by Bryan Davis
Lauren lowered the goggles. “You mean, she had it ready before she saw them?”
“She is familiar with the shadow people, so she prepared the potion from roots and herbs as a precaution.”
“Hmmm. Resourceful, isn’t she?”
“And dangerous.” He set a finger to his lips. “Let’s stay as quiet as possible from now on. If Semiramis’s allies are near the portal, they might be able to hear us. I prefer that we keep our presence unknown to them.”
“Just a second.” Lauren glanced at Joan, who had stayed quietly perched on her shoulder, and sent a thought her way. Any counsel?
Joan blinked at her. Only that you should continue heeding Eagle’s advice. This is all new to me, so he is the better person to consult. I am very impressed with his wisdom and manner.
Me, too. Lauren nodded at Eagle. “Lead the way. I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.”
Assuming mice are quiet here, Joan added.
Hush. Lauren followed Eagle into the cave, taking a long step over the shadow people. She left the goggles down. With the cave path so narrow, nothing could escape Eagle’s flashlight.
He stopped. “The air is clear,” he whispered, lowering the leaf and returning it to his pocket.
Lauren lowered hers and pushed it into her back pants pocket. Eagle flicked off the flashlight and took her hand. “We will proceed in darkness,” he said. “A light will give away our presence, so it’s a good thing your glow has diminished. If not for my gifted vision, I would probably not be able to see you.”
“Yes. It is a good thing.” She lifted the night-vision goggles over her eyes. “I have these goggles. They let me see in the dark.”
“Then maybe you should lead the way.”
She touched the frame. “Would you like to wear them?”
“No. I trust you. I am comfortable staying at your side.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know if I see anything.”
As they walked farther into the cave, darkness enveloped them. The slightest of glows from their companions provided contrast for the goggles, allowing her to see pretty well. Eagle’s steady hand felt strong and secure. He had been here before and knew the way. Everything would be fine.
Soon, a blank wall came into view. Lauren stopped and set Eagle’s hand against it. “Feel this?” she whispered.
“The end of the cave. The portal is no longer open.”
“But it was open recently, right?”
“Quite recently.”
She ran her hand along the wall. It felt odd, as if charged with static electricity. The scales on her back tingled. Sound trickled in. A gunshot. She flinched. Someone shouted, “Valiant!” It sounded like Matt, yet garbled, as if spoken underwater. More shots fired. Then engines roared, and the noise began to fade.
Lauren pulled away and knelt. She set Apollo on the cave floor and looked at Eagle’s dim profile, hoping to keep worry out of her voice. “I guess it won’t hurt to turn on your light now. No one’s around.”
“And since you are glowing once again, more light will not add much to our visibility.”
The beam flashed on and illuminated Apollo. She jerked the goggles down and began pushing menu buttons as quickly as she could. “Now I’ll tell you what this is all about. It’s called Apollo. Among other things, it’s able to open portals. I don’t know if it’s ever opened this one or not, but if it has, the settings should be in a database. If not, I’ll just use the readings it detects here.”
“Some of your words are unfamiliar to me, but I think I understand.”
“Good, because I’m not sure I can explain everything.” She ran through the options—History, External Devices, Apollo, Sort Options, By Label. She then ran through a series of portal labels—Glastonbury Tor to Hades, Patrick’s forest to Hades, Montana Crater to Valley of Shadows Cave. That had to be it.
She entered the spectrum numbers into Apollo’s flash settings. “If I’m right,” she said as she shifted her finger to Apollo’s base, “when I press this button, Apollo will flash with a light that will open the portal.” She set her finger on the button. “I’m a lot like Listener. I can hear things other people can’t. And I just heard some things from the other side of this portal that sound dangerous, so if it opens, we have to be ready for trouble.”
“A flash of light opens the portal?” He crouched and shone the beam on the cave’s back wall. “I told you about the fire that was burning when I was here earlier. I detected an odor similar to the fuel we use for our flying hospital, and I know how combustible that is. Could light from an explosion have opened the portal?”
