Cracks in Reality (Seams in Reality Book 2)

by Siegel, Alex

  The question appeared to confuse Scalps. Tungsten realized the assassin was probably the victim of mind-control and wasn't being paid anything.

  "It doesn't matter," Tungsten said. "I need you to die quietly. Would you like a knife fight?"

  Scalps smiled slightly. "Are you serious?"

  "Always. Toss all your guns and draw your knife. I'll do the same. Quickly. I have kids to save."

  Scalps snorted with amusement. He threw all his guns onto the rocks below and drew a knife from a sheath on his belt. It had a long, beautiful blade with a blue finish.

  Tungsten did the same, although he was more careful. He didn't want to damage any of his guns, his rifle in particular. With only a combat knife in hand, he boldly walked down the stream bed to Scalps.

  "How did you find us?" Scalps said.

  "I hid in the truck," Tungsten said.

  Scalps raised his eyebrows in surprise.

  Tungsten settled into a defensive stance. "Let's do this."

  "If you know me, then you know knife work is my specialty. I'll cut you to ribbons and then take your scalp. That Mohawk will be a nice addition to my collection."

  "Stop talking and start cutting."

  Tungsten had studied under martial arts masters including several in Asia. He had a pretty good idea of the style Scalps would employ given his background. Certain moves and counter-moves would happen reflexively. Tungsten played out the chess game in his head.

  Scalps lunged. Tungsten blocked and countered. Scalps drew back in an attempt to cut Tungsten's hand. Tungsten was already a step ahead and evaded the counter-attack. The flurry lasted only a few more seconds, and when it ended, Scalps was on the ground. He had a broken right arm and a knife buried to the hilt in his gut.

  Scalps touched his belly, and his hand came away covered in blood. He stared in disbelief.

  "What happened?" he whispered.

  "Before you fight somebody," Tungsten said, "you should take a moment to find out who you're fighting. Your mistake was arrogance. Good bye."

  He kicked Scalps in the head to knock him out. He would bleed to death shortly.

  Tungsten went to collect his guns.

  * * *

  "You're wasting precious time," Blake said. "I don't know what there is to think about. I'm offering you the dream of every sorcerer: knowledge, power, and freedom. Just think of what we could accomplish together. I intend to elevate all sorcerers to their rightful place as masters of the world. Instead of being a government stooge, you can live by your own rules as is your destiny."

  "You mean by your rules," Andrew said.

  "Not necessarily. A brilliant young mind like yours deserves a certain amount of leeway. I would never destroy your personality. I will merely restrain it."

  "What about Phillip? You obliterated him."

  Blake looked at the boy. "He was too young. He had nothing to offer besides his raw talent, so that's all I kept. You and Charley are a different case. You're already accomplished sorcerers trained by an expert. Throwing that away would be a terrible waste. I just need to put a few hooks into your minds to guarantee your loyalty. It won't hurt, I promise. You'll hardly feel any different. Of course, we could just start with Charley. I'm guessing her psychic defenses will be easier to overcome."

  Andrew gritted his teeth. He couldn't stand the idea of Blake turning Charley into his slave. Andrew had only one other option.

  "Fine," Andrew growled. "Take me to the cave. Let's get this over with."

  "No!" Charley yelled. "Don't!"

  "Sorry. I have to. It's the only chance we have."

  Andrew was betting he was strong enough to defeat both Blake and Phillip at once. They didn't know he was a war mage, but it was still a bold gamble. He would be squaring off against two experts in the art of psychic warfare.

  Blake still had two guards with him. The muscular men picked up Andrew and started carrying him up the hill, leaving Charley behind.

  * * *

  Tungsten looked through the scope of his rifle. He saw two assassins carrying Andrew up a steep slope towards a cave. The teenager was still tied and helpless. Blake and Phillip were with the group, but they moved quickly and vanished into the cave before Tungsten had time to line up a shot. Phillip appeared to be cooperating freely with Blake but was probably another victim of mind-control. The spell was insidious.

  At least I know where Blake is now, Tungsten thought.

