Apocalypse Five: Archive of the Fives Book One

by Stacey Rourke

  Wiping the juice from fresh strawberries on his pants—an act that would be scoffed at by his Undertaker—Houston turned to Morgan with a face full of gratitude. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home. I know times have been hard for everyone as of late. We don’t take you sharing your resources with us lightly.”

  “We are blessed with a bounty only to share it with others.” Morgan’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he studied the movements of the dancers as if seeing the story they told for the very first time. “That is how we repay Mother Mountain’s kindness. This particular dance symbolizes that very thing. See how their arms arch over their heads? That is thanking Her for providing us shelter. The sharp kicks of their feet are the flames of the fire that burns for our warmth and protection. Now, the roll of their fingers lifts their hands skyward in honor of the plants that grow on the face of the mountain. Can you guess what the churning hips represent?”

  “All of my answers are going to be dirty,” Houston admitted, treating himself to the last of his chicken.

  Detroit delivered a sharp elbow to Houston’s ribs. “The water?” she guessed.

  “Very good, cousin! That’s correct. Through water we draw power, life, and warmth.” Morgan’s braids bobbed in his enthusiastic nod. “See how they hunch their bodies? These are the animals drawn to the fresh mountain springs, that we hunt for our nourishment. We are gifted all of this by living our lives in a way that honors Mother Mountain. She does not want us to hoard her blessings and send others away. All are welcome, and all are allowed to look upon her beauty and celebrate her splendor.”

  “Still,” setting his plate down in front of him, Houston rubbed his hands together to shake off the crumbs, “you know the risk you took allowing us to come here. We owe our thanks to you for that.”

  For a moment, Morgan’s joyous state was shadowed by dark clouds of the past. “I will never forget the face of the sweet baby girl my wife and I handed over to the men of the Fortress, thinking we were doing what was right by her. Her soft skin was the color of melted caramel. Tight little pin curls decorated her head like a cap. She had her mother’s pink lips, and my eyes.” Chin falling to his chest, his jaw tensed. “She was such a strong baby. We were confident that she would sail through the inoculation process without difficulty, and be returned to us in no time. Back then, they still held on to that fictitious promise. Of course, that day … would never come. Unable to handle the loss, my wife took her own life. She scaled the highest peak of Mother Mountain and tried to soar out above the pain.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss,” Houston muttered, hating how weak the words sounded in the face of such real pain.

  Biting the inside of her cheek, Detroit dove into her memories, searching the faces of the cadets for one that could possibly belong to Morgan and his dearly departed wife.

  Morgan turned to Houston, a wash of tears brightening his eyes. “Even pain is given for a reason. Had those pieces of my heart not left me, I may not have felt such a strong pull to protect the young life you brought here and all that she represents. Each breath she draws is proof of the lies and manipulations of the Sky People. All need to know of how she thrives, that they need not fear the unknown, but grow strength in the truth.”

  Hating the bite of his next words, Houston forced himself to speak them. “And you know war is coming for us all?”

  Fire ignited in the deep pools of Morgan’s stare, chasing away his melancholy. “We need to come together and rise up. Stealing the food from our plates, and children from our arms, is the vilest form of evil I can think of. That is a fight worth spilling blood over.”

  Be it timing or circumstance, the gods of war were summoned by that bold claim. Their arrival was marked by the explosive boom that shook through the mountain, eliciting panicked shrieks from the gathered clan. Pebbles rained down from above. Rock slides formed hurdles in the main passageways. Houston planted a hand on the ground, moving to bound to his feet, when Morgan caught his arm and held him back.

  “Whatever follows, know that none among the Cave Dwellers hold blame or regret over siding with you.” Leaping to his feet with surprising agility for a man his age, Morgan flipped his walking stick over in his palm to brandish it like a weapon. A snap of his fingers over his head, and the leader of the Dwellers was instantly joined by the warriors of his clan. Men and women pulled spears and daggers, and awaited the call to war.

  The crowd by the entrance parted, allowing three Cave Dwellers to stumble into the fray. One of the men completed his shuffled trek to Morgan before collapsing into the outstretched arms of his leader. His skin, like the others, was pocked with angry red welts. Blood streamed from his ears. Foam gathered at the corners of his mouth.

