The Dark Cage

by Dana Gricken

  I shook my head, the only part of my body I could still move. “Doing the right thing? Why would you ever think that?”

  “Because the soulless are evil, Riley,” Rachel replied. “Look around. They’ve destroyed this city!”

  I ignored her, still trying to get through to Spencer. “I haven’t changed at all, Spencer—but you have. Look at what you’re doing! The old Spencer wouldn’t have kidnapped and tortured his best friend!”

  He sighed. “The old Spencer was an idiot who was blindly in love with you. I still love you, but now I know this must be done. I really hope you survive this, Riley.”

  I scoffed. “Spare me your fake concern. This isn’t what you do to people you care about.”

  “We’re ready to begin,” Rachel said, as she turned to a nearby Darkhunter. “Could you get my father? He said he wanted to watch the experiment.”

  “No need. I’m right here,” Michael replied, entering the room.

  “What did you do to Patrick?” I asked. “Is he still alive?”

  “Oh, he’s alive. We just talked,” Michael said, shrugging. “He explained why he had an affair with a married woman, and I explained why that pissed me off.”

  I looked closely at him, noticing the blood on his knuckles. Patrick’s blood. It was a good thing they had strapped me down, or I was pretty sure I could’ve killed them all right now.

  Rachel stepped toward me, carrying a needle with a tube and IV bag in her hands. She jammed the needle into my exposed vein, and I cried out in pain. I watched as my black blood filtered through the tube, leaving my body one drop at a time.

  “Calm down, Riley,” Rachel said, noticing my fast heartbeat on the machine. “Just relax.”

  “Really, relax? While you’re draining my blood?” I asked, gritting my teeth.

  Rachel turned to Michael, ignoring me. “Part one of the plan has been initiated. Prepare the bomb for part two.”

  “Bomb? What bomb?” I asked, lifting my head.

  “Do you remember what I said before? How we put the material from the Deathblades into our weapons?” Michael asked. “We created a giant bomb and did the same thing.”

  “How did you manage that?”

  “You have people with certain expertise in your army,” Michael said, “and we have people with certain expertise in ours too. That’s all you need to know.”

  “Where are you putting this bomb?”

  Rachel looked around at the other Darkhunters. “Well, I guess there’s no harm in telling you. You won’t be able to stop us, not while you’re trapped here. We’ll be bringing the bomb to the top of the Empire State Building, where it’ll have the most impact.”

  Spencer nodded. “And when the bomb explodes, it’ll hit all of New York City. That means every soulless here will die.”

  I groaned. This day was only getting worse. They were using biological warfare, and it was evil. Not even the Sentinels had thought to do this, and they had waged war against the soulless for more than a century.

  “What about the soulful? How will they survive the blast?”

  Rachel laughed. “It can’t hurt the soulful, silly. The blast will be radiation from the Death Crystals, which is only poisonous to the soulless. It resembles a fog, and the soulless will die fast without any pain.”

  “A pity,” Michael muttered.

  “And me? Will I die?”

  Spencer shook his head. “No, of course not. Even if the soulless cure doesn’t work and you’re still alive, I promised I’d protect you. This building has special walls to block out the radiation.”

  “I feel so lucky to be spared,” I muttered.

  “We should move out,” Rachel said. “We have no time to waste. Spencer, stay here with Riley. Make sure her blood is drained, no matter what.”

  “I’d like to stay as well,” Dad said. “Just to make sure everything goes smoothly. She’s still my daughter, and I care about her.”

  Rachel nodded. “That’s understandable. We’ll call you just before we detonate.”

  “Wait a second,” I said. “Before you go, one thing is bothering me. How did you know about the Cardinal?”

  “The Darkhunters and I spent some time in the Underworld, without the General knowing,” Spencer replied. “We studied the crystals, upgraded our weapons, and reprogrammed the Guardian…but we heard a rumble below the ground. I walked over, and accidentally pulled an arm on the statue, which opened a hidden tomb.”

  “And then the Cardinal came out, thanking us for setting him free,” Rachel said. “It was a mistake, but Spencer didn’t mean to do it.”

