by C A Ardron
The Unicians said they wanted to handle the rogue, they have to be informed of the severity of the issue, komodo dragons eat meat. The public will be at risk.’
Baboon raised a hand and the face beneath his mask finally broke into a smile. ‘Breathe, Silver Falcon, you’re quite flustered. Take a minute.’
Falcon nodded.
‘Are you all right?’ the owl asked.
‘Yeah, I’m fine.’
The blue Avian snorted. ‘Yeah, she’s silver grade, all right. Only a silver or gold would have that much happen in one morning and claim they’re fine.’
Baboon extended his hand to her. Hesitant, Falcon reached out and took it.
‘I’ve heard much of you,’ the captain told her. ‘I’m glad we finally get to meet. It sounds like your day is far from over though. You get back to West Sector and give that report to Golden Lion.’
Falcon saluted, feeling stiff. She knew the correct salute, but it was the first time she’d ever had to give it to anyone.
Lifting off the ground, she gained speed as her wings took her higher. She turned in the direction of West Sector, hoping Komodo Dragon didn’t cause too much trouble before she got back.
* * *
Pressed up against the broad wall of the warehouse, surrounded by nettles, brambles and knee-high blades of grass, Hawk lowered his radio.
He kept his gaze on the face of the woman in front of him, her slim blaster inches from his chest.
‘You didn’t tell her you were in trouble,’ Locust commented. A tight smirk tugged at her lips below the metallic Insecta mask. ‘Sounds like you two are as bad as each other. If I was your captain, I’d be splitting you up.’
‘Well, thank the Light for small mercies,’ Hawk returned. ‘I think I might resign if I had you as a captain.’
Locust frowned.
Hawk swallowed. This couldn’t be as bad as being held captive by a Sarpien, but Locust had tried to murder Unicians this week. The woman was clearly unstable.
‘Whatever you’re planning,’ he told her, ‘you can do it without Falcon. She’s on her way back to West now, out of your reach.’
A smile twitched across Locust’s face. ‘I’m impressed, when did you get so clever, Ken?’
Hawk’s jaw set. He’d been hoping Locust hadn’t got a good look at him at the warehouse – but no such luck.
Locust holstered her pistol and touched her medallion. When she reappeared from the silvery light Hawk made a point of locking eyes with her.
Just for a moment, he let the surge of happiness wash over him, but then crushed it. It didn’t matter how familiar Locust’s narrow features and pale blonde locks were, or how many memories they brought back, those times were in the past.
Still, wasn’t much point pretending he didn’t know her. Grabbing at his coin, Hawk deactivated, letting his wings and armour go.
Locust laughed, pointing to his brown gym trousers and white vest. ‘See, what did I tell you?’ She gestured to her own grey gym trousers and matching vest. ‘For warriors this is ideal. Good for surprise attacks and training – who needs fashion?’
Hawk bit down on the grin wanting to appear, he wouldn’t let her get under his skin, not after everything she’d done.
‘You missed mum’s funeral.’
Her face fell, and her eyes dipped towards the ground. ‘I was on duty.’
Hawk nodded. ‘Of course you were, that’s what you always say. Dad had to go to hospital.’
Locust nodded, still not meeting his eyes. ‘Yeah, I know. Uncle Wilf sent me a letter, telling me. He tried to commit suicide. They’ve taken him back to Ischaclappe. Wilf thought the change of scenery would be good for him.’
Hawk nodded.
‘What happened to you?’ Locust asked. ‘Uncle Wilf said you disappeared, no one could find you. I was…I mean, with so many Sarpiens in Joinstohm…I thought…’
‘Wow,’ he murmured. ‘You were actually worried about me.’
Locust’s eyes blazed, and she finally met his gaze. ‘Of course I worried! You’re my brother!’ Her eyes softened, ‘I used to love coming home on leave when you were little, you’d be so excited to see me.’
Hawk shook his head, he wasn’t going to let her use the family angle on him. ‘If you cared so much then maybe you should’ve been home when we needed you.’
Locust stared, her mouth opening to retort.
Hawk waved a hand, not wanting to hear what she was going to say. It’d only be the same as always.
