by R. D. Brady
Molly smiled. “I will.”
“Zane, stay with Molly,” said Jake.
Molly looked at Jake in surprise, then grinned down at Zane. “Come on, Zane.” She took off down the street.
“I’ll take you home,” Jake said.
“No. My daughter’s out here helping people. I should be, too.” She put up a hand before Jake could say anything. “I’m a nurse, Jake. I’m pretty sure there are more than a few people nearby who could use my help.”
He took in the set of her jaw and knew she was going to help no matter what he said. He nodded. “Okay. But you stay with me, all right?”
“All right.” She paused. “And Jake?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
He smiled. “Me, too.”
Chapter 81
Invess, Calevitnia
The numbers were beginning to be broadcast across the news outlets. Two million dead in the United States, half a million in England, twenty thousand in Japan, and so on. The death tolls rolled from the news anchors’ mouths like music to Elisabeta’s ears. Such beautiful deaths, all done to make sure Elisabeta achieved glory. She smiled. Her people would be well rewarded for their efforts. Each would be given a little piece of the world to rule. Within limits, of course. Elisabeta would be the final rule of law, but she would give them free rein so long as they followed her dictates and didn’t get too out of hand.
She frowned at the screen as the news anchor switched from reciting deaths to narratives from the violence.
“There have been some reports that some enhanced humans have been fighting back against the attackers. We have confirmed at least a dozen cases of such incidents, suggesting that not all enhanced beings are on the side of Elisabeta Roccorio. What this means in the days going forward is anyone’s guess.”
Well, that just won’t do. As soon as the countries of the world bowed down to her, she would have to root out those traitors and make an example of them. The world needed to know what she did to traitors.
Artem knocked on her door, a smile on his face. “The President of the United States is on the phone.”
“Well, by all means, let’s not keep her waiting.” She reached for her phone as it buzzed. “Margaret, how lovely to hear from you.”
“Ms. Roccorio.”
“I assume you are calling about my offer?”
The President hesitated before speaking, her voice stiff. “On behalf of the United States government, I bequeath the control of our country to you.”
Elisabeta smiled. “Well, that’s just wonderful.” She waved to Artem.
“I have just instructed my associates to discontinue any attacks in the United States.” She waited. “Do you not have anything to say to that?”
“Thank you.”
“You are very welcome. Now, I am going to need you to contact the other members of the Big 20 and tell them of your decision.”
“All right.”
“And I’d like you to make an announcement to the press. You will make the announcement, not one of your lackeys. My people have a statement prepared for you to read. There are a few details we will need to work out, but as soon as the statement is finalized, you will release it immediately.”
“Very well.”
“And I will need your help with one of those details.”
“And what is that?”
Elisabeta narrowed her eyes. “Careful with the tone, Margaret. I can easily begin the attacks again.”
The President released a breath. “How can I help you?”
“That is more like it. And don’t worry. No one will be hurt. In fact, what I need from you is a quintessential American tradition.”
Chapter 82
Lynchburg, Virginia
The plane carrying Noriko, Mustafa, and Gerard landed at a small airport in Virginia, south of Baltimore. Noriko had slept for most of the trip, but when she’d awoken, the tension in the cabin had not eased. They’d had no communication from anyone back home, which was making her nervous, even though it was part of the plan. Mustafa looked like he wanted to kill Gerard. Gerard was ignoring him, but there was a tautness to his movements that he usually didn’t have. The plane touched down with a little bump, then they were taxiing off the runway.
As soon as the plane stopped moving, Mustafa stood up and stretched. “Finally. Now let’s get back to Baltimore.”
“Actually, we are heading to North Carolina.”
“Why?” Mustafa demanded.
“I don’t suppose if I asked you to trust me, you would?”
Mustafa snorted. “No chance.”
“Look, there’s stuff going on you don’t know about. No one can know we’re back yet.”
“Why?” Mustafa asked again.
“Laney’s orders.”
Mustafa eyed Gerard. “Convenient that I haven’t been able to reach her.”
“No, not really convenient,” Gerard muttered.
Mustafa pulled out his phone. “Finally a signal. I’m going to touch base with Matt. You can do whatever you—”
Gerard moved so fast it was almost like he materialized right behind Mustafa. He hit him on the back of the head. Mustafa pitched forward, and Noriko screamed. Gerard caught him before he could hit the ground. He hoisted him over his shoulder with very little effort, grabbing Mustafa’s phone, which had fallen to the ground, and sliding it into his back pocket.
Noriko backed away from him. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“Mustafa can’t call in. Not yet.”
“But why?”
“It’s complicated, Noriko, but I need you to trust me.”
She did trust him, even though every action since they’d gotten back on the plane suggested she shouldn’t. But she couldn’t figure out which side to listen to—the side that told her to trust him or the rational side that told her she was crazy if she did. “And if I don’t want to trust you? If I want to leave?”
He shook his head, pain in his eyes. “I can’t let you do that.”
“Oh.”
He extended his hand to her, but she skirted around it, wondering just how stupid she had been this whole time.
