by James Gough
He couldn’t hold the voice in any longer and it burst from his lips in a great bellowing roar. “No! Fight back! Do not let him win. Stop him now!”
The wolfchant’s claws faltered, and he crumpled to the floor.
Grimm’s eyes were on fire. He raised his pincers and charged Will.
A black missile hit Grimm from behind and another collided with his side, causing him to recoil. He staggered backward, searching the sky.
A Builder launched himself from the ceiling like a living cannon ball. Grimm tried sending out scent-commands, but Will batted them all away with commands of his own. It felt so natural. Every Builder was at his disposal. Will focused on specific groups of workers and soldiers. GRAB HIS LEGS. ATTACK FROM THE RIGHT. THROW THAT TABLE. Each command was followed. The Builders swarmed the thrashing centipede. Grimm fought with ferocity, slashing down Builders until piles of wounded formed at his feet.
Will turned to a group of Builders waiting in reserve. BRING ME HELP—THE AGENTS. The Builders nodded and dispersed, plunging into dozens of holes.
The fight spread across the chamber and Will had trouble seeing what was happening.
Free me, please. Will thought. The Builders he asked cocked their heads and looked at each other for a moment. They tore the amber casing away from Will’s feet. Thanks.
The Builders all raised their mandibles into smiles.
You are welcome, Immune, cascaded in unison through Will’s head. Then the same Builders turned and charged into the battle, attacking with more vigor than the other enchants around them. Will kicked free of the amber crust and climbed onto a table for a better view.
Josef Grimm was still beating away Builders. Every time they advanced, the giant centipede cut through them, leaving a wake of fallen ant enchants in his path. In a moment of horror, Will realized that he was forcing these Builders to fight and sacrifice themselves. His commands now took away their free will.
STOP! YOU DON’T HAVE TO OBEY ME. YOU DON’T HAVE TO OBEY ANYONE. YOU ARE FREE. PLEASE STOP OBEYING. PLEASE! Will didn’t know what else to do. The battle around the centipede grew quiet as the Builders backed away, shaking their heads and blinking.
In the confusion, a solitary form rose, chuckling. “What a fool you are.” Grimm seethed as he sauntered forward, sweeping Builders out of the way.
He was missing a few legs and an antenna, but it didn’t impede him as he swaggered toward Will.
“You could have won—you might have even finished me, but you are too weak. Freedom? Please. These are Builders, you stupid little boy. They don’t think for themselves. They don’t want choice. They need a leader, a commander.”
The centipede turned to the stunned Builders. SEIZE THE BOY AND BRING HIM TO ME! Josef Grimm’s scent-command was so strong it made Will stagger, but none of the Builders moved. Instead they turned toward the beastly centipede and advanced.
Grimm issued another command.
Thousands of Builders still marched forward until the centipede was trapped in a constricting wall of ant enchants.
Josef Grimm’s eyes met Will’s, the centipede’s face full of murderous hatred. He released a blood-curdling shriek and lunged forward.
A tidal wave of Builders swallowed him in an instant, surrounding him in a living prison.
The centipede’s voice was snuffed out.
In silence, the boiling mass of enchants flowed down one of the tunnels until Grimm and every Builder disappeared.
The threat gone, Will’s knees gave way and he plopped down on top of the table.
Will, behind you! The scent-speak was weak but it caused Will to duck just in time to avoid the wolfchant’s claws. The one-eyed hunter flashed his teeth and skulked closer, snarling. He pounced.
Something flew over Will and collided with the wolf’s head. The one-eyed hunter slid across the floor and crashed against the wall, an unconscious heap. Rizz stood between Will and the wolfchant.
“I knew it!” Will climbed off the table. “I knew he was lying about you, Rizz. You were just playing along with all that stuff Grimm said, right?”
“Wrong.” Rizz still had his back to Will. “It’s all true, kid. Every word.”
“But you’re good. I know it. He was blackmailing you with Dean’s life.”
“Don’t.” Rizz held up his hand. “I did what I did. It doesn’t matter why. You’re a good kid, Will. I hope you can stay that way.” He turned and met Will’s stare. “Just remember who you are, no matter what they tell you.”
