by Dana Gricken
Becoming soulless had probably ruined my relationship with him forever, as if it hadn’t been in trouble already.
I decided to look for Mom instead. If anyone knew where Dad had run off to, it would be her. They had started to talk again, trying to fix their relationship after the cheating revelation and the shock that Lara was my half-sister. While I was trying not to get my hopes up, it did seem like they were heading in the right direction.
I entered the barracks, seeing Mom sitting on her bed, reading a book and sipping a glass of water. Some of the other civilians were also in here, playing cards and telling stories to pass the time. They looked up at me but didn’t say a word. Dad wasn’t the only one who struggled to accept the new me.
“Sweetie, there you are,” Mom said, putting her book away. “Patrick told me he was going to ask you to be the new General. I’m so proud of you, Riley.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Mom. Have you seen Dad anywhere?”
“He said he was going out for a little while. When you turned soulless, it really upset him,” Mom replied, sighing. “While I can’t say I’m happy about it, you’re still my daughter. I love you no matter what. As for your father, it’ll take him some time to accept you. He’s spent his entire life fighting the soulless, you know.”
I nodded again, relieved she was still on my side. But Dad leaving was out of the ordinary. Since we’d made our home here a few weeks ago, he had never left. No one had, actually. There was always too much work and too little time—and nowhere else to go.
When I left the barracks to check up on Wanda, I ran into Amelia instead.
“Good, I’m glad I found you,” she said. “I have a proposition.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m really busy, in case you hadn’t noticed. What is it now, Rayne?”
“Don’t be like that. I have a good idea,” she said, pointing at the video camera in her hand. “Since your meeting with the United Nations was a disaster—and I’m sorry to say that, but it was—I know how we can fix it.”
“Really? Since when did you become an expert on peace talks?”
“I’m a journalist. I know how to manipulate the public’s opinion. Let’s head back to the conference room,” she replied. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get you out of this mess. Aren’t you glad you have me?”
It was probably best I didn’t respond.
Twenty minutes later, Amelia was putting the finishing touches on my hair and makeup. Despite my protests, she had practically forced me to sit in the conference room chair while she groomed me.
“You don’t want the world to think the soulless are unkempt, now do you?” she had asked.
When she’d finished poking and prodding, she rushed behind the video camera she had set up. “If the United Nations decides to turn against you, maybe we can get the public’s support instead. Do you know what you’ll say to the people?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’ll just speak from the heart. Honesty is the best policy, right?”
“What? You can’t do that,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “The world needs to see you as a leader, Riley—both capable and confident. You can’t treat them like a friend.”
“Fine, whatever,” I replied. “Just start the broadcast. I want to get this over with.”
She pressed a button on the camera, and it started to blink red. She took a seat beside me. “Welcome, everyone. I’m Amelia Rayne, and I’m here with an urgent message from General Stark.”
It was a bit intimidating knowing the entire world was seeing this. I sat up straighter and cleared my throat. “Hello, world. My name is Riley Stark, and I’m the leader of the Samaritans. I know you’re probably afraid of my black eyes, but I’m here to tell you the soulless aren’t our enemies anymore.”
“They’re not?” Amelia asked. “Then who are our enemies, Riley?”
“General Frank Grissom and his Sentinels,” I replied. “They can’t be trusted. If you see them, contact us immediately. Their experiments are criminal, and they’ve become irrational and frantic.”
“It appears we have a caller. It says they’re…in New York City,” Amelia said, glancing down at her phone in confusion. “Hello there. What is your question?”
“Does Riley Stark believe she has won this war?” a familiar voice asked.
“Dark Queen…” I muttered, rising to my feet. “What do you want? I thought you’d disappeared for good like a coward.”
The Dark Queen laughed. “Disappeared? I fled to survive. If I had stayed, you would’ve killed me on the bridge. You may have defeated Doctor Zero, but a much stronger foe is coming.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Cardinal,” The Dark Queen replied. “He lurks like a beast in the night. And believe me when I say I understand his power like no one else. I will be the least of your worries if you cannot stop him.”
Amelia pressed a button on her phone and the line disconnected. I glared at her, wanting to hear more about the Cardinal. “I’m afraid that’s all we have time for today, world. Any last words, Riley?”
I nodded. “I won’t rest until New York City is rebuilt and this world is safe again—for soulless and soulful. You have my word.”
Amelia shut off the broadcast. “This is probably the first time I’ve ever said this, but I think I made a mistake. That interview definitely didn’t help.”
“What the hell, Amelia? Why did you cut her off?” I asked. “The Dark Queen could’ve had information!”
“Because everyone is already afraid, in case you haven’t noticed. We can’t let the Dark Queen scare them even more.”
While I was still fuming at Amelia, Violet burst into the room. “Riley, we have an urgent situation. We need you out here—and it can’t wait.”
3
Red Intruders
I followed Violet down the hallway, glad to get away from the cameras. No matter how hard we tried to make the situation better, it seemed to be getting worse—and I wondered if the public supported us anymore.
