, Link!” she cries. “I loved you and you betrayed me!”

  He doesn't answer. For the first time, I get a good look at him from close range, see the fresh scar running up his neck and across his chin, half his face now covered in burns.

  We all raise our guns and point them at Ajax. He only has a sidearm, attached to his belt. His hands stay by his side. He looks on as the scene plays out, unmoving.

  Ellie continues to swing at Link, tears of anger running down her cheeks now. Eventually, she breaks down, drops into his arms. Tentatively, he wraps her up. I look into his face and see it soften. Suddenly, I see the Link I used to know; fiercely loyal and protective, unyielding to the end.

  Standing down the city street with the stadium behind, a strange calm falls. No gunshots are heard now, the fighting back behind us ended. I see no more soldiers rushing, fresh reserves likely being gathered for a new assault.

  But right now, it's just us. Old friends, turned enemies, all gathered together in a standoff. And in its centre, a young couple, drawn apart by war and death. Now on either side of the divide.

  “I'm sorry, Ellie,” I hear Link say tenderly. “I loved you...I still do.”

  Her eyes rise up in hope.

  “Then come with us. Help us.”

  Link seems conflicted. He turns to Ajax, still standing unarmed. My old mentor nods, slowly, dipping his head.

  “Go with them, Link,” he says. “If you love her, go with them.”

  I stare at him, unblinking.

  “You're letting us go?” I ask.

  He smiles at me.

  “You have three guns on me, Cyra. I'm not in a position to let anyone go.”

  “You know that's not true. These guns are nothing to you.”

  His hands rise to the air, as if he's being held hostage. We all know he's not. Even if we all shot at him together, he'd avoid the incoming barrage without any trouble.

  Behind him, out in the open square, the sight of a new platoon of soldiers appears, searching. They come forward, splitting into groups, rushing down side streets. We have no time...moments only before they see us.

  Ajax speaks once more.

  “Don't make me say it again,” he says. “Just go.”

  Link stares at him, then down to Ellie. The conflict in him is palpable. I can feel it. Torn between the girl he loves and the duty he believes in. He never wanted to leave Eden, always believed in committing to life as a Watcher, saving lives. In many ways, he was the best of us. Selfless, brave, devoted to others.

  He continues to look between his mentor and the girl he loves, unable to make a decision. Once more, Ajax speaks, making his decision for him.

  “This is what you want, Link. Don't turn it down. We'll meet again, all of us. Of that I am sure.”

  He takes a step back, arms up, and calls out loud, alerting the soldiers to our presence.

  “Help! They're over here!” he bellows.

  The soldiers hear the calls, turning to see us, hidden in the dim light between two towering buildings. Immediately, they come running, moving in formation, gathering together as they prepare to fire. Ajax speaks again, his words hardly a whisper.

  “Go...” he says.

  We lower our weapons slowly and begin stepping back. I look to Theo and Jackson, who in turn look at each other. Tentatively, we start retreating. Ellie, still in Link's arms, starts pulling on his hand.

  “We have to go, right now,” I say.

  Ellie's pleading eyes remain on Link.

  For a moment I think he's going to stay, break her heart all over again. And then, suddenly, he turns with the rest of us.

  And we all start running.

  35 - Breakout

  Theo takes the lead.

  We rush on, turning down another street as the sight of Ajax fades behind us. I turn, briefly, to see his hands lower as soldiers come rushing past us.

  “Where are we going!” roars Jackson as we run.

  “The hanger,” shouts Theo. “The only way we're getting out of here is in the air!”

  Suddenly, gunfire erupts once more. Soldiers seem to appear from various directions, closing in down every street we pass. All appear to have been mobilised now, rushing up from Underwater 2, closing off the city in a vise of military power.

  At the back, Link runs with Ellie, assuming the role of her protector once again. I run with Jackson, searching for stray bullets, Theo continuing to lead us on as we navigate thr
ough the upper deck.

  As we run, I look up and see faces following our movements. People stare out of windows as we pass, watching the action unfold, hiding in their homes. Some stragglers remain on the streets, screaming as they see us, diving away and cowering in corners or rushing into the nearest building.

  “Get off the streets,” I shout at them. “It's not safe. Get inside!”

  Bullets rip up the ground around us, pinging around our feet, tearing chunks off buildings. We dodge and weave and continually turn left and right, trying to escape our pursuers. But they keep coming, keep gathering, a growing force hunting us down.

