“Copy that,” Skye replied. Her unnaturally bright green eyes wielded a keen intellect and a purity Tora never before had the pleasure of knowing.
She felt herself getting cold feet. What she was about to do could very well turn out to be the biggest mistake of her life. “And don’t forget, Hope must also put a shield around you.”
Skye nodded. “She will.”
Tora gathered the girl in her arms for a tight embrace and kissed her forehead. When she bent down to do the same for Hope, she was rewarded with a loud purr.
Standing, she entered the code. The heavy steel door slid smoothly aside with a whoosh, and the outer door began to crank open, inch by inch. The sound of metal scraping against rock was nearly deafening in the silence.
Tora locked eyes with the soldiers as Skye and Hope traded places with the wolf pack.
* * *
“Here,” Prestwick said. “This will unlock your ankle bracelet.”
“How did you get this?” Felix asked.
“That doesn’t matter. We don’t have much time—”
“It matters to me,” Felix insisted.
“I slipped it from Vickers’s office after I heard what Aspen said. I can’t let him kill you, sir.”
“I can’t accept this, Prestwick.”
Yes, you can! Aspen wanted to scream from Felix’s pocket.
“Without the device,” Prestwick went on, “you can shapeshift and escape with the others.”
“And what happens to you if I do that? It’ll be obvious that you’re the one who helped me escape.”
“I don’t care about that, sir.”
“Well, I do.”
There was a brief silence. Aspen sensed they were at an impasse.
“Put me in stasis,” Prestwick said. “Then it’ll look like you escaped on your own.”
“I could never—”
“Just hear me out, sir. Put me in stasis, and then come back for me. Remember the name John Gruger. He works intelligence here. He’s a sympathizer, too. He’ll help you find me and get me out.”
“Then what, Prestwick? Your life will be all but over. You couldn’t go back to your home, your friends, your family. Where would you go?”
“With you, sir. I can help you and your people win this war. I know I can.”
“I could never ask that of you, son.”
“No matter what the government has done to you, you’ve always been kind. I don’t believe the things they say about Shrouds. If your people are anything like you, then they’re good through and through. You deserve to be in this world as much as humans, if not more. After I met you, I realized I was on the wrong side of this war. I’d like to change that, if you’ll give me the chance, sir.”
Chapter Thirty
With the pack on her heels, Tora hurried back to the main room to keep Skye and Hope in her sights on the big screen.
“Rescue squad’s here,” Tony announced.
“That’s the rescue squad? A teenage girl and a…cub?” Sarge asked, bending down to get a closer look at Hope.
Skye stepped in front of him, barring his view of the cub. “You’re not allowed to touch her.”
Sarge stood, towering above Skye. “What’s your name, young soldier?” he asked gruffly.
“I’m Skye. This is Hope. And I’m not a soldier. I’m a Shroud.”
“Nice to meet you, Skye.” He extended a beefy hand. “I’m Sarge. And I am a soldier.”
“I know.” Skye made no motion to return the handshake. “You came down here to kill us,” she said matter-of-factly.
Nodding, Sarge ran a hand over his face. “I regret that now.”
“Because you’re afraid to die?”
He shook his head. “I’m not afraid to die. We all have to do it sooner or later. I’d just prefer it was later.” He laughed dryly and thought for a moment. “What I regret is not deciding for myself if your people are as much of a threat as our government says you are.”
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Skye finally extended her hand.
A soldier and a young Shroud shaking hands. Tora never thought she’d see the day.
“Hope and I will do everything we can to save you. You have my word.” Skye stepped aside as the white tiger cub shifted into a dove.
* * *
Making up the old man’s mind for him, Aspen climbed out from his pocket and quickly shifted into human form.
Prestwick jumped back in surprise. “That will take some getting used to,” he said.
She nodded at Prestwick and turned to Felix. “We could use his help in this war. I know you vowed never to use your power again, but this is the right thing to do for our people. You owe us at least that much.” It was a low blow, but she wasn’t beyond guilting him into compliance if doing so ended up saving his life.
The old man narrowed vibrant blue eyes. “No matter what happens, you must return for Prestwick.”
“You have my word.”
“You’ll need this.” Prestwick handed his badge to Felix and pointed across the room. “Today’s code is 0724. There’s a back elevator down the hall and to the right. We’re on subfloor eight. Take the elevator to the eleventh floor. That floor’s empty because it’s under construction.” He looked at Felix and held out his hand. “May I do the honors, sir?”
Felix handed him the key.
“Working with you has been the best part of my life.” Prestwick knelt, unlocked the device, and slipped it off. “You’re the closest thing to a father I’ve ever known.”
“And I’d be proud to have you as a son.”
Aspen found herself getting a little choked up as the two men hugged.
Prestwick withdrew his 9 mm from his belt and tried handing it to Aspen.
She looked down at the gun but made no move to take it. “We won’t be needing that.”
Prestwick holstered his weapon. “Ready when you are,” he said, stepping back. “See you on the other side, sir.”
Felix released a ball of red light from his palm. She watched as the light expanded and slowly enveloped Prestwick. The old man handed Aspen his cane, stepped over to Prestwick, and gently guided his body to the floor as he slipped into unconsciousness.
