by Elodie Colt
“I already used her looks to get us out of Natcos.”
“Brilliant.”
Cassie grinned, shifting back to her usual self. Dylan watched Jimmy instead, scowling when he hoisted two guns. “You don’t intend to fight, do you? You can barely walk, let alone run.”
Jimmy’s nostrils flared before his voice boomed through the room. “I won’t stand back while they’re attacking my compound!” Dylan bit his lip, and the room grew completely silent. No one said a word, all eyes drawn to the floor. Jimmy audibly breathed through his nose gathering patience before dishing out orders.
“All right. Roes with active abilities, you’ll take the front and get on the offensive. The ones with passive abilities, stay behind and guard the entrance. I don’t want that bunch invading our compound. Watch out for Dorian’s weapon. One hit, and you’re roasted,” Jimmy announced while Josh repeated the instructions over his earpiece to inform Ian and Tamara.
I turned to follow the others out into the hallway, but Dylan stopped me. “Stay behind me. Please.”
I nodded, although I wasn’t happy with his request. My power had developed quite well since our breakout mission from Natcos, but I still struggled with using it at a distance. I had better control over it the closer I was to my target.
By the time everyone gathered outside, people were already firing orders, and the first shots rang out. I waited for Chris to drop Lauren behind a gravestone. Hoisting the crossbow over the rim, she got into position and aimed. Scott, Jared, and Jimmy formed a protecting line in front of her while Dylan, Chris, and Cole made up the front, shooting at everyone within range. I stayed put somewhere in between, using my power to let Racers trip over their feet.
Soon, the first ones fell into hand-to-hand combat. Now and then, a Hunter broke through the first row of defenders, and I used my fighting skills to get rid of them.
Ian had shifted into his massive form, suddenly as big as a basketball player and as wide as a wrestler. It was amazing to watch him bowling down trained Fighters as if they were mere dummies standing in his way. He gave one such a hard clout, the guy dropped dead in an instant.
“How the fuck is it possible that Dorian still has that many Hunters at hand?” Dylan barked while sidestepping a kick aimed at his chest, rotating and disposing of his opponent by shoving a knife into his rib cage.
I wondered the same. The night they’d attacked me in the park, Dorian lost a lot of people, and he’d lost many more after Scott blew up his precious institution. Still, he attacked with more than twenty highly-trained Roes, at least half of them skilled Racers and Fighters.
“No idea,” Jared replied on a huff after Dylan tossed his female opponent in Jared’s direction who used his speed to send her crashing into the nearest gravestone. The woman didn’t stand up again.
I waited for Dorian to attack us with his crazy weapon, but it seemed as if he wanted to stay in the background for now and send his pawns to clear a path first. A cry to my left shifted my focus, and I saw Jimmy handling two Racers, blood flowing from a wound on his forearm.
Rushing to his aid, I used my ability to leave his opponents reeling. One was taken off guard by the switch in gravity and crashed into me, throwing me with him onto the ground. Stars appeared in front of my vision, and pain shot up my jaw where I’d landed on something hard.
Instinctively, I lifted my hands to shield my face as the guy aimed a fist at it, but the punch never came, and he slumped down on top of me, motionless. An arrow protruded from his ear. Craning my neck, I glanced at Lauren squatting behind her gravestone. She winked and gave me a thumbs-up. Damn, she was one hell of a sniper.
The weight lifted from me as Dylan heaved the dead guy up, tossing him aside before lending me a hand.
“Are you okay?” he asked through gritted teeth, cupping my sore cheek.
I worked my jaw in circles a few times. The pain was there but bearable. “I’m f—” A familiar sizzling sound made me whip around in fear. “Lauren, watch out!”
Lauren reacted quickly and darted sideways before the first bolt from Dorian’s superweapon hit the gravestone with a deafening sound, the massive rock exploding into pieces. Dylan hurled me behind a tree trunk, and the others dove for cover, too.
“Where the fuck is the bastard?” Dylan yelled, peeking over the trunk and trying to spot Dorian. “Josh, do you see him somewhere on the monitors?” he asked through his earpiece. Dylan nodded to something Josh said. “He’s hiding, that coward.”
