Sepia Blue-Sisters: A Sepia Blue Thriller

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  Another pilot was walking across the roof toward the group. He nodded and got in the helicopter.

  “Doesn’t say much, does he?” Sepia said as they followed Bear into the helicopter.

  “Only when it matters,” Bear answered. “Once you have the information, you give us a call and we’ll extract. ETA will be ten minutes from the time of your call, so plan accordingly.”

  Bernice checked her pack and made sure everything was in working order before strapping in. Wake strapped in and sat back with her eyes closed. Sepia took the seat opposite Bernice and strapped in as well. The blades rotated and the helicopter lifted off from the roof and hovered in the air silently.

  “We’ll be over the LZ in T-minus-twenty,” Bear’s voice came over the headphones. “The field is stronger these days, but it shouldn’t present a problem in the short term. Everyone good to go?”

  Nods from everyone prompted Bear to lift the helicopter higher and head to the park.

  Something is off. I just can’t pinpoint it.

  NINE

  The helicopter flew silently in the night. In the distance, Sepia could see the trees of the park creating a large dark patch in the middle of the city. She could sense the low thrum of the EMP field. It emanated from the center and covered the entirety of the park. She adjusted her glasses as Bear turned to look at her.

  I wonder if the rift is responsible for that too.

  “We’ll be landing at the LZ in five,” Bear said. “Get your gear and be ready in three.”

  The wards on the side of the copter flared to life as it entered the park and the EMP field. The glow spilled out into the park beneath them.

  Well, if we weren’t a target before, we are now, Sepia thought.

  Several of the instrument panels in the cockpit came to life with beeping and warning alerts. The co-pilot flipped some switches and returned the interior to silence. Sepia saw him give Bear a worried look. Bear gave him a quick shake of the head and turned to the passengers as they touched down near the Keep.

  “EMP is baking the bird,” he said. “You have sixty seconds to evac or you come back with us.”

  Everyone removed their headsets, grabbed their gear, and stepped off the helicopter. Bernice and Wake headed to the Keep while Sepia remained behind near the helicopter as it prepared to take off.

  “What is it?” Bernice asked.

  Wake removed a knife from a sheath and stopped walking. She looked at Sepia with an eyebrow raised.

  “Do you sense something?” Wake asked. Her voice was deep and rich with each syllable emphasized. “Is there something wrong?”

  “We’re in the park at night,” Sepia answered. “It doesn’t get more wrong than that.”

  Wake nodded and put her knife away.

  “See you inside,” Bernice said. “I wouldn’t stay out here too long if I were you.”

  “Are they expecting us in the Keep?” Sepia asked.

  “Who would be expecting us?” Bernice answered.

  “I just thought—the last time I was in the park the Keep was occupied,” Sepia said.

  “The Keep is deserted,” Wake said. “This is for the best, considering our mission.”

  “I thought I felt something—” Sepia began. “You two go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.”

  “You said it yourself,” Bernice said, “it’s the park at night. You’re going to feel plenty of things in this place.”

  “Don’t delay,” Wake said. “If you feel something, there’s a good chance it feels you too.”

  Bernice gave a quick laugh and headed to the Keep, followed by Wake. The helicopter began to lift off, when Sepia noticed something fall off the side. She remained still as they kept walking. She let her senses expand and felt around the area of the helicopter. Someone was moving in the underbrush and trying to head to the trees. Sepia unholstered a blade and headed in the direction of the sound.

  Trying to hide in the park at night? Must be suicidal.

  Sepia crept up to the place where she heard the sound and crouched. Farther along, she could just make out a figure trying to hide. Sepia recognized the frequency.

  It can’t be. Impossible.

  She circled around and closed in. She sheathed her blade as she got closer. The figure hid behind some bushes and was making its way into the trees.

  “You plan on ending your short life?” Sepia asked into the night.

  The figure stopped moving. Sepia moved around and stood behind the person.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked. “Are you insane?”

  It was Jas.

  TEN

  She stood and was about to bolt into the heavily wooded area when Sepia caught her by the arm.

