Legacy

by Travis Brett

  Caleb took another step closer. “I’ll give you another chance.”

  “Another chance for you to use me? To make me do your dirty work because you’re too weak.”

  “I’m sorry for how Roman treated you. How I treated you.”

  Sparks paused. No one had ever apologized to him before. It’s a trick. He’s trying to distract you. Don’t listen to him. “If you’re so sorry, why are you still working for Roman? You know he’s an asshole.”

  “I’m not doing this for Roman.”

  “What?”

  “Ruby’s in danger. Gavin has her. I’m here because of her.”

  Sparks’ eyes narrowed. Roman had said the same thing . . . Was it true? It wouldn’t change a thing, Sparks reminded himself, she’s not my responsibility.

  “Ruby was always on your side,” Caleb took another step forward. Now he and Sparks were only two yards apart. “She was the one who defended you when Roman wanted to get rid of you. Are you going to let her die?”

  “Why the fuck would you care what I do?” Sparks demanded. Without thinking, he lashed out and struck Caleb across the chest, throwing him into the air.

  Candle landed half a dozen yards away with a heavy thud. Grunting, he climbed back to his feet. For the first time in the conversation, a flicker of anger passed across his face. “Don’t ever do that again.”

  “Or what?” Sparks laughed bitterly. “You can’t do anything to me.”

  “No. I can’t,” Caleb spat. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re a selfish brat who only cares about himself, and whoever he can beat up. That makes you as much of an asshole as Roman.”

  “That’s not true!” Sparks shouted. But his words sounded hollow, false.

  “And you said I was the bad liar.” Again, Caleb advanced on Sparks, his huge hands curled into fists. “Be honest, you didn’t join Candle because you believed in his cause, you just came here so you could fight. Because violence is all you care about.”

  Anger flared in Sparks’ chest. “So what? I’m a pit fighter. It’s what I do. And you can’t judge me, because you’re just a money-hungry, greedy mercenary!”

  Caleb stopped just in front of Sparks, towering over him. “If all I cared about was money, why would I be trying to save Ruby? Why would I be here, trying to save your pathetic life?”

  “I said stay away!” Sparks pressed both hands against Caleb’s chest and pushed him back.

  In response, Caleb punched Sparks in the face. Sparks stumbled back, his whole head exploding with pain. He raised his arms defensively to block a second blow, but it didn’t come.

  “You’re just an angry, selfish kid,” Caleb said.

  “I’m not a kid!”

  “Then stop acting like one.”

  Sparks glowered at Caleb, furious.

  “You know what?” Caleb continued. “I was the one who asked to be your owner after Roman brought you. I fed you. I gave you your clothes. I let you live in my house. And this is how you—”

  “Don’t pretend you’re some hero, you never—”

  “I saved your life during the fight at the Gentleman’s Den.”

  “That was so you could get money from me winning!”

  “I told you. I’m not just a greedy—”

  “STOP LYING TO ME!” Sparks charged forward, grabbed Caleb by the arm, and swung him towards the wall. Caleb body went limp as he struck the wall with enough force to burst right through it. Chunks of brick flew everywhere. The building shook, and for one horrifying second Sparks thought it would collapse in on Caleb.

  The dust finally settled, revealing Caleb half buried in rubble, blood pouring down his forehead. Sparks’ breath caught in his lungs. I killed him. Oh shit . . . No. Please, no . . .

  With a burst of coughing, Caleb sat up, still very much alive. Maybe Caleb was simply too big to die. “You were meant to have my back,” he growled. “What the fuck do you call this?”

  Sparks looked at his feet. “I told you, that’s finished.”

  “So, you going to kill me now?”

  “No.”

  Neither of them moved for a long moment. Sparks refused to look at Caleb. He felt torn. Caleb’s words stung because he knew they were true. All Sparks wanted to do was fight, and kill. That was the only thing he knew how to do. Maybe that did make him a monster. Maybe Roman was right all along. Still, I can’t change. I chose my path. Now I have to live with it. “I don’t want to kill you,” Sparks said slowly. “But I can’t work for you again. I won’t.”

