Mr. Minor did know how to ride. He did so with ease. He looked in complete control as he sat straight-backed and with one arm dangling at his side. I wanted to imitate the posture but couldn’t seem to make my free hand let go of the handlebars.
Aoife didn’t let up on her death grip on her brother. There was one time we went out to the dirt track to watch Dylan ride with his friends. She had yelled over the roar of the engines how the only way she’d ever end up on one of those things was if she was knocked unconscious and tied to it. I guess the threat of her life was enough to temper that fear just enough to ride with Dylan.
On a normal day, I guessed it would take about fifteen minutes or so to get across town to Mr. Minor’s house. It wasn’t a normal day, however. The traffic was oddly sporadic. we went down long stretches of car-free road before turning onto one overrun with people who seemed to be driving listlessly without any real destination. I didn’t know if they were attempting to go in to work or going to stock up on emergency supplies at whatever store was open.
It was odd to obey traffic lights at a time like this, but after a moment of hesitation when a coming light turned yellow, Dylan braked. Mr. Minor came to a smooth stop beside him while I wobbled up behind them.
I glanced around. Most of the stores around the intersection were closed. An employee stood outside a fast food restaurant on the corner, waiting for somebody else to show up to let him in for work. It was hours past the normal time it opened.
“Excellent idea, Mr. Connelly,” Mr. Minor called out. “We’re making great time. We should make it there in no time.”
He smiled and nodded, pleased his idea had drawn praise.
The light turned green without any cars passing and we continued down the street. Things were going smoothly. Too smoothly.
We crossed another intersection and had a long stretch of traffic-lightless street ahead of us. Dylan put on a little more speed. At that rate we’d be at Mr. Minor’s in minutes. I started to relax for the first time in forever. It surprised me just how much I looked forward to getting Aoife out of harm’s way. I didn’t know what I’d do after but getting her to safety would be a huge weight off my shoulders. I felt confident enough to pry a hand off the handle bars and relax a little.
I guess I should have known better than let my guard down. Two blocks down the road, a dark figure stepped into the street. Dylan saw it and braked hard. He slid to a stop with Aoife clutching him tight. Mr. Minor did the same. I wasn’t as skillful, however. I jerked my hand back to the handlebar, missed the break and zoomed past the others. Straight at the Getharey.
The bike rocketed down the street, covering the few blocks to the figure quicker than I could pull myself together to realize I was in trouble. I reacted on instinct. I flung out my hand, gathered the energy inside me, and released it in an instant. The shockwave of telekinesis hit the Getharey like a truck. He folded in half as he left his feet and flew another block down the street.
I grabbed the handlebar and squeezed the brake. The wheels locked and squealed to a stop. I put a foot down just before I tipped over. I turned back and felt my heart drop to the street even if I didn’t.
More Getharey charged up the street toward us. There were at least a dozen of them, gliding like they were propelled on a cushion of air.
“Aoife!” I yelled.
She turned and saw the creatures come straight for them. “Go!” she screamed at her brother.
After a quick glance back, Dylan obeyed. He gunned the engine. The rear tire spun on the blacktop for a second before it caught and shot them toward me. Mr. Minor was right on his back wheel.
It took a moment to remember where the gas was. They shot past as I found it. I gave the bike a little too much and the front tire almost lifted off the ground. We zoomed down the street. We were going fast. I was sure there was no way they’d be able to follow, but I worried about losing control of the bike as the needle rose above 40 mph. Please don’t die. Please don’t die.
I risked a glance behind us. A few of the things followed, but we were outpacing them. I might have been happy to see that if that dozen number hadn’t shrunk to only four behind us. Where were the rest of them?
I didn’t have to wonder long. Several figures stepped onto the road in front of us. We brought the bikes to a skidding stop again. I found the brake that time and felt the bike shutter as I pulled beside Dylan and Aoife.
“What now?” I said.
“Side street.” Dylan pointed at a perpendicular street two dozen yards ahead.
I nodded. Before we revved the bikes back to life, I looked at the pursuit. They had stopped a few blocks away.
“What are they doing?” Aoife asked.
We didn’t have time to ponder the question. Two of them stepped forward and raised their arms out to the side, their dark cloaks clenched in their three-fingered fists. The runes stitched in the fabric flashed to life. They glowed a deep blue as the Getharey walked forward. Their forms melted into a lump as the edges of the cloak flared out to the side and stayed there like wings. They were wings.
The Getharey bodies stretched like black ink smeared across a piece of paper. Their necks elongated and their faces emerged from the hood.
“Are they…” Dylan didn’t finish the question.
The two Getharey, now completely different creatures, took two running steps, beat their wings, and took to the air.
“Yeah, they are,” Aoife said.
They flew into the air about twenty yards, arched, and came back down. They pulled up just before crashing into the road and flew straight at us.
32
DETOURS
Go!” I screamed.
To his credit, Dylan acted quickly. He gunned his bike and shot for the side street. Mr. Minor and I followed, but before I made the turn, I saw several of the other Getharey pull the same trick. Their dark forms melted and stretched into something resembling a dragon with a squished face. When they took to the air I knew there was no way we could outrun them on the bikes.
