Sunken Eyes (Cruel and Beautiful World Book 2)

by L. Stoddard Hancock

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Xander tugged Deryn forward before either of them had a chance to be frightened and pull back. They stayed hidden in their black hoods as they stepped through the door, pressing themselves firmly against the wall as they moved in the shadows.

  Up ahead they could already see several guards running around while a Guardian with their hood up barked orders. Another Guardian walked up, several inches shorter than the first. They whispered back and forth, but then Finley went up to them. They directed her upstream and she ran off.

  The water was there. So close but untouchable from where they stood.

  Xander and Deryn walked to the very edge of their narrow hallway, their Elements held at their sides, still covered in shadow while one step forward would put them in the light. As long as no one looked their way all they had to do was wait for a chance to make their move.

  Finley appeared again with two guards in tow. She said something to the two Guardians and somehow managed to usher them the in direction she'd come from, glancing nervously towards the dark hallway where she knew they stood.

  This was it. Their one chance to go.

  And they took it.

  Without another thought Xander and Deryn left the safety of the shadows, sprinting downstream and towards the water.

  "There they are!" someone shouted from above. They both glanced up to see several guards on hover-bikes, flying much higher than protocol normally allowed.

  "Shit!" said Xander, picking up his pace and dragging Deryn along with him.

  The bike zoomed in their direction and they both slammed to the ground before the guard could grab either of them. When it came for them again, Xander rolled and jumped to his feet, grabbing the guard by the coat and yanking him off of the bike. The bike kept zooming forward, crashing into a guard unfortunate enough to be standing close by, killing him instantly.

  Deryn was up again and latching back on to Xander's hand. The water was so close. Only a few hundred feet away.

  Glancing over her shoulder, Deryn saw another guard with an Element pointed towards them. She grabbed Xander and pulled him out of the line of fire just as a loud and powerful blast shot by.

  "Do not kill Xander Ruby!" a familiar voice ordered. "My father wants him alive! Do whatever you want to the girl but Xander is off limits!"

  Deryn turned in that moment and aimed her Element at the voice, her eyes locking with Elvira's for a brief moment before she was shooting a blast at her. The woman barely had time to duck. Soren was standing beside her, frozen in place as he watched Deryn move her Element to him. She fired.

  Elvira shoved his legs so he landed hard on his back. "Fucking idiot!" she shouted, leaping to her feet and darting towards Deryn.

  Deryn wanted to try again but Xander pulled her away before she could.

  "Give up the slave, Xander! Give her up now if you want a chance to live!" shouted Elvira from behind them. She motioned to a nearby guard on a hover-bike to come to her. When he did, she shoved him off and took his place, ascending into the air. Now above them, she sent a blast down at their linked hands.

  Xander and Deryn dodged in opposite directions, but quickly scrambled to get back to each other. They rolled together to dodge another blast from somewhere above and Deryn shot up, aiming her Element and stunning the guard who had shot at them, sending her and her bike crashing down.

  The two of them were back on their feet and running while the guards on the ground surrounded them. Finley was among them, shooting a stunner that shot right by Deryn's ear, 'accidentally' hitting the guard directly in front of them.

  Elvira landed her bike, her body burning with rage as she jumped off and marched towards Xander, her Element raised. He shot a blast at her. She had a shield up before it even left his gun.

  She fired a stunner at him and he dodged it, having to let go of Deryn's hand again. While plummeting towards the ground, he aimed his Element. She hadn't been expecting it. Not mid-fall. And, against all odds, his blast hit her right hand.

  Elvira's Element shattered into a million pieces, the metal protecting her hand but not her fingers. She fell to her knees in pain, a guard immediately coming to her aid and applying pressure to her fingerless and bloody nub.

  Xander would have loved to fire again while she was down, to finish her once and for all, but several guards were already shielding her.

