by C. B. Stone
“I have a plan.”
Everyone around me stops talking, waiting to hear their orders. But this time, I have none to give. My plan is simple. Direct. Clean.
“I’m going in. Alone.”
“Alone?” Michael asks, although he doesn’t look all that surprised by my statement.
“If we go in as an army, their city will become a battlefield. It will be a bloodbath. Innocents will die by the hundred, if not thousands. I cannot have that, not on my watch. I’ll go in, alone. Penetrate the fortress and take out Ms. Blackwood myself. I will end this.”
I expect Michael to argue. After all, we’d come all this way for a battle, and here I am, telling him his services are no longer needed. But he doesn’t argue. Instead, he motions for a soldier to come forth.
“Here,” he says. “You’re going to need this.”
“Need what?” I turn to see what the soldier is holding. It’s a weapon. But it’s smaller than the BirdKiller, and looks more like a traditional gun. However it’s still a nice, shiny, new-age gun, unlike any I’ve ever seen before.
“What is it?”
“Let’s call it BirdKiller 2.0,” he grins, letting out a bark of laughter. “It’s very similar in what it does, it will destroy anything that comes in contact with the blast- but it’s on a smaller scale. Less likely to cause damage to neighboring houses or people nearby. It won’t take out an air craft, but it can take out a few walls.” He inclines his head meaningfully.
I take hold of the weapon. It’s lighter than it appears and cold to the touch. Knowing I’m holding a deadly piece of machinery in my hands, something that could wipe a person’s existence off the face of this planet with a simple pull of the trigger, scares me to death. I’ve always liked being in control of my army, but this kind of control is different. Having this much raw power in my hands is terrifying.
I believe in you.
It has been so long since I’ve heard His voice in my head that I almost jump out of my skin. But there He is.
This is your calling, Fay. You, of all people, know the power that lies in your hands. And I trust that you won’t abuse such power. Only you can be trusted with such a monumental task. You are a woman of great character, Fay. I should know, I created you.
I almost sense a smile or something in the voice in my head, and I smile inside back. Only me. That settles it then. My mission, my purpose, was decided long before I’d been born. All this time, I have prepared for battle, commanded the Bethel army, and for what? To make the decision to go in alone, to fight this war one-on-one. I shake my head ruefully.
“Thank you,” I incline my head at Michael, placing the weapon carefully in the holster I’m handed, and attaching it around my hips.
Unlike the original BirdKiller, this one is small enough to conceal against my body with an old trench coat.
“Just know, Commander Pythe, we have your back. And we will be watching from above,” Michael reassures me.
“As will He,” I reply, stepping off to start my journey into the City’s limits. “As will He.”
XXIII
MARCUS
Grayburn is replaced by another officer, one I’m not as familiar with. The man mumbled his name, but I didn’t catch it. Whatever. It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I continue staring at my screen, my stomach suddenly growling with hunger. Nothing has happened out in the Darklands for some time, and I briefly consider grabbing a bite to eat and leaving the new guy to figure things out on his own.
Decision made, “I’ll be back,” I mutter, shoving my seat back and abruptly standing up. The new guy looks up in surprise. “Can you keep an eye on things for a bit?”
New guy nods, still not speaking. He’s typing away, furiously communicating something to someone but not saying a word to me. Curiosity piqued, I ask, “What’s going on?”
The man’s lips twist. “Oh nothing- except for the army outside our gates. Did your old pal not mention that?”
I rush over to look at the screen. All this time, I’d been watching the Darklands. Grayburn had been tasked with keeping an eye on the perimeter of the City. How did he miss this? There’s no denying it. The enemy’s forces are massed out at the edges of the City and it’s been right there on the screen this entire time.
“No, he didn’t,” I sit back down in my chair, heart thundering wildly.
“Ms. Blackwood,” the new guy barks into the intercom. “We need you in the control room immediately.”
Once he gets off the intercom, he faces me. “Almost makes me wonder what else the two of you have missed. Perhaps I should check your controls as well?”
I don’t say anything. The last I checked, the signal for Jaelynn and Noah was weak, barely a sign of them. Even if Officer Know-It-All hops on my computer, he won’t find anything. But still, the idea that he can search through records and look back at the signals I chose to ignore, terrifies me.
The door opens, and Leora Blackwood rushes into the room. “Yes?” she asks, her voice vibrating with excitement. “What is it? This better be important.”
“It is, Ms. Blackwood, trust me,” Officer No-Name assures her. Officer Grayburn didn’t mention to you that a large army was approaching our perimeter, did he?”
Ms. Blackwood’s eyes narrow. “No, he did not,” she all but spits.
“I would venture to say he did that on purpose,” the man says, his tone calm and cold. I continue to stare straight ahead at my screen. “And I would be very curious to know if these two haven’t been conspiring in some way. After all, it is his daughter out there. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn Grayburn and Rose have been working together on this.”
“What? No way,” I shoot back. “I’m not involved in any of this. This is all news to me.”
Leora is next to me in less than an instant. She seems to move faster than light, and it’s wholly disconcerting. I blink, staring up at her. Her brow furrows and her teeth bare, gleaming white in the light, almost like a wild dog growling at its prey.
