Children of the Pomme - Book 1

by Matthew Fish

  Emily patted down Mark’s sleeve as she shook her head and reached into her pocket and pulled out more lighters. “You were on fire, you ass…”

  “I felt it,” Mark said as he readied his hand at his standard and awaited new dates. Emily tossed another group of lighters to the Elementals in the back. A woman dressed in a blue robe with black hair pulled forth a shield of water from the waterfalls on the brick wall. The lighters extinguished and fell to the floor harmlessly.

  “Okay,” Emily muttered angrily. “I guess they have some use. Those stupid shit-biscuits have themselves color coded—look; they’re all wearing red, green, or blue… ”

  “What’s green?” Mark asked as he felt hands upon his back. Bradley turned and fired off a loud slew of bullets as he felt warm blood fall all around him.

  “Wind,” Bradley said as he looked to the girl in the green robe on the ground. “1926…”

  Mark pulled the coin from his Standard and shook his head. He sent it up shortly into the air and down into the girl’s body as she turned to ashes beneath his feet. “One Elemental down…”

  “We need to take out the wind ones first…” William said as he fired off a round from his rifle. “They can pull us out into the open….1955 and 1926—let’s take out that water Elemental as well. She seems to be putting a damper on Emily’s fun. 1967.”

  Maddie slipped the coins out from her Heart Sash as she placed the 1955 and 1926 coins in her left and 1967 in her right. William stood in front of her and began to fire as she sent the three coins into the air. The wind Elementals were on the move. She could feel them project close by. She tracked them down to a column nearby. With her left hand she made a long sweeping gesture with tightly wrapped fingers. The two coins whipped around the column and spun around the back and turned the two wind Elementals into ash. With her right and she made a direct gesture with tightly closed fingers as she placed the 1967 coin into the girl dressed in blue with dark hair—her water barrier disappeared as she turned into ash, covering the remaining Elementals with a heavy deluge of water. “Make fire now…I’ve never liked fire Elementals.”

  A loud resounding series of pops like Fourth of July fireworks sounded as Mark sent about ten coins into the group of men firing upon them. The far side of the room was quickly becoming covered with a thick fog-like ash and smoke from Mark’s Conducting and all of Emily’s exploding lighters.

  “Emily shot Maddie an angry look as she sent another handful of lighters over to the back row of Elementals. “Heard that…”

  “You don’t count!” Maddie said as she whirled back behind cover just as another grouping of bullets exploded the column around her.

  “I always count!” Emily said as the lighters exploded upon the fire Elementals. “Look…the fire Elementals are on fire.”

  “How many can you do at once?” Bradley asked as he brought himself back behind cover.

  “Twenty,” Mark said as he nodded confidently.

  “That should clear out the rest of the grunts,” Bradley said as he stepped out of cover and fired into the smaller group. This was going much better than he had expected. “I’m going to be quick…”

  “I’ll be quicker,” Mark said as he placed both of his hands upon his standard.

  Bradley quickly rattled off as many dates as he could as Mark sent each respective date into the air…at about seventeen coins Mark heard a resounding boom as Bradley flew back against the wall. Mark felt a wet painful feeling in his arm as a bullet grazed him. He made a single quick gesture with open fingers as he loosened the seventeen quarters from the air and sent them down towards their targets. He quickly took cover as Emily rushed over and placed her body over his. Mark could still feel the quarters as they flew through the air. He directed each one to their intended target. A concrete column crashed down as the group of quarters cut through it like a knife through butter. A huge explosion filled the room as dust plumed out as seventeen of the men simultaneously turned to ash.

  “He’s out,” Emily said as she pulled Bradley’s unconscious body over with Mark’s help. “That’s a huge wound.”

  “We have a sniper!” William exclaimed as he pointed to a figure dressed in all black crouched down behind one of the potted trees. “High caliber military rounds—one shot to the head and any of us Perpetuals would be out.”

  “What’s his year?” Maddie asked as she pressed her hand to her chest and readied for another coin to be released.

  “Can’t sense a year when I see him, I think he’s mortal!” William shouted as he turned to Maddie. Take care of the rest of the fire Elementals….I can’t make them out—there’s too much smoke. Let’s regroup with the others.”

  “Alright,” Maddie said as she followed behind William as he fired down upon the sniper with his rifle as the two reached Mark and Emily.

  “He won’t be of any use to us today,” William said as he looked at Bradley’s rather grotesque injury. “Emily, can you do something about this smoke?”

  “Of course,” Emily said as she got up just as large fireball erupted beside her. “Shit!” She screamed as she tore off her hooded sweatshirt and tossed it onto the ground. A large bullet struck the wall nearby sending sparks flying into the air against the metal. “That was my fucking favorite hoodie!” Emily shouted as she pushed at the air with both of her hands, clearing out the heavy smoke and dust and pushing it to the far wall. She took cover once more as another grouping of bullets crashed around the column. The fire Elementals were exposed.

  “Thank you,” William said shortly as he peeked out from the corner and fired off a few rounds towards the fire Elementals, interrupting their attempts to lob fireballs over towards the group. “1970, 1971, 1982, 1965, and 1950…”

  “My pleasure,” Maddie said as she released the coins into her left hand and stepped out from the column.

