Gaslit Revolution

by Jason Gilbert

  Kane looked at him, raised an eyebrow.

  “A few hundred?”

  Chris nodded.

  “People have been leaving. Moving out. Whole areas cleared out.”

  “When?”

  “When you left for the South. Pulled that little stunt in the old shipyard.” Chris sighed. “Refugees have been heading South. Most on foot. A good many stowed away on transports headed to the Southern plantations. That’s how we got Bill out of here when we sprung him.” He grinned at Kane.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Chris motioned to Tabitha.

  “Because your girlfriend is volunteering you.”

  Kane looked around to see Tabitha grinning, pointing between the two of them.

  “We’re in!” she said before he could speak.

  Chris clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re leading scout mission, Shepherd.”

  Kane blinked.

  “Wait, what?”

  Chris called over his shoulder as he walked off.

  “Your idea, your lead.”

  Kane rolled his eyes, rubbed his face, and looked at Tabitha. “Thanks.”

  She smiled and scrunched her nose at him, clasping her hands in front of her as she rocked on her heels. “You’re welcome!”

  Kane, Chris, and Tabitha spent another hour looking over Wilhelmina’s illusion of Hidden Valley, trying to find the way into the subway, good vantage points to cover the people as they were evacuated, and routes to take to avoid being seen. It would be difficult, requiring a lot of diversionary tactics to get everyone to the subway entrance without being noticed.

  “You leave that to me,” Wil said. “They lookin’ for Magicians. Ain’t never danced with no Conjure lady, I promise you that.” She turned away from the map and looked at Lexi. “Go get that thing ready, girl. Gonna whip up a party for them Special Forces men.”

  Lexi nodded, the possum snuggling in under her chin as she turned and went to the barrel fire.

  “Make sure it’s a good one,” Kane said. “You’re coming with us.”

  Wil huffed, putting her hands on her hips and sticking her chin out in defiance.

  “Why me?”

  Kane waved his hand over the illusion.

  “If you can conjure a map like this of places you’ve been, then we need you to go down there so we can have a map of the subway system as well.” He grinned. “Besides, like you said: they’ve never danced with a Conjure lady.”

  Wil stared at him as if her eyes could burn him alive where he stood.

  “I hate your ass, Kane Shepherd.”

  “Get in line.”

  Wil stalked off with a growl, plucked the possum from Lexi’s arms, and threw the animal angrily into the fire. She uttered something in Gullah, waving her arms over the fire. The flames suddenly sucked into the barrel as if they were pulled in. A thundering blast sent a ring of fire outwards, the force vibrating the ground as a pillar of fire launched into the sky above the clouds. The clouds darkened, thunder rolling in the sky as the scent of rain hit the air, metallic and sharp. The wind picked up slightly, signs of a storm weighing heavy on Hidden Valley. Kane looked at the map. Lightning jumped across the sky, sailed close to a few of the Special Forces ships. They fell back towards the Battle Cruiser to get under cover, leaving their patrol areas in the process.

  “Wow,” Tabitha breathed.

  “Okay,” Kane said. “That’s our cue. If we’re gonna do this, we go now.”

  Wil’s barrel fire belched ash and ember as the possum leapt from the flames and hit the ground. It shook off the fire as if it was water and scurried back into Lexi’s waiting arms. She looked at Wil, her brow furrowed in anger.

  “You don’t have to hurt him, you know.”

  Wil looked down at her with a smile.

  “Pain make the magic work. Life is pain, child. And him happy to do it for his witchy conjure mama.” She reached down and stroked the possum’s coarse, greasy looking fur. “It’s the loyalty to duty that make a simple pet so much more. The life of a Familiar.” She reached up and brushed the little girl’s cheek. “And him have you to dote on him, anyway. Just don’t spoil him. He don’t get no cookie for doin’ his job.”

  The entrance to the old subway was actually closer to the Walking Bridge than they thought, which gave Kane more confidence that the tunnels would lead into the city. The station below was large, the walls stone, such as boards, steel rods, and mortar scattered about. Telltale signs of abandoned construction. The air was musty, dank and thick with the smell of soil, concrete, and rusted metal, the place cold and dark save for the fireball Kane held in his hand as a light source.

