Titans: Revelation (Book 4 of the Titans Saga)

by C. J. Lloyd

  Not a good move, Elric thought, tearing through the air behind the aircraft. A black stream ripped through the air, impaling the body of the helicopter, and another stream ripped off the top blades sending it plummeting to a rocky area off the road. Now the last cruiser.

  The wind whipped the wild black strands into his eyes as he focused below. A flash of fire hit the hood of the cruiser, sending it spiraling into the guard rails. Enzo’s ability to multitask was the cause of that, of course.

  Traffic allowed the Ferrari to break through as Elric watched the vehicle whip onto an exit that was less heavily trafficked. From above, the area was a ghost town; not a single vehicle trailed them or moved around the barren orange land where an old factory of some sort looked to be dead and forgotten. Good move, Enzo.

  Elric glided overhead as his claws morphed into his human digits. Sweat streamed down his face as he ripped the shirt from his chest, letting the wind carry it below. The Ferrari stuck out like a sore thumb as it darted through the old, rusted factory grounds and shrieked as it drifted behind an old dumpster heap.

  Elric plummeted to the parking lot, smashing into the tar and cracking it to pieces from the force. As he swiftly made his way over to the vehicle, his wings folded into his back.

  Enzo erupted with laughter, jumping over the driver’s door and slapping the side of the Ferrari, his long dark-brown fingers gliding over the glistening smooth red paint job. Elric wasn’t sure Enzo had experience driving, but he lived up to the words “drive it like you stole it.”

  Rai jumped out, stabbing an icy blade into the frame. Like an apple, the red paint peeled away as she stomped toward them. Her hips shifted like that of a runway model, and her stance in front of the driver’s side door was the same. “Enzo, I swear if it weren’t for Elric, I’d drown you right now!”

  Enzo threw his hands up. “Rai, let’s be real. That was dirty, right? My driving skills are legendary.” He bobbed on his heels, Gucci jeans struggling to stay on his hips. “That’s how I got my name, girl!”

  “Elric, will you say something to him?” Rai begged, her eyes fading into the dark brown as she pulled a blue strand behind her ear.

  Shaking his head, Elric studied Rai. She sported thigh-high black shorts, and a thin black t-shirt—revealing the detail and color of the dragon tattoo that started from her hip and wrapped around her shoulders—and black leather studded boots, which raced up to her mid-calf. She leaned over the side of the car where the icy blade still embedded gave off a chilled smoke in the dry heat.

  Enzo, on the other hand, was draped in Gucci, spoiled by the life of an outlaw. His hair was braided in a row of zigzags. Yesterday they went to a famous salon in Florida where Enzo threw the beauticians two rolls of cash—four thousand dollars each. The women lost their minds, quickly giving him the white glove treatment.

  “Vacation’s over. Let’s head back to the condo,” Elric said, looking to the sky. After a showing like that, it wouldn’t be long before the military came knocking. Not like they could do anything at this point.

  A groan of disappointment escaped Enzo’s lips. “Man, joy ride’s over? We can always head to the Lambo dealership.”

  “No more cars. Please,” Rai cried, gripping her scalp. “I’m with Elric. Let’s head back home.”

  Home, Elric thought. Villa Verde was a beautiful five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath home with a pool, spa, and multiple beautiful views of the Sea of Cortez. It was located in the La Noria section of Puerto Los Cabos and even Elric was beyond impressed by the digs Rai provided. And Enzo accepted the lavish lifestyle as if it were something he long deserved. And they said bad guys never win.

  His comics had it all wrong, or maybe that was the fantasy world he brought himself to believe was true when he was younger. This world—the broken one—the world where they could destroy an entire city then kick their feet up in a luxury villa just proved his point.

  Being in California right now after Boston, joyriding in a Ferrari, was like taking a dump on the desk of the president. But he didn’t tread lightly on what he had done. Satellites could pinpoint them if they hadn’t already.

  “We just destroyed a prominent city of the United States. We have to stay on our toes and not get cocky.” Elric’s voice was coarse as his eyes met Enzo’s. “We’ve still got work to do if we plan on bringing down the world powers.”

