He tore off the ruined glass and unhooked the dead pilot from his harness and headphones, pulling him free and dropping him down the side. “God save the queen, cunt. Cheerio.”
Lee sat in the pilot’s chair and put the headphones on. “Oi Fido! You read me!? Get a load of this mate!” Lee leant out the side and gave Nick a thumbs up.
“Do you know how to fly it?”
“Fuck no! This is a helluva lot different than what I flew in the army. But I didn’t know how to make a chick cum the first time I had a root. Still made her froth at the mouth like an epileptic washing machine. Not bad for a boy of eleven. Almost a year for every inch, poor bitch. Anyhow. Can’t be that hard. Let’s do this shit.”
Lee pressed the throttle and the craft’s guns exploded to life for a few seconds until they were silenced.
“Do you have to play with it?”
“Sound like me mother…start ya bastard!”
Lee pressed down on the throttle and the plane lurched up, soaring high before finally levelling out. “For Christ’s sake, c’mon!”
“You ok?”
“Relax, Fido. I got it. I got it. We are just goin’ straight...right?”
*
“Sir, we lost contact…”
“What?” Tynan asked, looking across at the screen. “Both of them are still heading in though?”
“Yes.”
Tynan crossed his arms. “Keep watching them. Let me know if either deviates even one metre. And where is that jeep to the munitions bunker?”
“Coming up on it now, sir.”
*
Alicia moved to a crouched position as she heard the jeep approach. She knew Tynan would want to know why a meaningless ammunitions hold would be attacked. The jeep slowed to a stop, just outside the front entrance, below where she was positioned. Three men got out with weapons ready. Alicia slowly rose, rifle at the ready. Within four seconds she had pierced the skull of the closest man to her. Before he fell, Alicia had dropped down as the other two opened fire on where she was. In moments, Alistair had finished a second one from the other side of the building. The last one fired in both directions, back and forth. Both Alistair and Alicia kept lowered. But this, Alicia too had anticipated. The third didn’t know a tenth-generation wolf crept up behind him. But Alicia knew, and by the sounds of his screams, Talia had found her target.
Alicia and Alistair descended a small spiral staircase to the ground and commandeered the jeep to haul the weapons and several barrels of crude oil they had procured.
“That was easy,” Talia said.
“One thinks a little too easy,” Alistair replied.
“We have a method for transporting the guns and a way into the grounds. Three men. Three of us.”
“Ugh…they smell,” Talia said, stripping naked and holding up a pair of pants with a scowl. Alicia gave a small shake of the head as Alistair turned away from Talia, making a big deal of getting dressed with his back to her. Talia wrapped her hair under the cap and tucked it in. She rubbed some mud on her fingers and smeared it across her cheeks.
“You will still stand out,” Alistair said.
“And that means?”
“You still don’t look like a man.”
“That a compliment?” Talia asked with raised eyebrows.
“She’ll do from far away,” Alicia said, saving Alistair from answering. “The guards patrol the towers not the grounds.”
“We just need to get inside,” Talia continued.
“She’ll be in the north tower,” Alistair said. “It’s the highest point in his compound and the most easily guarded. The key is to remain undetected.”
“Jeez, you don’t say?” Talia said, climbing in the back.
“I just mean, as the most recognisable face among us, I think Alicia should stay close to the car.”
“I’m not going in,” Alicia replied. “It’s almost seven. Once you have her and the baby you’ll need someone on the outside to provide a distraction. Keep their focus on the monitors in a particular place outside and not inside the halls. All goes well, we meet back here at dawn.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Alistair asked.
“I can’t speak for either of you, but I’m coming back with my grandson and his mother or not at all.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Truth Is Out There
“Are you…ok?” Alex asked. Michelle hadn’t said anything or looked at Alex for quite some time. Even now, merely nodded her head. But a few moments later finally spoke.
“Yah…just processing…so you said you saved Nick?”
“That’s what I saw.”
“That’s so weird. I remember that night so clearly, but I don’t remember you saying anything or doing anything. It was like an instant and then I was in the water. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“You might’ve been too terrified to remember.”
“Trust me, I would’ve remembered you touching me.”
Michelle said it in such an off-hand way, but Alex couldn’t help but wonder how such a simple sentence could make her feel so good and so confused at the same time. Before she could process it for too long, Michelle continued, “So, Nick is alive, and you were told this by a…a ghost?”
“Not just told. I saw it. And I don’t know what he is. He said he was an echo from his time.”
“But, he could touch you?”
“He touched my face. He kissed me on the head.”
“That’s so weird. How can a ghost, echo, whatever, touch you?”
“He said it was magic.”
“I’ll bet.”
Alex returned Michelle’s smirk. “In his time, he was a Master of Magic. The God of Thunder. He told me there were three items of absolute power to hold. A sword, a book and the armour.”
“I’ve seen Valkyrie pictures before with swords. Did you get the sword?”
“No. I don’t know where it is, but it’s not mine.”
“But you have the armour…can I see it?”
Alex sat back and unbuttoned the first few of her shirt, pulling it open and revealing the glinting V underneath. “I don’t know when I should take it off.”