  He moved the rifle and spotted Charley further down the hill. She was also tightly bound. A collar around her neck displayed tiny red numbers. A bomb. It was a classic trick for forcing captives to cooperate.

  Tungsten couldn't rescue her immediately. Her position was too exposed. He could account for three assassins, but at least three more were in the area. Dealing with them came first.

  He visually scanned the terrain and came up with a plan. It was time to get loud.

  * * *

  Andrew felt a chill as he entered the dark cave. Blake turned on a flashlight which illuminated a narrow, rocky space. Andrew saw a few bones, but they were clearly from small animals.

  The group struggled to get through some tight passages and finally reached the back of the cave where the seam was located. As they approached the potent energy source, Andrew's awareness expanded. Thoughts flickered through his mind much faster than normal. He settled into a meditative state and readied himself for psychic combat.

  Andrew had no intention of cooperating. If he lost the fight, he would make sure he ended up brain dead and useless if not actually dead. One way or another, Blake wouldn't get a war mage as a slave.

  The guards put Andrew on the rocky floor of the cave. Andrew rolled around to try to make himself more comfortable, but it was impossible. The rocks were sharp. The presence of the seam directly over his head was some comfort.

  Blake placed the flashlight on the floor pointed up.

  "Leave us," he said. "Watch the entrance."

  Icepick and Skater clambered over the rocks to escape.

  Phillip tried to take a step, tripped, and fell into Blake. Blake pushed the boy off.

  "Sorry," Phillip said.

  "Don't be so clumsy," Blake said. "Just stop moving around."

  "OK."

  Blake looked down at Andrew. "It's time for you to open your mind."

  Andrew shook his head. "Make me."

  "A juvenile, foolish response, but not unexpected. Very well. We'll try to minimize the damage when we pry you open like an oyster. Phillip, join me."

  Twin energy storms swirled around Blake and Phillip. Andrew expected it, but the raw power on display still intimidated him.

  The attack came suddenly. A thousand images of horror and pain crashed into Andrew's mind like an invading army. He immediately retreated to his internal fortress. High walls made of clocks and mathematics protected him and gave him time to recover his composure. He could still feel the psychic pressure though. The enemy was pounding on the gates.

  * * *

  Tungsten had one assassin in his sights. Crosshairs were centered on the back of the man's head. Tungsten pulled the trigger on his rifle, and an instant later, the head exploded like a watermelon dropped off a building.

  Tungsten was high up on the hill. He scrambled to get even higher until he found another spot with good cover on all sides. He aimed his rifle down at his former position.

  * * *

  "What was that?" Blake said. "I heard a noise."

  He frowned. Now wasn't a good time for complications. Andrew had some kind of psychic shell in his mind, and Blake had never encountered anything like it before. He and Phillip were applying as much pressure as they could, but Andrew's defenses were stubbornly holding firm. At least he wasn't fighting back. The battle was currently a stalemate.

  "Maybe I should go check," Phillip said.

  "No," Blake said. "Not now. The fight is on. I'm sure we can break through and win if we keep at it."

  "OK."

  * * *

/>   Tungsten saw a shadow in the woods below. It was just a fleeting patch of darkness, but it was enough for him. He aimed at a spot ahead of the enemy.

  The silhouette of a man moved into view. Tungsten pulled the trigger, and the silhouette collapsed.

  Tungsten stood up and scrambled to reach his next position.

  * * *

  Another gunshot distracted Phillip. Somebody out there was attacking.

  Phillip looked over at Blake. The old man was entirely focused on puncturing Andrew's extraordinary defenses. The apprentice seemed to have a unique gift.

  He's a war mage, Phillip realized. That's why Tonya sent him after us. We can't win.

  Phillip kept that thought to himself.

  He put his hand on his pocket and felt the remote control for the collar bombs. He had stolen it from Blake. Phillip didn't trust Blake with something so important.

  Blake was shielding himself from Andrew but not Phillip. Phillip implanted a simple belief in Blake's mind. I'm still here. I haven't left.

  Phillip quickly made his way through the cave, scrambling over the rocks. His small body was an advantage in the tight spaces.

