Speeding through another batch of promises, I search until my Perception is quavering just as much as my physical body. Desperate, I lunge for the next memory and sink into it. Anguish envelops me completely. I stagger under the blow. My mind and body reel as the scene wavers around me. I can’t get up. Forcing myself to focus, I watch everything from the floor.
The tiny room is crowded. They all clamor around a table, around something on the table. I can’t see past them from where I sit. Only when a hand falls limply from the edge of the table do I understand what they’re looking at. The hand is the person’s right one, the weathered skin showing his age, but the smooth flesh of the wrist naming him a Cipher. Some reserve of strength I didn’t know I had hauls me up from the floor. I stumble over to the table and peer through an empty spot at the beleaguered Cipher lying there. His eyes are glazed, but terrified. Hands press in on him and he screams. Incredible power slams into the room. I can’t tell what’s happening to him. Memories don’t let my talents work like they do in real life. I’m limited to whatever the person holding the memory experienced. Drake is merely observing the torture of this poor man.
All I know is that these are all Guardians, but every talent aside from Vision is being used. They’re doing something to him, tearing out or putting in. His body writhes on the table, and at some point he stops screaming—not because it doesn’t hurt anymore, but because his throat can’t produce the sounds. I watch helplessly as more and more power is poured into him. Drake stands to the side with a pleased look on his smug, perfect face. He’s not part of the ritual, so he keeps his own talents tightly hidden so they don’t interfere with whatever travesty he’s instigating.
When the man’s face goes completely slack and his eyes lose all glimmer of humanity, I feel a rush of thankfulness, believing his suffering is finally over. I couldn’t be more wrong. One final flare of power, and the Guardians move back. They wait, their eyes never leaving the still form on the table. Their anticipation gleams hungrily in their eyes. One finger twitches, his foot, his arm. In a great lurching effort, the man sits up, but he’s not a man anymore. His dead eyes stare right through me, chilling me while the Guardians congratulate themselves.
Drake silences them at once. They aren’t finished yet. He wants proof that they were successful. One of the Guardians who destroyed the man nods eagerly and starts giving their creation commands. I watch in horror as the once-Cipher demonstrates his ability to use all six of the talents Ciphers are capable of using. Terror squeezes me so tightly I can’t breathe. This can’t be true. I can’t believe they did this. It isn’t possible.
Such pain and agony, such tremendous power, all to destroy a life and create a monster to defeat me. Idris told them what to do, and they did it. They found a way to turn my own people against me. They never could have done it by coercion, so they did it by sheer force. Bile rises in my throat, but the memory evaporates before I lose it. I slip back into the field of promises, desperate to get out. I start pulling my Perception back, but a singular bubble stops me.
Not every promise is the same. The dedication to keeping it a secret makes it either strong or weak. The prophecy and whatever I just witnessed were dozens of times more difficult to puncture than the ones offhandedly made to friends. This promise makes those look like real bubbles that might burst with one touch. The sheer impenetrability of this promise draws me to it. I’m almost spent. Braden is on the verge of yanking me back whether I want to go or not, but I can’t leave this promise alone. I might never get another chance. I can already feel Drake’s conscious spirit barreling its way back to me.
He’s close. I should pull back. But I need to know. Still, I hesitate for just a moment, long enough for Drake’s conscious mind to catch back up with his body. He flings himself toward me, desperate to stop me. That makes my decision much easier. Gathering up all my anger, disgust, and fury at what Drake has done, I ram my Perception into the memory with such force it implodes in on itself, the backlash shattering every promise he ever made like they were tissue paper, and sucking us both in with the rest of the wreckage.
Chapter 24
Redemption
“Here are your orders,” a man says, handing a folder to a much younger Drake.
Drake scans the file’s contents and flips it closed. “Only an address? No name? Where’s the rest of the information?”