  With a grunt, Xander jumped to his feet. When he turned back around, Eamon Graham had suddenly appeared and grabbed Deryn from behind. He lifted his Element to save her but, before it was necessary, she had a lock on Eamon's arm and flipped him like Luka had taught her. When he was down, she shot a blast at him, close enough in proximity that there was no escaping alive. "Fucking bastard!" she shouted, giving her dead rapist a hard kick.

  While Deryn was distracted two guards tried to come at her from both sides. Xander shot two blasts at them and, when they dodged, he grabbed Deryn's hand and pulled her as fast as he could towards the water.

  "Xander!" called a familiar, deep voice that was steadily becoming closer. President Saevus.

  Xander turned his head and saw it was coming from an approaching S.U.R.G.E.

  "Stop running! Return to me now and I will spare the slave!"

  His running slowed.

  "Xander, no!" shouted Deryn, pulling hard on his hand as they finally reached those final fifty steps to the water.

  A flash of blue light shot out of a nearby Element, aimed at Deryn. Xander shoved her out of the way and took the lash against the left side of his face.

  "Xander!" screamed Deryn as he fell hard to the ground. She tried to run back for him but someone grabbed her. "No!"

  A new rush of adrenaline hitting her, Deryn grabbed the handle of her knife in the holster on her wrist and whipped it out. She twisted herself free from the woman who held her and jammed the blade right into her jugular vein, letting her collapse to the ground. Another hand gripped her arm. She spun on her heel, yanked her arm free and planted the tip of the blade on her new attacker's neck. She froze when their eyes met, hers drifting downward until she was staring at the scar along his throat, and then back up. Soren Tash.

  Deryn gulped, her heart filled with such hatred for this monster in front of her. With narrowed eyes, she coldly said, "This time I won't miss."

  She pulled her hand back, finally ready to strike and finish Soren once and for all. But there was a scream. The scream of a wife who, for some reason, loved her bastard of a husband. And even while Elvira faded into unconsciousness, her hand bleeding out, she still managed to start an unmanned hover-bike and send it hurdling towards Deryn and Soren.

  Both were knocked down and sent rolling, Xander grabbing Deryn's right hand as she spun by him, slowing her descent as she dropped her knife and flipped into the water. The rucksack flew off his shoulder while they slid and plopped into the water with her, continuing to flow downstream.

  Deryn gasped as she came up for air, struggling to hold onto Xander's hand and keep herself afloat.

  He wasn't in the water. He was still on the edge, lying on his stomach and struggling against something.

  "Xander, get in!" she shouted, unable to see what was holding him back.

  "Deryn, I ..."

  He grunted and seemed to be trying to pull his leg away from something. She bobbed up as best she could, now able to see that the bike that had crashed into her had stopped on top of his leg.

  "Pull it out!" she screamed, still bobbing and trying to yank him into the water with all her might. She sunk down, using everything she had to get him to budge. But he didn't. Not even a little. She came back up for air, sobbing as her eyes met his.

  "Deryn, let go!" he demanded.

  She shook her head. "No! Two blackbirds flying home together, remember?"

  Tears filled his eyes. "Deryn, please!"

  "No!"

  "Please!"

  Xander's eyes darted all around, finally stopping on something to his left. He used his free hand to g
rab it. Deryn's eyes widened as he lifted her knife, and she stared at him for one final, world-shattering moment.

  "I love you," he said.

  "No!" she cried one final time.

  Xander brought down the knife, stabbing through her hand so she was forced to cry out and let go, the water rushing her downstream and through a grate, something clicking behind her. The last thing she saw as she was pulled under the rushing water was the distant figure of Xander being swarmed by guards.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Deryn gasped for breath as she slid out of a pipe and into a shallow pool of water. She stayed on her back until she stopped flowing, turning her head to cough out the water that had lodged deep in her lungs. The moment it passed she was up, running for the pipe and searching frantically for a way back up.

  "No!" she screamed, slamming her fist against the damn thing. "Xander!"

