RISE

by R. D. Brady

  The two men circled one another. The sun came out from the clouds, and for just a second, it flashed on the man’s eyes.

  Norah reared back as Chris sucked in a breath. “You saw that too, didn’t you?” Chris asked.

  Norah nodded mutely, backing away from Adam and the stranger. The two men circled one another. A shot rang out from behind her. It crashed into the man’s thigh. He dropped to one knee with a screech. Adam slipped behind the man, putting him in a choke hold and holding him there even as the man batted at his arms, trying to loosen Adam’s grip. But Adam didn’t let go.

  The man’s eyes slowly closed, but Adam held on a few seconds longer to make sure he was out and not playing possum. As soon as he dropped, Chris hurried over, pulling zip ties from his back pocket.

  Norah turned to find the shooter, surprised to see Greg standing there. Greg raised an eyebrow at her. “Y’all need to stop thinking this always has to be some sort of martial arts throwdown. Bad guys should be shot, okay? That’s going to be our new motto. Bad guy shows up, we shoot them.”

  Norah nodded, still shaken by how fast the man had moved. And how violent Iggy’s response had been. “I agree.”

  Greg’s eyes narrowed, and he raised his gun again. “And where do you think you’re going, Ethan?”

  Ethan, who’d started to crawl away, hunched his shoulders before looking over his shoulder and standing slowly with his hands up. “I-I didn’t know anything was wrong with him.”

  Norah could read the lie all over the man’s face. “You believe any of that?” she asked Greg.

  “Not a word.”

  Iggy’s eyes flickered open before he scrambled up to her shoulders. Norah narrowed her eyes at Tara’s brother as the man’s gaze shifted between the gun in Greg’s hand and Norah. This time she bared her teeth. “Don’t even think it. You’re coming back with us. It’s time for a little chat.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Maeve and Sandra had hustled all of the kids back to the barracks. Maeve kept glancing over her shoulder, waiting for a shout or a yell. She didn’t know what was going on. But she knew her priority: keeping her gang safe.

  Sandra ran next to her, keeping pace, her hand tightly clasped around Luke’s. She could tell Sandra had the exact same plan.

  Alvie sprinted ahead of the pack, pulling open the barracks door. Maeve ushered everyone through, taking Alvie’s place. Once inside, Sandra pushed all of them to back of the barracks while Maeve made a beeline for her storage locker. She pulled out the weapon that she’d asked Tilda for the day after they arrived. She grabbed the holster and slipped it over her shoulders, locking it in place, then slid the Beretta into the holster after checking to make sure that one round was in the chamber.

  Sandra noted the weapon and gave her a nod.

  Alvie stood by the door, glancing out.

  “Alvie, get away from there.”

  Alvie stayed where he was. The triplets huddled on the bed behind Maeve. She knelt down to each of them, running a hand over each of their heads. “It’s all right. Everything will be all right.”

  Snap, Crackle, and Pop all leaned into one another. She sat on the bed next to them. Pop climbed over her to lean in on one side. She wrapped her arms around all three of them at once.

  A shot sounded from down near the beach.

  Sandra met her gaze, glancing down at Maeve’s gun. Maeve stood, hurrying next to Alvie to look out, although she was careful to stay to the side of the window.

  Jasper and Mike appeared, powerful machine guns in their arms as they took point in front of the barracks. On the hill, she could see more soldiers, although none came near.

  Alvie tried to peer around her. She pulled him back. “It’s not safe.”

  It’s all right now. The immediate danger has passed.

  Maeve looked down at him and then the trembling triplets. She forced a smile to her face. “You see that? Everything’s fine. All safe.”

  She felt Alvie’s gaze on her and turned to look at him. No. One danger is over. But it is not safe. Not anymore.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Greg kept his weapon trained on Ethan as they made their way up the path, trying to hide the tremble in his arms. He didn’t like guns. The power they contained was too much. But his new reality made keeping a weapon on him a part of his daily existence.

  But R.I.S.E. is supposed to be safe. It’s the safest base on the planet.

