by Sadie Jacks
“If I find out you just slapped her and then disrespected her, Lukas, I’m going to make you into a eunuch, and force feed you your dick,” Saint said calmly, never taking his eyes off his target. “And I’m going to make sure you stay awake and aware for the whole process.”
Kiema smiled at her mate by the elevators. “Thanks, Saint.” Then she looked down at herself, looked back up to the room. “Um. Guys? Why am I in weird lingerie?”
“Long story. It was better than you being naked. We love you, Ki-Ki. Shut up. We’re in Code Red,” Asher said.
Her gaze tracked around the room until she found me. Her eyes narrowed as she pushed up from the couch.
Her body was poetry in motion, no doubt. It just didn’t do anything for me. I almost felt dirty looking at her. Like I’d accidentally walked in on a sister dressing or something. I shuddered.
“What’s going on, T? Why are we all on Xander’s floor?” She reached over, ran her hand through his hair.
I slapped at it.
Both of them growled at me.
“He needs to stay focused. Atlas is on the roof, Xander’s his eyes. No touching. We’ll explain after the Code Red is over.” I moved closer to the monitors.
“Atlas, where we at?” I called over the mental network.
“In position, T. Waiting for coordinates.”
Xander gave them to him.
“Copy that. Hold.”
We all waited to see what Atlas had to say.
We didn’t have to wait long. “We’ve got four men, one woman. Woman has a shaved head on one side, long purple hair on the other.
“Sasha,” Kiema said. “Wicked good telepath. Although not psychic. I could hide my deeper thoughts from her.”
“Next, we’ve got a male. Right around six foot. Hold.”
Kiema looked at me with wide eyes.
“I see a scar on the right side of his face. From his mouth back up to under his helmet.”
“That’d be Reece,” Lukas said. “Audiopath. He can pick up, manipulate, throw, and disperse sound waves. He’s who knocked Kiema out at the cabin.”
“He’s a fucking sound cannon?” I asked.
“Basically. I would be careful using anything other than your implants for communications.” Lukas shrugged.
I pointed to Xander, had him cut the external feed for our comms.
“Implant comms only,” I ordered.
The guys all gave me their affirmatives.
“Next male, slightly bigger than this Reece. Roughly the same height. There is a glint of metal in his left eyebrow. I don’t know if that is a piercing or if it's technology,” Atlas said through my mind.
Saint came down and acted as interpreter for Kiema and Lukas.
“He walk like he’s got a huge knob or something shoved up his arse?” Lukas asked.
Saint sent the question to Atlas.
“Yes,” Atlas said. “Although I’m not sure I would have characterized it that way initially. It is sufficient for our needs.”
“Name and power?” I asked Lukas.
“Most probably Aeron. Extremely powerful telekinetic. Between him and Reece, you won’t be seeing any physical ordinance. They can take down buildings just as well as any explosive.”
Saint shared the info with Atlas.
“Great. Exactly who we want inside our lines.”
“Two more men,” Atlas said. “One is older, maybe late fifties. Walks like he’s in charge.”
Saint conferred with Lukas and Kiema.
“T, I’ve got movement against the far east wall. Looks like someone is trying to take it down,” Xander said. He pointed at the screen as I stepped over to him.
“Old guy is probably Leon Mayweather. He’s a general in Montague’s army. Fanatic. If he has any powers, I don’t know about it,” Lukas said.
“Show me the east wall, Xander.”
The picture popped up from its smaller square. It covered the full screen.
“Do we have drones or satellite imagery at all for that sector?” I asked Xander.
He nodded, hit a button, and brought over a different joystick.
“Last guy is…fuck,” Atlas said. “It’s Juan.”
“At least we get to kill someone today,” Ransom said.
Xander showed me the view from the roof of the building closest to the east wall.
“Lukas, come here, please.”
The man limped over. Kiema was getting good at the crotch shot. Good for her.
I pointed to the screen. “Who’s who?”
