In The Shadows of the Cavern of Death (Shadows of Death Book 1)

by Angelique Jones

  Seeing Michael’s signal, what was left of our unit followed him, racing through the war-torn streets. Ducking and dodging, we avoided the fighting when we could, embracing it when we couldn’t. Finally we reached the bridge to the Stone City, where the fighting was intense. Grabbing Michael’s arm, I signaled for the unit to stop; we’d never make it across. Moving away, I pulled my bag from the ground and dug out what I needed while the others covered me. Searching the ravine, I found what I was looking for, and aiming, I fired. The hook stuck true and pulling it tight, I raced to the firmest structure still standing and shot the other end in. Sure that it would hold, I yelled, “This is the only way!” Taking my rifle, I put it over the wire, gripping the ends than ran for it. Shots blazed around me, hitting my arm, but I held firm as I launched myself from the edge of the ravine into nothingness. Already weak from blood loss, the new hole that I sported made it worse. Once my feet began to dangle over ground instead of air, I held on as long as I dared before dropping. Pain jarred my body at the impact, but I pushed through it, gripping my gun and going to a rock cluster, firing to give the others cover.

  One by one they joined me, taking my spot when Michael pulled me back to wrap my arm. Once he was finished doing what he could, he moved forward, taking control. We were pinned down, so pulling out my last trick from my bag, I threw it, smiling grimly at the screams that followed the explosion. Racing forward, using the distraction, we broke free and were able to make it into the outer part of the city. Death was everywhere. Those who could not fight and hadn’t found safety in time laid in the streets their unseeing eyes bringing back memories of the field. Little ones huddled together in terror behind mothers who had tried to protect them. For a moment I was back in the caverns, frozen in terror as death surrounded me, before I was slammed to the ground as the world around me exploded. Looking over my shoulder, I was surprised at who I saw. “I thought that you didn’t like me.” I said.

  Justin gave me a cocky grin, “You’ve kind of grown on me,” he said, pulling me to my feet. “Come on!”

  Nodding my head, I raced forward, joining Michael, who took precious seconds to look back to make sure I was OK. Mouthing “all good,” he looked like he wanted to beat me. With a shake of his head, he refocused on the battle. The capitol building could be seen from where we were. The city’s troops were doing well having heard us take the town’s barracks, they were prepared when the soldiers attacked. They were fighting like there was no tomorrow and there really wasn’t if they didn’t win. Looking around, I spotted our route. “Follow me,” I yelled, and racing forward I used the building for cover, moving until we came to an alley that we could barely fit in. Using the two buildings, I braced my back to one and feet to another, using the leverage to work my way up. After watching me for a moment, the others followed. “I’m beginning to think that you cavern dwellers are part monkey,” Justin joked, as he struggled to keep up.

  Before I could answer, the sound of someone approaching silenced us. Rooted to our spots, a unit of soldiers came down our alley, followed by perusing troops. Stuck above, a battle raged below––if they looked up, we were sitting ducks. We were more than halfway up; we had to take the chance. Signaling with my hands, I pointed up, ignoring the shaking head. Moving as quickly as I dared to, so not to dislodge any rocks, the others saw no choice but to follow, silently cursing me with their eyes. Pulling myself over the lip, I helped the others as they made it. The others secured the roof as I waited for Justin, gripping him when he was in reach and pulling him up and over the lip. Going down to the section that the soldiers were held up at, I sat down and began kicking until I dislodged the loose lip, sending it raining down upon them. Satisfied at their screams, I joined the others who were anything but happy with me. “Now what?” Michael growled, pointing around.

  Securing the rifle across my back, I moved away from the edge of the roof. Once I gave myself enough room, I went for it. Racing forward, I propelled myself off the lip, flying through the air and landing on the next roof. One by one, the others joined me. “You know, I think that I’m back to hating you now,” Justin growled as he pulled himself up.

