New Season: Sparrow's Quest (New Sky Book 2)

by Jason Kent

  And the Ater. What had Sparrow done to him? The slow death seemed unfair to anyone, even an enemy determined to kill you.

  "Sparrow?" Ross said, his voice oddly tender. He took a tentative step but stopped when Sparrow shuffled a half step back in response to his approach.

  Sparrow knew she should be glad Ross was okay. She also knew they needed to get moving. But she was afraid to let go of the thread she was tugging. What was bothering her? Why couldn't she just jump into Ross arms?

  Kate looked from Merrick to Ross. She motioned for Ross to go to Sparrow. Ross took one look at Sparrow, hugging herself tightly, and shrugged. His eyebrows arched in confusion. It was obvious the big marine was at a loss. Kate pushed past the others and laid a hand on Sparrow's shoulder. "You okay, honey?"

  Sparrow was surprised by her reaction to her friend's light touch. She collapsed into Kate's arms and sobbed.

  After a moment, Kate asked softly, "What is it?"

  Sparrow pulled her head back. Her silvery gaze met Kate's glowing eyes. She sniffed, "I killed that Ater." It wasn't that though. She was afraid to admit what was really going on in her head to her friends.

  "Well," Kate said, "You thought he'd killed Ross. You just—"

  "You killed someone for me?" Ross asked gently, as if Sparrow had given him the most thoughtful gift ever.

  "Weren't you listening?" Dagger yelled from where she was reading vault numbers far down the tunnel.

  "No, it's not that," Sparrow said with a shake of her head. Her bleached bangs fell over her eyes. She really didn't want to admit what she had felt.

  "What then?" Kate prompted. She brushed the hair out of Sparrow's eyes.

  "It wasn't the killing," Sparrow whispered. She thought back to the many missions she'd undertaken at Georges' side. Her first kill popped into her mind. Sparrow hadn't meant to hurt anyone. She was just supposed to hack into a rebel command post's power plant and leave a Trojan horse behind. The Trojan would lay dormant until the SUMC attacked. Then, it would activate and shut down the fusion reactor. The Rebel commanders would be in the dark and cut off from their troops. Easy as that. Until a sharp-eyed technician sniffed her presence. In the resulting chaos of electronic strike and counterstrike, the technician shut off a few critical safeties. The tiny reactor blew. The rebel died in a blinding flash of light and heat. He was dead because of Sparrow. She had felt no joy then.

  Sparrow met Kate's gaze once more and twisted up her face as she tried to explain, "I've killed before. You have to out here or you end up dead yourself..." Her voice trailed off.

  "There's a big 'but' in there," Kate prompted.

  "But," Sparrow said softly then stopped and looked directly at Ross. She pursed her lips as she searched for the right words. "But," Sparrow finally whispered, "this time I liked it..."

  Chapter 15

  Vault 77

  Sparrow shook her head and her platinum bangs covered her eyes again. She curled her hands into fists and pushed them against her eyes. Softly, the link sprite sobbed, "You're not supposed to like it!"

  Ross cleared his throat. "Uh, Sparrow..."

  Sparrow pulled her hands away enough to look up at the big marine.

  Ross rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a lop-sided grin.

  Sparrow wrinkled her brow, causing the circuits embedded there to flash and gleam in the beams of their flashlights. She overcame her own self-pity and took a step toward Ross. "I'm sorry! You're the one who got hurt!"

  "It's not that. Look," Ross began. He carefully reached over his shoulder and managed to draw his spare assault rifle off his back with only a small grunt of pain. He looked down at the weapon then up at Sparrow. "This weapon is a powerful tool, a tool I choose to use in order to carry out my duty...no, that's not what I wanted to say." He shook his head and started over. "I use my rifle to protect those I care about. And, well, I'm pretty good at it. Without, this tool, I'd still fight to keep...you safe, but I'm better, lots better, when I use the tools I've been given. I...enjoy being able to do my job to the very best of my abilities. Do you see what I mean?"

  Sparrow thought about Ross' words for a moment then looked down at her hands. "I didn't ask for this upgrade," Sparrow said. "I don't even fully understand what I can do with them..." She gestured at the closed door. "I mean, is that all I'm good for now?"

