Knight Awakening

by Zanetti, Rebecca

  Her ears rang, but she pushed herself up on her hands and knees, swaying in the rain. It was raining? Gingerly lifting her face, she let the cool droplets center her. Groaning, she pushed up with her hands to stand, weaving as she gained her balance. Somebody would need a doctor.

  Blinking, she turned around, her body feeling like Marcus’s muscled mass had landed on her.

  He stood, blood on his arm. “Penny?”

  She nodded and then winced as lights flashed behind her eyes. “I’m okay. Everyone will be concussed, at the very least.” Swallowing, she tried to listen, but her hearing had fuzzed. She reached up and rubbed her ears, gesturing for Marcus to do the same thing. It’d help.

  He shook his head and turned around to face the devastation. The back of his shirt was shredded, and several pieces of wood stuck out from his flesh, which was bleeding freely. He’d protected her from flying debris.

  She turned to see a fiery, gaping hole where the clubhouse had been. Fire roared into the sky, and debris kept falling. Several soldiers were down. Bunching her energy, she ran toward a woman lying face down, her brown hair singed. “Louise?” She gently felt along Louise’s neck.

  The woman started and rolled over, smacking Penelope in the arm. Her blue eyes widened, and she pressed a burned hand to her head. “Ow.”

  Penelope blinked through the smoke. “Take stock before moving. Head to toe. What hurts?”

  “Everything,” Louise muttered, sitting up. “I’m okay, Doc. Check on the others.”

  Penelope patted her leg. “Go put your hand in the river. It’ll stop the burning.” Then she stood and stumbled to the next unconscious body, hoping for another good result.

  It nearly thirty minutes until she had everyone catalogued. They had two dead, four if they included the Elite Force soldiers, and she’d have to grieve for them later. She stood and stretched her back, motioning for somebody to come help her. “We have to set this leg before we get on the road.”

  Percy, a young soldier from somewhere in Canada, lay on the ground with his face contorted in pain.

  Sami jogged up, bruises across her forehead and her left wrist bleeding. “I can help.”

  “Okay.” Penelope gave her instructions and positioned the sticks and cloth. “Great job with opening the door, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” Sami said, grasping Percy’s leg and giving him a sympathetic look. “I figured there had to be a failsafe inside the system somewhere. The other Bunker had one, so it was just a matter of breaking through the layers of security to find it.”

  “Now,” Penelope whispered.

  Sami jerked and reset the bone.

  Percy hissed, his body stiffened, and he passed out.

  Penelope relaxed slightly. It was easier dealing with the leg without causing the man more pain. She made the necessary wrap and then looked up, catching sight of Raze and Larry as they helped the injured get closer to the river and away from the building. Both men were bleeding and moving stiffly, and based on the amount of blood on Larry’s neck, he needed more stitches.

  Jax jogged up, his soot covering his angled face. “We about ready to move, Doc? The president will be sending reinforcements.”

  Penelope accepted his outstretched hand and stood. “It looks like I need to suture a few people back together, and then we can get on the road.” Her gaze naturally sought Marcus, who stood looking at the burning building. “We didn’t get any of the research we needed.”

  “A problem for another day,” Jax said, patting her shoulder. “For now, let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Another soldier ran up with her medical kit in his hands. “Here you go, Doc Penelope.”

  “Thanks, Frank,” she said, accepting the kit. “Jax? Why do you think there were only two Elite soldiers here? Wouldn’t the president have wanted a full-out assault?”

  Jax scrubbed a bruised hand through his dark hair. “My guess is that somehow we triggered the cameras, and the president connected remotely. He must’ve had two men on this place, in case we found it. Once we find him, we can discover just how many Bunkers he knows about and has staked out.”

  Sami stood and both of her knees popped. “There wasn’t a trigger automatically set in the system, Jax. I would’ve seen it.”

  The scar stood out down the side of his bronze face. “What the hell does that mean?”

  Sami picked grass out of her hair, her movements slow. “My guess would’ve been that somehow those two soldiers saw us and then notified the president.”

  “That isn’t your guess?” Penelope asked.

