“You didn’t find it?” Her voice was saccharine.
“If we had, we’d already be on our way instead of jawing here.” That wiped the smirk off her face.
“He said to look under your bed.”
Jaden gaped. “Under my bed? What kind of hiding place is that?”
Iri turned smiling eyes on him. “You didn’t think to check there first?”
Scowling, Jaden said, “I didn’t think he’d put it in such an obvious place. I mean, if you’re hiding something there, why bother?”
Iri and Atu doubled over with laughter.
“Stop! It’s not funny!”
“Your face sure is,” Atu noted between sniggers.
Jaden stomped away and barged through the stairway door. He grumbled all the way to his room where he knelt next to his bed. At first, he saw nothing. It was dark, so he tapped his PAL and turned on his flashlight. Even then, he still had to hunt to find it.
Tucked under the top end of the bed was a chess pawn. Shorter than his little finger, it lay on its side as if abandoned there. If Jaden hadn’t cleaned his room—was it really months ago?—he would never have found it with all the other things cluttering up the space. Now, the pawn was the only item, something anyone searching for a “device” could easily have overlooked. Considering the shape and size, perhaps this wasn’t such a lousy hiding place.
Jaden closed his fingers around the object, then almost dropped it. Ow! Hot! Well, it is a machine of sorts. Although the tiny components that made it functional were an engineering miracle. Scooting back upstairs, Jaden burst through the door.
Iri looked at him expectantly. “Well?”
Jaden decided he would have some fun. “Does it look like I have it?”
Iri studied him further, and Jaden remembered who he was dealing with. But she gave a little smile and turned away, saying nothing.
It was Atu’s turn. “You didn’t find it?”
Taz drifted closer. “I don’t understand. Zareh said it would be there.”
Pulling a random item from one of his pockets, Jaden looked at it. “Maybe this is it?”
“A piece of string?”
Atu looked so perplexed, Jaden wanted to laugh. “I suppose it could be. Or how about this?” He pulled another item from his pocket.
Atu’s face soured. “Really? A marble?”
“Well, these are all things that live under my bed.”
Taz huffed as she drew back. “You did find it. You’re just teasing us.”
“Well, if the string and marble aren’t working for you, how about this?” Jaden withdrew the pawn.
“That’s it?” Iri drew near and took it from him. “Wow, it’s warm.”
“Yeah, so you can all quit teasing me about not looking under my bed. Even if I had, I wouldn’t have thought that was the ‘device’ Zareh mentioned. Does it look like a device to you?”
Atu laughed and slapped him on the back. “Chill! Yes, I agree. We wouldn’t have found it either. How did you know this was what you were looking for?”
“It was the only thing under my bed.”
When Atu raised shocked eyebrows, Jaden gave him a pained expression. “Really? I’m not that messy.”
“I’m not saying anything.” When Jaden looked like he might add something, Atu said, “Except I’m glad you found the device. Let’s be on our way.”
Jaden did his second double take of the day. “Where is Atu and what have you done with him?”
Giggling, Iri said, “Yes, we don’t know this take-charge person.”
Atu only grinned. “Shall we?”
“We shall. It’s high time we were on our way.” Clearly, their antics were wearing on Taz.
Seconds later, they were all airborne, Iri choosing to fly with Aren and Atu this time. Jaden glanced at Taz as Han pulled up next to her. “You’re up. Time to tell us how to operate this device.”
They flew well beyond the bounds of Daxsos before Taz told him Zareh developed the device so that only the gliders could interpret the frequencies. After his initial irritation, Jaden supposed it made sense. They had developed it in the glider’s world for them to use. Obviously, it would work for them and not humans. The upside was, for once, the decisions were up to someone other than him.
Enjoying this revelation, Jaden obeyed as Taz instructed him to twist the top of the pawn off the base to activate the device. This executed, the gliders circled, concentrating on the signal. Jaden frowned, observing confusion on multiple faces.
