“Daniel, apparently,” Reaper said.
“He can barely control it,” Alex said. “He won’t be able to control it for a while. I…can. I’m your girl.”
Reaper thought about it for a moment. Her words made sense. She was the perfect person we had for the job. The Nightstalkers would listen to her – they had respect for her. Even Anna seemed to respect Alex. She held our respect as well.
“Fine. But twenty of my best fighters go with you,” Reaper said.
“Fine,” she said.
“Fine,” he said.
“I guess we’re all fine, then,” I said. “Who is first?” I asked.
Anna and Alex both held out their hands to me. The Nightstalker Anna claimed was her love interest also touched my hand with his snout. Their choice made, I pulled them in to the darkness and beyond.
When we set down in Israel, Alex surprised me with the way she took control of the situation. She had a clear picture of how she wanted to use the land and there was argument as to who was in charge. Anna didn’t argue with her commands. She knew Alex was the proper one to lead them. Anna had more experience with one-on-one fights, but she did not hold Alex’s purpose.
Alex’s determination and willingness to fight and take up the role of leader was difficult for me to adjust to. Alex was no longer afraid; she had taken control of the change. She was confident. She knew her mission and was ready to fight defending it. It was the same steely confidence I had seen several times before, though admittedly in more minor ways. It was the determination that had dominated her features the night she had asked me to tell her the truth of my heritage. That determination would break mountains. I knew she would be able to handle herself…and the other Nightstalkers in her charge. Alex shifted forms before I left to collect the others. Her Nightstalker form would help her lead the others better than her human form.
I spent the rest of the night and morning taking the Nightstalkers to the place we had picked out. Many of them were uncomfortable with the idea of traveling so far, not trusting the means in which I conveyed them to Israel. But none of them tried to back down. They were brave; they were willing to fight.
Alex remained in control of the camp as more Nightstalkers appeared. She kept everyone organized and the camp from descending in to chaos. It was the most organized I had ever seen Nightstalkers.
When the last of the Nightstalkers were safely in Israel, Reaper took me back to camp, where he personally picked out twenty Watchers to join Alex. He gave them all the choice to stay or go, but none of them backed out. They knew Alex was in charge of the camp – they wanted to help her. Their affection for her outweighed their natural aversion to Nightstalkers. I could tell that they remained uncomfortable, however. They were used to fighting Nightstalkers, not depending on them as comrades in arms. After I had dropped the Watchers off with Alex, I went back to camp to find Daniel.
The camp was busy with the excitement of new weapons to play with and the news of the attack on the historian. They were also excited at the idea of the looming confrontation. Daniel was pacing in the middle of the platform. His eyebrows were furrowed as he paced. Reaper had his arms crossed; his eyebrows were also furrowed. The others were surrounding them, watching with increased worry.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Daniel’s eyes brightened when he saw me, but his words were serious. He stopped pacing to talk to me.
“Spider finally picked up a station with his radio,” Daniel explained. “We found out that Marcus blowing up bombs in different cities had more purpose than we thought. The Chinese are blaming the Americans for the bombings. The Russian and Indians are taking sides with the Chinese. The Americans think it’s the Chinese…it’s turning in to a mess. A violent one if things continue.”
“I guess that’s the point,” I said.
Daniel sighed.
“Yeah,” Daniel said. “And there are already reports of people falling ill from a ‘mysterious disease.’ Bleeding from the eyes, mouth, nose and ears followed quickly by a painful death. Han and Beatrice’s timeframe of a week was optimistic.”
“Well, there is only way to make it stop,” I said.
“Right,” Daniel agreed.
“So, how are we going to get to Marcus?” I asked.
“We have a plan,” Daniel said.
“Care to share?” I asked.
“Each of us takes a group,” Daniel said, meaning Reaper’s ‘generals.’ “We keep direct control of our groups. That way we can respond to situations as they occur, and we won’t have to wait for Reaper to catch up to the situation.”
“Or you…” Reaper said.
“We use Preacher’s illusion to sneak up on them,” Daniel said. “We let the illusion fall, exposing my forces and Reaper’s. We charge. The others let the Seekers commit to fighting us. Let them dig in. Then Preacher, Jackson and Margaret join us. We let the Seekers think that’s it. Then, we add Moira, Sara and Shawn to the mix. Sara and Shawn can use their talent to throw in more chaos,” Daniel said. “They can walk anywhere in the battle, attack, then leave. Their purpose should be a more fluid one. Our attack will be more focused. Alex will be the last to join the party. The sight of the Nightstalkers should make many of them reconsider the fight. River will be on the mountain with a group. They’ll snipe from a distance…it’ll be their task to keep an eye on the entire battlefield.”
“Your plan is sound,” the historian said. “But you should also think about dividing their forces.”
“How?” Daniel asked.
“Clare showed an aptitude for moving rock when we were fighting those assassins,” the historian said. “She could do it again to break Marcus’ forces in two. It will help you fight their superior numbers.”