  She cried as she backed up a few steps, staring at the tall outer walls of Utopia.

  She was outside. Something she'd been dreaming of ever since she was taken from her home eight years ago. But Xander wasn't with her. Deryn's body might have been outside but her heart was still trapped inside, forever with the man she loved. She couldn't be free without him.

  Deryn collapsed to her knees, her hands landing in the mud as she wept. Her wet eyes stared down at the bleeding gash on her right hand, a mere inch lower than her blackbird tattoo, the mark that tied them together. Forever. That was what they had said.

  "Forever," she whispered, refusing to believe that this was it. They had promised each other forever, and she wasn't going to fail him now.

  A S.U.R.G.E. flew in front of her, scanning a blue light over her crouched figure. She froze, unsure if she should run or -

  "Leon, it's Odette," said a voice speaking through the robot. "This S.U.R.G.E. is going to lead you somewhere safe. Stay there and I'll be down as soon as I can. Should take me about an hour."

  "Where's Xander?" demanded Deryn, tears dripping down her cheeks. "What's happening to him."

  There were several heavy seconds of silence. "The president arrived. He ordered Xander to be bound and taken to his home. Neo's tailing them as best he can. I should have an update from him by the time I reach you."

  "Is he hurt?"

  This time the silence was accompanied by a static sigh. "They removed the bike from his legs. From where I was, it didn't look like anything was broken but he's not in the best of conditions. We can talk about this later, Leon. You aren't doing Xander any good by staying out in the open like that. Get into hiding, wait for me and when Neo or Finley has news we'll plan our next course of action. Understood?"

  Deryn nodded, though she wasn't sure if Odette could see her. "Understood," she finally said, climbing to her feet. She searched the area until she found her rucksack, throwing it over her shoulder and following the S.U.R.G.E. as it zoomed off.

  It led her away from Utopia and into the trees, eventually stopping near a vine hanging from a branch. Per the robot's urging, she gave the vine a tug and was quickly pulled up and into a large tree, coming to a stop on a wooden platform. She walked to the edge of it, a perfect view of the circular city of Utopia.

  Deryn tossed her rucksack aside, sat down and brought her knees to her chest, staring at the tall building in the city's center that rose high above the protective shields, the only light in the dark night. President Saevus's home. Xander was on his way there now, and she had never felt more terrified.

  She was still sitting like that an hour later when someone landed on the platform behind her. Without looking back, Deryn asked, "Any word?"

  "Not yet," answered Odette, taking a seat beside her. "Neo couldn't follow them any further than the end of the underground. He's on his way here. Now we just wait for word from Finley."

  "You won't leave him -"

  "No, of course not." Odette crossed her arms and sighed. "You paid us for a service and it hasn't been met yet. We will get Xander out. Or die trying."

  Deryn nodded, her eyes still focused on the center of Utopia, silently wondering what hell was waiting for Xander inside that tower.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Bronson and Quigley walked quickly through the streets of Middle City, sent home early from the restaurant they worked at when it was overrun with guards. Every place was overrun with guards, all marching around, instructed by various Guardians and searching for something.

  Someone.

  A feeling of dread had formed in the pit of Bronson's stomach the moment the guards arrived, and it was growing steadily larger. He kept calling Luka but there was never any answer. Something was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

  He tried Luka on his wristband again. Nothing.

  "Stop calling him, Bronson. Obviously he's busy with something," said Quigley, glancing around at the chaos.

  "He's answered me while working before. Something's not right, Quigs. Who else would they be going this crazy for, if not cupcake?"

  "Her brother," answered Quigley. "Her father. Her former lover. Yes, all people associated with her, but not necessarily her. Our cupcake is fine, Bronson. You'll see when we get home."

  Bronson nodded, trying hard to believe him but still picking up his pace. He needed to see her. To see Xander. And to see ...

  Luka.