  Before his eyes rolled back, the wilting Dweller rasped, “The baby. They want … the baby.”

  “Tend to them!” Morgan bellowed, lowering the man to the ground.

  Armed with fresh mud and cloth to clean and treat the wounds, the Healers of the clan needed no further direction.

  Gathered in a tight huddle with his warriors, Morgan spoke in a hushed whisper as he formed their battle plan.

  On her feet in a blink, Detroit wove through the growing chaos to insert herself in the Cavers’ growing militia. Planting herself in front of Morgan, she stared up at the mountainous man. “This is our fight, not yours.”

  None among them looked at her with malice, but with a calm resolve that refused to bend.

  “No, child,” Morgan soothed. Clapping his walking stick against the earth, he signaled his warriors to move out in a tight formation. “It’s up to the four of you to protect that baby and get her family to safety.”

  His instruction was cut off by another thunderous explosion that rocked through the mountain.

  “Where are Tatum and her crews? We stand a better chance if we gather together and fight!” Detroit insisted, scanning the frenzied crowd for the Floaters.

  Morgan’s fist tightened around his staff, fury building at any that would dare attack sacred Mother Mountain. “Your friends left to gather more of their people. They won’t be back in time. That child’s only chance is for us to create a diversion while you run. There is a way out near the mountain’s summit, and a footpath that will lead you down. Go now. Follow the tunnels up at quick as you can. We will hold them off as long as we’re able. That child is everything. Do not fail.”

  Charging after his men with his stick raised over his head, a booming battle cry tore from Morgan’s lungs. Unaccustomed to being on the outside of the fray, Detroit stared after him in stupefied confusion.

  “This way!” a stunning beauty with midnight black skin and a brilliant smile called, snapping the team leader from her reverie. Gesturing to the A-5, she waved them toward the back wall of the gathering space. “Hurry now!”

  Houston puffed out his cheeks and exhaled through pursed lips. “I don’t see too many other alternatives. Dee, lead the way. I’ll bring up the rear and make sure we all stay together.”

  Fearful Reno would use this as a diversion to take off after his sister, Detroit caught his wrist and dragged him alongside her. Houston and Auggie boxed in the young family, herding them in the direction of their guide.

  Chin quivering with a terrified sob, Remi held Adalyn tight to her chest. Fear of losing hold of her child a second time slowed her steps, causing clusters of people to insert themselves between them and the others.

  “Let me take the baby.” Leif scooped Adalyn from her mother’s arms, careful to keep an eye on which direction the rest of the team had gone.

  “Hold her head,” Remi reminded him, situating another blanket around the child.

  “I’ve got her! Move!” Cradling her like the most precious football ever in existence, Leif tucked her to her chest and ran.

  They caught up to the others just as back to back booms quaked through the mountain, triggering trickles of rock that streamed down from above. They launched themselves into the tunnels, fear of being buried
alive quickening their climb. Thighs burning, they wove their way upward. Gasping for breath out of equal parts thinning air and narrowed passageways, they had no choice but to ignore their discomfort and push on.

  As they rounded a sharp corner, their guide pulled up short. Driven by momentum, Detroit bowled past her only to be caught by lightning-fast reflexes.

  “Stop!” the guard screamed, catching hold of the back of Detroit’s shirt.

  Wind whipped at the team leader’s cheeks, blowing her hair back. Eyes bulging, she swallowed down the nausea of slamming into a wall of vertigo. Toes on the edge of a cliff, she peered down from between clouds to the ground below.

  Catching her elbow, their guide eased her back. “Easy now.”

  “Found the other exit,” Detroit squeaked, backpedaling from the deadly precipice.

  “It comes up fast. You’ll know that now when you go back out there.” She poked her head out to make sure their route was clear, and sunlight glistened over their guide’s features.

  Eyebrows disappearing into her hairline, Detroit responded with a series of rapid blinks. “I’m sorry, back out there? There is no ground. Just a sharp drop straight down. I don’t know what people down here believe about our team, but we can’t actually fly.”