I couldn’t think quick enough to come up with a better alternative, so I tried my best to try to keep up with the others.
Dylan, by far the most experienced on the bikes, pulled further ahead of the former dentist and me. I wanted to add more speed but was too afraid of losing control of the bike.
Maybe that was for the best, though. Aoife clung to her brother’s back. If he could get away, at least she would be safe.
He made another turn a few blocks down the road. I frowned. If that was the street I was thinking it was, he had turned the wrong way. As I approached the street right behind Mr. Minor, I realized I was right. We were going the wrong way down a one-way street. To make the move an even stupider one, there was oncoming traffic.
Dylan picked his path brilliantly. He weaved around the cars, ignoring their blaring horns. While Mr. Minor did his best to keep up, I didn’t fare so well. I slowed the bike, panicking as the cars came toward me at a much faster speed than I would have liked—which was not moving at all.
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Two dark shapes made the turn onto the street, flying about ten feet from the ground. More flew overhead. I caught glimpses of them through the tree limbs hanging over the street. I turned back to the cars in front of me. The drivers must have finally seen me because they were coming to a stop. Dylan and Mr. Minor were disappearing further up the street.
I knew this was all my fault. If I hadn’t blindly followed Seanna like some kind of love struck puppy, I would have never fallen into Daresh’s hands. He would have never been able to open the portal wide enough for his invading army. I would have never put Aoife in harm’s way. I wouldn’t have put Gate City in danger. Hell, the whole Earth if Mr. Minor was right. I had to do something right for a change. I didn’t know if there was anything I could do for Gate City or the Earth, but at least I could buy a little time for Aoife to escape with the others.
Drawing on the energy inside me had become second nature to
me. I no longer had to concentrate to be able find it. I knew where it was. I knew how much was there. And I knew how to use it.
I looked up, raised a free hand, and let a burst of energy go. It arched up like a shockwave. The tree limbs overhead bent up for just a moment before they snapped back into place. That got the attention of the Getharey flying overhead. Their dark shapes wheeled in the air and came at me.
Good job, Gaige. You got their attention. Now what? I gave the bike gas. It rocketed down another side street, away from Aoife and the others. I gave up on caution. The Getharey risk now outweighed the risk of crashing the bike. I stopped thinking about what I was doing. I just reacted.
I wound down the street, swerving back and forth. The flying Getharey circled overhead like a flock of scavengers waiting for a wounded animal to keel over so they could have their next meal. For a while, anyways. They must have grown tired of waiting for me to do the keeling part. They swooped down between the trees.
That’s when one of them decided to show off a neat little trick.
I glanced over my shoulder at one of them slipping through the limbs. He held a ball of fire in a hand. I jerked the bike to the side as he flung the fire at me. It landed on the pavement, splashing spectacularly like burning liquid. It was close enough I felt the heat from it. I pulled harder on the accelerator. The bike took off like it was just as scared of the liquid fire as me.
I pointed the bike toward a car parallel parked, hoping to use it as cover. Fire hit the little red vehicle, splashing like a water balloon full of gasoline as I passed it. A drop landed on my bike’s gas tank. It burned happily, refusing to let the wind blow it out. I was at once grateful it hadn’t landed on me and terrified it would melt its way through the metal into the tank of an explosion waiting to happen between my legs.
I looked up from the little flame in time to see a Getharey come straight at me, flame in hand. He threw out his hand at the same time I did. The ball of flame hit the wave of telekinesis and exploded. The flames leapt away from me like I was parting the Red Sea. I rode on.
I turned onto another street, hoping to elude the Getharey and rocketed straight at a police roadblock. A policeman had his cruiser parked sideways across the road. A firetruck sat on the other side of it. I don’t know why he was blocking cars from going down that street, but he pushed himself off the car and waved at me to stop. His eyes widened as I approached and he drew his gun. Given the luck I’d experienced lately, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he shot me. Luckily, he leveled the standard issue 9mm over my head and yelled something I couldn’t hear over the roar of the bike. I didn’t slow to ask what he had said.
He fired.
I can’t say I heard the bullets whiz by my head or anything. I imagined they did, missing by inches. I glanced around to watch a Getharey flop to the blacktop and roll to a stop.
I turned back and realized I was heading straight for a parked car. I gripped the brakes hard. The bike skidded. For a moment, I thought I wouldn’t stop before I plowed into the police cruiser, but I finally stopped a few feet away. A Getharey immediately plowed into me. Its momentum flipped me off the bike. I crashed to the road with the thing on top of me.
Its stub-nosed face split into a grin full of pointy teeth. “My reward will be great for being the killer of you.”
I tried to work my hands between us so I could push it off like I had the eioshu once upon a time, but it had my wrists pinned with its claw-like wingtips.
It leaned its long neck toward my face. It opened its mouth wide.
I don’t know if it was just going to bite my face off or what, but it never got the chance. There was a thunk and its yellow eyes widened, then went dull. Instead of tearing a chunk out of my skull, it flopped on top of me, unmoving.