“What’s wrong?”
“I expected several signals. Instead, there is only one very strong signal coming from the north,” Taz replied.
At her words, several of the nearby gliders nodded agreement.
“Could that just be the closest one?”
“Possibly, but unlikely. Zareh told me that once they had the device working in our world, it was like dots popping up all over the map. They could discern all the locations simultaneously, no matter how distant.”
Jaden thought a moment. “Then we concentrate our forces on that spot. Once we’ve cleared it, we run the device again and see if we can find others. Is this location anywhere near Sven’s?”
Taz eyed him. “How did you know?”
Jaden laughed. “I didn’t. I was only asking because I thought it might be wise to head for Sven’s and pick up some reinforcements before we hit that nest. Any objections?”
Chapter Thirteen
Every time they traveled to Sven’s, the journey felt shorter. Perhaps it was. The voyagers had smart suits and aerolators now, so the gliders could fly at optimal speeds. In addition, Taz wasn’t insisting they practice routines en route. Instead, they were flying directly to Sven’s with no detours or distractions.
Jaden glanced at Iri, flying with Taz. Rather than have Taz flying solo while Iri doubled up with someone else, pairing them up had been practical. Still, Taz had balked at flying with anyone other than Kayla. And Iri had looked like a kid who’d just had her bike’s training wheels ripped off. Both sides voiced vehement objections before finally giving in. Now they flew as a temporary team, both still looking uneasy with the arrangement.
Jaden could relate. He couldn’t imagine doing this without Han. Trying to get to the next stage without Kayla was rough enough.
Jaden realized they were descending. The entrance to Sven’s home was within sight. However, before they even landed, Jaden heard a familiar voice in his ear.
“Jaden! What are you doing here?”
“Markov? Are you watching the cameras?”
His friend chuckled. “Sven’s got us all on rotations. Just your luck I was on duty when you arrived.”
“Really? You think the others might’ve zapped me with those cannons if they saw it was me coming to join you?” Although he tried, Jaden couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice.
“Dude! Why would you say something like that?”
“You know why.”
“Seriously, get past yourself! When are you going to accept everyone who took part in that battle did so of their own accord? And they were fully prepared to accept whatever the consequences were?”
“Does Stovan see it that way?”
“He’s coming around,” Markov admitted. “For obvious reasons, it’s taken him a little longer than the rest of us.”
Silence loomed large between them.
“We’re coming up on the wall,” Han informed Jaden.
“Got to go,” Jaden told Markov. “We’ll see you at Sven’s in a few minutes.”
Han and the other gliders made short work of negotiating the cliffs walling off Sven’s home. Before Jaden was ready, Han was descending again so Jaden could dismount. He did so, his apprehension growing with each passing second. How am I going to face Stovan after what happened to Bree?
He hadn’t seen Stovan since the battle. Of all his childhood friends, Stovan had been the one person who hadn’t come to visit him during his convalescence.
“Jade
n! Markov told me you and the others were on your way!”
Jaden’s grin was a spontaneous reaction to the man who was larger than life and had a heart to match. Despite living the life of a recluse, Sven was the most congenial, hospitable person Jaden had ever met. Jaden barely managed a reply before Sven’s hug engulfed him.
Somehow, it was exactly what he’d needed. When Sven released him, Jaden’s confidence had returned. “Thanks.”
Sven didn’t bother hiding his surprise. “For what?”
“For being you and always being so accepting.”
The older man eyed him. “You still haven’t forgiven yourself, no?” Without waiting for a reply, he forged on. “That will be a problem if you don’t resolve it—and soon.” Jaden gave him a skeptical glance. “I know of what I speak. You would do well to listen to me. Regrets have their place. But in the middle of a mission, they only serve as a distraction. Your focus should be on finishing the task. Make sure it’s there before you leave my home, no?”
Jaden plastered a smile on his face and clapped Sven on the back. “You’re a good man.”
