by R. D. Brady
Lyla pictured the gaunt faces she’d seen in New City. “But still, that could be a way on. We could smuggle some people through, maybe using some of the Unwelcome who are at the Gatsby. Arthur found a schematic, and Thor said he would help flesh that out. He said he’d ask the other Unwelcome as well so they could help fill in details.”
Unease slid across Montel’s face as he flicked a gaze at Arthur, who shook his head.
Lyla’s temper rose. “Look, I know it’s a risk. I know whoever goes up there is going to be in trouble. But if that’s our only shot, then we need to figure out a way.”
“I know,” he said quietly.
“There is some good news,” Angela said, cutting through the tension.
Lyla took a breath and turned back to her. “What is it?”
“We’ve noticed some Unwelcome slipping out of New City.”
Lyla frowned. “Are they going on solo missions?”
Angela shook his head. “No. They’re slipping out of the city and into the woods. I managed to follow an avad one day. He had no destination. He was just getting away.”
“You think they’re running away?” Riley said.
Angela nodded. “We’ve seen at least six. There’s probably been more.”
“That’s something that could work in our favor,” Lyla said, mulling the possibilities.
“There’s one other thing that I found out. It’s not about Miles, but I thought you should know,” Max said. “The Naku have learned that the Ka Sama was tampered with. They’ve restarted the drug manufacturing. According to my source, the correct Ka Sama will be administered any day now.”
Lyla looked at Arthur. “How long will it take for the Ka Sama to have an effect again?”
“It will take a couple of days for it to get back into someone’s system,” he said. “I’m not sure how it will work with adults, but with children it takes two weeks for their emotions to be shut off and their sleep cycles to be regulated. For some it takes another week. Best-case scenario, we have three weeks before the Unwelcome are no longer possibly on our side.”
Three weeks. Lyla closed her eyes. She had three weeks to figure out a way to get Miles back.
12
It was decided that Angela and Max would remain in the Fringe to determine if there is anyone who might help them if it came to that. Lyla, Riley, Arthur, and Montel would head back to the Gatsby. Lyla’s mind raced. She knew that getting on one of those supply ships was the way to get into the mothership. Now they just needed to figure out where exactly in the mothership Miles was.
As soon as Lyla rode through the gates to the Gatsby and dismounted from her horse, she set off to find Thor. She sent Riley to go find Jane, another former resident of the Fringe, and have her meet them at the training grounds. Arthur was going to go back to the tablet to see what he could find.
There must be some sort of blueprint on there.
Lyla found Thor working with Lewis on training the Phoenixes and the avad. She stopped short, taking in the scene. The avad all wore their uniform pants and boots, but they each had been given linen shirts. With their blue skin and size, they reminded Lyla of pirates she had seen in a book as a kid.
But that wasn’t what stopped her in her tracks. It was watching them fight with the Phoenixes. The avad had size and bulk on their side, but the Phoenixes, even without abilities, were much more skilled. Addie Hudson, Lyla’s best friend, was working with Pxedlin. She was explaining to her the most effective ways to take down a larger opponent. Lyla was glad to see Addie was here. Since she’d returned from the breeding facility, she’d been struggling to be around the Unwelcome. Her being here today was a great step forward.
Jamal Nguyen, Addie’s significant other, was also working with a group along with Otto, although Jamal’s attention was more on Addie than his training partner. Lyla winced as he just missed getting hit in the face.
Otto was doing the same with a group of Cursed. Lewis and his son Pierce were working with the other Unwelcome, showing them how to be more efficient in their moves and to rely less on their strength and more on their movement. When Lyla had imagined bringing these two groups of people together, she had thought that they would bond over meals and everyday living. It never occurred to her that fighting together, training together would be the bridge between the two races.
Lewis caught sight of her and after saying something to Pierce, headed toward her. “How did it go?”
“He’s not in the research building. He’s on the mothership. But apparently, more and more Unwelcome are abandoning their posts.”
He nodded. “We knew it was a long shot that he’d be in the research building. But the Unwelcome abandoning their posts could be good news.”
“It could be,” Lyla said as Thor joined them. She quickly rehashed what they had learned. “So I think our best shot is to take one of the veerfinahs up to the mothership, or maybe two, once we’ve figured out exactly where Miles is located.”
Lyla looked up as Jane and Riley approached. She nodded at the older woman, who nodded back. Jane had been instrumental in their sabotage of the Ka Sama. In fact, without her, Lyla wasn’t sure that they would have been able to pull it off. “We believe the Ka Sama sabotage has been discovered.”
Jane nodded. “I’m surprised it took them this long. They’ve started the manufacturing up again?”
“I believe so. How long will it take them to make the shift?”
Jane mulled the question over for a moment. “They’ll have to find some of the chemicals. It seems that some of the vats where the chemicals were stored were accidentally emptied during one of the cleaning phases.”
Lewis grinned. “Accidentally, huh?”
Jane shrugged a smile hiding behind her lips. “These things happen. But even with that, it will only take three or four days tops for them to bring the Ka Sama back online. Another day to get it administered to the troops. Best-case scenario, it will take five days for the process to resume.”