  “Believe it or not, that’s not uncommon,” I said, laughing at his mumbled “Oh, I believe it.” Playing leapfrog from roof to roof, I knew they may not like my methods, but the results couldn’t be argued. We never would have made it this far if we had to fight through the streets. Leaping onto the government center would be tricky because soldiers were positioned at the top. We had to take them out at the last two buildings, but there had only been three or four on each. “Michael, I think two of us need to go ahead. We’ll be able to get there without being noticed. The rest should line the roof and pick off as many as they can. They’ll be drawn over here, it will give the troops below a chance to advance, and we’ll be able to get behind them while they’re separated and pick off any that you don’t.”

  Moving to stand next to me, he said, “Agreed. I’m going with Misty, the rest of you take cover and as soon as we’re in position, start firing.” Shaking his head, he took off running, and we hit the edge at the same time, flying through the air. I cleared the lip of the next roof, but unfortunately he didn’t. Slamming into the side, he was able to catch it with his hands and racing back, I gripped his pack and helped him pull himself over. “I don’t care what I have to do or who I have to kill, I’m never doing that again,” he shuddered pulling himself up.

  “Then I guess you won’t be coming into the caverns,” I said, moving for cover.

  “You’re not going to tell me that there aren’t floors in the caverns, now are you?” he snapped, as our boys started to pick off the soldiers.

  “Oh, there’s floors, but do you think that the fighting there is going to be any different than this?” I said with a smirk, before going silent as two soldiers moved our way to take position.

  Taking my knife from its cover on my leg, we waited until they were in position. As one we moved, wrapping a hand around their mouths and putting the blade through their backs into their lungs. Dropping them where the others would see, we moved and waited for the next set to take their place. After the third time, I signaled for Michael to stop. There were still a dozen soldiers up here, but if we took many more out like this, they’d call for reinforcements. They’re all lined up in the front of the building, only splitting off to move over to this section that was no longer protected by the soldiers of the building we now occupied. We’d have to take out the soldiers on the building on the other side of the government center or we’d be caught in their crosshairs. We slowly moved back as two soldiers came to take the place of the ones we just disposed of. Using the equipment as cover, we made our way around to get in position on the other side. Three soldiers could be seen moving there. I’m sure there were more, but for now we just needed to take them out. Pulling his rifle off his back, Michael set it up as I kept watch. I wasn’t worried about being heard, we’d just blend in with the rest of the noise––it was being seen that would get us killed.

  He was good; I’d give him that. Three soldiers, three shots in under a minute and he solved the problem. Falling back, I pulled off my own rifle––it was now or never. Only seven soldiers remained, the others having picked more off. Separating, we opened fire, and they didn’t know what hit them. Clearing the roof, we signaled to the others keeping watch as they made their jumps. Now that we controlled the roof, the troops on the ground that had been pinned down were advancing against the soldiers on the ground. Making for the door, we weren’t quick enough––a soldier that we didn’t see from the neighboring building opened fire, killing two of our men before we were able to take him down. Unable to do anything for them, we kept going. The stairwell was empty. Keeping quiet, we went toward the dim sound of gunfire. Stopping at the corner before a main hall, we heard soldiers. No, not soldiers––the communications room. Seeing a glint out of the corner of my eye, I turned and smiled, inching my way toward it. Shaking off the hand that tried to
restrain me, I pointed toward the mirror on the wall. Snatching it up, I scooted back, passing it up to Michael. Using it to see around the corner before snatching back, he held up two fingers. There were two soldiers in the hall. Signaling for us to stay, he motioned for Justin to follow. Tensely, we waited until Justin came back, signaling for us to go. Moving to Michael, who stood next to the door, he motioned for silence, listening to the voices coming from the room.

  “Your soldiers have lost Twin Rivers and the outlying towns and villages. My people overran them with pitchforks and stones. I backed your government because President Vellion gave assurances that it would be a quick victory,” a man screamed in a high-pitched voice. “I was to be the new President!”

  “Shut that fool up,” a second voice growled.

  “Commander, the line has fallen, rebel troops are rushing the government building. We’re trapped, sir.”

  “Can we hold the building long enough for reinforcements to arrive?” the commander asked.

