Don't Look Back (Warders of Earth)

by S. E. GILCHRIST

  I hugged the ground again as pieces of bark snapped through the air above my head.

  When the racket finally ceased, acrid blue smoke singed the air. Coughing, my eyes stinging, I managed a hoarse, “We need to make a run for it.”

  “Not yet.” Alex jerked his head to the left. “Shay’s on his way back to us. We need to give him time to get into position and distract them.”

  “Come on out, girl. I’ve got someone here you’ll want to meet.”

  At Andrews’ smug voice, ice trickled like buckshot pellets down my spine. “What’s he talking about? Can you see, Alex?” I whispered.

  Alex took a quick look then slumped back against the tree trunk. His grim face said it all. “Oh fuck. Marnie and Nic have been captured.”

  “What?” My heart thumping like a death knell, I risked another peek.

  “Let go of me!” cried a familiar voice.

  A dishevelled Marnie with blood stains on her shirt was wrestled into view by a grinning soldier. Two other men dragged a semi conscious Nic under the armpits then let go. He sagged to the ground. He must have put up one effing fight. His hair was matted with blood. His right eye swollen shut and already purpling with bruises. A long gash had slashed through his left sleeve. Blood had drenched his shirt, back and chest and appeared to come from his right shoulder. On his knees, head bent, breathing hoarsely, he clutched his right arm protectively.

  “Arseholes!” screeched Marnie who elbowed her captor in the face and when he loosened his grip, wrenched free to rush to her father’s side. Scooping her arms around his back she cradled him to her chest.

  A little of my anxiety lessened when I realised the source of the blood on Marnie must have come from her father. But how badly was Nic hurt?

  “It’s simple, Tara Ferguson,” called Andrews. “You show yourself, your friends throw down their weapons and I’ll spare these two. If not...?”

  One of his men marched to Marnie’s side and pressed a pistol to her head.

  I clutched my throat. “Frikking hell! He’s going to kill her.” I stared at the scene my mind flashing back to my father’s murder.

  “Stay where you are!” ordered Galloway, gesturing furiously with his gun.

  “Don’t do it, Tara!” yelled Marnie. “Run. Nic and I’ll take our chances. Forget about us!”

  The soldier smacked her in the face, slamming her sideways. She flopped like a broken doll onto the dirt. Nic swore and made a clumsy attempt at attacking the man who laughed and punched his gun into the back of Nic’s head. Then he kicked Nic repeatedly in the stomach.

  “Stop it!” Hot tears built behind my eyes.

  Tara. No.

  Oh Alex, I’m sorry. I can’t let her die because of me.

  And what about everyone else?

  You don’t really need me. You can do it, all you need to know are the right words and that’s where I come in.

  Don’t do this, Tara. I can’t and I won’t leave you here to die.

  You have to. Through the long, yellowing grass separating us, our eyes met. Remember these words.

  And I made him flash back three times the strange sounding alien symbols that I was positive was the message that needed to be told.

  Then - no need to make this any hard than what it was, so I kept my mouth shut. I wouldn’t tell him ‘goodbye’.

  I couldn’t.

  My muscles tensed as I tore my gaze away.

  “Tell your soldier to back off,” I yelled.

  Andrews gestured and the man kicking the shit out of Nic stopped. “Then come on out.”

  His face, pale and drawn, Alex straightened, held out a hand to help me stand. His rifle muzzle was pointed down.

  Is this it? Is it all over? Stomach cramping as angst ripped through me, I stood on legs as wimpy as wet noodles and raised my hands toward the sky. The blue had all but vanished behind the brilliant white light shining through the branches above my head. Alex, I told you to leave me.

  I can’t, no matter what happens. Love must always be worth more than greed or war. Otherwise, what’s the point of living?

  Oh, Alex.

  Tara, listen. They’re not far away. I can sense it. If we can get away, we still have a chance.

  I sucked in a shaky breath. Love. He’d mentioned love; again. His words burrowed deep into my soul and filled me with light.

