by P. T. Hylton
“It’s not that. I’m not scared.” He looked away. “Okay, I am scared, but that’s not the main thing here. Have you looked around at these people? They’re shell-shocked. They’re mentally broken down. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but if you think these people are going to charge the doors and take on twelve Twisted, you’re crazy.”
Jessica flinched as if she’d been slapped. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. These were the people who’d been bold enough to try to escape. They were the brave ones. If they couldn’t do this, what chance did the rest of New Haven have?
But was that still true? She tried to remember what signs of bravery she’d seen in them since they’d been captured. She could think of none. Instead, she saw cowed faces and hunched figures in her mind. They may have been brave when standing in Tankards, when all of this was theoretical, but now they’d faced real danger. They’d been on the battlefield, and their minds had not escaped unscathed.
She looked toward the nearest wall, and she could just make out the Twisted standing there in the pale light from the headlamp. His name was Thomas, Jessica knew. He’d been a badge, and a very good one. More than that, he’d been a candidate for the GMT, once upon a time. CB had told her that it had been between Thomas and Wesley for a spot after Simmons died. Thomas had withdrawn his application after he’d been passed over, content to live out his career with the badges.
Now he stood there, the discomfort clear on his face, even in this light. He was practically shaking. Yet, he diligently observed the prisoners, just as he’d been ordered.
Tony was right, Jessica realized. There would be no heroic charge to escape in the morning. If they were going to get out, it had to be another way. She settled in, adjusting her position on the floor. There was still a long night ahead, and she had no intention of sleeping.
CB scanned the perimeter of the main street through the city, checking for any sign of danger. It could be that the GMT had somehow doubled back and beaten them to New Haven. Or perhaps a citizen had gotten hold of a rifle and was waiting on a rooftop to take a shot at Maryana. He didn’t want to think about these things. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around Maryana’s throat and squeeze.
Just like he’d done with Chuck.
He wanted to vomit when he thought about it. He’d wrung the life out of one of his own soldiers. He’d felt the small bones in Chuck’s neck snap and crack until the pressure of his vampiric grip broke the man’s spine. He only wished he could do the same to Maryana.
But he’d been ordered to protect her, and that was what he had to do. And not in some half-assed way. Every fiber of his being, every instinct honed by years of training and field experience, it was all dedicated to the task set before him. As much as he wanted to kill Maryana, he wanted to protect her even more so. Even if his mind and heart didn’t, every other cell in his body longed to obey his master.
He’d faced many difficult realities since being turned. Not seeing Jessica. Tracking down the GMT. But the worst was the knowledge that he was the perfect weapon to help Maryana to accomplish her goals. He’d spent his life developing the mind and body of a warrior. Now, his body’s purpose was to serve his master. He’d throw his life away in an instant at her whim, and it sickened him.
“You know what really bothers me?” Maryana said, her voice strained. “It wasn’t Jaden who shot me. It wasn’t even this Alex person you all seem to worship. It was some random dude who just happened to get the drop on us. It’s an insult, really.”
CB glanced back at her. Maryana still wasn’t able to walk. Two Twisted carried her in a seat made of their linked arms, one set under her and the other supporting her back. Her severed spine made sitting up on her own impossible, let alone walking. Still, she didn’t seem all too concerned about her injury. Her pain was clear, and she seemed almost offended that such a thing had occurred, but she seemed confident that she’d heal.
“Felix,” CB said. “His name is Felix.”
Maryana frowned at him. “Well, thank you, Colonel. Now that I know his name is Felix, that makes everything better.”
CB ignored the comment and turned back to the road ahead of them. It was night, and the darkened streets were nearly empty. Mostly, people were huddled in their quarters, trying to adjust to this new reality of New Haven resting on the ground and the sky dark and painted with stars. The few people who were out scattered as they saw the grim parade of Twisted escorting their bloody queen.
“Colonel Brickman,” Maryana called. “Walk with me.”
CB immediately dropped back, falling into step beside the Twisted carrying her.
“We’ve only been working together for a short time, but I hope you’ve seen that I like to have fun on the job. Work hard, play hard, right? Preferably at the same time.”
CB wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he grunted noncommittally.
“The point is, I wanted to handle this thing with a deft touch. Toy with Jaden for a bit. Kill everyone he cares about. Let him think he has a chance. Then crush him. In a perfect world, this could have gone on for years.” She groaned and her face scrunched up in pain. “But this severed spine thing has me thinking. As much as I wanted to do this cat-and-mouse style, I may have to let out the wolf. Do you take my meaning?”
“No, I don’t think I do,” CB said, dryly.
She frowned at him, clearly disappointed. “Play time’s over, Colonel. Prepare the Twisted for a full-scale offensive. As soon as I can walk again, we’re going to Agartha. I want every person under that mountain, Twisted or human, dead. It’s time to end this.”
CB swallowed hard as his body responded, his muscles tensing as every fiber of his being prepared to obey his master.