  “Out and to the right,” she explained with a compassionate smile. “There’s a ledge you will have to shimmy across, with your back to the rock, for about six paces. After that, it opens up to a path that’s easier to maneuver.”

  “Leif, the baby!” Remi’s hands gripped the hem of Adalyn’s blanket in white-knuckled fists.

  Without a word, the guide untied the belt knotted around her middle. “Lift her to your chest,” she directed the new father. Tying the belt under Adalyn’s rump and around his waist, her nimble fingers crisscrossed the remaining fabric into a tightly woven carrier she then knotted behind Leif’s neck.

  Screams in the distance preempted another earth trembling blast.

  “What is that?” Remi’s head snapped around in search of the cause.

  Hands on either side of the mouth of the cave, Detroit peeked out to locate the ledge. “My best guess? An ultrasonic weapon. Its ammunition is energy itself. It has both psychological and physical effects. While inaudible, the high-pitched noise it makes is what I’m betting made those Cavers’ ears bleed. Their burns came from acoustic projectiles fired from infrasonic generators within the barrels. It can also cause vomiting, organ damage, and even death. From what I’ve read, it’s excruciatingly painful. Therefore, we need to get as far from here as possible while there is still a mountain between us and them.”

  Tugging on her harness contraption, the guide tested its stability. “That should hold. Just use one hand to hold the baby, and one to guide you along the rock.”

  “Not one part of that was reassuring,” Leif grumbled. Rising on tiptoe, he peered over Detroit’s shoulder to the steep drop-off below.

  Detroit fixed on her soldier façade and turned on her heel to lock stares with Leif before either of them could second guess their decision. “I’ll go first, so I can be there to help you along. Houston will be on this side to help stabilize you as long as he can. We’ll get you through this. All you have to do is trust us. Can you do that?”

  Gaze drifting to Remi, Leif waited for her to nod before mirroring the gesture. “You’ve spent your entire lives training for situations like this. Seems I couldn’t ask for a better group to walk me through my nightmare.”

  “Dee, you sure you want to be the first one to— Annnnd she’s gone …” Augusta’s concerned sentiment trailed off as Detroit inched out on the ledge and disappeared around the corner.

  The wind whipping past her ears added a shrieking whistle to Detroit’s building trepidation. Oddly enough, she never considered if she had a fear of heights until that precarious moment. Toes dangling over the edge of the narrow ridge, she gaped down at the plummet and tossed around the notion that she would have a good long while to scream herself hoarse before hitting the bottom.

  Trying to casually hum her way to a clearer state of mind, Detroit fixed her stare straight ahead. With nothing to see by gray skies and heavy clouds, she kept her fingertips pressed to the jagged rock, allowing the scraps of the jagged rock surface to reassure her in its unwavering stability. Sure, people were currently trying to crumble it to the ground, but now wasn’t the time to focus on that.

  Leaning out of the hollow, Houston evaluated her progress and course. Face white-washed of emotion, he allowed no outward display of the terror gripping him. Or how his heart was hammering against his ribs to see the bits of rock crumbling beneath Detroit’s delicate perch. “You’re almost there,” he encouraged, tone calm and commanding. “Lean your shoulders back against the rock to counter the wind.”

  His voice in her ear provided the comfortable routine of countless missions, a familiarity Detroit could sink into. Scooting her feet little by little, she inched along. As her chest rose and fell in ragged pants, she fought to steady it for the sake of balance.

  “Only a couple more steps. Your heels are wandering. Get them back. Feel them scuff the wall with each movement.” Closing her eyes, Detroit heard Houston’s directions in Lansing’s voice. She could almost see her Undertaker’s robotic stare flicking over the readout screen with its blue light cast over her silicone features.

  Three more shuffled sidesteps and the ledge broadened to a width that allowed the team leader to exhale the tense breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Eyes snapping open, she gazed down at the walking trail carved into rock that zigzagged down the face of the mountain. In the distance, she could see the Air Walker’s camp. Hiding beneath those airborne huts, they had seemed to stretch to the sky. From her new vantage point, they looked little more than a hop to the ground from their highest peak.

