Rose Reborn (Death's Contract Book 1)

by KJ Harlow

  Death was standing by the big screen at the front of the room. The other four Deliverers stood there, watching us enter the room. Greg made a beeline and stood next to Tracy. She gave him a quick smile then looked back at Tor and I. The workers worked distractedly, looking at us surreptitiously from the corner of their eyes.

  “Tor and Rose,” Death said evenly. His tone didn’t give anything away. “Could you come here please?” Ignoring the nerves that heightened when he said my name, I made my way to the front of the room. We stood opposite the five other Deliverers and Death.

  “It has come to my attention that the two of you left a Regroup early,” Death stated. “This is against the rules. The Regroups allow Deliverers to share important information that not only protects us from the Tormented, it also protects humans and prevents more of them from being targeted by the Tormented.” Death paused, looking between the two of us.

  “It’s also an important meeting because it allows you all to bond. If you can’t trust one another here, you can’t trust one another in the field.” Death looked sharply to his left.

  “Walter, I am disappointed. As the leader of the Deliverers, you should understand this better than anyone else,” Death said pointedly. Walter looked at Death, unblinking. “I picked Rose myself, as I did you and every other person here.” He said looking at each one of us. “I understand that there has been a security breach, but you don’t accuse Deliverers of treason. You come to me.” Walter nodded and looked at me in the eyes.

  “Rose, I’m sorry for accusing you of betraying the Deliverers. It was a crass and destructive thing to say.” I was still trying to get over the surprise that I wasn’t the one in trouble when Walter apologized to me. I nodded unsmilingly at him. I wasn’t willing to forgive him just yet.

  “Tor. It’s certainly a surprise that one of the Tormented is someone you used to know when you were alive. You have broken the 5th Rule: never surrender your weapon to the enemy. You are lucky to still be here. Can I trust you to never do this ever again?” Death said sternly.

  Tor drew himself to full height and looked Death in the eye. “I will be extra vigilant the next time I am in the Overworld.”

  Death paused for a moment then nodded in acknowledgment at Tor. He then looked at one of the workers closest to him, who typed furiously for a moment. With a decisive tap, the big screen changed. We all looked up at the big screen as security footage appeared. Four figures stood together: Dante, Mortimer, Matylda and Stan. I stopped breathing as I saw my boyfriend standing with our mortal enemies. It looked like they were talking. Dante suddenly disappeared, leaving Mortimer, Matylda and Stan standing there. Eventually, they walked off screen.

  “This is footage that we shot earlier today. Dante has left the city. He has left Stan with Mortimer and Matylda,” Death looked at me intently. “This is our chance to go back the children’s hospital and rescue Stan.” I looked at Death.

  “How soon can we go back?”

  “As soon as we get our preparations ready,” Death turned to face us. “For this mission, I’m sending all of you out. You are to disable Mortimer and Matylda, capture Stan and move him to the safe zone. Is that understood?” The Deliverers nodded. “Move into the meeting room and prepare to go back to the Overworld.”

  I ran back to the meeting room and slammed my palm on the glass. Scrambling to my seat, I threw my vest on, put my Light Bug in and holstered my Lucent Gun. It seemed to hum in greeting. The rest of the Deliverers promptly came into the meeting room. I pretended to focus on getting my vest in the right position to ignore Walter as he walked past me. He paused, turned slightly to me, started saying something then decided against it.

  I left the room as everyone else prepared. Death was talking to one of the workers but looked up as he saw me walking towards him.

  “How long do we have to go in and rescue him?” I asked anxiously.

  “That footage is about an hour old. We think that the Tormented are planning to turn him pretty soon,” Death said grimly.

  I looked impatiently behind me. Walter was the first to come out. He caught me looking at him and gave me a hesitant smile. I didn’t return it. Instead, I waved to Tracy and Greg who had come after him.

  I walked towards Death’s office, pushing open the wooden door and making my way to the space in front of the fire place while everyone followed. On my left, Tracy gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. My right hand was engulfed in Tor’s, while Greg had somehow ended up on his right.

