The Snow Swept Trilogy

by Derrick Hibbard

  "Look at the sky, Mae, at the stars. Honey, those stars were formed from chaos. The mountains all around, the oceans and rivers, the entire earth and universe, ordered from chaos. Sometimes, the change is violent and deadly, but the results can be majestic. So beautiful. Order will rise this time too, you will see, from the ashes of chaos, and it will be marvelous to behold."

  "Dad..." And then she saw it, that crazy glint in his eyes. If Morales was the insane court jester, this man before her was the mad king. Memories of her dad flashed, good ones, and now even they seemed counterfeit. It was her dad who'd shown the most interest in her abilities, and it was him who'd encouraged her to participate in the experiments. For her entire life, she'd thought that he was there to comfort her, to let her know that despite everything, he loved her and would be at her side. He had loved her, Mae was sure. He was her father and he had loved her as a father should. But now, a different reality was taking place. One in which he was coaxing her to unveil her abilities so he could harness them. She was a tool. A weapon, nothing more.

  "It was you all along," Mae said quietly, disbelieving her own words. Everything that had happened, from when she was taken from her school, to the years of being a science experiment, to the hunters, always in the shadows, and never stopping, it was the man who'd been her father. From above, he had been the puppeteer, and her memories were an illusion. A dream. The man who'd been her father—he had died, and this was just an imposter.

  "Who are you?" she asked.

  "I'm your father, Mae. And I love you."

  "No, you're not," she said. "My dad was a college professor. He could not have done all this. He did not have the resources for all this."

  She couldn't move her hands, so she moved her head to encompass the room and everything in his control and power.

  "I am your dad, and I'm also in charge of a special group of people. We are, and have been for many years, charged with the security of this nation. We have reached a point, though, where we must not only serve the nation, but the world. We must cut the infection and let it bleed. We must give order a chance, cultivate peace and harmony, while destroying those who would threaten it."

  "No." She shook her head. "No, I won't do it."

  He smiled, seeing the humor in his little girl's naivety.

  "You don't have a choice." He went to his desk and removed a small package in a plastic bag from one of the drawers. She recognized the package immediately. It was hers, and she'd left it in her hotel room back in Massachusetts. Dread flooded through her, extinguishing any hope she had left. They had been in her room, even after the attack at Ryan's house, and they had collected this item from her room. Which meant they had known about the room and had known where she was.

  Adam.

  He had been watching her the entire time. Hired by her father to keep tabs on her, to betray her at just the right moment.

  Mae's lungs constricted, and she felt as though she couldn't breathe. The world felt like it was closing in, and never before in her lonely life had she felt quite so alone. Everyone she had loved and trusted—it was a lie. An illusion created to hijack her abilities.

  Her dad finished unwrapping the package and removed her iPod and earbuds. It was her father who'd given her this very iPod, the first iteration of the MP3 player, on the birthday before she'd been taken captive.

  "Maybe you can control your talents now, which is really quite impressive, believe me. In fact, you could say that I'm very proud of you. My little girl... But, as you and I both know, there is a trigger."

  He tapped the screen of the iPod and she knew. Through hundreds, maybe thousands of experiments, they'd played a song that triggered her power on its own. The song was their secret weapon, the way they would force her to do what they wanted. It was the song that had first triggered the power when she was barely more than a baby. It was the song that had alerted her parents to their daughter’s strange talents. Once the song was played, she wouldn't be able to stop it—her abilities would be unleashed at full force.

  "I won't do it, Dad, I won't!" she yelled at him, sobbing now and knowing that it was inevitable, and she repeated, "I won't do it, I won't do it."

  Harrison watched her for a moment, then seemed to grow tired of the spectacle. He turned to Morales and said, "it's about time. When does our friend arrive?"

  Morales checked his phone and grinned.

  "Any second now," he said and drained the last few drops of dark liquid from his glass. He set it on the counter with a clink, and the sound was followed by a light rapping on the door.

  "Perfect," Harrison said, and Morales went to the door. Harrison removed a small knife from his pocket, one that Mae recognized from her childhood. When she was very little, he'd taken Mae and her mother camping, and had used this very knife while on the trip. She remembered how he'd trimmed a thin stick, carving a point in the end, and taught her how to roast hot dogs and marshmallows.