Chapter 83
Nags Head, North Carolina
Gerard had driven her and Mustafa to the edge of some large body of water. Noriko wasn’t sure what it was. He had a boat waiting, which had taken them to a small island with a well-laid-out cottage. Then he’d just left after sedating Mustafa with something. That had been four hours ago.
Mustafa had only come to about an hour ago. He’d searched the small island, but without a boat, there was no way off. They couldn’t see the mainland in the dark, so swimming was out. For now, they just had to wait.
Noriko had scrubbed down the surfaces she could reach to pass the time, but now she had nothing to do but pace. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know.” Mustafa fiddled with the rabbit ears on the old TV. Noriko didn’t think there were TVs anymore that used antennas, but Mustafa mentioned something about a digital converter box that allowed analog TVs to receive digital signals or something like that.
It was the only piece of electronics on the island besides the toaster. There wasn’t even a coffee machine, just a French press. Gerard had left Mustafa’s phone, but there was no signal. Mustafa had been quiet since he’d come back from searching the island, but Noriko could feel his anger. She couldn’t blame him.
“I don’t understand any of this,” she said. “Why aren’t we going back to the estate? Laney needs to know what we’ve found before she makes any decisions.”
“Ah! Yes!” Mustafa stepped back from the TV. “Success.”
Noriko tried to smile, but she was worried. What was Gerard up to? He wasn’t working with Elisabeta again, was he?
She glanced over to the table at the sack they’d uncovered from the Osiris Temple. He’d left it behind, just asking Noriko not to open it, saying that that honor belonged to Laney.
He would
n’t have done that if he was betraying us, right?
Plus he’d left Mustafa his gun and an additional shotgun that Mustafa had found in a closet. It could have been an oversight on Gerard’s part, but he was pretty thorough. Of course, if he wasn’t planning on coming back, whether or not Mustafa was armed was irrelevant.
Lights and sounds from the TV interrupted her thoughts as Mustafa tried to find a channel without too much static. Mustafa muttered to himself as he switched the channels. Noriko vaguely listened to him and the sounds of the TV as she walked to the front window to look and see if Gerard was returning. But yet again there was no sign of him.
“—Delaney McPhearson’s plane.”
Noriko whirled around at the familiar name coming out of the anchor’s mouth. “What ha—”
But Mustafa put up a hand, turning up the volume. “The Coast Guard reached the crash site and found no survivors. For those just joining us, we are recapping the events of the last few hours. The plane carrying Delaney McPhearson to Calevitnia, at the demand of Elisabeta Roccorio, was shot out of the sky. McPhearson and the man accompanying her, Drake, a Las Vegas entertainer, are both presumed dead. Their deaths have rattled—” Mustafa lowered the volume, his jaw hanging open.
Noriko sunk on the couch. She felt numb as all of Gerard’s actions came into clearer focus. Her hand flew to her mouth.
What have I done?
Gerard had asked her not to say anything about her vision of Elisabeta, but maybe if Laney had known, maybe she would have done something different. And now she was dead.
“That’s why we didn’t go back to the estate,” said Noriko. “Gerard knew. Somehow he knew.”
“There’s more.” Mustafa turned the volume back up. The anchors described the last hour in excruciating detail. The radiological bombs, the Fallen attacking across the country. Noriko sat with her hand to her mouth, horror growing with each new violent act discussed. They’d been in the air when all this had happened. In the air and kept off any media that would give them news. The betrayal cut her quick and deep.
How could you, Gerard? She couldn’t deny what was in front of her. Gerard had kept them from learning about any of this. He’d used her to help find the Omni, and then . . .
Her head turned to the table where the leather sack lay. But why leave it with them? Why not take it with him?
“That bastard.” Mustafa muted the TV before he strode across the room. He grabbed the shotgun he’d placed on the kitchen table. Loading it, he thrust it toward Noriko.
She backed away, her hands up. “What? What are you doing?”
“You need to take this. And if you see Gerard, you need to shoot him.”
“What? Why?”
“He played us, Noriko. We should have gone straight back to the estate when we arrived. But we didn’t. We came here so Gerard could do what, exactly? Get the lay of the land?”
“But he wouldn’t—”
“Laney is dead.” Mustafa stumbled over the word, then straightened his shoulders, his eyes burning. “It’s not a coincidence that she dies and he disappears. He’s probably been feeding information to Elisabeta this whole time.”
“But why? I mean, why bring us along?”
“For cover. To ensure he could get his hands on the Omni.”
“But why not kill us once he had it?”
“I don’t know. But I know if we had gone straight to the estate or even just called her, Laney might still be alive. She could have used the Omni. Given herself powers that could have protected her. But he kept that from her.”
Noriko knew what Mustafa was saying was plausible, but it didn’t feel right. “No, Gerard wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t.”
“He did, Noriko. And now you need to protect yourself.” Mustafa took a breath. “We need to go. We need to find a boat, a canoe, a log, and get the hell out of here.”
“But Gerard—”
“Is not coming back, and if he does, we need to shoot first and ask questions later.”