He peered at the screen. “I only recognize one of them.” He tapped his finger to the person in the middle. “Regina Kliefeld.” He shuddered. “Biggest bitch in the history of torture. Makes what Montague did to Kiema seem like a massage at the mall. Psychic and kinetic. She’s good enough that you end up damaging yourself. Or at least it feels that way, from what I’ve heard.”
“How do we take her out?” I asked. I was willing to bet the people with her were just pawns. Her security force.
“However you do it, needs to be stealth and probably from up high so she’s not expecting it. Other than that, I’ve got nothing for ya, mate. Sorry.” He clapped me on the back and shuffled back to the couch.
“What do you want to do, T? We’ve only done experiments with the laser technology that’s Reiner’s pet project. There’s no guarantee it would even work,” Xander said.
“How far out is the laser?”
He turned to a different computer. His fingers flying over the keyboard, his gaze glued to the screen. “It will be in range in twenty minutes.”
“Fuck. I had hoped to be done with whatever this is by then.” I rubbed a hand down my face. “Get it ready to go. If we need it, I don’t want to be waiting for it to boot up or whatever it needs.”
Xander snickered as he got it started.
“I’ve got a clear shot on Reece and Aeron,” Atlas said through our minds.
Saint repeated it to Lukas and Kiema.
I turned to look at them.
They glanced at each other, turned back to me as a unit. “Reece.”
“Atlas, take the shot on Reece. Fire at will.”
“Copy that.”
“Xander, show me where they’re at.” He flipped through different live feeds of our surrounding area. “Southwest, seven blocks out.”
“Big screen,” I said. Xander put it up on the screen that covered his wall.
In the feed, one of the men fell to the ground, dead. The definition of Xander’s cameras was so good even at this distance, that I could see the light mist that puffed from the back of his head.
“Target Reece down,” Atlas said.
“Copy. Reece down. Waiting for target acquisition.”
Everyone else in frame scattered. They didn’t even try to get Reece’s body off the pavement. They left him there like a piece of trash. I shook my head. No honor among the assholes.
Three men and one woman, who wasn’t wearing a helmet at all, were searching their environment. I doubted they’d find the cameras Xander had installed. He’d developed them himself and they could see almost as well as our satellite images but were roughly the size of his palm. The camera they were looking for was almost three blocks away.
Atlas was mumbling to himself over the implant. I knew this was hard on him, taking lives when he was a doctor. But he had the best hand and eye coordination of all of us, not to mention his eyesight was almost perfect even without a scope to help him.
“Go for Sasha?” he asked, his voice cold and clear.
“Take the shot,” I said. We’d had the discussion that I was the one giving the orders, that the responsibility and weight were mine to carry. Atlas didn’t feel that way. I knew after this we’d need to give him some space. Some room to grieve.
Another form on the big screen fell to the ground, boneless. “Target Sasha down.”
“Copy. Sasha down. Waiting for target acquisition.”
Juan, Aeron, and the
probable General all split up. They each chose a different alley or street, seemingly at random. “Split screens, Xan. I want eyes on all of them.”
“Targets are gone. I repeat, targets out of range,” Atlas called.
“Copy. Targets are out of range. Hold for repositioning,” I said. Turning to Xander. “Where are they, Xan?”
“Looks like Juan went straight up and took the left on Cypress. Five blocks out.” He pointed to the appropriate live feed picture. “Aeron went right through the alley behind the old Macmillan warehouse.” He tapped the middle screen.
“And the guy we think is the general went straight. He’s currently hiding inside the parking garage off Elm.” Xander hit a button, the live feed went to the pulsing colors of a thermal image. A brighter yellow orange figure was stationary on the first level of the old parking structure.
I relayed all the info to Atlas.
“Repositioning for Aeron,” he said.
“Copy. Repositioning for Aeron.”
“Target Aeron acquired.”
“Take the shot.”
“Fuck a duck. He must have caught my scope flash. He took a hit, but he’s not down and out. Repeat, target Aeron is still alive. Needs immediate medical attention.”