  Morales was in the other room, near the entrance. She heard voices.

  "Who is that?" She asked but her dad did not answer, only curled his lips in a cruel smile. Mae felt that old, familiar panic pulsing through her. Was Morales correct that Ryan was coming? Had he arrived? Didn't he know that rescuing her was impossible, and that coming to her only meant that he would die.

  Her father cut the duct tape on her arms and hands and she flexed her muscles. She glanced again towards the door, but Morales was not returning.

  "He'll be here soon," Harrison said, "your boyfriend. I'm excited to meet him, really I am. Anyone who has stolen my little girl's heart, well, he must be a special boy indeed. But no, Morales is holding him off for the moment. I wanted you to be dressed for the occasion, before you see him. Don't worry, he's just sitting in the other room, waiting."

  She opened her mouth to shout his name, but Harrison reacted like a snake, clamping his hand across her mouth with such force it knocked her head backwards. He held the knife to her lips and shushed her.

  "Now, baby girl, let's not be rash."

  He reached down and took each of her calves in his hands, cutting the tape that had bound her feet to the chair.

  "If you run, baby girl, or make things difficult, I won't kill you." His eyes glanced towards the entrance and his smile widened, his intentions crystal clear. "Your boyfriend was never part of the plan, not this one at least. He just became a convenient surprise. When we realized he was on his way here, we decided that instead of being terminated right away, he could be used. See, honey, anyone can be controlled, you just need the right pressure point."

  Harrison held out his hand and helped Mae to her feet. Her muscles were stiff and sore from so many hours in the chair, and despite everything, she was thankful for the opportunity to stand.

  "Stay right here." He kissed her forehead, then turned and left the room. She glanced around, alone for the first time in the massive suite. She walked to the desk, looking for something she could use as a weapon, a sharp letter opener, a heavy stapler, anything. When she didn't see anything, she crossed to the kitchenette, opening the drawers quietly, so as not to draw his or Morales' attention. The third drawer she tried revealed a set of glimmering silver stainless steel knives, each positioned blade side down in felt-lined slots.

  "I got this for you, just this morning actually," Harrison said as he walked back into the room. He saw what she was doing and smiled. It was clear that he knew what she was doing, and he didn't look worried in the least. In fact, he laughed, returning to the story he seemed to be itching to tell.

  "With all the planning for this event, I never considered what you would wear to the party. I had to do some last minute shopping, and Dr. Whaler was kind enough to send along your measurements before he, uh, before his unfortunate demise. I hope you like it."

  Harrison held up a long, black dress with a darted, empire waist and a ruffle-tiered skirt. The sleeves were thin and the neckline a low swooping V. He swished it gently back and forth, and it shimmered in the light.

>   She left the knives in the drawer, realizing their futility, and admired the dress. Harrison brought it to her, and she ran the fine material through her fingers.

  "You won't be in the party, per se, when you exercise your talents," he handed her the dress, "but I wanted you to look and feel the part when we arrive."

  "It's beautiful," she said.

  "Put it on."

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Ryan forced a clean slate into his mind, refusing to think about what he was doing. It was stupid, he knew, and he would likely never see anyone that he cared about again. Not his mom or dad, not the few friends he had, not even Sam and Dani. But Mae was alone. She had no one, and he wouldn't let her die alone.

  Sam and Dani dropped him off at the entrance to the hotel across the street from where the WE-1 was being held. He stood in the cold, his breath misting the air, snowflakes falling all around, and watched the people moving about across the street. They were going about their business, attempting to solve unsolvable problems, flaunting their decadence. Ryan had seen the press leading up to this event and had watched the world leaders spout their intentions to fix economic crises. But the problem was them, and other people like them—Ryan's family included—who would never give up the luxuries they now took for granted. But at least they were trying, whatever their intentions. They had come to this summit to brainstorm, and here they were, never knowing that death and disaster where imminent. The best security in the world, and they would never know what hit them.

  He shoved his freezing hands into his pockets and walked up to the large glass doors at the entrance of the hotel. The interior was empty of people, the lobby dark. He pulled the door handle and was surprised when it wasn't locked. It swung open, and he stepped inside. He stood in the empty lobby for several seconds before an elevator near the back of the room opened, spilling light onto the marble floor. Two soldiers stepped into the lobby, their guns raised and pointed at his chest. Ryan held up his hands.

