Numbers Collide (Numbers Game Saga Book 5)

by Rebecca Rode

  I may have been a terrible liar, but I knew one when I saw one. Virgil intended to keep exactly none of his promises to Kadee, just as she’d dodged her promises to me. They deserved each other.

  She turned to Dad. “How nice to see you again, Honorable Malachite Hawking. This is far more pleasant than the last time we met in person. Do you remember the rain?”

  Dad’s eyes lowered.

  My stomach sank as I looked at each of them in turn. “What happened last time?”

  “I discovered the criminal who’d stolen my child and visited his home, desperate to see her again. You would have been about three, Legacy. It poured rain that night, and the water filled my boots to the brim. When I knocked on the door, soaked to the skin, your father assumed I’d come to kidnap you and shot me. I awoke, dumped at the border, surrounded by NORA soldiers and still drenched in rain with a massive bruise on my face.”

  I turned to Dad, expecting him to deny it, but he fell silent. A mixture of horror and sorrow churned inside me.

  “I returned a few nights later with my own weapon. This time guards greeted me at the door and took it, but I saw him hiding behind them. I offered him a deal. If he returned my daughter, he could keep everything else he owned. If not . . .”

  “You would take it,” I whispered.

  “Everything,” Kadee confirmed with a nod.

  I stared at Dad. “You told me there was nobody by that name. You lied to me.”

  “Yes, and I shouldn’t have. I wanted to protect you.”

  I wanted to protect you. His excuse sounded much like mine when I hid my nighttime mission from Kole. I’d felt so justified. The hurt I felt now—was this a portion of how he’d felt then?

  “You didn’t want to give me the choice,” I said, not hiding the accusation in my voice. “In case I chose her and a normal life. It would have ruined the entire family.”

  His eyes looked sad. “It was a mistake, perhaps the greatest I’ve ever committed. I’m sorry, both of you.”

  Kadee chuckled. “Well, now I have my daughter back, Hawking, and she’s delivered your country to me. It’s time to keep my promise.” She swung the weapon and aimed it at my father.

  I yelped and struggled to free myself to prevent the execution, but Dad just stood there, looking down the long barrel with a calculating eye.

  “You’re wrong, Kadee Steer,” he said calmly.

  “I’m never wrong,” the woman snapped.

  “You said my daughter handed you my country. She may think so, but she didn’t. Legacy didn’t have authorization to make such a bargain, and neither did Alex. Had I been in charge, I couldn’t have done so either. An international alliance requires the signatures of at least two-thirds of the War and Trade Councils. It says so in the NORA Decision Declaration.” His gaze locked on me. “A protection drafted by my mother, the Honorable Treena Hawking, to ensure no individual holds too much power.”

  I gave him a tiny smile, which he returned.

  Kadee lifted her head from the gun. “I don’t see how any of this is relevant. We’ve taken NORA, and your citizens will soon fall in line. I can draft whatever new measures I want.”

  “Again, you’re wrong,” Dad said. “Our country is more than the government building you’ve taken, and terrorizing a few public places will earn you nothing but fear. You can sit in the Copper Office. You can use Virgil’s tech to hurt people or threaten their loved ones. You can even end the Hawking line, here and now. But that doesn’t make you NORA’s leader. It makes you their enemy, and they won’t stand for it for long. We’re accustomed to freedom here. There will be no going back. It goes deeper than our politics—it’s in our blood.” He looked directly into her eyes. “However, I know how much you love negotiations. Release Legacy and Alex unharmed, and I will sign the Honorship over to you.”

  “Dad, no,” I moaned.

  “You said such a thing couldn’t be done without a committee,” Kadee said.

  “I can’t give you my country, but I can give you my position. You’ll be able to appoint your own followers to the council then. That is my offer.”

  A glint of triumph entered Kadee’s eyes, and she lowered the weapon. “And you’ll make an announcement to your people, telling them of our agreement, to smooth the transition?”

  Something thumped down the hall.

  Kadee jerked her attention away from Dad, looking around the room. “Where is Virgil?”