  "Hardly," Ross snorted. "Of course, you need to work on that temper of yours!"

  Sparrow's face split into a smile. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around Ross' neck. With her face against his check, she whispered, "Thanks."

  "No problem, hon," Ross grunted.

  "Oh!" Sparrow exclaimed and stepped back. She laid a hand against Ross' battered chest armor. "I'm so sorry!"

  "Don't worry about it," Ross breathed. He laid his hand on top of Sparrow's and used his other hand to tip her chin until their eyes met. "You okay?"

  Sparrow opened her mouth to answer but Dagger interrupted.

  "Hey, welcome to the killers club, kid. How about we continue the shrink session later?" Dagger jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. "Vault 77 is this way!"

  Tarun hurried down the corridor, shining his light at each vault he passed. He was muttering, "If only we had time to check the contents..." the archivist shook his head. "No time! Why is there never enough time?!"

  Ross reached out his beefy hand to Sparrow. Ross' eyes glanced down at the glowing circuits which turned her skin a golden color. When he met her silver gaze he said, "You're hot."

  "I know!" Sparrow replied with a grin.

  As Sparrow passed Dagger, the pilot laid a surprisingly gentle hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. Dagger leaned close and whispered, "Come see me later. We'll have a heart to heart."

  Dagger let her hand drop to the hilt of the big knife hanging from her belt. Sparrow's eyes darted to the big blade and nodded.

  Muffled gunfire beyond the steel door hurried everyone along the tunnel.

  Kate stared at the entrance to Vault 77. Huge white numbers splashed across the door declared they had reached their destination. When Kate laid her hand on the peeling paint, parts of the number flaked off and fell to her feet.

  "Guess this is the place," Ross remarked as he joined them, hand-in-hand with Sparrow.

  "Ya think?" Dagger replied. She reached out and lifted a huge padlock. It secured a heavy chain threaded through a wheel set in the middle of the door and a thick steel handle embedded in the wall. The pilot rattled the chain. "Anyone got a key? Besides Sparrow, that is?"

  Sparrow lifted a palm to the door and closed her eyes. The big lock twitched in Dagger's hand but nothing else happened. A moment later, the Link Sprite sagged against Ross as the glow of the circuits in her palms faded to a dull red color.

  "Sorry," Sparrow gasped. "I've had it!"

  "Sorry ain't gonna open this!" Dagger declared. She let the lock and chain fall back against the metal door. More paint chips flecked off and drifted to the floor.

  "I got it," Ross announced. He gently helped Sparrow lean against Kate then aimed his remaining assault rifle at the keyhole.

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dagger shouted and pushed the barrel downward. "I don't feel like getting killed by ricocheting bullets today!"

  "Well, what else have you got?" Ross asked. "I sure as tral don't have the key!"

  Merrick stepped past Ross with huge wrench in his hands. Without a word, he lifted the tool above his head then brought it down against the lock with a resounding crash. The tumblers and pins inside the padlock were no match for the kinetic energy the sniper was able to deliver. The curved shackle broke away from the body which clattered loudly onto the cement floor. Merrick casually tossed the heavy wrench behind him.

  "Will that work?" Merrick asked.

  "That'll do," Kate replied. She pulled the remains of the shackle free. She tugged on the chain and the links clanked down onto the ground. Kate grasped the wheel with both hands and strained against the stiff mechanism securing the door to the frame.
/>   Something pounded against the door leading back to the factory floor. Kate looked back, expecting it to be blasted from its hinges at any second.

  Ross, Merrick, and Dagger all aimed their weapons down the tunnel as a second impact resounded.

  "I suggest we make our way inside," Tarun said. He gestured with his thin fingers at the door to Vault 77.

  "Yeah," Kate agreed as a third impact rang out. "Probably not a bad idea! Help me with this!"

  Tarun gave Kate a blank look. His eyes flicked down to the rusted wheel she was straining against. The archivist sighed, "If I must." He stepped up beside Kate and added his strength to hers. It proved to be enough.

  The door broke free and Kate spun the wheel a complete revolution before the pins inside the door fully retracted.

  Shunk!