  “Remember, you guys are a team. No in-fighting. The last thing we need is to lose a Deliverer while the Tormented gain one. There’s no time to waste. I’ll be sending you all right into the lion’s den, so be prepared.” Death warned.

  We all looked up at the ceiling. I wasn’t sure if the white light I saw was from being transported back to the Overworld or the lightning that flashed angrily as we rushed towards the gray clouds that were ominously circling the ceiling.

  Seventeen

  I saw the opening of the Overworld fast approaching. I leaned back and this time around, I stuck the landing. I rose from my crouching position, waving away the puff of dust that came up from my disturbance. There were whooshes all around me as the other Deliverers arrive from the Underworld.

  My senses adjusted quickly as my body adjusted to having a heart again. I drew my gun as I surveyed the area, getting a sense of my bearings. The gray clouds roiled above, threatening to drench us. I lifted my boot and squinted at the bottom. It really did feel dusty here.

  “Rose, do you know where we are?” Greg asked, warily pulling out his Lucent Gun. “Weren’t the Tormented still at the hospital?” I kept looking around, feeling a gnawing sense of anxiety in the pit of my stomach. Something wasn’t right.

  “Wait,” Silas said, crouching down. He picked up some powder and rubbed it between his hands, letting it fall back on the ground. “This isn’t dirt. It’s wood dust.” As my eyes acclimatized to my surroundings, I could start making things out: a stack of concrete pipes, a bulldozer, and a jackhammer. It dawned on me.

  “We’re in a construction zone,” I said, looking back at the others.

  “Look out!” Tracy shouted, running at full speed into me, knocking me into the ground. A bullet bounced right where I was standing.

  “Ugh! Did I miss again?” A girl’s voice lilted from afar. Everyone had dispersed and was taking cover in different places around the work site. Tracy and I jumped up and ran to the huge bulldozer. We pressed ourselves into the huge wheel for cover, guns drawn.

  “That’s the second time you’ve done that,” I whispered.

  “Matylda’s not a good shot, is she?” She snickered. Our hands went up to shield our eyes at that point as floodlights suddenly switched on at every corner of the site.

  “What the…” Walter growled through the Light Bug.

  “Deliverers welcome. So glad you could all make it,” Mortimer’s voice boomed through a megaphone. “Apologies for my colleague. She’s still working on her aim. She assures me she’ll be more accurate next time.” I peeked around the corner of the wheel to where the voice was coming from. Craning my neck up, I noticed some figures standing at the top of a multi-level building that didn’t have any windows installed in it yet.

  “So many things are left incomplete. Take this hospital extension we are standing in for example,” Mortimer said, sweeping an arm around the structure. “This was going to provide safe haven to hundreds of children while they recovered overnight. For some reason or another, they quit halfway – such a waste.” He said, tsking.

  “Silas, can you hear me?” Agatha said through the Light Bug.

  “Affirmative,” Silas came back almost immediately.

  “Good. Have you got a clear shot on Mortimer?” I saw Silas’ glasses glinting behind the stack of concrete tubes.

  “Yes. Do you want me to shoot him?”

  “No, not yet. I’ll let you know when,” Agatha said calmly.

  Tracy and I exchang
ed quizzical looks. What was Agatha planning? I suddenly remembered the soul rejuvenating treatment Agatha administered in her room when I came back from the Overworld from the first time. She had begun to ask me something about Mortimer, but what?

  “Us Tormented don’t like leaving things incomplete. One of the things we’re going to do tonight is add a new member to our ranks, isn’t that right Stan?”

  What? Was he up there with them? I made to get up but Tracy put her hand on my shoulder and forcefully kept me down.

  “No. He wants you to come out. Don’t do it,” Tracy warned, shaking her head sombrely.

  “There is something else we didn’t complete the last time you visited us: your demise.” Mortimer drawled.

  There was a grinding sound at the other side of the construction site. From my angle, I couldn’t see what was happening.

  “What’s that sound? Can anyone see?” Walter said.