  “You…met the Cardinal?” I asked.

  “It looked like he was rising from a long slumber. Then he gave us a warning,” Rachel began. “He told us we couldn’t stop him. He seemed obsessed with you—desperate to find you. But just like all the other soulless, he’ll die. The bomb hopefully will affect him too—wherever he is.”

  As Rachel, Michael, and the large group of Darkhunters fled the room, I started to feel lightheaded and nauseous. The blood loss was getting to me now, and I could see the IV bag filling up out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to reach up, to pull it out of my arm, but I couldn’t move my hands.

  My eyes fluttered open and closed, and I faded in and out of consciousness. The room was foggy like I was in a dream. Despite this, I could clearly feel Spencer stroking my hair. It would’ve been comforting if he wasn’t my kidnapper.

  “It’s okay, Riley,” Spencer whispered. “We’re going to make you better. I promise.”

  “I don’t…want to be better,” I muttered. “There’s…nothing wrong with me. I just want to be…free…”

  Spencer didn’t reply. Freedom wasn’t what he was willing to offer.

  I started to see hallucinations now, little flickers of energy spreading around the room. They reminded me of the spirits I had once seen in the Quintessence. I had only one thought: It wasn’t real. It couldn’t have been.

  Could it?

  “Riley Stark…” a voice above me said. “You must live, my Prodigy. We have much to accomplish together.”

  I looked around the room. No one else was here. The voice must’ve been coming from deep inside my own head, as Spencer and Dad didn’t make any mention of it.

  “Cardinal,” I whispered, too low for Spencer and Dad to hear. “Is it…you?”

  “Yes. I have parted the Quintessence to heal you, just as I did when Caleb used his fire on you,” the Cardinal replied. “Help is coming, but they could not heal you as I can. Prepare yourself, Prodigy.”

  Like a bolt of lightning, I felt something surge inside of me. I didn’t feel as weak and tired anymore, and I could lift my head without it collapsing. I looked around, noticing the IV wasn’t taking my black blood anymore. Instead, it was being pumped back into me like magic.

  No, not magic. It was the work of those spirits I had seen. They were doing the Cardinal’s bidding.

  “What the hell?” Spencer asked, walking over to the IV. “This shouldn’t be happening!”

  I smiled. I was getting stronger by the second, and the effects of my Sentinel implants were coming back to me. I just needed a little extra time.

  Dad glanced down the hallway. “Hey, do you hear that? It sounds like…growling.”

  A moment later, a furious Darkhound leaped into the room. It pounced on Dad, sending him to the ground. It tore into his clothes, shredding Dad’s chest with its teeth. Blood flew everywhere. Spencer reached for his gun, aiming it at the Darkhound, but he couldn’t get a clear shot.

  “Angel,” I whispered. “You found me…”

  I felt a wave of adrenaline wash over me. The swirls of energy were getting stronger now, floating above me. With all my strength, I surged up and yanked the restraints from my body.

  I rose to my feet, and the room was spinning. I guess I hadn’t recovered as fast as I had thought. I wanted to go to Dad’s side—to see if he was still alive—but I couldn’t. Maybe a part of me was glad
he had gotten what he deserved. I didn’t know how to feel about it.

  Spencer pointed his gun at me. “Riley, sit down. Don’t make me do it.”

  I scoffed. “After everything we’ve been through, you’d really shoot me now?”

  He gulped. “If I have to.”

  With a blast of fire, Spencer catapulted toward the wall. Loud footsteps entered the room, and I knew who it was before I even saw him.

  “Caleb!” I said, running over to him.

  I must’ve moved too fast, because I stumbled right into his arms. He caught me, holding me tight. Angel stopped attacking Dad and walked over to my side.

  “Riley, you’re bleeding,” Caleb said, looking me over. “What did they do to you?”

  “They wanted to cure me. They thought they could by draining my blood,” I replied. “There’s no time to explain. Caleb, there’s a soulless bomb.”

  “There’s a…what?”