“I’d start with when you have a shower.”
“And what, put it in the bathtub?” Alex was quite snappy with that question. So much so that Michelle looked concerned. “Mish, real talk, I’m freaking the fuck out. Look at me. Do I look like a hero to you? A warrior woman? Ok, I have the suit. I can do amazing things. I did an amazing thing. But now what? What am I supposed to do? Wait for a signal in the sky? Chase every siren I hear? Is every time I don’t…a life gone? It was the right thing to do. The best thing I’ve ever done was to agree to embrace this. I’m not saying I’m sorry. I’m saying I have no idea about the next step. Am I supposed to search for the sword and the book and unite them-”
“Alex, Alex, slow down. I think you’re missing a big and obvious solution to your problem. Talk to Masonian.”
“Mish, I have thought about that. I reckon it’s like going up to a guy that’s just given you a Ferrari and you say ‘cheers bud, how do you drive it?’ He’s already told me what to do…kinda. It was advice more like. He suggested to hold back until the next paranormal nasty comes along. When I’m really needed. But then I think. What if there’s someone out there that I can help and I figure…just let the cops handle it? I just…I don’t want to let him down.”
“If he is the guy you make him sound like, I doubt you could let him down by asking for help.”
“Maybe. I’ll see what happens. I’ll go when I’m ready. But…would you want to come with me?”
“If you want me to one day, I’d definitely go.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
The War of The Alphas
Tynan looked out over his domain. All sat in readiness. The estate was primed for war whenever Rykard’s people wanted to come. He did yet another perimeter and guard check, his seventh in fifteen minutes.
“All units report
in. Any change in status, notify.”
They did so. One by one. Routine. Like clockwork.
“Sir, the jeep has returned.”
“And?”
“They appear to be a man down. But they have retrieved a good amount of weapons.”
“Tell them to put the weapons in storage. I want a word with them.”
“Aye, sir.”
Tynan moved along the perimeter of his battlement wall, looking up to the tower which housed Nicole and her baby. As yet, he still didn’t have a name. Nicole passed by the window with him in her arms. Singing a lullaby was Tynan’s guess.
It was the second beep of his receiver that snapped Tynan out of his stupor. “Report.”
“Sir, the two planes you wanted us to watch? They haven’t gone to red west.”
“Where are they?”
“Heading directly for us.”
“Still no radio contact?”
“No, sir.”
“Target both when in range and fire. I want no chances taken.”
Before he could get a response, there was another beep. Then another. Then a sensor alert sounded throughout the grounds. “What is going on!?”
“Sir! The front of the grounds!”
“What?” Tynan yelled, running back towards the top of the battlements. “Rykard? An attack?”
“I…I think so?”
“You think?!”
Tynan came up over the top of the tower to see the majority of the space just outside his perimeter fence ablaze. Almost a hectare of area bathed in flames. He moved slowly forward until he couldn’t move any further. There was no equipment visible. No vehicles to fight. But then, he did spot something.
A figure with the flames at their back, standing tall. Alicia Slade faced the estate, hair blowing in the breeze, looking him directly in the eye with her gleaming silver ones. She opened her stance and roared her challenge. Tynan smiled. “You seriously have some balls, woman. Have it your way…” He clicked his radio. “All units we are under attack. Ready the heat seekers. Target the inferno. Fire on my command.”
*
Talia heard the sudden rush of footsteps all around her. Her instinct was to hide, but her brain took over as she ran along with Alistair. They may have been going a different direction than most, but they were consistent with everyone’s frantic movements.
“All units…arm the heat seekers,” came the overhead audio.
“Beautiful, that will make it easier to get to her.”
“Wait…” Talia said, gripping his arm. “We can really deal him a blow by shutting that down.”
“Are you crazy? We have to get the girl and the baby. That’s what we are here for.”
“And just let him fire on Alicia? Fuck that.”
“She’s going to be pissed you stopped heading for the girl.”
“Let her be pissed at me. At least she’ll be alive. Just help me find the launch room.”
*
Anthony had joined Tynan on the battlements, huffing his breaths from running. All of Tynan’s men had assumed their battle stations.
“My Alpha, wouldn’t it be better to save the heat seekers? Or not fire them so close to the compound? Why don’t you get the guards to fire on her from their perch?”
As if she heard him, Alicia produced a rifle and unloaded a furious attack on the guard towers. The bullets split both skulls and cement.
Tynan opened his mouth to give his attack order when a smoking missile pelted into the front wall, exploding on impact and shattering almost twenty feet of space. Tynan used a hand to shield his face before looking at where the strike came from. The two planes. One carrying Nicholas and the other that should have housed a Ross soldier. Instead it fired on its Alpha.
“Take them out! Now! Fire!” Tynan screamed into his radio.
Nothing happened.
“What is going on?” Tynan yelled.
“Heat seekers are not responding, sir.” came the reply.
“I can see that.” He sneered before looking at Anthony. “Go and find out why…all units…red alert. Attack pattern Scorpion. Prepare for battle.”