  “Why don’t I take that from you?” Norah asked, holding out her hand.

  Greg was more than happy to hand the weapon over. “Thanks.”

  Greg glanced behind him, where Adam and Chris had the other man between them. His leg was bleeding badly. That was another new thing. Normally when he shot a gun, he was running away from something. He’d never actually seen the effects of his handiwork. And to be perfectly honest, it was making him a little sick.

  Speaking of sick … Greg frowned as he stared at the man. His jaw moved back and forth as if he was eating something or maybe checking to see if his teeth were all there? The man jolted upright, his head flinging back, his neck muscles straining.

  “What the hell?” Chris gripped the man’s arm to keep him from being flung backward to the ground.

  White foam appeared at the man’s mouth and dribbled down his chin.

  “He took something!” Greg darted back toward the man. Adam and Chris were already laying him out on the ground. He had been trembling when Greg started toward him, but now he’d gone perfectly still. His eyes stared straight up.

  Greg reached down and put his fingers to the guy’s neck. No pulse. He reached forward to check the man’s pupils and then reared back. The man’s pupils weren’t round. They were elongated, like a lizard’s. “Holy crap.”

  Adam gripped him under the arm while Chris grabbed the man’s other arm. “Let’s get him out of here,” Chris said. Between the two of them, they dragged him forward, the man’s feet leaving a trail in the dirt.

  Greg stared after them, his mouth open, before he got to his feet and hurried to catch up with Norah, who had moved Ethan aside to allow them to pass.

  Norah raised her eyebrows in question.

  “He’s dead,” Greg said, still struggling to believe what had just happened.

  Ethan whirled around to look at them. “What?”

  “Keep walking,” Norah said, pushing Ethan forward. Ethan stumbled but then righted himself, continuing up the path.

  Greg kept his voice low. The wind was pushing against them, which would also help keep the conversation from Ethan. “It must’ve been some sort of poison, fast acting. But his eyes, Norah, they weren’t human.”

  “So what is he?”

  Greg swallowed. “I think he was probably a Draco.” Greg hadn’t wanted to believe the idea of human-passing aliens, but if he was right, this man was proof of exactly that.

  They reached the rise, and Greg noted that more soldiers had appeared. There were now two soldiers at the entrance of each building and another eight in the common area, patrolling around each building. He caught sight of Chris and Adam as they put the body on the back of a truck with Jasper’s help. Mike got behind the wheel, and Adam leaped into the back as Chris tapped on the side of the truck. The truck took off at a quick clip, heading toward a part of the island that none of them had seen yet.

  Norah and Greg escorted Ethan to the administration building, where Tilda was waiting. The look on Tilda’s face would have terrified anyone. Two MPs strode forward, grabbed Ethan’s arms, and yanked him none too gently into the building.

  Greg let out the breath he was holding only when he knew Ethan was firmly in Tilda’s custody.

  “I see your shooting’s getting better.” Norah lowered her weapon at the same time.

  Greg winced. “I was actually aiming for the man’s chest.”

  “You still hit him. That’s what counts.”

  Iggy shifted back down to Norah’s arms and gave Greg a small smile. “Ig?”

  �
�Yeah, buddy. Ig. Now come on, let’s get you checked out.”

  Greg examined Iggy inside the medical ward. He didn’t think there was anything seriously wrong with him. He seemed to be back to his old self. But he warned Norah to keep an eye on him. If he was acting at all strange, he’d contact Tilda about getting a CT scan.

  Norah tucked Iggy into his bed as Sandra and Luke came in.

  “You guys all okay?” Norah asked.

  Sandra nodded. “We got the kids back to the barracks. Maeve’s there with her gang.”

  Norah nodded at Iggy. “You mind keeping an eye on him?”

  “Of course. Is he all right?”

  “He took one for the team.” Greg ran a hand over Iggy’s head. Iggy leaned into Greg’s hand with a soft little purr. “Who’s the best Maldek ever?” Greg cooed.

  “What happened?” Sandra asked.