  “So, what are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to kill Juliette.”

  “Why?”

  Sparks paused. Why did he feel it was so important to kill her? Was it because he had promised Candle he would? No. That wasn’t it. “She did this to me,” and he turned his head to give Caleb a full view of the tattoo on his neck. “I think that’s a good enough reason.”

  Caleb snorted. “Revenge, huh? You’re really are as bad as Roman.”

  Sparks turned away, he didn’t want to look at Caleb as he said, “I am grateful to you, but that doesn’t mean I owe you anything. I’m working for Candle now. So . . . goodbye.”

  He left.

  * * *

  “That’s got to be it.” Roman pulled to a halt when they turned a corner and entered an open yard. In the centre stood a single building.

  Tan stopped beside him. “Looks kinda ominous, doesn’t it?”

  Roman looked around cautiously for any signs of danger. The yard was deserted. But he could hear shouting coming from somewhere close, and getting closer quickly. He took off at a sprint across the yard, Tan a step behind him.

  The building wasn’t large, it probably only had space for two or three rooms inside. Roman charged into the door, shoulder first, and it burst open. Inside it was dark, the only light coming from the door. No sign of Spencer.

  Roman cautiously crept forward, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He was in a large room, the air stale and thick with dust. The walls were lined with blank screens and large panels covered in buttons.

  “What the heck is all that shit?” Tan asked, walking over a wall and running his hand over a screen.

  “Computers,” Roman answered.

  “Oh. So that’s what they look like. Pretty disappointing, to be honest.”

  Roman moved to the nearest panel of buttons and pressed a dozen at random. Nothing happened. “This is meant to be the control room,” he muttered, “but it looks . . . broken.”

  “Candle shut it down?” Tan guessed.

  Roman shook his head as he wiped his hand over a screen, carving a trench through the thick layer of dust. “No. This hasn’t been touched in a long time. Something isn’t right here.”

  “It’s as I said. Ominous.” Tan moved deeper into the room. “Hey Boss, I’ve got an idea where Spencer may be hiding.”

  Roman followed his gaze. In the back corner of the room there was a staircase leading down. Roman didn’t like the idea of being lost in the dark down there, waiting for Spencer to ambush them, but he didn’t have any other choices. He warily began to descend the stairs. “Wait here,” he ordered Tan.

  “Bugger that.” Tan folded in arms defiantly. “I ain’t letting you get yourself killed without me.”

  Roman sighed. “I don’t know how big it is down there, and if Spencer slips past me and escapes, then this is all for nothing, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t like leaving you alone.”

  “Leaving me alone, or being alone?”

  “Either one.”

  “I understand. But wait here anyway, okay?”

  Tan scowled. “Just be careful.”

  Roman crept down the stairs as silently as he could. By the time he reached the bottom step it was nearly pitch black. He stretched out both hands to touch the walls. He was in a hallway. Slowly, he walked forward. He could still faintly hear the sounds of fighting coming from above, but other than that and the pounding of his own heart, it was
silent.

  There was light ahead.

  Candlelight.

  A voice carried down the hallway. “Candle? That you?”

  Roman paused. He knew that voice. He had heard it once, at the Haven. Ashton Spencer’s voice.

  “Guess again, fucker,” Roman called back, keeping his gun raised as he moved closer to the light. It was coming from an empty door frame at the end of the hallway, on the left.

  Spencer didn’t respond.

  Roman slowed as he neared the doorway. He barely dared to breathe. His every muscle was tense, ready to move at the slightest threat. But all was still. He could almost believe he had imagined Spencer’s voice.

  Crouching, he paused just outside the door. He stole a quick peek inside. Half a dozen candles were scattered around the bare room. He couldn’t see Spencer. Was it a trick? Was Spencer in another room?

  No point delaying the inevitable. Roman burst into the room, gun raised.

  Spencer sat in the corner, his thin, bruised face half-hidden behind his tangle of dark hair. In his lap he held a book. He slowly looked up at Roman, sighing wearily. “Candle’s dead, isn’t he?” Spencer asked. There was no hint of fear in his voice.