  Kate grasped the big handle set in the door and pulled. The hinges worked a little better than the wheel but they still screeched in protest as the vault door swung ponderously open.

  The banging on the tunnel door became more insistent. The bar they'd lodged in the door handle bent but held firm. For the moment, at least.

  "Maybe they're afraid to blow it," Ross commented.

  "Well, it wouldn't do to damage their prize," Dagger snarled.

  "Get the key!" Merrick called over his shoulder. He knelt down on one knee and sighted his long rifle at the tunnel entrance. "We'll hold them here."

  Kate grabbed Sparrow's hand and pulled her into the dark vault entrance. The hem of Tarun's robe was visible under his dark cloak in the gloom ahead as he felt his way along the wall.

  "Ah!" the archivist exclaimed. There was a rapid series of clicks.

  "The lights aren't going to..." Sparrow began to say as the first bank of lights began to hum and then flickered to life. "Never mind."

  Sparrow was not sure what she expected to find inside Vault 77. Maybe a storeroom crammed haphazardly with stacked crates, thrown in here in the hopes they would be safe during the battle the curator knew was coming. She certainly did not expect the sight unfolding before her.

  The first bank of lights settled into a steady glow as a second, third...fifth bank of overhead lights flared to life. Shadows were driven back further and further into the chamber. Ten...fifteen...twenty sets of hanging lights came on, one after the other. More lights continued to turn on as Sparrow's attention was drawn to the contents of the vault.

  There were crates piled everywhere. Large wooden boxes were intermixed with suitcase-sized metal cases. On either side of the aisle leading deeper into the chamber statues made of bronze and marble stood sentinel. Looking left and right, Sparrow could see at least two more rows on either side of the main aisle.

  "Oh my..." Kate whispered.

  "Great Knowl," Tarun added.

  "Tral," Sparrow breathed. "How are we going to find anything in here?"

  Kate's shoulders slumped. "I have no idea." She stepped up behind Tarun. "Any ideas?"

  Tarun moved a few steps deeper into the vault. He stopped and turned slowly in a circle, trying to take in everything at once with his glowing eyes.

  Sparrow realized Tarun was probably lost in some form of archivist nirvana from being in the presence of so many artifacts. Unfortunately, they didn't have time to indulge his passion to examine and catalog. Sparrow also didn't have the energy to be kind.

  "Tarun!" Sparrow snapped. "Focus!"

  Tarun jumped. "Why I..." He saw the look on Sparrow's face and started again. "It's just...well, look at this place!"

  "Ater," Sparrow reminded the archivists. "Big aliens. Big guns. We need to find the key. Now!"

  Tarun glanced around and rubbed his chin. His eyes went from one crate to another. "Based on what you reported from your vision of the museum curator packing the key, I would assume it is in one of these smaller cases." He bent down and opened the nearest metal case. He lifted the lid then reached in and pulled out a piece of pottery decorated with white and black geometric patterns. After a moment, he pronounced, "Native—"

  The sound of gunfire from the hallway interrupted him.

  "We don't have time for this," Sparrow hissed. She squeezed Kate's hand with her left then stretched out her right arm. Sparrow wasn't sure this would work, but she was too weak to use her implants without a little help.

  Kate gasped and her eyes became a brighter blue at Sparrow's touch. "Well, that's new!"

  "I needed someone to plug into," Sparrow explained. She gave Kate grin. "Just think of yourself as a human battery."

  Merrick's rifle barked.

  "Do what you have to!" Kate said. She grasped Sparrow's hand in both of hers.

  Sparrow felt the warmth of her hand grow under Kate's and stretched out her senses to the artifacts nestled in the crates all around her. She wasn't sure exactly what the key would feel like, but...she figured she would know it when she found it. Sparrow suddenly felt as if she'd dunked her hands in ice water. She shuddered as the sensation crept up her arms.

  "It's cold..." Sparrow said as her teeth began to chatter.

  "Yeah, I feel it now," Kate said, tightening her grip on her friend's hand. "Hang on! Focus on the key!"

  "So cold..." Sparrow muttered. She moved her outstretched hand from one crate to another then stopped. She pointed further along the main aisle. Relief flooded through her. "There!"

