Mutiny (M.E.R. Series)

by Jacqueline Gardner

  “It was nice of you to find the Triton for me,” he chuckled. “Now hand it over, soldier.”

  “What makes you think I have it?” I asked.

  “Because I’m not a fool.”

  “You sure about that?” I replied. I’d never insulted the Commander before. It felt good.

  “So your friend Mariella has rubbed off on you,” he chuckled again. “We’ll have to do something about that.” Commander Z waved a hand and two of his teammates ran forward with chains. In a heartbeat, I pulled the Triton from my pocket, letting it reshape itself. It grew into a perfectly balanced sword that looked like it was filled with swirling, silver liquid.

  The Triton moved through the air. It felt weightless. I sliced each soldier across the torso. They both screamed, falling to the ground. The Commander laughed, and I walked towards him. He didn’t even flinch. I raised the silver sword and felt my fingertips tightly digging into my new weapon. A taxi screeched and halted right in front of us. Brian jumped out of the driver’s seat.

  “Brain?” Brian pulled Mariella out of the car. Seeing her again made me forget about everything. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her. Mariella gave me a longing look. She looked exhausted and a little worried. The end of the Commander’s gun found a new target. All weapons now pointed to Mariella.

  “Stop,” I said. “Let her go! I’ll give you the Triton if you let us go!”

  “That’s all? No other requests?” the Commander asked looking amused.

  “Lou’s son,” I said. “He goes free too.” Brian pointed his gun at Mariella too. “Brian?” I was confused. “What’s going on?” Brian fired and Mariella screamed as he fell to the ground. Brian then pointed his gun at Lou.

  “I swear I’ll do it,” Brian shouted. I couldn’t believe what Brian had done. I never thought he had it in him. This time he’d gone too far.

  “Brian, think about what you’re doing,” Davis said calmly. Brian still wouldn’t lower his gun. “Think about all the choices that have been made for you. Think about your family. Why would you protect a man who has taken all that from you?”

  “I don’t take orders from the Commander,” Brian replied. The Commander nodded. My eyes fell to Mariella. She sat on the ground in tears, but not tears of pain. Her bare leg was smooth. There was no bullet wound.

  “I don’t understand,” I said looking at Davis’ gun.

  “I’m sorry,” Mariella whispered. “I had no idea. You have to believe me.” Tears smudged her eye makeup as she wiped her cheeks.

  “Enough,” Commander Z shouted sounding annoyed. “Give me the Triton, soldier. That’s an order!”

  “I’m not a soldier anymore,” I shouted back. “You can’t tell me what to do.” The Commander looked furious. It felt amazing to finally yell back.

  The Commander was so angry, he lunged for me. His fist pounded into my stomach and I could feel my organs jolt out of place. The blow forced me to the ground. I hit the pavement, scraping my arms. He had fire in his eyes. His heavy boot swung back getting ready to kick me in the face. The Triton’s energy surged through my body and I bolted up, smashing the blunt end of my sword into the Commander’s kneecap. I could hear a crushing noise. He jumped back, grabbing his knee and looking even angrier.

  Commander Z’s skin turned red and he lunged forward again with a round of powerful jabs. Each fist that came soaring at my face broke through the air with incredible speed. I could hardly breathe, let alone think, as I dodged every punch. But I missed one. The punch knocked the wind out of me and I felt like I’d been hit with a bullet. This was hopeless. The Commander was too powerful. He was crushing my organs with hardly any effort.

  The Triton’s power surged through me again and I felt invigorated. My body felt better than it had ever felt before. I ducked and kicked his stomach like I’d done to the girls made out of rock. His abs hit my shoe like a brick wall but the blow was strong enough to shake him. The Commander twisted his torso aiming an upper cut straight at my jaw. I could feel bones cracking as his knuckles conquered my chin. The pain was so excruciating, I fell to the ground. I could hear Mariella yelling but everyone else was silent.

  The Commander gave me a deadly look. He wanted to finish me for good, and as soon as he had his hands on the Triton, I would experience what true death felt like. The silver sword shook my hand and moved towards the Commander like it had a mind of its own. He hovered over me and pulled out his gun. The Triton sent an electric shock into my spine and I bolted up. The sharp end of the sword pierced through Commander Z’s flesh.