  “No, sir, no reinforcements will be sent, there are none.” The sound of approaching forces could be heard as gunfire grew closer.

  “What do you mean there are no reinforcements?” the man with the high-pitched voice screamed.

  “Shut up, Kingman,” the commander snapped the sound of something hitting the floor echoed. From the hardened looks on the men’s faces around me at the name, I knew they knew who it was.

  “I’ll not be told to shut up by the likes of you, do you have any idea who I am?” Kingman shrilly said.

  “Yes, I know exactly who you are. A stupid fool who actually thought we were going to make a slave president.” He laughed harshly at the sputtering man. “Since we’re going to die, Kingman, I think it’s time you got a quick lesson in the truth. We used you. Just like we use all slaves as tools. Each one of you fools who betrayed your people thought that you were going to receive a place among our society and you were––as slaves. The only thing that I’ll truly regret is not getting a go at that daughter of yours. If she was anything like your wife, she would have been a wonderful addition to the brothels. Now, since your use is over, I’m going to take great pleasure at finally killing you.”

  “You, you can’t kill me. President Vellion assured me that I was in charge that…” Hitting Michael’s arm I mouthed “we need him alive,” and, nodding his head, though I could tell he’d like nothing better than to let the bastard die, he motioned to the others. Moving in, we opened fire with all eyes on the sniveling coward who was hiding behind a desk. It was short and sweet. Unprepared, we were able to take most of them prisoner and with Kingman’s distraction they were unable to dispose of anything. The room was more filled than we thought; there were several high-raking government officials that thought they could bluff their way out. Securing the prisoners and the room, we left a pair of guards and moved out.

  The last of the soldiers were being chased right toward us. Opening fire, they were caught between us and the troops coming up behind them. Seeing that they were trapped, they tried to surrender, but I was having none of that and kept firing until the last fell to the floor, ignoring the yells to stop.

  “They were surrendering,” Michael yelled into my face, hitting my gun from my hand. Turning my back to him, I went to walk back the way we had just came, wanting to visit the prisoners. “I’m talking to you, Misty”––when I kept moving, a hand gripped me and pulled me around––“is this who you want to be?” he growled, gripping my face to force me to look at the soldiers who I had just killed. “Do you want to be like them? Because if you keep this up, you’re no better than them.”

  I don’t know what he expected his words to do. With a slow hand, I reached up and gently gripped the hand at my chin, removing it so I could look at him. “Since they’re dead, we’ll never know if they meant to surrender,” I replied softly, dropping his hand. “And since I’m alive and we have appeared to have won, I think I am better than them. Now you have work to do and so do I,” I finished, walking away. The sound of cheering echoed outside in the streets. They won and they were rejoicing in their freedom. To me though, it was just the beginning. Nothing had changed for me; I was still just as broken and alone. I was still surrounded by the darkness and living in it. I knew what he wanted me to see, that by my actions I was no better than they were. I don’t know how he still denied the truth after seeing the things that I had done. I don’t know how he didn’t realize that I was just like them. I was what they had made me––a soulless killer. Instead of hiding from what I was, I embraced it. I had more questions than ever and moving forward, I didn’t look back, knowing what I had to do to answer them.

  Chapter 24

  Two weeks had passed since their victory. They were still celebrating though they mourned those that had been lost. The government officials involved with the Loyalist city’s attempted coup were being held for trial. The council led by Victor had seized control, taking their place. The City to the West had been quiet, making no attempt to try again so far, though emissaries had been sent to speak of peace, saying that a rogue fraction had been behind this and not the official government. Victor and the council had been meeting with them behind closed doors.

  Moving through the Stone City, I watched as its occupants still cleaned the streets of debris as other teams worked on rebuilding what had been destroyed. Though all of the towns and villages had suffered in some form of attack, most of the fight had been centralized in this area, making Twin Rivers and the Stone City the hardest hit in destruction and deaths. People nodded to me as I passed, though they don’t meet my eye. What I had done to the prisoners made it into the general population. Not just what I had done to the men at the barracks and in the hall, but what I had done to those we had taken in that room. I wish that I could say that the thought of the way I had tortured them for information made me sick, but it didn’t. Michael had gone and seized control of the troops, giving orders to secure the Stone City while contacting the council and other rebel commanders to see where help was still needed and to share information. By the time he returned to check on the prisoners, more than a day had passed, though he had arranged for guards to rotate the duty of guarding them.