I caught the urge to tell Atlas he could provide it. I couldn’t have Atlas out in this. Not when he was relatively safe right here. “Copy. Aeron is down, needs medical. As soon as we get rid of these other two, Atlas, I’ll take you myself.”
“Copy,” Atlas said, his voice biting.
I shrugged it off.
“T, General is on the move. He’s falling back using the buildings for cover.”
“Let me know when he makes it to his vehicle.”
“Ransom, Asher, you’re with me. Atlas, meet us at the lab.” I turned to Xander. “I want running updates on every person’s position and movements. I want to know if they fart in the wrong direction. Get me?”
“Copy, T.” Xander hunkered down in front of his multitude of screens.
I turned, knowing I could count on him. “Lukas, you’re coming as well. I’ll need you to subdue Aeron.”
“Roger that, gov,” he said as he deepened his voice. Then he ruined his effect by winking at me.
“All of you better come back to me,” Kiema said. I could hear the fear in her voice.
Ransom went over, pulled her into his arms, kissed her like he was off to war.
“Let’s move,” I ordered.
Chapter 27 – Atlas
I climbed into the military vehicle, medical bag in hand. I set it on my lap as Taryk pulled out of the lab’s bay doors. I rubbed at my hands. I know they didn’t have literal blood on them, yet. But the idea that I’d taken those lives, without knowing them, without being able to look in their eyes shredded me. I’d gone into medicine to help those who needed healing. Not kill those who threatened me and mine.
And that’s what it came down to. They threatened my family, Kiema, my life, my livelihood. I could live with the stain against my soul for that. For them. For us. For me.
“Okay, bro?” Taryk asked quietly from the driver’s seat.
I nodded my head, continued to look out my window.
“I’m here if you need me.”
I nodded again. He’d been there the first time I’d had to protect us this way. I knew he would be there every time it came down to us or them. I thanked Gaia for that. Even as I prayed I’d never have to protect us in this method ever again.
“Aeron is pulling himself along the alley. He’s almost to Oak street,” Xander said in our heads.
“I’ll take Asher, we’ll go get Juan,” Ransom said.
I fished through my med bag. Took out a plunger and a vial. Filling the syringe, I said, “Take this. It will put him out for at least twelve hours.” I handed it back.
At least I didn’t have to kill Juan, even though he had proven himself to be a monster on so many levels.
“Thanks, Atty,” Asher said quietly as he patted my shoulder from the back seat. “We’ll bring him back in one piece. Alive.”
I nodded, a slight smile on my face. Ransom and Asher bailed out of the truck at the next corner. They loped down the street and disappeared around the next corner.
Taryk stepped on the gas to get us to Aeron before the idiot left the rest of his blood on the pavement.
“General Probable hit the walls. He can’t get out. What do you want me to do?” Xander asked over the implant network.
I looked to Taryk.
“I’ll take him out.” Taryk pulled over again. Taking one of his various guns from the storage in the back, I slid into the driver’s seat as Lukas moved up to the front passenger seat.
I rolled down the window. “Get on the runners. I’ll take you as far as we can.”
He stepped up, hooked his free hand in the handle just inside the door.
Too soon, he was jumping off and jogging in the direction of the General. “Taryk is away,” I called to everyone.
A round of “Copy” came through.
“There he is, doc.” Lukas pointed through the windshield. “Looks like he’s about out of blood. At least to my untrained eye.”
“If he can move things with his mind, we’re going to need to go in stealthy. I’ll drop you here. Hundred yards to the right there’s an access street. Follow it to the third building. Take the left. I’ll wait for you to nullify his magic. But for the love of Gaia, hurry the fuck up.” I clenched my hands around the steering wheel.
Lukas acted like he was tipping a hat at me. “On it, mate.” He pushed from the vehicle and followed the direction I’d given him.
Please, Gaia, give him fast feet.