It was clear that Prestwick was loyal to the old man and, perhaps, to Shrouds in general. Anyone who would willingly consent to stasis with an unknown outcome was a hero in her book. Prestwick would make a great addition to Alpha Genesis.
She looked around. No sign of the Myriads. She’d expected to see pods with live human bodies inside, but it looked like this room was used for storage. She was anxious to free the Myriads and get the hell out of there. “Where are the others?”
The old man stood. “This way.”
* * *
Tora watched as the soldiers counted aloud and then shed their yellow suits in unison. Just as Sarge had warned, the canisters began releasing their deadly gas at once. Tora couldn’t see the invisible gas, but the effects were almost immediate.
She held back tears as Tony and the four soldiers collapsed on the tunnel floor, clawing at their throats and gasping for clean air. Her eyes darted to Skye and the white tiger cub—still standing. The shield Hope had put around them was working.
Struggling to keep her own composure, Tora addressed Skye through the speaker. “Are you feeling any effects from the nerve agent?”
With tears on her cheeks, all the girl could manage was a shake of her head as she glanced up at the camera.
“Good.” Tora tried to sound more confident than she felt. She didn’t know how long Hope would be able to sustain the shields. The canisters were no doubt still leaking their poisonous gas. All tunnels in the sanctuary were now compromised. This next step would be tricky—bringing everyone safely inside.
Hope had already created shields around Tony and each of the soldiers. At Tora’s direction, she had also created one around the outer door to protect chamber one.
Tora thought back to when Hope had demonstrated her ability in
the kitchen. It seemed only shielded people and objects could pass through Hope’s barrier. She just hoped that still held true.
With a deep breath and a silent prayer, Tora opened both doors to chamber one, locked eyes with Skye, and waited. Nothing. She felt no effects whatsoever. The shield was holding.
Hope shifted into a dove once again and created a shield around each pack member. Tora stayed put and watched as the pack hurriedly retrieved five bodies. Once safely inside, she sealed both doors shut and led them to a back room for decontamination.
* * *
Aspen followed Felix down a short hallway. He swiped Prestwick’s badge and entered the code. The door unlocked, and they stepped inside.
The four Myriads were lying on military-style cots—not inside the futuristic pods Aspen had envisioned. There were no leads or monitors attached to them, no nurse standing nearby. They didn’t even have pillows under their heads or blankets to keep them warm.
“No one watches over them?” she asked, feeling her anger at the SEA swell to seismic proportions.
“Nobody needs to. That’s the beauty of my gift,” Felix said sarcastically. “Inducing stasis is like being frozen in time, indefinitely.”
“Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
The Myriads appeared to be sleeping—two men and two women. All looked to be in their early to middle twenties.
Felix held up his cane and pointed the golden horse head handle in the direction of each Myriad. The same red ball of light that had draped itself over Prestwick emerged from each of their bodies. He extended his arm as the light returned to the palm of his hand and disappeared inside, briefly setting his hand aglow in a fiery blaze.
The Myriads opened their eyes and sat up. They looked around the room in confusion.
“No time for introductions.” The old man stepped toward them. “You’ve all been in stasis for over a century.”
“Felix?” The man with a long scar on his cheek stood from the cot. “Is that you?”
Felix nodded.
“You look old,” he said, frowning. “What happened?”
“I’ll explain everything later. For now, it’s important you follow Aspen’s lead. She’s one of us, and she’s helping us escape.”
Without another word, she led everyone to the elevator, swiped Prestwick’s badge, and pressed the button for the eleventh floor. “By the way,” she whispered, “we’re not killing anyone today. If we can help it.”
Darkness and silence greeted them as they stepped off the elevator. She set her sights on the window at the end of a long corridor. They were halfway there when she felt a tingle on the back of her neck. Not bothering to turn and look behind her, she knew Vickers was there with some of his men. “Shift now!” she yelled, hoping the Myriads’ ability to do so hadn’t grown rusty over the years.
To Aspen’s surprise, everyone but Felix shifted into a bird. He cast a quick glance at his fellow Myriads and then over his shoulder before shifting into a dark-maned lion.
With a resounding roar that reverberated through her entire body, he galloped down the corridor toward the plate glass window as shots were fired from behind, one after another. She watched as the bullets pierced his body, too many times to count. Still moving, he reached the end and leaped up, using the bulk of his weight to break through the glass.
The four Myriads ahead of Aspen flew to their freedom—through the hole that the old man had cleared for them by sacrificing himself.
She watched, helpless, as the lifeless body of a mighty lion landed on the ground eleven stories below. Bullets ricocheted around her as she extended her wings and soared through the air, called by instinct to join the Myriads already waiting for her in the sky above.
* * *
Tora looked on as Skye extended her arms into the enormous white wings of an owl. Head bowed, feathers aglow, she began to work her magic. A sound like ocean waves crashing ashore filled the small room.
One by one, the soldiers stirred and replenished their lungs with clean air. The only one who remained still was Tony.