Day slowly broke, but it was still too dark to make out more than contours in the distance. “Stay here,” Dylan instructed before returning to the battlefield with Cole and Jared in tow.
For a minute, I crouched there watching my friends fighting the enemy. I understood Dylan’s need to protect me, but I couldn’t just hide in the shadows while the others put their lives on the line.
Thinking about what to do, I scanned the trees surrounding us. They provided good vantage points. Chancing a glance at Dylan, I made sure he was busy before I carefully crept over the ground.
“What are you doing?” Lauren hissed as I passed her on all fours.
“Improvising,” I replied before climbing the closest trunk.
I tapped into my power to get to the higher branches until I felt hidden enough to jump from one tree to the next, getting closer to the commotion. I doubted anyone could follow me up to the tops of the trees, but I wanted to stay out of sight. If Dorian shot at me, I would have no escape routes.
The battle looked even more chaotic from up here. Everyone was clad in dark clothes, and it took me a moment to distinguish between them and us. Perching on a branch, I watched Scott and Jimmy reuniting forces against three Hunters while Cassie hid in the shadows waiting for Dorian.
Straining my eyes, I surveyed the ground. Crumbled stone and dark spots littered the ground where gravestones had been destroyed, and blood from wounded or fallen Roes had soaked the earth. Funny how accustomed you get to seeing lifeless bodies. A few months ago, the only dead form I’d ever had the misfortune to see had been my sister’s. Frankly, I’d lost count by now.
Then, I spotted someone crouched low in the grass at the farthest end of the cemetery. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was Dorian or not, but as the second bolt shot from the gun, illuminating his face like a lightning strike, I had my proof. Again, the shot was aimed at Lauren, but Cole shoved her out of the way in time.
Dorian was shooting at her on purpose. Lauren seemed to be his biggest concern, considering she’d rendered two more Racers useless with arrows protruding from their thighs.
Four Hunters came at Dylan, Jared, and Cole, one with his gun raised. Dylan ducked at the last second, but another was already behind him, caging him in a chokehold. I quickly activated my power and aimed at the armed one, increasing gravity. The guy keeled over as the gun became too heavy in his hands, and I could buy Cole and Jared time to dissect them in a way I’d rather not witness a second time.
Dylan hadn’t missed my interference and spun around, frantically searching for me. He yelled at Lauren who pointed a finger to where I took cover. His gaze scanned the trees until he spotted me, his features hardening. Even from a distance, I could see his jaw clench in anger at me disobeying him. I knew he wanted to shout at me to come down, but he’d risk directing the Hunters’ attention at me.
Another bolt darted through the air, and I extended my hand, discharging it into the ground. Unfortunately, I was too slow to redirect the second that quickly followed, this one aimed at Ian. He tried to outrun, but his massive form wasn’t made for sprinting. I saw a blur as Jared sped forward coming to his aid. Agonized shouts echoed throughout the space as the bolt hit Jared’s legs, the impact letting them both sail through the air.
Ian lay motionlessly on the ground, blood oozing from a wound on his head. Jared howled in pain, both legs seared and bloody. I watched in horror as Scott ran to them, but he was at a loss on who to bring down into the compound first. He couldn�
�t carry both at the same time.
“Cole, help him, I’ve got this!” Dylan yelled while he and Chris fought with all their strength.
Dylan was like a well-oiled killing machine. I knew he was strong, but his punches sent people flying several feet, his kicks always deadly. Hard to believe that our Connection, my power, was the cause of this.
Finally, Dorian emerged from his hiding spot, nearing the commotion with his weapon raised high. Cassie saw him approaching and quickly shifted to Gabby before stepping out of the shadows.
“Dorian!” she yelled in a voice that came eerily close to Gabby’s.
Dorian lowered his gun when he noticed her and shouted a loud “Stop!” that echoed over the space.
Instantly, the commotion died down as the Hunters obeyed their leader’s command. With a pounding heart, I watched Cassie approach Dorian in Gabby’s form, and I carefully retrieved my gun, just in case. She looked exactly like Dorian’s sister but was it enough to fool him? I shifted on my branch, bracing myself for the worst.
