by Belle Malory
“He’d been planning that mission a long time.”
“I know.”
Sheesh. How bad did the man plan to make her feel?
“I suspect he changed his mind because of you.”
Kennedy swallowed, not liking where this conversation was headed. “Are you upset with him?”
“No.” Mason stroked his beard. “I know the boy loves you. I’m not stupid. I knew what that was…once. But I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. When a world depends on your ability to keep it safe, that ability should be as strong as it can be. If going to this water world will give you the skills you require, you should go. If going on the mission will strengthen Phoenix’s ability, then he should go.”
She lowered her eyes. Deep down, she knew he was right. It didn’t matter though. Logic was a foreign language her heart couldn’t translate.
“Will you think about what I’ve said?” Mason asked her. “All I’m asking is that you sleep on it for a few nights, get used to the idea. The two of you wouldn’t be apart forever. And you know what they say. If it’s meant to be…”
She tried not to scowl at him. If her dream held any truth to it, he was jinxing her, dammit.
“So?”
“I’ll think about it,” she conceded.
He patted her on the back. “Thanks, kiddo.”
Of course she’d never agree to Phoenix leaving. She had a feeling it wouldn’t do any good to explain her fears to Mason. He wouldn’t understand how she could put so much importance on a dream. Phoenix would understand though. He would believe her.
Mason checked his brace after hearing it beep. “I’ll let you get back…” His words drifted off as he read a message.
Kennedy had been about to walk away, but stopped when she saw Mason’s face go a few shades paler. “Are you okay, Professor?”
He glanced up at her with wide eyes. “No. Round up all the keepers you can find and send them outside into the main hall.”
“What’s going on, Professor? You’re scaring me.” Feeling her wrist vibrate, she looked down. The screen on her display read CODE BLACK.
Wait. What the hell was a code black, and why had no one taken the time to school her in what the different codes meant?
“We’re being attacked,” Mason said in a low, rushed voice. “Sae-yers.”
Thirty-One
Phoenix pushed her arms through an armored vest capable of deflecting bullets and laser rays. The thick weight of the thing rested heavily against her gown, black fibrous padding against shimmering satin—a stark contrast if there ever was one. It didn’t bring all that much comfort though. No one knew if the vests would shield them against Sae-yer weapons.
“The bots are spread out across the southern sections,” Mason told everyone. Heavy lines creased his forehead. In the span of a few minutes, his debonair, polished demeanor faded into haggardness. “They’re emitting a chemical called Peronium X. Now, I realize you all have no idea what that means, but trust me when I say it’s some pretty lethal stuff. It freezes glass to the breaking point, even Olympian glass built several inches thick. Rooms with windows aren’t safe, so try to avoid them if you can. And please arm yourself with a gun.”
Kennedy spotted the guns Mason mentioned lying on the table beside him, attached to belts. Before getting one for himself, Phoenix helped Kennedy secure hers over her hips. Fear edged his eyes, and she could tell it wasn’t for himself. It was for her. If he had any sort of say, he would stop her from fighting with the others. He couldn’t though, and there was nothing he could do to satisfy the need he had to protect her. Strangely, that was comforting. While it was nice to read about the hero protecting his lady in fairy tales, real life didn’t hold the same enchantment. She would go crazy if she had to stay behind and wait.
“General Vickard ordered me to split you up into groups of three,” Mason said. “As soon as I call your name, I’ll give you the section number and level you’re covering, and then you’re good to go. Remember, our mission is to force the Sae-yer bots to retreat. Use any force necessary.” He went on to call out names, four at a time. When he called out the names in Phoenix’s group, Kennedy wasn’t included.
A muscle in Phoenix’s jaw ticked. “Revise that list, Mason.” His tone was low and dead serious.
The professor held a hand to his temple. “Please, Nix, don’t go against me on this. I have my reasons.”
“I don’t care about your reasons. Change it.”
