by P. T. Hylton
“Based on our very limited testing, it only takes fifteen to thirty seconds for the Twisted to acclimate to the noise. After that I’m guessing it will still be hard for them to concentrate, but they will be back on their feet. The range should be about one hundred yards.” Brian smiled at his achievement.
“This is great, Brian, thank you. I need you to make as many of the devices you can, as quickly as possible. If you can increase the range, that would be even better.”
Owl entered the room with the rest of the group. She rubbed her temples and glared at Brian. “I don’t want to be around the next time you decide to test that.”
“Would you have been able to fight with that noise going on?” Ed asked.
She considered the question. “I think so, but I would not have been at one hundred percent. It definitely caught me off guard when he turned it on.”
“This is perfect,” Alex said. “The only thing we need now is a way to monitor New Haven. I need to know when Maryana is coming for us.”
“And how are we going to do that?” Owl asked.
“We may just have an ally still in the city. CB let something slip when he was taking me to Maryana. Jessica is still alive. Now we just need to figure out how to contact her.”
35
Over the past three days the small apartment in Sparrow’s Ridge had been transformed from an empty hideout to the secret headquarters of those New Havenites willing to stand up to Maryana. Jessica had worked tirelessly, gathering information, people, and supplies. Sleeping no more than a few hours a night, she’d planned and strategized. Still, there was so far left to go.
Wesley and Billy had approached about three dozen people, carefully selecting only those that they knew they could trust. They’d probably been overly cautious, but it would only take one wrong choice to bring their little operation to a very bloody end. So far, they hadn’t done any actual fighting, but they’d done plenty else. Without electricity and the usual infrastructure, the people of New Haven were suffering. Jessica had heard stories of injured and ill people showing up at the hospital only to be turned away at the door. Apparently, Maryana had decided on a whim that only her Twisted should have the privilege of medical care, never mind that their undead bodies basically took care of healing themselves. Luckily, Billy knew a trust-worthy young doctor, and she’d been making the rounds, treating people in their homes, under the cover of night. Jessica’s team had even done a little repair work, assisting people whose homes had been made unsafe during the various rounds of fighting.
But there was still so much left to do. The most pressing threat in Jessica’s mind was the water supply. New Haven had collected most of its water from vapor in the clouds. That wasn’t an option with the ship grounded, and the water supply was running dangerously low. And yet, Maryana’s people had prioritized the public-address system. It was infuriating. If they didn’t end Maryana’s reign soon, a lot more people would die.
On the other hand, they didn’t necessarily need Maryana to die before they could start changing things; they just needed her gone. And if she kept her promise of heading for Agartha, they just might have their chance.
But the most surprising development was that Owl had made radio contact with Jessica using the GMT channel, which, thankfully, Jessica was still monitoring. Apparently, Brian had figured out a way to boost the signal, so it reached from Agartha to New Haven. They kept their conversations brief for fear of discovery, but during their short talks, they’d formulated a plan.
There was another impact of the work that Jessica was doing. The more she concentrated on the big, almost impossible problems of their society, the less she thought about CB. It wasn’t that she was trying to ignore her grief completely. It was just that she couldn’t afford to let it hit her full in the face. If she didn’t keep her mind occupied, she’d start thinking about how he must have felt when Alex drove a knife into his heart. About how he’d never have a proper funeral. About how she’d never again hold his hand.
She shook her head, clearing it of such thoughts. There’d be time for that later, assuming that later happened and she was alive to experience it. She looked across the table to Billy, who was scratching on a piece of paper. “What’s the final tally?”
He let out an annoyed grunt. “I wouldn’t call it final, by a long shot. More like a rough estimate, conducted in the least scientific circumstances possible.”
“Okay, give me that, then,” she said, dryly. One of the most important tasks the group had taken on was attempting to account for the size of Maryana’s Twisted army. They did this by calculating the people who’d gone missing, both those reported officially at the Hub (one of their bravest members still worked there), and the much larger group not officially reported, but circulated through the rumor mill. People whose family members went missing tended to spread the word. As Billy had said, it was far from an exact science, but at least it gave them some vague idea of the numbers they were dealing with.
“We’ve got two batches of people who went missing, right? The ones the day after the GMT’s attack, and the ones over the next few days. I’m thinking that first batch was just to replenish the Twisted who died in the fight. She wanted to bring her army back to the five hundred or so she had before that.”
“Fair assumption,” Jessica allowed. “How about the others?”
“Tough to say. Especially because they’ve been so spread out. A few dozen missing yesterday. A few more today. My guess is that she’s just adding more on a whim. She’s not exactly the most level-headed leader we’ve ever had. Could be she’s eating some of them, too.”
Jessica shifted in her seat, trying not to get annoyed. Billy had a way of talking around things and giving long, complicated answers to simple questions. “So, what’s the number?”
He bobbed his head back and forth, considering. “I’m going with seven-fifty.”
Jessica frowned. It was about what she’d expected, but the number sounded so large when she heard it out loud.
“How about your end?” Billy asked, turning to Wesley.