Lyla nodded. “That’s better than we predicted. We’ll need to arrange for the rescue attempt before the Ka Sama has taken effect. Jane, could you develop a list of people you think might be willing to help us in exchange for bringing them here?”
Jane studied Lyla for a moment before shaking her head. “They won’t trust you. The McGoverns have infiltrated so many different aspects of human oversight that they’ll assume you’re working with them.”
“We have Max down there. He’s going to be speaking with some of them.”
“That’s good, but I think I should go as well.” Jane put up a hand before Lyla could argue. “I have friends down there. And I know some people who aren’t happy with how they are living but feel as if they’re trapped, just like I felt. Providing them with another option could work. But they’re not going to trust someone they don’t know. It’s best if I go.”
“Adros will want to go with you,” Riley said.
Jane had been living with Adros and his two sisters since she’d come to the camp. They had all bonded extremely quickly. Jane had become the grandmother or mother they never really had.
Jane gave him a small smile. “He’s a good boy, and I think you’re right. But he needs to stay here and look out for Alyssa and Rachel. And besides, as a Cursed, it’s too dangerous for him to spend time down there.”
Lyla agreed, although she was not going to send Jane down alone. “I’ll send Otto with you. He’ll keep an eye on you and be able to get you out of there if he needs to.”
“When do you need me to leave?” Jane asked.
“I’d like you to leave tomorrow morning before dawn.”
Jane looked over toward the house, no doubt thinking of the girls and Adros. “All right. I’ll be ready.”
Lewis watched as Jane headed toward the big house. “Are you sure that’s safe?”
“Otto will keep her safe. And Jane’s no fool. She won’t speak with anyone she doesn’t feel will be on our side.”
“I will
head down with her as well,” Thor said.
Lyla shook her head. “You can’t. You’ll be too noticeable in the Fringe.”
“I won’t be staying in the Fringe. You said that there are avad leaving their posts. I am going to speak with them. See what they know about Miles. And maybe see if they’re looking for a place to live.”
It was a gamble. Trusting the avad when they had spent years not trusting them was not something that was going to come naturally to any of them. But Lyla needed to remember that the avad who were abandoning their posts were not the same ones who had taken over years ago. The ones running were slaves leaving their masters, not enemies looking for the Cursed.
But still, she looked at Lewis. “What do you think?”
He nodded slowly. “I think it’s a good idea. They’ll have first-hand intel. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a few more of them on our side.”
Lyla debated for a moment before nodding. “I agree. But I don’t want you going alone.”
“I won’t. I’m sure Pxedlin will go with me, and maybe Jax.” Thor paused. “It might be good to have a human or two with us as well.”
Lyla had been thinking the same thing. One of the reservations the avad might have was worrying about the reaction the humans would have to their presence.
“I’ll go,” Lewis said. “And I’ll take Pierce and Imogen with me.”
Surprise flashed through Lyla. “Imogen?”
Lewis shrugged. “A fight’s coming. I need her to be prepared. I need her to feel more confident in her Cursed abilities.”
Lyla agreed with his rationale. “Okay. Take Petra as well. She’s good in a fight, and I prefer if you had one additional Cursed.”
“Plus she’s climbing the walls not being able to do anything for Miles,” Lewis said.
“Plus that,” Lyla agreed.
“What about you? What will you be doing?” Thor asked.
Lyla glanced over at the Phoenixes, Cursed, and avad who were training. Then she glanced at the people roaming around the backyard.
Emma and Edna were setting up lunch on the veranda, and a number of avads were helping them. All of them were at risk. If not now, sometime in the future. She turned back to Thor and Lewis.
“Figuring out a plan to get Miles and exactly what we need to do to get all of us back safely. You all have three days to get the information we need and get back.”
13
Less than twenty-four hours after they had returned to the Gatsby, Riley and Petra moved quietly through the woods outside the Fringe. Thor was ahead of them, and he was not being nearly as quiet.
“I guess they never taught the Unwelcome how to move through a forest, huh?” Petra murmured with a wince as Thor stepped on yet another stick.
“With their size, I’m guessing they weren’t really worried about stealth.”
“No, I guess they weren’t,” Petra agreed.
Thor glanced back at the two of them. “You’re right. We were never taught how to move quietly. We always came in with force and numbers. The Naku wanted whoever we were targeting to know we were coming.”
“Yeah, well, this guy we don’t want to know we’re coming,” Riley reminded him.
They had traveled down to the Fringe with a large group to gather as much intel as they could. Jane and Otto had headed in while Lewis, Imogen, Pierce, an Unwelcome named Dax, and Pxedlin had headed north of New City to keep an eye out for any Unwelcome who were abandoning their posts.
Petra, Riley, and Thor had taken the southern end of New City. They had been waiting on a hill overlooking the city for only an hour when they’d seen the first one sliding out the exit. The Unwelcome looked around cautiously and then quickly dashed into the trees. It was just after dawn.
