Change of Edict (The Change Series Book 2)

by Jacinta Jade

  When he reached the corner, the guard pulled off his helmet. Only it wasn’t a he at all.

  ‘Siray!’ said Genlie with equal parts relief and excitement, giving both Siray and Deson a brief hug. She turned to Zale, a couple of blonde strands of hair plastered to her forehead. ‘We’ve got to move.’

  Zale bobbed his head in acknowledgement and then said to Siray and Deson, ‘Follow us.’

  Their rescuers both donned their helmets again, and Genlie led them in a dash across the T-intersection of the corridor and down the hallway extending beyond, Zale bringing up the rear.

  Siray wondered where they were going, as she knew that to get to the bank of risers, they had to go through the main foyer, which you could only get to by going down the hallway they had just bypassed. She didn’t ask any questions of Zale and Genlie, though, since they both seemed so sure of where they were going, and because they were moving at such a fast pace that she would have found it hard to get them to stop anyway.

  When they reached the end of the hallway, Genlie made a sharp turn into a room on the right-hand side, Zale following closely behind.

  Bewildered and anxious, Siray trailed them in, but she couldn’t restrain herself from nervously asking, ‘What are we doing?’

  Genlie just held a finger up before her helmeted face as Deson entered the room, also appearing confused.

  They both watched, perplexed, as Zale activated the pad to close the door behind them, after which he nodded to Genlie.

  Who then spun and strode up to the perfectly featureless wall across from the door and began searching its surface for a moment, her hands spread wide.

  Siray started when part of the back wall suddenly began sliding noiselessly backwards before it shifted sideways behind another section of the wall to reveal a dimly lit passage.

  Genlie didn’t hesitate but marched briskly through the entrance, motioning Siray to follow.

  Incredulous, Siray hurried after her friend and saw the walls of the passage beyond were smooth and clean, and the lights as modern as any other part of the facility.

  Genlie led their small group at a quick trot along a long passage, rounding a couple of corners before she brought them to a set of stairs. The female motioned for the rest of them to stay put while she rapidly scouted the steep steps, and a moment later she called, ‘All clear.’ They climbed the stairs in the same order, Genlie again setting a rapid pace. As they scaled the steps, Siray spied more passages branching off from the staircase, some of them lit and some of them dark. She thought they might have climbed about three flights when Genlie led them in a new direction.

  ‘This way,’ the female said softly, guiding them down another unfamiliar route.

  After jogging along another passage that looked no different to the one they had swept through earlier, Siray saw that they were approaching what appeared to be a dead end. Yet as Genlie slowed to stop just before the wall, Siray guessed that the barrier contained a hidden doorway like the one her friend had opened earlier.

  Sure enough, Genlie raised a hand, and a doorway that couldn’t be seen an instant earlier suddenly appeared.

  Invisible seams, Siray thought, impressed.

  Indeed, came someone else’s thought.

  Siray spun on the spot, her eyes widening as she beheld Deson behind her. They had their abilities back!

  He smiled widely at her surprise, then made a twirling motion with his finger.

  Realising that Genlie had obviously moved on, Siray whirled back around and saw her friend disappearing through the now-open exit. Quickly stepping through after her, Siray emerged into another room, a chorus of quiet but excited remarks greeting her.

  ‘They got them out!’

  ‘Thank the Mother.’

  ‘Are you two okay?’

  ‘What now?’

  ‘Any trouble?’

  Looking around, Siray saw Wexner, Kovi, Tamot, Jorgi, and Kinna. She watched as Kovi swiftly approached Genlie, checking her over as he assured himself that she was okay.

  ‘Right—where are the others?’ asked Zale after removing his helmet.

  Kovi appeared tense as he rested a hand on Genlie’s lower back. ‘Still not back,’ he said.

  Siray looked between Kovi and Zale. As Loce and Baindan were the only one’s missing, she assumed that’s who they meant. ‘Where are they?’ she asked with concern.