  “As I said, no time to explain. The Darkhunters are heading to the Empire State Building with a bomb. If they detonate it, it’ll kill all the soulless in the city.”

  “Damn,” Caleb mumbled. “What are our options?”

  I sighed. “Well, Spencer told me this building is protected against the blast, but there’s no time to round up all the soulless and bring them here. Our best bet is to follow the Darkhunters and stop the detonation.”

  “Can you still fight—or walk, for that matter?”

  I nodded. “I think so. They made this personal, and I’m ready to go after them.”

  King Bane entered the room next, short of breath. “We have found Patrick Ramsey, my son. The rest of the building is empty, however. We just missed the Darkhunters.”

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “New York University,” Caleb replied. “I understand Spencer and Rachel were both students here.”

  I nodded. It made sense. “How did you find me? Spencer destroyed the Tracking Crystal.”

  “We know. It stopped transmitting your signal out on the street. But we had Angel along with us, and he followed your scent inside this building.”

  I bent down, scratching the animal behind his spiky ears. He cooed. “Then I owe everything to this Darkhound. Thank you, Angel.”

  Jacob entered the room next. “And the crystal was my idea. I gave it to Caleb before he left, just as a precaution. It’s a shame Spencer found it, but I’m glad it worked out for the best.”

  I looked back at Spencer. He seemed to be knocked out cold, and Angel had ripped my father to shreds. I placed a finger against Dad’s neck, feeling for a pulse. It was still there. Angel hadn’t killed him—he had just knocked him unconscious. I felt relief, but also anger at him for putting himself in this situation.

  “What shall we do with these criminals, Miss Stark?” King Bane asked.

  “Confiscate their weapons. Their guns are specially made to kill soulless,” I replied. “As for them, I want them taken as prisoners. Someone needs to stop my dad from bleeding out and get him to Violet as soon as possible. He and the others will answer for what they did here, but it won’t be with more bloodshed.”

  “You’re a lot more merciful than me. I would’ve killed them for what they did to you,” Caleb muttered. “One of the others can escort them to our headquarters.”

  “One…of the others?” I asked, confused.

  Caleb grinned. “After you sent us away, the four of us returned to the headquarters to find help. Everyone volunteered to come back and rescue you. Follow me.”

  Caleb led me down the hallway, which was eerily quiet. Bane was right—everyone had left. If only they had gotten here a few minutes earlier.

  Caleb opened the doors to the building, and as I walked down the steps, I noticed how large the crowd outside was. Lara, Tyler, Tom, and Marissa stood in the front. Behind them stood Ruby, Jade, Nadia, and Jonah. They were standing with the other Outcasts, as well as some of the Hidden and Renegade members.

  Caleb had brought me an army.

  “Everyone’s here,” I said in astonishment. “But who’s watching over the headquarters?”

  “Our soulful soldiers. They’re prepared to kill anyone who enters without permission,” Caleb replied. “They wanted to come and rescue you, but I ordered them to remain behind to protect our civilians.”

  “Checked the perimeter,” Patrick said, walking around the corner. His face looked bruised and bloody, but he was still up on his feet. “But they scrammed fast. Hey, before I forget, thanks for saving me, soulless. I mean that.”

  Caleb nodded. “No need to thank me. We’re a team now, and we need to look out for each other.”

  “Patrick!” I said, rushing into his arms. “I’m so glad you made it!”

  “Ouch, kid. Watch the ribs,” Patrick muttered, wincing. “Michael’s punch is strong as hell, but yeah, it’s good to see you too.”

  “He didn’t hurt you too badly, did he?”

  Patrick shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle, but the man was crazy. Mostly rambled and smacked me with his pistol. Losing his wife really messed him up, and he hates the soulless like hell.”

  I sighed. “They’re all crazy, Patrick. They’ve designed a bomb, and they’re on their way to set it off right now.”

  “A…bomb?” Jade asked. “What kind of bomb, exactly?”

  “One that can kill the soulless,” I replied. “We need to follow them to the Empire State Building. If that bomb goes off…”

  I stopped myself. I didn’t want to think of something so awful.