“We’ve got a dozen guys down in an empty part of the sanitation facility, putting together makeshift weapons. And we’ve got explosives. All the weapons for a small army. We’re just missing the army.”
Billy didn’t respond to that. It was a major point of consideration. Perhaps they could recruit enough people to fight some small portion of the Twisted, but the moment they expanded their recruitment, they opened themselves up to discovery. The timing was going to be crucial.
“Let me ask you something, Jessica.” From the sound of Billy’s voice, it was clear he wasn’t looking forward to the conversation that was about to happen. “If what they’re saying about Alex is true, if she killed CB, are you going to be able to work with her? We’re going to need the GMT to have a shot against Maryana.”
Jessica considered the question. Logically, she understood that Alex hadn’t really killed CB. She’d set him free. Her head knew that fact. But her heart was another matter. Jessica didn’t hate Alex for what she’d done. A part of her was grateful. But she also knew she’d never be able to look at the woman who’d stabbed her husband in the heart quite the same way as she’d looked at her old friend, Alex. “I’ll be able to work with her. Don’t worry about that.”
“Good. Because the last thing we need is—”
A sudden squeal cut through the air, interrupting his words. Then Maryana’s lilting, distinctive voice echoed through the streets of New Haven.
“Testing, testing. Hot damn, we’re live. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, it’s your old pal and beloved mistress, coming at you via our newly restored PA system.”
“Good lord,” Jessica growled. “She really dumped all the city’s resources into fixing that thing just so she could hear herself talk, didn’t she?”
“A lot of you were at my little parade the other day, and you may have noticed I was not exactly my usual spry self. I wanted to let you know I’m back wal
king, running, jumping, and eviscerating again. Vampire healing is a wonderful thing.”
Billy’s face fell, and Jessica understood why. It was tough not to feel like they’d missed their shot at Maryana. If she was fully recovered now, she’d be even tougher to beat.
“Many of you also saw my little glass box. The one with Jaden’s head in it. I promised during that parade that I’d be taking it to Agartha, and I’m going to do just that. And I’m taking a few more boxes with me. One for each member of the GMT. Gotta catch ‘em all.” She paused to laugh at her own odd joke. “My army and I will be leaving in just a few minutes. But fear not! I’m leaving a couple hundred of my dearest friends behind, and I’ve given them strict orders. If anybody steps out of their homes, the Twisted are under orders to tear their throats out. I shouldn’t be gone long. At least, you’d better hope I’m not. I also gave the Twisted orders to kill everyone in this city if I’m not back in three days. Just to give you a little extra incentive to cheer for your beloved leader. I’ll see you soon. Until then, be good and stay inside.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes after Maryana had signed off. Then Billy spoke. “I guess this is it. Our chance.”
Jessica nodded. “We just have to wait for the signal, then we make our move.”
36
Maryana gazed up at the billowy clouds hanging in the sky, indifferent to the events transpiring below them, and smiled. Walking in the light was still a thrill for her. She didn’t know if it was worth giving up her formerly beautiful face, but it was certainly pleasant.
“What do you think of the sun?” She looked up at the glass case mounted on the pole she was carrying. Jaden’s Twisted face stared blankly back at her. She paused, as though Jaden had responded. “Oh, you wish you could feel it, but your body is missing? That must be awful. It will probably feel as bad as watching me slaughter everyone in the city you spent so long protecting. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to savor the experience. I’m going to take my time.”
She paused again. Jaden’s head moved up and down as she walked.
“Hey, I’m not crazy. The world is crazy. And before I started my little mission, it was a big old mess. You gotta admit, Jaden, I fixed things. All the wars and fighting between countries is gone. The pollution, the nukes, global warming, border wars, that’s all history thanks to me. I will let the people multiply after this. They will know that I am the absolute ruler of the world, and I’ll keep everyone in line. If they screw it up again, I’ll just shrink them back down.”
The Twisted surrounding Maryana watched nervously as she continued her conversation with the severed head. The army accompanying her was five hundred strong. While the Twisted close to Maryana had guns, much of the army held pipes and other pieces of blunt metal. She did not have enough weapons for all of them. There were a few scouts out in front, but the rest of the army moved together. The terrain had become mountainous, and they were getting close to Agartha.
One of the scouts came running at full speed. He settled in by Maryana’s side. “There is a vehicle heading toward us. We haven’t seen it yet, but we can hear the engine.”
Maryana smiled. “That’s wonderful. I thought they would hide in their hole. Facing them in the open will be much easier.” She yelled loudly enough for all her Twisted to hear. “Everyone take cover on the sides of the road. When the transport gets close, I want a full attack on it. Just remember to leave the GMT’s heads intact. Do what you want with the rest of their bodies.”
The army of Twisted scattered into the forest on the sides of the road and prepared to lie in wait.
Alex bounced up and down in the passenger seat of the transport truck. Owl was driving as fast as she could along the old road. The two of them were alone in the large vehicle, and every sound seemed to echo, accentuating the emptiness.