  With Alex by my side, I stepped out into plain view of the enemy.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Get the hell down. Alex.” Galloway pointed his gun at me.

  Terror and bile churned in my gut.

  Alex pushed me in front and presented his back to his father, protecting me from him. I couldn’t help the rush of emotions swelling inside my chest at his actions. He’d chosen me. Over his father. I knew that must have been one effing tough decision.

  “Get out of the way, soldier,” ordered Galloway.

  “Sorry, Sir, but you need to put your weapon down or shoot me instead.”

  “You’d best do as your boy says, Galloway or my men will cut you both down where you stand. I have no truck with you and give you my word, you can leave as soon as I have that girl,” said Andrews.

  Cursing and still clasping his pistol, Galloway slowly raised his hands in the air.

  “Well, here I am. Now, you hold your end of the deal.” I raised my chin, curling my hands into fists at my sides. I didn’t dare allow my gaze to linger on my friend’s bruised face as Marnie scrambled to her battered father curled on the ground. I didn’t want to draw any more attention to them.

  “Let them go,” Andrews said as he advanced toward me, a broad smile stretching over his face.

  “Marnie, can you get Nic to his feet?”

  “What about you?” Marnie glanced at me wildly through her tangled hair.

  I shook my head and made urgent shooing motions. “Get out of here.”

  Nic groaned when Marnie slipped an arm around his chest and hauled him upright. Locked together, they took three staggering steps towards freedom.

  A high, shrill voice rang out. “Stop them. That’s an order.”

  Safeties clicked off, as the surrounding soldiers snapped to instant attention and levelled their weapons directly at us.

  Chapter 21 – DEADLY GAME

  “Em?” Feeling my world rock on its axis, I stared at my other best friend, unable and unwilling to believe the evidence of my eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  “Well, duh! I rather thought that was obvious.” Dressed in a lacey pink cami and pale blue cargo pants and with combat boots on her feet, Em strolled over. She smiled. “Surprise.”

  Through my constricted throat, I squeezed out, “I don’t believe it.”

  Em sighed while she took the pistol a soldier held out. Waving it idly in the air, she said, “It’s quite simple. I’m from batch number nine.”

  Desperately wanting to block my ears to the reality hammering into me like death blows, I mumbled, “You’re with them. You’re the one that’s been feeding them information about us.”

  I remembered all those furtive mobile phone calls, the lack of interest in her adoptive father’s activities...and...oh God; the lack of caring about her missing adoptive mother. How could I have missed those clues? “Did you know your mother is dead?”

  “Of course.” Appearing unconcerned, Em raised one shoulder. “Sheila got cold feet. She became a liability.”

  I shuddered as betrayal burned like hell-fire through my soul. Who was this person? Walking, talking, her appearance, her mannerisms...everything told me that here in front of me was my best friend.

  But no longer.

  She was a stranger.

  My worst enemy.

  “We took you into our home. I thought we were friends. And Dad…Dad…” I choked off the sob tearing at my heart. “You warned them he was going to the camp that day. You’re responsible for his death.”

  “So?”

  I struggled to remain where I was and not rush over and plou
gh my fist into her lying face. “Why did you help me escape? Why didn’t you kill me too?”

  “We still weren’t certain you were the one. For a while we thought it might have been Marnie. It was decided to continue with our charade while we looked for the answers we needed. We didn’t want the Warders breathing down our backs until we were absolutely certain.” She sighed. “We also hadn’t decided whether you’d be of more use to us alive or dead.”

  “You were our friend. All these years.”

  Em blinked rapidly. “We were friends. Then, I was activated.”

  My gaze caught Marnie’s shocked stare and she shook her head violently.

  “I knew nothing about this, I swear, Tara,” said Marnie. Tears dripped down her white face. “I can’t believe it. Emma, please, think about what you’re doing.”

  “You’re both too dumb to live.” Em clicked off the safety and levelled the gun at Marnie.

  “Em! Don’t! Your father gave his word Marnie and Nic could leave unharmed.”

  “You still don’t get it, do you, Tara?” The gun lowered. “I’m the one in charge.”