  “I’ll take care of that sniper douche,” Emily said as she quickly ran beneath Maddie’s floating coins as William stood in front of Maddie to protect her. Emily held onto a single lighter as she projected right behind the sniper and dropped a lighter onto the man’s back. She projected back as loud explosions from Emily’s coins shattered the air around her.

  “Feel better?” Emily asked as she let out a heavy breath and shook her head.

  “Much better,” Maddie said she watched the remaining Elementals turn to ash.

  “How many are there?” Mark asked.

  “We surrender,” A voice echoed through the rather empty room.

  William peeked up to watch the remaining eight men toss their guns to the floor.

  “Well fuck me with a fork,” Emily said as she let out a sigh of relief. “I thought that was the last of us.”

  “Put your hands behind your head and line up in the clearing,” William commanded as he watched as the eight men quickly did as they were told. “Now kneel, please.”

  William led Emily, Maddie, and Mark, as they all pulled out their pistols. “You’ll all be fine in the morning.”

  The room erupted in gunfire as the men fell to floor, unconscious.

  “Finally,” Emily said as she twirled her gun around her finger an accidentally fired a shot off into the floor. William quickly reached for her gun and placed it in his pocket. “Sorry…I was just excited. All I’ve gotten to shoot at was squirrels out in the woods.”

  “Anyone have any reservations about doing away with this one?” William asked as he kicked at Henry’s motionless body.

  Mark fired a few more shots into the man’s head. “Don’t kill the messenger…isn’t that what they say?”

  “Fair enough,” William spoke as he looked to Bradley. “You wait here…we’ll be back for you.”

  “I hate that guy’s suit,” Emily said as she dropped a lighter upon Henry’s body and lit it ablaze. “It was a douche suit.”

  “I can’t…believe we made it,” Maddie added as she followed the others towards the open door at the far end of the room. “I mean…I thought we were done for. A
re you alright, Mark?”

  “Just a graze…and a little bit of a burn on my left arm,” Mark replied as he nodded. “I think they actually underestimated us—I think we underestimated ourselves…”

  Another man dressed in the same suit as Henry’s emerged from the open door. He had dark hair, narrow eyes and wore a pair of silver glasses. He slowly clapped as he looked to the damage around the room. He stepped over a pile of ash and approached Mark. William raised his rifle and trained it on the man as he moved.

  “No need for that,” The man meekly said as he ducked William’s rifle. “Mr. Lockwood is very…impressed with all of your abilities. He has been watching from the many cameras overhead.”

  “I suppose that the terms have changed?” William asked as he raised the rifle once more.

  “Unfortunately,” the man said as he extended a hand to mark. “They have not. Come with me, and you friends will still live.”

  “And just who the fuck do you think you are…?” Emily asked as she stepped between the man and Mark and bounced a lighter in her hand.

  “I am a council member, just like Henry there… “The man said as he looked to Henry’s disfigured head and let out an uncomfortable sigh. “You spared him, so your friends will be spared as well…despite the damage they have caused.”

  “Go fuck yourself, shit-eyes,” Emily muttered as she raised the lighter in her hand.

  “You’ve seen what we’re capable of,” William said as he placed the rifle to the man’s head and pressed it firmly against the side. “I think that Gideon is in no position to make any kind of concessions at this point.”

  “Indeed,” the man said as a bead of sweat nervously raced down the side of his head. “The first force was to see what exactly you were capable of…and we’ve seen it.”

  “Back to cover,” William said as he fired a few bullets into the man’s head as he led the group back to the bullet ridden stone columns. Heavy footsteps could be heard as they echoed through the vast room. Within seconds it was full of nearly a hundred armed men.

  “Well, shit…” Mark said as the air above them erupted in bullet fire. William caught a bullet to the back as he shielded Maddie and pushed her closer towards the column as he placed his gun over his shoulder and attempted to fire at a few of the targets.

  “That’s not going to do us any good,” Emily said as she pulled William closer to the group so that they were all well behind cover. “We need birth years…a fuck lot of them.”

  “I sense so many,” William said as he winced in pain as he reached to his back and his hand returned full of blood.

  “Name off as many years as you can. I’ll take the first half, Maddie will take the second.”

  “Burn you assholes!” Emily shouted as she stepped out for a second and launched a handful of lighters to take care of some of the back end of the large group. She ignited a giant fireball sending many of the guards flailing about as others attempted to roll. She cried out in pain as she ducked back for cover as she took a bullet to the right arm.

  “Emily!” Mark shouted as he pulled her close as another spray of gunfire erupted all around them. “Are you alright?”

  “That’s my good arm,” Emily muttered. As she fingered the bullet wound and cried out in pain.

  “Don’t touch it!” Maddie exclaimed as she shook her head. “The years…”

  William got to his feet and carefully peeked around the corner. He began to name off a year as a huge explosion came from the elevator sending them all down to the ground.

  “What the shit is going on now?” Emily erupted as she attempted to get to her feet.