  “We had an intruder. Iggy managed to intercept him but got a kick to the head for his trouble.”

  “Oh no. I hope—” Sandra broke off as Luke hurried across the room, sitting on the bed next to Iggy. Iggy rolled over so his back was resting against the side of Luke’s leg.

  “Well, I can see when I’m not needed.” Greg stepped away from the bed. “Keep an eye on him, kid, okay?”

  Luke nodded, slowly reaching out to rest his hand on Iggy’s side.

  “We’ll watch him. But where are you two going?” Sandra asked.

  Norah looked at Greg. He nodded back at her. “To get some answers.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chris found his family in the barracks and quickly explained to Maeve about the unknown man on the island. Neither of them wanted to leave the triplets and Alvie, but both of them also wanted to know what exactly was going on. Finally it was decided that Maeve would head to the administration building to get answers while Chris stayed with their family.

  Maeve strode toward the administration building, the argument she was going to use to get Tilda to allow her in on whatever conversations they were having running through her mind. She slipped in the door of the administration building. Tilda stood waiting. She nodded at Maeve. “About time. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Tilda disappeared inside, and Maeve quickly followed. Ethan sat in the middle of the room tied to a chair. Two guards stood by the doors. Greg and Norah stood on the left-hand side of the room. Maeve joined them, glancing around. “Where’s Adam?”

  “With the other guy,” Greg said. “And you should know, we think he’s a Draco.”

  Maeve’s head jerked toward him, her mouth falling open. “What?”

  Norah kept her voice just as low. “He’s dead. Apparently there was some sort of failsafe involved if he was caught. I saw his eyes for a second during the fight. They weren’t human.”

  Maeve turned back to stare at Ethan. Had he known? He couldn’t have. It wouldn’t just be betraying R.I.S.E. He’d be betraying his species, his planet.

  There was no chance for further conversation, though, as Tilda strode toward Ethan. “Why did you bring him to the island?”

  “I got orders. I was told to bring him to the island. It was just like any other—”

  Tilda slapped him across the face. “Do not lie to me, Ethan.”

  A large red handprint was clearly visible on the left side of Ethan’s face. His mouth fell open in shock.

  “How did they get to you?” Tilda demanded.

  “I don’t know what you mean.” Ethan looked around desperately, his gaze falling on Maeve. “I didn’t do anything. This is all a misunderstanding. Help me. Please.”

  Maeve felt her gut tighten as she looked at Tilda. There was no compassion on the woman’s face. Was it possible that Ethan had been used? That somehow he really was a patsy in all of this?

  Tilda’s voice held no doubt. “There was an account opened in your name. $500,000 was deposited there two hours ago. Tell me, Ethan, were they going to pay you another $500,000 once the job was done?”

  Sweat dripped down the side of Ethan’s face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I swear.”

  Tilda slipped a baton from her pocket and whipped it across the side of Ethan’s knee. He screamed, lurching forward, but the ropes held him tight. “I do not believe you.”

  Tears streamed down Ethan’s face. “I didn’t! I didn’t do anything!”

  Tilda stepped forward, raising the baton again. Maeve bit her lip to keep herself from yelling out. But as Tilda raised the baton higher, Maeve opened her mouth. She couldn’t let this happen. Before she could say a word, though, Ethan spoke. “Okay, okay. Just stop.”

  Tilda lowered her hand and took a step back. “Explain.”

  Ethan’s head dropped forward. For a moment, Maeve thought he was crying. But when he looked back up, it wasn’t guilt or desperation on his face.

  It was anger.

  “Explain? How come you don’t already know? Matilda Watson, the all-knowing head of R.I.S.E.,” Ethan sneered, his face ugly with hate.

  Maeve reared back from the vitriol in the man’s voice. He wasn’t some innocent patsy. He was a full-fledged supporter of the actions he’d taken.

  The anger didn’t seem to ruffle Tilda, however. She took a seat on the chair one of her soldiers placed in front of Ethan—out of kicking range. “I’m not all knowing, apparently. So why don’t you explain to me where I went wrong?”