The ram perked his ears and looked to the far wall. Voices were echoing from one of the tunnels—someone was coming. Rizz held Will’s gaze for a second more, then bounded up the wall and disappeared into one of the holes. Will started to follow.
Let him go, Will. The Rizz you knew is gone.
Will looked for the source of the soft scent-speak. Dean’s blue eyes were open and full of sympathy. It was Dean who had warned him about the hunter’s attack.
“Will!” Kaya and Manning rushed into the chamber, led by the Builders Will had sent to find help. But Will didn’t answer. He couldn’t speak. All he could do was slump to the ground and let the tears go at last.
28
A Little Show of Thanks
Will woke up in a forest of roses.
He barely remembered being carried from the lab in the bowels of St. Grimm’s Builder catacombs. Now it all seemed like a murky nightmare. He ached—inside and out.
The perfume of the roses helped a little, giving him the strength to open his eyes.
He was back in his old room. The window and doors to the balcony had been repaired and roses were piled everywhere. From his bed, Will couldn’t even see the door. Late morning light caused the deep red flowers to glow. The roses made him think of the fight in Dean’s room. Mars and Berko were gone. A hole opened in his chest. The pain was too much. Will rolled over and stared at the wall.
There was a commotion on the balcony, then a click of metal as the door slid open.
“Holy cow, will you look at this? It’s like a garden threw up in here.” Mars and Berko pushed through the roses. “Morning, Stinky.”
Will jumped to his feet. “You’re alive!” He rushed forward and threw his arms around them.
“Ow, ow.” Mars’ arm was in a sling and her foot was bandaged. Her face was bruised and swollen, but she was alive. Berko was pretty beaten up too—a cast covered his hand and a tooth was missing from his heavy under bite.
“Yeah, we’re alive. Thanks to you.” Mars pushed purple strands of hair out of her face.
“Thanks to me? I thought you two were goners.”
“So did we, but when you yelled at those Builders to leave us alone, they just…let us go. Kaya said the Builders obeyed you because you’re an Immune.” Berko was speaking full volume.
“Shh.” Will looked at the door.
Mars shook her head. “Relax, Stinky, your secret’s not such a secret anymore. The Queen Builder sent a statement to the Council of Wik thanking Wilhelm Tuttle, the Immune, for his heroic deeds on behalf of her colony and for freeing them from eleven years of slavery. She explained about Grimm, Bump, and everything. Oh, and she also pledged her eternal loyalty to you. You’re a hero, Stinky, and the only thing anybody’s been talking about all day—well, not the only thing…” Mars dropped her head and kicked at a rose. “There’s also a lot of talk about Rizz.”
Will looked at the floor. “Oh.”
“Yeah. This morning Liska held this press conference where she showed Rizz’s picture and told how he was a dangerous traitor and ISPA’s most wanted fugitive. I really hate that lady. You don’t think Rizz is guilty, do you, Will?”
Will sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his arm. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I’m not gonna believe any of it. My Rizz is no criminal.” She wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her leather jacket.
“You know he saved my life again, right? Just before he…ran.” Will tried to make her feel better, but
it was no use. Rizz’s leaving had created a dark void.
The three of them tried to talk about other things. Berko filled Will in on how the effects of the gas had lasted for another hour.
Kaya and Manning had snapped out of it as the Builders that Will had sent were carrying them down the tunnels into the Builder catacombs. The agents almost fought the antchants until they heard Will’s voice.
Unfortunately, one of the Builders had also found Deputy Liska.
Mars frowned. “As soon as Liska shook off the gas she jumped in and pulled rank, putting herself in charge of the crime scene.
“Kaya was really mad about it. But she was more worried about getting you, Dean, and Dervis out of the catacombs and making sure that the Queen Builder was okay. So nobody really challenged nasty old fox-face.
“In that stupid press conference, Liska tried to take all the credit for stopping the plot to enslave everybody, for catching the hunter and for rescuing the hostages.”