With Skye, Hope, and several members of the pack by her side, Tora led the soldiers to the main room of chamber one. The question of what to do with these men hadn’t entered her mind until now. She couldn’t release them into the tunnels—the air wasn’t safe—so bringing them to the surface wasn’t an option.
Lattimore, Steiner, and Grubbs took seats on the circular sofa and warmed themselves by the fire. The only one who remained standing was Sarge. An awkward silence ensued as every Shroud in the room stared at him, including the newborns.
Easily six foot five, Sarge’s massive structure rivaled only one other’s in the room. But unlike Michael’s innate gentle nature, Sarge looked ready to wage war on a moment’s notice. Hard brown eyes filled with tears as he addressed the group. “Tony Carrillo sacrificed his life today to save me and my men. I didn’t know him long, but he was funny and brave…and someone I would’ve liked to call my friend. I’ll never get the chance to thank him for what he did.” He leaned over and whispered something to the three soldiers beside him. They all nodded.
Straightening, Sarge turned to the group once more. “We’d like to stay and help you fight. If you’ll have us.”
Tora could hardly believe what was happening. Aspen had been right all along. This was how they were going to win the war.
* * *
With a heavy heart, Aspen led the four Myriads on a long trek back to the sanctuary. She couldn’t believe Felix was gone. She’d never had the chance to tell him about the sanctuary or the newborns. Something told her he would have made a wonderful addition to Alpha Genesis.
They perched in the trees and looked on as soldiers in yellow hazmat suits finished packing up and piled inside their Humvees. It was clear they were making a hasty retreat—no doubt set in motion by the news that four powerful Myriads had escaped from their prison nearby.
She took immense satisfaction in watching them scurry, but the hazmat suits had her worried. Taking such precautions could mean only one thing. Her stomach somersaulted as she watched the last vehicle flee from the scene.
The Myriads followed her as she glided to the ground and returned to human form. She activated the earbud. “Tora? You there?”
“Aspen?”
It was Skye. Thank God she was okay. “Soldiers just left. They were all wearing—”
“Don’t come in the tunnels,” Skye warned. “They attacked us with nerve gas. The air’s not safe.”
There was a sudden and painful lump in her throat. She was afraid to ask. “Is everyone okay?”
“Aspen, it’s Tora. Tony didn’t make it. Everyone else is fine, but there’s a lot to fill you in on.”
Tony was gone. Poor Tony. She squeezed her eyes shut and spoke through the tears that welled up against her will. “Oscar? The newborns?”
“All fine. Hope and Oscar are coming to get you. She’ll make a shield around you to protect you from the nerve gas.”
It felt indescribably good to hear Tora’s voice again. Aspen glanced at the other Myriads. They had abandoned their human bodies for the well-insulated bodies of bison. She didn’t blame them. It was freezing outside. The sun was already beginning to set on the horizon. “I have four adult Myriads with me. Can Hope make shields around them, too?”
“What?” Tora said. “How?”
“The SEA was holding them prisoner.”
“Hope can make a shield around all of us.” Oscar was talking now. “We’re on our way to you.”
“Good to hear your voice, Pop.”
“Something you should know,” he said grimly. “Spidey didn’t make it.”
“He died for the cause,” Hank added.
“Can everyone hear this conversation?” she asked, suddenly embarrassed by her own tears.
All of Alpha Genesis answered at once, “Yep.”
“We’ll have some tissues ready for you,” Beckett said.
“And a hug,” Mrs. B c
himed in.
“I’m in the kitchen, baking,” Helga said. “There’s some chocolate lava cake down here with your name on it.”
“But we’re all pretty hungry, so you better get down here.” Tora cleared her throat. “Fast.”
Aspen smiled through the tears. “Copy that.”
Chapter Thirty-one
Already aboard Air Force One, Timothy Decker accepted the call from Vickers and switched on his Bluetooth. To hell with pleasantries. “Did the four Myriads in stasis escape your custody or what?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
He balled his hands into fists. “How the hell did that happen?”
“Best we can tell, it was the Myriad, sir.”
“The cop?”
“She somehow slipped out of the nest and found the old Myriad who was helping us. Looks like they worked together to free the others. The old one’s handler is in a coma.”
“And the old Myriad? Where’s he?”
“Dead. Killed him myself.”
“Good.” One down. Five to go. Tim took a breath, steeling himself for the war ahead. “A private jet will pick you up and take you to the bunker. You’ll have all of our top military strategists at your disposal. Looks like these cockroaches aren’t going quietly, like we’d hoped.”
* * *
Aspen looked on as the members of Alpha Genesis busily scurried about the kitchen. Even the humans had been assigned posts, blending in seamlessly with the controlled chaos of meal prep. Salad and pizza were on the menu for tonight.
She glanced at her watch as everyone took seats at the table: 7:02 p.m. Skye had already added eight place settings. Out of unspoken respect for their fallen comrade, Tony’s seat remained unoccupied—flanked on both sides by the soldiers whose lives he’d saved.
Sarge cast a glance down the long table. “I see cheese, cheese, more cheese, onion, green pepper, green pepper and onion, mushroom…” He craned his neck. “Is that pineapple pizza down there?”
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