‘I had to get out. After mum died dad lost the will to live. We’d have ended up on the street if I hadn’t done something to keep money coming in. The undercity in Joinstohm ain’t an easy place to make money though – you know that. I needed connections, opportunities. I made friends – and enemies, but in the end even my friends turned into enemies. I needed to get out. So I contacted Uncle Wilf, told him I needed to get outta town for a while and left him looking after dad.’
Locust shook her head. ‘Wilf never mentioned-’
‘Course he didn’t. You think he’d tell his valiant, honourable niece her brother was a crook?’ Hawk’s lips twisted. ‘Though I guess that’s still better than a murderer.’
‘I’m not a murderer!’
Hawk shrugged, ‘not yet.’
Locust’s mouth worked but she said nothing, backing from him instead.
‘What happened, Xsara? Why are you trying to kill Unicians?’ He demanded.
Locust shook her head. ‘You wouldn’t understand.’
Hawk couldn’t help the growl rising in his throat. ‘It’s always the same with you. You never explain anything. It’s always classified, or I’m too young – well, I’m not too young anymore, Xsara, and I’m pretty damn sure it’s not classified. You live for the Dakkonin, the honour, the code – why have you thrown it in the dirt?’
Locust’s smile was sad. ‘You never would’ve cared if I’d left the Dakkonin when you were younger. I guess joining the Predgarians has really changed your morals.’
Hawk swallowed. He’d never thought about it, but she was right. He’d taken the job because it was exciting, but lately it’d been all about protecting Steiron. Had it been Lion’s influence? Or had Falcon’s arrival changed his priorities?
‘Yeah,’ Hawk admitted, his voice uncomfortably dry. ‘Who would’ve thought I’d turn into a good guy, but what about you, Xsara? Can you say the same?’
Locust’s eyes closed for a few moments. When she opened them, Hawk could plainly see her determination.
‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘I can.’
Hawk’s shoulders tensed as someone nearby cleared their throat. Locust spun on the spot and hissed, her fists clenching.
Hawk’s eyes narrowed, his eyes roving across the two armoured warriors a few feet away. Both wearing white armour, the two men’s masks did not hide their yellow skin.
‘Unicians,’ he murmured. Glancing at their medallions, he couldn’t make a proper guess at who they were. One was obviously some form of goat or gazelle, the other seemed to be some type of small mammal.
‘Lemur and Oryx,’ Locust said, her voice grim.
The two white-haired men raised their hands, revealing pistols similar to Locust’s.
‘Up against the wall,’ Oryx commanded.
Hawk backed up and Locust stood beside him.
‘That’s an interesting choice of weapon for a healer,’ Hawk commented.
Oryx chuckled deep in his throat.
‘Let him go,’ Locust told them. ‘He’s just a Predgarian, he’s not part of this.’
Just a Predgarian? Hawk wanted to make her eat those words. Slowly, he placed his hands on the wall.
They were Unician healers, with a bit of luck they wouldn’t be very observant.
‘Oh, I’m afraid he is,’ Lemur’s sneer was nasty. ‘Him being here makes him part of it.’
Hawk’s eyes narrowed. Wait, could Locust actually be the one in the right? He changed his plan, not trying to get to hi
s knife anymore.
‘A request,’ Hawk said to them, his hand moving towards his trouser pocket. ‘If you’re going to shoot me, can I at least know why? I’m a Predgarian, I signed on to help people, why are you doing this?’
The two Unicians looked at each other and began to laugh. Hawk managed to grasp the small device in his pocket and turn it on.
‘Just get on with it,’ Locust growled.
Oryx shook his head. ‘Locust, don’t be rude. It’s the least we can do for a noble Predgarian simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
‘Oryx,’ Lemur said, ‘I don’t think-’
‘Why not, Lemur? No one’s going to interrupt us here, and it’s not like he can go running to tell anyone once we’ve shot him.’
Lemur scowled but didn’t argue with him.
‘Did you want to tell him, Locust?’ Oryx asked, his grin wide. ‘Did you want to explain why he must die today?’
Locust glanced at Hawk. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I didn’t mean for this to happen.’
