by R. D. Brady
The next few hours would change the course of the world. If they were successful in their bombing campaign, they would wipe out the Draco, and they would hopefully be able to keep the world from knowing that they ever existed. But if they failed, then the world would be overrun within a matter of months.
And if R.I.S.E. had been unable to stop a group of Draco on their base, the rest of the world didn’t stand a chance.
Tilda wanted to reroute some satellites to get herself a view of the warehouse in Edmonds, but that could be problematic. She couldn’t go through the normal channels. “Is she back there?”
“Yes.”
Tilda steeled herself and then stood up, holding on to the edge of the couch for a moment as the room swam. Pearl jumped to her feet. “Hold on. Hold on.”
She ran to the back of the office and grabbed a wheelchair that had been hidden next to a large office cabinet. She hurried it over to Tilda. “I know you probably won’t like this, but I thought—”
Tilda grabbed on to the arms of the wheelchair and slowly lowered herself in. “You are an angel. But let’s make sure no one sees me in this thing, okay?”
Pearl positioned herself behind Tilda and quickly wheeled her to the back of the room. There was an unmarked door back there. It was normally used as a supply closet, but Tilda had commandeered it for a different reason.
Pearl scooted around the side of Tilda’s wheelchair and pushed the door open before wheeling Tilda inside. Penny didn’t even look up from within her nest of computer towers and monitors. Pearl wheeled Tilda around the monitors to the open area at the back.
Tilda cleared her throat. “Penny, do you have eyes on our people in Edmonds?”
One of the monitors on the second row flashed to the scene. On screen were two warehouses sitting on a waterfront. There was nothing moving.
“Has anything happened?”
“The angel went in. He didn’t come out. Iggy did.” Penny didn’t look up from her keyboard as she spoke.
“What about our people? Are they on site?”
The monitor flickered again. This time it displayed two SUVs driving in between warehouses that looked similar to the one on the first screen.
“How long until they arrive?”
“Two minutes.”
Chapter One Hundred Three
The warehouses whipped by. Chris pressed down on the accelerator. He didn’t know what they were going to face in there, but he did know they didn’t have much time. The clock on the dashboard glowed, illuminating the fact that they only had fifteen minutes to get in, get their people, and get a safe distance from the bombing.
Sweat beaded along his back as he crushed the accelerator down a little harder, only partly because of the deadline. They didn’t know the numbers they would face, but they did know the type of opponent they would be facing. Each of them had special suits lined with Kevlar. Jasper had dug them up somewhere.
And more importantly, each one had lights on their shoulders that simulated daylight. They were hoping that would give them at least a slight edge if it came down to hand-to-hand.
They were as prepared as they were going to be. And even if they hadn’t been, Chris would still be going in. Sandra would still be going in. Even Norah, while Iggy was back with her, was committed to getting everyone back.
He flicked a gaze at his rearview mirror. Norah shifted, coming around his side. They raced side by side toward the warehouse. Penny had indicated which one Sammy had crashed into.
Chris shut off all emotions. He needed to focus on what needed to be done. Gripping the steering wheel, he took calming breaths, trying to slow his heart rate, and in his head he imagined the steps that would happen as soon as he stopped the car.
Seconds later, he was slamming on the brakes. Adam bolted from the car before he was even fully stopped. Two human-looking Draco stepped out from the building. Adam shot each of them. Large gaping holes appeared in their chests. Chris nodded. Good. The hollow points worked. At least they had that in their favor. Sandra was out of the car almost as quickly as Adam and followed him into the warehouse.
Jasper and Mike split up, each going around the side of the building to make sure there were no surprises around back. Chris went through the door, with Norah right behind him. He took in the scene at a glance.
Sammy lay on the ground, straps holding down his arms and legs. Adam fought two Draco hand-to-hand. And he was winning.
Sandra took cover behind a couch and took aim at the Draco that lined the room. Anyone who got close was mowed down. She flicked a glance at Norah and Chris. “They’re coming from that door there. That’s where we need to go.”
As if to prove her point, two more Draco appeared through the doorway. Chris took down one while Norah took down the second. They sprinted across the room, jumping over the two fallen Draco, each taking a side of the doorway.
Chris peered in. “Clear.”
He flicked on the lights on his shoulders. Norah did the same, illuminating the dark space in front of them. There was a set of stairs leading down. Iggy swung in through the doorway and started down the stairs. Chris followed him with Norah at his back.
Iggy led them three levels down. He stopped at the landing, glancing back at them before hurrying through the darkened doorway. Chris took a breath, pausing for just a second before he followed.
Chapter One Hundred Four
Maeve’s throat still ached. The cut on the back of Greg’s head was luckily superficial. But head wounds tended to bleed a lot, so the back of his shirt was now discolored with blood. Maeve had held pressure to the cut until it stopped bleeding, but there was no way to bandage it without shaving part of his head, and Greg had put his foot down on that.
Now the two of them were exploring the lab, looking at all the equipment. There were two Draco just outside the open door. Maeve wasn’t sure if they could understand her and Greg or not, but they kept their voices low just in case.