“Officer Rose, if any of this is true, not only do I have the authority to execute you on the spot, I have the authority to execute your wife as well. Now... consider your responses carefully. Are you sure you are not involved in any of this?” She hisses the last part, before continuing, “I have the ability to make your deaths quick and merciful, or tortuous and painful. All up to you, my dear. Speak now, or I will find out on my own. And if I find you have been conspiring against me, you better hope there is a God in heaven to put you and your family back together again, when I am done with you.” She glares down at me, her soulless eyes full of a hatred that it’s beyond my capacity to comprehend.
My training kicks into gear. I remain calm, even in the face of her ire. I know how to lie, to keep my eyes blank even when my insides are screaming and knotting in terror. Meeting her gaze, I look into those cold, heartless eyes, and can’t help but wonder if this woman has ever possessed a soul. Somehow, I doubt it. I keep my face carefully composed as I speak.
“I don’t know what Grayburn was up to, or how he could have missed them. I really don’t. But you can check my records, look back on the cameras, and see that I never once spoke to him about such things.”
I honestly can’t fathom how Grayburn missed an entire army approaching this city. Is he really that careless? Sadly, he’s not here to ask or I’d be having a field day with him. So would Leora Blackwood, from the looks of things.
“Well, I’ll find out sooner or later, Rose. Trust me. I always find out,” she growls. “But first, I’m going to get some answers from that weasel Grayburn, and if he utters your name even once, your wife is going to understand the true meaning of pain. As will you, when I serve you her heart on a silver platter.” Her lips curve in a smile, her eyes gleaming.
I tense up, the knots in my belly squeezing even tighter. I wasn’t working with Grayburn, I honestly have no idea what is going on, but knowing our past history, I can’t be sure he won’t implicate me j
ust for kicks, the first chance he gets. The thought of Sierra suffering more than she already has- I can’t bear it. I almost speak up. I just don’t know what to do right now. Either way, she is probably going to wind up dead. One way will just be more painful than another.
Before I can open my mouth and get any other words out though, an alarm screeches, warning everyone to evacuate the building. It’s not a drill, either. Just what is going on right now?
“Is it the army?” Leora barks, turning back to Officer Know-It-All.
The man shakes his head. “I have my eye on them. They’re not moving. They’re waiting. For what, I’m not entirely sure, but they’ve not yet entered the city.”
“Send out ground troops,” she bellows over the ringing of the alarms. “And figure out why the alarms are going off, immediately. They’re giving me a blasted headache.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he salutes her.
Me and the new guy both sit stone still in our seats, knowing that for us, evacuating anywhere is not an option. We both know better. If the ship is going down, the captains are going down with it, like it or not. And I’m more than willing to do that, if necessary. I pray that somehow, Sierra makes it out alive in my stead.
Jaelynn needs her mother. She can survive without me. I haven’t been much of a father to her these last few years anyway, but her mother... her mother is precious to her. She will not die in this place, not if I have anything to say about it.
As the alarms continue to shriek around us, lights flickering, I think hard, beginning to formulate a plan.
XXIV
JAELYNN
“How much longer,” I gasp out.
I lumber along, my legs feeling more like rubber than actual legs, like they are on the verge of failing me altogether. I don’t know how much more I can take. The path has gotten much steeper, seeming to increase more with every mile we cover. Every step is taking more out of me than the one prior, so much so that I’m worried I’m not going to make it at all.
Everyone is feeling the aches and pain of the journey at this point. Mountain climbing clearly isn’t for the faint of heart. However, no one is complaining. I’ve even done my best to keep my thoughts confined to my head instead of speaking them out loud, and up until now, it’d worked. I grimace, gasping in a painfully cold, deep breath as I stumble over a rock with a grunt.
“Not much longer,” Cal responds, his breath coming out in little wisps of white mist.
The cold is almost too much, even more than the climb itself. I’m happy the soldiers had coats, because my long, ragged skirt wasn’t doing much of anything in the way of keeping my legs warm. Thankfully, one of the men also had an extra pair of pants and a belt I was able to borrow. The pants are beyond baggy, of course, and even the belt, cinched down to the last notch, fails to secure them properly. I have to continually pull them up, but I’m grateful regardless. If not for the ill-fitting pants, my poor legs would be all but frozen as we make our way higher and higher up the mountain face.
“How do we know when we’re there?” I ask Noah, hoping he remembers the answer. I hate bothering Cal with my questions, as he never seems much for talking anyway.
“My father always said you’d just know.”
I scoff. “You’d just know? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Beats me,” Noah says, forcing a smile on his face. “I never believed the place existed to begin with.”
None of that is helping. I look ahead, squinting my eyes so I can see through the sunlight bouncing off the snow. The glare is blinding. Up ahead, there looks to be a bright light. Is it the sun bouncing off an extra white patch of snow? An illusion? Am I dreaming?
As we approach closer, I peer harder, my brow furrowing. There’s no snow up ahead. It’s a patch of grass in the distance. Can it be? Have we finally reached our destination?
“Look, look there,” I say, pointing to the patch of grass.
Everyone stops short, causing Noah to nearly plow into the back of Cal.