  ‘Loce and Baindan were able to hack into the system here,’ explained Kovi. ‘They managed to find out what had happened to the both of you, and we came up with this plan.’

  Amazed, Siray shook her head. ‘How did they manage that?’

  ‘We had a little help,’ came a familiar voice from the hidden passage.

  Spinning around, Siray saw Baindan standing there, and as a smile leapt onto her face, she began walking swiftly towards him.

  And then the smile dropped away as she saw who stood behind him.

  Mocery.

  Mocery’s right eye was still dark and bruised, although he could evidently see out of it now that the swelling had gone down.

  His face still showed other signs of the beating Zale had given him as well.

  ‘What is he doing here?’ Siray hissed, seething.

  Zale approached her, holding out his hands in supplication. ‘It was my idea. After Captain Huroy told us that he had sent you and Deson on a special mission, we made additional enquiries through other channels. And when the story didn’t mesh with the information we got back, I realised that there was someone who might know how we could learn more.’ He nodded at Mocery. ‘After telling him the plan, he agreed to help—if he could come with us.’

  Siray looked with loathing at Mocery, who eyed her nervously over Baindan’s shoulder. No doubt he knew that she could easily turn the others against him, simply by detailing the events of the other night.

  ‘He showed us how he hacked into the facility’s main communication system,’ Zale continued. ‘And then he found the entry log that told us where you were.’

  Zale stepped closer to Siray and touched her arm, finally drawing her focus away from Mocery to himself.

  ‘I know you don’t like having him around, but without him we wouldn’t have known what really happened to you both.’ Then Zale’s voice lightened. ‘Kinna also helped by coercing others to give us the information we wanted.’

  Siray nodded, albeit reluctantly. Looks like we’ve got some new additions to the group then, she thought to herself. ‘Fine.’ She waved her hand, dismissing that part of their conversation. ‘So, you know what the captain’s up to, then?’

  Zale frowned at her. ‘No, that’s what we were hoping you could tell us. After we hacked into the system, it just said you were being held for further questioning. We’—Zale jerked his chin towards Genlie, Baindan, and the others—‘of course didn’t like the sound of that, so we decided to check it out. Hence, your rescue.’

  ‘Which I’m very grateful for,’ confirmed Siray. ‘But you need to know what Huroy is planning.’ Then she paused and looked around, noting that everyone there was listening intently. She hesitated, wondering if she could trust Kinna with the information. Not that she trusted Mocery in the least. But, somehow, the captain knew everything, as did his personal team. Well, she thought to herself, no point trying to not wake the hiclum.

  So she told them all in a few short sentences what Captain Huroy had learned and what his plan was, with Deson jumping in every so often to clarify aspects.

  She didn’t mention, however, the other special ability she shared with Deson, and that Huroy had also known about it.

  When everyone was caught up, a stunned silence filled the room.

  Siray noted that Baindan and Zale both had varying degrees of outrage on their faces, the result of their particular protectiveness of her, while Genlie just appeared disgusted at the revelation of how egotistical Huroy actually was.

  Kinna, meanwhile, was gazing at Siray and Deson with something close to wonder. ‘You can both transfor
m into sevonixes?’

  Siray nodded, noting that Kinna’s type of reaction was exactly what Huroy had been counting on as part of his scheme.

  The question seemed to spur Baindan back into action. ‘Well, then we definitely have to get out of here,’ he said.

  Genlie crossed her arms. ‘Wasn’t that the plan all along?’

  ‘Yes,’ Baindan confirmed, ‘but now we also know the captain will most likely hunt Siray and Deson down if he can. So, we need to move. Now.’

  ‘But Loce still isn’t back,’ interjected Jorgi, causing Tamot to look at him.

  ‘Right.’ Zale took charge. ‘Baindan, go back and see what’s holding Loce up. If you can’t find him, then return here straightaway. We can’t wait any longer than that.’

  Siray wanted to protest at Baindan being the one to go, but he had nodded and slipped quietly from the room before she could even speak. So she spun again to face Zale, and as Deson approached them, she said to them both, ‘What I still don’t understand is how Huroy knew everything that he did.’

