Strikeforce

by Nick James

  I look down at his left arm. He grips it with his right hand, clutching tight so that it won’t fall into the dirt.

  Then I notice it. The sheen of the blood is dulled by the dust, but it pours from him all the same. A mangled hand lies in the distance, sliced cleanly from the rest of him. He lost it. I don’t know how, but it’s been chopped off completely.

  “Skandar.” I grab his shoulder, panicked. The blood continues to flow into the Fringes, pooling beside him. He’s in shock. It won’t be long before the wound turns fatal.

  I grit my teeth, looking around for help. Our cruiser’s so far in the distance now that I can’t even see it. There’s nothing I can do. We’re stranded, and he doesn’t have much time.

  27

  Footsteps sounded outside the skimmer. Cassius heard the sound of boots tromping around the perimeter. Soon the steps were joined by words. Haven language.

  The Authority, just as he feared.

  Cassius didn’t know why they’d stopped—or even where they were—but he had one advantage over the soldiers. They didn’t realize who they’d stuffed into their capsule.

  Most likely they assumed him a helpless boy. But he’d had time to prepare, to regain his strength and gather sparks. He’d need them. He’d need all the fire he could muster.

  The footsteps grew closer. Cassius balled his fingers into a fist, feeling the energy stream from his chest, down his arm. Both hands grew hot as embers. He wouldn’t be able to hold it for long.

  The capsule flipped open.

  A pair of bald, muscular men stood before him, looking down as if they were staring into the inside of a coffin. Cassius tensed, ready for attack.

  Before he could do anything, he watched as both men were pulled back, out of sight. Cassius stood, alarmed at what else might be in the Fringes.

  To his shock, there was no monster or alien or big, bad enemy. There was only Madame.

  Somehow she’d crept out of her own capsule and caught both soldiers by surprise, yanking them backward by the scruffs of their collars.

  A pair of shots rang out, breaking the silence of the Fringes. With expert aim, Madame fired a pistol, sending a beam of Pearl energy right into the hearts of the soldiers. Cassius recognized the weapon instantly as standard Unified Party issue, though it had obviously been modified with Pearl energy. Somehow, she must have been secretly carrying it ever since they left the bunker. He shouldn’t have been surprised at her resourcefulness, yet he still found himself shaking his head.

  The soldiers were no match for the unfiltered Pearl energy. They fell to the ground immediately, unmoving.

  Madame lowered the weapon, glancing at Cassius. “Nobody sticks me in a cage.”

  He didn’t respond. Instead, he grabbed onto the edge of his capsule and jumped out onto the sand. The sparks along his fingers died down, though part of him still wanted to let loose a torrent of fire.

  “Cassius.” Madame rushed toward him. “You’re safe.”

  “How long have you been awake?”

  She holstered the pistol under her shirt. “Long enough for my anger to turn to action.”

  Cassius looked past her, at the bodies of the fallen soldiers. “I could’ve taken them.”

  “Of course you could have,” she responded, “but why waste your talents when a simple gunshot will do?”

  He met her eyes. “I suppose you carried that thing along in case the opportunity for a double-cross presented itself.”

  “Don’t be silly,” she said. “The days of fighting against each other are over.”

  “Hmm.”

  The thwack of the third capsule being kicked open interrupted them. Cassius turned to see Eva crawl out of her prison, rubbing the back of her neck and cursing. “Great,” she muttered under her breath. “More Fringes. Just what I wanted to see.”

  He was going to respond when Madame grabbed his shoulder. His first instinct was to pull away, but instead he turned back to her.

  “Cassius.” Her eyes traced a path behind him. “Turn around. I think I know what caused us to stop here.”

  Without a word, he spun to take in the length of the vehicle. But the skimmer paled in comparison to the structure behind it. He nearly toppled over with shock at the sight.

  Not far from the front end of the skimmer, a black arch stretched several hundred feet in the air. It dwarfed everything else around them—like a sharp, black rainbow. He only needed to take one look at it to know that it had been constructed from Ridium.