I thought over what she was suggesting. Could I manipulate the rock? I realized that the talent was still locked in my head. It would be an easy thing to focus on.
“I could do that,” I said.
“Good,” Daniel said. “Then you’ll be the last to attack. You’ll wait until everyone is fighting, then split open the ground. Make sure we’re out of the way though.”
“Margaret can help with the chaos as well,” Reaper said. “The more distractions the Seekers have, the better.”
Margaret’s grin was wicked.
“I can manage that,” Margaret said.
“I think we should have a group whose sole purpose is getting to Marcus,” I said.
“The whole point is to make Marcus come down and fight us,” Reaper said. “He has a whole army in his way. That’s why we are fighting.”
“With the army distracted, we could get through undetected,” I said. “It would save a lot of lives if we didn’t have to fight them all to get to Marcus. If he falls, the battle falls apart.”
Daniel and Reaper exchanged a look. Their looks suggested it would not be as easy as I was thinking. Their looks suggested that I was also right. If we could use the distraction of the battle to get to him…It would be dangerous for whoever went in, but it might work.
“That leaves the question of who goes in,” Reaper said.
“Me,” I said.
The others did not like my offer. They looked at me uncertainly. The only person who did not look at me with a mixture of fear and uncertainty was the historian. It was as if she had known I would be the one to meet Marcus. It was why she had trained me.
“Clare…” Daniel started to say.
“Don’t ‘Clare’ me,” I said. “It’s me he’s hunted. It’s me he’s included in his twisted vision. I have a right to face him down, to look him in the eyes and make him pay for what he’s done. I’ve earned that right.”
“She has a point,” Jackson said.
“Then I will go with you,” Daniel said.
“You know that’s not a good idea,” I said. “You are a leader, a fighter. People will be looking to you and Reaper on the battlefield. Your presence in the fight will help save lives.”
“But I want to be
able to save yours,” Daniel replied.
“It has always been my role to face Marcus,” I said. “It has always been yours to fight the battle we’re about to face.”
“And where is this knowledge coming from?” Daniel asked.
“I don’t know…I don’t care. I just know I’m right,” I said.
Serenity stepped up. Her golden eyes were contemplating my idea.
“It is the best way,” Serenity said.
“Did Odette tell you that?” Daniel asked.
“No, my common sense,” Serenity replied. “If you are worried, send in a group with her. A small group that can watch her back and make sure she gets to Marcus.”
“Are you volunteering?” I asked.
“Yes,” Serenity replied.
“And me,” Eli said.
“And me,” the historian added.
Reaper eyed Daniel at the historian’s words. The historian’s confidence in me had increased his confidence that I was the best choice to face Marcus. They knew that if I failed, the historian would finish the task. They trusted her ability more than they trusted mine. I didn’t blame them. They were used to thinking of me as the old Clare…the girl who got abducted and struggled with her powers. They didn’t understand fully how I had changed.
“It could work,” Reaper said.
“Yeah…that’s what scares me,” Daniel said. “You do know what you’re saying, don’t you?” he asked me. “You are volunteering to purposefully hunt down and kill a man.”
“It’s not like I’m going to ambush him,” I said. “I’m going to fight him face-to-face. The better fighter will win. It’s no different than attacking his stronghold and fighting your way to his front door.”
“You are determined to do this?” Daniel asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
Daniel was not happy, but he was willing to trust in my determination and my skills. He had seen both firsthand. He trusted in them in ways the others did not. Perhaps, it was because our minds had been linked so often. He knew I would not fail – I would not give up until I did what was necessary.
“Alright,” Daniel finally said.
“I think around fifteen others will be the perfect size,” Serenity said.
“I’ll find you good fighters,” Reaper promised.
“Many of my people will wish to join us as well,” Serenity said.
Reaper and Daniel looked relieved at her words. While the Saints were trained and highly skilled, they were not on the same level as the soldiers trained by the nine. The nine were more selective about who they chose – which meant that many of their soldiers were more powerful as a rule.
I took a deep breath. Everything was settled. I had finally decided on my course of action. My course was in motion. I would fight Marcus. Tomorrow, I would see who the better fighter was.
The others started talking about strategy. The analytical part of my mind listened to their words, but the rest of me was a million miles away, or as close as Israel was currently to us. Despite my assurances to Daniel, I was worried. What if Marcus already had the sword? What if he was waiting for us to show up? What if I couldn’t win? What if we were throwing away the lives of good, decent Watchers for nothing? The weight of the questions was strong.
I had never felt so strange in my entire life. My life had never been so different from what I imagined it to be growing up.
I had gone from high school outcast to a leader in a rebellion, which was planning an attack on a well-armed fortress in the Israeli desert. The months that separated me from girl to leader did not feel very long. It wasn’t even a year. It was a year I would never forget; it was a year that had changed me forever.
The meeting finally broke up. Everybody went their own way, to organize, to get things ready. We were going to attack tomorrow, and there was still a lot to do. Daniel came over to me and put his hand in mine. He didn’t need me to say what was on my mind; he could tell from the expression on my face. He didn’t bring it up, however. He cocked his head to one side and gave me a funny look as the others left the platform.