“This is all top-of-the-line equipment.” The genetic sequencer alone was making her knees weak. It had taken her two years of requisitioning to get her own at the lab, and this one had a lot more bells and whistles than hers did.
Greg flipped open the lid of the centrifuge and peered in before closing it. “I don’t get it. Why do they need us? I mean, they have to be technologically advanced, right?”
“I’m guessing they’re aware of our unique areas of knowledge. We do specialize in rather unusual biological specimens.”
Greg nodded, conceding the point. “I suppose that’s true.”
Maeve glanced toward the door, lowering her voice even more. “Do you think the kids are all right?”
“I don’t think they want to hurt them if that’s what you mean.”
“But you do think they want them for a purpose.”
“Yeah. I get them wanting Snap and Alvie, but I still don’t understand Luke. What could they possibly want with him?”
“It has to be his connection to Sammy. That’s the only thing I can think of.”
“I don’t really get that. I mean, how does Sammy fit into all of this?”
Maeve nodded at all the equipment. “I’m guessing we’re going to be in charge of figuring that out in the not-too-distant future.”
A crash and a thud sounded from the ceiling. Dust and dirt broke free of the rock ceiling above them and trickled down to one of the lab tables. Maeve looked up in surprise. “What on Earth was that?”
The two Draco by the door yanked the door closed with a slam before running away. Greg looked at Maeve with a grin. “I’m really hoping that’s the cavalry.” Greg pointed to the door. “Maeve, look.” It was slightly ajar.
The lock on the door hadn’t caught. Maeve couldn’t believe it, but she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Greg was of the same mind. The two of them perched next to the door and then slowly opened it, peering into the hall. It was empty.
“Hold on a sec.” Maeve grabbed Greg’s arm as he started out o
f the room. She shut off the lights in the lab and gave them a few seconds for their eyes to adjust to the dark. The hallway was much darker. She wanted to give their eyes a chance so that they would be able to see.
“Okay, let’s go.” Maeve led the way down the hall, heading back toward the stairwell. A sane person would take the stairs and head up to the surface and ask for help. But there was no chance Maeve was leaving Alvie, Snap, and Luke down there. She turned to Greg. “I’m going for the kids. Do you want to—”
Greg cut her off before she could even finish the sentence. “If you think I am letting you face them alone or that I’m leaving those kids behind while I run to safety, then you don’t know me well at all.”
Maeve squeezed his hand in gratitude. She was about to step into the stairwell when the sound of pounding feet reached her. She reared back, keeping the door propped open a little so she could see.
Four Draco sprinted up the stairs. Maeve held her breath, knowing that even if they tried to reach the lab, they’d never make it in time, but the Draco didn’t stop. They headed to the upper levels.
Greg gave her a nervous smile. “Well, I guess it’s now or never.”
Maeve opened the door and quickly ran down the stairs. She peered into the hallway on the next level, but pounding feet forced her into the hallway without getting much of a look. Greg slipped in the door behind her. It had just closed shut behind him when two more Draco sprinted up from the stairs and continued on to the surface levels.
“It looks like all the excitement is happening upstairs.”
Maeve recognized the level they were on. It was where the cells had been. She hurried down the hall. Part of her thought that she should move slowly, but at the same time there were no places to hide. If they were seen, that would be the end of it. So speed was their friend right now.
She sprinted down the hall and then turned to the left before coming to an intersection. She started to go right, but Greg shook his head, grabbing her arm. “It’s straight.”
“Are you sure?”
Greg pointed to a rock face sticking out from the wall. “I’m sure. That nose looks like my uncle Ralph’s. I noticed it when we were led upstairs.”
Not one to doubt Uncle Ralph’s nose, Maeve sprinted forward. At the next intersection, she turned right. And the whole time she was running, she tried to reach out to Alvie. Alvie? Alvie, where are you?
There was no answer until they crossed the next intersection.
Here. We’re here.
Maeve focused on the sense of him and hurried down the hall. Are there any guards near you?
No. They all left.
Which made sense. The kids wouldn’t be able to get out of the cell. Maeve wasn’t even sure how she and Greg would get them out of it, but that was a problem once they got there.
She rounded the corner, and at the end of the hall she could see the cell they’d been held in earlier. She sprinted forward and looked in the small window. Alvie stood right at the door, looking up at her with Snap in his arms. Luke was on his other side, his whole body vibrating with fear.
“We’re here. We’re here,” Maeve said.
Greg nudged Maeve aside. “Let me get the lock.”
He pulled a small container from his pocket. “Guys? I need you all to get to the far end of the cell, okay? Get away from the door.”
Greg gave them a few seconds and then sprayed the door handle with the liquid. Then he stood up and squirted the locking mechanism above the handle. Slowly the metal began to disintegrate.
Greg grinned. “Highly concentrated hydrochloric acid. Like I said, that lab was fully stocked.”
As soon as the handle was gone, Greg kicked in the door. It flew back against the wall with a resounding thud. Maeve rushed past him to the other side of the room and dropped to her knees, pulling Alvie and Snap into her arms. She peered up at Luke, who was rocking back and forth in place.
She wasn’t sure what to do to comfort him. Alvie reached out and took Luke’s hand. He stared up at him for a long moment before Luke’s trembling lessened.