  Two assassins were crouched inside the mouth of the cave. The sun had started to rise, and orange light was streaming in.

  "I need to go down to the trucks," Phillip said.

  "We're under attack," Icepick said. "It's dangerous out there."

  "I know. We have to run. Stay with me. If I fall, pick me up and keep going."

  "Yes, sir."

  Phillip ran out of the cave followed closely by the two assassins.

  * * *

  Tungsten spotted movement on the side of the mountain. He swiveled his rifle around to get a better look.

  Phillip was running down the steep slope. Two men were right behind him, and it wasn't clear whether they were chasing or guarding the child. Tungsten couldn't take a shot either way. The noise would give away his position.

  It didn't really matter. Tungsten's priorities were killing Blake and rescuing the apprentices. Dealing with Phillip was at best a secondary objective. Besides, the boy was a victim of mind-control, and only a sorcerer could fix him. Tungsten could do nothing.

  He had killed three assassins, and two were running off. At least one was left. Tungsten settled down and waited for his enemy.

  * * *

  Andrew sensed the pressure on his defenses lessen. He cautiously peeked outside his mental walls.

  Phillip was gone. Only Blake remained in the cave, but for some reason, the master sorcerer continued to fight with the same confidence.

  Andrew saw his opportunity. Blake's behavior suggested his deepest fear was becoming irrelevant. He had spent his life trying to become the most powerful person in the world. He had taken enormous risks to achieve that goal. They were the actions of a fundamentally insecure man.

  Andrew abruptly switched from defense to offense. He struck with an image showing the incredible vastness of the universe. The Earth was a mere speck of dust, and Blake was a speck on a speck. All his achievements wouldn't matter in the end. Eventually, the sun would consume the Earth, and then even the sun would die. Blake would be completely forgotten.

  The attack worked perfectly. Blake fell back and struggled to regain his focus. He couldn't shake off the powerful image Andrew had forced on him.

  Andrew exploited the opportunity to attack again. He crushed Blake with feelings of terror and helplessness. Andrew squeezed Blake's mind with a fist made of sorcery. Blake struggled like a pig caught in the grip of a mighty python.

  "Stop!" he whimpered. "I beg you! You win."

  "Turn off the collars," Andrew commanded.

  Blake reached into his pocket, but his hand came out empty. He turned to the spot where Phillip had stood before. "Phillip? What happened to my remote control?"

  Andrew saw the source of the confusion. Phillip had turned the tables and had used a little mind-control on his master. Blake falsely believed Phillip was still in the cave.

  Andrew felt the energy coming from the eight portable seams in the truck. They were moving away. Phillip was escaping.

  "He abandoned you," Andrew said. "He picked your pocket and stole your treasure. He left you to die at my hand. He's more like you than even you realized."

  "No!" Blake cried.

  "Untie me."

  Blake had no choice but to comply. He drew a knife and began to cut the ropes which bound Andrew.

  * * *

  Tungsten was lying on the cool, hard dirt. He was in a very defensible position with only two good approaches: in front and in back. He stared down the scope of his rifle towards the front. If his enemy showed as much as a single hair in that direction, Tungsten would blow it off. The pine forest was perfectly still.

  An explosion behind him shattered the silence.

  He smiled. Grenades made wonderful booby-traps, and he knew how to set them so they were practically invisible.

  Tungsten cautiously stood up and looked back. A dead body dressed in black was missing some chunks.

  Tungsten ran towards Charley. He didn't know how much time was left on the bomb around her neck, but it couldn't be much.

  When he arrived, he saw tears on her cheeks, but she seemed calm.

  "Tungsten!" she said. "I was hoping you were the one doing all that shooting."

  The bomb had four minutes left on the timer. Tungsten used a knife to slice the ropes and free her.

  "Thank me later," he said. "Do you think you can disable the bomb like the other time?"

  "I can try. There is a seam in the cave, but Andrew and Blake are also in there."

  "I saw them go in. I also saw Phillip run away."

  "You let him go?" Charley said.

  "I wasn't supposed to?"