Kennedy laid her hand against Phoenix’s arm. “He’s right. Our heads will be clouded if we go with each other.”
He looked down at her, pleading with his eyes. “My head will be clouded if I can’t see you, if I can’t know that you’re okay.”
“You know that’s not true.” She squeezed his arm reassuringly. “We need to stay focused. I want to know that you’re okay too, and you won’t be if we’re together.”
They both knew he couldn’t argue with her reasoning. His eyes turned to a hazy black as he struggled with the arrangement. “I want you to know how much I hate this.”
“I know. I hate it, too.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful.” His fingers found hers, weaving through them. “This is a precious commodity right here, and you’ve got to keep it safe.”
She smiled, warmed by his words. “I promise.”
Phoenix was almost out the door when he turned back around, walked over, and lifted her off the ground. His lips found hers, and he kissed her like he never would again. It was so intense; it felt like he was connecting their souls. Tears stung the back of Kennedy’s eyes as she wondered if he was kissing her for the very last time.
No, she couldn’t give spark to that kind of thought. They would make it through this, both of them. She had to believe that.
She barely remembered they had an audience until Phoenix set her back down. Breathless, she watched him walk away. When he disappeared from sight, she wanted to chase after him. She was still half-tempted when someone lightly touched her arm.
It was Lexie. “You ready to head out?” There was a more subtle question behind her grass-green eyes, that asked, Are you okay?
Kennedy answered both questions with a nod of her head. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
Her group of three also included Davaris, and together they headed down to the lower levels. It dimly occurred to Kennedy as she walked silently through the passageways that she was with arguably the two most talkative keepers. Yet not one word was passed between them. She swore she could hear the faint beating of their hearts as they descended the elevator shaft.
Davaris’s brace beeped, and Vickard’s voice came through the other end. “Woods, what is your location?”
“We’re entering Level 2, sir.”
“Roger that. Standby for directives.”
Kennedy remembered hearing Level 2 was where most of the shipyards and supply rooms were located. The doors were spread out, since unlike the rest of Olympus, the chambers in this level took up large amounts of space. Citizens didn’t travel through the majority of Level 2, apart from the workers, but as far as Kennedy could tell, there wasn’t another soul around—not a comforting observation.
“Should we start searching?” Davaris asked her and Lexie.
“General Vickard told us to standby,” Lexie told him. “I think we should wait for orders.”
He cocked his head to the side. “We’re above the military, Lex. Our decisions can be made without parental supervision.”
His above-the-law attitude didn’t faze Lexie. “It’s not parenting, you dimwit. We’re part of a collaborative effort.”
“Who’s effort—ours or theirs?”
She leaned against the wall, showing him that she planned on staying put no matter what he said. “It’s called teamwork, Davaris. Ever heard of it?”
Kennedy inwardly groaned. Better fates could’ve happened than being stuck with these two. The deafening silence from earlier, although terrifying, was better than this.
Davaris cocked a brow at Lexie. Sarcasm filled his tone as he whined, “So do you approve now, Mommy?”
“Just go.” She shoved his shoulder, pushing him ahead of her. “And stop being an infant.”
“We wasted three whole minutes getting permission,” he pointed out. “Just sayin’.”
“And I’m about to waste your balls—just saying.”
He snorted as if the idea was ludicrous. “I’d like to see you try. In fact—”
“Um, guys,” Kennedy cut in. “Can we focus?” Sheesh, she was about to have a heart attack as it was, and their senseless banter wasn’t helping one bit.
“Great idea,” Lexie said in agreement.
“Get your guns out to be safe,” Davaris said, shaking his head. Beneath his breath, he muttered, “Women.”
They searched the chambers, one by one, finding the shipyards empty. Thankfully no one suggested splitting up to speed things along. Kennedy stayed close to Davaris and Lexie, figuring they were a stronger unit as a group.
“What is this place?” Lexie asked as they entered one of the last chambers.