  “I just wanted to—I just wanted to help and then I heard you were going into the park and I wanted to go with you, plus I couldn’t stay in the compound with everyone giving me the stink-eye,” Jas said as the words tumbled out. “Please don’t tell Anna.”

  “I don’t see how this is going to escape her attention,” Sepia answered, and began heading back to the Keep. “Do you want to get yourself killed? Wait, don’t answer that. How did you get on the copter without anyone noticing?”

  “I’m good with machines,” Jas whispered. “Real good.”

  “What does that even mean?” Sepia asked.

  Sepia looked around but couldn’t see the Keep.

  This is not good.

  Howls filled the night as Sepia stopped walking.

  “The howls in the gauntlet—that was a recording, right?” Jas asked.

  “Yes,” Sepia said and unsheathed her warded blade. “What you just heard wasn’t.”

  “I kind of figured that,” Jas said as she pointed at the set of glowing eyes approaching them.

  “Hello, Hunter,” a voice said. “Have you brought us a meal?”

  Shit. Dreadwolves.

  “Don’t move and don’t say a word,” Sepia whispered to Jas. “Whatever you see, stay next to me.”

  A pack of Dreadwolves had surrounded the area with the leader, a larger Dreadwolf, approaching slowly. He stepped forward and looked at the pair, cocking his head to one side and sniffing the air. Sepia saw the markings on the side of the Dreadwolves’ leader and held the blade in front of her body.

  Shit. It’s Fang.

  “There are no meals here, Fang,” Sepia said. “Take your pack and leave.”

  “Your word means nothing in this place, Hunter,” Fang said with a growl.

  Sepia held the blade in a defensive stance.

  “There’s nothing here for you,” Sepia answered. “Except pain and blood.”

  “That is not what my nose tells me,” Fang said as he sniffed in Jas’s direction “Leave her with us.”

  Sepia removed her glasses. Green light spilled from her eye into the night. Some of the Dreadwolves backed away, and Jas gasped in surprise. Fang bared his teeth as he circled around Sepia. Several knives buried themselves in the ground between them as Wake and Bernice entered the circle.

  “We can do this hard or easy,” Wake said. “Your choice.”

  Bernice cocked the shotgun she held. “Please pick hard,” she said with a smile.

  Fang growled and lifted his head. The pack faded back into the trees. “Hunter, we will find each other again,” Fang said before running off into the trees.

  “What was that about?” Wake asked as she picked up her knives.

  “We have a—history, of sorts,” Sepia answered and sheathed her blade. “He wants to kill me and I keep disagreeing with him.”

  “What happened to you?” Bernice asked. “I thought you were right behind us and then we heard the howls.”

  “She happened,” Sepia said. She stepped aside to reveal Jas.

  Wake narrowed her eyes as Bernice whistled low.

  “Anna is going to have a fit when she finds out where you are,” Bernice said. “How did you get here?”

  “She came in on our ride,” Sepia answered. “Don’t know ho
w she did it.”

  “She’s a technist,” Wake said, looking at the sheepish Jas.

  “A what?” Sepia asked.

  “We can discuss this inside the Keep where the Unholy won’t try and kill us,” Bernice said. “This complicates things.”

  They headed back to the Keep and crossed the wards that kept it safe from the Unholy of the park. Sepia felt a spike in energy as she crossed the threshold.

  “Did either of you go inside the Keep?” Sepia asked, looking around as they entered.

  “No. We heard the howls before we got inside,” Bernice answered. “Why?”

  “Just felt a spike of energy in the wards as we came in,” Sepia answered.

  “Most likely our presence here tripped them,” Bernice said. “No one is in here.”

  “What are we going to do with her?” Wake asked, looking at Jas. “We can’t call the compound. EMP won’t let the signal get that far.”

  “We can barely call the copter, much less the compound,” Bernice said. “We could leave her in here. She would be safe.”

  “It’s just a scouting mission, right?” Sepia asked. “We find the rift and report back.”