  Sami shook her head. “No. A signal was sent out from the Bunker to notify the president. I traced it in the computer, but I couldn’t tell where it originated.”

  Jax lowered his voice. “You’re telling me that one of us sent out a signal to the president from that place? How?”

  “I don’t know how or who did it.” She looked toward the grouping of soldiers safely away from the burning fire. “Frankly, we were probably lucky Lynne was with us this time. Atherton would’ve just blown us up without a word otherwise. He really wants her, doesn’t he?”

  Jax’s jaw snapped. “Yeah.” He turned and looked at Lynne, who was helping an injured Larry sit on a bench. “Atherton isn’t going to stop.”

  Marcus approached, mottled bruises down the side of his neck. “We have to take him out. I know you thought that maybe we could reach an agreement with him, but that will never happen. It’s time to end him.”

  “Agreed,” Jax said, his face harder than Penelope had ever seen it. “Let’s get back home and come up with a plan.”

  Penelope looked toward the two soldiers lying near the fire who’d never rise again. They needed to bury their dead, too. Again.

  The Bunker still burned, the fire crackling almost merrily. Marcus’s headache had lowered to a dull pounding as he made sure Penelope was settled in the front seat of the truck, just as two SUVs careened down the road toward them, their occupants shooting at each other. He grasped Penny’s arm and pulled her out of the vehicle, setting her in front of him and against the front tire. “Stay down.” He set his gun on the hood, not sure where to aim.

  Jax dove next to him, landing and coming up fast. “Blue?” he bellowed.

  “Covered,” Sami yelled back. “We’re behind the yellow truck. Need a status.”

  “Don’t have one,” Jax returned, standing next to Marcus with his gun aimed at the swerving trucks. “They’re shooting at each other.”

  The first truck plowed into the side of the other, barreling them both into a series of rusting golf carts to grind to a harsh stop. Something popped and steam rose from a hissing engine.

  Penny started to rise, and Marcus put his free hand on her shoulder. “Keep your head down, Doc. We need you.”

  “I have a gun,” she said, her voice shaking.

  “If I go down, you can stand up and use it,” he said evenly. Right now, he wasn’t sure which truck held the threat. Maybe both did. He watched the scenario unfold. Two men wearing black Elite shirts stumbled out of the farthest truck. He aimed at one, waiting.

  A man and a woman slid out of the nearest SUV, ducking down and facing the Vanguard soldiers with their guns pointed. The man was massive with dark hair, and the woman a curvy brunette with dusky skin. Both held their guns like they knew how to use them.

  Jax didn’t move. “You have to admire their composure, considering they’re between a rock and a hard place.”

  Marcus nodded. The Elite soldiers were coming up on the other side of the couple’s SUV, splitting up to take each side.

  “Take out the Elite soldiers,” Jax ordered, firing at the man on the right.

  Marcus fired instantly, hitting the soldier to the left between the eyes. Both went down without another sound.

  “Hold remaining fire,” Jax called out. “Whoever you are, throw down your weapons. We have about ten trained on you, and I can guarantee not one person will miss.”

  The man e
dged in front of the woman to block her and stood, letting his gun hand drop, but retaining his weapon. “There’s no need to get testy. Our fight isn’t with you.” He spoke in a clear Scottish brogue, which fit the man perfectly. He looked at the demolished building. “We’ll be on our way.”

  “Deacan?” Lynne Harmony’s voice rose.

  The woman behind this Deacan stood and leaned around him. “Lynne?” she called out.

  Jax’s shoulders relaxed. “Stay where you are, Blue,” he ordered. “Deacan? Drop the guns. Now.”

  The large Scot shook his head and tucked his gun at the back of his waist. “No.” He angled his head to see past the first truck. “Harmony? Is that really you?”

  “Yes.” Lynne broke free of Sami and ran toward the couple.

  “Damn it.” Jax moved faster than Marcus could stop him. “Cover me.”

  Marcus nodded, his gun remaining trained on this Deacan.

  The woman behind Deacan shoved him to the side and ran for Lynne, dropping her gun on the way.

  Oh. Marcus sat back and took his finger off the trigger.

  The women impacted with a hug, laughing and talking at the same time, their joy obvious at finding each other. Both had tears in their eyes.