  Suddenly, from nowhere, a transport comes shooting from a side street. Hovering off the ground, it zooms along the concrete turf right in our direction. We all see it immediately.

  “More soldiers!” shouts Jackson.

  “No,” calls Theo, “that's a civilian transport...”

  We raise our weapons high, all five of us now aiming at the oncoming hoverbus.

  “Don't shoot,” I shout. “There might be civilians inside.”

  “Or soldiers,” says Jackson.

  I watch closely and listen hard, but see no imminent danger. The hoverbus gets nearer, only twenty metres away now, and suddenly skids to a stop, juddering awkwardly and half crashing into the side of a building with a thud.

  The door opens, and a head peers around the side.

  “Are you coming or what?”

  “Dad!” I shout.

  Drake smiles widely. Beside him, I see the shape of Markus through the front windscreen.

  “Well come on, we don't have all day!”

  We charge forward as Drake jumps out. He slides open the side door and everyone piles in, all except myself and Theo.

  “How did you...”

  “No time for that now, Cyra,” he says. He engulfs me in a hug, squeezing tight. “Now get in, both of you, Stein is waiting.”

  “Sir,” says Theo, “maybe I should drive. I've driven these things before.”

  Drake looks at the front of the hoverbus, dented by the impact against the wall.

  “Maybe that's a good idea. Hop in.”

  Drake jumps in first, shifting Markus over, before Theo takes the wheel. I climb in behind them, joining the rest in the comfortable seats in the back.

  “OK, let's go!” shouts Drake.

  With a little more skill than my father, Theo backs away from the wall, turns the hoverbus in the right direction, and begins shooting forward down the street. Just as we turn, I see the swarm of soldiers rushing out behind us, a gathering force that would be too much for us to deal with. With that many bullets flying, it would be impossible for us to avoid them all, even with the Void as our ally.

  “We need to get to the hanger, sir,” says Theo. “It's the only way of getting away together...”

  “We're way ahead of you, son,” says Drake. “I'm hoping Aeneas has been busy.”

  “Aeneas! Where is he?” I ask. “And what about Leeta?! Is she safe?”

  “She's safe, or she was the last time we saw her. She and Aeneas are working on getting us into the hanger bay. They should be waiting for us there. With all this commotion, security should be light. And Aeneas is a sly fox, as we know...”

  With most people, I might doubt their ability to perform such a daring mission. But not Aeneas Stein. In the few days I've known him, he's proven himself to be quite a man. Calm under pressure, vastly intelligent and wise, and the exact sort of man you want when trying to exfiltrate this particular city. If he can get us in, he can get us out.

  At least, I pray that's the case...

  Really, though, I have no time for prayer. Despite Theo's driving skills, using the Void to make quick progress through the city, we fail to outrun our pursuers. Now the sight of blaring lights appears behind us, and the vision of several other hovercars shadowing us through the streets.

  They're fast. Faster than us. But the men inside don't have Theo's clairvoyance, his ability to see danger as it comes. He slides and twists the hoverbus down the streets, hitting angles that no regular person could, only narrowing avoiding serious collisions on several occasions. It helps us stay just in the lead, just out of shot, keeping a block ahead at all times.

  Soon, however, an opening appears in the distance. It's an area of the city I don't recognise. The buildings appear to come to a complete halt, with a large portion of open deck beyond them and, further back near the perimeter wall, huge hangers lined up along the extremities of the city.

  “OK, that's it!” calls Theo. “Those are the hangers.”

  “So there are planes here?” asks Ellie. “Inside them?”

  “Yep,” says Theo, “the other side of the hangers leads straight out to the ocean.”

  I turn and see the light in Ellie's eyes, signs of hope. Next to her, Link's own face is shrouded, dark, the conflict still raging.

  We continue at pace, speeding out of the shadows between the buildings and into the bright light, cast down from the glowing sunshine above. As soon as we do, I feel my heart constrict. Left and right, more soldiers come running from the flanks, spreading from the streets, enclosing us. Behind, the hovercars continue their pursuit, gaining on us on the straight, their speed beginning to tell.

  “Where are they!” calls Markus.

