The Resistance- The Complete Series

by Nathan Hystad

  She tried to roll over, away from the terrible sight, but couldn’t find the strength. Charles’ metal footsteps clanged over toward her, and she heard muffled speech over the beating of her heart.

  “Flint…” she managed to croak out, and felt a hand on her damp head. She felt her body being turned, and ended up on her back, staring up at the man she was sure she loved.

  “Wren, don’t say anything. Clark!” Flint scanned the area, shouting toward the hiding people. “Clark, bring me a sheet!”

  Flint was thin, his face bruised in two spots, clothing covered in blood. Wren lifted a hand and set it to his red eye socket, and saw him grin back: the same goofy grin that had always comforted her.

  She looked over to see Charles standing between them and the doorway. He left his perch and began gathering weapons off the bodies, starting with the one beside her.

  Flint took a bed sheet from an old man and tore a strip of cloth from it. Seconds later, he was lifting her leg and wrapping the sheet around her thigh. “This might hurt a bit,” he said before pulling it tight.

  Wren’s vision went black, and she screamed in pain as the strip cut into the wound.

  “That should do it for the time being. You’ve lost a lot of blood,” Flint said. “Are you okay?”

  She’d thought she was going to die. That was all Wren could think about as Flint hovered over her, a group of people peering down behind him.

  “I’m okay. I can’t believe we found you,” Wren said, finally breaking down. Tears streamed down her face, and Flint helped move her toward the wall, where he propped her up into a sitting position. He crouched beside her, holding her hand.

  “You can’t believe it? How about me? I was going to die here! You came for me! What’s been happening?” he asked.

  Charles arrived with three knives and four of the Watchers’ large guns. “Ace told me everyone’s gone.”

  “What do you mean, they’re gone?” Wren managed.

  “Are they dead?” Flint asked.

  Charles shook his head. “They Shifted away. The fight wasn’t ever here. We were betrayed by Shadow. The Watchers went to Earth the moment we left it.”

  A blanket of dread threatened to cover Wren. “Where’s Ace? Is he okay?”

  Charles’ eyes glowed brightly. “I told him to meet us at the main hangar. I saw a transport bus out there on the streets. Let’s get moving.”

  Flint leaned in and kissed Wren’s lips. “We’re going to get out of this and help them. Thanks for coming for me,” he said softly before standing up and barking orders. “Okay, everyone. It’s time you all stopped being scared and acting like you’re done with. Most of the captors are dead, and the rest of them left to join the fight for Earth. Clark, take a gun, and find two others to arm. There might still be a few of them lingering about, and we don’t want to be taken by surprise.”

  Wren grinned as the man took charge. The captives’ expressions changed from fearful to determined. A woman stepped over to Charles and seized a knife firmly in her grip, and Wren saw fire in her eyes.

  “Help me up. We have to go save the Fleet,” Wren said.

  19

  Benson

  Benson was told to stay at the rear of the bridge until the captain was ready for him. He watched as Barkley ordered them to survey the situation. Orders from the Grand Admiral had requested they send a single squadron down to help defend New London and the Earth Fleet headquarters. There was much more at stake here than a ten-square-kilometer region in the United Kingdom, and Benson wanted to shout as much.

  They’d also sent a girl out: Oliv, by the sounds of it. Benson had been so far removed from the action that he hated himself for not cluing in earlier. Oliv was Oliv Fairbanks. What was Jarden’s daughter doing all the way over here, running secret missions for the Eureka?

  “Oliv’s back, Captain,” Lieutenant Tsang said. Benson had always liked the easy-going man.

  “Patch her through,” Captain Barkley said. When the light turned green, she spoke again. “Oliv, go ahead.”

  “They’re there, all right. I kept my distance, but Shadow and his fleet are surrounding Mars. They didn’t spot me, or at least I wasn’t more than a distant blip on a radar for one minute and eleven seconds.” Oliv’s voice cut through, and Benson thought about how proud the girl’s father would be. Earth Fleet ran in their blood.