Abruptly, Sven looked annoyed. “Don’t blow me off. Promise me you’ll do this?”
Sighing, Jaden said, “Sven, I promise I’ll do my best. But this isn’t a switch you can turn on or off.”
“But the longer you avoid facing the truth, the more difficult you make it for yourself.”
“And what truth should I face, Sven?” Jaden knew his tone was snarky, but he couldn’t help it. His own temper was rising. “Bree’s dead!”
At that exact moment, Stovan stepped out the house. Jaden groaned inwardly. Do I have the worst timing or what?
Jaden was bewildered when Stovan didn’t break stride. His aim for Jaden was unerring. Jaden wanted to back away, only that wouldn’t help. If Stovan decked him, he deserved it. Stovan reached him, and Jaden stiffened. But Stovan pulled him into a rough hug. Of all the ways they could’ve reconnected, Jaden hadn’t envisioned this.
“Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault,” Stovan mumbled.
Jaden’s arms tightened around his friend. “I’m so sorry. If I had known—”
“How could you have? And Bree wouldn’t have wanted us to fight about it. If anything, it would’ve annoyed her that we weren’t saying how amazing it was when she wielded her DD without cutting her glider’s head off.”
Jaden couldn’t help the half-sob, half-laugh that escaped. He was also powerless to stop the tears that streamed down his cheeks. The laughter won out and, smiling through his tears, Jaden said, “Yes, I can almost hear her berating us for not giving her credit for what she accomplished.”
Stovan gave a rueful smile. “Let’s get inside. It’s almost time for dinner, and I have to say, I think Bree would’ve been proud of our efforts.”
Grateful he didn’t have to speak and swallowing the lump in his throat, Jaden followed Stovan into the house. Surprised, Jaden stared at the long tables Sven had set up in what had once been the living room. Most of the riders already sat with their meals. A few stragglers were still dishing up their food.
When Sadie saw them, she rushed over. Her husband got her attention first, but Jaden wanted to tear up again when he was the next person she hugged. He wished his own parents were here. But they had remained at the house, their purpose twofold.
First, they’d promised Sadie and Vicken they would be there in case Kayla miraculously showed up. Second, they had to attend to their houseguests. Atu’s parents had elected to take his place at his healing center while he came on this mission, so they’d needed a place to stay.
“How are you holding up?” Sadie asked, her face reflecting her concern.
“Better on some days than others,” Jaden confessed. “How about you?”
“Much the same. Vicken told me what you’re doing here. I hope we find Kayla at that base.”
“You and me both.” He kept his voice low, not wanting to explain his presence to the others just yet. He had to make sure all his friendships were intact before he made another withdrawal from the relationships.
By the next morning, Jaden knew he couldn’t put things off any longer. Whispers were already rampant. Requesting that everyone join him at breakfast, Jaden wasn’t disappointed when they all showed up—even those who should’ve been monitoring the security systems.
“Thanks for coming. I know you’re all wondering what I’m doing here, so let me provide answers.” Without preamble, he gave a brief rundown, avoiding questions about Zareh and skimping on details about how the comm system was discovered. They didn’t need to know it had nearly cost him and Kayla their lives.
“Now that you know, the next step is scouting the nest and figuring out our best plan of attack. Anyone interested in joining Vicken and I on this mission?”
Iri, Atu, and Markov’s hands went up immediately. Several others quickly followed, but he only noticed the most important ones. Stovan. Shianna. Sven. Relief washed over him in waves strong enough to make him want to wobble on his feet. It felt like he’d been holding his breath and was now suddenly able to breathe.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much your support means to me,” Jaden managed. “If you’ll let Atu have your names, I’ll choose a team by this afternoon. Understand ahead of time that I can’t pick all of you. Our reconnaissance team will be small. Don’t be disappointed or offended if you aren’t selected.”
Satisfied when he saw nods of acknowledgement, Jaden said, “Alrighty, it’s time to eat!”