  The vast shape stood silent and still, overlooking the Fringes like a sentinel. Being so close to Ridium made Cassius uneasy, even though there weren’t any weapons or soldiers in sight. Still, he knew it was dangerous. Even by itself.

  He turned away from the monument. “What do you think they were going to do to us?”

  Madame shook her head. “Who says it had anything to do with us?”

  He stepped back, eyes falling upon the structure again. He kept his attention there, even as he spoke. “I’ve never seen Ridium sculpted into a shape like this.”

  Eva joined them. “It reminds me of the St. Louis Arch. I mean, before they brought it down.” She sighed. “How long were we out?”

  No one answered her, for it wasn’t clear to any of them.

  Madame turned to survey the vast desert around them. After a moment, she pointed to the north. “Look, I see the outline of a Chosen far in the distance. It’s so hazy. There’d be no way to tell which city it is.” She paused. “I think we’re best off seeing if we can fire up the skimmer and take it north.”

  Cassius moved farther away, starting to round the corner of the skimmer. “There’s something about this thing … ”

  “I wouldn’t,” Madame warned. “Remember the vessel? Don’t tempt fate, Cassius.”

  “She’s right,” Eva added. “All this open space makes me nervous. I can’t get the sight of all those Skyship Agents being sliced to death when Theo developed his powers.”

  Her words conjured images in Cassius’s consciousness immediately. He remembered Matigo’s son pulling the black substance from the earth like daggers, stabbing an entire battalion of Shippers in one move. But this was different. This arch, whatever it was, seemed so quiet. Peaceful, even.

  “All right,” he said without looking at either of them. “Head to the control deck. See what you can do. I just want to check this thing out real quick before we go.”

  Madame stepped to his side, clutching his shoulder. “Cassius, be careful. Remember what happened last time you ‘just wanted to check something out.’”

  He moved away without a word, taking quick strides around the length of the skimmer and sprinting the rest of the way. The heat threatened to slow him, but he’d been waiting to move for a while. He wasn’t going to let it stop him completely.

  He arrived in the shadow of the arch and slowed to a walk, craning his neck to marvel at the sheer size of it.

  If he held out both arms as far as they would go, he’d just about get the width of one of its legs. It appeared to be completely solid, like a sculpture cut from obsidian.

  He stepped forward cautiously, extending a hand to touch the surface. He wasn’t sure what would happen, but he knew that he needed to feel it. It had been the same way with the bracelet of Ridium that had once been fused to his wrist, which Madame had foolishly given him back when he’d been hunting Fisher. The material had always fascinated him, even more so when he knew how dangerous it could be.

  He pressed a finger against the blackness before letting his entire palm rest against the substance. It was hard to the touch, and cool, unlike the rest of the Fringes. Not as cold as the senso-cubes, but definitely abnormal.

  He was reminded of the first memory he’d witnessed back in the skimmer—the Haven man flooding the rocky basin with an unending supply of Ridium. It had been a thick liquid then. This was rocklike.

  He noticed movement overhead.

  Quickly, Cassius recoiled and took three steps back, loo
king straight up at the underbelly of the arch. He scanned the length of the structure, searching for changes. At first, he didn’t notice anything. He had to concentrate hard to see the Ridium quiver.

  It happened directly above him, at the highest point on the arch. Bubbles, at first. But soon, something began to emerge from the blackness.

  It dropped down like a spider on a string of web, carried lower by sticky coils of the substance. As the Ridium began to part, Cassius could make out a human form, though there was no doubt in his mind. This wasn’t human.

  He watched the creature descend, held airborne by several thick arms of blackness, like chains on a swing set. It was a figure of complete, polished blackness. No facial features, no clothing or shoes beyond the tight layer of Ridium.

  Cassius backed away, keeping his eyes on the figure the entire time.

  The others saw it too.

  He heard the skimmer engine rev up and glanced over his shoulder to see Madame ushering him back to safety.

  “Cassius! Quick!”

  He stepped back through the desert, unable to pull himself from the sight in front of him.