*
Alicia heard the great whirring and grinding from over the entrance to the underground bunker. She imagined a great opening splitting the ground, but nothing prepared her for the sight of the three gunships that rose in the air to hover over her, facing two other planes. One she recognised after a double take. Slade One. Wilson’s personal jet, lowering itself quickly as it jerked in the air.
Who the hell would have flown it from Sydney?
*
“Fido, get that fucker down. You ain’t gonna survive a hit. Big Dog got ya like a whore on a billionaire.”
“Shit…” Nick said to himself, trying to drop the plane as quickly as possible. He could see the compound and the gunships in front of him, not the ground. He had no idea how long the drop was. “Hate landing…”
*
Alicia watched the plane rock in its descent, the pilot having serious trouble with the landing. The jet beside it was doing its best to cover the landing, but it couldn’t take on three gunships alone. Two of the three broke formation and slid to the sides of the jet. She had no idea who was in the planes, but if they were against Tynan, they were allies of hers. She pointed her rifle at the nearest enemy and fired, aiming for its fuel tank. She unloaded her clip and the gunship exploded in a ball of fire. She felt no pride in her accomplishment though. Slade One was still ten feet from the ground, and she could see what was going to happen but couldn’t load another clip fast enough. The second gun ship fired on Slade One and it crumpled like tin foil, falling to the ground in a fiery blaze. Then both remaining gunships fired on the jet, destroying it within seconds. Alicia couldn’t believe what she saw though. The pilot of the jet had gotten out of his chair…and was running across the burning wing to a gunship.
*
Lee leapt on to the open side of the gunship, pulling the nearest soldier away from the mini-gun on the side and flinging him out the gunship door, snarling through his fangs. With a twist of his wrist he pulled the pilots forehead back and cracked his spine. Immediately after, he pulled the mini gun free and unloaded on the last gunship. All this had taken no more than four seconds. As fast as he was, the other ship was just as fast. Exchanging bullets in rapid fire, both ships were hit and crashed to the ground.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The Big Dog Of War
Alicia had to run and take a flying leap towards Tynan’s compound to save herself from the burning debris. In less than two minutes, five aircraft had been destroyed. The compound had been compromised due to the first missile strike, but this allowed an entire regiment to pour out of the opening, firing relentlessly. Alicia scrambled behind the nearest wreckage and managed to click the clip in, finally.
Just as she spun to fire, the figure she had seen run across the wing and leap from one plane to the other emerged, rolling out of the wreckage. On his back, he looked up at her. “Damn that was fun.”
“Who the hell are you?” she screamed as the bullets zinged and whizzed around them.
“Hang on a sec for fucks sake. Can’t hear ya.”
He stood up, towering over her. He waited for the bullets to stop before climbing the less smoky part of the wreck. Holding out his arms, he addressed the foot soldiers in front of him, “G’day, gents! No need to crowd, there’s plenty for everyone. I’m very sorry, but I am not giving interviews…”
Just as she was going to tell him to get the fuck down, a flurry of bullets struck him. Whoever he was, sunk to his knees and keeled over. Alicia shook her head. How stupid do you have to be?
The soldiers could be heard chuckling and then stalking forward. Alicia twisted around the wreck and pelted them with bullets, causing them to scatter. As they regrouped and returned fire, she found cover again and saw the coated figure sit up. The bullets lodged in his forehead and chest popped out, and the wounds closed. She couldn’t believe it. No wolf c
ould heal that fast. He was hit with silver bullets. He should be dead.
She got a good look at him, and what he was finally clicked. But it wasn’t her that spoke, it was him as his pulsing red eyes screamed vampire. “Well, that made me feel about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit…” he said in a huff, before glancing at Alicia’s weapon. “Gimme that.”
“Fuck off, vampire,” she replied, checking the bullets remaining.
The vampire put his hands on his hips. “Well now…how rude are you…”
Alicia roared as soldiers rounded the wreckage and attacked. The vampire unloaded with fists as Alicia clawed her way through body after body.
The remaining soldiers converged with their weapons raised, but something behind her caught their attention. Alicia heard what it was and glanced back as she felled yet another body. The vampire had torn off an arm of a screaming soldier and was now beating him with it. “Bad dog! Very…fucking…bad dog!”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Alicia yelled.
“If you must know,” he said before plunging the limb into the soldier’s chest, burying it in a pool of blood. “I’m helpin’ me lil’ bud.”
“What bud? Who?”
The vampire turned to the remnants of Slade One. “There he is over there. ‘Bout time Fido!” he called.
Alicia moved her head to peer around the vampire and look directly at the wreck. She saw the roof of the plane she had flown in so many times burst outwards. The pilot stumbled out and fell to the ground. As he regained his feet and looked across the expanse separating them, Alicia came face to face with her son.
It was as if time stood still. She heard the embattled cries of soldiers. In the corner of her eye she spotted the mobile forces of the Rykard family bearing down on the compound, heading straight for them. But that didn’t matter to her. Her rifle dropped. She felt her chest tighten. Tears were falling faster than she could ever run but she did… headlong towards him. Not knowing or caring that vehicles that could obliterate her body were zooming past. What was that compared to him? And finally, she jumped into his embrace, shrieking and sobbing his name as he wrapped his arms around her.
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