Cosmos' Promise

by S. E. Smith

  Cosmos leaned back against the brick wall, letting his head fall back as tears burned his eyes at the thought of his father’s lifeless body being placed on display. He bit his fist to keep the rage and sorrow from giving him away.

  Cosmos, I’m here. Terra’s voice caressed his mind. Do not let him win. Your father cannot hurt any longer. His soul is free and cannot be touched. It is only the shell that remains.

  God, Terra, it hurts so much, Cosmos moaned silently as pain flooded him.

  I know, my love. Terra murmured.

  Cosmos’ eyes glittered and he felt a tear escape at the same time as he swore he could feel her hand caressing his cheek. Warmth flooded him as she poured all of her love into him. He could see images of her holding their child, his mother laughing as a small, dark-haired girl ran up to her, and the four of them strolling along a shoreline covered in pink sand with strange creatures dancing in the surf.

  Believe, she whispered softly in his mind.

  I do, he responded before he drew in a deep breath to shake off the shock. “RITA, what is the status of Jason’s team?”

  “It is secure,” RITA began but even Cosmos heard the slight hesitation in her voice.

  “Details,” he demanded.

  “Well… There was a minor issue. It would appear Avilov’s men found Runt. Avery isn’t happy about that. From what Derik was able to get out of the man they captured, another hacker ratted Runt out for a huge reward. Avilov’s men tracked her down through this associate of hers. Bert was injured trying to save her. He’ll be alright. He took a bullet to the shoulder. They were going to use her to hack into me. I let them in because I didn’t want the poor girl to get hurt. She was trying everything she could to stop me! Every time I undid the damn lock, she would write a program to seal the door again. I finally had to send her an algorithm to let her know I was aware of what was going on and to let them in. Thank goodness she understood the message I spelled out. Anyway, she fought like a she-devil once the door opened and escaped upstairs. Derik found her hiding under your bed after they took out all but one of Avilov’s men. Jason asked Derik to apply some of his persuasive skills and the man sung louder than a canary at a bird seed convention. I was able to replicate his voice and made the call to Dolinski letting him know everything was good. I’m not sure whether or not he believed me from the responses though. He is a very difficult man to read.”

  “Are you in the last four rooms yet?” Cosmos asked quietly.

  “Yes, I’m sending you the information now. I was able to get one of the sensor bugs onto the back of one of the men’s jacket as he was entering the re-enforced room. I’m sending a video feed now,” RITA said softly. “Your mom is alone in the room to the right. There is a guard stationed outside the door. She appears to be handcuffed to a chair. Her blood pressure is extremely high, Cosmos,” RITA warned.

  “Send the information to Helene, RITA,” Cosmos ordered. “I want mom out of there now.”

  “Done,” RITA said sending the position of the sensor bug to the portable Gateway. “They are in transport now.”

  “Let me know the minute she is safe,” Cosmos requested.

  “I will,” RITA responded, monitoring the Gateway.

  *.*.*

  Helene heard RITA’s soft command in her ear. Turning, she nodded to the two figures standing next to her on the upper landing of a fire escape. They had been forced to hide when a couple of men that were obviously not out for an evening stroll started down the alley they were waiting in. When they encountered another two, the only way had been up if they didn’t want to be discovered.

  She had to admit, she had been surprised by both of her companions’ abilities to silently scale the metal ladder. She waited as Terra opened the shimmering doorway that she was beginning to get used to. A moment later they were in the portal room where Lan was waiting for them. Without waiting, another doorway appeared. The three of them silently slipped through.

  Terra’s eyes filled with tears as she saw the ravaged expression of hopelessness on the face of the woman chained to the chair in the middle of the semi-dark room. Only a single light shone dimly from a long wire hanging from the ceiling.

  She rushed forward, pulling the small tool Mak had given her from her pocket. With a few quick swipes, the laser cut through the thin chain between the thicker wrist cuffs. The woman gasped as her arms fell free to hang limply by her side. She started to slide sideways out of the chair. Angus caught her against him warm body.

