This wasn’t the way Wu had brought me in last time. Then, the enclave had been housed in a warehouse, and we had landed on a roof I christened with my lunch. Either that wasn’t their main living space, as I had assumed, or this was for end-of-world emergencies.
“This is the bunker. The exit, which we’re about to make use of, is about five miles from the warehouse. It’s all connected through underground tunnels.”
Dismissing the image of sardines in a can that popped into mind, I pressed, “How do we get in?”
“The password changes every twenty-four hours. There are fifty in play each quarter.” He rubbed his jaw. “Just give me a minute.”
A mossy slab of rock slid beneath his palm, kicking off a chain reaction of shuffling stones and creating a giant Rubik’s Cube for him to solve.
“That’s not magic.” Santiago leaned forward, energy buzzing around him. “That’s mechanics.”
“Humans live at the enclave as well. We had to take their limitations into consideration.”
Limitations. The word burned my biscuits. I hated the way charun dismissed an entire species out of hand. This was their world, their home, their —
Damn it.
It was my home.
I might have been born charun, but I had been reborn human, and the raising Dad had given me was all that kept me hanging on most days.
A low hiss brought my head up in time to watch a jagged panel slide open to reveal a tunnel bathed in fluorescent light. Elbowing Santiago aside, I reached Wu. “How do you want to do this?”
“We separate.” Wu ushered us down a sharp incline. “Each of us takes eight to twelve civilians, depending on the size of their family group. We meet up in Canton, at your house.”
“No.” Cole left no room for argument. “It’s too dangerous to leave Luce unprotected.”
“He’s right.” Santiago kept pace with us. “We can split into thirds, but not quarters.”
While they argued logistics, I searched the building for occupants.
A lone figure approached, his shoulders curved under a heavy weight, and his expression grim.
“Knox.” Wu approached him, and Knox embraced him, sobbing onto his shirt like a child seeking solace from a parent. “I’m so sorry.”
“She’s all I have left of her mother.” His fists clenched in the fabric of Wu’s shirt. “I can’t lose her, Adam.”
“We’ll do what we can,” he soothed, “after we get the rest of you to safety.”
Knox took a moment to compose himself before facing us. The puffy skin around his eyes told me this wasn’t his first breakdown. I could only imagine how he must feel, torn between his people and his only child. As hard as I fought for my dad, I understood how strong the parent-child bond could be, and the fact it went both ways was the only reason the enclave was still secure.
“She’s sacrificing herself for you, and for her people.” I hated to be the one to tell him, but I was being thrust into leadership roles left and right. “You can’t let it be for nothing.”
Knox leaned on Adam until I was amazed the leaner man didn’t buckle under the weight.
“I can’t see how we can extract her without giving up your location,” I said, hating to drive my point home. “We’ll have to get these people to safety then circle back for her.”
“I’ll stay,” he rasped. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Wu visibly jolted. “Who will lead the enclave if you fall?”
“I put the enclave first when the NSB murdered my mate.” His glare drilled into Wu. “My human mate, who couldn’t take me with her when she died.” Hissing out a breath through metal teeth, he regained control. “I didn’t seek vengeance. I let it go. I did what I had to do, what you told me to do, to protect my daughter.” A hard thread wove through his resolve. “Kimora is all I have left. I’ve sacrificed enough for this cause. I won’t give up my little girl too.”
“We need someone to stay behind and keep tabs on their movements.” Cole’s sympathy made it hard to look at him. “It might as well be Knox.”
“Do not engage,” Wu snarled. “Keep your phone on. We’ll text when the enclave is settled, and again when we’ve returned. Keep to the west end, stay downwind, and don’t die.”
Knox didn’t make any promises, but he did gather himself enough to lead us into an area identical to the one I had visited earlier. A few of the amenities were positioned in different locations, but it was otherwise identical to the layout of the warehouse.
All that faded into the background when a whipcord-thin shadow coalesced into a familiar outline.
“Thom.” Heedless of his injuries, I tackled him in the tightest hug I had ever given another person. “How are you?”
“Recovering.” He rubbed his cheek against mine, a soft purr spreading through his chest at the contact. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.” I squeezed him one last time then let go, giving Cole room to clap him on the back and Santiago to make a biting comment to cover the relief in his eyes. “I feel better about this mission already.”
Thom smiled at me, his cat’s smile, all sharp teeth and feline cunning.
“Needless to say, you’re on my team.” I ruffled his hair and couldn’t stop the pressure welling up in me. “It’s so damn good to see you. I know I said that already, but damn. It’s really, really good to have you back.”
While I caught up with Thom, whose daily texts had stopped when the enclave went dark, Knox divided the civilians into three groups. We didn’t have to waste time waiting for them to pack. They had go-bags on hand thanks to the emergency protocols they were under stuffed with clothes, food, and weapons.
Once everyone was assembled, we met at the base of the ramp. Knox introduced us to each group. I expected protests or demands for explanations. These people had children, and they were sending a third of their numbers out with Conquest of all people. But one look at Wu silenced them. No, it reassured them. On their faces, you could see the ironclad belief he would never let any harm come to them.