26
Strength came from the mind—that’s what Alex always told herself. She worked as hard as any of the guys in the gym, but she was still sixty pounds lighter than them. She was able to beat her larger foes because she kept her mind strong. She channeled her rage in battle and kept control. She anticipated movements and used good form. It was her mind that made her strong. Alex needed that strength right now as she carried Chuck’s corpse toward the incinerator.
The body was on a wooden plank with a handle on each corner. Alex, Ed, Felix, and Owl carried it toward a conveyor that led to the open mouth of the incinerator. Alex knew that they should be headed back to press the attack at New Haven, but the leaders of Agartha wanted to honor Chuck’s sacrifice. She also knew that the team needed this. The constant battles and losses were taking a toll.
The small march toward Chuck’s last resting place was broadcast throughout the city. The cremation room was small and it held the former citizens of New Haven, along with Cynthia, the leader of Agartha, and Jaden. A cameraman and sound person were there, broadcasting the funeral. The lights were cold and the room was silent as they placed Chuck’s body on the conveyor.
The four pallbearers let go, and the conveyor carried Chuck’s body into the cold incinerator. The four GMT members stayed silent and hugged one another. Alex stood next to the switch that would ignite the fire. She knew that she was supposed to say something, and hoped that she would not embarrass Chuck’s memory with her poor words.
“Chuck Williams was a great soldier. He faced monsters without flinching and gave his last breath protecting humanity. The members of the GMT will remember him.” Alex paused. She turned from the GMT to the camera.
“I know that the GMT seems heroic and we can be placed on a pedestal. We all need to remember that Chuck was just a man. He failed at times, but he picked himself up and continued. That is what every member of the GMT does. We are not superhuman; we are just normal people who rise to face the world we live in. That ability is not something unique to Chuck or the GMT; it is an ability that lives in every man, woman, and child in Agartha.
“Chuck would not want to be remembered as being anyone special. He would want you to realize that you all have the ability to be great. You can all face
monsters with the fierce, unflinching nerve of a warrior. The time may come when you need to. He did not give his life because he thought people were weak and needed protecting, but because he knew the potential that we all have. Remember him as a man. He is your friend, your neighbor, your family. That hero lives in each and every one of you.”
Alex stepped back and flipped a switch on the wall. Flames shot out inside of the incinerator and Chuck turned to ash.
The crate banged when Frank dropped it on top of another just like it. It was five feet long and three feet wide, painted a dull army green. The sound echoed in the transport and carried out to the rest of the hanger where the team was gearing up.
“Holy shit, Frank!” Ed shouted. “Don’t just toss those. There’s enough explosives in there to give this mountain a sky light.”
“Sorry, I’ll be more careful.” Frank looked at his deformed hands as though they had caused the issue.
People bustled around the room, grabbing supplies and checking the transport. Alex stood next to Jaden, observing the organized chaos. She checked a tablet, making sure that everything they needed was on the list.
“We each have demons to face on this journey,” Jaden said, as he ran a stone across one of his blades. “Are you ready?”
Alex raised her head and glared at him. “Of course, I’m ready. Can you control yourself and stick to the plan when Maryana tries to mess with you?”
He frowned thoughtfully. “I believe I can. This will be our best shot at victory. I will make sure that we succeed.” He paused. “I saw you miss the kill shot during the battle. I have fought alongside you enough to know that was not lack of skill. Will you be able to kill CB this time?”
“I won’t have to. I’m going to save CB when I put a bullet through Maryana’s head. That is the plan,” Alex said, flatly. “I’ll kill him if I have to, but I’m going to do what I can to avoid it.”
“I fear that plan may cause all of our deaths. CB is your greatest adversary. He taught you, and he can predict your moves. Right now, he is Maryana’s puppet. If we have the chance, we need to take him out.”
Thankfully, Owl walked up, interrupting before Alex said something she might regret. “We’ll be ready in five minutes. There’s enough ammo and explosives for a small army.”
Alex clapped her friend on the back. “Good work. I’ll let them know we are good to go.”
“You think we can pull this off? I like the plan, but there are only six of us. A tactical strike force is great, but we are about to fight an army.”
Jaden answered before Alex could respond. “The odds are against us, but I see no better option. We are the only ones who can save everyone, so that’s what we will do.”
“We’ve got this. All we need to do is get to Maryana. Once we take her out, this will all be over.” Alex sounded strong. She needed to lead without fear, but she felt they were missing something. There was a resource that they weren’t using. She just couldn’t figure out what it was.
The image on the monitor showed the transport leaving through the outer blast door. Brian watched it drive away and then turned back to his work. Ed had sparked an idea that had consumed him since the moment it had come to him. He’d started off making progress quickly, but now, he was at a standstill. The monitor in front of him blinked, waiting for its next command just as it had for the past ten minutes.
He knew this weapon could save the GMT, but they were on their way to almost certain death. They needed every advantage they could get, and he hadn’t been able to deliver before they left. Now his mind was locked with doubt, fear, and panic.
“You okay?”
“What?” Brian turned to see Stephanie staring at him. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“You’re looking extra pale and not typing like a madman.”
“I’m just a little stuck. I’ve been trying to write an algorithm to make this work. I just can’t seem to concentrate.”