There was a squelching sound and a boot kicked the Getharey off of me. I looked up at the fireman standing over me. The ax he held in both hands dripped with blood so dark it was almost more black than red.
“You okay, kid?” he asked without looking down.
I lifted my head to find us surrounded by the remaining Getharey.
“I said, freeze!” the cop yelled.
They kept moving forward, intent on their reward. Apparently, I had a bounty on my head and they were eager to cash in.
The policeman fired off more shots until his gun clicked empty. Another Getharey fell as the cop holstered the gun and pulled his Taser. The little thing popped and two wires flew to attach themselves to the nearest creature. The air buzzed as it jerked and lost control of its shapeshifting ability. It slid from the cloaked figure to the dragon like thing several times before flopping to the ground like a stiff board. If there weren’t about nine more of the things, I would have thought it funny.
I pushed myself to my feet as the things closed the circle in around us.
The cop dropped the Taser and pulled the gun again. He tried to change the clip, but his hands shook too violently.
I drew energy from within me. I couldn’t release it in a circle like in the plains of Delicia, but I should be able to take out a few of the things.
Right before I released the telekinetic burst, the Getharey stopped. Their heads turned back and forth. Their evil eyes took on a hungry glint and, oddly, their long greyish tongue lolled out of their mouths. They looked at each other, twitching. Finally, one bent and pushed itself into the air. The others followed suit right after.
The policeman managed to load the gun and promptly emptied the clip with wild shots into the air. He missed every shot.
The Getharey wheeled in the air before turning in the general direction of the park.
“What in the world,” the fireman breathed. He stared at the two dead Getharey.
While I tried to come up with some kind of explanation, the bodies started to dissolve. They disintegrated into vapor like black smoke rising into the air.
“What in the what?” the fireman said.
They turned their attention to the tazed Getharey. The Taser had run out of juice and had stopped pumping electricity into the creature. The two approached it slowly. The cop pointed his gun at it, forgetting it was empty again.
“I wouldn’t do that,” I warned.
“What is it?” The cop’s voice shook.
The Getharey jerked and lunged off the ground. It rushed at the two. The fireman had quicker reflexes. He buried the ax into its skull. It flopped to the ground. After a minute or two, it too burned away into black mists.
We stood in silence. I was sure they were trying to work out what had just happened. There’s nothing like being confronted with otherworldly creatures to slow the cogs in the brain.
“What’s that sound?” the fireman asked.
I listened. It sounded like the Dexter’s Laboratory theme song.
“Is that you?” The fireman turned to me.
It was me. I dug Mr. Minor’s phone out of my pocket. It chirped the slightly creepy little tune. I flipped it open and held it to my ear. “Uh, hello?”
“Where the hell are you, you idiot?” No mistaking Aoife’s voice. “I’ve been trying to call you.”
“I was, uh, busy.” I glanced to the sky, half expecting for the flying Getharey to return. Why had they left?
“Yeah, well, so were we. Those things are everywhere,” she said. “We ended up taking shelter at Dylan’s store.”
“The grocery store? Why?”
“Because. We. Had. To.” She clipped off every word. “Where are you?”
“I got sidetracked.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “I’ll come to you. I’m not far. Maybe five minutes.”
“Be careful, Gaige.” The tone in her voice turned on a dime. It went from irritation to concern just like that.
“I will.” I flipped the phone closed and shoved it in my pocket. I walked to the bike and lifted it off its side.
“Wait,” the policeman said, apparently regaining some of his composure. “Where are you g
oing?”
“I gotta go,” I said. I turned the key and kicked the bike back to life.
“Now wait a minute!” he called out.
I didn’t have a minute to wait. I gunned the engine, steered around the cruiser, and bumped onto the sidewalk. I zoomed past the firetruck, steered back onto the road, and headed for the store.
***
I found the group huddled in a corner of the store still structurally sound from the earthquake. The place was a mess. Part of the roof had caved in, crushing isles four through nine. Aoife and the others had taken up residence near the deli counter.
Aoife jumped up and came at me when she saw me. I flinched, expecting a punch. She hugged me instead.
“You’re an idiot,” she whispered, not letting go for at least half a minute.
“So, I’ve been told,” I said. “Once or twice.”
“Where were you, Mr. Porter?” Mr. Minor asked. “We were quite worried.”
“I got separated.” It wasn’t quite a lie. I just left out the part where I did it on purpose. “Never mind that now. I think they started.”
“Started what?” The tone in Aoife’s voice said that wasn’t really a question that needed answering.
“How do you know?” Mr. Minor asked.
“A bunch of them attacked me. They had a policeman, firefighter, and me pinned. Then they just left.” The store creaked and groaned. I looked at the ceiling, sure it would come down any moment.
“That would explain why those chasing us didn’t come into the store after us. They are moving faster than I assumed they would,” Mr. Minor said. “We must move quickly to my place for safety.”
“I’m not going,” I said.
Silence dropped around us. Even the store stopped groaning under its own weight. A police siren wailed past the store, fading into a distance scream.
“We went through this,” Aoife said softly. “You’re not going to throw your life away.”
The Gatekeeper Trilogy Page 53