  Barkley ran a hand across her forehead. “We need to convince them to side with us.”

  “They’ve already double-crossed us. Why would they go back on their deal to the Watchers?” Tsang asked.

  “Because they’re human, that’s why. Damn you, Benson. Why did you have to set this up?” Captain Barkley finally acknowledged his presence.

  Benson’s veins felt like they had steaming hot lava flowing through them. “I was trying to help save humanity, Heather.” He used her first name in an effort to sway the power trip she was throwing at him. He didn’t like being talked down to. After finally being released from his cell, trapped there by his own people, he was tired of taking their crap. “It wasn’t my fault things went south. Perhaps you should discuss that with your great Grand Admiral, who, after thirty years, is still messing things up every time she opens her mouth. Do you think this war would still be going on if someone like Jarden was in charge?”

  Captain Barkley’s eyes were wide, and her mouth opened and closed like a fish’s twice before she spoke. “If your boss wasn’t so selfish, he could have helped stop this instead of wasting all his resources on getting to a colony world that doesn’t want him living on it!” Her voice was raised, and Benson thought she might come over to him and slap him in the face. She didn’t. Instead, she planted her feet and smoothed a ruffle on her uniform.

  “Let’s stop this. We have a problem, and I have a solution.” Benson crossed his arms, remaining silent until prompted. It was a tactic he liked to use. It kept the power in his hands.

  “Very well. You’ve piqued my interest. How are we going to do that?” she asked Benson, eyebrows raised.

  “I had Wren get me a locator chip before we met with Shadow.” He paused for dramatic effect and realized he had the entire bridge crew’s attention.

  “What for?” Captain Barkley asked.

  He shook his head, making a tsking noise. “Heather, I thought you were brighter than that. It was so I could track Shadow if needed.”

  “But we already know he’s near Mars,” she countered.

  “But this will tell us which ship he’s on. I have an idea, and you’ll need to utilize the one trick Jarden left on this ship and didn’t share with anyone but me.” Benson watched their expressions, and he knew he had them. Maybe he could be the one to stop the war after all. He could see the statues of him already.

  “Enough dramatics, Benson. Out with it,” she said.

  “The Eureka has a tractor beam.”

  “We know that,” she said.

  “Not that one. This one can grab an object and Shift with it,” Benson said, noting how her expression finally changed.

  “You’re saying…”

  He nodded. “It only works on something a quarter the mass of this ship or less, but yes. That’s what I’m thinking. Then maybe we can provide this Shadow a little incentive to work with us.” Benson saw her eyes light up with comprehension.

  “Lieutenant, get me the Grand Admiral,” Heather said. “Tell her we might have a way after all.”

  Benson walked onto the bridge and took the commander’s empty seat.

  Flint

  The walk out of the prison training field felt monumental, even though Flint had already been outside. For some of these people, it was the first time they’d had fresh dome air in years. He’d been told one of the women had been there longer than any of them, and they suspected it was at least six terrifying years, though she wouldn’t talk about it any longer. She wouldn’t talk at all.

  “Wren, how do you want to play this?” Flint asked, and Wren let him help her to her feet. “W
e can’t let you walk.”

  Charles approached. “I’ll carry you, Wren.” He slid an arm under her and lifted her up, cradling her like a child in his metal limbs.

  “I don’t know if this is necessary,” Wren said, obviously uncomfortable with being slung around.

  “You don’t get to make that call. Thank you, Charles,” Flint said, leaving Wren to bicker with the android.

  Flint stood in front of the group and turned to face the ragtag bunch. “We go now. I can’t promise safety, because I don’t know that the word holds any meaning in our new lives. Not until we finish the Watchers. What I can promise is the chance to fight back. Who’s with me?”

  The lines were a little cheesy, even for his own taste, but he saw the spark of rebellion in the once-dead eyes of the prisoners. “I’m with you,” Clark said, stepping forward to join him. Soon every single person was moving for the doorway.