“I suppose it could have. I don’t know how precise the light spectrum numbers have to be.”
“Then the fire is likely out, but since you heard sounds of danger, perhaps the dragon has returned.”
“What dragon?”
Eagle touched the portal wall. “After I came back from your world to the safety of this cave, Cheer and I watched from behind the fire. Semiramis lifted her hands toward the sky and spoke in a strange language. Soon, a red dragon much bigger than Albatross landed. When she climbed up on his back, they flew away. Of course since our companions were at risk and I heard other voices nearby, I couldn’t go back to see where the dragon went, especially while looking after Cheer, so we returned to the forest.”
“Dragon or no dragon, I think it’ll be dangerous on the other side of the portal.”
“Then we will face the danger together.” Eagle nodded. “Push the button.”
Chapter 21
SURRENDER
At least twelve helicopters descended into the crater. The sound of roaring blades whipped around, their echoes stirred in the cauldron of noise. His legs again cramping violently, Matt knelt next to his mother. “You were right. There’s a bunch of them.”
“We can’t fight that many!” Dad shouted. “We’ll have to surrender. Listener, take Bonnie and the guns and hide in the cave. Maybe they haven’t spotted everyone yet.”
Listener collected the rifles and tossed them into the cave. Bullets ripped the ground in front of Dad and Valiant, but they stood firm. The lights shone on them, crisscrossing from all directions, descending slowly with the choppers.
As Listener crawled backwards into the cave, she extended an arm. “Bring Bonnie to me! Hurry!” Her companion tilted on her shoulder as if ready to topple.
Matt slid Semiramis’s dagger from his belt and tossed it into the cave with Listener. “Take this!” It clinked on the ground and bounced close to her hand.
She snatched it up. “Got it!”
He raised his cloak’s hood, pushed his arms under his mother, and lifted her into a cradle. His head pounded. Every limb throbbed. Recovery from the attempted healing was way too slow. As he staggered toward Listener, bullets riddled the ground in front of him. He halted. Listener ducked farther into the cave. Her companion fell to the ground, but she grabbed it and disappeared inside.
Swallowing, Matt stayed put. They knew he was there now, so trying to hide Mom would expose Listener. She had the rifles, so maybe somehow she could do something to help, but with so many choppers and soldiers, keeping out of sight would be her best bet.
Helicopters began settling to the floor of the crater, raising clouds of dust and sand. With their lights trained on Valiant, Matt, and his father, the rest of the ground seemed dark by comparison. Matt glanced at the cave entry again. Although dim, movement was easy to detect. A soldier’s dead body inched out, Listener’s hands barely visible as she pushed it.
Still carrying his mother, Matt limped closer to the landing helicopters, his calf muscles tight. Getting farther from the cave would help Listener stay in darkness, but would his legs hold out? The spasms were pure torture.
“You’re brave,” Mom whispered as she embraced his neck loosely. “Hold on to that courage. I have faith in you.”
Matt took in a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “I’ll do my best.�
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When the last helicopter landed, the lights aimed at the ground in front of them, making the crater floor look like a well-lit stage. A voice buzzed into Matt’s tooth transmitter. “I was almost there, Billy. I saw them just in time and shut down my lights. I guess they didn’t spot me, because no one gave chase. I’m hovering pretty high up with Ashley and your parents, but Gabriel jumped out. I have no idea what he might try, but you know Gabriel. Expect something unexpected.”
The closest helicopter’s propellers slowed, and its engine noise ebbed. A soldier with an assault rifle stepped out. Matt spotted his stripes—a sergeant. A thin man wearing black from head to toe followed him. Breezes from the slowing blades buffeted his curly hair, and the lights made his narrow face appear ghostly pale. He looked like a walking corpse in funeral attire. As he drew closer, the breeze blew open his suit jacket, revealing a shoulder holster and gun.
“It’s Tamiel,” Matt whispered, hoping the words would transmit to his father and Walter.
His father nodded, also whispering. “Keep providing information. Even if Walter can’t hear us, Larry is probably recording everything. They can decipher it later.”
