Beyond The Vale

by Brian D. Anderson

  Xavier smiled. “If you had it in you to just shoot me, I think you’d have done it already.

  So why don’t you put that down before you do something stupid?”

  Linx wanted to squeeze the trigger. She could almost taste the hatred she held for this man. “The only stupid thing I’ve done was not kill you before now.”

  “That is truer than you’ll ever know. But that time has passed. Now is the time for us to work together.”

  An involuntary laugh slipped out. “You can’t be serious. You expect me to trust you?” “Not in the slightest. At least, no more than I trust you. But to survive what is coming, we

  will need one another. I take it King Salazar has ordered you to gather the noble houses?” “Yes,” she affirmed. “You know why, don’t you?”

  “Not a clue. But if I know King Salazar, it will be something quite spectacular.” He eyed the P37 poised to take his life. “I know the thought of so many deaths is difficult to bear. And as

  much as a monster you may think me to be, I don’t want this. But there is nothing either of us can do. How does dying save anyone?”

  Linx reluctantly put away her weapon. “What do you suggest? Stay in Troi and hide while everyone in the provinces is slaughtered?” She could not believe this man cared a whit about the people of Troi.

  “That is precisely what we must do.” He held up his hand as Linx opened her mouth. “Before you call me a coward – that is what you were going to say, yes? Well, before you do, think about the people of Troi. Not those living in luxury while the rest of Vale starves. Think about the thousands of people in lower Troi.”

  “What do you care…” Then it dawned. “You have family in lower Troi.” Even a monster loved his family.

  Xavier nodded. “But that is only part of my reason. The king is mad, yes. But he isn’t stupid. He won’t allow me near him. You, on the other hand, he still trusts. In no small part because of me, I must say. I made sure he thought Velma was working on her own, and I made sure he didn’t suspect that you were in contact with Exodus.”

  This had to be a trick. A ploy to get her to admit to something. But if he knew about Exodus, what was the point? Unless he had only suspicions. “Why protect me?”

  “Because if I’m correct, having you at the king’s side may be the only thing that can save

  us.”

  “Correct about what?”

  He gave her a grin and a wink. “You can’t expect me to tell you everything. But you’ll know what to do if the time comes. Of that, I am certain.”

  The ring on her finger began vibrating, sending a spike of adrenaline coursing. Bane was ready. And she was more than an hour away from the console she had intended on using.

  “Do we have an…I would say agreement, but I think truce would be more accurate.” She could look like she was in a hurry. “That depends on what you want.”

  “Nothing. Just that you continue as you have been. Follow the king’s orders. Give him no reason not to trust you. And most importantly, keep me informed.”

  “What do I get?”

  Xavier’s face turned grim, his smug, casual smile melting away in an instant. “You get to be one of the lucky ones who survive.”

  Linx stood, her legs still a bit shaky from the P37. “What about the Magistrate? Someone will need to explain what happened.”

  “We are agreed?” he pressed “I see no other choice.”

  Xavier rose and smoothed his shirt. “Good. As far as Velma Chase, it’s already been dealt with. Though I do wish they would hurry. How can I get work done with a dead body at my desk?”

  “Your desk?”

  Xavier gave and exaggerated eye roll. “I’m afraid so. King Salazar doesn’t trust me, but he still needs me. He believes putting me here will keep me out of trouble.” He flicked a dismissive wrist. “Oh, well. It will make it easier for us to communicate, I suppose.”

  Linx moved to the door. “If our business is done, I have work to do.”

  “Of course. I have to admit, you’re taking this better than I feared you might.” “It’s like you said: I’m a survivor.”

  As she exited the room, two royal guards were coming down the hall carrying a body bag. They weren’t even going to be discreet about it. Why would they? There were a good number of officers who would be happy to see Chase go. And anyone stupid enough to object could be dealt with easily enough.

  I wonder how happy they’ll be once they get to know Xavier better?

  She found herself walking with her arms wrapped tightly. She had once dreamed of living in Troi. Now it felt dirty, as if the air touching her flesh left a stain that she could never wash clean. The ring vibrated again.

  To hell with it.

  She turned left at the interrogation room and headed up the rear stairs to the administration offices. The first few doors were open, so she turned her head down and away, to hide her face, pretending to be checking her belt. Anyone looking might still recognize her, but they would not be sure. The holo recorders in the corridors wouldn’t be a problem, but still they would take time to erase, and time was not something she had in abundance. After a few more turns, she entered the records room and, finding it empty, breathed a sigh of relief. At least one thing has gone right.

  Locking the door, Linx hurried over to the desk and powered up the console. It was an older model, seldom used. But she had worked with far worse. It should be just fine for her needs.

  The door handle jiggled. Linx froze. “Is someone in there?” called a voice.

  The handle moved again. “Damn it. Oh, well, it can wait.”