  Behind them, Flint heard screams and shouts, and he spun, ready to attack. It was the older woman who’d been there so long. She kicked the Watcher’s corpse with a ferocity Flint hadn’t thought possible. He let her have her moment, and she looked up, hair covering her face, hands quivering. She swept the mess out of her eyes and had a new air of determination.

  Flint led them out of the entrance. The energy barrier was still turned off. They wound their way over the dead bodies in the lobby and made for the street.

  “You guys did a number on those aliens. I wasn’t sure you had it in you, kid,” Clark said with a grin. His wide smile revealed a missing tooth.

  “‘Kid.’ That’s a new one.” Flint laughed, the nickname reminding him of Ace.

  The transport bus sat beside a few smaller vans, and Flint was the first to arrive at the bus. He searched for any signs of enemies, and when he saw nothing, he opened the doors. The inside was thirty feet long, and most of the benches had been ripped out, probably to accommodate the hefty bulk of the Watchers.

  “Everyone in,” Flint ordered, and one by one, the sad bunch entered the bus. Flint got a few smiles and pats on the shoulder from people who’d previously refused to talk or acknowledge his presence. He wasn’t holding it against them. Everyone had been through a lot, and now he was just happy to see if they could start a new life. Eventually.

  “There’s not enough room,” Clark said as Charles and Wren entered the bus. The people left one of the remaining benches open for the android and the doctor.

  Flint saw how packed it was on the transport vehicle and nodded toward one of the vans, directing Clark. “Take that and bring the last ten. You can lead the way. Don’t go too quickly, and keep an eye out for...any of them.” He didn’t have to say who “them” meant. Clark relayed the plan, and Flint gave the training building one last pause before getting onto the bus.

  “Wren, are you good?” he asked, still concerned for her. She was pale, and her eyes were fluttering.

  “I’ll be fine. Charles has some supplies,” Wren said, and Charles laid her down on the bench, opening a compartment in his side. He was already working, tearing her pants open and finding the wound. Flint looked away as blood pushed from the bullet hole. He had other things to concentrate on, like driving a bus.

  The engine purred to life at the touch of a button, and he decided to use the manual controls instead of the self-drive. This way, he could react faster to any forthcoming issues, which he hoped they wouldn’t encounter.

  Clark pulled ahead in the gray van, large black tires rolling the vehicle forward, and Flint turned the bus in a sweeping arc, following the older man down the street. It wasn’t too long of a trip, but Flint knew they wouldn’t be alone on the colony. There still had to be Watchers around, and they might meet some of them at the hangar.

  A thought struck him. “Charles, where’s Ace?”

  A moment passed. “He’s not quite here yet. He anticipates opposition and stayed back.”

  “Tell him to do a fly-by and scope it out for us. What kind of ships are there?” Flint prompted the android.

  He heard Charles speaking in hushed tones to Ace over the earpiece. “He says there are two freighters still there. He sees no Watcher activity, but they might be hiding in preparation for us.”

  Flint thought about it. How would they even know to expect anyone? It didn’t make sense. He felt the walls closing on him as he drove toward the exit of the Earth Fleet base on Europa.

  “Tell him to hang back. We can’t fit into his ship anyway, and we might need him as an escort,” Flint said. Most freighters weren’t equipped with much in the way of firearms. His own ship, the Perdita, had been modified with a few surprises, but that was a rare case. Most were just used as legitimate transport for goods and supplies between colonies, or between Earth and the colonies. And if the ship didn’t have a Shift drive, they’d be days or even weeks from getting back to the fight.

  “He understands and will oblige. He says there are no enemy vessels within his radar at this current time,” Charles said from behind Flint, who glanced back to see him patching up Wren. Her eyes were closed, and Flint really hoped she hadn’t lost too much blood. He needed her to pull through.

  The buildings they passed were commercial ones now; they were past the residence, and making good time to the hangar at the edge of the dome. The people were asking questions, finding their voices after years of having them oppressed.