Oryx shrugged. ‘No? Guess I’ll do the honours then. It was nine years ago now. In Joinstohm, you were working under Golden Wolf, were you not?’
Locust’s scowl was deep, but she didn’t answer.
Oryx laughed at her reaction. ‘We were there as well, completing a contract with a client.’
‘A Sarpien client,’ Locust spat.
Oryx turned to Lemur. ‘Oh look, she’s remembered how to speak.’
‘You had a contract with the Sarpiens?’ Hawk exclaimed, ‘but you’re Unicians!’
Oryx shrugged. ‘We are Unicians, which means we have the monopoly. No one but a Unician knows how to make a medallion. It’s amazing the amount of money a Sarpien will give you for making custom medallions, especially the Black Emissaries.’
Hawk’s jaw dropped, but he had what he needed now, time to end this. He glanced at his sister as his hand began to slide for his knife again.
‘I found out about it,’ she told him, ‘but no one would believe me…because they’re Unicians.’
‘Wait,’ Hawk said, ‘if no one believed, then why are you here to kill us?’
‘Just tying up loose ends,’ Lemur replied. ‘Which we should’ve done by now,’ he added, glancing at Oryx.
Hawk gave his best smug grin, ‘too late.’
The small flick-knife he kept in his other pocket fell into his hand. It sprang open as he threw it.
As Hawk had been hoping, they didn’t react like Sarpiens would’ve. They made no move to try and catch the blade, dodging out its path instead.
It had been sloppy of them not to take his medallion away. Using the moment of distraction, he activated, and so did Locust.
The two healers withdrew, their faces chagrined.
Lemur fired a shot at them. As Hawk sprang to the side, Locust’s wings whirred and she sped towards them, drawing her slim daggers.
‘Light, no,’ Hawk breathed. Drawing his sword with one hand and a throwing knife with the other, he rushed at the Unicians whilst throwing the smaller blade at Locust.
He swiped at Lemur, forcing the white warrior back. Hawk winced as he heard Locust’s cry of pain. A glance in her direction told him his knife had found its mark, slicing across her gossamer wing.
The Unicians threw out orbs of energy, blasting Hawk and Locust back. Hawk grunted, hitting the warehouse wall.
Locust growled as the white warriors fled the battle.
Hawk grabbed at her arm. ‘Let them go.’
She shook him off. ‘What did you think you were doing? You struck me!’
Hawk shook his head. ‘This isn’t the way. You’re right, Lemur and Oryx need to be stopped, but not like this.’
‘Ugh, you’re soft – just like every other Predgarian I’ve ever met!’
Hawk sighed as she stormed off. ‘I’ll make this right, Xsara,’ he whispered. ‘Please, don’t do anything stupid.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Falcon sighed when the West Sector Predgarian Centre came into sight. She hovered in the air a few moments, trying to gather her thoughts.
She knew there was every chance Lion would’ve been in contact with Golden Baboon by now. Even if he hadn’t, she owed him an explanation and Hawk knew what she’d done as well.
Falcon let her thoughts drift, enjoying the view, the wind blowing all about her. This could only end in suspension. It might be a while before she could use her wings again.
She sucked in a breath, her senses overtaken with dread, nausea making her sick to her stomach.
‘What?’ She gasped. Her eyes darted, trying to spot why her precognition was warning her of imminent danger.
There was nothing. The streets below were empty, no warriors in sight. Unable to shake the certainty her life was threatened, she cast her mind out in an aura sweep.
She let out a strangled grunt, her sweep picking up life below her. Her eyes roved over those streets again. Nothing.
‘Stealthers,’ she muttered. ‘All of them?’ Couldn’t be, why would there be…
Falcon counted the auras below her, five, ten, twenty.
‘All stealthed,’ she breathed. Falcon flapped her wings once, maintaining her position. This was an ambush.
Dove, are you in the Centre?
Falcon! Dove’s surprised voice flooded her mind. Thank the Light, I’ve been so worried. Where are you?
In the air, not far from the Centre. Listen, we have a situation. Do an aura sweep, you’ll find me and some other auras – count them.
Falcon waited a few moments.