Violet finally stopped at the medical bay doors, where I peered into the room. Someone was lying on a hospital bed, and their blood had stained the white sheets. When I walked closer, I noticed it was Lara. Part of her torso was bandaged.
“Lara!” I said, rushing to her side. “What happened?”
She grimaced. “It was totally my fault. Patrick and I were just sparring, and we got a little too into it. Then I ended up stabbing myself with my dagger. So stupid.”
“Sorry, soldier,” Patrick said, placing a hand on Lara’s shoulder. I hadn’t even realized he was in the room. “Didn’t mean to hurt you. Guess I pushed you too hard, wanting to make sure all our soldiers were trained and ready.”
“Will she be okay?”
Violet nodded. “There wasn’t any internal damage, and we managed to stop the bleeding. She’ll need to rest for a day or two in order to recuperate, though.”
“No offense, but what’s the problem?” I asked, crossing my arms. “If Lara’s going to be okay, why did you run into the room to get me like that? I thought there was something wrong.”
Violet sighed. “There is. Lara might be fine, but this ties into a much bigger issue. We’re running low on food and supplies. I was surprised I had enough bandages left to dress Lara’s wound.”
“Supplies I can understand, but why food? Aren’t some of our soldiers taking care of the garden?”
Patrick nodded. “Sure, but hundreds of us are living here. We’re bound to run low sometime, and some of the folks are complaining to me. For my sanity, you need to make it stop, kid.”
I sighed. “I’ll take care of it. I think I saw a few ransacked shops a couple of blocks from here. Technically, theft is against the law…but I don’t think we have a choice. This city is empty, anyway. We’ll have to salvage what we can.”
“I wish I could go with you,” Lara said. “Good luck trying to find anything edible, and watch out, okay? That crazy General could be anywhere.”
Violet shook her head. “No. I’ve been here all day, so I’m not the right person to ask.”
When Lara and Patrick both shook their heads, I sighed. “Then we’ll have to declare him missing. No one has seen him for hours, and it isn’t like him to up and leave—especially not in a crisis.”
“Missing?” Patrick asked, wide-eyed. “But…where the hell could he go? You said it yourself, kid—this city is a damn ghost town. Have to be crazy to run away now.”
“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling. Dad was the only one who had a big issue with me being soulless. Mom said he wasn’t taking it well,” I replied. “Any news on Wanda’s condition?”
Violet nodded. “Her health is getting worse. It’s almost like…her body is eating itself from the inside. I gave her a sedative so she could get some rest. Her symptoms are strange, and I can’t make a proper diagnosis, but I know this for sure: She’s dying, Riley.”
I glanced over at Wanda, who was sleeping peacefully on a nearby bed. Her mumbling and jostling had stopped, but that wasn’t a good sign, either. After the Dark Queen’s call on our broadcast, it made me realize one thing.
“The Dark Queen needs to die. If not, it’ll be Wanda instead.”
As I said my goodbyes and left the medical bay, I ran into Jacob. He stood near the front desk, trying to make our signal stronger. Without him, we’d be completely disconnected from the world.
“Hey, Jacob. When I had my interview with Amelia, the Dark Queen called us. Amelia’s caller ID said she was in New York City, but it didn’t know the exact location,” I said. “Since you’re good with that stuff, do you think you could trace the signal of her call?”
“Sure. I don’t know what I’ll find, but I can try. Hey, I heard you were hunting for food and supplies. Mind if I tag along?”
“Won’t that interfere with your signal tracking?”
He chuckled. “Multitasking is one of my talents, Riley. Besides, don’t you want a little extra protection?” He opened his trench coat, showing me his large collection of crystals.
I sighed, relenting. “Fine, you can come—but on one condition. Don’t get yourself killed, okay? And no heroics, either. You’re the only hacker we have, and we need you.”
“I’ll try not to do anything stupid, but you know me,” he replied, fiddling with a crystal in his pocket. “I can’t resist showing off.”
I found Caleb waiting by the front doors. “Patrick told me we’re supposed to be hunting down supplies and food,” he said.
I nodded. “If we want to keep this community alive, we’ll have to make some supply runs. And by the way, I want us to look for my dad while we’re out there. Mom said he disappeared, and no one has heard from him since.”
“There’s no way someone could have captured him. Our defenses are secure, and everyone else is accounted for,” Caleb replied. “I hate to think the worst of your father, but…”
“I know, Caleb. And if Dad really did abandon us, I’m sure he knows desertion is a crime.”
“I heard General Grissom used to kill Sentinels for it,” Jacob said. “Would you do the same, Riley?”
“No,” I replied, gazing out the window. “But Dad wouldn’t like my punishment, either.”
We took one of our military trucks and rode in silence the entire way. I drove, carefully avoiding the parts of the road with debris and fallen trees. We ended up taking a lot of backstreets, and I looked out the window at the destroyed stores as we passed. Most of them were just heaps of brick and dust now, without a person in sight.
“What are we looking for again?” Caleb asked.
“Joe’s Corner Store. I remember seeing it down here,” I replied. “It should have the basics of what we need. I think my dad took me there a few times when I was a kid.”
