by Casey Herzog
A prisoner came quickly, offering a particularly long and thick guard baton. Russell tested it in the air. It was heavy and had a good counterweight to it.
“Good.” His metal hand tore the gag off the officer’s mouth and he gestured at the man. “Last words?”
“Fuck you, scum. All of you. The Coalition will have you impaled on the walls of this prison once it’s recaptured and rebuilt. You’ll see.”
Russell chuckled, his deep voice echoing all across the yard.
“We will see, officer.” He paused and looked at the baton. “However, you won’t.”
The baton came down hard on the man’s skull, and Russell rapidly decided not to kill him so quickly. He spread the blows across the guard’s back, limbs and neck until finally, the man stopped grunting after each thudding strike.
Russell threw the bloody baton aside and smiled at his men as they looked down at him with admiration.
“Now, my friends…I believe we still have plenty of enemies left in this prison, as well as two or three men that I want you to personally bring to me. Are you ready?”
“Yes we are!” the men screamed, and Russell’s laughter spread through the yard.
“Very well, then…Let the hunt begin.”
EPILOGUE
Stranger
Operator 07-03A sat at her console, her eyes studying the data that flowed at speeds beyond those a normal human brain could process. Her enhancements allowed her to keep up with every single piece of information, but it was straining even a mind like hers. All across her surveillance chamber she shared with a dozen other operators, there were soft voices relaying facts and figures across the network. The fall of Prison X-VI — ‘Ironclad’ — had pretty much disoriented and torn apart the Coalition’s expansion plans in the sector.
My initial warnings were ignored. I suggested they isolate Russell from the beginning, but my words were wasted. I told them to keep him watched and guarded, but nobody listened. Operator 07-03A — Angela — had followed the story for some time, her precious, delicate eyes watching the events that had fired shockwaves around the sector since its very beginnings. Since Ayia, she remembered fondly and bitterly at the same time. Ayia had been home to a recent event that she would have to return to. All of those kids taken away by armed men. I can’t imagine what’s happening to them right now. It broke the operator’s heart, although the Coalition had tried hard enough through conditioning to kill all of those emotions left in her.
As if matters weren’t already bad, considering the situation developing in her sector and those surrounding it, there was an uncomfortable recurring event making her feel uneasy. The interference was strange: a discrete anomaly appeared in her feed every few hours and threatened to corrupt her data. Angela had eliminated it the first few times, but in the past hour or two she’d been forced to ignore it.
The information moved so fast it was disquieting. It seemed like an instant passed between the moment Russell took over the mines and the moment he reached the prison walls and was welcomed inside like a hero.
Coalition forces were already being formed and organized to take back Ironclad, but the closest was still too far away and awaiting reinforcements. Nobody had expected such an event to take place.
Lord Russell is one of the most dangerous beings left living on this almost empty world, Angela thought as she read the casualties list. The Coalition had lost many good soldiers in the uprising, an amount that would be difficult to replace.
Suddenly, Angela gasped in surprise. The interference that had plagued her for so long was gone. She had barely noticed, but now that she did, it was like a storm cloud had disappeared.
“Finally,” she breathed, rolling her shoulders and arching her back as she stretched and—
The shadow detached from the wall of the chamber and slammed down onto her hand before she could press any buttons on the console before her.
“No,” the figure said, his grip like a vice on her wrist. Angela whimpered, but the reclusive, cubicle-like nature of each console meant that none of her fellow operators would see or hear her unless she screamed. And if I do, this stranger will surely end my life.
How did he find this place anyway? How the hell did he get in?
“What do you need from me?” she asked fearfully as the man leaned forward to look at her console. Angela felt relief he would have no idea what he was looking at, but then he pointed out at something flowing past on the screen.
“Ironclad,” he said softly.
Angela’s heart stopped.
“How do you…?” She immediately knew it was a stupid question on her part. Somehow, a Coalition operator or high-ranking operative with surveillance know-how had turned. It would explain the interference, but it certainly would require a genius to crack the surveillance systems, insider or not.
The man continued to look over her shoulder, not letting go of her wrist. She dared not move her free right hand, but a tempting feeling kept pushing her to do so.
“Don’t,” the man said simply, and Angela nodded. He smelled of sweat, of dusty, muddy boots and…of something else. Almost like an operating room.
Finally, the stranger shifted and seemed to spot something he wanted to see. He pressed a button and paused the feed, grunting softly and nodding.
As he moved and released her, Angela began to breathe quicker than normal.
“Are you going to kill me?” she asked, her voice breaking. Nothing. “Are you? Tell m—”
She turned.
Nothing. The man was gone. It was as if he had never been there at all, his strange chemical-ridden smell disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.