  Bernice glanced at Wake quickly before nodding. “Except that if something goes wrong we’re only equipped to extract one of you, not the two,” said Wake.

  “Then you extract her,” Sepia answered. “I can find my way out.”

  “That wasn’t the plan,” Bernice said. “We leave her here and—”

  “No, she comes with me,” Sepia said. “I’m responsible for her.”

  “Suit yourself,” Bernice said. “If this goes south, we extract the kid and you find your own exit.”

  Sepia nodded and pulled Jas to the side.

  “Explain what a technist is so I know what I’m working with here,” Sepia said. “Give me the condensed version.”

  Jas was about to speak when Wake stepped over and removed the comlink from her ear. She motioned for Sepia to do the same. Bernice stepped over with hers in her hand.

  “This will be faster,” Wake said and handed the comlinks to Jas. “Show her.”

  Jas took the comlinks and covered them with her other hand and closed her eyes for a few moments. Her hands began to glow with a subdued white light. It was gone in seconds. She opened them and gave back the comlinks. Wake and Bernice put theirs in. Sepia held hers and looked at Jas.

  “Put it in, Wake said. “Then cross the threshold.”

  Sepia put in the comlink and stepped over the threshold. Wake’s voice came over clearly.

  “This is what she can do,” Wake said. “She enhances technology and then destroys it.”

  Sepia turned suddenly, expecting to see Wake next to her but she was alone.

  “What do you mean destroys it?” Sepia asked.

  “She can enhance tech—any tech, but once she does that light trick, anything she enhances is rendered useless in a few days,” Wake replied as Sepia entered the Keep again.

  Sepia gave Jas a look.

  “That is some ability,” Sepia said. “So these coms will work in the park?”

  “More than just in the park,” Wake said, looking at Jas as she touched her com. “Hello, Anna?”

  Wake walked away as she spoke.

  “Yeah, she’s a freak,” Bernice said and laughed. “Anna is going to kill you, girl. First the gauntlet and now this.”

  Jas winced. “Knew I shouldn’t have boosted those,” she whispered to herself.

  “Better to get it over with now than later,” Sepia said. “Plus she’s probably worried.”

  “Anna? Worried about me?” Jas said. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, I’m not,” Sepia replied as Wake rejoined them. “What did she say?”

  “Mission continues unchanged,” Wake said. “Jas is yours to deal with until we get back to compound. Something about going AWOL and jeopardizing an active mission.”

  “Doesn’t look good for you,” Bernice said with a smile. “May as well enjoy yourself while you’re out here. She will probably lock you down after this.”

  Jas remained silent and looked down at her feet.

  It still doesn’t explain how she snuck on the copter, thought Sepia.

  “Fine, we move in an hour,” Sepia said. “The rift activity will be stronger at night anyway. Should be easy to locate.”

  ELEVEN

  Gray Agent Reed carried Perdition on his back and moved silently across the city rooftops. Five more agents ran below him on the streets, each with an identical scabbard strapped to their backs. They dressed the same and were all the same height and build. He touched his com and heard the group checking in.

  “Com check, One here on point,” the lead agent said. “Everyone report.”

  “Two here.”

  “Three here and not liking that this is happening at night.”

  “Four here and I agree, this is crazy at night.”

  “Five, on rear.”

  “We don’t get to wonder why,” One said. “We just make the delivery.”

  “Do we even know who has the real sword?” Three asked.

  “No, and we aren’t supposed to know,” Two said. “That’s why there are five of us.”

  “Would be funny if none of them were the real one and we were just a diversion,” Four said.

  “Not even Gan is that paranoid,” Three said. “Besides, no one even knows we’re out here. One of us has it, we just don’t know who.”

  Actually, he’s that paranoid, thought Reed. You’re the bait.

  Reed stayed close to the group from above. They ran down Sixth Avenue and were about to cross 70th Street when the howls filled the night. Reed stopped running and looked over to the park.

  Dreadwolves. Gan was right—there is a leak.

  A voice came over his com. Gan.