A lump formed in my throat at the mention of Dad, so I turned quiet. I was angry at him, and I had a million burning questions. How could he leave us, especially now? Even if he didn’t support my soullessness, didn’t he realize how much I’d need him to lead this city?
“And if the store was destroyed?” Caleb asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Then we’ll have to find another one. We can’t fail, Caleb. Our people need us.” I glanced in the rearview mirror. Jacob sat back there, still fiddling with his phone. “How is the signal tracking going? Did you find the Dark Queen yet?”
“It’s triangulating,” Jacob replied, meeting my gaze. “I hope we’ll have a location soon.”
“Any idea where your mother might be, Caleb?”
He shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m surprised she made contact at all. If I were her, I’d probably want to keep my head down.”
Not the Dark Queen, I thought. She’s still out for revenge, and more powerful than ever.
Down the block, I finally noticed the flattened road sign. We had made it to Joe’s Corner Store, and it still looked like it was holding together. However, some of the roof had collapsed, and the front door was completely busted down.
“Here we are,” I said, parking the car and opening my door. “Let’s grab a few flashlights and check it out.”
The store was dark and cluttered, but as I shone my flashlight at the racks, I smiled. Nonperishable food items were still plentiful on the shelves. I saw some basic medical supplies too—like bandages, disinfectant wipes, and gloves. This place was a goldmine.
Finally, something was going right.
“Collect everything,” I said. “Take as much as the truck can hold. I think we’ll have enough for now, but we might need to come back in the future.”
Caleb and Jacob nodded, grabbing handfuls of food and supplies and bringing them to our vehicle. While they were gone, I decided to check out the rest of the store, just in case there was something we’d missed.
I heard groaning coming from the back office. When I approached the door and twisted the handle, I found it locked. I was about to chalk it up to paranoia when I heard the groaning again, much louder now. I kicked the door down and reached for my Deathblade.
The room was pitch black. As I passed my flashlight around the office, I noticed how disheveled the room had become. Someone had tipped the desk over, cut the phone in half, and left claw marks on the back of the door.
I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye. I dodged out of the way as the person in the dark lunged at me, snarling like a wild animal. When I shone the light on their face, I saw who it was.
Iris Snow growled in front of me, my old partner in Phoenix Patrol. She wasn’t as I remembered. Her dark hair and Gothic makeup were gone, and a red glow emanated from her entire body. Power Crystals protruded from her skin, jagged and sharp.
I gasped. She was a Red Sentinel!
“Iris, what happened to you? Did the General do this?”
“I tried to save him,” Iris muttered. “His body couldn’t handle it. He was weak.”
Iris looked like she was fighting a hard battle inside her mind. Her face scrunched up, and I could tell it was taking a lot of effort to resist the urge to attack me while we spoke.
“Save who? Are you talking about the General?”
Iris shook her head, pointing behind me. I turned around, taking a quick glance in case Iris decided to attack me again, but she didn’t. She wanted me to see the dead body on the floor.
It was Damon Forrester, another member of Phoenix Patrol and Marissa’s former partner. He had also become a Red Sentinel, judging by the number of red crystals poking out from underneath his skin. He was almost unrecognizable.
The stench of death was ripe, and I felt like I would vomit. He had been dead for a long time. Damon had been a good Sentinel, always following orders and wanting to do the right thing. I hadn’t known him that well, but I knew he deserved better than this.
“Iris, you need to tell me what happened. Maybe it’s not too late. Maybe I can stil
l help you.”
“You can’t help us. There’s no cure for being a Red Sentinel,” she whispered. “It’s over. I lost everything.”
Despite everything, I felt bad for her. As long as I had known her, she had argued and fought against me, but she didn’t deserve this fate, either. No one did.
My brain was abuzz with questions. I didn’t know how this had happened, but I knew there was only one solution.
“I’m sorry to do this to you, Iris,” I said, raising my Deathblade, “but I can’t let you suffer anymore.”
I stabbed her as hard as I could in her chest, shattering several of the Power Crystals attached to her skin. She fell to the ground, not even bothering to fight back. When she smiled, I realized she was happy to die.
Iris stared up at me, taking her last few breaths. Red acid, which I assumed was her blood, pooled around her. “Thank…you. I wish…I would’ve joined your side. Maybe then, I…could’ve prevented this.”
When her body went limp, two dark figures rushed into the room. I lifted my Deathblade and my flashlight, but when I shined it on the intruders, I realized it was only Caleb and Jacob.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that. I could’ve killed you!”
“Sorry. We didn’t mean to scare you,” Caleb said. “We heard a commotion, and I feared the worst.”
“I’m fine, but Iris and Damon didn’t make it. They were turned into Red Sentinels.”
“Man, it looks like they have hundreds of Power Crystals in their skin. It’s just like those Reds we saw in the Sentinel facility,” Jacob said, bending down to look closer. “Do you think the General ordered this?”
I nodded. “Who else would do it? And who else would have access to lots of Power Crystals? We’ve seen the General do it before.”
“Then that means one thing,” Caleb said. “The General is desperate. If your old squad mates were turned, how many others has he done this to? And what could he be planning with a Red army?”