  We all search ahead, the half dozen giant hangers all blocked off by enormous doors, and search for our allies. Suddenly, as we get nearer, one of them begins to open. The giant door rises from the ground, revealing a cavernous space beyond, and the shapes of several aircraft within the shadows inside.

  “That's gotta be them!” I shout.

  Then, a single figure emerges, standing to one side of the giant door as it rises. Even from this distance, I can make our the tall, wiry posture, see the yellow of his smile.

  “Stein! It's him!”

  “Gun it, Theo!” calls Drake.

  Already travelling at full speed, there's little else Theo can do. Behind us, the hovercars creep closer, and the sound of bullets fill the air, digging into the metal walls of the car.

  “Get down,” shouts Jackson as the hoverbus rattles, some bullets finding their way through the exterior and inside. I turn in all directions to see the hoverbus fill with the white lines of bullets. Several cut across where Jackson sits. I reach forward and drag him over to me, our bodies wrapped up together as the bullets rip through his seat.

  Behind me, Link does the same with Ellie, lifting her easily and tossing her around as he dodges the oncoming barrage.

  “Theo, we have to get out of here. It's a death trap,” I shout.

  We're close now, so close, the hanger looming ahead. Stein waits, eagerly waving his arms to cheer us on.

  “Hold on,” shouts Theo.

  With a sudden twist of the wheel, the hoverbus lurches, spinning around to the right ninety degrees, sliding along the ground at an angle until it comes to a juddering stop right outside the hanger.

  “Out!” shouts Drake.

  We all react immediately, jumping out of doors and crouching low as the hoverbus continues to be filled with bullets. Then, just as we're clear of it, charging towards the hanger, a loud explosion sounds. I turn to look back and see the bus explode as a missile fires into it. The force is enough to knock us all back, flying off our feet into the hanger.

  I hit the ground with a thud, smashing the side of my head onto the hard concrete. My ears ring. My eyes blur. Blinking hard, disorientated, I turn to see the others gingerly rise to their feet from the turf.

  Through my muffled ears I hear someone shouting.

  “Close the door...close the door!”

  I look left and see Stein at the controls. His hand slams down on a button, and a loud mechanical whirring stars to purr. I look up to see the huge door starting to descend, creeping down from above towards me.

  Then, strong arms grip me and I'm dragged back into the safety of the hanger. Bullets crack and whiz, fizzing past my ear. My focus lost, I don
't see them coming. I look up, and see Jackson's face, staring forward as he pulls me deeper towards safety.

  I breath deep, and blink hard, and try my best to regain my composure, to see into the Void. Slowly, my senses start to return as the world grows darker, the door beginning to shut out the light outside.

  Then, more muffled shouts, slightly clearer now.

  “The bus! It's blocking the door.”

  Knocked back by the explosion, the hoverbus sits directly beneath the hanger door as it comes down. Beyond, soldiers pour forward, some of them rushing from a distance, others much closer. Those from the hovercars jump out, taking refuge behind them as they aim and fire, aim and fire.

  Things continue to clear in my head, but only slowly, too slowly.

  I focus hard once more, my head throbbing, and look into the Void. Gradually, my abilities start to return, the world above me filled with the white, deadly lines of bullets yet to come. They fill in as reality unfolds, only seconds after I've seen them, my abilities weakened. Hardly time to dodge, hardly time to escape.

  Still, Jackson drags me, just as the door comes down on the hoverbus. It grinds against the surface of the vehicle, trying to force its way down. I hear gears straining, metal screeching. More bullets rush inside the open gap.

  “We have to get out of here,” I hear Stein call. “They're going to overrun us. Everyone, get inside the aircraft!”

  Shaking the cobwebs from my head, I begin to struggle to my feet. Jackson helps me, lifting me up into his strong arms. I feel weak, sense the trickle of blood dripping from a gash above my ear.

  We turn and begin moving towards the plane. The others fire out as we go, covering us. Ellie and Link stand side by side, firing relentlessly. Drake and Markus kneel, aiming like snipers and taking down any soldiers who get too near. Up into the cockpit, I see Stein rush, preparing the plane for flight.

  My head starts spinning, overcome by the noise of gunfire, blood now warming my neck. My legs give way, and I trip, collapsing to the ground. Jackson is quick to grab me, reaching down to pick me up.

  As I look up at him, dazed, I feel a sudden sense of terror engulf me. Two white lines appear, going directly towards his chest.