  I’d been so occupied with Kadee and Dad’s conversation, I hadn’t seen him leave. Now I heard a popping sound coming from outside.

  Kadee pointed at the soldiers guarding us. “You and you. See what’s going on and report. Make sure the doors are secured.”

  The guard at my side rushed off, followed by Alex’s. Only Dad’s two guards remained. They looked at Alex and me as if unsure where to aim their weapons and finally kept them trained on Dad.

  “They can’t possibly be fighting back,” Kadee muttered. “Not as outnumbered as they are.”

  Dad remained silent as Kadee paced the office, waiting for the guards to return and mumbling to herself. I shot him a curious look, but he shook his head slightly. Then I understood.

  He’d been buying us time.

  “What is taking them so long?” she snapped a minute later, stalking to the door. She hefted her gun and reached for the handle.

  The door slammed open, and Kole sprinted inside, sending Kadee stumbling backward.

  Everything happened in slow motion. The soldiers guarding Dad leaped to her aid, brushing past me, and I watched as Kole lifted a stunner and took aim. It connected with the guard closest to him, sending the man to the floor. But the one just in front of me trained his pistol on Kole.

  “No!” I shouted and charged, throwing myself into his shoulder.

  The weapon jumped sideways just as he pulled the trigger.

  The sound slammed into my eardrums, but I ignored the pain as I stumbled to my feet, barely noticing the scent of gunpowder in the air. Kole stood straight and tall and healthy, staring at Kadee in horror.

  My biological mother placed a hand to her chest and pulled it away.

  It was then I saw the blood seeping through her shirt.

  Kole threw out his arms just in time. She collapsed, and he half caught her, half eased her to the ground.

  Everyone in the room went still. The shooter’s eyes widened as he realized what he’d done. His weapon hung in one hand, his shoulders limp as Kole stood. Both looked down at Kadee. She lay on her back now, her hair splayed out around her, staring at the copper ceiling with eyes that looked like mine. Eyes that had already begun to fade.

  Her shooter swore, dropped his weapon with a clang, and bolted. Kole stepped aside to allow his escape.

  I went to her, the woman who’d given me life, if nothing else, and knelt at her side. My knees grew wet with warm blood. Her eyes found mine, and she tried to say something, but blood filled the spaces between her teeth, and the only sound that emerged was a strained gurgle from her throat.

  “I know,” I told her gently, seeing the silent wish on her face. “I would have liked that too.”

  It was the right thing to say. She relaxed, then released a gentle, quiet breath, letting her eyes close.

  Silence.

  I leaned over and placed my fingers on the side of her throat. No pulse. Kadee Steer had made it to the Copper Office, but she would make it no further.

  I brushed her hair out of her face. Its texture felt much like mine. If things had been different, would we have brushed one another’s hair and shared gossip? Would it have been Kadee who sat on my bed at night, listening to my petty worries and offering advice? Would she have been driven to climb the ranks of Malrain and take her revenge on NORA?

  Kole leaned down and pulled me into his arms. “I’m sorry. I know you had a complicated relationship. What did you tell her you would have liked?”

  I looked down at the woman who’d given me life. “A choice,” I admitted. “In th
e end, I wouldn’t have chosen the life she offered, but I would have welcomed starting over in the future.”

  We stood there for a long moment, me saying goodbye and Kole right where I needed him to be.

  The other guard stood in front of Dad with unblinking eyes, staring at my blood-soaked knees in a state of shock, the color drained from his face.

  “You’d better join the others,” Dad told him gently. “They’ll be retreating to the train station about now.”

  The guard tore his gaze away from Kadee, blinking at us like he’d forgotten we were there. He considered Dad’s words, then let his shoulders slump. He stumbled toward the door, giving Kadee one last look, as if considering whether to bring her body, then sprinted out the door empty-handed.

  “Why would they be retreating?” Alex asked.

  Dad smiled. “I didn’t come alone.”

  Thirty

  Kole

  Legacy and I sat on a bench outside as workers cleared the grounds of the wounded and dead. Zenn stood guard nearby despite the fact that there wasn’t a single Malrain soldier in sight. He winked as I stroked Legacy’s arm, letting her sink into me as the tension she’d carried over the past few months slowly drained away.