When Angela turned back to the paused screen, she ran her fingers across the lines; one line in particular caught her attention.
List of surviving prisoners, it read.
“Just who is it you were looking for, stranger?” she asked.
The man was out of the military compound as quickly and stealthily as he’d entered.
He had always been one of the best operatives in the Coalition, but his new body turned him into something else. The man previously known as Rogue — and before that as Sanchez — began to feel joy, but it faded almost instantly. Anger replaced it, but it disappeared just as quickly.
A by-product of my new form, he knew. He had been transformed in more ways than one. The transformation had filled him with all sorts of new desires and taken away so many others.
The green-eyed creature had given him a task back at the underground compound, and despite his reluctance, his mind and body were programmed to complete it. He could already feel the implanted instincts pushing him toward it, even though it was a mission he would never have undertaken willingly.
He’d seen the name on the Coalition operator’s console and found all he needed.
“Found you, Callum,” the stranger said out loud as he turned to the road and prepared to find a way to get to Prison X-VI before it was too late. His body responded differently than normal at the thought of his brother in battle, and his hands clenched as he briefly imagined himself strangling his old comrade into submission until he released the desired information. “I’m sorry to say, my friend…but I’m going to hurt you so very much.”
The operative now known as Fallen Angel bunched his muscles and moved forward with purpose. He knew that the long-awaited fight with Callum was coming, no matter what happened next. And when it does come, I will probably stand above his dying form before I finish him off.
“You tried to run from your past, but it was still out there. Prepare yourself Callum…your moment of judgment is coming.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Magic Eyes
Bonus Book 1
Casey Herzog
Co-Author: C.J. Scarlett
***
Like me on Facebook!
Follow me on Instagram!
Chapter One
I was awakened by a sharp rap on the door downstairs. I could tell that it
was still pitch black outside, and I was worried who might be out there at that time of night. I stretched and made an involuntary groan of dissatisfaction, having lost the chance to finish my pleasing dream. A faceless stranger had been holding me close and whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I couldn’t remember what he was saying, but I knew I had felt safe and secure, as if the person were there to protect me.
I went to the window and peered down to see something both strange and exciting: an Elder was patiently waiting, wearing his customary knee-length black leather jacket. I knew that it couldn’t be good. There was no way an Elder would come here, of all places, unless it was absolutely necessary.
That Elder in particular could be quite intimidating. It was a well-known fact that he was a professor of Natural Studies. When I took one of his classes, it left me shaking my head wondering how he could have such disdain for his students. They were scared of him. Some literally shook in their boots every time he walked by.
I felt naked and quickly grabbed a black robe from the back of the door. I knew that my father was out. He was quite secretive about his work and I never had the courage to ask him about it. When I went down the stairs, the sensor immediately activated to light my way with each step. As I made my way towards the front door, I took one more glance to make sure that this was nothing to worry about.
He was carrying the light. It was an old-fashioned lamp that had been used for as long as I could remember. It had one battery that lasted for years before it needed to be replenished. Technology was rampant, but everything else was mundane and boring. Life was a series of bland colors with no individuality.
I was still apprehensive about opening the door. I had never been comfortable around people, and I tried my best to stay to myself. My only friend was Julian, and there were times that I thought he was only around me because he felt sorry for me. I didn’t want to pull at that thread. He was my confidant, and it didn’t hurt that he wasn’t bad on the eyes.
I made sure that my robe was cinched tight because I wanted to make sure the Elder could not accuse me of any impropriety. Women were only allowed to expose skin with their significant other, behind closed doors. Outside in public, we were made to dress in clothing that could not be considered tempting to men. Fashion was ordained at the meeting of the Elders.
With shaky fingers, I opened the door to find myself confronted with a man more than six feet tall, weighing more than 200 pounds, baring a gold tooth that shone in the light of the lamp he was holding. He was bigger than life. I hadn’t had that impression when I saw him lecturing in front of his students. He looked small from far away, and he had the tendency to forget his students names.
“Miss Lockhart, I am Elder Masters. I’m afraid I have some distressing news. I know that this is quite unorthodox, but I didn’t feel this could wait until morning.” His tone had an icy edge, and I was certain I saw my own breath.
“My father isn’t here, but I’m sure you can find him in the library. He likes to do his research late at night when he won’t be disturbed. I sometimes don’t see him until morning,” I said realizing that he wasn’t asking for my father. He had specifically mentioned me by name, like it was commonplace for one of the Elders to come to make my acquaintance.
“I don’t know how quite to say this; there is never an easy way. There was a terrible accident. I don’t know all the details, but initial reports state your father was in the library at the time. There was some sort of gas leak and a spark ignited the building.