  “Ava,” he whispered quietly in her ear.

  “Angus,” came the barest hint of sound as her eyelashes fluttered.

  “We’re getting you out of here,” Angus assured her as he slipped his arm around her and looked at Terra to help him.

  “Adam,” Ava began before she began to weep softly again.

  “I know, sweetheart,” Angus whispered. “Cosmos will bring him home.”

  Ava raised her head in alarm, her eyes pleading with Angus to listen to her. “He mustn’t come. That man… he wants to kill my son. I can’t let him take them both from me.”

  “He won’t,” Terra said sliding her arm around Ava’s other side and helping Angus to stand her up. “My father, brothers and other warriors are here. They will not let anything happen to him, I promise.”

  Ava turned her head to stare into Terra’s flaming silver eyes. Her soft gasp echoed loudly in the quiet room. Helene turned her head and shook it, frowning.

  “We must leave now!” She motioned toward the shimmering doorway.

  *.*.*

  “Cosmos, your mom is safe,” RITA said. “I’ll be there if you need me. Be careful.”

  Cosmos drew in a steady breath. He knew he was going to need it to deal with what was to come. He wasn’t afraid of the fight – he could handle that. It was seeing his father’s body and knowing that he would never be able to argue the benefits of video games with him again – or introduce him to the new world he had discovered and the beautiful woman that had captured his heart.

  “Teriff, it’s a go. The package has been delivered. Time to clean house,” Cosmos said feeling the adrenaline flooding him as rage and the desire for revenge burst over the dam he had built. “I want Avilov alive. To hell with you, Mak, I demand the Right of Justice on that asshole.”

  “I will be your second,” Mak replied quietly. “I’ve already killed two.”

  “Damn,” Gant muttered. “If this is a contest, I better get my ass in gear.”

  “Two more down,” Hendrik said.

  “Eight dead,” Teriff added.

  Brawn growled. “Show off! I’m going in through the roof.”

  Cosmos shook his head. He was glad they were on his side. He moved out of the shadows and walked up toward the front of the warehouse. Two men stepped out of the darkened entry way to confront him.

  “What do you want?” One of the men asked, spitting on the ground. “This area is closed. Get out of here.”

  Cosmos stopped in front of the man and smiled. “I have an appointment with your boss. Tell Avilov that Cosmos Raines is here to see him.”

  The second man started when Cosmos said his name. He touched the mic at his neck and spoke quickly into it. A moment later, he stood back and motioned for Cosmos to walk between them. Cosmos stepped toward the door. A dark smile curved his lips as he watched the number of Avilov’s men dropping rapidly on the contact lens in his eye as RITA tracked the number of kills. Cosmos raised his hands out to his side the moment he was between the two men and released a burst of energy out of the palms of his hands from the pads in his gloves. The two men went flying in opposite directions. The count dropped two more points.

  Chapter 21

  Avilov’s face creased into a smile when Frazer informed him that the guards in front had Cosmos Raines. They were bringing him in now. Avilov turned to the man who would replace Afon when this was over.

  “Where is Dolinski?” Avilov asked.

  Frazer’s lip curled in disgust. “He lef
t a half hour ago. He didn’t say where he was going, he never does.”

  Avilov nodded in agreement. That was another reason to get rid of the man. He thought he had the freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted.

  “Kill him when he returns,” Avilov said walking toward the door to his office. “Immediately.”

  Frazer grinned and stroked the gun at his hip. “With pleasure,” he said.

  Avilov opened the door and stepped out. He glanced at the man standing guard outside the room next to his before looking down as the door to the warehouse opened.

  “Bring her,” Avilov ordered the man as he walked by.

  He frowned as he walked down the steps. Something was wrong. The only men standing around Raines were the men that had been inside the warehouse. He paused on the steps forcing Frazer to side step so he wouldn’t run into him. Avilov slid his hand into his pocket feeling the comfort of the pistol he carried.