  “We could just bring them here,” Chris said, looking around. “It’s smaller than the one in the city, but it’s less risky.”

  “It’s way riskier,” Kane said. “You’ve never seen a Battle Cruiser in action. The firepower it’s carrying could cave this place in, no problem. We’d all be sitting ducks. We’ve got to push to the city side.”

  Wil looked around, rubbed her arms and shivered.

  “Damn you, Kane Shepherd,” she grouched. “I don’ like the cold. This place hellish. Good for nothin’ but makin’ you feel dead and walkin’.”

  “Would you rather deal with the Special Forces?” Kane asked, turning to her.

  Wil gave a “Hrumph!”, stamping her foot as she scowled at him.

  “I’d rather fight than do all this sneakin’ ‘round. Gonna lead these people through a damn dank hole.”

  “Just pay attention to the place so you can get a map conjured for us later,” Kane said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “We’ll need to be able to show Chris’s people where to go.”

  “That way,” Tabitha said, pointing to the train tunnel. “I wonder if it’s a straight shot to the city?”

  “How you know, girl?” Wil snapped.

  Tabitha smiled.

  “Smells better than in here. Besides, Jones told me all about the old system once. He told me not to take his word for it, though. He never came down here, himself.”

  Kane nodded.

  “We go that way.”

  The tunnel was even darker than the station had been, danker, the sound of dripping water from the condensation on the pipes echoing off the walls. The tracks were rusted, the rail ties rotted and weak. Though it was large enough to accommodate a train, the place was still tight. Claustrophobic. Their footfalls echoed along with the dripping water, the sounds bouncing off cracked and unfinished brick and concrete. It was only a few minutes before they reached the area where progress had stopped, the walls and ceiling suddenly becoming rough rock and stone braced by large pillars erected to hold things in place and prevent a cave-in. The tracks had also stopped, the ground now the same stone and rock as the walls and ceiling.

  “I don’t like this, Kane,” Tabitha said, falling into step beside him as they made their way through the forest of shoring. “This doesn’t look safe.”

  “It’s safe,” Chris said. “Pretty standard stuff. Shoring should be fine.”

  “Unless they start bombing,” Kane said. “We’ll have to be quick leading people out. This place isn’t meant to withstand an attack. A well-place mortar or a grenade could bring it all down.”

  “Makin’ me feel better already,” Wil grumbled. “Stop.”

  Kane turned, his aggravation flaring.

  “Dammit, Wil. I’m sick of li—”

  Wil held up her hand.

  “Shut your mouth,” she snapped. “Listen.”

  Kane let his hearing loose, heard voices down the tunnel mingle with the sound of armor squeaking, a gun being made ready. A sigh of exasperation. Someone belched.

  “Damn, Conners. Don’t hog the beer. Shit!”

  The response dripped with sarcasm.

  “Sorry, mom.”

  Kane motioned to the others to stay quiet and get down, hug the walls. He dropped to a knee and listened.

  “Chesterfield’s an assh
ole,” said a third voice. “Gimme that flask, Jenkins. I need a little.”

  “I don’t know why the fuck he would think those assholes would come down here,” the voice named Jenkins said. “Hell, only place it leads is to the city.”

  “Still,” said the first voice. “It’s better than being there when they give the order to wipe the place.”

  The voice named Conners laughed.

  “Not a wipe, gentlemen. ‘Neighborhood beautification.’”

  “Yeah, like Davis said,” said Jenkins. “Place is a sore spot. Needs it.”

  Kane looked back at Wil. She shrugged.

  “Can’t hear shit,” she said, her voice low. “Felt ‘em, though. Smell ‘em. Damn sweat and alcohol. Buncha fools.”

  “Doesn’t make them any less dangerous,” Kane said, lowering his voice. “They’re a couple hundred yards up. Three of them. Looks like Chesterfield banked on us using the subway after all.”

  “Three’s all it would take,” Chris said, moving in close so he could be heard. “Tight as this place is? They could turn it into a shooting gallery.”

  “We need to take them out,” Kane said. “Tabitha, on the right. Chris, take left side. Wil–”

  Wil groaned suddenly, clutched her chest as if short of air. She looked at Kane, her eyes wide.