  The figure slowly descended all the way to the ground, coils of Ridium keeping it steady. Cassius wasn’t sure if the creature could see him. There didn’t seem to be any awareness beyond the movement. For all he could tell, it was operating blindly. Were its eyes covered? At least when Theo had worn a suit of Ridium, he’d kept a spot open for his face. The lack of any features at all made this creature far more intimidating.

  The arch remained still and silent. Blackness from the figure’s shoulders oozed up in tentacles, joining the solid rainbow of Ridium. One remained, feeding into the creature’s back like a tube, fused together with the body.

  Cassius bumped into the front of the skimmer. He felt a hand reach over his shoulder and grab his arm. He turned to see Eva, trying to lift him up. He laid his foot on the vehicle’s bumper and jumped, allowing her to guide him into the benchlike seat at the front of the vehicle. They had no roof. Apart from a curved windshield, it was like riding an old-fashioned horse and carriage. They’d be open not only to the elements, but to whatever this creature was going to do.

  All at once, the arch of Ridium crumbled.

  It did so without a sound, much like the Authority vessel had miles back. The blackness shifted into liquid, melting into an “m” shape before pooling on the ground in a thick mess. The figure stood in the center of it, unmoving. Cassius knew that it had made this happen, just by thinking it. This creature was a Shifter, and unlike any he’d seen before.

  Without hesitation, Madame hit the accelerator and steered the skimmer in the opposite direction, making a tight turn away from the Ridium pool.

  Cassius buckled himself onto the bench, nearly flying out the right side of the vehicle in the process. He kept his attention on the Shifter, craning his neck uncomfortably as they sped away.

  “What is that thing?” Eva gawked behind her, shoulders trembling.

  “Faster,” Cassius coaxed.

  Madame swore. “I’m trying.”

  It was obvious she was already pushing the engine to its limit. Skimmers usually moved at a good speed anyway, and this one seemed to have been augmented—most likely by Fringers. But it could be moving at 300 miles per hour and it wouldn’t change the facts. They were hopelessly outmatched.

  Cassius watched behind them as the black figure rose into the air, held aloft by a wave of Ridium underfoot. He knew what was going to happen next.

  “We’re in trouble,” he muttered.

  Madame turned to him. “What’s happening back there?”

  “He’s coming after us.”

  With that, the figure surged forward, as did the immense pool of Ridium. It moved across the Fringes with horrifying speed, like a sentient puddle of oil. A tidal wave.

  It would outrun their skimmer in minutes.

  28

  “Skandar.” I grab at the dirt beside me in frustration, not knowing what to do. “Oh my god.”

  He looks up at me, eyes half shut, voice groggy as unconsciousness threatens him. “Is it bad?”

  I grit my teeth, forcing tears back into my eyes. I turn and shout. “Avery! Savon!”

  They’re beside us in a moment. I watch Avery cup her hand over her mouth. Savon stands still, arms crossed.

  “Help him!” I shout, though in reality I’m not sure what anyone can do out here.

  Savon shakes his head. “He’ll bleed out if we leave him long.” He pauses. “Your ship is too far.”

  I watch as Skandar’s eyes flutter closed. “Can’t you … can’t you do something?”

  Savon crouches at his side. “It’s a clean cut. Ridium, most likely. It needs to be cauterized. A tourniquet will slow the bleeding, but not by much.”

  “What do you need?”

  He lifts a hand. “Wait.”

  I stand, anxiously watching as Savon concentrates. I can barely look at Skandar. In one moment, hundreds of memories come flying into my brain. Times at the Academy, goofing off as kids. Conversations. Dares and one-ups. It can’t end like this.

  Just then, I notice a sliver of darkness inch its way out of the ground beside Skandar. A thin snake of Ridium coils along the length of his arm, then wraps tightly around the wound, cupping his blood-stained wrist. It fuses there, just as the Ridium bracelet had done on my own arm some time ago.

  I glance back at my father. He lowers his fingers, finished controlling the substance.

  “That’ll hold,” he says, “for a while. But it won’t save him.”