  “You okay?” Houston’s firm tone faltered just enough to let hints of his concern seep through the cracks.

  Eyes wide with relief, Detroit threw him a smile that boarded on manic. “I’m great! Nothing to it but mind-numbing fear. Send Leif out. We need to get everyone across while the mountain is still and cooperating.”

  Holding the nervous father by the forearm, Houston guided him out of the open crevice. Leif risked a glance down and muttered every bad word he knew in a steady exhalation.

  Tightening his grip on Adalyn, his head snapped frantically from side to side. “No. I can’t do this. There has to be another way.”

  “There isn’t,” Houston countered, his tone leaving no wiggle room for further argument. I’ll keep hold of you as long as I can, and Detroit will grab you as soon as she can reach. There will only be a couple steps in the middle where you have to go it alone, but you’ve totally got this.”

  As if to provide an effective counterpoint, another ultrasonic vibration shuddered the earth beneath their feet.

  “We need to move!” Auggie shouted from his position at the back of the pack. “The walls are caving in! One more quake and we will all be dangling on that ledge together!”

  Shuffling forward at a snail’s pace, Leif deliberated over the best way to approach the ridge. “Should I face the wall, so the baby is safe? It doesn’t seem right to have her dangling over the edge.”

  “Leif, be careful!” Steadying herself against the cave wall, Remi watched chunks of rock slide down the wall and block off the path their guide disappeared down in search of her own family. Having not heard a scream of any kind, she was choosing to believe their savior made it through without getting crushed under a boulder.

  “I know it doesn’t feel right, but you need to keep your back to the wall,” Houston directed as he placed his hands on Leif’s shoulders and helped maneuver him into the safest position. “With her in, you can’t step in tight like you need to.”

  Swallowing hard, Leif took his first sidestep onto the ledge. At the rush of wind that slammed his back against the wall, he caught Houston’s hand and squeezed it hard enough to bruise muscle. “Please, for th
e life of my child, don’t let go.”

  “Hey, look at me,” Houston demanded in the same authoritative voice his teammates had heard him use a million times before. “We will not fail you. All you have to do is hold tight to that little girl … and walk.”

  “I can do that. I can do that,” Leif chanted to himself. Tentative steps edged farther out. With one hand on Adalyn’s rump, fear quickened his pace to a speed that could easily become disastrous.

  Reaching for him with growing unease, Detroit tried to keep her own apprehension from becoming obvious. “You’re doing great, Leif. Great job. But, I need you to do me a favor and slow down a little bit.”

  His steps halted entirely. “Why? Is something wrong?”

  Doing her best not to notice the sliver of rock crumbling at the toe of his boot, Detroit forced a smile that came nowhere near reaching her eyes. “You’re doing fantastic. I just needed a beat to get my footing ready to reel you in. I’m ready for you. Come on.”

  Filling his lungs to capacity, Leif expelled a calming breath and resumed his awkward shuffle—this time, with a noticeably more cautious pace. Houston kept a hand on him as long as he was able, his fingers stretching long after that, if only to offer the idea of support.

  The few heartbeats when he was out of reach of both of the A-5ers stretched on like a torturous eternity. Breaths held, no one risked so much as a blink.

  “She’s got him!” Houston sounded the celebratory call the instant Detroit’s hand closed around Leif’s wrist.

  Easing the trembling father toward her perch, Detroit caught his stare and held firm. “You’re almost there. Just a couple more steps.” Stepping aside to welcome him to more steady ground, she did a cursory inspection to confirm Adalyn’s safety. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

  “Everything okay?” Houston called, Reno’s ginger ringlets poking out beside him.

  “The baby is safe!” she shouted, waving them over. “Now, move your asses!”

  One by one, they ushered each member of their group over in that same practiced method. When only Houston remained, Detroit anticipated him making the entire journey without her aid. Even so, she kept her hand outstretched, offering him that lifeline if he chose to take it. To her surprise, his fingers curled around hers. Waves of warmth coursed down her arm, causing her heart to lurch in a stutter-beat. Curling her fingers around his, she drew him closer until they stood chest to chest, with each other’s breath tickling over their cheeks.