  Roman didn’t know how to react. How was Spencer so calm? He didn’t even try to stand or move or anything. Instead, he just looked Roman up and down, not even twitching as his eyes passed over the gun pointed at his chest.

  “I guess I’m not surprised,” Spencer continued, turning back to his book. “I didn’t think we ever really stood a chance. But still, I hoped. It’s hard not to. I guess that’s part of being human.”

  “Why did you free Candle?” Roman knew he didn’t have time to waste, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking. He had to know.

  Spencer sighed again. “I guess I finally found my conscience. Too late, as is always the case. But, well . . .” he paused, hanging his head so that his hair covered his face completely. “After everything I’ve done, I thought that maybe if I could save one of them, I could redeem myself. Didn’t work. But still, I think I’m ready to die now . . . Not that death gives a fuck whether I’m ready or not.”

  Roman hesitated. “But what about the serum you were working on? The one to permanently deactivate the Adrenalites.”

  Spencer looked up, brushing his long hair behind his shoulder. “Huh?” He cocked his head, his confusion clear. “Who are you?”

  “The serum, the one—”

  “Wait . . . you’re Roman aren’t you.”

  Roman didn’t answer, too shocked to speak. Spencer looked genuinely confused. That meant . . .

  “So you’re Juliette’s dog,” Spencer continued. “Her little pet. I should have guessed it would be you who came for me.”

  “I’m not her anything. Get up, now.”

  Spencer didn’t move.

  “I said, now!” Roman stepped forward. “You’re going to tell me—”

  A scream echoed down the hallway. Tan’s voice.

  Roman froze.

  The book fell out of Spencer’s lap. Beneath it, he was holding a pistol. “I’m not going back. I won’t. Juliette can find someone else to do her dirty work. Maybe you. You seem so damn good at it.”

  Roman didn’t move. Tan’s scream still rung in his ears. Spencer slowly began to raise his gun. Roman’s finger tensed over the trigger of his own.

  Spencer pressed the barrel of his gun against the side of his own head.

  Roman dove forward. “Wait!”

  Spencer fired.

  31

  Ruby froze when she heard the first gunshot. She tried to ignore her horrifying mental images of finding Roman dead. Along with Tan, Caleb and Sparks. That can’t happen, she told herself, after everything I’ve done, that would be too unfair. But she struggled to believe that — nothing else in life had ever been fair.

  Ruby pushed her anxiety away and set off again. She held her bow tightly as she descended the wreckage of two buildings. Judging by that gunshot, the militia weren’t far away now.

  Why are they here, of all places? Ruby had spent the last couple hours debating that and had yet to think of a good answer. Her first thought had been that the wind farm had been attacked by Candle, and so Juliette was rushing to defend them. But that made no sense. The wind farm was miles outside the city, there was no way Juliette could make it in time. And that gunshot . . . that had come from within Legacy.

  There was a power station around here, wasn’t there? Ruby wished she knew what was going on, or whether Roman had even followed the militia. Anything to stop her feeling so useless.

  Another gunshot echoed down the street. She broke into a run.

  * * *

  Sparks felt like the city's biggest idiot. Who else could be so damn mad at Caleb, but still feel guilty for leaving him. It was insane. Does Caleb hate me? He couldn't stop the question repeating in his mind. Why the hell did he even care what Caleb thought of him? He had gone rogue; he shouldn't have to care about Caleb anymore. But he did, and he hated it.

  Sparks ran through the station, finding nothing but bodies. For every dead Adrenalite he came across, there were at least a dozen militia killed. But when the Adrenalites were so outnumbered, each death mattered more. And there was a lot of deaths.

  Maybe Sparks could change that if he could find Juliette. She had to be here, somewhere, and he was going to kill her. Yes. But he was lost. This place was like a maze. Every building looked the same. Grey and ruined.