“Lois is recording,” Walter said. “Larry is —”
“Walter, no!” Ashley’s voice broke in. “We’re too close. Don’t count on encryption.”
“Right,” Walter said. “Signing off for now, but we’ll keep listening.”
Matt sidled up to his father, his muscles finally loosening. “Surrendering to Tamiel makes me want to barf.”
At least two dozen more armed soldiers poured out of the helicopters and formed a line at either side of Tamiel, their rifles aimed. They all appeared to be army privates.
“I know.” Dad caressed Mom’s cheek with a finger, making her smile weakly. “But if we don’t surrender, we’re all dead.”
Valiant leaned toward Dad. “At what price will we surrender? Even violence toward your wife?”
“I will allow violence toward myself, but if they show any aggression toward Bonnie or Matt, I’ll fight to the death and take as many of them as I can with me. I think they want Bonnie alive, so I’m hoping that won’t be necessary.”
Valiant nodded. “Agreed.”
Matt quickly counted the helicopters. At least he could give Walter a blow-by-blow description, even if it sounded strange. “I see twelve choppers.”
Tamiel waved a finger at Matt. “Put her down. I want to see how healthy she is.”
Matt looked at his father, who gestured with his eyes to do as Tamiel said.
“Okay, I’ll put my mother down, but she’s very weak.” Matt set Mom’s feet on the ground and slowly added weight to her wobbly legs. Finally, she stood alone with her arms and wings wrapped around herself. The breeze tossed her hair, and she blinked wearily at the lights, but she seemed steady. “Satisfied?”
“Ah!” Tamiel said. “Very good! She still has some energy left.”
“If you so much as touch a hair on her head,” Dad growled, “I’ll—”
“Spare me the drama. She will not be violated in any way.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I have no desire to tell you, but rest assured that she will be unharmed.” Tamiel pulled a long fibrous rag from a pocket and gave it to the sergeant. “Take Billy and Bonnie and the boy. Handcuff them securely, but most of all make sure you plug Billy’s mouth with this gag. I advise incapacitating him first, but do not kill him.”
“They’re going to cuff us and gag my father,” Matt whispered, hoping someone was still listening.
The sergeant rammed the butt of his gun into Dad’s head, sending him sprawling. He writhed and clawed at the ground for a moment before going limp.
“Dad!” Matt stepped toward him, but another soldier grabbed his arm and held him fast. “You cowards!” Matt yelled. “You just bashed an unarmed man!”
“Don’t move!” The soldier cuffed Matt’s wrists and pressed a pistol against his head. “Or you’re dead.”
Mom staggered toward Dad. Her legs buckled. She dropped to her knees, her eyes wide open.
A soldier handcuffed Dad’s wrists behind his back, hoisted him over his shoulder, and marched toward a larger helicopter at the rear of the group. The soldier holding Matt shoved him to the side, scooped Mom into his arms, and hurried in the same direction.
“We’ll take the kid in a minute.” The sergeant nodded toward the crater wall. “The medic checked our three men over by that cave. They’re dead.”
“You see what I told you?” Tamiel said. “These criminals are butchers. They have no concern for the wives and children these good soldiers left behind. Now they are widows and orphans.”
“Yes sir.” The sergeant pointed his gun toward the cave. “Do you have any intel about anyone being inside? Someone shot our men, and there are no guns in sight.”
Tamiel shook his head. “Gather your men’s bodies, and throw some poisonous gas in there or whatever it is you do to smoke someone out.”
“You heard him.” The sergeant waved at the line of troops. “Three of you get the canisters and see if there’s a rat in the hole that needs to be smoked out, and bring our men’s bodies.”
Matt looked at Valiant. He stood tall in front of Tamiel, his head high and his eyes clear, though his companion was nowhere in sight. Matt glanced upward. The stars were no longer visible, but that could be because the helicopter lights washed them out.
“What do we do with this one?” the sergeant asked, giving Valiant a shove.
Tamiel waved a hand. “Shoot him.”