That, more than anything, solidified his claim that whoever had ratted out the enclave had done so without his knowledge or permission. A troubling thought for later reflection.
“I’m with Luce.”
Santiago let the statement hang, glaring at me, daring me to choose Cole over him. But, even though I much preferred Cole’s company, I was the weak link. It made sense to pair me with someone else. The announcement set Thom’s lip curling in the promise of an argument, but the expression vanished in a blink. I turned back to Santiago in time to catch the remorse on his face, and I understood.
Grief was a binding force that tugged on my heartstrings every time I thought of Uncle Harold or Aunt Nancy. They were family, I loved them, and I hadn’t saved them. I barely rescued Dad, and I still hadn’t been fast enough to keep Famine from poisoning him.
Learning Santiago hadn’t volunteered to go with me out of the goodness of his heart, or because he enjoyed my company, wasn’t a shocker. He knew I wouldn’t let Thom out of my sight, and he wanted to make amends for the brutality Thom had experienced when members of War’s coterie pulled off his wings.
Who was I to throw up a roadblock when he was following in my footsteps? Trying his damndest not to repeat past mistakes. Hoping this time, he would be quicker, smarter, better. That no one would pay for his miscalculation in blood.
Cole, whose casual affection came easier since our swim, wrapped an arm around my waist. “Are you good with that?”
“Yeah, yeah.” I leaned into him. “I guess I can stomach a few more hours of his company.”
A flash of relief crossed Santiago’s features before he schooled them into their usual, ornery lines.
After that, there was nothing left to do but claim our groups and line up in preparation for our turn. It was decided we would follow the enclave’s evacuation protocol, which meant we gave each group a head start of thirty minutes before releasing the next
to better our chances by keeping our numbers low and spread out.
The strongest among us, Cole departed with his group first. He glanced back only once, but there was no mistaking the message for me. Be safe. Be careful. Be vigilant.
I will I promised with a curve of my lips and mouthed, I love you.
The breath punched from his chest, the words a jolt to his system I was smug enough to enjoy inflicting on him. I love you too.
And then he was gone, and I was left with Santiago scrunching up his nose like love had a particular smell that offended him. For all I knew, maybe it did.
“Can I have a moment with Luce?” Wu stood to one side. “In private?”
Santiago narrowed his eyes, but he took a few steps back that would do nothing to keep him from overhearing whatever Wu had to say.
“I’m going to circle back for Knox after we get the enclave settled at the farmhouse. I need you to stay with my people until backup arrives. I can’t leave them unprotected.”
Against my will, my gaze slid to Thom, who had grown thin and pale during his recovery. “I’ll keep them safe until you return.”
“Thank you.” A shudder that must have been relief rippled through him. “You give me strength, Luce.”
Unsure what to say to that, I patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t get dead.”
Withdrawing, Wu shot me a rare smile. “I’m hard to kill.”
Maybe, but being hard to kill didn’t make him unkillable. Most immortal beings stayed alive by avoiding confrontation, but we were running headlong into one. Given Wu’s familiarity with the terrain, and the people, he was bringing up the rear with the largest group.
While I counted down the time remaining, Wu conversed with Knox in low tones. Watching them, it was easy to see the familial relationship. They might not look alike, too many generations had passed for that, but they were close. I hoped that Knox would take Wu’s advice to not engage, but I had no doubt if they raised a hand against Kimora that he would act.
This might very well be the last time the two spoke, and it was obvious in the earnestness of their expressions that both of them were aware of the grim possibilities unfurling around us.
“Time to go.” Santiago took stock of our group, lingering over Thom, then gave them a tight nod and raised his voice. “Stay close, be quiet, and follow orders. Do that, and we’ll get you all out of here alive.”
Trembling lips and wet eyes met his pronouncement, but there were set jaws and jutting chins too.
These people might be afraid, but they were prepared. They wouldn’t hold us up or ask unnecessary questions. They believed in Wu, and they trusted Knox to put them in safe hands. This was the moment they had trained for, and they were as ready as they would ever be.
“That goes double for you.” He poked me in the cheek. “I’m not explaining to Cole how you got dead.”
The sobering reminder that Daddy Wu had given up on his catch and release program where I was concerned was unwelcome. He wanted me six feet under, but I was going to make him fight for every inch. The others could scatter, but he would never let me escape. He wanted me dead, and he wanted Death to embrace her namesake, so that things could go back to normal.
Cadres rise, cadres fall. Rinse and repeat every century as needed.
Too bad for him, I had no intention of falling on my sword. He would have to run it through me. No, I was a shield, and I would protect my family and friends, the people of this world, until my dying breath.
We made it to the farmhouse thanks to cool heads, two vans we rented after reaching the nearest town, and a whole lot of luck. Cole was waiting for us, his group already settling in on the second floor. There were only two beds, but we had plenty of quilts and pillows to make pallets on the floor. Plus the couch and Dad’s recliner. Space was already at a premium with only two-thirds of the refugees present, and it was about to get downright cramped.
Cole swept his gaze over me, his wide shoulders loosening when he verified I was whole. “There’s talk about roosting in the trees.”
I returned the evaluation, relieved a scratch on his cheek was the only damage on him. “It would give them room to spread out.”