  Sparks leapt atop of the nearest building, feeling it shake beneath his weight. He looked around for someone to fight, but there was nobody nearby. For the first time, it was nearly silent. He scowled. The battle couldn't be over, not yet. He looked towards the nearest tower, standing over fifty yards high. If he could climb that, he would have a view of the entire station. Jumping from roof to roof, he headed towards it.

  The tower was easy to climb; it was just a hollow frame of interlocking steel beams, so Sparks propelled himself from beam to beam effortlessly. Blood still trailed down his side from the hole the strange crossbow bolt had left behind. He ignored it. Being activated would help it heal before he lost too much blood. Hopefully.

  He stopped halfway up, standing on one beam while gripping another to hold himself upright. He didn't think he had ever been this high up before. His stomach lurched when he looked straight down. Being activated wouldn't save him from a fall like this. From here, he could see teams of militia moving through the station. There were still so many. He squinted, trying to spot any Adrenalites. There was one to the south and another two back towards the entrance of the station. Surely there had to be more still fighting. But he couldn't see any. Where had Candle gone?

  Sparks spied the largest pack of militia, maybe thirty in total, crossing a quad. Heading towards the centre of the station. Towards him.

  Sparks grinned as he began to climb down. Juliette had to be amongst that group. That's where she would be safest. But it wouldn't matter even if she was protected by a hundred militia. Sparks was the best fighter in Legacy, and he was coming for her.

  * * *

  Spencer’s head burst open. Blood sprayed across the wall, the floor, and the pages of the book he had been reading. Roman stood motionless. Shocked. And angry. Spencer was no use as hostage now. Coming here had been a waste of time. Time that Roman didn’t have.

  He turned to face the doorway he had come through. What had happened to Tan? Roman closed his eyes, listening. The crack of Spencer’s gunshot still rung in his ears, but he also heard footsteps.

  A voice Roman didn’t recognize called down the hallway. “Ashton?”

  Roman kept silent as he retreated to shadows in the corner of the room, next to Spencer’s corpse. Blood pooled around his boots. From the doorway came blue light, contrasting against the orange candlelight inside the room.

  “Ashton?” The voice called again. Closer now.

  An Adrenalite stepped into the doorway. He was so big he barely fit through the door frame, a
nd his thick black hair hung down to his shoulders. He glowed the darkest blue that Roman had seen, and his trails of light covering him were so thick almost his entire body glowed. His arms and chest were covered in blood.

  “Don’t you fucking move,” Roman said, stepping forward and aiming his pistol at the Adrenalite’s chest.

  The newcomer didn’t even look at him, his eyes were locked onto Spencer, his expression twisting into a scowl. “You killed Spencer.”

  Roman’s grip tightened. “You’re Candle, aren’t you?”

  The Adrenalite ignored him. “He was a good man, and you killed him.”

  Then Roman noticed it — the thin spike of metal embedded in the Adrenalite’s shoulder. Roman had no doubt who had shot him. “Is Tan alive?”

  “Who?”

  “The man guarding the door. Did you kill him?”

  “You killed Spencer. Fair is fair.”

  “You’re lying,” Roman growled. This was Candle, it had to be. His finger itched on the trigger, eager to shoot. But he restrained himself. Maybe Gavin would give Ruby back if Roman brought back Candle’s corpse, but Roman couldn’t risk it, not with Ruby’s life at stake. He needed Candle alive.

  That spike in Candle’s shoulder, how long would it take to deactivate him? Roman had to distract him long enough for it to take effect.

  Candle finally turned to him. “You’re Roman. The bounty hunter. You’re Juliette’s—”

  “Shut up. Did you kill Tan?”

  “This is a war. People die.”

  “Not my people.”

  Candle stepped into the room. “Don’t try play the hero with me. I know what you are.”

  “You don’t know shit about me.”

  Candle’s light began to fade.

  And Roman finally noticed the three Adrenaline needles strapped to Candle’s forearms — he would be able to reactivate himself instantly. That changed things. Roman aimed the gun at Candle’s leg and fired. In a blur, Candle spun to the right. He was fast. Roman didn’t have time to react before Candle was right in front of him.