  Kate looked at the steel case sitting atop a wooden crate. She nodded. "I see it!"

  Sparrow pulled her hand from Kate's grasp, not wanting to suck any more energy than she had to from the other woman. Her legs gave out and she staggered sideways into a stack of boxes. Sparrow gladly accepted Kate's assistance as she slid to the stone floor. She pulled her knees up against her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around them. She willed the violent shivering to stop without immediate success.

  "Oh, honey," Kate whispered. She took off her jacket and wrapped it around Sparrow's shoulders. Kate gently touched Sparrow's forehead. "Your implants... Will you be okay?"

  Sparrow glanced down at the ruddy glow in her palms. She really wasn't sure how far she could drain the upgrades. Her original Sprite implants weren't supposed to go out unless she was dead, something she had no plans of testing. Sparrow managed a shrug as the shivering began to subside. She figured since the new sensors were not dark, they'd be okay. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

  Kate nodded.

  When her friend had not moved after a few moments, Sparrow said, "Let me rest! Go get the key."

  "We'll have it in a second." Kate started to get up. Sparrow's hand shot out and clutched Kate's wrist in a surprisingly strong grip.

  "Don't touch it!" Sparrow warned.

  Kate nodded then gently pried her wrist free as the gunshots in the hallway urged them to hurry. She stood up and started toward the case Sparrow had pointed out. Kate stumbled and grabbed onto the arm of a statue for support.

  "Sorry!" Sparrow called after Kate. "I didn't realize the link would have that effect on you!"

  Tarun left the crate he'd been searching and hustled to Kate's side. "Are you not well?" His eyes darted to Kate's hand clutching the presumably invaluable piece of artwork.

  Kate looked into the carved face of a young woman. She carefully straightened her back and put her weight on her feet. She let go of the marble figure and patted it on the arm. "Thanks for the help." She grabbed Tarun by the arm and motioned toward the waiting case. "This way!"

  "If only we could rescue a few of these other pieces," Tarun lamented as he was led between the rows of crates. He gestured at a statue as they passed. "Some of these are simply marvelous!"

  "Maybe later!" Kate replied.

  Chapter 16

  Escape from Ardennes

  Sparrow met Kate and Tarun at the door. Kate had opened the suitcase-sized metal box just long enough to verify it contained the artifact.

  "Are we good?" Sparrow asked.

  "I had to resist the urge to touch the thing," Kate said. "Even had to slap Tarun's hand away."

  "My apolo
gies, I'm not sure what came over me," Tarun said.

  Although the key did not weigh much, the packing material and protective case were heavy enough that it took Kate and Tarun to lug it out of the vault.

  Sparrow peeked down the hallway, glad she was feeling a little better. She didn't want to slow the others down with the Ater chasing them. She saw the door leading to the factory leaned inward with two hinges broken. The third kept the door upright and partially blocking the entrance, at least for the moment. A dark figure poked his weapon though the door. Before the Ater could fire, Ross loosed a three-round burst from his rifle, forcing the enemy to pull back out of view again.

  "Found it!" Kate called.

  "Great," Dagger said with a grunt. She fired at another figure trying to get a shot off at them. "Anyone got an idea how we get out of here?"

  Kate looked up and down the hallway with its rows of evenly spaced doors, each covered with a huge white number. Obviously, going back toward the factory was out. There was no way they could fight their way through the Ater. Kate looked into the dark portion of the tunnel they'd yet to explore.

  "Nemus, we could use some help," Kate said under her breath. She focused on an image of the big tree rooted on his sun-drenched hill.

  Immediately, the image of a door with the number '85' painted across it popped into her mind. Kate didn't question the vision. She took Sparrow's hand and pulled on the case so Tarun was forced to keep up. "This way!"

  You're welcome.

  Thanks, Nemus! Kate thought, wincing at the sarcastic tone of the tree's voice. She would have to be sure to express her gratitude when they got back to the Archives. We owe you one!

  Just one?

  Sealed doors flashed past on either side. Kate ignored them all.

  "Where?!" Dagger shouted from behind her. She fired two shots at the Ater then followed Kate.