When they were only ten yards from the intersection, a few doors slammed open behind them. At the same time, six Shadows—four men and two women—stepped out from around the left corner. Glancing behind them, the three companions saw four more attackers behind, forming a line across the hall.
“How nice of you to join us.”
The woman who spoke seemed to be their leader. She walked ahead of the group of six and her companions followed close behind. The other group also closed the distance and tightened the circle.
“Sorry we’re late, but we got a little lost. If you put up some signs, we could’ve been here earlier.”
“We half expected you to try the front door. I hope you didn’t think you’d be able to just waltz right in.”
All of the Shadows except for the woman speaking pulled out guns. Darien couldn’t tell if they were tranquilizers or firearms. Most of the Shadows aimed their weapons at him. A few kept Richard and Bridget under guard, but it was clear they considered him the greatest threat. He supposed he should take that as a compliment.
“Do you guys own stock in a gun company? Shadow Arms Unlimited, or something like that?”
Before anyone could respond, one of the Shadows in the rear fell forward, screaming as his knee exploded from a rifle bullet. The three companions burst into movement as the Shadows tried to grasp what happened. Bridget was the fastest, running forward and shifting into a cougar in mid-stride. She jumped on two of the Shadows standing close together, knocking them to the ground and ripping through their flesh with her claws. One dropped his gun from the impact with the floor. The other dropped hers when Bridget bit through the wrist.
Darien saw her out of the corner of his eye before he shifted into a wolf. Darts hissed through the air over him where his body had been a moment before. He raced forward, and jumped at one of the Shadows, landing on his chest and biting into his shoulder. Before the man hit the ground, Darien jumped off and charged a second opponent. He had to leap to the side and change direction when he saw the Shadow lower his gun at the charging wolf.
Richard ran forward and grabbed the leader. He wrapped his fingers around her neck. She reached up and tried to claw his fingers away, but his grip was too strong. He twirled her around and held her in front of him as some of the Shadows fired their weapons. The darts sank into his human shield, and her struggles stopped. The men continued to fire, but Richard used her body to protect himself.
A second guard fell, and then a third as Susan fired shots into the back of their knees. The fourth dropped his weapon and tried to run into a side exit, but Susan shot him in the leg. He slid across the floor, clutching at the bullet wound.
One of the men facing Darien threw his gun down and closed his eyes. Compared to Darien and Bridget, his change took longer. When he finished, a large rhinoceros easily filled half the hallway. His companion scampered to get out of his way as the rhino charged the wolf. The tiles cracked under his weight.
Bridget chased down the retreating Shadow. When she was a few strides away, she roared. He dropped his weapon and his face drained of all color. Bridget jumped and landed on his back. The force slammed him against the ground. Bridget reached forward and bit down with the full strength of her jaw on his neck.
Darien rushed around and jumped up against one wall to avoid being crushed by the rhino. He sprang off, changing his direction faster than the beast could. A bullet ripped into the creature’s thick hide, but he continued his charge. Bridget jumped through the air to try and get on his back, but he whipped his horn around. It swatted the cougar in the side and slammed her against the wall. She slid to the floor, dazed from the impact. Darien tried to use that moment to rush forward, but the rhino brought his front legs up to stomp on Darien. He tried to stop and change direction, but his claws skittered across the tiles.
Just before the feet landed, a giant black bear slammed into the creature from the side. The feet came down, but swerved off target and missed Darien by inches. The rhino tried to turn his head and gore Richard with his horn. Richard put both his front paws on the rhino’s neck, keeping the horn well away from his body. The two giants stood in place, locked against each other. Bridget seized the opportunity and rushed at the creature’s throat. It took several bites, but she tore at the flesh like a beast enraged with bloodlust. By the time she was finished, shreds of skin littered the floor and blood dripped from her jaw.
Shifting back to human, Richard marched over to the wounded Shadows. He picked up a gun as he stomped down the hall. He picked the Shadow near the door who still clutched at his leg. Tears streamed down his cheeks. As Richard advanced, the Shadow pushed off the tiles and tried to crawl away. Richard picked the man up and pressed him against the wall high enough so his toes couldn’t touch the ground.
“You’re going to tell us about your security and what other surprises we’ll have waiting for us, right?”
Bridget and Darien shifted back to human form as well. She went to join Richard in his interrogation while Darien picked through the guns. It was a mix of tranquilizer guns and traditional firearms. He took one of the tranquilizer guns and went to each of the living guards, shooting them in the neck.
“I’m not gonna tell you anything.”
Richard tightened his grip and the man winced, but he gritted his teeth to keep from making any noise. When he didn’t say anything, Richard pressed his knee against his wound. He leaned into his leg, making the man cry out. Darien stepped over and put his hand on Richard’s shoulder.
“That’s enough. It’s not worth it.”
“This isn’t the time to get sentimental.”
Richard turned to face him and Darien felt the challenge inherent in the stare, but he refused to back down. He reached up and shot the Shadow in the neck with the tranquilizer gun. The man drifted into unconsciousness. Richard let go and let him drop to the floor.
“You’re right, kid, it’s not worth it. We should make sure none of them wake up.”