  Penny stood in front of Marcus and watched the scene. “Well. This is unexpected.”

  No kidding.

  The two women released each other, each still talking at once and pointing at the men. Lynne moved for Deacan, and he enveloped her in a hug before reaching out to shake Jax’s hand.

  Marcus pulled back from the hood. “We good, Jax?”

  Jax nodded. “Oh. Yeah. Everyone stand down.” He motioned Marcus toward him.

  Marcus hesitated and then took Penny’s hand to walk toward the couple.

  Lynne’s eyes danced with happiness. “Marcus and Doc Penelope, this is Nora and Deacan Devlin McDougall. Nora and I went to school together and worked on Scorpius before everything went to hell. She and Deacan run the Brigade now, and they’re still alive. Can you believe it?”

  “No,” Marcus said, shaking Deacan’s hand. “Where has the Brigade been?”

  Nora reached out to hold Lynne’s hand, tears still in her eyes. “We took care of several threats along the way and just started a new mission. The rest of our team is doing surveillance right now. For the new mission.” Her gaze sought Deacan’s, but she didn’t elaborate. “Right, Deke?”

  Deke nodded. “Aye. Nora and I were coming back from a scouting mission and saw the explosion and then the truck of the Elite Force zoom by. So we engaged them.”

  Okay. This might be good.

  Jax must’ve thought the same thing. “So, how about you tell us about your new mission?” The team filed around them, wounded, burned, and bleeding.

  Deke ran a hand down Nora’s thick hair. Her brown eyes sparkled, and a pretty peach filled her dusky face. “The president has gone nuts, and we’re gonna have to take him down. We were going to approach Vanguard, anyway. It’s a suicide mission, and probably the last for the Brigade, but it’s gonna happen.”

  Jax smiled and clapped Deke on the back. “Well now. Today is looking up.”

  The rest of the building crumbled in on itself and sparks flew into the rainy day. With a groan, the floor dropped out, burning the rest of the Bunker to ash.

  Marcus turned to where he’d been held and tortured. It was gone.

  So was any chance of saving those pregnancies back in Vanguard-Merc territory. Anger still heated hot and pure throughout his entire aching body. It was time to end the people who’d hurt him and were threatening Penelope. Even if it meant he gave his life. She was worth it. He pulled Penny into his side as she watched any hope burn away.

  Life was about to get much harder, and last week, he would’ve thought that was impossible.

  Jax’s expression went grim. “Let’s get back home for now and start planning. We’re outmatched, and it isn’t going to be good. We need plans in place for civilian survivors, if there are any.”

  Marcus turned Penelope toward the truck. “I’ll drive first.” He needed to do something.

  Anything.

  32

  The best scientific minds in the world are working with me right now. It has to be enough.

  —Doctor Penelope Kim, Journal

  Even the enthusiastic chatter coming from Lynne’s lab back at headquarters failed to lift Penelope’s mood as she rifled once again through useless medical records. Nothing she’d read in the Portland Bunker files, during the brief moments she’d had, helped right now. Jill was back in their quarters, and her contractions had stopped, but that was temporary.

  How was she going to save those pregnancies?

  Giving up, she shoved the papers aside and stood, crossing out of her office to go into the lab. At least she wasn’t with Marcus and Jax right now, as they tried to find out which one of their soldiers had notified the president when they’d arrived in the Portland Bunker. “Hi,” she said, feeling a little like an outsider.

  Lynne’s smile was genuine. “Penny. Come on in.” She and Nora sat at a plastic orange tiled table with notes spread in front of them. “We’re trying to remember all the different concoctions of Vitamin Bs and other experimental medicines we used before Scorpius shut us all down. Maybe we can find something that will allow pregnant women to carry to term.”

  Penny took the third seat and sank onto it. “I appreciate it. We’re running out of time, and my brain isn’t cooperating.”

  Nora twirled a pen in her right hand. “I’ve missed working in a lab, but the Brigade had some fires to put out first. I’ll tell you guys all about it after we finish with these equations.” She rubbed her left eye. “The rest of our team should be here later, as well. You’ll like them. They’re quite the rowdy bunch.”