  His face flashed in Bronson's mind, covered in red as they turned the corner onto their street. The president's car was outside of their building. Waiting.

  Bronson and Quigley froze.

  More red flashed through Bronson's mind.

  As the door to their building opened, Quigley pulled Bronson into the shadows, both of them watching as a man was carried out of there, crying out in pain as blood poured from his leg.

  "Dammit, Wenton! Tell me what's happening," Atticus Ruby demanded as two guards carried him towards the car. The Guardian Wenton Pace was walking just behind him.

  "Just getting an update," said Wenton, who seemed unconcerned with his comrade's injury. He suddenly smiled. An unnerving, wicked smile that made Bronson's blood run cold. "Looks like we're going to the president's house where your son will soon be joining us."

  Bronson and Quigley barely glimpsed the look of utter terror on Atticus's face before he was stuffed inside the car.

  The moment it was gone, flying high in the air and towards Inner City, Bronson was running, entering their building and not stopping until he was five floors up. He halted and gasped at the sight of Xander's demolished apartment.

  There was blood on the walls and -

  "Shit, is that an arm?" screeched Quigley from behind him, cringing but still approaching the thing. "It's definitely a man's arm."

  When he noticed Bronson tense, he grunted and unhappily pulled the sleeve that was still attached to the dismembered arm back a bit.

  "You can relax. It's not Luka. Luka's all smooth and this man's all hairy."

  "He's not completely smooth," said Bronson with a faint chuckle as tears poured from his eyes. "He gets this cute little stubble on his chin but he has to shave it off before Guardian duties."

  Quigley sighed and stood up straight.

  Bronson readied his wristband in front of him, but before he could try Luka again Quigley was gripping his wrist.

  "No," his friend said sternly. "Do not call him, Bronson. Clearly something's happened here and if Xander's been caught I imagine Luka was dragged right down with him. We can't be part of this. What we need to do now is go downstairs and act like we never saw this, never cared enough to come up here and check on them. Understand?"

  Bronson gulped.

  "The president may consider sparing his favorite minions, but he'd have you and me executed without a second thought. You know that, right?"

  He sighed and nodded.

  "We're no good to anyone if we're dead." Quigley released his friend, taking one final and heartrending look around the apartment they had spent so much time in. Then he headed for the stairs. "Let's go."

  Bronson followed
him, his heart aching as he thought about the three people who lived in that shattered and bloody apartment. The three people he had come to love like no other but Quigley. To love like family.

  Xander, who had such a good heart buried under that asshole exterior.

  Deryn, who had been torn down and broken so many times but kept rising back up. Always fighting, even when all seemed hopeless.

  And Luka, who Bronson had grown to feel so strongly for in such a short amount of time. The man who had somehow seeped into him when he'd always figured himself incapable of true feelings.

  He hadn't loved Fiona when his mind told him that he should. He'd always assumed it was because she was a woman, but no man had ever come close to touching his heart the way she had. Until now. With Luka. Who not only touched his heart but dug even deeper until he was gripped around his soul. He couldn't lose him. Not now. Not yet.

  They had only just begun.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Xander was tossed into a dark cell deep below President Saevus's tower, the guards who put him there making sure to rough him up a bit before exiting. It must have been very exhilarating to hit and kick someone who'd been their boss until just moments earlier.

  Really, the roughing up was completely unnecessary. His face still bled from the lash he'd taken for Deryn and his right leg ached where the stupid hover-bike had landed on it. It didn't appear to be broken but it still hurt like hell.

  Xander cringed as he pushed himself to an upright position, pulling up his pant leg to get a better look at the thing. Bloody and bruised but no bones were poking out at funny angles.

  His head fell back against the wall behind him as he finally let it sink in.

  He'd been so close, so fucking close to freedom with Deryn!

  She should have been able to kill Soren, to get her revenge, and they should have escaped together. But that bitch Elvira, practically bleeding to death and still able to get her way.