  “Check him,” Avilov ordered.

  Frazer stepped around Avilov and jogged down the stairs. There were at least twenty men surrounding him not counting the guard standing next to the room holding Raines’ mother, him, and Frazer. He had another eighteen outside covering the perimeter. There was no way one man could take them all out.

  Avilov listened as Frazer demanded that Raines raise his hands above his head. Raines stopped several feet inside the warehouse as if frozen. He stared at the body of his father hanging lifeless from the metal beam supporting a section of the large building for several long moments. Avilov felt a rush of satisfaction knowing the sight of the body would break the billionaire playboy inventor and make it easier to manipulate him. He started to take a step down when those cold hazel eyes swiveled, colliding with his. The smile slowly melted at the look of cold detached hatred that burned instead of the devastation that he was expecting. Avilov vaguely heard Frazer order Raines to lift his hands again at the same time as the guard behind him murmured that the woman was gone.

  As if in slow motion, Raines smiled at him at the same time as he raised his arms. Light flared from his palms, sending two of the men surrounding him flying backwards. Avilov stumbled on the step above him as Frazer shouted out, raising the pistol he held and firing it at Raines. The bullets flashed harmlessly in front of him, lighting up as if they hit an invisible wall before falling harmlessly to the concrete floor. Screams echoed as dark flashes of shadowy figures swept through the warehouse, lifting the men and tossing their broken bodies around as if they were discarded manikins.

  “Kill him,” Avilov ordered the guard standing behind him. The man was staring in horror at the massacre below. “Kill him!” He screamed, pushing the man to the side and stumbling up the stairs to his office.

  *.*.*

  Cosmos watched as Avilov shoved the man standing on the stairwell behind him to the side. His eyes swiveled back to the man who had ordered him to raise his arms then tried to shoot him when he killed two of the guards. He pulled the laser pistol at his side and aimed it at the man’s chest. Firing once, he struck the man in the center of the chest. The man’s eyes widened for a moment before they rolled back in his head. Cosmos switched the charge from stun to kill. He wanted the man alive. He wanted to know who was responsible for his father’s death and the man looked like he would be the one to know. Cosmos let Teriff and the others take care of the other men who were firing at anything that moved, including each other.

  “Cosmos,” RITA said worriedly. “Your suit is getting low. You need to be careful.”

  Cosmos ignored the warning. His eyes were glued on Avilov who was running down the metal walkway. He strode over to the stairs. The man on the stairwell opened fire on him, emptying one clip and slipping another one in as fast as his trembling fingers would let him. Cosmos calmly climbed up the steps, ignoring the flashes. When the second clip noisily clanged to the stairs, he raised his hand and fired a shot into the man’s chest watching as smoke rose as it penetrated the man’s body armor.

  “Damn, I guess head or lower extremity shots aren’t necessary with that,” RITA said in astonishment. “I need to look at the design of your laser pistol again.”

  Cosmos knocked the body of the man aside, ignoring the sickening thud as it tumbled down the stairs behind him. He continued climbing until he reached the level where Avilov had run. Walking down, he stopped when Teriff’s huge frame dropped down in front of him. Blood ran from a cut on his forehead but otherwise the huge Prime male looked like he had barely broken into a sweat.

  “Get out of my way,” Cosmos said in an emotionless voice.

  Teriff shook his head. “RITA warned me that your suit is depleted. You are defenseless against the weapons without it.”

  Cosmos ground his teeth in rage. “Get the fuck out of my way, Teriff.”

  Teriff put his hand on Cosmos’ arm, holding him back when he tried to pass him. “Dying will not bring your father back. I will grant you Right of Justice. I will not allow a chance of you being hurt or killed.”

  Cosmos looked coldly into Teriff’s eyes. “I want that bastard,” he said hoarsely.