  Zale frowned, glancing between them. ‘What do you mean?’

  Siray peeked at Deson, who said quietly, ‘He knew that we could both take the form of a sevonix. And’—Deson paused, lowering his voice so that it wouldn’t carry beyond the three of them—‘that we could communicate mind to mind.’

  Zale was knowledgeable enough about Kaslon history that he went still for a moment, his eyes darting between Deson and Siray quickly as the information sunk in. ‘Okay,’ he said slowly. ‘Now I understand a bit more.’

  The look he flashed at Siray conveyed that he did indeed understand more about her and Deson. She averted her eyes for a moment before glancing at him again to ask rapidly, ‘How could he have learned those things?’

  She noted Deson looking quizzically from her to Zale, and she prayed to the Mother that no one would do or say anything stupid.

  Zale looked away from her for a long, silent moment, and then without taking his eyes from the others in the room, he spoke very quietly to her and Deson. ‘Did you tell any of your friends about this ability?’

  Siray shook her head. ‘No. The only one who’s ever known about our mental link was the Change master at our previous camp.’

  Deson, still with a slight frown, was nodding in agreement. ‘The master warned us about letting others know about our sevonix forms and our connection, so although the others already knew about our sevonix forms, they’ve never known about our … other ability.’

  ‘And Genlie, Wexner, and Baindan found out about our sevonix forms while we were travelling,’ Siray finished.

  ‘And you’re sure no one else knows?’ Zale pressed them. ‘About either ability?’

  His question caused Siray to hesitate, given the dreams she’d had recently, and the fact that one Faction scout had escaped that day in the desert. But after finding the scout’s bloody jacket, the Gonron security team had reported that the scout had likely perished …

  ‘In regards to our sevonix forms, apart from our old trainers and the Faction patrol we killed near here?’ Deson mused. ‘Yeah, I’m sure. And we haven’t told anyone apart from you about our other ability. But somehow, Huroy knew.’

  ‘Hmmmmm.’ Zale appeared to think on this for a moment before he shook his head. ‘Well, if you’re sure that you both didn’t tell anyone else about your abilities, then we might have another issue.’

  Siray looked at him, anxious. ‘What do you mean?’

  Zale pressed his lips tightly together. ‘What I mean is, how hard would it have been for one of your friends to guess about your other ability? And if they could guess, which one would have motive to share your secret?’

  Siray just stared at Zale, speechless, before peering around at the room, and her friends standing within it, all smiling and relieved to be together once more. She turned back to Zale, shaking her head furiously. ‘I don’t believe any of them would do that. We’ve been through too much together.’ She glanced to Deson, seeking his agreement, but her surprise doubled when his face showed doubt.

  ‘I don’t know, Siray—how much do we really know about any of them?’

  She tensed, ready to defend her friends, but suddenly Baindan and Loce burst in through the door.

  ‘We’ve got another problem,’ Baindan announced, breathing hard and stepping to the side to allow Loce to move farther into the room.

  Loce looked around at them nervously. ‘I wanted to find a secure way out for us from the base, and while I was digging, two system alerts came up.’

  Everyone in the room was listening closely.

  Loce turned to look directly at her and Deson. ‘They know you’ve escaped,’ he said simply.

  ‘Then let’s move!’ Zale said, moving towards Loce and Baindan and their escape through the corridor.

  ‘Wait!’ said Baindan, the urgency in his voice stalling any further movement Zale or the others might have made. He nodded again to Loce.

  ‘The second alert,’ Loce continued, ‘was to signal that the facility is under attack.’

  ‘What?’ they all asked at once.

  Loce seemed to flinch nervously under the scrutiny of so many people. ‘That’s all it said,’ he told them, raising his hands in defence at the questions he could see about to be thrown his way.

  A tense silence fell.

  ‘Well,’ said Genlie, her voice steady, ‘that certainly shakes things up.’ She twisted to look at Siray and Deson. ‘Not hard to guess who’s attacking.’