  “Damn, damn, damn.” Enzo’s excitement ebbed into a groan of defeat. “You’re right .… Both of you.” He nodded to Rai.

  She nudged Enzo with an elbow. “We have plenty of stuff to do later, hothead. Let’s stay the course.”

  Blackness rolled from beneath, wrapping around them as they sunk into the broken concrete of the factory.

  Elric admired the rocky orange hills of California. A patchwork of brownish shrubbery and smooth stone grew from the sides, nothing like the lush green mountains of Maine. He thought of fresh pines in late spring, the droves of wildflowers springing up in a mixture of colors and shades. Funny. He used to hate walking through the wilderness, fearing ticks, bears, and anything else that took him out of his comfort zone. He feared so much back then. But that childlike innocence was razed by the hell he endured.

  That boy wouldn’t last a day in his shoes now.

  They rose from the white marble-tiled floor of the living room where the sweet scent of Rai’s Chanel perfume mixed with Enzo’s Burberry made the forty-five hundred square feet lounge feel like home.

  Enzo leaped onto the couch and stretched out, refusing to kick off his boots, hands behind his head. Rai went straight to her room while Elric headed to his own room. A large king-sized bed with black silk sheets awaited him. He sat, looking down at his hands.

  “What’s on your mind, Elric?” Erebus asked.

  “Something Calamity said a while back, something about ‘we all have someone to answer to.’ What do you think she meant by that?”

  A crackling laugh echoed from his insides. “Concerned about her?”

  “I just… If I kill her and get her out of the way … will I still have to worry about someone else? I’m asking because you’ve been here the longest. You know this world better than anyone.”

  Erebus growled. “This world, yes. The Allverse … no. As powerful and wise as I am, my knowledge is not as vast as you may think. The Allverse is immense, and even I’m nothing but a grain in its ocean.”

  “So, you think there’s a possibility that beyond our universe, in this Allverse, there could be someone out there …? Something even more powerful than she is?”

  “I’m saying that beyond this universe and this pebble of a world, there could be horrors and creatures that are far more powerful than she ever could be. Even myself.”

  A shiver of excitement jolted down Elric’s spine, and his lips peeled back at the thought. “Interesting …”

  “What are you smiling about?” Rai asked, standing in the doorway.

  Elric looked up and shook his head. “Nothing. Just thinking about our next move.”

  “Oh yeah?” She walked in and sat on the edge of his bed about a foot away, rolling her fingers through the silk sheets. Her eyes shimmered a devilish blue hue, her gaze holding a spark of passion. “Can I ask you something?”

  He shrugged, ignoring the brisk air she emitted. “Go ahead.”

  She crawled onto the bed, inching close enough that he could feel her icy breath on his neck. “I used to think that you and that redhead had a thing, especially with the way she was around you. But after everything in Boston, that couldn’t have been the case. So …”

  “So?” Elric scowled, looking at the floor.

  “So, when was the last time you were with a girl?” She leaned forward as their eyes met.

  His face hardened; his lips pressed together as if to lock away his words. The expression obviously rattled Rai enough for her to pull back, and he wondered if she felt his emotions too. The absolute disdain. His lips broke away with a subtle rise from the corner of his mouth. “Da
ting? What good is that?”

  She swallowed hard, and her sensual nature changed as she became defensive. “Are you serious? You haven’t dated before?” Rai’s tone was shaky, escaping her trembling lips.

  Elric’s head cocked to the side. “Never had a need for it. Never needed to date or be with anyone.” He thought about Madison, then the thought of that girl flashed in the back of his mind. Her dark-brown hair. Her hazel eyes.

  Elric’s heart jumped.

  “What was that?” Erebus grumbled.

  “I don’t know?” Elric thought deeply as his gaze lowered to the marble floor. His eyes began to twitch. Memories of Lexington High, of his foster parents ... Then he smirked. “I still remember her. That girl. Jennifer Reeves.”

  “That’s right. The girl you let die at the hands of Blight’s general.” The growl grew with excitement. “It’s been a while since she crossed your mind like that. Especially for me to take notice.”