He hadn’t been wrong. Aeron had lost a lot of blood and his moving around wasn’t helping him in any way. It looked like he was down at least a pint, maybe two at this point. If Lukas didn’t get to him fast, he was going to be gone before I could get there to save him.
My lips curled at the irony of being scared I wouldn’t get to fix the man I’d shot.
About five minutes later, Lukas popped through between the two buildings I’d indicated. He gave me a wave before stepping up behind Aeron. Not wanting to alert the dying telekinetic, I kept as far back as possible.
Lukas leapt, landing with at least one arm on Aeron as the other man turned towards him. I gunned the motor, streaking down the street in record time. “Aeron is under control,” I announced to everyone else.
“General is down,” Taryk said.
“Juan here is being a little bitch,” Asher said. “Damn it, Ransom. I wanted to punch him. Fuckbite is down. Atlas, Ransom is going to need some stitches.”
“Copy,” I called as I screeched to a stop next to Lukas and our infiltrator.
Grabbing the medical bag from the floor of the passenger’s side, I ran the last few steps to the men. Lukas was barely having to fight to keep a hold of Aeron’s arm.
“Get the fuck off me, Luk, you asshole. You’re going to pay for this.”
Lukas laughed. “Sure thing, handsome. You throw me off with your mind and I won’t be able to hold you. Go on now. Do it for me, luv.”
Aeron sneered at the man before he laid his head against the pavement.
Well, at least he’s breathing and conscious still.
The gaping hole in his thigh was sluggishly pumping blood out onto the street. I reached into my med bag without looking, grabbed the emergency tourniquet. Looping it around his upper leg where his leg met his body, I cinched it down until the blood flow stopped. I packed the hole as big as my fist with as much gauze as I could fit in there with some clotting agent. I needed to keep as much blood as possible inside his body so we could get him to the infirmary.
“Lukas, help me turn him over. I need to pack the entrance wound.”
“On it, doc. Three, two, one.”
Like a trained field medic, Lukas had Aeron lifted and turned and settled before I had a chance to help.
The entry wound was about
the size of a dime. I packed it with gauze as well. Wrapping both wounds with stretchy bandages, I got my patient as stabilized as I was going to manage until I got him to some actual medical equipment.
His bleeding under control, I worked the rest of the triage list.
I grabbed his wrist. Pulse weak and rapid.
I laid a hand against his forehead. Cool and clammy skin.
Leaning down, I shined a light in his eyes. Pupils dilated.
“Guys, he’s going into shock. Someone call the lab’s infirmary techs. We’re going to need at least three units of blood.” I gave them a rundown of the wounds.
My guts twisted. I worked to get good enough as a sniper to not hurt my targets. I took them out: One shot, one kill. That he was slowly bleeding out on the street…
“What can I help with, doc?” Lukas asked, pulling me back from the spiral.
Push it away. You still have to save his life, dumbass.
“We need to get him off the street. He’s about to pass out. I can’t give him a sedative when his blood pressure is so fucking low.”
Aeron let out a groan that was so quiet it was mostly air. His chest barely moved as he breathed.
“Then we’ll get him to the truck. You grab his legs, I have his arms.”
I moved to Aeron’s legs. “Aeron, stay with me. I’m going to patch you up.”
“-k ‘oo,” he breathed.
“Only if you ask nicely, you beast,” Lukas said, his face worried as he looked up at me.
Someone came running up behind Lukas.
“Taryk, get the doors,” I called.
He picked up his speed and jetted around the back of the truck. The doors opened just as Lukas and I got our now unconscious patient around the back.
Taryk helped guide me in, then did the same for Lukas. He slammed the doors shut and zipped around to the driver’s side door.
“I’ll take a car to get Ransom, Asher, and Juan,” Saint said. “Kiema’s with Xander.”
“Copy, Saint’s away, Kiema’s with Xan,” Taryk said.
I was slapping Aeron’s cheeks, trying to get him to wake up.
“Open your eyes, sexy beast, or I’m going to kiss you,” Lukas taunted.
Aeron’s eyes remained closed.