He walked down the hallway without waiting for a response. Despite his statement, he left the unconscious Shadows alone. Darien hung his head and shook it back and forth. Susan ran past him, trying to keep pace with Richard. With a heavy sigh, Darien turned around and sprinted to catch up. He joined them at the elevators. The three of them stood in silence, watching the floor indicators over the doors. Darien’s heart raced and he bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. When the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Richard and Susan got in while Darien stood in the doorway, holding the doors open. What was taking Bridget so long? As soon as he had the thought, she walked around the corner and stepped around Darien.
Richard pressed the buttons for the main floor, the second floor, and the penthouse. Then he bent over and grabbed Susan by the hips. He hoisted her up so she could open the panel at the top of the chamber. It took a while, but she managed to get it open and climb through. Once she was seated on top of the elevator, she reached her hand down and grabbed her rifle. Darien looked up at her.
“Be careful.”
“You too. I won’t be guarding your back this time.”
She slid the panel back into place as Darien stepped into the elevator and allowed the doors to slide shut. He walked to the corner and faced it. He didn’t want to take a chance someone recognized him at one of the stops. When they got to the main floor, Bridget stepped out into the crowd. A couple of people got into the elevator with Richard and Darien, talking about some party. Darien leaned his forehead against the panels and stood still. When they reached the second floor, Richard excused himself and made his way out the doors. After several more stops, Darien was soon the only person in the elevator. It rose to the top floor, and the doors opened.
Darien stepped into a hallway decorated with extravagance. A plush carpet with an elegant flower weave covered the floor. Two large potted plants stood across from him, framing a mirror gilded with a golden frame. The lights mounted on the walls appeared like torches, complete with flickering
lights. On either side of the plants, men in suits stood at attention. When Darien stepped off the elevator, they raised their hands to stop him. The sound of the doors closing behind him carried a note of finality.
“Who are you and what’re you doing here?”
“I’m here to see the Dark. He wants to meet with me.”
“I wasn’t told of any meeting. What’s your name?”
Darien said the first name that came to mind. “Jason.”
The two guards looked at each other. An unspoken conversation occurred that made Darien fidget. Finally the first guard turned back to face him.
“I’ll see if he wishes to be disturbed. Wait here.”
The guard turned and walked down the hallway. Darien smiled at the remaining sentry, but the Shadow didn’t respond. Whistling to himself, Darien walked to his left until he was against the wall across from the guard. He leaned back and closed his eyes. His shift was quick. One moment a man stood there, and the next, a cheetah hunched in a pounce position with back legs pressed against the wall.
The guard moved with surprising speed, reaching into his jacket for a gun. However, Darien was already in the air before he could draw the weapon. The cat struck him in the center of his chest and he slammed against the wall. His free hand reached out and knocked the pot off the stand. It crashed to the floor and broke apart as it struck the carpet.
Darien snapped at the man’s wrist, biting into it and crunching a couple of fragile bones. He tasted the blood, and wanted more. The Shadow shoved the cat’s head away with his free hand and made a desperate jerk with his weapon arm. Darien used the moment of vulnerability to lunge forward and sink his teeth into the soft neck. Biting down hard, he tore at the skin and removed as much as he could get his mouth around. The guard clutched at his throat. He opened his mouth to try and scream, but blood bubbles popped at his throat.
The kill was intoxicating. Darien remembered there were two guards. He sprinted down the hall after the other Shadow. The man turned and saw him coming. He reached for his gun. Darien rushed past and reached out with a paw, scratching the man across the leg. He shifted his weight to turn around and do another pass. He clawed the other leg, bringing the man to his knees. The man fired a shot. It grazed Darien’s shoulder, but he continued to rush the Shadow. Darien jumped on top of the guard and raked with his back claws. When the struggling underneath him stopped, Darien continued down the hallway, licking his lips and taking his time.
After several steps, Darien’s eyes changed and the animalistic bloodlust left him. He whipped his head around to look over his shoulder. He shuddered when he saw the dead body and closed his eyes. The cheetah dropped to the floor. Each breath he took shook his entire body. Darien shifted back into a human and centered himself. He didn’t look back at the carnage as he turned the corner. Once the massacre was out of sight, Darien closed his eyes and recalled the map for this level of the complex. He followed the path that led him to what they hoped where the Dark’s personal chambers. Darien tried the door but it was locked. Since the gunfire meant stealth was not an option, he kicked at it several times, landing his blows near the lock like Richard taught him. On the fourth kick, the door cracked and slammed open.
Darien rushed into the room. Once inside, he stood still, listening. He heard a faint whistling from the living room ahead as a breeze blew past. He walked forward, easing his feet into the carpet as he stalked deeper into the penthouse. The living room was empty and dark, with some moonlight filtering in through the sliding door to the balcony. It was open, and the night air was brisk as it flowed across his face. Darien continued his inspection, heading down the corridor to the other rooms. He paused at each door, leaning around to peek into it before exposing himself. No one was home.