  "Forget it. Come on. We have to get to the seam!"

  As soon as she was free, she sprinted up the hill. Tungsten followed her.

  * * *

  Andrew stood up and rubbed his wrists. He had planned to rescue Charley, but she was coming to him instead. He sensed the location of her energy clearly, and she was moving fast. Apparently, somebody had cut her loose. He just had to wait for her to arrive.

  Andrew faced Blake. "Take that knife and stick it in your eye."

  Blake was shaking with the effort to resist the command.

  Andrew increased the psychic pressure to an unbearable level. He felt a kind of joy because he was finally able to release his full power as a war mage on a deserving target.

  "Do it," Andrew said.

  Blake turned the knife in his hand around. He brought it up to his right eyeball and began to push. Blood dripped down his cheek.

  "Deeper," Andrew said.

  Blake made a moaning noise. He pushed the knife until it was a full inch in. More blood and fluid squirted out.

  "Very good. Now slam your face against the wall as hard as you can."

  Blake walked stiffly over to the wall of the cave. He reared back and lurched forward violently. The knife went in another inch.

  "Again," Andrew said.

  Blake rammed the knife deeper. He staggered back and collapsed with blood gushing down his face. His brain had been punctured. Andrew sensed Blake's energy fade away.

  Andrew took a deep breath. Now we just have to deal with Phillip.

  Blake had brought a briefcase into the cave. It contained notebooks taken from the Vault including the ones Andrew's grandfather had written. Andrew considered what he would do about it. He couldn't allow this unique opportunity to get away.

  He heard Charley entering the cave. Judging from her grunts, the sharp rocks were giving her trouble.

  She finally reached Andrew, and they hugged. He was shocked when Tungsten also appeared.

  "How did you get here?" Andrew said.

  "Deal with the bombs first," Tungsten said. "You have one minute."

  Charley stood with her head inside the seam. She put her hand on her neck and concentrated. Andrew sensed her energy fla
re up. She squeezed her hand, and the bomb crumbled. She threw the broken collar to the floor.

  "Thirty seconds," Tungsten said.

  Charley put her hand on Andrew's collar. He tried to remain perfectly still despite his nervousness. When she pulled the collar off, his knees felt weak with relief.

  They hugged again, and he kissed her.

  "Well done." Tungsten looked down at Blake's corpse. "You stabbed him in the eye with a knife. Nice."

  "No," Andrew said. "I made him stab himself. It seemed fitting."

  "Oh. Nasty."

  Charley took a step back from Andrew.

  "What happened to Blake's friends?" he said.

  "I killed four," Tungsten said. "Two left with Phillip."

  Andrew grimaced. "That's a problem. They took the truck full of portable seams and probably lots of other stuff from the Vault."

  "Why is that a problem? He's just a kid."

  "A kid with Blake's mind installed in him. Phillip is a master sorcerer now, and probably just as evil as Blake."

  "How is that possible?" Tungsten said.

  "I don't know exactly, but Blake did it. This fight isn't over." Andrew kicked the corpse. "The tricky bastard is dead, but he fooled us again anyway." He felt a surge of dark rage.

  "We'd better go down to the trucks and try to find a phone. We need to report to the BPI."

  Charley nodded. "Tonya must be worried sick."

  The three of them started off, but then Andrew looked back at the briefcase.

  "I'd better grab that," he said. "Those notebooks need to go back into the Vault."

  He picked up the briefcase, and the group headed out of the cave. Escaping from the dark, rocky hole added a few more bruises and scrapes to Andrew's already battered body, but he did his best to ignore the pain. He would heal.

  During the walk down the hill, everybody told their tale. Tungsten related acts of improbable heroism and skill as if they were just another day at the office. It turned out Blake's guards had been high-level assassins, but Tungsten had mowed them down just the same.

  "It's all about maintaining the initiative," he explained. "You just have to be a little quicker and smarter than your enemies. Don't give them time to get organized."

  The group arrived at the two remaining trucks. The excitement of the adventure was wearing off, and Andrew desperately wanted to rest, but he couldn't yet.