Noriko’s gaze flashed back to the TV, where an exploding plane took up the screen. She flinched, imagining Laney in that plane. Was it true? Had Gerard been deceiving them this whole time?
Mustafa slung his pack over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Noriko nodded slowly, moving with not nearly as much energy. How had she been so wrong? She pictured him, the look in his eyes.
Did you betray us? Betray Laney?
Mustafa opened the door and found Gerard reaching for the handle from the other side.
Mustafa had his gun clear of the holster in a split second and pulled the trigger. Noriko screamed as Gerard pushed the gun to the left, just avoiding getting shot. Gerard grabbed Mustafa’s wrists, holding them against the open door.
“What the hell are you doing?” he yelled.
“You betrayed us! You sold us out to her.” Mustafa sneered the last word. “And Laney’s dead because of it.”
“Not exactly,” a voice said from behind Gerard.
Noriko stumbled back as two people appeared from the shadows.
“How?” Mustafa breathed out.
“Well, if you promise not to try and shoot Gerard again, I will be happy to tell you the whole story.” Laney shivered, and Noriko noticed her damp clothes and hair for the first time. “After a shower and some warm clothes.”
Chapter 84
The fire in the fireplace had been built up when Laney stepped back into the main room of the cabin. Mustafa stepped away from the window and embraced her. “Thank Allah you’re all right.”
“Well, this time I think it’s Gerard we have to thank for that.”
Mustafa’s face tightened. Laney squeezed his hand. “He’s been helping me.”
“How?” Noriko asked from the kitchen table. Laney opened her mouth, then closed it as the scent of fresh brewed coffee hit her. “I will tell you everything for a cup of that coffee.”
A few minutes later, they were all sitting at the kitchen table. Laney took another sip of the coffee, savoring its warmth. It was filling in the few cold spots the shower had left behind. She still couldn’t believe she and Drake were here—alive. And from the looks on Mustafa and Noriko’s faces, she was not the only one.
“Okay, I think we’ve been patient enough,” Mustafa said. “How on earth are you two alive? And what does this have to do with Gerard?”
Drake draped his arm along the back of Laney’s chair. “We are here because Delaney McPhearson is a brilliant woman.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said. “I think luck played a big role, too.”
“Nope. I stand by brilliant.”
Laney smiled.
Mustafa rolled his eyes. “Right, brilliant, lucky. I’ll agree to both. Just how did you get out of the plane before the missile hit?”
Laney took a sip. “We didn’t. We were in the plane when the missile hit.”
Drake sat at the controls as the plane taxied down the runway, then took off. Laney’s knee bounced up and down continuously in the copilot’s seat.
“I realize our first plane ride together was a little stressful, but I think I’ve demonstrated I can fly. And out of our entire trip, this part is going to be the least nerve-wracking.”
She just gave him a distracted smile.
He frowned. But then the plane began to level out as Drake set the plane on auto-pilot. “I cannot believe I let you talk me into this.”
Laney clipped off her seat belt, vaulting to her feet.
“What are you—”
But Laney didn’t answer, as she’d already disappeared out the cockpit’s door.
Unbuckling himself, he followed her. “Laney, what’s—” He stopped.
Laney had a knife in her hand, and she had started cutting the cushions off the seats.
Drake stared at her, dumbfounded, wondering if she had finally lost it. It would be understandable, he supposed, with everything she’d been through. “Uh, what are you doing?”
“Help me
.” She handed him the knife. “Cut off the ones on the other side.”
“Um, why am I—”
But Laney had already hurried down the aisle, disappearing into the plane’s galley. He looked around the cabin as if somehow answers to Laney’s behavior were going to appear. But nothing jumped out at him. With a sigh, he ripped through the seat, yanking off the padding.
Great. She’s lost it. She’s probably scrounging around for tinfoil to make us matching hats.
Laney hustled back down the aisle, two small oxygen tanks in her hand and two helmets. He frowned. “What are those?”
“Specially designed helmets that double as oxygen masks.”
“And Gerard has them on his plane because . . .?”
“Because he is well prepared.” She thrust one of the helmets toward him. “Put this on.”
She pulled on the other helmet, clipping the tank to her belt before grabbing the padding she’d cut off and heading back toward the galley. “Come on.”
Grabbing the padding and cradling the helmet under his arm, he frowned as he followed her. “Have you lost it? Should I be binding you up in straps or something? Because the plane already has oxygen.”
She glared at him. “I have not lost it. And I am trying not to lose it, so do what I say for once without argument. Please?”
It was the please that caught him as she swung two cabinets away from the wall. He shoved the helmet on his head, clipping the tank to his belt as well. She reached behind another cabinet and pushed a button. The metal siding slid back, revealing a space in the wall.
“What is that?”
“A smuggler’s box. It’s in the wing. Grab that iPad.” She nudged her chin toward the counter as she threw all the padding into the space, lining it up around the edges. “And hurry.”
He grabbed the iPad, handing it to her as she crawled in. Drake crawled in after her, wondering what the hell was going on. Laney hit a button on the inside of the space. The metal door slid shut. It was a really tight fit.