  “Where are we going?”

  “What’s happening? Does Earth still exist?”

  “Is my family safe on Mars?”

  Flint let the cacophony of queries drain out before responding. “We’re under attack. The Earth Fleet sent their entire force here to fight the Watchers, but they were tricked. Earth is under attack, and we have to return to fight.”

  “How can we help?” a man’s voice asked.

  Flint hadn’t thought about it. He only knew he wanted to get back, and quickly. “That I don’t know quite yet, but we’ll find a way.” He thought about Shadow’s dying words, and wished he could talk to Serina or Barkley.

  They drove on down the bare streets, and Flint felt like eyes were on them. He couldn’t wait to get out of the colony dome and into a ship, where he was at home.

  Clark was speeding up, and Flint accelerated to keep pace. The van started to swerve. “What the hell is he doing?” Flint muttered to himself.

  The explosion caught Flint off-guard. One minute the van was cruising along, the next it was a ball of flames. The bus was moving too fast to stop, and Flint plowed through the remains, cringing as he considered its passengers.

  “Charles! I need eyes!” he yelled.

  Charles was at the front of the bus in seconds, scanning for signs of enemies. “I don’t see anything.”

  “Well, something just blew Clark up!” Flint calculated his next move. Should he turn down an alley and search for the assassins? That might get them all killed. He had to keep going. He pushed the throttle, and the bus bounced up and down as they raced for the hangar, trying not to think about his friend and ten others dying. A plume of smoke rose from the exploded van behind them.

  Serina

  “They’re making headway, Grand Admiral. New London is almost lost,” Adams said, and Serina clenched her jaw tight.

  “It’s only a matter of time before they come for us,” she whispered. She hadn’t felt so hopeless in a long time. Maybe it was time to make a stand. Push against the stronger foe with everything they had. Could they startle them and gain a slight advantage? Serina felt that any decision was going to lead them to death, and Earth into the clutches of the Invaders. Everything was lose-lose, but she’d run out of options.

  “We’re getting a communication from Captain Barkley of the Eureka. She says it’s urgent,” Adams said.

  “Put her through.” Serina cleared her throat. “Captain Barkley, tell me this is good news.”

  “It could be. Things are about to hit the fan here, I can feel it. They’re not going to sit back for long,” Barkley said through the speakers.
/>   “Obviously. The question is, what do we do about it?” Serina asked.

  “I have Benson.”

  “And how’s that traitor going to help us?” Serina hated him with a passion, and now, because of him, they were in a worse position after meeting Shadow, the man pretending to be her brother Beck.

  “He placed a tracer on Shadow when he met him.”

  “And that helps us how?”

  “Oliv went to Mars to scope it out for us. They’re there. The entire Shadow organization is there.” Captain Barkley’s voice was light and hopeful.

  “For the love of God, Heather, get on with it!” Serina shouted, surprised at her own ferocity.

  “I think we might have a way to get Shadow isolated. If we do that, we might be able to get the rest of his fleet to follow us into this last battle. We can end it today,” Heather Barkley said.

  Serina took a deep breath. “Explain how.” She listened as Heather told her about the tractor beam and being able to Shift with it activated. When the plan was laid out, Serina smiled.

  “Bring him. Bring him to me.” Serina didn’t just think about survival this time. She thought about revenge.

  20

  Charles

  Charles saw the Watcher too late. By the time he shouted a warning to Flint, the weapon had deployed, and he twisted to see Flint steer the bus to the side, avoiding the blast. The street erupted in a splash of rock and concrete, and the sharp turn threw the bus on its side.

  Charles was thrown to the right section of the bus before coming to land on Flint as the bus skidded forward. Everyone was screaming and shouting as the bus came to a halt.

  “Get out! Everyone to the back!” Charles yelled, urging the injured humans to leave from the rear of the transport bus. The Watcher could launch another blast at them any second, rendering them helpless. “I said get out!”