With a curse, Darien ran out of the penthouse. He didn’t know what else to do. He had to close his eyes as he turned the corner where the dead body was. His tongue still had the aftertaste of blood on it. Darien tried to push it out of his mind as he went back to the elevators. When he saw the second corpse, Darien froze. A large buzzing shocked him into movement again. An alarm went off through the entire floor. After several screeches, a voice spoke over the speaker system.
“Intruders! All unassigned guards report to the lobby immediately!”
Darien grabbed the still intact plant and dragged it over so it stood in front of the body. It didn’t hide the corpse at all, but it might be enough to keep someone from seeing it as soon as the elevator door opened. He pressed the button to go down. When the elevator doors opened and he saw it was empty, he let out the breath he was holding.
Stepping inside, he pressed the button for the second floor. The elevator dropped several floors and stopped at the tenth. Darien turned around so he didn’t face the new passengers. Four people got into the car with him. When he next heard the chime, one of the men tugged on his jacket.
“Second floor. This your stop?”
The doors opened into chaos. The passage was a bustle of activity as large groups of people moved in every direction. Darien stepped out and became another face in the crowd, trying to make his way through the throng without attracting too much attention. When he stepped into one of the side passages, the crowd thinned. He jogged down the corridor, trying to remember what he could of the map. Up ahead, he heard screaming.
Chapter 24
The first opportunity that she had, Bridget ducked into a small alcove. Her body shimmered as she shifted into a woman with short cropped dark hair and dark skin. Looking down at her hand, she felt comfortable in her change in appearance. Even if she ran into one of Darien’s friends, they wouldn’t recognize her. She went back to the elevators and took one to the second floor.
Bridget strode down the hallways, following a course she knew would bring her to the vault. This was what was important. As far as she was concerned, Darien’s plan was just a diversion and she didn’t care about her part in it. As she approached the last corner, she stopped and peered around it. The hallway ended at a large set of double doors guarded by four Shadows—two men and two women. Bridget walked back the way she came, and stepped into a restroom. She leaned down and made sure each of the stalls was empty. Satisfied that she was alone, she pulled out her cell phone and paged down through her address book.
“Sean? It’s Wendy. The time is now. The Shadows won’t be expecting anything and you’ll be able to walk right in. Did you get the information about the tunnel from the sewers? You were right about the code. They didn’t change it. Are you in position? Great. Now remember, I don’t want any part of this, I’m just giving you the information.” She paused for a moment as she listened to the man on the other end. “Alright, I’ll give you a call when it’s all over and we can talk about dinner then. Be careful, Sean.”
As she hung up the phone, Bridget smiled to herself. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small radio. It should be on the right channel since she got it from one of the bodies downstairs when Darien wasn’t looking. She turned it on and listened to the audio snow for five minutes. Then she pushed down the button on the side and shouted into the receiver.
“Help! The Arm is here! We need help down in the sewers! They’ve broken in and we can’t hold out for much longer. Please send help! It’s a war down here!”
She took the radio and smashed it against the edge of the sink in mid-sentence. Picking up each piece, no matter how small, she tossed them into the trash. As a final measure, she crumpled up some paper towels and put them on top of the radio so it wasn’t visible. Before she finished cleaning up, an alarm sounded through the halls. Feet pounded past the door in a mad rush. Bridget waited until they faded into silence before she stepped out and went back to the guarded doors. One man and one woman remained on guard duty. Bridget turned the corner and walked toward them.
“Stop!”
Bridget continued to walk forward, but held her hands out to either side to show she was not carrying anything.
“The Dark sent me
down here to get something for him.”
Both of the guards drew their guns. She could tell they were real firearms, not tranquilizers. The man took a step forward as he leveled the barrel in her direction.
“I told you to stop! Stop or we’ll fire.”
When Bridget took another step, both Shadows cocked their weapons. The action made Bridget freeze in place. She was still a few yards away from the sentries.
“I told you the Dark sent me down here. He needs something from the vault.”
“Turn around and put your hands on your head.”
“Why?”
“If you’re asking that question, I know all I need to know.” He picked up the radio from his belt and spoke into it. “This is vault duty one, I have a prisoner. Jail station, come in.”
Static crackled across his radio. Bridget shifted at once. She turned into an ant and scurried across the stones, keeping to the darkness near the corner of the wall. The guards cursed and ran forward, searching for the missing trespasser. Bridget scurried up the wall to get above them.
“She couldn’t possibly shift that fast. Not even Cameron can change like that.”
“Keep looking! She must shift into something small.”
Neither of them glanced up to see Bridget shift into a boa constrictor and drop on them both. Bridget positioned herself to twist around both of their upper bodies at the same time. The scales rippled as her body tightened around their necks. Shots went wild as the Shadows tried to use their guns. They struggled and tried to punch at the snake, but the angles were awkward and Bridget was stronger. Their efforts trailed off, and Bridget uncoiled from their unconscious forms.
Bridget shifted back to her human guise. Without warning, she stumbled and put her hand flat against the wall. Her body shimmered and changed from a blond woman, to the snake, and back to the red-headed woman. She heaved and gasped, scraping her nails against the wall. Her knees struck the floor with a painful crash. One hand clutched at her abdomen while the other scratched the floor. Her body racked as she coughed again, spitting bloody mucous on the floor.
The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2) Page 19