Movement to my side made me whip my head in the other direction. More figures crawled up the cemetery, snaking between the gravestones. My heart dropped. More Hunters?
I strained my eyes. Something was off. Their uniforms looked different. I couldn’t be sure in the dim twilight, but I swore their clothing was blue, not black.
Something flashed. A familiar golden glow.
No, not one. Two.
This couldn’t be… could it?
Even as the thought manifested in my mind, my stomach churned with the notion that there was a slight possibility…
Dorian used his facility to research on Naturals, and chances were high others had been caught, too. What if he had Naturals on his side?
I threw a fearful glance at Dylan. He kept a cool demeanor, but I saw his eyes flash in the same direction. Josh must have informed him about the newcomers.
Dylan’s eyes found mine for a short second. I understood. Don’t move. Keep low.
“Gabby, what have you done?” Dorian muttered in a low voice, but everyone could hear him. Cassie, aka Gabby, just shook her head, plastering a sad expression on her face that told him he wouldn’t understand, that she hadn’t had any other choice than to switch sides.
My fingers clawed at the bark of the tree when Cassie stepped closer and put a hand on Dorian’s cheek in a loving gesture. She opened her mouth to say something, drawing his attention to her face, but I could see her other hand pulling a knife from behind her back.
I was strung tight like a rubber band, ready to jump down any moment. The ground loomed about fifteen yards below me. I hoped my power would help me lessen the impact. I wouldn’t be of much use with broken legs.
Cassie waited for the perfect moment and struck fast.
But not fast enough.
Dorian slapped her hand away, grabbed the knife, and spun her around. The next second, he had Cassie in a chokehold, one hand resting against her collarbone with the blade about to pierce her throat, the other lifting his weapon aimed at the rest of us. At the same time, dozens of guns clicked, and soon, everyone aimed at someone else.
“Did you think I could be fooled like that?” he yelled in his rage, unconcerned about several guns pointing at him. “That I didn’t know my sister? Pathetic,” he spat with malice, shouting the last word in Cassie’s ear. She didn’t flinch, her face neither showing fear nor panic.
“What do you want, Dorian?” Dylan spoke up, his loud voice carrying over the cemetery.
“My sister. Unharmed. Bring her to me, and this fight is over.”
Dylan shifted. “That’s all?” I knew why he was suspicious—Dorian hadn’t said one word about me.
An evil grin formed on Dorian’s face. “Oh, you can keep your precious Natural. She served my purpose. If she wants Haylie, she can see for herself how she’s getting her hands on her. I won’t be the one doing her dirty work any longer.”
She? Who? Who wanted me? Aitana? No, Dorian wasn’t working for Aitana. If anything, it was the other way around.
I glanced at Dylan, but he seemed to be as clueless as me. Cassie’s eyes flew up to mine, and I saw her lips moving, her words clear. Kill him.
I shook my head. I didn’t have a clear shot, and my shooting skills were poor. This was bound to go wrong. Her eyes widened at my refusal, telling me not to hesitate, telling me not to take her into account. I threw back a pitiful look. I can’t do that. Please, don’t force me to do that.
All of a sudden, a shot resonated, echoing through the clearing like a whiplash.
Everyone jolted, whirling their heads around to see who had fired, and who got hit, but no one knew what was going on. My eyes shot immediately to Cassie. There was no blood on her clothes, and she didn’t seem to be in pain. Gaze drifting over to Dorian, I watched his mouth gaping slightly open.
Then I saw it—blood trickling down his neck from a wound on the back of his head. Someone had shot him but who?
I shifted my focus to the group of people in the blue uniforms crawling up the other side. They all kept a low profile.
Everyone, except for one. One man stood there, gun in hand, smoke rising from the barrel caused by the bullet he’d just fired.
Something struck me unexpectedly—a strange yearning that tore at my heart. I didn’t understand it. Who was this man? And why did I feel some melancholy all of a sudden? I couldn’t see clearly from where I was, but his stance, height, and demeanor seemed oddly familiar.