“Okay, this is very sweet, but we really need to go.” Greg shifted from foot to foot by the door.
Maeve stood with Snap in her arms. “Alvie, can you hold Luke’s hand?”
Yes.
“Stay close to us. Greg, it looks like you’re in the lead.”
Greg winced. “Great, that’s just great.”
He glanced out the door and then quickly headed back the way they had come. Maeve, with Snap cuddled to her chest, hurried after him. Each time they reached an intersection, Maeve tensed, but they didn’t see anyone. The place seemed abandoned. She strained to hear any noises, but there was nothing.
By the time they reached the third intersection, she was thinking that maybe they might at least be able to get to one of the upper levels without any problems. “Okay,” she whispered to Greg, “let’s head to the upper levels. If there’s anybody that’s coming down the stairs going up them, we’ll duck into one of the levels that we passed, okay?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Greg said, a tremor in his voice.
They passed the last turn before turning into the hallway that led to the stairwell.
“There you are, doctors. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Tatiana stood at the end of the hall, four Draco fanned out behind her.
Chapter One Hundred Five
Chris flattened himself against the wall next to the door on the third floor. He peeked inside, his heart rate spiking when he caught sight of the four Draco at the end of the hall.
But then his heart lifted at the presence he felt in his mind. Chris?
I’m here, Alvie. I’m here. He ducked his head back into the doorway and looked at Norah. “They’re here,” he whispered. “Four Draco.”
Norah nodded and then stepped through the doorway, dropping to a knee and lining up her shot. Iggy burst through the door before Chris or Norah could say a word.
Iggy was almost at the Draco. “Iggy, down!” Norah yelled.
Iggy dropped to the floor, lying flat. Greg threw himself over Luke and Alvie, pushing them to the ground. Norah took out the Draco on the far left. Chris dropped to a knee next to her and took out the one on the far right.
Then there were two. And the blonde woman that Chris hadn’t seen before. She’d been hidden by the towering Draco.
The two Draco sprinted down the hallway toward them. Iggy burst from the floor, his talons extended. They plunged into the chest of the Draco on the left. Then Iggy dragged his talons down, eviscerating the creature. It screamed out in pain.
Iggy flipped backward, landing on the creature’s shoulders before plunging his talons into the creature’s neck.
At the same time, Chris and Norah aimed at the other Draco, dropping him with two shots to the chest.
“Run!” Maeve yelled. Greg picked up Luke and sprinted with him down the hall. Snap leapt from Maeve’s arms, running behind them as Alvie took her hand.
Maeve took off as well, but the blonde woman darted in front of her. She grabbed her by the throat, holding her up high. “Not so fast, Dr. Leander.”
Chapter One Hundred Six
Alvie, Snap, and Greg, along with a screaming Luke, sprinted down the hall toward Norah and Chris. Norah kept one eye on them, but her focus was on Tatiana at the end of the hall. The woman held Maeve up by the neck, keeping Maeve between her and Norah. “Do you have a shot?”
“No,” Chris growled.
Dammit. Norah wasn’t sure what to do. She had no shot. The bomb would be coming in at any moment. They needed to get out of here. But at the same time, everything in her rebelled at the idea of leaving Maeve behind. And she knew for a fact that Chris would not leave her.
Adam bolted into the hallway and sprinted past her. “Ricochet.”
“What did he—” Chris started to ask.
Norah tucked the handle of the rifle tighter to her shoulder and pulled the trigger, aiming at the rocks to the left of
where Maeve and Tatiana stood. She prayed that her aim was true.
The shot careened off the rock wall and angled for Tatiana and Maeve. Tatiana let out a yell, diving to her left. But she loosened her grip on Maeve slightly. Maeve yanked herself from Tatiana’s grasp, falling heavily on the floor.
Tatiana lurched forward, reaching for her, but Adam dove over Maeve, slamming his shoulder into Tatiana’s face.
“Maeve, run!” Chris yelled.
Maeve wasted no time sprinting toward them. The others had already reached them, and Chris had them tucked in behind him.
“Get them out of here,” Norah ordered.
“What about you?” Chris asked.
“I’m going to make sure Adam gets out.”
“Ig.”
“Correction, we’re going to make sure Adam gets out.”
Maeve reached them, her face red.
Norah turned her attention back to the fight at the end of the hall. “Go! Now!”
Chapter One Hundred Seven
It was a mad dash up the stairs. Maeve’s thighs screamed in protest as she vaulted up the stairs, but she didn’t dare slow. Images of the Draco coming up quickly behind them helped keep her moving. It wasn’t until they were about to step onto the first level that she realized that Norah and Adam weren’t with them.
Maeve grabbed Chris’s shoulder. “Wait. We’re not all here.”
He looked into her eyes. “We need to go, Maeve. They’ll be right up.”
Maeve wasn’t sure she believed him, but the scream from the other side of the door told her that whatever fight was happening downstairs, there was still one going on upstairs as well.
At the side of the door, Greg held on to Luke, who was screaming. Alvie and Snap were huddled on the other side of the door. Chris ushered them back. He pulled his rifle into his shoulder and let off three quick bursts.