  “Conflicted,” Tor murmured, a venomous edge lining his voice.

  “Oh my God,” Tracy whispered. She had moved to the other side of the tractor to get a better view of the where the sound was coming from. “The site gates are opening. Conflicted are coming in – lots of them.”

  “It took me a while to rally this many of them but I do hope that they will keep you company,” Mortimer said sardonically.

  “Bloody hell!” Greg hollered. There were a number of gunshots, then scuffling sounds. “Guys, would be good to get some back up right about now!”

  I came out from behind the tractor and saw the Conflicted streaming in. There must have been hundreds all trying to cram in, a wide array of machetes, blades and knives reflecting glinting in the floodlights. They were currently rushing towards Greg, who was shooting at them but running backward. A few in the front line fell, dissipating almost immediately but they were promptly replaced by more.

  I tightened my grip on my gun. Should I shoot now and attract their attention? I got into position and took my aim. Suddenly I heard several gunshots in the space of a second. A dozen Conflicted collapsed, their comrades tripping and falling over behind them.

  Someone stood on top of a stack of timber, unleashing hell on the Conflicted swarming into the work site: it was Walter. His Lucent Gun was in the form of a blood-red machine gun as it riddled multiple Conflicted full of bullet holes.

  “Walter, do you think you’ll be able to take care of the Conflicted down here?” Agatha said. There were a couple dozen gunshots before Walter spoke.

  “Yeah, I got it down here. Silas, Tracy could you two stay with me? I’m going to need a couple extra pair of eyes.”

  “Roger that!” Tracy said, running out from behind the tractor to take cover behind a stack of scaffolding.

  “Yes, I can stay. Agatha?” Silas queried.

  “Yes, Silas. Stay here with Walter after you take the shot,” Agatha said.

  “Waiting for your command.”

  “Tor, Greg and Rose. You three are with me. We’re going to Soul Step up to the Tormented and have a word with them. Does everyone understand their orders?”

  “Roger!” We all responded.

  “OK everyone, on the count of three, Silas, shoot Mortimer in the chest. Tor, Greg and Rose, we’ll pay the Tormented a little visit. Make sure Stan isn’t hurt. Incapacitate Matylda. Mortimer’s mine. Don’t worry, he will not Cease me.” Before I had time to wonder why she said that, she started the count down.

  “Ready? One… two… three!” Agatha cried.

  The Conflicted seemed to move in slow motion as I sprinted past them. I followed Agatha, Tor and Greg as they flew up multiple flights of stairs. We made it to the floor the Tormented were on. Mortimer had just fallen on his back in surprise. Agatha rushed over to him, planting her foot on his chest, handgun pointed at his head.

  Matylda was fast. She had her Ombre Gun planted on Agatha’s temple. Greg, Tor and I pointed our Lucent Guns at Matylda.

  “Stop! Don’t shoot!” Mortimer wheezed holding a hand up to Matylda. He peered curiously up at Agatha. “Aggie? Is that you?” He said incredulously.

  “Hello, Mortimer,” Agatha said calmly. “It’s been a while.”

  No one was moving. Stan was standing to the side. I looked over to him, but he didn’t see me. He was staring at Tor, his face twisted into a mask of hatred. It finally made sense: he was not looking at Mortimer in the operating theater. He was looking at Tor.

  “Why can’t I shoot her?” Matylda whined.

  “Because,” Mortimer breathed, “Aggie and I have a little… history. Isn’t that right?” He said smiling up at Agatha.

  “Don’t call me that,” Agatha said, putting more pressure on his chest. He coughed.

  “Aggie, you hurt me once while we were alive. Would you really want to do it again?” He said in mock sadness.

  “Release the hostage and we’ll let go of you,” Agatha said, gun still aimed squarely at Mortimer. Matylda giggled.

  “‘We’ll let go of you?’ Don’t forget we are the ones here who actually have the power to take away your pathetic life,” She said, curling her forefinger around the trigger.