“What is it?” Noah asks.
“It’s Dove’s Peak,” Cal says, his tone carrying a note of awe and wonder.
I can see a bird, off in the distance, flying high above the green grass.
“Is that a dove?” I ask.
“Why do you think they call it Dove’s Peak?” Noah says, a smile in his voice. “Yes, that is one thing I remember. Doves, as well as a host of other birds, call the peak their home.”
“I didn’t think birds cared much for the cold.” I observe, shivering. I don’t care much for the cold either.
“They don’t,” Noah replies.
Everyone starts walking again, faster now than before. Suddenly we find ourselves with renewed energy, enough to push forward, the end our journey now in sight.
The closer we get to the summit, the warmer it begins to feel. I end up having to ditch my coat as the sunshine warms my skin. Before long, the snow has melted entirely, and soon, we find ourselves standing in a field of flowers, high above the snowdrifts we just trekked through.
“I don’t understand it. Shouldn’t it be colder up here?”
“It should be,” Cal comments. “If it were just your average mountain. But apparently, this isn’t your average mountain.”
“It’s our safe haven,” I whisper.
I have a sudden desire to lose the pants I’m wearing, and put my skirt back on, no matter how raggedy it is. I’m nearly giddy with the newfound warmth. I want to lie down on the grass and feel the sun on my skin. There is a cabin in the center of the field, with a crystal clear stream running by it. It’s both quiet and loud, with the leaves of the trees nearby rustling in the wind, and animals and birds moving around in the brush, calling out to each other. The water rushes clean and clear through the stream and down the mountain, its ultimate path eventually obscured from view.
One of the majestic and beautiful birds flies right up to me, landing on my shoulder. It makes a cooing sound in my ear. I reach out, stroking white feathers that feel surprisingly soft, my lips parted and my eyes wide with wonder.
“How are we going to know when we can return?” I ask, though deep down, I’m not sure I want to return. The mountaintop is beautiful, serene and tranquil. It makes me wonder if this is what heaven might look like.
“We just will,” Noah responds quietly, his own face awash with peace and calm as he gazes around us. “We just will.”
And this time, I don’t argue with him. I know now, what it means to believe.
******
Fayne
I find my way into the Ministry compound relatively easily. Walking along the winding streets, I was bothered by no one. It almost felt too easy. I know that the rest of my mission won’t be nearly as simple. As I walk up to the iron gates, I stand for a moment and wonder if they are expecting me. Everything is so quiet, it almost feels as though I can walk right in and make myself at home.
But instead of walking through the gates, announcing my presence to anyone who may be watching, I know I need to find another way in. Chewing my lip, I gaze around me, and start walking again. Making my way around the massive wall, I head around to the backside of the compound. Pulling out the weapon Michael gave to me, I send up a tiny prayer. Please don’t be as loud as the big BirdKiller. Don’t give me away.
Holding my breath, I squeeze the trigger. A stream of light shoots from the barrel of the gun. No sound, just light. The wall in front of me explodes, and while that in and of itself is loud, it’s not nearly as loud as the air craft exploding had been. My gaze darts around, worried someone has seen or heard me. So far though, no one is coming. Stepping into the boundaries of the compound through the ruin of the wall, I put my weapon away.
Quickly making my way down the side of the wall, I see a door into the main building, and dart to it as quickly as my feet will carry me. Easing it open, I find myself inside a hallway. Moving rapidly down the hallway, trying to put as much space between me and my entry point as possible, I nearly barre
l into a guard who is walking down the hall, his nose buried in a file he is carrying. He does a double take when he sees me and almost drops his file. Before he can say or do anything, I have my sword in hand, and drive the butt of the hilt down on the side of his skull.
The guard collapses in a heap, but much to my chagrin, he remains conscious. Looking into his eyes, I can see they are wide with apparent fear. He can’t be but fifteen years old, he’s nothing more than a child. My lip curls. The Ministry is known for making kids do their dirty work, but seeing a young boy like this tugs at my heartstrings. He is a danger to no one.
Instead of killing him, I reach inside my bag and pull out some rope. Dragging him into a nearby room, I stuff a sock in his mouth, apologizing the whole time, and tie him up. But not before I take his uniform, leaving him trussed there in his underwear, sockless.
Now, I’ll be able to walk freely amongst the guards without worry. The uniform is a little loose on me, but it fits well enough. I walk out of the room and back down the hall, unchallenged by anyone. Not even when a guard notices the breach in the wall and the alarms begin echoing around the halls, does anyone question my right to be here. Mouth curving in a smile, I keep my head down and watch as they all run past me, like I’m one of their own.
I continue walking in the opposite direction of my entrance, walking quickly as though I have somewhere I have to be. But honestly, I haven’t a clue where I’m going. I hope to find my way somehow though. I have faith I will, that He will guide me in the right direction.
I turn a corner and run smack dab into another officer. He glowers down at me and looks like he wants nothing more than to slap me into the middle of next week. My heart thunders in my chest as I realize I don’t know the proper protocol for Ministry guards. Do I salute the man? Before I can make up my mind, I see a slow, predatory smile spread across his face as he looks me up and down.