  Ethan’s lips became a thin line. They moved back and forth as if he was trying to swallow back the words that wanted to escape. His eyes narrowed to slits. “My family has ferried members of R.I.S.E. to this godforsaken island for generations. Only the McCallums have been allowed to know the location of Hy-Brasil. But with that knowledge came ties. We were never allowed to go anywhere outside of this island. We are Americans living in Ireland. But I’ve never been to America. Do you know where we live?”

  Tilda nodded. “Your family homestead. McCallums have lived there for two hundred years.”

  Ethan scoffed. “Homestead. It’s a drafty, broken-down ruin. But we are required to live there because it guards the entrance to here. So we are bound to the land like slaves. Did you ever think that maybe we wanted a different life?”

  “You could’ve had a different life!”

  Maeve’s head whipped around as Tara stormed across the floor toward her brother. A white bandage covered half of her forehead. For once, Maeve saw the resemblance between brother and sister. Tara’s anger looked to match her brother’s. But unlike Ethan, whose anger was directed at R.I.S.E. and Tilda in particular, Tara’s anger seemed to be aimed entirely at Ethan.

  Tara came to a stop four feet from her brother, her hands on her hips as she glared down at him. “You ungrateful bastard. In the McCallums’ entire legacy, there has never been a traitor amongst us until you.”

  “Traitor? I’m not the traitor. I’m getting what I’m owed. What we are owed.”

  “Money? You did this for money?” Tara demanded.

  Tilda put up a hand, and Tara quieted, taking a step back.

  “What did you tell them?” Tilda asked.

  “Everything. They know where you are. They know how to get through your security. They know how many people you have here and where they’re located. They know everything.”

  “You fool,” Tilda murmured.

  “I’m the fool? At least I’m finally getting paid what I’m owed!” Ethan snarled.

  Tilda leaned closer to him, her voice driving dangerously low. “You think you were going to get paid? The Draco don’t leave any witnesses. Your payment would have been found at the bottom of the ocean. Once they were done with you, they would have been completely done with you.”

  Ethan shook his head. “No. They paid me. I already have the money.”

  “Do you?” Tilda asked. “There was a backdoor on the account. They had access to it. They could take that money back as quickly as they gave it to you. Did you know that?”

  “That’s not true. I … I would have had to sign for that.”


  Tilda laughed. “You really are a fool. Who set up the account, Ethan? Did you set it up? Or did they do it for you?”

  Ethan paled. “But, but—”

  “You really are stupid,” Tara spit out. “I knew you never should’ve been given this position. I told our parents. But they insisted that you would grow into it. They insisted that you were a McCallum and that you would rise to the occasion. But you didn’t rise. You sank. And now you might’ve sunk us all.”

  Tilda nodded to the two guards, who grabbed Ethan roughly by the arms and pulled him from the room. Ethan screamed, squirming against the men. “Let me go! What are you going to do with me? Tara, help me!”

  Tara turned her back on her brother, but Maeve saw the woman close her eyes, her chin trembling. No matter Tara’s anger, this was not an easy moment for her. Once Ethan was outside the building, Tara turned to Tilda. “What are you going to do with him?”

  Tilda watched the doorway where Ethan had disappeared. “He’ll get what he deserves.”

  Maeve swallowed at the finality in her words. “Goodbye, Ethan,” Greg said softly.

  Tilda turned to the three of them. “There are some arrangements I need to make. I’ll return shortly. We still have more to discuss.”

  Tara followed Tilda out of the room. Greg turned to Norah and Maeve. “Holy crap. That was tense.”

  Norah kept her gaze on the empty doorway. “I have a feeling things are going to stay tense for a while. Our safe haven just blew up.”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  It was only fifteen minutes later when Jasper and Mike arrived. Everyone was in the barracks together as they stepped in the door. Jasper looked around. “I’m going to need everyone to gather all their stuff. We’re going to take you over to the main base.”

  “This isn’t the main base?” Greg asked.