“I’m so sorry for your loss. Be assured that in accordance with Elder law, you will be taken care of. Of course, you’ll have to pack up your belongings and come to one of the social circles. We will take ownership of this land.”
I had heard about other students in school getting this kind of news, but I never thought it would happen to me. I had heard of the social circles, and they were basically shantytowns for those too young to take care of themselves.
“Have…they found a body?” I had no idea why it was so important for me to see him in that way. I didn’t want to believe he was gone, but he had never been there to begin with. There was never any real love between us. “Forgive me for being so blunt, but I would like to know more details.”
“I would really like to discuss this issue with you, Miss Lockhart, but I don’t have the time. I’ve done my duty by informing you of his passing. There is no way anybody could have survived something like that. Those on the scene say that they heard an ungodly scream coming from inside. Furthermore, the Guardians on duty saw your father enter, but not exit.
“I will need you to vacate the premises within the week.”
“I know the law, Elder Masters. A week doesn’t sound like enough time to go through all of his things. I’m still trying to process this information.” My head was swimming and my legs buckled underneath me. I lost my breath and I found myself on the floor at his feet. Clawing at his pant leg, I looked up and saw what could only be described as indifference.
“Get a hold of yourself, Miss Lockhart. This is highly unusual and unbecoming of a lady. I need to get back to my family. I will send over an emissary to handle things if you are unable. However, it’s been my experience that those who have been through this kind of loss have no interest in somebody else interfering in their business. You have the right to privacy as the last living heir of the Lockhart family.” He showed no emotion as he walked down the sidewalk, away from me, with that lamp guiding his steady hand.
I closed the door and felt the weight of the news slamming down on me like an anvil on my chest. I slumped against the door, put my hand on my chest, and felt my heart beating wildly. I took a few deep breaths as I tried my best to calm the initial need to panic. I was alone. My mother had died when I was young, and I had no siblings to look to for strength.
The only person I could count on was Julian. I was tempted to call him right away, but I felt it would be selfish to show such disrespect by waking him up in the dead of night. I was sure his parents would not appreciate me coming over and laying this in his lap.
There was no way I was going to get any sleep. I had to be refreshed in the morning to tackle what was going to be a very difficult task. I was going to have to make the arrangements, make everybody appear to say some kind words about my father. The speech was going to be the most trying exercise. I couldn’t think of anything good to say about him other than he was the one who brought me into the world.
They had named me Gillian after my mother’s grandmother. I knew my father hated the name, and even more so when the light of his life died. It left him a shell of what he had once been. When I was growing up, people had always told me that my father used to be the life of the party. Something changed when my mother died and he was left to raise me alone. I had to wonder if he blamed me.
I was about to go back upstairs, when I was blinded by a light coming from his study. He had spent most of his waking moments there when he wasn’t at the library. I turned and had to shield my eyes from the bright green glow that looked almost otherworldly. I cautiously took a few steps in that direction and found myself peering through the glass at the many books he had scattered across the floor and on his desk.
Everything was covered in a green hue, but then it was gone as if it hadn’t even been there to begin with. It had to be a hallucination brought upon by my grief. I was losing it. I was going to have to find a way to get in there to pack up his stuff. I never saw a key, but every time I had tried to get in it was locked, and things were no different that night.
Chapter Two
“You have to eat something to keep your energy up.” Julian was standing there wearing a pair of black pants and a white shirt that stretched over his muscular body. He tried to hide it, but there was no way he could. It was obvious to any woman alive that he was sculpting his body into something that could be appreciated like art. “I’ve been there every step of the way and I promise that this won’t change anything between us.”
&
nbsp; I didn’t know how he could say that. Being a part of the social circle would leave me with very limited options for my future. Julian and I were more mature and had the same high IQ. It made us feel more like adults instead of children, but it had the undesirable effect of making us outsiders. We tried to make friends, but it was never easy. I had a secret connection to magic, but it was my way of thumbing my nose at my father. It was childish behavior, but I felt I needed to carve my own path.
“The service was tasteful and I can only hope that I did him justice in what I said about him.” I found myself drawn to the study. From the couch, I kept looking in that direction, hoping I would get a brief glimpse of that green light. There was something soothing and comforting about it, like a warm hand on my shoulder telling me everything was going to turn out exactly as planned. However, my birthday was in one week and this was not the kind of present any girl expected from her father.
“Your father would be proud of you for taking care of everything. It doesn’t seem right that you have to leave the home you’ve lived in all of your life.
“I can try to put a good word in with my father. I’m not sure what kind of pull he has with the Elders, but I don’t think it would hurt to try. There have been exceptions to the rule, and maybe you can find a loophole. I will help you in any way that I can.” Julian looked like he hadn’t slept for a couple of days. The new beard growth made him look much older than his 16 years.