  Elric ignored Erebus. “There was this one girl .…” Rai inched closer, hanging onto his every word. “But she died. She and her parents were killed. I was too weak then to protect them,” he said with a raspy voice.

  Rai’s gaze slumped to the side as she leaned back. “Did you love her?”

  “Love?” The darkness surged from him, filling the room like water, splashing against the walls. His eyes were taken over by the crimson glow. “Why would I need something like that? Love makes you weak, makes you hesitate. It makes you trust people who will lead you down to your grave. All I need are goals. Aspirations. My ambition.” He pursed his lips. “I shed that skin of love a long time ago.”

  Rai rose from the bed and stepped in front of him. She slowly arched over, placing her hands on his thighs, and licked her lips before gently kissing him on the cheek. When she drew back, Elric noticed the dampness in her eyes.

  “Don’t do that again,” he said with a scowl. “Don’t ask me about love, dates, or anything that ties me to being human. Do you understand?”

  “Why?” Rai stepped back. “Because I made you feel something?” She bristled, then tried to hide it by crossing her arms.

  “Because I might kill you next time.”

  She sniffled. “It’s funny. I’ve killed dozens of people and kept a portion of my humanity intact. But you? Whatever made you human is gone. Isn’t it?”

  “Guys!” Enzo called from the living room. “Y’all might want to check this out!”

  Elric rose to his feet. Rai stepped aside and followed him to the living room.

  Enzo had the television on CNN and had turned up the volume. “Yo, E. Did you mess up London before you picked Rai and me up?”

  “Calamity and I did, yes. Why?”

  Rai squinted following the headlines. “In about four hours, all world governments are coming together for a NATO summit. Organized in response to the attacks on London and Boston. Shit.”

  She swallowed hard.

  Elric stuffed his hands into his pockets. “About time they got together.”

  Enzo swallowed and jumped off the couch, scanning the skies. “That satellite shit you were talking about got me shook, man. I don’t want to get hit with a drone or something. Maybe we should head back to that stink cave.”

  Rai bent over laughing. “All that big talk, and now you’re afraid of drones? Seriously, Enzo, what the hell is a missile going to do to you anyway?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never tested the theory to find out.”

  Elric smirked and shook his head, getting his mind off Rai’s flirting. He shot her a look, catching her eye. Her smile faded as she looked away.

  “What do you two want to do?” Elric asked.

  Everyone was silent. Then a fiendish smile crawled over Rai’s face. The look of murderous intent and destruction, an expression Elric learned to respect.

  “Let’s hit the meeting. There’s a lot of important people there, right?” She rolled her eyes and looked to Elric. “You’re decent at strategizing, so I’ll go with whatever you want.”

  Enzo scratched the scruff on his chin. “Yeah, making plans for something like attacking NATO? Way over my head, bro. You know me. I’m going in blazing and roasting everybody, real talk. This one’s on you, Elric.” A sly smile slipped across Enzo’s face. “But it would be badass if we attacked a NATO meeting. All those fat cats from different countries … They wouldn’t know what hit ‘em!”

  “A quick change of heart for a person afraid to get hit with a drone strike,” Rai teased. “So, what are we going to do?”

  “Rai, you research where that meeting is being held. I’ll get us as close as possible.” Elric glared at the television.

  “No need,” she said, pointing to the television screen. “Looks like it’s in Brussels. If you can get us to London, we can hop on a train. Should only be a few hours from there. We’re going to have to be low key though.”

  Elric nodded. “We’ll include ourselves in the conversation. It’s only right.” Elric shrugged. “Grab your hoodies. We’re leaving in a few minutes.”

  Enzo sighed. “And just like that, there goes our vacation. I wanted to at least hit up Florida one more time.”

  Chapter 5

  Fruits of His Labor

  A yellowing mist hung in the sky as they rose from a pile of debris. London was wet, reeking of toxic smog and sewage, and nothing more than deteriorating structures. Dozens of first responders echoed along with the screeching and roaring of construction vehicles.