Hollow shadows filled the wide space. Cool, damp air hit Kennedy’s nostrils. She breathed it in, a strange feeling coursing through her. Tingles soared across the back of her neck. “It’s the water supply room.”
Lexie steered her head around to look at Kennedy, but kept her gun aimed ahead. “How do you know that?”
She shook her head, looking around for signs or a confirmation. “I can literally smell all the water.”
As they ventured deeper into the chamber, members of other teams rang through the little speakers on their braces every few minutes. They reported when they were finished searching their sections. Kennedy held her breath when she heard Phoenix say, “All clear in Section 1.”
Hearing the sound of his clear, strong voice, she closed her eyes for a second. Relief washed over her. He was okay. For the time being, he was okay.
Hydrocyclonic machines lined the back walls, connecting to each other. Whooshing water rumbled from inside them, spinning, and Kennedy knew she’d been right about this place. It was for water treatment and distribution.
The video feed beeped on Lexie’s brace. Mason’s face appeared in front of her, and they all paused to listen to him. The signal must have gone bad because small gaps of static interfered with the line. “Alexia…all the levels…cleared…except yours.”
“Professor?” Lexie banged on her brace, as if beating the thing would fix it. “You’re cutting out,” she shouted.
“The bots,” he said in a louder voice. “Spotted on Level 2!”
Lexie’s video feed went black, Mason’s face disappearing with it. For several seconds after he was gone, Lexie continued staring at her wrist in a daze.
“Lex…Kennedy,” Davaris called in a panic-laced voice. He fidgeted with his vest and belt, and then tapped his brace repeatedly. “None of my equipment is working.”
Kennedy looked down at her brace, seeing the screen had turned black as well. “Neither is mine.”
The lights in the chamber flickered. Florescent bulbs flashed muted whites that grew dimmer and dimmer. Lexie slowly looked away from the spot where Mason’s face had once been. Her wide eyes filled with terror as she stared at the ceiling. “It’s the slayers,” she whispered. “Somehow…they’re disabling everything.”
The lights faded completely, leaving them surrounded by inky darkness. With a flick of his wrist, fire ignited at Davaris’s fingertips. Amber light illuminated the space between them, thanks to his pocket lighter. “Good thing I always keep a backup on me.”
“Do you hear that?” Kennedy asked suddenly.
“Hear what?” Lexie whispered.
She stilled, listening for a moment. Thick silence saturated the chilly air. “The water,” Kennedy said. “It stopped spinning. The machines aren’t cycling.”
Metal clattered and clanged from across the room, followed by the sound of a furious shuffling.
“Great Black Hole,” Lexie said, grasping Kennedy’s arm. “They’re here.”
Out of all the people Kennedy expected to freak out, Lexie wasn’t one of them. She expected herself to panic long before Lexie ever did. She wasn’t sure what that said about this mission, but it couldn’t be good.
Davaris propped his gun higher in one hand, while using the other to hold his lighter. “Stay calm, Lex.” He moved in front of them, leading the way. “We can handle them. They’re just bots.”
At least he was keeping it together.
“If we were on Earth, I could take them out no problem,” Lexie said in a heated whisper. “But as you can see, there are no piles of dirt anywhere around here.”
The reference made Kennedy realize that although they were nowhere near dirt, they were surrounded by huge amounts of water.
“Stay back,” Davaris whispered.
The three of them ducked behind a tank. Kennedy peeked around its side, trying to see what he saw.
There were four that she could see. The bots didn’t look like your normal, everyday robots. Their bodies were a bulbous, rubbery substance. Whatever it was, it didn’t look like metal. They spun, orbiting low to the ground, but they were easy to see. Their coating was silvery and reflective. Well, that was one advantage, she supposed.
The four she saw rose up, hovering above a metal tank. She squinted, trying to get a better view. What are they doing? More clinking ensued as they tampered with the top of the tank.
“I’m gonna take a shot,” Davaris whispered.