  “And you will have him,” Teriff responded quietly. “There is a better way of taking him. One that will ensure that none of us are injured or killed. I promised not only my daughter I would not let you come to harm but her mother and Tilly. To tell you the truth, I am much more afraid of them than of you.”

  “Why?” Cosmos asked, puzzled.

  “Let us just say that I took way more cold showers than even RITA2 gave me. Tresa was not very happy with me about sending our daughter off and has not let me forget it yet,” Teriff said with a crooked grin.

  “The rest are dead,” J’kar said, coming up behind his father and impatiently wiping a smear of blood from his arm.

  Cosmos turned to look over his shoulder to the ground below. Bodies littered the floor. His gaze moved to where his father’s body hung. Empty ropes hung where it had been. He turned startled eyes to Borj who had come to stand next to him.

  “Mak has taken your father home to our world,” Borj said quietly. “He will be given a warrior’s burial.”

  Cosmos’ throat tightened in grief. He nodded before his eyes turned to the closed door. His lips tightened in resolve.

  “There was another man,” Cosmos said. “I stunned him. I want answers.”

  “Gant and Brawn have taken him back as well. He will be held for interrogation. You will have the right to decide what is to become of him,” Borj stated. “Hendrik, Core and Bullet will remain here to make sure there are no others. Once we have Avilov, they will return to our world.”

  “What of Dolinski?” Cosmos asked looking around with a frown. “He should have been here. I saw him leave earlier.”

  “We will locate him,” Teriff said. “Now, I think it is time to show Avilov what happens when he pisses a Prime Warrior off.”

  Cosmos nodded solemnly. “And messes with my family.”

  Chapter 22

  Avilov’s hands shook as he pulled the drawers out of his desk, tossing them as he searched for additional weapons. He cursed when he only found one additional clip. He looked wildly around trying to think of how he could escape.

  His hand touched his cell phone lying in his jacket pocket. He quickly pulled it out of his pocket and touched the screen. His fingers were shaking so badly that he kept typing in the wrong password. Slamming the phone down on the desk, he held his finger with his other hand as he pressed the numbers. He breathed a sigh of relief when it finally unlocked. He pressed his recent contacts. Seeing Dolinski’s name, he pressed the button and picked up the phone trying to draw in a steadying breath.

  On the third ring, Afon Dolinski picked up the call. “Speak,” the cold voice said.

  “I need you,” Avilov said in a trembling voice. “They are all dead. I need you to come get me.”

  “I no longer work for you, Mr. Avilov,” Afon responded coolly. “You are on your own. Goodbye.”

  Avilov stared at the phone as it disc
onnected. He frantically pressed at Dolinski’s name but all it did was ring. He dropped the phone onto the desk and backed away. His eyes stared at it blankly for a moment before they jerked up as a shimmering light suddenly appeared in the middle of his office. His hand rose as if in slow motion but it never got higher than his hip as a burst of light flashed out, striking him in the chest and knocking him backwards against the wall. He raised dazed eyes as Cosmos Raines walked through the doorway followed by four huge shapes. Darkness edged his vision as the largest one pulled him up and slung him over his shoulder. The last thing Avilov saw was the faint outline of his former office before everything went black.

  *.*.*

  Afon Dolinski looked at the vibrating phone in his hand with a smile. He was free. The man who had held his life in his hands for the past fifteen years was dead or as good as dead. He could feel it. He stood along the edge of the crowded waterway. Lifting his face to the night breeze, he wondered if he had ever smelled anything so sweet. He looked down at the dark waters and with a strange feeling, as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders, leaned forward and tossed the cell phone into the water. He was a rich man. It was time to start over - to leave behind everything that had held him captive all of his life. He had done and seen things that most never would. He had been controlled first by his inability to escape the life he was born into then by the man who had threatened the one thing that had mattered to him. Now, he was in control. Afon Dolinski had died tonight in the shark infested waters of Hong Kong. Aaron Dolan, reclusive billionaire, was suddenly very much alive.