  “You?”

  Em smiled.

  From somewhere deep inside me, cold rage replaced the betrayal. She knows where Mum and Dan and all the others are hiding. I’ve got to protect them. But how?

  Keep her talking. You’re doing fine flashed Alex.

  “It’s a game. Haven’t you realised that by now, Tara?” The whites of her eyes showed as Em waved her hands wildly in the air. “This ... the destruction of our planet all for a game.”

  “You can’t possibly know that for certain.”

  “Honestly. Do you really think you’re the only one that’s been programmed before birth?” spat Emma. “I have their filthy genes inside me. If I could, I would rip them from my mind and body. But it looks like I have to make the best of the situation.”

  Drawing a deep breath, I managed to keep my voice steady. I'd be damned if I was going to show how totally shit scared I was to her. “Going on a murderous rampage is not what I’d call dealing with a shitty life.”

  Emma rushed forward to thrust her face inches from me. The expression I read in her eyes had my blood curdling in my veins.

  Someone or rather something else stared back at me; flatly and with a total lack of human empathy.

  “What do you think it’s been like, living with this other thing inside me? Each hour, each minute feeling it claim more and more of me. I had to choose or lose myself completely. In the end, I compromised.”

  “I don’t understand...” I began, not wanting to believe, not wanting to accept the evidence standing right in front of me. Her betrayal cut me deep inside, made me hollow as if something precious had been destroyed forever.

  Emma, or whoever she was, interrupted, “Of course you don’t. That’s because you’re from the early batches, primitive, limited intelligence. You should have been destroyed along with the other feeble mutants. How you’ve managed to live this long is a true miracle.”

  “This has gone on long enough. Emma, let’s leave the girlish spats to some other time.” Mr Andrews strode forward and took his daughter’s elbow and pulled her aside. Turning to his men, he said, “Take the men out of my sight and shoot them.”

  Five soldiers with their weapons raised, tramped towards Alex and his father.

  Terror clawed inside my mind.

  “Wait!” I shouted and the soldiers paused.

  As if surprised I dared issue orders and even more surprised his men had obeyed, Andrews stared at me too.

  “Killing each other is not the answer. And killing Warders... is... not... a good... idea,” I said with slow emphasis. My heart beat so heavy and loud it was a wonder no one else could hear it. We must get the upper hand.

  “I don’t see why. They have meddled in our plans too long.” Andrews frowned.

  Suspicion eliminated the little-girl prettiness when Emma scowled at Alex.

  I rushed into speech. “You need them alive. Every single thing you’re doing here now, everything you’ve said is being recorded and transmitted to the aliens by these guys; aka Warders. If we continue to act without mercy, with no compassion, like rabid animals, we’ll all be destroyed. There’ll be nothing left for you to rule over. Nothing but ash and bone.”

  “What is she talking about?” Andrews turned to his daughter who rolled her eyes.

  Sounding achingly so much like the Emma I thought I knew so well, she said, “Who cares?” She lowered her voice, adding, “We’ve always known it would come down to a war between us and them. Our followers are strong, Dad, and growing stronger by the day. Many of the military have already joined us. They believe in the New Order. None have any desire to live under the yoke of some alien freak.”

  “But that's the whole point,” I said loudly, feeling a glimmer of confidence rise as several soldiers exchanged wary glances. “If we prove ourselves to be worthy of saving, they’ll break off the attack. They’ll leave us alone.”

  “Bullshit! This is a game!” Centre stage, Emma spread her arms wide and walked in a tight circle, staring down each and every one of her soldiers. Under the impact of her glare, they straightened, re-tightened their grips on their weapons.

  “A game played by their rules. They’re not interested in resources, in our land or even in us. They sail through the galaxy playing out some twisted game on planets inhabited by intelligent species and gamble on the outcome.”

  “They place bets on the winner, is that it? One of them or us?” Come on, Shay. What’s taking him so long?

  Almost in position flashed Alex.

  Emma crossed her arms over her chest. “They have no intention of whoever inhabits these planets to win. It’s either one of them or our destruction.”