  Linx blew out a tense breath, then went to work. She would definitely be detected. But by the time anyone could figure out what she’d done, it would be over. A smile formed despite the seriousness of the situation and the possible consequences of discovery. Xavier was a fool and a

  coward. She could not wait to see the look on his face when he learned that the hellspawn were destroyed and the King’s plan’s ruined. If only she could be there when Drake returned to place Lenora on the throne! Let him try to scheme his way out of that one.

  She worked at a feverish pace, her hands a blur as she proceeded to find the mana pathways to the four locations. The first two came quickly. The third was a bit more of a challenge. Then, as she found the final stream, her throat seized. Someone was working against her, trying to shut her out. Damn it! They were trying to pinpoint her location and… access the holo recorders. She scanned the room – the recorder was fastened to the ceiling just above the door. Still working with one hand, she pulled out her P37 and channeled a tiny bit of mana. The first shot missed, her concentration split between keeping herself from being ejected from the system and hitting the mark. The second shot was on target, disabling the recorder just as she would have been revealed to whoever it was on the other end.

  “I’m not losing to some Troian kid whose daddy paid to get him a job,” she spat.

  Most of the monitors of the mana streams were young. A few were from lower Troi, but most were members of lesser noble families. Not heirs to the family name; third or fourth children typically. But to speak with them, you’d think the little bastards were members of the royal family.

  Linx tossed her P37 on the desk and continued working. Sweat beaded on her brow and her heart thudded wildly. Her opponent was fast, but not too bright. She worked to make him think her intention was to follow the mana streams back to the sixth level of lower Troi, and he took the bait.

  In a blink, she bypassed his assault and turned the tables. With a final keystroke, she threw her arms above her head.

  “Take that!” she said, a bit louder than intended. She ducked low to the desk, sucking her teeth. Don’t get carried away. You’re not finished.

  Still, the thought of some rich brat’s screen going dark and the subsequent tantrum kept a tiny grin on her face as she found the fourth mana stream. That does it. It was simple to erase the holo recordings in the magistrate’s o
ffice from her arrival until a half an hour from when she would leave. Xavier would know who was responsible, sure, but by then it wouldn’t matter what he knew.

  As she left the building, she started laughing. Though why, she had no idea. People stared at her as if she’d gone mad. But she didn’t care.

  In the car, she pulled out a bottle of wine kept hidden in the center compartment. “Take me home,” she instructed the driver.

  She had just tied her fate to a group of renegades with almost no chance of victory. This drew another fit of laughter.

  “Are you all right?” asked the driver.

  Linx opened the bottle and turned it up, taking several swallows before answering. “I’m perfect. On second thought, I think I’d like a real drink. Care to join me?”

  “No, thank you. I’m on duty until tomorrow morning.”

  “What if tomorrow morning doesn’t come? What if it all ends tonight?” “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Just as soon as you can tell me what that means, I’ll let you know.”

  She should go back to upper Troi; follow the king’s command. And yesterday, she would have done just that. But not today. Somewhere in the provinces, the fate of Vale was being decided. A good reason to celebrate if ever there was one.

  Too bad you don’t have any friends. Well, that wasn’t strictly the case. Drake was her friend, or as close to one as she could hope for. She wondered what he would say about all this. He’d probably call her an idiot for risking so much.

  Maybe I am. She took another swallow, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. We’ll know in the morning.

  Chapter Twenty

  Bane peeked over the pile of rubble where he and the other five members of Exodus were positioned, and growled under his breath. Two additional royal guards had been posted. Did you think this was going to be easy?

  “You think they know we’re coming?” asked a dark-haired young woman named Felicity.

  Bane shrugged. “Maybe. But I doubt it. We’ve seen them put four guards out before.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I can handle them. You just do what you’ve been told and everything will be fine.”

  He hoped he sounded confident. Because he sure as hell wasn’t. A hundred yards to his left, two men were aiming rifles. At that range, a rifle wouldn’t kill a guard. But it would slow them down long enough for him to do the rest. But two rifles would not slow four guards.

  Bane turned to the others. They looked frightened…and for good reason. There could be as many as twenty armed officers beyond the door. Hopefully things had not changed, and rather than bullets, more P37’s were waiting. He forced this fear aside. As of a week ago, royal guards had never passed beyond the threshold. They stayed outside at all times. Bane’s guess was Salazar didn’t want them discovering what he was doing, possibly jeopardizing his own security. The royal guard was famously dedicated to the king. But still…to learn about something so horrific could test anyone’s loyalty.

  “When the power goes out, wait for the first two shots to be fired. I’ll come out first; the rest of you stay behind me. Once we’re inside, spread out as quick as you can.” Bane grinned. “And most importantly, don’t get shot.”

  This drew nervous laughs, but eased the tension a bit. For all their reputation, most of Exodus had never been in a real fight. The facility Drake destroyed had taken the majority of the experienced fighters. Apparently, he had dealt them a greater blow than he’d imagined or that they’d been willing to admit. Bane was also surprised at the youth of most of the members. Not that he should have been. He had felt just as passionately not long ago. But life as a hawker aged a person. While still carrying the confident swagger of a young man, inside he often felt as if time were eating him up inside.