Alex’s nerves were on edge as her body began to anticipate the coming battle. She thought back to a simpler time, when Owl was still a human, flying the away ship. They’d risked their lives on every mission, but the people back on New Haven had been safe, far from the battles. She’d wanted to make a name for herself as the greatest member of the GMT. Part of her missed that reckless girl who’d thought fighting monsters was a game. She hadn’t truly understood what was at stake. The woman who bounced along the road had no illusions about the risk and the importance of the upcoming battle.
“Stop as soon as you feel them,” Alex said. “We’re only going to get one chance at this.”
Owl nodded, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. “I’ve got it.”
“I know you do. You’re a kickass warrior. There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side today.”
“Right back at you.”
Owl slammed on the brakes of the transport. Alex felt her seatbelt bite into her shoulder and pull her back to the seat as the truck stopped. She looked down the road as far as she could, but there was no army.
“They’re here. I feel them.” Owl put the truck in reverse and turned it around.
As soon as the truck started to change direction, Alex saw Twisted leap from the forest. She jumped into the back of the transport and flung open the back door. An assortment of weapons was waiting for her.
Owl floored it, sending them racing away from the charging Twisted army. Alex risked a glance up from the crate she was opening and saw that the first wave of them were getting close to the transport. She hoisted the missile launcher from the crate onto her shoulder. She aimed it at the Twisted in the front of the pack and fired. She felt immense pressure on her ears for a moment as the force of the rocket filled the truck. She saw the trailing stream of smoke and then watched a ball of fire explode in the middle of the road. One Twisted seemed to disappear completely, and three others went flying backward through the air.
“We definitely have their attention. Don’t slow down!” Alex threw the missile launcher aside and picked up an automatic rifle.
Twisted raced through the thick smoke from the explosion as debris rained down on them. They did not stop to consider the damage to their fellow soldiers. They just followed their order to kill the GMT. Alex targeted her rifle at any Twisted that were getting close to the transport, squeezing the trigger and letting out short bursts of three shots. Each burst was aimed at center mass, ensuring that she hit her targets and killed their momentum. Some of the shots found Twisted hearts, leaving the targets in a pile along the road. Others bounced back up quickly, alive, but still slowed in their progress toward the truck.
Alex swiveled the weapon between targets, quickly knocking down one after another. She felt a dull click when her magazine fired its last round, and she quickly dropped the empty and slapped in a new clip. A Twisted flew through the air as he tried to jump into the back of the transport. Alex was able to chamber a round and shoot him out of the air just before he landed. Blood sprayed from his chest, and he rolled on the ground for a second. Then he sprang back up and rejoined the group running toward the transport.
She wondered if they would last long enough to reach their destination. She saw an old familiar canyon appear in her peripheral vision. Her old teammate Drew had died in this canyon just before they found Agartha. That day had started a chain of events that led to this moment.
The army of Twisted followed the transport into the canyon. Alex continued to hold the front line back with a spray of bullets. The world seemed far away from her at that moment. The sound from her weapon and the roar of the engine were muted. She could see every flash of fire from the barrel of her rifle. Every fiber of her being was focused on keeping them alive for a few more minutes.
Brian watched Alex and Owl enter the canyon on a monitor in the control room. The Twisted army raced behind them. Stephanie gasped at the hoard of Twisted so close behind the truck.
“I see them in the canyon. Can we engage?” Frank’s voice shook with fear and adrenaline when it came through the radio.
“Do not engage!” Brian responded. “Wait for my signal.” He turn
ed to Stephanie. “Make the call.”
Stephanie tapped her tablet and opened a channel to New Haven. “Jessica, do you copy?”
“I copy, Agartha.” Jessica sounded clear and ready.
“Maryana is here. It’s go time.”
“Give them hell, and we’ll do the same,” Jessica said. The radio clicked to silence.
Brian held his breath as he watched the army of Twisted funnel into the canyon. He spotted something toward the far end of the army—the group of fifty well-armed Twisted surrounding a woman with two swords on her back.
Brian shook as he watched her cross into the canyon. He hit a button, opening all the radio channels. “Maryana is in. All teams, go!”
There was another dry click as Alex squeezed the trigger of her rifle. She reached for another magazine while she ejected the spent one. Then she heard a sound like a beast roaring to life. The hairs on her arms stood up as she spotted Frank charging at full speed toward the back of the Twisted army. Behind him, people poured out of the woods on the hillside. They filled the road, blocking the army’s path of retreat.
Then a gunshot echoed through the canyon and one of the Twisted close to the transport fell to the ground. Alex glanced up and saw Ed standing forty feet above her on the edge of the canyon’s wall. His rifle was pressed against his shoulder, and he fired again. A moment later, he wasn’t alone. Men and women stepped up, filling the empty spaces beside him all along the canyon wall.
Alex glanced to the other wall of the canyon, and spotted Felix taking his place on the other edge followed by hundreds of citizens. They were armed and, backlit by the sun, they appeared more like a formidable army than a group of volunteer citizens risking their lives on a desperate plan.
She heard the rattle of an automatic weapon coming from in front of them. She glanced over her shoulder, looking through the front of their transport. Two more trucks, mounted with weapons, and an army of people were waiting in the road. They fired into the mass of Twisted.