Dorian’s body falling limply to the ground brought me out of my reverie, and I watched as the lethal weapon, along with the knife, slid from his hands. Cassie spun around and bent to retrieve the high-tech gun, but a Racer was faster and kicked her in the face. The sound of crunching bones snapped through the air as Cassie landed on her back and stayed there, motionless.
The Racer was faster than my eyes could follow, and the next thing I saw was more lightning bolts fired from the weapon. A blood-curdling cry froze my insides, and I watched in terror as Jimmy got hit in the stomach. I forgot everything around me and screamed, my agony reverberating over the cemetery.
All eyes fell on me. Another shot rang out, this time accompanied by an ear-splitting sound as it hit the tree, bark flying everywhere. The light blinded me, and I clung to the branch as the wood beneath me started to creak in protest. The tree angled sideways, and I lost my grip, along with my ability to think. Another scream tore through me, but this time, it wasn’t mine.
It was Dylan’s.
The tree toppled over along with me, branches connecting with my chin, my ribs, my elbows. The world spun, and the seconds seemed endless before I finally hit the ground.
I didn’t know if I’d lost consciousness, but when I reopened my eyes, all I could see was chaos. People running. Screaming. Fighting. Blood splattering. Bones crunching. Sinews tearing.
It was complete madness.
“Haylie, get up! Now!” someone shouted, and I let Lauren pull me up, taking in her horror-stricken face as she dragged me away from the commotion.
My eyes fell on Jimmy, half of his body mangled and burned, eyes closed. Lisa hovered over him, screaming at him to open his eyes, yelling at him not to leave her. His eyelids remained shut.
Another scream tore through the space, and I lifted my head just in time to see Tamara fly through the air before her neck cracked on a rock sticking up high from the grass. She didn’t move either. I turned to see who’d attacked her.
Chris.
His appion eyes flared, vivid with rage. He was in the Bluster, too far gone to tell friend and foe apart.
“No…”
My eyes found Dylan, and I saw Cole racing toward him, fist raised, but Dylan was faster, and when he turned, ready to strike Cole, I knew he was lost in the Bluster, too.
Jesus Christ…
“Haylie, you need to get them out of it! Please!” Lauren cried, but I barely heard her as my vision and senses started to drift away, a cloud of red layering my
mental eye.
“Lauren… run,” was my only warning as I felt my blood heating, my particles vibrating, my pulse quickening.
Before I knew what was happening, the Bluster drew me in its depths. I knew I could resist if I wanted, could withstand its lure, but why should I? Everything was lost. Everyone was dying. There was nothing left worth fighting for.
And now, I was a hundred times more powerful.
“Haylie, what—”
“Run!” I shouted before the Bluster dragged me into its pit of total destruction, shutting off all rational thoughts.
Silence.
Peace.
No difference between good and evil, no distinction between right and wrong.
This was freedom. Absolute freedom.
I closed my eyes, letting the power overcome me, consume me, own me. Stretching my arms to the sides, I gave in completely, letting gravity take its toll on me.
The earth shook under my feet, and I allowed my eyes to open.
I watched people fall to their knees and grasp their necks as the pressure became too much. I watched gravestones topple over, burying limbs underneath them. I watched trees snap in two, their branches crashing to the ground.
A sudden pain shot up my leg, stinging like the slice of a hot blade and abruptly severing my connection with the Bluster. I stumbled with a garbled cry, hitting the ground shoulder first.
I screamed. Screamed in fury, screamed in pain, screamed for the people we lost, screamed for Dylan who’d abandoned me.
“… all right, it’s all right, just open your eyes, Jay. Open your eyes and look at me…”
Jay…
There was only one person who used to call me Jay. Why was my mind bringing him up now? Or was I already dead, and we were finally reunited in Heaven?
I must have spoken my thoughts out loud because the familiar voice proceeded with its soothing words.
“No, you’re not dead, Jay. You’re alive,” the man sobbed as if the words were meant to reassure himself.
Everything hurt—my body, my mind, my heart. I just wanted silence and let the darkness draw me under.