  It was over.

  “I can’t believe Millian did that,” Legacy said, chuckling to herself. “Imagine it—Millian the scientist waving a stunner around a broadcasting station and demanding they put her on camera. They probably thought she was mad.”

  “Whatever they said, people liked it,” I told her, remembering the moment Millian’s army had arrived. It seemed like half the city had descended upon Kadee’s army at once, sending the streets into a frenzy. I couldn’t believe how many civilians had weapons. They’d probably inherited them from original NORA citizens.

  “It proves Virgil was wrong,” Legacy said. “They don’t want the Rating system. They just want change, and that’s something they deserve.” She stared at her feet. “Especially after today.”

  I grabbed her hand. “They like that you’ve helped so many people. What surprised me was how many came over from the island. They were excited to finally make a difference.”

  Her tone was one of wonder. “I underestimated them because of their needs. I shouldn’t have. Millian was right all along. I wasn’t the only person with someone to lose.”

  “You made some mistakes, but somehow it turned out all right. Your dad has his throne back, Alex is a little more humble than he was yesterday, and the comatose patients have a good prognosis for the first time in weeks. I’d say this was a success.”

  Legacy turned away.

  “What?” I asked, concerned. “I know what happened to Kadee has to be hard, but—”

  “Your medicine,” Legacy said softly. “Kadee discovered a cure for your condition. Or maybe she developed it—I don’t really know. She promised to give it to me when this was all over. I can’t exactly walk into Malrain and ask for it now.”

  I paused, gathering my thoughts. “We didn’t think we could find a solution to your dad’s issue, yet he’s fine. We’ll figure this out too. Besides, I’ve made it this long. I haven’t even had a nightmare since before . . .” That night. She made a face, obviously hearing what I wasn’t saying. “Maybe being unconscious served as a reset and I’m fine now.”

  “And the headaches?” she asked, looking up at me with doubt.

  I was about to answer when the screaming began.

  Leaping to my feet and pushing past the guards, I saw a mob in black uniforms making their way down the street toward us. I spotted weapons at their belts, but they didn’t draw them. At their head was Dane.

  He saw me, and our gazes locked.

  Yes, something deep inside said. Revenge at last.

  My uncle broke into a sinister smile and lengthened his stride, heading straight for me.

  Zenn hurried to my side. “They didn’t come here for the Copper Office. They know they’d lose. It’s you he came for. The others will be here to make sure nobody interferes. If you run now, he won’t catch you.”

  “Kole,” Legacy snapped, shoving past Zenn. “You don’t have to do this. If you get angry again—”

  “I’m always angry. Maybe defeating my uncle will finally change that.”

  All I could see was my uncle’s terrible smile, the one he always wore when pummeling me in a corner. It would give me great delight to return the favor.

  This is it, Mom. I defended you once. Now, I avenge you.

  “But, Kole—”

  I whirled on her. “You wanted me to trust you, Legacy. You reminded me it was your decision and your life. At least allow me the same.”

  She looked stricken for a second, and I longed to pull her into my arms, but my uncle was almost here, and this wasn’t something I wanted her to see.

  “Zenn, get Legacy to safety,” I said. “If Dane wins, he’ll want the both of you.”

  My friend nodded and took Legacy’s elbow. “Sorry, Your Honor, but he’s right. Let’s watch from a safer distance. Need to get a few more guards on you anyway.”

  As Zenn dragged Legacy toward the building, she turned her head to watch.

  Then Dane arrived.

  My uncle’s hands were empty, but I spotted a distinct outline in both pockets. Even if I managed to steal one stunner, he had a second—and he undoubtedly had a knife hidden somewhere. Experience told me I wouldn’t get close enough to reach any of them.

  “I’ve waited for this a long while,” Dane said.

  I tried to keep my expression casual. “Really? I thought you were having too much fun burning children in their beds to notice I was gone.”

  “I’d burn down the entire city if it meant your demise, boy.”

  “Demise? You’ve expanded your vocabulary. Dad would have been pleased.”