  I run my hands through my hair, panicking. “We can’t stay out here. He’ll die.”

  Savon reaches under Skandar’s body and stands, holding him in his arms. A few incomprehensible mumbles and Skandar’s out. I check to see that he’s still breathing.

  “The best we can do is trudge back to the shuttle,” Avery says. “But to be honest, I’m really feeling it now. I’m not sure how much longer my legs are gonna stand.”

  Savon turns, appraising me. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

  “Your head,” he continues. “That was a nasty hit … enough to knock you out for several minutes.”

  I glance at the sky. “Where did the Authority come from?”

  “Everywhere,” Avery answers. “At least, that’s how it seemed.”

  “They descended on us like locusts,” my father adds. “If we are being tracked, I don’t know—”

  He’s interrupted as a shadow falls over the Fringes. I wince instinctively, though I don’t yet see what’s approaching.

  A small ship rushes by overhead, not far from us. It kicks up a gust as it passes, then turns to circle around again. Nothing special in normal times, but the fact that any ship is airborne after the Authority took the skies is miraculous.

  Savon steps back. “They’ve found us again. Prepare yourselves!”

  “No.” Avery holds a hand over her eyes to block the sun. “No. Jesse, look!”

  I follow her gaze and fixate on the ship, struggling to see what she sees. As it veers closer, I recognize the familiar markings on its fins. The Skyship emblem.

  My heart jumps at the sight of it. It’s like spotting an oasis in the middle of the desert. I don’t know who’s piloting the ship or where it came from, but it’s as close to salvation as we’re gonna get.

  I stagger forward, waving my arms. But the pilot already sees us. The ship descends.

  “Jesse!” Savon shouts. “What are you doing? That craft should not—”

  “It’s okay!” I continue waving my arms, even as the ship nears the ground. “It’s friendly!”

  He doesn’t respond. After our earlier conversation in the cruiser, I’m sure he’s not thrilled, either. But none of that matters right now.

  I rush forward as the ship lands, shielding my eyes from the dirt as the wind briefly kicks up again. I come to a stop feet from the ship’s nose and wait, not knowi
ng who or what will come out at me, but knowing that it has to be better than this.

  The cockpit opens.

  I watch Captain Alkine bound out from the pilot’s seat, feet hitting the ground with a reverberating authority.

  I haven’t seen him in weeks. He wears a dark pair of goggles, which he moves up to reveal his weathered, concerned face. His graying hair’s pulled back behind his head like usual. In a dark battle suit that covers every inch of his skin, he’s not dressed for the Fringes.

  I gawk for a moment before running at him. Before I know it, I’ve wrapped my arms around his midsection in a tight embrace. I don’t know why I do it. I certainly didn’t expect to. It’s not me at all. It certainly wouldn’t have been me a month ago, when I was doing everything bad I could think of to escape his grip. I’ve never thought of him as anything else than a leader—captain of the ship. We’ve sparred, verbally and physically. But now, I can barely let myself release him. Maybe it’s the stress of everything that’s just happened. Maybe I just want to be home again.

  His hands fall to the side. I feel him squirm away. “Fisher,” he whispers. “Fisher, it’s okay.”

  I pull away, more than a little embarrassed that I just crumbled in front of him. As much as the touchy-feely isn’t me, it’s even more not-Alkine.

  “No.” Thoughts bombard my mind too fast to put into words. “Skandar. You have to help Skandar.”

  Alkine’s attention shifts as he notices Savon for the first time. Instantly, he backs away, hand moving to the holster on his belt. “Who’s that? Is that one of ’em?”

  “He’s hurt.” I ignore him. “He’s going to bleed to death if you don’t—”

  I watch as several more Skyship Agents spill out from the side of the ship. I recognize them all, though I couldn’t come up with their names or ranks.

  “I understand.” Captain Alkine motions his troops forward. “We’ve got an emergency medical supply onboard, but we’ll need to get back to the Academy.”

  Savon hands Skandar over to the nearest agent, wiping his hands clean of bloodstains. “His hand is over there in the dirt, if you’re so inclined.”