  Penelope could only imagine. “What do you guys have?”

  “Not much,” Lynne admitted, her green eyes losing the humor. “We were experimenting with new antibiotics, considering Scorpius is a bacterium and not a virus, but we didn’t have time to conduct any clinical trials before the electricity went down and we had to flee.”

  The grids had gone down so much faster than anybody had hoped. It felt decent to be with other scientists, and Penelope enjoyed both women. “We have some antibiotics in the safe, if you think of anything.” What she wouldn’t give to have the right pill like some sort of miracle. Wouldn’t happen, though.

  She reached for a stack of notes. “How about a fresh set of eyes?” Not that her eyes were fresh, by any means. If she read any more, they might just pop out of her head. But she couldn’t give up.

  Nora pushed the papers away and muttered in rapid Spanish. She sighed. “My eyes can’t take any more right now.”

  They were so on the same wavelength. “I don’t speak Spanish,” Penelope admitted. “I could go off in Korean to make things interesting.” She grinned, even her lips feeling tired.

  Nora smiled. “I’m from Brazil. Just said that this sucks, basically. How about we brainstorm instead of read for a round?”

  “Works for me.” Lynne dropped the paper she was reading to the table. “So. Let’s think this through. We can—”

  Vinnie poked her head in. “Are you guys having fun without me?” Her hair was back in an intricate braid today, making her look young and fresh.

  Penelope kicked out the final chair. “Have a seat. We’re brainstorming.”

  “Huh. Well, okay.” She’d dressed down today in jeans and a flannel shirt. “I can be the common sense addition to all of you doctorates, I guess.”

  Penelope lifted an eyebrow. “You have a doctorate.”

  “Not in medicine or medical research,” Vinnie said, sitting on the plastic chair. “Psychology is less, well, messy.”

  Right. Like the brain wasn’t messy. Penelope shook her head. “All right, Lynne. Give it a go.”

  Lynne took a deep breath. “Okay. Scorpius is a bacteria that is resistant to all known antibiotics, as far as we know. T
he bug infects the brain and changes people in ways we haven’t come close to exploring yet.”

  Nora nodded. “The vitamin B concoction slows the progression of Scorpius so it can’t take hold as strongly, in about eighty percent of the infected. Unfortunately, it remains alive in the bloodstream for the life of the survivor. For some reason, that makes it difficult for a baby to come full term during pregnancy.” She looked at Penelope.

  Penelope nodded. “So basic transitive property says that while the bacterium can infect a fetus, unfortunately, there’s no transplacental transfer with the vitamin Bs. Nobody knows why, considering a fetus usually gets plenty of nutrients and vitamins from the mother.”

  Vinnie tapped her fingernails on the table. “Can you inject the B directly into the fetus?”

  Penelope sighed. “With an ultrasound and a neonatal surgeon. As a last resort, I could try it, but without ultrasonic equipment, chances are terrible.” She didn’t even have the right equipment. “We don’t have any neonatal supplies here, and even in the absolute best of circumstances, injecting anything into a fetus carries a risk of infection to the mother’s uterus, possible fetal injury, and definitely preterm labor.” She tilted her head. “We’ve scoured local hospitals, which were cleaned out right away. I don’t even know where we’d get what we’d need, even if the mother wanted to go through without the benefit of ultrasound.”

  Nora turned to Lynne. “Your heart is blue, which means that whatever was injected into your veins was strong enough to penetrate and actually change your heart.”

  Lynne looked down at her blue glow. “I know, but even after all of the tests, we never pieced together exactly what was in the injection. A bunch of B, some Vitamin D, several different samples of super-antibiotics, including Vancomycin, and extrapolated cells from jellyfish and probably squid.”

  That was quite the combination. Penelope tried not to stare at Lynne’s blue chest. “Zack Barter has never given you the recipe? In all of this time?” That jerk was the one who’d purposefully infected Lynne.

  Lynne shook her head. “He doesn’t know. There were several different experiments, and he combined a bunch, without even remotely knowing what he was doing. We could torture him until the end of days, and he wouldn’t be able to provide any more information.”