As the sergeant lifted his rifle, Matt lowered his shoulder and lunged at him, slamming into his back like a battering ram. The sergeant’s rifle fired, and he toppled forward into Valiant. Matt fell after him. With his wrists cuffed, he smacked his cheek on the stony ground. Valiant wrestled the gun away from the sergeant and began shooting soldiers right and left.
A pop sounded, distinct and clear. Valiant dropped the rifle and clutched his chest, blood pouring between his fingers.
From the ground, Matt lifted his head and shouted, “Valiant!” He bit his lip hard. The scene was too terrible to describe. Walter would just have to figure it out on his own.
Tamiel stood nearby with a handgun. Smoke twisted up from its barrel. He fired again. Valiant toppled to the side and curled on the ground. When Tamiel fired a third time, Valiant rolled to his stomach and lay motionless.
The sergeant climbed to his feet and stomped Valiant’s head, but Valiant didn’t flinch or groan. With a quick pivot, the sergeant kicked Matt in the stomach. “That’ll teach you, brat!”
“Enough!” Tamiel shouted as he returned the gun to its holster. “I need him healthy … for now. Any suffering he undergoes must be witnessed by his mother.”
Nausea boiled in Matt’s gut. Pain throttled his head. That monster! How could any soldier follow his orders? Tamiel wasn’t even in the military, much less anyone’s commanding officer. Why would they so blindly obey?
The sergeant grabbed Matt’s collar and jerked him to his feet.
As his head throbbed, the entire scene became a blur of images. Three soldiers ran toward the cave. Each one tossed in a canister. Within seconds, smoke poured out. Matt kept trying to watch, but one of the soldiers shoved him in the back with the butt of a rifle. “Get going!”
With the gun butt constantly prodding him, Matt half walked, half jogged to the larger helicopter. He stepped up into the passenger compartment and sat on a bench facing the rear. With the door still open, the cave stayed in view. Two of the men were now carrying the three fallen soldiers away one by one while the third watched the cave opening with his rifle ready. Listener hadn’t come out yet. How long could she stay? Were they using tear gas or something more deadly? She probably still had her mask, but even if it was effective against the gas, it couldn’t last forever.
Dad sat on the opposite bench a little more than an arm�
�s length away, his head propped by the side wall. With the asbestos rag stuffed in his mouth, even if he were awake, he wouldn’t be able to speak, though a bruise on his jaw and around one eye said plenty. The world was going mad, and they were all helpless to stop it. Mom lay on a cot between them, but with her eyes closed, it was impossible to tell how she was reacting, though her lips moved, maybe in silent prayer.
“Walter,” Matt said in the lowest whisper possible. “Dad, Mom, and I are in the back of a transport chopper. I have no idea where they’re taking us.”
When two more soldiers piled in and began cuffing Matt’s and Dad’s ankles, the helicopter lifted from the crater floor. As it swung around, the rest of the helicopters came into view. While one stayed put, keeping its lights trained on Listener’s cave, the others rose into the air as a single unit. Beams from their lights knifed through swirling clouds of dust, crisscrossing like dueling sabers.
A smaller light flashed on the crater floor. Matt blinked, then squinted. A rectangular glow stood on the ground, like a radiant frame around a gap of darkness. Someone stepped out from the gap and looked up, then darted back in again.
Matt averted his eyes. With all the lights dancing around, maybe no one noticed the newcomer. The light had to be a portal, but who could that person be? And what would happen if someone spotted him?
When the soldiers finished clasping their prisoners’ ankles, they sat on the benches, one next to Matt and the other next to Dad, each one with a rifle clutched in front. They stared straight ahead, expressionless, though their tight jaws gave away their anger. Since they thought their three buddies had been murdered by their prisoners, it probably wouldn’t do any good to talk to them.
The soldier sitting next to Dad winked. The other soldier winked back. The first raised his gun and rammed the butt into Dad’s ribs. Dad groaned but kept his eyes closed. “Oops,” the soldier said, grinning. “I’m so sorry.”