  What was left by the time he came was not pretty. Those I hadn’t gotten to yet were sniveling messes. Forced to watch my methods on the Loyalist commander and his soldiers, the politicians begged to volunteer information. The bloody mass attached to the chair was what was left of the commander. It had taken hours to break him, but once I did, the information that he gave me was worth it. Sitting across from him, covered in blood with my knife firmly in my hand, was how Michael found me. He yelled at the guards who were outside instead of in the room, as they hurriedly explained that they were following my orders. Walking in, he took the scene in with a sweep of his eyes before landing on me. I could feel his gaze boring into my back, but I just sat there watching the creature before me that moaned for death. The retching sounds of the guards joined those of the other captives, who upon seeing Michael enter begged to be spared. Pleading to tell him anything that he wished to know if he would just help them get away from me.

  Slowly, I rose from the chair, causing the whole room to tense. Turning, I saw that the guards were gripping the hilts of their guns as they looked at me in horror. Sliding the knife back into the holster at my leg, I walked forward. Hurriedly, they moved to the side except Michael, who just looked at me with an unreadable expression. Walking out the door, I saw that a crowd had gathered. Stumbling upon themselves, they moved back just as swiftly as the guards in the room upon seeing me, most adverting their gaze. I never said a word nor was one said to me by those I passed. They all but raced to get out of my way. Keeping my pace, no more than a leisurely stroll, I walked from the Stone City and through Twin Rivers. I don’t know how long I walked or how long it took before I came to the river that the town was named for. The river where we first met these people that had caused my life to change again. Just like every other change in my l
ife, it wasn’t for the better. I didn’t stop walking when I reached the river; I just walked in fully clothed. The water around me turned instantly red. Dunking my head under, I systematically washed away my sins, making them invisible for others to see. That’s all that mattered, was what others could see. They were all the same. As long as the outside was beautiful, it didn’t matter how dark and evil what it hid was.

  The water ran clear by the time a group of troops was sent to get me. Opening my eyes, I turned slowly to face them. They stood back from me as if they were afraid to approach. Staring at them, I watched as one turned and motioned to someone. A girl moved forward. It took a moment for me to place her. “Why are you here?” I asked the nervous girl as she walked past the troops to the edge of the water. When she just stood there frozen, I moved toward her, stopping when she hurriedly stepped back. Not having the patience for this, I continued on stepping out from the water, but going no closer as the troops gripped their guns. “Why are you here?” I asked again. When all I got was silence I lost my patience. “If you’re here to kill me, get on with it.”

  “We’re not here to hurt you,” the girl blurted out, finally raising her gaze to mine. “I don’t know if you remember me, but my name is Keely.”

  Interrupting her, I said, “I know who you are, now answer me. Why are you here?”

  “They thought,” she stuttered, before taking a breath and continuing, “they thought that you’d feel more comfortable if someone you know came to get you and escorted you to a living unit so you could rest.”

  Closing my eyes, trying to hold on to my patience, I opened them and smiled grimly at the poor lamb in front of me. “Will I be allowed to leave this living unit after I’ve rested?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, looking at me confusedly, “why wouldn’t you?”

  Oh, I don’t know, the fact that an armed trigger-happy troop had been sent to fetch me might be some indication, but instead I just shook my head and walked forward. I don’t know who jumped farther, the girl Keely or my armed escort as they moved to give me a wide path. Rolling my eyes, I walked past and made my way back. They didn’t have to worry about me escaping––the answers I needed where still there and I wouldn’t be leaving without them. After a while the girl Keely moved up to walk next to me, still keeping a distance between us, but showing more courage than the group of men that surrounded me.