It had taken a while to catch up with it. It was heading away from them and moving at a fast clip. They didn’t have their horses, so they had to rely on straight-up running. But Riley thought they might be close now. Of course, with Thor stomping through the woods, he was sure it would know that they were near way before it saw them.
Riley put up a hand, and Petra stopped immediately. Thor, who was ahead of them, continued forward. “Thor,” Riley hissed.
Thor paused. Riley motioned for him to head back toward them, and he did. “What?”
“I think Petra and I should take the lead from here on out,” Riley said.
“What?” Thor said. “I thought we agreed that I would make the first overture.”
Petra crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, but if you scare them away before we even get a chance to speak with them, then that’s not going to matter, now is it?”
Thor rolled his eyes. “I think you’re exaggerating.”
“Even if we’re wrong, it’s still the smarter move,” Riley said.
Thor huffed out a breath. “Fine. But remember, I speak with him first.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Riley headed forward, veering slightly to the right of where Thor had been leading them. He thought he heard something, but he couldn’t be sure. Petra was right behind him.
Less than a hundred feet from where they’d stopped, he put up a hand again. Petra looked at him and nodded before nudging her head to the left. Riley nodded in agreement. Someone was up ahead. Petra would circle around to the left while Riley circled around to the right.
Riley turned back to Thor and motioned for him to stay there. Thor’s facial expression indicated he was not happy with the order, but Riley ignored him. True, they were looking for Unwelcome deserters, but those were not the only people in these woods. And Riley didn’t want them coming across a group of humans and scaring the heck out of them by having Thor go first.
Riley slowly picked his way to the right, hearing the murmur of voices from up ahead. The fact that he could hear someone speaking, even in low tones, meant that it most likely wasn’t the deserter. Unless, of course, the Unwelcome had taken to talking to itself, and then the precaution would be even more warranted.
It only took him covering another few feet before the individuals came into view. And Riley had been wrong. It wasn’t a group of humans. And it wasn’t a deserter.
It was five deserters.
14
Of the five deserters, three sat on fallen logs and two stood pacing. They had all removed their helmets, which let Riley know that two of them were female and three were male. The two pacing were male and very agitated.
Riley leaned forward, staying hunched down low in place, straining to hear what they were saying.
“But where are we going to go?” one of the pacing males asked. His skin was a darker hue than the others, and his head had been shaved bald, or maybe he had lost all of his hair.
“Anywhere is better than with the Naku,” one of the women said. She had short blonde hair and a very pale cast to her skin tone.
“What about the guards from the breeding facility? Do you really think they left with the humans?” the seated male asked.
The other pacing male who had chestnut-colored hair that was longer than Riley had seen any Unwelcome have or imagined—though he hadn’t really seen many without their helmets—shook his head. “The humans aren’t going to help us. We’ve killed them. Why would they help us?”
“The guards from the breeding facility are probably dead. The breeders are probably dead as well. The humans must’ve taken them with them to hide the bodies or maybe to study the bodies. I don’t know. But I agree with Xavier—there’s no reason the humans would help us.”
A branch snapped somewhere to Riley’s left. His head jerked to the side, and he was unsurprised to see Thor stepping from behind a tree, his hands up. His appearance jolted all of the deserters. They all turned, aiming their romags at him.
Thor raised his hands higher. “Whoa, whoa. There’s no need for that. I don’t mean you any harm. And I’m not with the Naku.”
“Then who are you? And what do you want?” the angry pacing Unwelcome demanded.
“My name is Geothorxed. And
I am one of the guards from the breeding facility.”
The blonde Unwelcome studied him. “What are you doing out here, then?”
“I had heard that some of you were deserting your posts, and I came to find you.”
One of the women narrowed her eyes. “Why would you want to find us?”
Thor glanced around, looking for Riley and Petra. But Riley also had the feeling that stepping out right now might not exactly help the situation, so he stayed put.
Thor studied each member of the group, his eyes shifting from one to the next before he seemed to make a decision. “I live with a group of humans. There are others who are with me. And the breeders from the facility aren’t dead, neither are any of the children. They are all there as well.”
“You’re living with the humans?” the dark hued Unwelcome asked. “Why would they help you?”
Thor lowered his arms. “Because I asked them to, and because the Naku started taking human women. When the humans I was with rescued their people, they rescued ours as well.”
“What do they want you to do for them?” the man with the chestnut hair asked.
Thor paused. “They want to know about the Naku. They want to know about the mothership and New City. And they want my help in fighting them.”
The angry Unwelcome scoffed. “Of course. They want us to fight for them now while they stay hidden away, safe and secure.”
Thor shook his head. “It’s not like that, not at all. If I didn’t want to fight, the humans would not force me. But I have something to fight for. My sister and my nephew are at that camp. They were in the breeding facility. And I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. And defeating the Naku is the best way to keep them safe.”
The deserters exchanged looks. Riley could tell they were on the edge. They wanted to believe Thor, but they weren’t sure.
Movement across the space drew his attention as Petra stepped out, her arms up. If Thor’s appearance caused a stir, Petra’s appearance caused an explosion. All of the deserters whirled around, their shoulders tense, their weapons in their hands and aimed at her.