  Siray closed her eyes, her stomach knotting. The Faction. She glanced across to Baindan. ‘So much for that scout dying in the desert,’ she said dryly, not really blaming him. After all, what were the chances of the Faction just happening to attack this facility—a hidden facility—while she and the others were here?

  Baindan grimaced and nodded, taking her point.

  Genlie took charge and whirled to face Zale. ‘You and Kinna better lead from here. Both of you know the facility well and how everyone here will respond to the attack.’

  ‘Actually,’ said a voice that made Siray’s hands curl into fists. ‘I might be able to assist.’

  Mocery’s voice came from the middle of the room, and Siray had to twist to see him, unable to stop herself from glaring.

  ‘I know another way to get into the tunnels that command uses to get everyone out beyond the desert,’ Mocery said calmly, looking at everyone but her. ‘We could get into them by accessing another tunnel that will take us around the perimeter of the facility before it joins up with the other escape routes. We wouldn’t have to go near anyone else until we hit the main evacuation passage.’

  Siray just kept glaring at him, while Zale, Baindan, and Genlie looked at him doubtfully.

  Mocery saw of all it and said plainly, ‘I want to get out of here as much as all of you. I wanted out of here before any of this happened—wanted some semblance of a real life. But,’ he said more quietly, his gaze flicking to Siray’s, ‘I also want to help.’

  Siray snorted quietly to herself. So he thought helping them now would atone for his previous crimes?

  Deson, who knew nothing about the attack Mocery had made on Siray, said, ‘Well, that sounds good to me. Let’s do that.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell us about these tunnels earlier, when we were planning Siray and Deson’s rescue?’ Zale’s voice was hard and unforgiving.

  Siray could have hugged him for it.

  ‘Because to get into the tunnel I mention, you have to use a door that triggers another system alert. But in this case, I doubt command will notice.’

  Mocery seems genuine, Siray thought, being careful not to project the thought. But can we really trust him? Do I want to trust him? No, not really. But the alternative was taking the long way through the base and potentially being recaptured by Huroy and his guard.

  She let her eyes drift to the ground, knowing there was no other way.

  Even so, from the corner of her eye, she saw Zale twist his head
to look at her.

  She nodded without looking up.

  ‘Alright,’ Zale said, turning back to Mocery. ‘So, where do we find this tunnel entrance?’

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  ‘I DON’T like this,’ Siray told Zale and Baindan a short time later, speaking quietly as the three of them trailed at the end of the group.

  Somewhere up ahead, Mocery was leading them all through the tunnel he had described, closely followed by Deson, who been impatient to get moving.

  Siray couldn’t fault him—they had enemies everywhere currently. Except amongst their friends.

  ‘I don’t either,’ Zale responded to her comment. ‘But who knows how long he’s been hacking into the facility’s systems? If he’s had access for a while, he should know the layout of the passages quite well. And if this really does link up with the main escape passage, then it’s worth the risk.’

  As they hurried after the others, Siray began to hear muffled sounds from ahead. She frowned and strained her ears in an effort to understand what the noise was.

  Baindan had obviously heard the same thing, as he asked, ‘What is that—the attack?’

  Zale shook his head. ‘Can’t be. The warning system here is supposed to give everyone plenty of time to evacuate through the tunnels.’

  Moving swiftly along the passage, the sounds grew louder until they were able to make out a din of yelling voices and running feet. Mocery led them up one floor using stairs that wound up through the rock walls around them, the sounds from below dying away, before he guided them away from the stairs and down a short, dark passage.

  Siray uneasily noted that the distant sound of many running feet was growing louder again, and a short time later, she slid to a nervous stop behind the others as they silently faced a dark wall of rock that Mocery was examining.

  After what felt like a long moment of Mocery running his hands over the rock face, he must have finally passed his hands over the indiscernible activation pad, as a low hum started up, and ever so slowly, a small section of the wall began to move.