  “Matylda, stop,” Mortimer growled. From the corner of my eye, I could see Tor sweating as his hand shook. I didn’t know how much longer he could point the gun at Matylda. Just what did Agatha plan to do? There was gunfire on the ground floor as Walter rained destruction upon the waves of Conflicted still pouring into the work site, with Silas and Tracy silencing the odd one or two that got too close.

  “Aggie, I can’t. We acquired Stan fair and square. He wants power, so we’re going to give it to him. That’s all. You of all people should know how it feels to be powerless,” Mortimer said cajolingly.

  Agatha pulled the trigger, unloading a bullet into Mortimer’s head. Greg and I shot Matylda, who squeaked and fell forwards. We wouldn’t have long before they recovered.

  “Come on Stan, let’s go,” I said, smiling at Stan and reaching out a hand to him. He was staring at the Tormented lying on the floor. He then looked at my hand, then across to Tor.

  “No,” Stan said bluntly.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Why the hell are you with these guys? Why are you on his side?” He gestured to Tor standing behind me. “He shot you in the head, didn’t he?” Stan challenged. I looked at my boyfriend incredulously.

  “Yes he did, but what Mortimer didn’t tell you was that–”

  “Argh!” Greg said, falling to his knees. A knife stuck out of his back. A Conflicted stood there with a dozen more filing up the stairs. Agatha moved towards Greg.

  “Damn it! How did we not hear them?” Agatha said.

  “I’m staying with Mortimer. I need the power to defeat him,” looking towards Tor, who stared at Stan. “Then I’ll rescue you, Rose. I don’t know what happened to you but you’re here, standing in front of me. So you must be OK.”

  “Stan you’ve got it all wrong! The Tormented want to use you! There’s something you wanted to tell me on the night that I died. You texted me. I was coming home and then–”

  A throwing knife flew past my face and cut my cheek. I twisted out of the way and teetered on the edge of the building. Life returned to Mortimer’s eyes. He noticed my precarious position.

  “Have a nice trip!” Mortimer yelled triumphantly, kicking my leg. I lost my balance and fell backward, plummeting nine stories. I screamed and flailed helplessly as I saw Agatha’s horrified face looking over the edge.

  The floor was coming at me fast. I thought about screaming but decided against it. Oh well, I was already dead. I’ll just go back the Underworld and have to transport back up here. Wouldn’t mean that this wouldn’t hurt though. I closed my eyes and braced for the impact that would shatter my body.

  It didn’t come. I fell heavily into a pair of strong arms. Looking up, I saw Tor’s face. It was lined with concern.

  “Are you–?”

  “Thank you,” I said breathlessly. I started running back towards the building a
nd up the stairs, leaving Tor in my wake.

  “Damn you!” Agatha said, firing another round into Mortimer’s head.

  “Not so fast, Aggie.” Mortimer slapped Agatha’s arm just out of the way, the bullet bouncing off the concrete. In an instant, Matylda and Mortimer flanked Stan and were standing by the entrance to the room as Conflicted streamed around them.

  “Do not harm the older woman but make sure the others have a good time! We’ll be seeing you later,” Mortimer bellowed before disappearing with Stan. The Conflicted paused for a moment then turned their attention to Greg.

  “Aargh!” Greg yelped, Ridding a Conflicted that had grabbed onto his leg. “Help!” Half a dozen Conflicted that were brandishing their weapons at Greg crumpled, gunshot wounds to their heads. Agatha kept shooting, but the Conflicted kept pouring in.

  “It’s no use! They keep coming!” Agatha said helplessly. “Where did Tor go?”

  The Conflicted seemed to be momentarily distracted by something behind them. Gunshots rang up from the stairwell as I obliterated them from behind.

  “Sorry I took so long!” I yelled above the din.

  “Rose!” Greg croaked.

  “You’re looking like you’ve seen better days,” I said grinning at Greg. A Conflicted came up behind me with its weapon raised, before a hole suddenly appeared in its forehead. Tor stood behind him, face twisted with hatred, gun still smoking. Agatha ran over to Greg, helping him to his feet.

  “How are you feeling?”