  Elric peeked around the corner to see dozens of men and women in vests and ventilation masks, firefighters, police officers, you name it. He was surprised that they were still at it, cleaning up and searching. Maybe for survivors, maybe for evidence, but more than likely for remains.

  Crumbling concrete toppled over on the left side of Enzo. He stepped down into a puddle of mud and sewage. “Damn it!” He scrapped the sludge off his boots.

  Rai tapped Enzo on the shoulder in remorse. “So, you did all this … by yourself?” she asked Elric

  “No. I had help. Calamity.” He looked down at his hands. “But now, I’m pretty sure I can do so much more than even this.”

  “Yippee,” Rai said, arching her brows.

  “Damn, this … This is shitty,” Enzo replied, stomping the rest of the mud off his boots. He scouted the area, climbing higher on a pile of rebar, concrete, and stone. He shook his head. “How did you do this?”

  Elric tightened his fists. The intensity made his knuckles crack. “I call it ‘collapse.’ Using my powers, I can increase the gravity in an area. All I need is dark matter the size of a marble, and I get these results. In Boston, it was the size of a beach ball, and you saw the damage done there on the news.”

  Rai’s brows pinched together. Her jaw hung loose as her eyes fixed on him. “That’s both frightening and incredible. But that makes sense considering you have the ability to control dark matter and dark energy.”

  Elric raised a brow. “So you think you understand my powers then?”

  “Nope. Your powers alone defy all scientific logic and theories. All three of ours do. We have Devas inside us. Sure, I still follow some concept of science with how I can move water through all its forms, but it should all be impossible.”

  Enzo rolled his eyes. “A’ight, whatever. That’s cool and all, but I still plan on becoming the top Titan. Gravity control and black holes … Doesn’t matter to me.”

  Rai twisted her mouth. “Right. Keep living that dream.”

  Elric faced Rai, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Can you pull out the map for the train station?”

  She pulled the folded sheet from her waistband. “It won’t do us any good. This map was for the station located in London. There’s no way in hell it’s still operational. And even if it is, it would be closed off.”

  Enzo grumbled and tugged on the ends of his braids. “If you would’ve allowed us to buy cellphones, this wouldn’t be an issue.”

  “If you two would’ve bought cell phone
s, we would’ve been hit with one of those drone strikes you seem so worried about,” Elric replied. Enzo twisted his mouth, locking his lips tight. Elric assumed it had something to do with having a hellfire missile dropped on his head.

  Elric threw a hood over his messy black hair and stepped into the group of responders.

  “Please help. I’m lost,” he pleaded.

  One man jumped back and pulled down his ventilation mask. “What the hell are you doing here? You can’t be here; this area is completely off-limits. Haven’t you been watching the news?”

  “Y-yes, I have,” Elric stuttered. “I just need to get home. Where is the closest train to get back to Brussels?”

  The man with a vest looked at Elric in disbelief and worked his mouth in a chewing manner. His nose wrinkled as his eyes narrowed. “Brussels, aye? You sound more like a yank to me?”

  “Uh, yes. Everything in the States has gone to hell, so we moved in with family,” Elric said, stumbling through his words.

  The man nodded. “Yeah, everywhere has gone to hell at that.” The man lowered his head to try to get a better look at Elric’s face. Elric tucked his chin to his chest. “I guess it’s better being over here than the States anyway. From the sounds of it, all the monsters are coming from there. Might even be hoarding them for experiments.” The man shrugged. “What the news is saying anyway.”

  Elric gave a subtle nod. The man was right in more ways than he knew, and Elric was confident the US wasn’t the only place where that was happening. But once they dismantled the world powers, that wouldn’t be a concern anymore.

  “Yeah, a real mess,” Elric said coldly.

  The man nodded. “Due to everything here, the Eurostar adjusted a bit. It’s actually how most responders get back and forth. Head south down Abbey Road, and you’ll start seeing the signs for the train. Make sure you don’t come back this way, though. This isn’t just construction. This is recovery.” He pulled up his mask and resealed it, turning back to the group of people who watched on.

  Elric nodded, understanding exactly what the guy meant. It also solidified his thoughts as to what they were all doing.