  But what about proving our worth to live? Was Emma lying? Alex? Or was it another step sideways in this devious game the aliens played? I shot a frowning glance at Alex who shook his head.

  She’s got it wrong, Tara. I swear.

  Gathering my thoughts I returned to the attack, hoping to plant doubts in the soldiers’ minds.

  “That’s not what I heard. And remember, I’ve got alien genes inside me.” I waggled my fingers. “Do you mind? My arms are killing me.”

  “Fine.” Emma nodded.

  Slowly, I lowered my hands and hooked my thumbs over the edge of my belt. Act calm, casual, maybe these guys will relax a little.

  As soon as they do, we'll act, flashed Alex.

  Cold sweat chilled my flesh. But I clamped down on my protest. We’d need every tiny slice of advantage if we were to escape.

  “If you ask me, you’re the ones been brainwashed into believing propaganda. Who do you really work for? I mean, seriously? Emma? There is no way your father is the leader of the Mundos Novus Force. Who’s the puppet master? What’s your real objective? To save us from the aliens? Or to carve out power for yourselves?”

  “This isn’t about power or greed. It’s about eradicating the sinners and leading the way into a new era,” Emma snapped. “Here and now is where the voice of the masses will finally be heard, when we rise up and say ‘no’ to the corruption that's been suffocating our souls for decades.”

  Who really gave a shit about this conspiracy stuff? I shrugged. “I dunno. To me, it still sounds like exchanging elected governments with some religious despot. Who decides who will live in this new world you think you can create?”

  “Only those who follow the new path, of course.”

  Path. Weird that she chose that word. Could there be any connection to the alien's message?

  “And I guess anyone who objects will be killed.” In my peripherals I noted frowns appearing on several soldiers' faces. A couple of men shifted their feet, definitely uneasy with the words spilling from Emma’s mouth.

  Drive it home. “Who’s your boss? Who’s waiting in the wings to take control and about to issue death notices?”

  “You still don’t get it, do you, Tara?” Clea
rly bewildered, Emma exchanged a wide-eyed glance with her father standing by her side, a smirk spreading over his features.

  “It’s me. I’m the chosen one. The one who’ll lead the faithful into a new era.”

  “Now, that is strange. Mum always called me the chosen one.”

  Emma shrieked and flung herself on top of me. Her weight slight as it was, felled me. I landed awkwardly, my right foot tangled behind my left leg and with Emma on top.

  Hands fisted she pummelled my sides, my head, my face, connecting hard. For a second the sheer shock of what was happening froze my brain then all that training Mum insisted I did, kicked in.

  I fought back.

  This was no longer my friend.

  This was a murderer determined to kill me.

  Two shots rang out.

  Someone sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Stay down,” yelled Alex.

  Punching, kicking, arms and limbs flailing, I battled what used to be my best friend for the right to live while above my head a fire battle erupted.

  I landed a punch to Emma’s ribs, temporarily winding her. Gasping for breath, Emma ceased her pounding and I scrambled away from her prone body.

  This way, Tara.

  In a crouch, I crab-scuttled sideways, edged past a fallen soldier and picked up the rifle lying on the ground. Holding the gun in trembling hands, I took in the scene as Alex bounded toward me, shooting at anything that moved.

  Mr Andrews lay on his back, arms spread-eagled.

  Somehow Nic had rallied and was brawling with a soldier. Swearing in Italian, Marnie danced around them, thumping the other guy with a branch whenever she got the chance.

  A splash of pink and blue revealed Emma running through the trees. Four soldiers turned and crashed through the bushes after her.

  Alex landed next to me, on his knees. “Get behind me.” He jerked his head as he fired off another shot.

  “Cease fire,” bellowed Galloway from his position behind a tree.

  Another bullet whizzed past me. I cringed.

  Spinning around I saw the soldier with his hands around Nic’s neck reel backwards as the bullet ploughed into him. The guy stiffened, his knees buckled. Nic pushed him aside as he folded with a dull thump like a bag of dry cement.