  “Wil?” Tabitha said. “Wil! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

  Wil shook her head, slumped against the wall, breathing as she reached out and touched Tabitha’s shoulder.

  “I’m—I’m okay, child,” she said. “Somethin’ up top. Not right.” She looked at Kane. “I can fight, Kane Shepherd. But we need to get back.”

  Kane nodded.

  “Wil, with me. Everyone move.”

  Tabitha and Chris nodded and assumed their positions on either side of the tunnel. Kane moved down the middle, activating his amulet as he went. He heard Wil sigh audibly, glanced over to see her shaking her head.

  “If you need to sit back, I need to know right now,” he said, his voice a whisper.

  “No,” she said. “I said I can fight, and I can. Just keep this quick.”

  The tunnel opened into a wider maintenance area, long squared pieces of shoring stacked and banded, a few shovels and pickaxes strewn about, and an abandoned concrete mixer. Kane spotted the three troopers right away. One leaned casually against the cord of wood while the other two stood by the mixer passing a flask around. They had their helmets off, their hair short and their faces clean-shaven. The light from the gas lamp glinted off their armor, bathed the space an eerie blue. The youngest-looking one by the mixer shifted his eyes directly at Kane. He jumped to attention, his rifle off of his back and aimed instantly.

  “Freeze, Shepherd!”

  The other two soldiers moved into position, their rifles aimed. Kane put his hands up, nudged Wil to do the same.

  “You got me, boys,” Kane said.

  “I want to see you deactivate your amulet,” said Davis. “Right now.”

  “Read your briefing, I see,” Kane said as he slowly put his hand in his pocket and pulled the amulet out. He rubbed his thumb over the surface, wiping the rune away. “Okay. I’m good.”

  One of them pointed his gun directly at Wil.

  “Christ,” he breathed. Kane placed the voice with the face. Conners. The trooper looked her up and down. “What the hell are you wearing?”

  Wil chuckled.

  “What,” she said. “This old thing?”

  “Bitch has fucking animal bones on her clothes.” Jenkins. “What the hell?”

  “You, too,” Davis said, nodding to Wil. “Amulet. Deactivate it.”

  Wil shrugged.

  “Ain’t got no amulet.”

  “Bullshit,” Davis said. “You wanna play hardball with me? Deactivate that amulet.”

  “I ain’t no liar,” Wil spat right back. “Ain’t got no amulet.”

  Davis moved closer to her, pointed his rifle in her face.

  “Do it now!” He said, his tone hard and authoritative. “I will kill you, Magician!”

  Wil’s grin was broad, mischievous and evil, her eyes flashing as she held her arms out by her sides.

  “Ain’t no Magician, soldier man,” she said. “Hoodoo. And you jus’ threatened yourself a Mambo from hell!”

  Kane looked over his shoulder.

  “Do it!”

  An ice spear sailed out from the dark. Conners went to the ground like a sack of bricks, the spear stuck in his chest. An energy blast shot out at Jenkins. The soldier ducked it, took aim at Wil. She pointed at him, grumbled something in Gullah. The ground erupted under his feet. He screamed as a set of vines reached up, grabbed him by the neck, lifted him in the air. He gagged and smacked at the tendril. Wil waved her hands, the vine mimicking the motion, dangling the Special Forces trooper like a ragdoll. She slung her hand out to the side, and the vine wailed the gagging man against the wall, his skull giving with a loud crack before the plant dropped his lifeless body to the ground. Davis looked around in a panic, distracted. Kane kicked the rifle out of his hand, went to tackle him. Davis sidestepped him, delivered a blow to Kane’s ribs before landing a punch behind his ear. Lights flashed in Kane’s eyes from the blow. He pushed through it, came around with his elbow, caught Davis in the nose, and spun on the man as he staggered. Kane landed another blow to Davis’s teeth. He took another swing, but Davis blocked it and countered with a kick to Kane’s gut, sent him reeling. He shook it off, started back at Davis when the man dropped to one knee, screaming as he held the other, an ice shard sticking out through the spot where his kneecap would’ve been. He clutched at the knee, writhing on the ground as the armor on his leg began to turn blue.