Kennedy wanted to pull him back, but she stayed still. Those things were tearing the space station apart. If they didn’t do something, they would all die. Their vantage point currently gave them the upper hand. They might as well take it while they could.
Davaris stepped around the tank, aiming his gun high. Kennedy held her breath as she watched his finger pull the trigger.
The laser beam bounced off the bot’s surface with an earsplitting zing. It ricocheted into the ceiling, sending panels of debris crashing to the floor.
The bots simultaneously swerved into Davaris’s direction. Suddenly there were two more—six in total. He must have realized the bots deflected the shot, because the next thing he went for was his lighter. Flame came to life in his fingers, and then he breathed more life into it. It grew larger, spiraling into the direction of the bots.
Hot orange flames danced around their bulbous bodies, but for nothing. They soared straight through it as if the heat didn’t affect them.
They fired at Davaris—some kind of yellowish beam. One of the beams caught him in the shoulder, slamming him into the wall of the tank from its impact. He slid to the floor.
Lexie’s startled cry rang out, kicking in Kennedy’s adrenaline. She held her hand over Lexie’s mouth, shaking her head. “Listen to me,” she whispered. “If Davaris gets one more hit, he’s gonna die. We need to distract them.”
Lexie’s eyes welled up with tears, and she looked close to hysteria. For a moment Kennedy wondered if she was on her own. “You’re okay, Lexie. Breathe,” she said, trying to sound calm. “We can do this. Me and you. It’s up to us now.”
Thankfully, Lexie listened and nodded. Just as the bots rounded the corner, Kennedy shouted, “Over here!”
Using one hand to grab Lexie by the wrist and the other to lift the skirt of her dress, she ran in the opposite direction, tugging her dazed sidekick along. Seeing another tank up ahead, she ran and jerked Lexie behind it. Then, as fast as she could, she aimed her gun to a spot across the room and fired.
Echoing clanks reverberated from the other side of the room. The bots soared in that direction. Once they were gone, she grabbed Lexie again, and backtracked to Davaris. “You grab one side, and I’ll grab the other,” she said.
Together, they lifted him by the arms. Kennedy felt the stickiness of blood warm her fi
ngers. When he groaned, she immediately moved her hands to his waist. She leaned next to his ear and whispered, “I know it hurts like hell, but try not to make any sounds, okay?” He nodded and gritted his teeth. Poor guy. He had to be in extreme pain, but he was trying his best not to show it.
The three of them headed down a hall that led away from the bots. Moving quickly was difficult with Davaris in tow. When Kennedy heard noises coming from behind, she fled into the first door she found. Inside was some kind of shipment room. Boxes of all shapes and sizes filled the space, towering high above their heads. “Let’s hide Davaris in here,” she whispered to Lexie.
They threaded through the maze of boxes until they found a secluded spot in the back. Propping his head up on her lap, Lexie helped Davaris lay down on the floor. “Are you okay?” she asked him.
“Sorta lightheaded, but I’m fine.”
Gently, she pried at his vest. “I want to check your wound.”
He nodded.
The bot’s laser tore right through what was supposed to be a beam-proof vest. Kennedy winced, seeing the spot where Davaris’s shoulder had been singed. Lexie sniffled at the sight of it. She tore a piece of fabric from his shirt and started to make a tourniquet.
A strange popping noise caught Kennedy’s attention. While Lexie bandaged Davaris, she crawled around the other side of the stack of boxes, trying to figure out where the sound came from.
As far as she could tell, they were alone in the room. For now.
The noise caught her attention again, louder this time, and it came from somewhere up above them. She glanced up, freezing into place as she got a good look at the outside windows.
“Uh, Lexie—I think we have a problem.”
“What’s the matter?”
Kennedy pointed towards the web of cracks expanding throughout the panes of glass. “If those windows bust, we’re goners.”
Lexie’s eyes rounded on the cracks, which were increasing by the second. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“How?” she said, eyeing Davaris. He would never make it. They both knew it, but neither one of them wanted to say so out loud.