“That’s it,” the man says. “Go get the Cipher, kill the one hiding him, and report back to me when you’re done. Same routine as always. What does it matter whether you have a name for the traitor? Name or no name, they’re going to be dead by the end of the day.”
Suspicion rings in Drake’s thoughts, but he doesn’t voice it. I get the feeling he never does. I watch as he salutes his superior and strides away purposefully. That hint of deception bothers him all the way to the ground level of the compound. The rest of his team is waiting for him in the garage. It’s a small group, only three other men and one woman, but the fierce edge to their movements makes it obvious they don’t need anyone else. Few words are exchanged before they all pile into the SUV. The rest of the team gets even less information than Drake did.
The car is quiet as they fly down the road at a maniacal speed. I ride along with them, wondering where the older Drake has gone. I’ve never been sucked into a memory with another person. Does he see everything through his younger self’s eyes, or is he hiding somewhere, refusing to watch? If he’s trying to hide, I really don’t think that’s going to work. I hope he’s stuck inside the Drake driving the car, for my sake. Thoughts of Drake’s whereabouts vanish as the car rolls to a stop. I look around me at the towering pines and aspens. The ground crunches as the team steps out onto the dried pine needles littering the forest floor.
“The cabin is half a mile down the trail,” Drake says. “Sam and Ellen, you head west then split up when you get close to the cabin and cover the rear exit and side of the house. Phil and I will move in from the east. Nobody approaches the cabin until we’re all in place. If you spot any civilians in the open, do not engage them unless you think they are going to raise an alarm. I’d rather not have this turn into a hostage situation. Questions?”
The other three members remain silent. Drake signals the beginning of the operation and everyone moves out. I follow Drake through the trees, watching as intently as he does for a glimpse of the cabin they’re about to attack. The red paneled roof is the first thing we see. It grows quickly as their pace hastens, the scent of smoke becoming stronger as well. When we cross into the cleared area around the cabin, Drake’s warning about engaging anyone becomes unneeded. The yard is empty. Sounds from inside the cabin make it clear that it is not. Drake is alone now, and moves across the ground in a crouch with his blade ready. He pauses to signal to the other two members of his team. They all move in on the house with practiced coordination.
My heart rate starts jumping. This was years before I was born, but knowing that the Cipher in there is about to be taken has me itching to jump in and intervene. All I can do is watch. The door goes flying in under Drake’s boot. Screams from inside pull me in after them. I rush in expecting to see Drake strangling someone or tackling a Cipher to the ground. Him standing slack-jawed in the middle of the room with his blade hanging loosely in his hands catches me off guard.
“Audrey?” he says.
I immediately recognize the name from the other memories I attacked today. This is the girl he fell in love with, the one he made a dozen different promises to. Every time I touched on one of the memories of Audrey, Drake had reacted viciously. I have the feeling this one memory is the reason why. My gaze jumps over to Drake’s lost love.
“Drake?” she asks. “What are you doing here?”
She looks just as shocked as he does. Seconds drag out to eternity as they stare at each other. Drake’s blade falters, and I think he’s going to drop it. That’s before he sees the other man in the room, the one he came to collect. The Cipher is cowering in the corner by
the fireplace.
Drake’s eyes narrow and snap back to Audrey. “You? You’re the one hiding the Cipher?”
She doesn’t answer. She just looks over at the man she has been helping. Their eyes meet, but there’s really nothing she can say or do that will convince him everything is going to be all right. That doesn’t stop her from trying, though. “Drake, please. You don’t have to take him.”
“What?” Drake demands. “I don’t have to take him? Wow, Audrey, thank you for telling me that. I had no idea it was my choice. How about I just hand over my blade and sit down to tea with you and your pet?”
Terrified as she is, Drake’s sarcastic tone instantly sets her face into a scowl. “Don’t talk to me like that, Drake. You do have a choice. You know this isn’t right. Alan doesn’t deserve this!”