  “Reed, status,” Gan said.

  “You were right, sir, there is a leak—either with us or the Sisters.”

  “Has to be us, since no one outside the Gray knows we are moving the sword tonight,” Gan answered. “Am I hearing Dreadwolves?”

  “Yes, sir,” Reed said. “They are closing in on the group’s position. Do you want me to alert them?”

  “No, under no circumstances are you to divulge your presence,” Gan said after a moment of silence. “They are trained Gray; they know the risks. Get to the drop-off.”

  The com went silent.

  “Basically leave them there to die?” Reed said to himself as he started running again. He jumped across a roof and landed in a roll. That was when he saw the first Shadow several blocks ahead. It was a trap.

  Shadows. They don’t have a chance without help.

  He pressed his com again.

  “You are heading into a trap,” Reed said. “I repeat, the Dreadwolves are running you into a trap.”

  “Who is this?” One barked. “Get off this channel now.”

  “This is Reed,” he said. “None of you are carrying the sword.”

  Reed leaped over another parapet to land on a roof below him.

  “Reed, shit, no names,” One said. “How do you know—wait, you have the sword?”

  The group stopped running.

  “Affirmative,” Reed said. “Wolves on your six, about two blocks out. Ahead of you there’s a group of shadows and what looks like a Berserker.”

  “Where are you?” One asked. “Did you say a Berserker?”

  “I told you we were bait!” Four said. “Gan sent us out here to die.”

  “Shut it, Four,” One said. “Reed, what is your location?”

  “I’m topside and if I were you I would get off the streets—now,” Reed said.

  “You’re wasting your time,” a voice from behind him said. “They sit in Death’s hand. He just hasn’t made a fist—yet.”

  Reed turned slowly at the voice and looked at the Shadow approaching him. The first screams reached him through his com. The Dreadwolves had caught the group.

  “How did you
know?” Reed asked. “Gan didn’t tell anyone except—”

  The arrows raced through the night—silent emissaries of death. One punctured his chest and robbed him of breath. Two more buried themselves in his abdomen. The last one punctured his left thigh and threw off his balance as he fell on his back. He felt rough hands remove the scabbard. Another figure appeared next to the Shadow. The face was covered in a mask, but he could tell it was female.

  “You’re the leak,” Reed said as he gasped for air. “Finish it, then.”

  The figure in gray fatigues gave him a bow. She stepped close to Reed and crouched next to his face.

  “I’m not going to kill you,” she said. “Like you said, Gan didn’t tell anyone, except you and the five down there” —she pointed over the parapet—“who are currently busy dying.”

  “He will never believe I did this,” Reed said.

  She reached over and grabbed his com.

  “You should have obeyed orders and stayed quiet,” she said. “But you had to be a hero.”

  “I couldn’t…I couldn’t let them just die.”

  She laughed as she stood and stepped away.

  “The moment you spoke, we tracked and found you,” she said, holding up his com, “and the sword. You were never going to prevent their deaths, and Gan knew this. It seems you didn’t.”

  She dropped the com and crushed it with her boot.

  “I needed to warn them,” he said.

  “We have what we came for,” she said. “Remove the arrows and let the Gray find their traitor.”

  Reed’s screams joined the laughter around him as he felt the arrows being pulled from his body. His blood pooled around his body as a blanket of warmth enveloped him. He caught parts of words as he slipped in and out of consciousness.

  “That’s enough,” she said. “Leave him.”

  In moments, he was alone on the roof with the sounds of death echoing through the street as the Dreadwolves finished the group below him.

  TWELVE

  “Sir, we have a problem,” the Gray agent said as he approached Gan. The clear walls of the sphere whispered closed behind him.

  The situation room was a hive of activity. Computers and tech filled all of the available space with agents monitoring different workstations. Large screens covered the walls, each displaying batches of information. Inside a soundproof sphere, a freestanding screen dominated the center of the room. Gan stood in front of the screen and shuffled information away with a wave of his hand. The red circle that represented Reed had stopped moving.