  “Lara? Spencer and Dad are still inside. They’re both unconscious. It turns out Dad wasn’t kidnapped—he was working with the Darkhunters,” I said. “Can you bring them to the headquarters? I plan to lock them up and interrogate them.”

  She nodded. “You got it. I’m just glad to see you alive, sister. This totally would’ve been a tough war without you.”

  After she left, Caleb turned to me. “We’re ready when you are, Riley. We brought a bunch of trucks with us, and all the soulless are prepared to fight.”

  “Good, let’s get going. The Darkhunters already had a head-start.”

  A moment later, Lara came out of the building with my dad in her arms, dragging him along. He was still unconscious, and she had ripped off parts of her shirt to wrap his wounds in the meantime. I frowned. “Where’s Spencer?”

  “I’m sorry to tell you this, but he’s gone, Riley,” Lara replied. “The only one in the room was Dad. The window was open, so I’m guessing he jumped out. What a total coward.”

  “Gone?” Caleb asked, puzzled. “But he was unconscious when we left him. My fire ensured it!”

  “Sentinels can heal quickly. We should’ve taken him when we had the chance,” I replied, sighing. “Come on, we need to get to the Empire State Building. I have a feeling that’s where Spencer is heading.”

  As I got into the driver’s seat of one of the trucks, pulling on my armor and equipping my Deathblade, I heard the Cardinal’s voice in my mind again.

  “You must stop this bomb, Prodigy,” the Cardinal whispered. “Our mission is too important.”

  11

  Race Against Time

  I had my eyes trained on the road, but my mind was elsewhere. The Cardinal’s presence had unsettled me. How was he able to communicate with me, specifically? And why couldn’t anyone else hear him?

  There was one thing I was sure of: I couldn’t tell the others. If they knew I had been in contact with the Cardinal—twice now—they wouldn’t trust me anymore. It meant lying to them again, but I had to do it.

  “Riley, are you all right?” Caleb asked, glancing over at me. “You seem…tense.”

  I nodded, faking a smile. “Yes. I’m just worried about the bomb.”

  He leaned over, locking my free hand with his. “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, I know we’re strong enough to stop the Darkhunters.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Jade said from the backseat. She sat next to King Bane, Jacob, and Ruby. A
ngel was also back there, drooling over the seats. “If not, we’re all screwed.”

  In the rearview mirror, a handful of our people in trucks followed us. It was still pitch black outside, approaching the wee hours of the morning. I swerved through the fallen trees and pieces of debris to get to the Empire State Building.

  The giant building gleamed in the distance, and even through the rain, I swore I could see movement on the top. It was blurry and distorted, but it looked like people in dark clothes. As I parked on the street, the rest of the trucks caught up to us and we exited our vehicles.

  We saw nothing. I could only hear the soft drum of the rain and vaguely make out the wind jostling the American flag on top of the building. It reminded me of what we were fighting for—liberty and justice for all. That included the soulless, whether the rest of the world felt that way or not.

  “How should we proceed?” King Bane asked.

  “The five of you are coming with me. Angel, I want you by my side as well,” I replied before I turned to the crowd. “Divide yourselves evenly. I want one group inside, and one waiting in the street in case the Darkhunters decide to make a break for it.”

  “What about me, kid?” Patrick asked, limping. “You’re taking me with you, right? Don’t leave me out of the assault.”

  I sighed. “I think you’re better off waiting inside. Coming with us could put you in danger, and you’re already hurt.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but then shut it. It surprised me. Patrick wasn’t one to back away from an argument, but he seemed to know I was right.

  “Should our powers be ready to stun or kill?” Jade asked, transforming her arm into a sword. “Please say kill.”

  I shook my head. “No, we’re not killing anyone. That isn’t justice. I want to interrogate them—to find out if they know more about the Cardinal.”

  “No fair,” Jade replied, huffing.

  “Are you sure Spencer will be here?” Jacob asked. “If I were him, I’d be hiding right now. Hiding deep, deep down.”