Chuckles rippled through the room. They shouted vigorous agreement. He smiled. Kayla would be proud of him. He tried suppressing the little stab his heart endured every time he thought of her, but it was impossible. She was always there, in his heart. And in the back of his mind lurked the worry, the fear, the uncertainty. Would he see her again?
“This is the next step.”
Vicken’s voice, quiet and intended for him alone, snatched him from that dark place. “It’s just taking so long.”
Vicken put a hand on his shoulder. “Believe me, I get it. But patience and due diligence will help more at this point than blindly rushing at the problem.”
Jaden nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate you being here.”
Laughing, Vicken said, “Where else would I be? She’s my daughter!”
The words stayed with Jaden for the rest of the day. So much so, when it was time to choose a team, he gave both Sven and Vicken voices in the decisions. Sven had been with their newest riders the longest, and with his military background, Jaden trusted his judgment. With Vicken’s skill set, he was the perfect person to work out their surveillance strategy. When Vicken gave Sven the specifics of his plan, they thinned the list to the final two candidates.
Ultimately, it didn’t surprise Jaden when they selected Markov and Stovan to join him, Vicken, Iri, and Atu. It reassured Jaden knowing those coming with them were people he already knew and trusted. It would make communication and implementation infinitely simpler.
He caught Sven in his workshop that afternoon, asking the question that had been burning him since they’d arrived. Especially after he’d seen Stovan and felt guilty anew that this was the reason Bree hadn’t been able to defend herself. If he wanted to protect the others from the same fate, they needed a solution. “Any luck yet in creating something to make our riders impervious to those EMPs?”
Sven’s glum face answered before he spoke. “Without a Gaptor, we can’t start on a solution. Those monsters have been absent from my valley, and we haven’t found a single one when scouting the immediate area. It’s like they’ve all disappeared. Your explanation about that nest might be the reason they’re AWOL. Perhaps when you destroy the nest, you can capture a Gaptor for me, no?”
Jaden grinned. “I’ll do my best, but I’m not making any promises.”
Sven’s laughter boomed around the room. “Good enough.”
That evening, Vicken went over the plan with the team, making sure they all knew
their roles. Earlier, Jaden and Vicken had agreed Vicken would take the lead. His surveillance experience made him the best man for the job. And they needed the best if they were to succeed.
By the time they finished their meeting, Vicken had detailed every eventuality to the last possible outcome. It only convinced Jaden he didn’t want to know the extent of the man’s other skills. He was truly scary.
Vicken leaned back and studied the group. “Questions?” When everyone shook their heads, he said, “Time to rest then. It will be an early start tomorrow.”
Vicken wasn’t kidding. They were up before dawn. It took them two days and most of the third to reach the well-hidden cave Sven’s drone had ferreted out for them. It was an excellent waystation: secluded enough to rest before the night’s mission and close enough that getting to the nest wouldn’t take long.
When they had told the gliders about the mission, Han suggested a nighttime foray. Unlike the gliders, the Gaptors weren’t nocturnal. Their twilight attacks, according to Han, were a “last-ditch effort to get as much killing into the day as possible” before they retired for the evening.
Jaden couldn’t resist smiling, remembering the way Han spat the words out. Like the Gaptors were lazy cowards with no integrity. Considering they were aberrations cooked up in a lab rather than natural creations, did they even have personalities? Or were they just creatures of the habits drilled into them?
Han dropped even lower, and it reminded Jaden he would need to dismount. “See you inside.”
“We won’t be joining you. You forget, this is naturally the time we’re awake. And who better to keep an eye out for unwanted guests than yours truly?”
Jaden chuckled. “I wouldn’t want anyone else. But it’s freezing out here.”
“Have you also forgotten the temperatures in our world are so much more extreme than yours?”
Jaden had. “Okay, tough guy, you stay out here where it’s nice and brisk. Give a holler if you see anything you don’t like.”
Destiny Series Boxed Set Page 95