  Blood trickled down his chest as he stammered backwards, finally falling to the ground. The Triton had buried itself deep into his torso. The Commander laid motionless with the silvery sword stuck through his heart. His back had slammed against the concrete with a loud bang.

  “You want it so bad,” I muttered almost out of breath. “You can have it.” Everyone was silent. It all happened so fast. The color left the Commander’s face. Regeneration wasn’t going to do him any good this time.

  “He’s . . . dead,” Davis said. I didn’t know what think. The Commander, dead? It seemed unreal. But this was only the beginning. Poseidon would choose a new Chief Commander and the man hunt would start all over again. Commander Z’s team looked shocked. The whole lot of them scattered immediately. Brian looked as if he didn’t care. He retreated back towards the taxi. I ran towards Mariella grabbing her hand. Brian just smirked and jumped in the driver’s seat.

  “This isn’t over,” Brian sneered.

  Lou, Anchovy, and Davis ran over. We all had our backs to Commander Z’s body. I couldn’t look at his face anymore. I still hadn’t come to terms with what I’d just done. Mariella wrapped both arms around my waist.

  “It took you long enough,” she said with a smile.

  “How? I mean, how did I miss this?” Mariella looked at me with a sad expression.

  “Trust me, I wish things hadn’t happened this way.”

  “Where’s Frankie?” Anchovy asked. I looked down trying to find that re-assuring feeling again. The one the Triton had given me when we returned from Atlantis. But to feel it again I needed the Triton in my hand. Anchovy caught on to my frown and mimicked it.

  “You did a lot more than you think,” Lou commented. “You gave everyone a chance at having their lives back.” I clung to that hope, trying to clear the thoughts from my head. Things would be different from now on.

  A strange odor filled my nostrils and I looked up. The streets had emptied, leaving the beating sound of the falls. I turned around and avoided eye contact with the Commander’s still body for as long as possible. Dark red blood was trailing down from his chest staining the side walk.

  “What is it?” Davis asked.

  “What the . . . where’s the?” I muttered. Commander Z’s bloody chest was bare. “Clark.” Clark’s odor grew more and more distant. He’d been patiently waiting all this time.

  “Clark?” Mariella replied. “Don’t worry. I know where he’s headed.”

  * * *

  I was used to the sitting in a confined space for long periods of time but Mariella wasn’t. She also wasn’t very patient. The fasten seat-belt sign went off and Mariella stood up, stretching her legs. We still had a couple hours left on our flight back to New York.

  “Claustrophobic?”

  She glared at me sat back down. Davis and Anchovy were sleeping in the seats behind us. Lou had stayed behind. The charm he wore around his neck had pointed to a new destination on his South American map - Colombia. Lou had insisted on finding his son, still an active member of the program. Now that Commander Z was out of the picture, Lou was sure he would be able to finally make contact.

  “Extremely,” she answered. “Another one of my secrets.” She sighed and looked out the window. The blue sky reminded me of waves and the beach where we’d buried Frankie’s body. I still didn’t feel like he was truly gone. I could still hear him talking in my head. I wasn’t ready to say good-b
ye yet.

  “You still never told me how you figured it out,” I insisted. “You practically forced me to tell you everything and you can’t even spare a sentence?”

  “Fine,” Mariella said nervously. “It was William. He’s not actually my dad. This whole time I was . . . research.”

  “Who’s your dad then?” I asked quietly. Mariella shrugged but I could tell she was lying. “Elle.”

  “I don’t know for sure,” she replied. She leaned forward pulling something out of her purse. It was a crumpled up photograph. She unfolded it and handed it to me. “I don’t know his name or anything.”

  I stared at the photo. A few more things were starting to add up. My mind flashed from Commander Z’s briefing, to conversations with Lou, to the strange man in the cave. Zero?

  “I do,” said in a low voice. “He’s the reason we’re both alive.”