“It would also make security a nightmare,” Santiago groused. “They need to stay inside.”
Thom lingered at my side while the others filed into the house to carve out what space they could find, but he watched them with a twitch of his fingers, like he wanted to snag a spot before they were all gone.
“Don’t be a hero.” I tugged on his arm to get his attention. “Run if you have to.”
“I’m not a coward.” He kissed my cheek. “I won’t leave these people undefended.”
“We can help with that,” a new voice promised.
“Mateo Vega.” I smiled as the leader of our first recruits emerged from the woods. “Did Santiago text you?”
For an antisocial grump like him to spearhead our recruitment efforts of his own free will, the world really must be ending.
“About an hour ago.” Mateo jerked his chin over his shoulder. “I brought fifty of my best, but I have more if you need them. The Cuprina are a strong people.”
Tall and lean, Mateo was easy on the eyes. The ethereal wings extending from his back didn’t hurt either. Though I would never tell him so, the antennae arching over his head reminded me of the headbands that come with children’s Halloween costumes.
The delicate appendages were exactly the kind of thing that would have tempted Thom into his boxy housecat form so he could divebomb him while batting them around. The fact he didn’t bat an eye, let alone a paw, at Mateo carved a divot in my chest.
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.” His mothlike clan was laidback and kind. How they ended up supporting Conquest of all people, I had no idea. “We appreciate all the help you can give us.”
Crossing the space between us, he took my hand and kissed its back. “All in service to you, Luce.”
“Luce,” I mused, retrieving my fingers. “Not Conquest?”
“We’re not disciples of hers. We’re here for you.” His antennae twitched. “I thought you realized. We don’t support her agenda. We crave an end to the cycle of violence on this world. It’s our home now, and we want to live in peace.” A fierce grin broke across his features. “We’re willing to go to war to do it.”
Turning on Santiago, I had to ask, “How did you … ?”
“Find them?” He snorted. “They’re finding me.”
A frown knit my brow, and I hauled him away from Mateo for a chat. “I thought all the clans we visited were Conquest’s supporters.”
Trying for innocent, he batted his lashes. “I never said that.”
“Worship makes you uncomfortable.” Thom came to his rescue. “He must have been trying to put you at ease. The task was already outside your realm of comfort.”
Ungrateful for the save, Santiago shrugged. “What he said.”
Nape prickling, I demanded, “Does Cole know?”
Santiago squinted, debating, making me doubt whatever he said next would be true. “No.”
“Liar.”
“Cole is on a transparency kick where you’re concerned.” He cut me a flat look. “He doesn’t tell you the whole truth. You seem fine with him editing your life. Why not me?”
“Cole is my mate. We have to be as honest as we can be with each other if we want a shot at making our relationship work. You’re my friend. The rules are … ” I considered him. “Actually, they’re the same.”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll stop manipulating you into building an army who worships the ground you walk on.”
Not believing him for a minute, I did a mental calculation of the stops on my campaign tour. “Virginia City was the first true believer city, wasn’t it?”
The vibe had been weird from the time we arrived, and they had been the only clan who demanded proof I was who I claimed to be. Even though all the members weren’t to blame, it was clear on their fa
ces when I shifted that the evidence put their reservations to bed.
All it cost was a female’s hand. And then her life. And the life of her co-conspirator. No big.
“Yeah.” He rubbed the base of his neck. “That could have gone better.” Sheepish, he admitted, “I started you off easy to build your confidence. I thought you were ready for the big leagues, but those people were hardcore. I should have chosen an easier target first, but we needed their numbers.”
“Huh.”
He dropped his arm. “What now?”
“You did something nice for me.”
“Whatever.” He pivoted on his heel and left, and I returned to the gathering.
“I feel so loved,” I told Thom, and he chuckled, a raspy sound that reminded me of a cat’s tongue.
“The worse he hazes you,” Thom agreed, “the more he cares.”
“No one’s heart is that big.”
Eyes dancing, he didn’t contradict me.
“I need to get back to my people.” Mateo flexed his wings, and the filmy skin caught the light. “We’ll keep an eye on the house. We have your numbers. We’ll call if we have any trouble.”
“Thank you.” I saw him off then checked on Thom, who was drooping. “You need to rest.”
“I haven’t done more than walk the length of the enclave’s tunnel until today.”
“Let me help you get settled.” I took his arm and guided him in the house. The recliner he preferred as a cat remained where Dad always sat, causing my heart to pinch with missing him. “I’m not sure if it will be as comfortable for you on two legs as it is on four, but Dad fell asleep in it watching TV all the time. It can’t be that uncomfortable.”
The funny thing was, the chair was prime real estate. I expected to shoo someone out of it to make room for Thom. Yes, it was preferential treatment, but he was my friend. The enclave must have realized that since they had gone out of their way to leave him a comfortable spot. One that probably smelled like him from all the time he had spent dozing there.
“Be back soon.” I eased him onto the seat and kissed his forehead. “Call if you need anything.”
“I will,” he whispered, eyelids sinking as I looked on.
Rise Against: A Foundling novel (The Foundling Series) Page 9