  A vine sprang from the ground, wrapped itself around his neck. The man began to choke, his eyes bulging wide as Wil stepped over him, her hand out. She grunted at him, her mouth twisted in a sinister grin as she closed her hand into a fist. There was an audible crack, and Davis went still.

  Kane looked at her and shook his head.

  “We could’ve questioned him.”

  Wil shrugged.

  “Oh well.”

  Tabitha and Chris stepped out into the open, looking around at the three dead troopers.

  “That was easy,” Tabitha said. “I didn’t even break a sweat! Not that I could. It’s cold down here.”

  “It was too easy,” Kane said as he turned and looked ahead, the tunnel black. He went to the gas lamp and checked the fuel. Half full. Plenty. “These men weren’t sent here to stop us.”

  “Didn’t stop them from trying,” Chris said.

  “Don’ make sense to tell the bait it’s gonna go on the hook for the big fish,” Wil said, looking at Kane. “Him make a good point. For once. This just a setup.”

  Tabitha looked at Kane.

  “A setup? Do you think they’re expecting us?”

  Kane shrugged.

  “You would know better than I would.”

  Tabitha shook her head.

  “It just happens. I don’t mean to do it. You know that. I can’t control what I see.”

  “It’d be easy,” Chris said to her. “Herd them all into the station at the end, then cave it in.”

  Kane shook his head.

  “Damn. We don’t have a choice. This is the only chance we have to get everyone out.” He looked at Chris. “It’s a risk, but it’s all we’ve got.”

  Wil turned to Tabitha.

  “Girl, you been talkin’ to the dead, lately,” she said. “What they been sayin’ on it?”

  Tabitha looked at her.

  “I mean…I’m not trying to talk to dead people,” she said. “They just…sort of show up. Like I said: I can’t control it.”

  Wil stepped towards her, her tone hard.

  “Try it, girl. Do it. Tell us what they see.”

  Tabitha nodded reluctantly, closed her eyes, her fists clenched at her sides as she stood still, her brow furrowed as if she were concentrating hard. She shook her head, opened her e
yes, and looked at Wil.

  “I can’t,” she said, her tone insistent. “It doesn’t work like that.”

  “Bullshit,” Wil snapped. “You ain’t tryin’ hard enough.”

  Tabitha’s lip trembled, her eyes watering.

  “Wil, that’s enough,” Kane said, stepping forward. “She tried.”

  “She ain’t done shit,” Wil said, not looking at him. “Magic hurt. Magic need pain. You ain’t got enough pain, girl.”

  “I said stop, Wil.”

  “Pain?” Tabitha said, her tone angry. “What do you know about my pain?”

  Wil put her face close to Tabitha’s.

  “Can’t hate nobody for your baby. She die all on her own.”

  Kane saw Tabitha’s face twist in rage as she lunged at Wil. Wil cackled as Tabitha grabbed her by the throat, the two going down onto the ground. Kane went to grab Tabitha and pull her off. Tabitha fought him, pulled against him as she let go of Wil’s throat and slapped her over and over, screaming at her through tears and sobbing. Kane managed to drag her off the Marsh Witch, Tabitha flailing and cursing as she fought to get free.

  “Stop!” Kane shouted. “Tabitha, stop!”

  Tabitha went rigid instantly, sprang from Kane’s arm, and stood stock still, her arms straight down by her sides. Kane went to her, looked at her face.

  At her solid white eyes.

  “Here they are again,” she said, her voice soft. Elderly. “Died this alleyway and still can’t get any damned sleep. It hurts. They always come. Always causing…no. Don’t do that. Let her go!”

  “Let who go?” Kane said. He heard Chris help Wil to her feet, kept his eyes on Tabitha as she spoke again.

  “Leave that girl alone! Put her down! Don’t hurt that poor creature! Run, big rat! Get help! Where’s her mama?”

  Kane’s gut sank.

  “Who’s her mama?”

  Tabitha jerked, looked at him with her blank white eyes, her mouth drawn, her lips terse and thin.

  “That lady from the South. The one who wears dead things. They took her child.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tabitha staggered, listless as her eyes went to normal and rolled back. Kane caught her as she began to collapse, helped her stay on her feet. She held onto him.