“Alan? Alan? Is that his name? Just how concerned are you about Alan, Audrey? Is there more than one reason you two are alone out here in the forest?” His jealousy and bitterness literally drip from every word.
“No,” she snaps, “but even if it were, it wouldn’t be any of your business. You made your choice, remember? You left me for your brothers. They were more important to you than I was.”
He stomps over to her and gets right in her face. “My choice? That’s a laugh, Audrey. You gave me an ultimatum, give up my career, my life’s work, or you would walk away. You didn’t care about what I wanted or what I believed. You thought I was wrong, and the price for your love was me turning my back on my beliefs. How was that fair, Audrey!”
“I didn’t ask you to change what you believed in, Drake. I asked you to make the right choice. You know taking Ciphers is wrong. They don’t deserve to be locked up like cattle. You know that,” Audrey begs.
She steps closer to Drake and attempts to reach out for him. Almost, he gives in. His hand twitches, moves the slightest bit toward her. His longing for her touch pushes him to take back his choice, to grab her and run away from everything and everyone. The pull to follow orders is too strong. He pulls his hand back and shakes his head.
“Drake, please,” she asks again, reaching for his hand. Her fingers close around his so quickly. She’s as fast as any Guardian. Her grip is strong as well. She has the talents to be a Guardian, but she obviously chose another path. That reminder seems to register with Drake. He tries to pull his hand away, but can’t. Her eyes beg him to stop fighting her. He wants to. He wants to take her in his arms and kiss her so badly. “Please, Drake. Please help me.”
“I … I can’t, Audrey. You know I can’t.”
“You can! It’s still your choice. You don’t have to be a part of this.” Her other hand comes up to his face. Her whole body pleads with him to listen to her.
He shudders under her touch, but he still shakes his head. “Audrey, you don’t understand. I can’t leave the Guardians. They won’t let me go. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t.”
“I can hide you, Drake. We could do it together. We could be together again. Don’t you want that?” she asks. “I do. I miss you so much. It hurts every time I think about you being alone, or about you carrying out these terrible missions. I want you to be with me.”
“It’s not that simple. I can’t just abandon my brothers. They need me, Audrey, and I need them.”
“More than you need me?” she asks with tears in her eyes.
Drake shakes his head angrily. “This isn’t about you. It’s about protecting people. You know that!”
“No, it’s not!” Audrey yanks herself out of his grasp and glares at him. “It’s about your pride, your ambition. You want so badly to prove to them that you have what it takes to be this great leader. You’ll do anything you can to get there. I don’t get it, Drake! Why do you want to rule a group as corrupt as the Guardians? You know they’re doing terrible things. You know it! Don’t pretend this is about brotherhood. This is about you, only you! That’s why I left. I can’t be with someone who cares more about their rank in life than helping other people.”
“That’s not fair!” Drake yells. He moves toward her angrily with his hand ready to snap around her wrist. A voice from the doorway stops him. Everyone in the room, including me, turns toward the voice. One of the other team members, Phil, the one who was with Drake, stands in the doorway with his weapon drawn. The concern on his face is not for his commanding officer’s safety. It’s more about the situation. Drake should have had this all taken care of a while ago.
“What’s going on here?” Phil asks, creeping further into the room slowly.
Audrey’s eyes latch onto Drake. “Please,” she asks quietly.
“Drake! What’s going on? You’ve got the Cipher cornered already. Get this over with.” Phil glances toward the back door of the cabin where the other two members of the team are waiting.
“Just give me the Cipher, Audrey,” he demands, and then in a quieter voice adds, “I’ll give you a chance to run if you just hand him over.”
Audrey’s teary eyes harden to stone. A swipe of her hand brings a knife from behind her back. I gasp in surprise when I realize it’s a Guardian blade. She was a Guardian! And she left. Somehow she managed to escape them. I can’t believe it.
“I won’t give him up, Drake.”
“Audrey, please.”