“I can’t either. My brain is mush.” She let out a yawn and stretched in her chair. “I’m going to sleep for an hour or two. Can I get you anything before I go?”
Brian looked over at the sandwich next to him. He’d taken two bites and set it aside. He wasn’t sure how long ago that had been, but the bread was already going stale. He was about to ask if she could grab him something to eat, but stopped.
Brian remembered what Ed had said to him about seizing the moment. Stephanie wore a lab coat which hid most of her form, but it couldn’t mask her youth and beauty. A single brown curl hung in her face, contrasting nicely against her pale skin. He felt guilty that with everything that was going on, he still desired her more than anything else.
“What are you looking at?” Stephanie asked.
Brian realized that he had been staring long enough to make it awkward. “Oh, nothing. I was just lost in thought.” She relaxed a little and smiled. That smile gave Brian courage. “Actually, that’s not true. I was looking at you.”
“Oh.” She turned, trying to see her reflection in the blank monitor, “Do I have something on my face?”
“No, not like that. I meant I was noticing how good you look. You know, like, checking you out.” Brian turned bright red. “Sorry, that came out all wrong.”
Stephanie laughed. “No, it didn’t. That was one of the best compliments that I’ve gotten in this lab.”
“I find that hard to believe.” He steadied his nerves “I don’t want to come off like a creep, and I know the timing isn’t great, but can I go with you to rest?”
This time, a hint of red touched her cheeks. She thought for a moment and gave him a smile. Then she stood up and pulled him out of his chair by the hand. “Okay, big guy. Let’s go. Just don’t make me regret this.”
As they walked out of the lab hand-in-hand, Brian made a mental note to buy Ed a drink the next time he saw him.
27
CB paused before entering Maryana’s chamber. Even through the thin metal of the door, he could hear wet, sucking sounds. She was feeding. It was the last thing in the world he wanted to see, partly because he didn’t want to watch some poor New Haven citizen suffer, and partly because he knew it would make him hungry. He’d only drunk from blood packets so far, and he intended to keep it that way. Unless of course his master told him to drink from a human. Then there would be nothing he’d be able to do, except obey.
Speaking of which, Maryana had told him to gather a report and return to her as quickly as possible. So even though he wanted to wait outside until she was done eating, he couldn’t. His fingers found the door knob before he even told them to reach out.
When he stepped inside, he was surprised to find Maryana’s usual seat empty. Odd, especially since she still couldn’t walk. Then he heard the sucking noises again and he saw her on the floor, hunched over a body, her teeth buried in the poor man’s neck.
CB cleared his throat loudly, announcing his presence.
Maryana released her hold on the man and looked up at CB. “Just a moment, dear. I’ve got to drink every drop, if I want to heal. Besides, if I don’t, he’s liable to get up and start walking around in a few minutes. The last thing I need is another Twisted. This city is lousy with them.” She went back to feeding.
CB waited, trying not to grimace at the horrific sounds emerging from the corner.
After a few moments, Maryana let out a contented sigh. “Ah, all done. Mind helping me back to my chair?”
As if he had a choice. CB scooped her small frame up in his arms, all too aware how easy it would have been to rip her head from her body. Easy, if it hadn’t been impossible. He set her down gently in her chair and stepped back a respectful distance.
“How did you get down there?” he asked.
Maryana smirked. “I had a notion when this man was brought to me. I’m injured. That means a lowly human might actually have a fighting chance of escaping me. So I ordered the guards out of the room and told the man that if he beat me to the door, he could leave.
CB glan
ced at the bloodless body in the corner. “How’d that go?”
“Like most things in life, it was disappointing. He wasn’t fast, even for a human.” She paused and chuckled. “But you should have seen his face when I flopped onto the floor and dragged myself across the room with my arms. He was freaking out.”
CB could only imagine how terrifying that must have been. A crippled vampire, dragging her broken body across the floor faster than a human could run. If he’d still been human, he might have shuddered. “I can’t imagine that was good for your healing body.”
She shrugged. “Maybe not. Still, you’ve got to admit I’m healing nicely. I bet I’ll be walking in a day or so. Must be my good genes.”
Or the rate at which you’re feeding, he didn’t say. Every hour, she had another captive brought to her. Every hour, one more person died.
Maryana gave him a long look. “I appreciate your concern. Maybe you’re starting to grow fond of me. Maybe you have a little crush.”
He said nothing, just hoping she didn’t order him to say what he really thought of her. He might not survive the string of expletives and filth that would pour out of his mouth.
“Maybe you should come over here and show me how much you care,” she said, her voice suddenly soft.
“I’m a married man,” he said, his face stone.
She raised an eyebrow. “You think that matters? I could order you to undress me with your teeth. I could order you to do all sorts of nasty things. I bet I could make you forget all about Mrs. Brickman.”
CB gritted his teeth and said nothing.
She broke out in a laugh. “I’m kidding, you idiot. You think I’m in any shape for that? I don’t even have any feeling below the waist. Besides, you’re a little long in the tooth for my tastes. I mean, sure, I’m technically older, but I don’t look it.” She shook her head, chuckling. “All right, give me your report.”