I feel them, Falcon. There’s a lot of them, what’s going on?
As far as I can make out, every single one of those auras are stealthed.
What?
This is an ambush, for who I’m not sure, but I need to get into the Centre. I’m pretty sure the moment I land they’ll be all over me. I can’t fight that many.
A fight’s out of the question, Falcon. Lion and the others have gone to Central Sector, Jay and I are the only ones in the building.
What? Falcon asked. Who’s on patrol?
No one. Bad things are happening in Central and our unit’s been called in to help.
Falcon swore, just what had been happening while she’d been away?
All right, we’ll talk more in a bit. Here’s the plan. I’m pretty certain these are Sarpiens – and Sarpiens never attack Order buildings, so I just need to make it inside. If you can open the door and let loose some kind of aura attack – one wide enough to catch most of the auras around the door, then I can swoop in.
It’d have to be well-timed, Falcon.
I can sense your aura and we have telepathy. We should be able to get this second-perfect.
Falcon waited a few moments, noting Dove’s aura was moving towards the entrance.
Ready? Dove asked.
Standing by.
Now!
Falcon’s wings snapped back as the doors opened. Her sharp eyes ignored Dove’s armoured form and the brilliant surge of power she released into the general area.
She could hear the surprised yelps of pain from several invisible warriors, and see the tell-tale shimmer of their stealth units.
Falcon shifted her position ever so slightly, sailing through the doors of the Centre and into the reception. Having no room, she gave a pained grunt, her wings catching the desk.
She stumbled, her speed too fast to properly land. Her feet scudded across the carpet and she rolled, her steel plates clanging against the high half-moon reception desk.
Dove slammed the doors shut and locked them.
‘I don’t think that’s going to stop them if they decide they want in,’ Falcon mentioned, climbing to her feet. She flexed her wings, checking for injuries. They seemed fine so she folded them onto her back.
‘No,’ Dove agreed, ‘but it will stop stealthers from sneaking in.’
Falcon nodded, ‘where’s Jay?’
‘I left him in the office. Whe
re’s Hawk? Did everything go as planned?’
‘More or less. Python’s still alive and may cause problems in the future, but I got Hawk back. We were separated on the way out. He said he’d meet me back here, so shouldn’t be long.’
Falcon swore.
‘What is it?’
‘Hawk will have no clue about the Sarpiens outside.’ Falcon took the radio from her belt. ‘Hawk, come in.’
There was no answer, so she tried again.
‘He must still be out of range,’ Dove told her. ‘Come on, we’ll try him again in a bit.’
Falcon nodded and followed Dove into the corridor. Jay was waiting at the office door, his eyes wide.
‘Falcon, are you all right?’
She smiled at him. ‘I’m fine, panic over.’
Dove shook her head. ‘I’m afraid it’s not, Falcon. All of Steiron is in danger.’
Falcon frowned and stepped into the office. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked, leaning against Lion’s desk.
‘The rogue you encountered yesterday has appeared again.’
Falcon grimaced, ‘yeah, I know. I saw him. He showed up at the warehouse where I was to meet Python. He’s fused with the armour. The Unicians need to be informed it’s too late to save him. All they can do is contain him now.’
Dove shook her head again. ‘They already know, Falcon. Everybody knows, haven’t you seen the news?’
‘I’ve been a bit busy this morning.’
‘A giant lizard has begun terrorizing Central Sector. There have been casualties and damage to property.’
Falcon sighed. ‘Well, that’s pretty bad, but I’m sure the Unicians can handle it.’
Dove’s lips were tight.
‘What?’
‘The Unicians are making the breach of security their first priority.’
‘Breach?’
‘Jenna’s been kidnapped!’ Jay burst out.
Falcon turned to him, ‘who?’
‘Jenna Mar’Corri is a Unician candidate,’ Dove supplied. ‘She’s the teenager Jay met in town yesterday morning. She’s very talented and was under the mentorship of White Chaffinch.’
Falcon mouthed the name. ‘I’ve heard of that warrior – who is she?’
‘Princess Alshurai,’ Dove replied. ‘Daughter of White Eagle, the general of Unicia. She’s the queen’s niece.’