  The protection spell would not last long against a P37. He’d have to be quick. He focused his mind and steadied his nerves, his blood burning with mana begging to be released. It shouldn’t be long now.

  At his back, the rapid breathing of his team said they knew it too. Any moment the lives of thousands of people would either be saved or condemned. The previous night he had asked himself how far was he willing to go. He’d heard runners claim they would not be taken alive or that they would do anything not to get caught. Once in a while it was true. But usually it was bravado. When put to the test, most people – sane people, anyway – would do anything to stay alive. What if when he was inside, that was what it took? Would he be willing to sacrifice everything? He wanted to believe that he would, if for no other reason than to save his father. But no one really knew what they were made of until the time came. Sure, he’d been in situations where he thought he was going to die. In fact it wasn’t long ago that, hanging from chains in Troi, he’d thought death a foregone conclusion. But that wasn’t the same as purposefully sacrificing your life. The cylinder nestled in the satchel on his belt had a timer, but the best they could do was one minute. The size of the vex crystal had to be enough to ensure everything was destroyed. How many scenarios could

  arise which could force him to set it off while still inside? Counting them had kept him awake all night.

  A horn blared, and the guards spun toward the door. Before Bane could rise, twin shots rang out and two of them were sent face first against the wall. The fifty-yard crossing looked like a mile as he raced full tilt, his hands glowing bright red.

  The P37’s were drawn in an instant, but for the moment their attention was on the source of the attack. The others were just behind him, hopefully in single file as he’d instructed so as to be less visible and keep the guards’ attention away from their advance.

  The ploy only partially worked.

  One guard turned, eyes wide as he swung his weapon around. Bane wasn’t as close as he wanted to be, but there was no time. Hellfire leapt from his palms. The sizzle of a shot from the royal guard was followed by a thin line of blue mana. It was cold at first, and his cheek felt like ice was pressed against it. Then his vision blurred, and the cold transformed to searing heat. His foot snagged, and he tucked his shoulder down as he fell, rolling onto his stomach.

  The screams of the guards were the only indication that the hellfire had worked. He’d been concerned that the protection of their vex crystals would be too much. He’d only used it a handful of times, and never on a royal guard.

  “Are you all right?” It was Felicity.

  Bane touched the wound. No blood. But he knew mana wounds often didn’t bleed. “I’m not sure.”

  He popped up on his elbows. His vision cleared enough to see that the face of the building was ablaze. Gunfire crackled as his team tried to finish what Bane had started, but there was no point. If the hellfire overwhelmed their protection, the guards were as good as dead.

  “It doesn’t look too bad.”

  The pain was tolerable…and he was damned lucky. The P37 had torn straight through his protection. One inch to the right and he’d have been killed. Felicity helped him up, and he brushed off the gravel clinging to his clothes. It would be a few minutes before they could continue. Hellfire took time to die down. And once cast, the only thing to do was wait for it to burn itself out.

  The guards were lying on the ground only a few feet from where they had been standing.

  The stench of charred flesh and sulfur assaulted Bane’s nostrils, making his eyes water. “Whoever is inside,” he told the others who had gathered in a semi-circle facing the

  entrance, “they probably know we’re coming. I’ll lead, just like we planned. Wait five seconds, then follow.”

  His right eye squinted as a sharp pain gripped his head. Ignore it. Now isn’t the time. For some reason, Clara entered his thoughts. She was with the team assigned to take down the second facility, a sharpshooter using one of the two Baluride H957 mana rifles Exodus had managed to get their hands on. The final facility was to employ high-powered rifles and a mana explosive – by far the most dangerous assignment. The explosives they intended to use on the guards were
unreliable, and he’d been relieved to learn Clara was not to be with that group. Since their first meeting, he found himself thinking about her often and had promised himself to spend time with her, when…if they made it out of this alive.

  When the flames finally subsided, Bane waved the team to his back. Again, his body flooded with mana. Without power, the door was unprotected, so it was a simple matter of a short force spell to send it flying from its hinges. Crouching low, he dashed inside and stepped left, keeping his back to the wall.

  Bane froze. There was nothing there. The empty floor should have been packed with equipment and crates, but all he could see were a few scattered bits of rubbish and a pile of disused wires shoved against the far wall. Something was very wrong.

  Five seconds later, the rest of his team rushed in, weapons ready. When they realized there was no one to fight, they stood there wearing confused expressions.

  “What the hell?” said a young man named Ran.

  “Everyone, don’t move,” Bane ordered in a half-whisper.

  He cast a detection charm that he hoped would reveal any traps. But the telltale glow of explosives it would have found was absent.

  “Maybe they pulled back?” suggested Felicity. “Maybe,” repeated Bane.

  The main part of the facility was underground, directly beneath their feet; a near mirror image of what was above, only filled with hundreds of tanks where the hellspawn were grown.