“What?” I asked.
“I never did give you your birthday present,” he said.
“No…” I said.
“Still want it?” he asked.
“Depends,” I said.
“On what?”
“If it’s going to hurt,” I said.
“Why would it hurt?” he asked.
“Doesn’t everything eventually?” I asked.
“That’s ridiculous,” he said.
“True though,” I said.
“Come on,” Daniel said, tugging on my hand.
I followed him down the stairs and through the maze of people swirling on the forest floor. I saw the girl who could control the plants working her magic, creating more places for people to rest until the battle started. She waved at us as we passed. The plants seemed to wave with her. Whispers followed us; whispers of the coming fight. Everyone was excited – everyone was afraid. They had heard of my plan to fight Marcus. They were suddenly validated in their trust in me. Their trust was overwhelming.
Daniel led me away from the bustling activity to the more secluded part of the forest. When the loudest sounds were our feet against the earth and the insects humming, he stopped. A jaguar stepped out of the foliage at our arrival. It looked at us in cool indifference for a long moment then jumped up a tree. She settled on a branch and, ignoring us completely, closed her eyes.
“Is my birthday present a tree?” I asked, looking around.
Daniel pulled my left hand up to his mouth and kissed it. When his kiss was finished, he looked at the ring he had given to me with a strange light in his eyes.
“I was never clear what I meant when I gave you this ring, was I?” he asked.
“Not really,” I admitted.
“I want you to marry me,” he said.
My stomach clenched and butterflies filled the space in between. It was strange to have such a human reaction in such an inhuman body, but it was the reaction I had all the same. His words were so intense, so full of passion.
“For real?” I asked.
He laughed. “Of course.”
“Okay,” I said.
“Right now,” he commanded.
It was my turn to laugh.
“Don’t you need churches and people and things?” I asked.
“We have the trees, our friend the jaguar, and each other,” he pointed out.
I thought about it. I liked the idea. It was refreshing and honest.
“How does that work?” I asked.
He shrugged. “It just does.”
“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get out of paying for a gift?” I asked.
“You wouldn’t like me to spend money on a gift,” he pointed out.
I nodded in agreement.
“So…do we have to do anything special?” I asked.
Daniel thought about it. His eyes brightened.
“A promise,” he said.
“Sounds easy enough,” I said.
“Do you promise to be mine forever?” he asked.
I smiled. That was an easy promise to make.
“I really do,” I said. “Do you promise to be mine forever?”
“Forever and ever,” Daniel said.
My smile grew with his words. Daniel’s return smile was full of sweet grace. More, it was immaculate. The butterflies increased. Despite the untraditional approach, I felt married. Our lives would always be connected. I grabbed hold of his shirt and kissed him. His smile gave way to the kiss. Still kissing, we moved to the forest floor.
The night had faded back to dawn when we heard our names being called. Daniel and I had been talking about nothing, the first time since the change. He was holding me as we lay on the floor of the forest. He traced the design of the phoenix on my back with his finger as we talked. His touch was light and sweet, an exploratory thing. The moment was perfect and complete. There was nothing but the two o
f us, our love and the sleeping jaguar.
“What do they want now?” Daniel asked, not wanting the moment to end.
“We do have a war to start,” I said.
“True,” Daniel grumbled reluctantly.
Our names were called again, more forcefully. I sighed, and we hurried to get dressed and make our way back through the forest. Reaper was waiting for us at the roots of a massive tree. His expression melted from worry to relief when he saw us.
“Where were you?” he asked.
“Getting married,” I said.
“Oh,” Reaper said.
“Is it time?” I asked.
“Yes,” Reaper said. “The historian wants to see us before we leave.”
“Okay…” I said.
Reaper led the way through the forest. Daniel and I followed after him. The feeling of our shared bliss kept the darkness of where we were headed at bay. Perhaps that was what Daniel had intended when he took me to ‘get married.’
My friends were waiting on the platform. They were gathered in a semi-circle. King and River were holding hands directly in front of the stairs, while Jackson and Margaret were doing the same to their left. Sara and Shawn stood next to each other, their movements strangely similar as they shifted in anticipation. Moira was unmoving – as still as the trees surrounding her. Preacher was next to her, his scarred face a mask of tranquility. He alone saw what we were doing as holy; he had faith to guide him in our mission to stop Marcus. Serenity and Eli were there as well. Serenity was her normal composed self, though her eyes held a burning fire. She was ready to fight. Eli was as closed-off as ever.
Alex and the historian were the only ones missing from the group – Alex was busy in Israel, and I didn’t have a clue where the historian was, though she had to be nearby if she had called us together. I looked at the faces of my friends. I hadn’t known some of them for long, but I felt a bond that would withstand the test of time. We were in this together. Perhaps, we had always been in this together.
“Well,” I said. “What’s happening?”
“The historian said she would be back,” Jackson said.
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