  “Well, obviously he’s the reason I’m alive.” Mariella giggled, brushing her hand against mine. I could feel my palms getting sweaty. Mariella’s warming touch made my heart beat out of rhythm.

  “You think William is still alive?” Mariella whispered. She sounded worried.

  “Yes,” I replied. “At least, he better be. He’s the only who can help us find Clark.”

  I felt calm as Mariella grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. I could make my own decisions now, although my fight wasn’t over. But this time I had help. I had Davis. I had Anchovy. And I had Mariella.

  A Preview of INFORMANT, Book 2 in the M.E.R. Series

  The Alliance

  “I can offer you a lifetime of wealth and luxury,” Poseidon said. His hair was neatly combed and the white collared shirt under his navy suit was slightly unbuttoned. The charm around his neck was glowing - a deep blue tidal wave.

  “The deal is simple,” he continued, staring at his blind-folded visitor. “Nothing violent or dangerous. I just need information.” The midnight breeze blew through the cracked windows, and the tiny room was just as dark as outside. Poseidon’s guest sat still in a leather arm chair, intrigued. The meeting had been abrupt with no time for small talk or detailed explanations. Poseidon was eager to efficiently use his time. His competitor could already be searching.

  “What kind of information?” his visitor whispered.

  “William Abott has something of mine. I want you to listen, watch, and wait. Then contact me when you’ve learned of its whereabouts. Do this and you will be generously compensated.”

  “Sounds easy enough.”

  “It is,” Poseidon replied. He adjusted the thin frames of his silver glasses. He glanced at a soldier dressed in gray, waving his hand. The soldier came forward, handing him an unmarked folder. Poseidon opened it, taking out a blurry picture of a small metal rod.

  “And you’re sure no one will get hurt?”

  “Of course not.” Poseidon smirked, letting out a quiet chuckle. He took the blind fold off his guest, staring into wide, watery eyes. “Here”. He handed his guest the photograph. “So you don’t forget our arrangement.” Another breeze came in through the window. The visitor gulped, taking a long breath and glancing out the window. Stars gleamed through the clear glass. The night sky was too dark to reveal any identifiable landmarks. There was nothing to hint at where the meeting was taking place.

  “And if I don’t accept your deal?”

  “There is no reason not to accept,” Poseidon replied. He comfortably sat back in his chair, a half smile on his face.

  “But . . .”

  “Think before you answer,” he interrupted. “You wouldn’t want to choose the wrong response.” He looked at the team of soldiers blocking the doorway – all with giant arms and cross looks on their faces.

  “Okay,” the visitor gulped. “I’ll do it.” Poseidon leaned forward, shaking the hand of his new ally.

  “Step one.” He pointed to the small metal rod in the photograph. “You locate the Triton.”

  “And step two?”

  Poseidon’s expression lit up as he bore a tooth baring grin – a gesture unseen by most of his comrades. The smile remained on his face as he let out a chilling laugh.

  Other Works by the Author:

  Thoughtless (FREE download): When Bridget finds a dead cheerleader in the janitor’s closet, she becomes the killer’s next target. High school just got worse. It’s bad enough that she can hear the shocking truths that pass through her classmate’s heads. Now she has to worry about staying alive, and all clues point to the one person whose thoughts she can’t read - her boyfriend Terrence. Someone is taunting her, threatening to expose her secret. And when Bridget tries to single out her blackmailer, she’s nearly beaten to death by a mind controlled minion with fiery eyes.

  But when Bridget finally comes face-to-face with the killer, suddenly a horde of brainwashed students programmed to destroy her life doesn’t seem so bad.

  Jade (Coming April 2012): It was only a game – a contest of wits. But the night Crystal snuck out to meet her competitor was the night she didn’t return.

  Now her younger sister Jade has returned to Silver Hills, the place Crystal disappeared, only to find hostile townspeople, a creepy admirer, and a suspicious SUV parked outside. Silver Hills isn’t what it seems, and Crystal’s ghostly image has made reappearance. Jade’s suspicions only lead to trouble as she slowly starts to realize that history is about to repeat itself.

  No wonder grandma slept with a gun under her pillow.