  The group peered carefully past the severely damaged stone column as a group of ten people marched into the room. Five large men, wearing bullet proof armor and handling heavy machine guns fired into the crowed as they began to spout out birth-years. A group of five, three elderly men and two women stood behind their shields as they sent coins up into the air as the room filled with ash and loud bangs.

  “It’s the rest of the Grand Conductors!” Maddie shouted above the sound of all the gunfire as she noticed one of the older men was wearing a light brown jacket with a White Stag upon the shoulder.

  “They’re not on our side,” William said as he noted the open door. “Now might be our time to make our exit while these two take each other out!”

  One of the heavily armored Spotters fell to the ground as the old man behind him was riddled with bullets. A hail of coins fell to the ground as group of four continued to advance on the sea of armed Perpetuals.

  “We need to get out now!” Mark said as he got to his feet. A spray of bullet fire found its way to the column once more as he ducked. A pile of debris fell upon the group. Apparently, despite the distraction—they had not been forgotten about.

  “Emily, get Mark and Maddie out of here,” William said as the group lay flat against the ground. “I’ll give you cover—project the hell out of here and get as far away as you can.”

  “Got it,” Emily said as she got to her feet. William stepped out from cover and began taking heavy fire as he pressed a few rounds out from his rifle. Emily placed her arms around Mark and Maddie just as a cloaked man stood in the doorway. Alexander Littcott followed right behind him. The old one threw off his black cloak as he grabbed one of the Grand Conductors by the neck and snapped it as though it was a mere twig.

  “More trouble…” Emily muttered as quickly pulled Mark and Emily back down against the floor.

  “Can’t we project past him?” Maddie asked as they backed away to hide behind a column.

  “He’ll block me if I try—“

  “We need to at least try.” Maddie said as she watched William fall down to the floor unconscious.

  “He’ll catch me,” Emily cried out as she pulled Mark and Maddie close to her. “I’m sorry…”

  “Stop being afraid…!” Maddie shouted as she pulled herself free.

  She watched as the old one cleared the doorway and was causing massive amounts of damage to both the Grand Conductors and the Perpetuals. Alexander Littcott stood by his side tossing coins into groups of Perpetuals in an attempt to clear a path. She turned to Emily to tell her that the way was clear just as another loud metal fortification fell upon the elevator door—sealing the room once more.

  “And we just lost our window,” Maddie said as she rested he back against the column and beat her fist into the ground. “We have no Spotters, we have guns—and we’re in the middle of a three sided….cluster-fuck!”

  “I’m sorry,” Emily muttered as she rocked back and forth as gunfire resounded all around them. “I’m so sorry…”

  “It’s okay to be scared,” Mark said as he turned and crouched down beside Emily. I’m scared. It’s okay to admit that. But…we have to do something or we are all going to die here.”

  “If we wait long enough,” Maddie said as she watched as the last of the Grand Conductors fell beside their armored Spotter. “The old one will take out the Perpetuals…and then you can take him out.”

  “That would be a good plan,” A voice said she grabbed Mark and Emily and raised them in the air. “Too bad you won’t be around to see it.”

  Maddie reached for her gun and fired off a few rounds just as the woman projected into nothingness.

  Maddie began to panic. She looked around the corner and could find no sign of Mark or Maddie or the strange Elemental that had taken them. She hid behind the stone column and closed her eyes as tears began to stream forth. All around her she could hear gunfire and screams as the old one cut a path through the Perpetuals. She peeked once and watched as he ripped a Perpetual into two pieces, entrails and blood flying through the air as he discarded the broken man like a toy against the metal wall. Just as the old one was about to reach the door—a brilliant white light filled the room. So bright that it blinded Emily and she had to close her eyes from the pain it caused. She heard a scream of pain as the old one was brought down to the ground. The light slowly
faded, as Emily’s eyes adjusted he saw the few remaining Perpetuals dragging him away into the room. She took in a heavy breath and attempted to calm her racing heart. She darted from column to column, her gun pointed and ready as she cautiously pursued to old one.

  “Well…here we all are,” A man spoke as a brilliant light shone down upon Mark. He reached his hands in front of his head to shield the blinding light. He managed to look over to Emily who had been knocked unconscious somehow. He reached over for her hand—sure that this was going to be the end. He managed to look past the blinding light and saw an office room with a bunch of people dressed in the same blue suit that Henry and the other man wore. Through the light he could make out lots of faces—all staring at the action happening just outside the windowed room.

  “What are you doing here?” The old one asked as he turned to Mark and let out a terrible cry of pain. “You are not supposed to be here.”

  “Why aren’t you ripping these assholes apart?” Mark muttered as he continued to shield his eyes.

  “It’s the light,” the old one spoke in a heavy, labored tone. “It’s my weakness…”

  “Really…?” Mark asked as he shot the old one an odd look. “All those powers and your weakness is bright sunlight?”

  “It is a rare condition,” the man holding them captive said as Alexander Littcott entered into the small room and placed his arm on a wooden rail. “One my friend here informed me of. Who has played you all so very well…befitting, being a Grand Conductor and all. He had both you and the Grand Conductors fooled, even got them to come all the way out here to meet their own demise.”