Mars let a grin sneak into the corner of her mouth. “She might have gotten away with it too, but somebody slipped the press an anonymous package with a mirror phone, the letter from Dervis, a picture of Flores lying naked on the lobby floor, and a note explaining how Liska and her spy inside Special Branch knew about the gas attacks for two days and didn’t do anything to stop it.”
Berko and Mars smiled wide.
“You didn’t,” gasped Will.
“We had help. Sergeant Gnar took the picture of Flores.” Mars beamed. “Liska and Flores were arrested in front of cameras an hour ago. It was a thing of beauty.”
“I never thought a fox could get that red,” snorted Berko. They all smiled, but nobody was in the mood for laughter. Everyone lapsed into silence.
From behind the wall of roses, there was a burst of noise as the door swung open. A barrage of flashes strobed the room. Muffled voices overlapped, shouting out questions: “Dr. Noctua! Dr. Noctua! When will the Immune be naturalized?”
“Is it true he can control enchants’ minds?”
“What about the Council seat?”
“Is that Tuttle with three Ts?”
The door popped closed, muting the growl of the paparazzi.
“Oh yeah, I forgot,” whispered Mars. “We came to warn you.”
“About what?”
Mars motioned toward the door and mouthed, I’m sorry.
“Well, I never,” complained Nurse Starr from somewhere behind the roses. “And where in the world did all these flowers come from?”
“It seems young Wilhelm has quite a few six-legged well-wishers who do not need doors.” Dr. Noctua’s voice came closer.
“Ah, yes.” He stepped out of a stand of roses taller than his head. “I’ve found him, Georgia. Just follow the sound of my voice.” He clicked his beak.
The doctor was dressed in a black tuxedo and bowtie, but his right eye was black and blue. There were scratches along his forehead and a bandage covered his right ear. “Good morning, Wilhelm. And Happy Sanctuary Day to you.”
Nurse Starr appeared, pulling her long white gown free of the thorns. “This place is becoming a zoo.” She flushed. “Sorry, poor choice of words after yesterday.”
She brushed rose petals from her elegantly styled hair. “Happy Sanctuary Day, Will.”
The nurse rushed over and grabbed his hands, then inspected him and checked his vitals. As she finished, she noticed Mars and Berko for the first time. “And what on earth are you two doing here? You are both supposed to be in your seats already, and you’re not even dressed yet.”
“But we needed to see Will.” Mars put her hands on her hips.
“There’ll be plenty of time for that later, now let’s go. It won’t hurt either of you to get a little gussied up. It’s a big day.”
Nurse Starr grabbed Mars and Berko by their elbows and steered them into the roses, then stopped and turned back. “Oh, and good luck, Will. I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully.” With that, they disappeared into the flowers, the two bats grumbling. The door opened. Flashes and shouts burst into the room and the door shut.
“What did she mean, ‘good luck’?” Will faced Dr. Noctua.
The doctor adjusted his spectacles and sat next to Will on the bed. He hung his cane on the bedpost and cleared his throat. “Well, there are a few enchants, including Wik Council members, who want to thank you for what you did in the catacombs.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
Dr. Noctua eyed him. “Wilhelm, Dean gave us a detailed account. Freeing those Builders at the risk of losing your own life was a heroic deed. That kind of selfless sacrifice should never be dismissed. You, Wilhelm, are a hero.”
“I don’t feel very heroic.”
Dr. Noctua stared toward the glowing window. “Wilhelm, you asked me once about my wife. Do you know how she was killed?”
Will nodded.
“She gave her life to save a single child. It’s easy to fight to save yourself. But someone willing to deny their fighting instinct for the sake of others is a true hero. Every time I look at Margarit, I think of my heroic wife.” Dr. Noctua dabbed the corner of his eye with a feather. “And now when I look at Margarit, I will always think of another hero who was willing to die to save us all. You, Wilhelm.”
Will started to protest, but the doctor held up a wing.
“You have done something wonderful, Wilhelm. Whether you agree or not, you will always be a hero in the eyes of all those you saved. Including me.”