  Dane’s jaw clenched. Next came the purple in his face, and then he would snap. “You’ve no right to talk about my brother, much less carry his name. I should never have allowed you under my roof.”

  “Funny, because as I recall, I did everything you told me to do. I ran your errands, delivered your messages, and fulfilled your ‘missions.’ I even believed we would make a difference. Now, look at you. Look at this.” I gestured to the square still being cleared of the injured and bodies covered with tarps and lined up neatly on the sidewalk. “Is this the future you planned for NORA? Did you really think I would cooperate while you murdered people? You couldn’t honestly believe I’d watch you kill my mom and then slink away like nothing ever happened.” Emotion choked the last few words, but I swallowed it back.

  His eyes were hard. “Look at my nephew. So devastated to lose his mommy. I bet you cry at night.”

  I hadn’t slept well a single night since Mom died, but Dane deserved no such satisfaction. When someone inflicted pain on him, he lashed out twice as hard to teach them a lesson. In that moment, I saw a chilling truth. As long as Dane lived, this would never be over. Now that he’d tasted victory, the Hawking family would never enjoy peace. The sadness of Mom’s death receded like an ocean wave at high tide, quiet and inevitable in its strength. All that remained was the anger. Good. I preferred it that way.

  “I don’t cry at night,” I told him. “I plan. You aren’t the only one who has prepared for this moment. You’ll feel every single pain you inflicted on my family before this day is done.”

  Dane’s hand reached for the stunner to his right. I started to reach for mine before I remembered I’d given it to Legacy just an hour before. I grabbed a Firebrand who’d gotten too close by the collar, shoving him into Dane just as the stunner made an appearance. The two men stumbled as the stunner hit the ground. I ducked and swiped it, taking a quick look as they pushed apart. Fatal mode. Down the barrel was a long, sharp crack.

  I cursed.

  Sneering, Dane drew his other stunner. I threw the broken one at him, watched him dodge it, and then sprinted at one of the tarps near the sidewalk. I ducked instinctively as a rush of air whooshed by and t
hen dove at the covered figures on the ground, feeling for weapons, trying not to think of the stench that wafted from underneath.

  There. Something hard.

  I rolled sideways to dodge another shot, then slid the weapon out. I rose to my feet, aimed, and squeezed the trigger.

  The weapon bucked in my hand and caused a deafening roar. Those around me dropped to the ground—everyone except Dane, who yelped and clutched at his thigh. His other stunner lay on the ground as well.

  I kicked it aside and intercepted his other arm just as Dane leaped up, a knife flashing in his hand. We stood there grunting, Dane trying to stab the blade into my heart, and me struggling to keep him from doing just that. My shoulder trembled from exertion and the exhaustion of the morning. I watched as his wrist turned, trying to get a piece of my arm instead, and I caught a glimpse of burned flesh under his arm.

  With a yell, I gathered my strength and shoved him backward, following it up with a kick to his injured thigh. Dane screamed and stumbled, but to his credit, he didn’t collapse.

  “You set the fire, didn’t you?” I shouted at him. “You tried to kill me in my sleep, you coward.”

  He hunched over, trying to catch his breath. “I thought of a hundred ways to do it, but they were all too quick. But burning to death on the top floor of a building? They say fire is the worst way to die.”

  I considered all the people who’d died in just that way—the families and maybe even children, just because they lived in the same building—and I pulled the trigger.

  Nothing happened.

  Frowning, I inspected the handle but couldn’t figure out how to reload the thing.

  Dane smirked. “You don’t know how to use that, do y—”

  I lifted the weapon and smashed him in the shoulder. He howled in pain.

  Time to end this.

  I didn’t think. I just tossed the gun aside and tackled my uncle, landing punch after punch, remembering the dozens of times I’d felt his fist pound my face, teeth, jaw, and ribs. His drunken rages in the night. His shouting and demeaning and refusal to act like a relative in any way. All the nights I’d gone to bed with a growling stomach and black eye. All those people who’d died in the fire, helpless to escape, terrified as the blaze closed in. And above all . . .