She stands her ground. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
Drake’s eyes widen in surprise. An internal struggle wild enough to best the strongest tornado rages inside of him. Phil yells at him to do it. Drake knows Audrey has no hope of surviving. There are two Guardians in the room with her, and if she was once a Guardian herself, she must know there are more outside. If she fights, she’ll die. Yet she doesn’t lower her weapon or show any sign of wavering. She looks peaceful, in fact, like she’s accepted her death. I almost get the feeling from her that she truly believes it will be worth it, though I don’t understand how she can think that. The Cipher will be captured. What will she accomplish?
Phil is yelling at Drake again, fueling his anger at Audrey for doing what he could not. “Stand aside,” he commands.
“No.”
Drake’s whole body tenses in anticipation. He doesn’t see the way her face softens. He springs, and whips his blade across her throat before he even realizes she isn’t trying to stop him. When he does, the knife falls from his hand as he catches her body. They both sink to the ground, her blood pooling on the hardwood floor. He watches her hand fall limp, the blade rolling to the ground and revealing the sacred Seeker emblem. Drake’s hands tremble as he stares at the scarlet covering them. He turns back to Audrey in shock. She’s already too far gone to speak, but her quivering lips find the strength to mouth one last message.
“I love you.”
Deep, wracking sobs gasp from Drake’s body. Less than ten seconds pass before Phil calls out to him. He has the Cipher in hand and wants to leave. I watch as something inside Drake changes. His blood soaked hands pull away from Audrey’s dead body. As he stands, she slides off his lap and drops to the floor with a resounding thud. The blank, frigid expression I know so well slips onto Drake’s face, never to leave again. He wipes the blood off his hands, touches his first two fingers to his Guardian emblem in a promise to never think of this moment again, and leaves the woman he loved to rot on the floor.
I don’t follow them when they leave. My eyes are transfixed on Audrey’s body. Her dark hair fans out in the blood that has painted a crimson halo around her head. The most haunting is her peaceful expression. She died without a fight. She died believing her sacrifice would mean something. Silent tears fall down my cheeks because I believe she was wrong. She gave up her life for nothing. I am about to pull out of the memory when a sound catches my attention and I realize I’m not the only person in the room.
The older Drake that I have tied up in the training house basement stumbles forward to Audrey’s body. Shaking too much to stay standing, he drops down next to her. He’s the same as me, just a figment of spirit. He can’t pick her up or touch her, but
the way his hands gently glide over her body, I almost believe he can feel her. His own tears never touch her skin, but he sheds them with abandon. Sob after sob makes his body convulse until he’s draped on top of her, crying and saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” over and over again. I watch the spectacle in shock for a long time before finally understanding. I pull out of the memory and back into my own body.
My legs nearly collapse as soon as I’m back, but I grip the chair and force myself to stay standing. The room is entirely silent except for the sound of Drake’s crying. Steeling myself for one more fight, I grab Drake’s face and shake him until he opens his eyes. He blinks and glares at me with such loathing it makes me shiver.
“You! Why did make me see that again? Why?” he cries.
“You murdered her,” I say, my voice harsh with emotion. “You murdered the one woman in this world that would ever love you. How could you do that?”
He struggles to choke out an answer. “She betrayed me.”
“No,” I say, “you betrayed her, and you know it. All she asked you to do was do what you knew was right. You knew what the Guardians were doing, how they twisted what people believed so they could control them. You were both Prime Seekers. You both knew the truth, but only she was strong enough to turn away from the lies and corruption.”
All the emotion he bottled up years ago and refused to let anyone see comes pouring out in a tidal wave. His body convulses with sobs, rocking him against the chair. I have to tap my depleted Strength to hold on and keep standing. Drake bawls out his agony and I let him. When he finally begins to quiet, I say, “She was a Seeker, Drake. She could see the future, we both know that. What I couldn’t understand about the way she let you kill her …”
Darkening Chaos: Book Three of The Destroyer Trilogy Page 22