Will dropped his head. “I just didn’t want him to hurt anyone else.”
Dr. Noctua patted Will’s arm. “I know and I am sorry. We were all fooled by Josef Grimm, perhaps nobody more than I. In all these years, I never even suspected.”
“Is he dead?”
“We’re not sure. The Queen Builder just said that justice has been served.”
“Oh.” Will wondered what that meant. Justice? Josef Grimm has caused years of pain. He’d enslaved a culture and destroyed the Immunes. Will thought of all the enchants affected by the gas. “What happened to everybody else?”
Dr. Noctua lifted the corner of his beak. “Remarkably, there were no fatalities yesterday. Granted, after the gas wore off, the ER was inundated and still is. Everyone looks as though they’ve been through a battle. But as a whole, I think we proved something during the crisis. Even after their human sides had been suppressed, something inside enchants resisted giving in to their most base instincts. It seems many misconceptions were redefined. Dean informed us that your striped Builder friend discovered some time ago that rose pollen was a natural antidote to Josef Grimm’s gas. We’ve been using roses to cure side effects all morning.”
Will remembered Berko saying he had been eating something in rosewater when the gas was released. “That’s why Berko wasn’t changed. It was the rosewater.”
Dr. Noctua nodded and patted Will’s shoulder. He seemed to be searching for the right words. “Wilhelm. No one should have to go through such a horrific ordeal. And with all that has transpired, I realize that I may be asking too much of you.” The doctor focused his huge yellow eyes. “But, it would mean a lot to enchants everywhere if you would allow us to show our appreciation. Just a little presentation in front of the Council of Wik.”
“Do I have to make a speech or anything?”
“Not if you don’t want to.”
“Just some Council members?”
“And a few spectators”
Will shrugged. “I guess so. When?”
“As soon as you’re ready. The Council will wait until then.”
“What? They’re waiting for me? Right now?” Will jumped to his feet.
“Take your time. It will do the Council members good to practice a bit of patience. I took the liberty of having my tailor make you a suit. It’s hanging in your closet.”
“But…”
“Why don’t I leave you alone and let you get dressed?” Dr. Noctua retrieved his cane, slipped to the floor and waddled toward the door.
“Just knock when you’re ready.” He disappeared into the roses.
The door opened. Cameras flashed, reporters called out, and for the briefest moment, Will missed being chased by the wolf.
The Council of Wik was huge. It had hundreds of members, all staring at Will from rows of raised seats just in front of the stage in the center of the Gathering Hall. But the Council’s numbers were nothing compared to the hundreds of thousands of spectators crowded into the enormous chamber.
The damage from the day before had been repaired overnight by Builders—the same Builders that now applauded as they clung to the ceiling in neat rows, joining enchant society for the first time in eleven years. Their queen sat near the stage, smiling at Will and clapping regally.
It felt like a dream.
Dr. Noctua said Will’s name into a microphone.
Will stood to a deafening roar, his legs like spaghetti.
Dr. Noctua said that Will’s actions proved him worthy of being naturalized, even without an exam.
The entire Council agreed.
Will was awarded his official certificate of naturalization in a storm of camera flashes. Afterward, Dr. Noctua’s wing wrapped around his elbow and led him off stage. It was a relief to hide in the VIP box with Mars, Berko, and a fidgety Dervis.
Members of the Council took turns standing and raving about how wonderful it was to have an Immune again. Even De la Vega grudgingly spoke about the great things he expected from Will. During De la Vega’s speech, Mars, Will, and Berko kept glancing at each other and trying not to burst out laughing. The councilman looked like he was about to gag every time he said something nice.
It was funny seeing Berko in a tie, but Mars looked kind of pretty without her baggy jeans and leather jacket. Will would have complimented her, but he knew she would punch him in the face, so he let it go.
Halfway through a long speech by an Egyptian lion enchant that looked like the sphinx, Mars took a straw from her drink and shot a spit wad into the next balcony over.
She ducked to the floor as Will turned to face Cylus, sitting in De la Vega’s box with a ball of wet paper dripping off his cheek.