  "I'm unarmed," he said. "Looking for Mae Edwards."

  "This way," one of the soldiers said, and stepped aside to allow Ryan to walk into the elevator. Ryan didn't hesitate—the time for hesitating had long since passed. He boarded the elevator and the soldiers followed, pressing the button for the highest floor in the building.

  "I'm assuming you guys are instructed not to engage with me, correct?"

  Both soldiers continued to stare straight ahead, and neither said a word.

  "You can at least confirm that Mae Edwards is actually here, correct?"

  Again, silence.

  "Okay then, guess I'll just wait."

  Ryan studied his reflection in the elevator door, wondering if Mae had come this way, and if she'd been conscious enough to see her own reflection. To himself, Ryan looked tired and worn, dark circles and bruises beneath his eyes, cuts on his face and neck. His clothes were dirty and torn. Dress to impress, his father had said, one of the few words of wisdom he'd ever imparted. During that short elevator ride, Ryan allowed himself to think about his parents. They'd always kept him at arms length. Treated him kindly, yes, and showered him with gifts, but he longed for a connection. He would miss them, despite never really knowing them. Even now, he had no idea where they were in the world, whether together or apart, playing or working. Likewise, they had no idea where he was, or that he was walking toward the end of the line. Surely they'd heard about their house being burned to the ground, and they might even be worried about him. Ryan wouldn't be surprised if they'd hired someone to check up on him, to make sure he was okay. One of the housekeepers maybe, or a gardener or driver or any one of the many people under their employ. For that brief moment, Ryan regretting not making more of an effort to know his parents and to love them. The place in his heart where his parents would normally have fit was empty. For the moment, that emptiness made him sad.

  Maybe that was why he'd been drawn to Mae, who seemed to fill that hole without even trying. So quickly he had fallen for her. And now, he was willing to die for her.

  The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. The soldiers led him down the hallway to one of the two doors and knocked. A few seconds later, the door opened and Ryan was staring at the man who'd been in the helicopter. The man who'd taken Mae.

  Ryan felt a sudden burst of rage, the urge to grab this man around the throat and squeeze until he was limp. Instead he nodded at the man, and stepped into the suite.

  "Mr. Coffee," the man said. "Good of you to join us."

  "Where is she?"

  "Here, and you'll see her shortly." The man led him into a small sitting room to the right of the entrance area. Ryan saw no choice but to follow him and sit in the plush chair opposite him.

  "Allow me to introduce myself. Robert Morales," the man said, extending his hand for Ryan to shake. Ryan never broke his gaze from Morales' face, ignoring the offered hand. After a few seconds, Morales lowered his hand and sat back in his chair.

  "You're quite impressive, Mr. Coffee. You've made it further than I thought possible, though I believe you did have some help."

  "Is she alive?"

  Morales laughed, nodding, "Oh yes, she's alive. But you, well, that's a different story."

  "You took her from my home, destroyed my home. You killed my friends. You've tortured Mae for years, hunting her like a dog—"

  "Ryan!" A voice boomed from the hallway, interrupting. "My boy, stand up so I can get a good look at you."

  Another man entered the room, grinning wildly.

  "I'd like to shake the hand of the young man who's stolen my daughter's heart!"

  "Your daughter?"

  "Harrison Edwards, at your service." Harrison flashed another toothy grin, and what Ryan saw there was something sinister and dark. The teeth of a predator. Again, Ryan ignored the offered hand, but noticed he was carrying an old iPod in the other hand, the earbuds wrapped around its white casing. The man slipped it into his pocket before sitting down.

  "She said her dad was dead."

  "Well, she thought her dad was dead until just a little while ago."

  "Where is she?"

  "She's getting dressed for the party," Harrison said.

  "I don't believe you," Ryan said, steel in his voice. "I think you're using her to kill a lot of people. I don't understand how she—"

  "No," Harrison said, his grin never breaking, "you don't understand. Mae is doing what she was destined to do, but I'm not going to sit here and explain it to you. You are here for one purpose, allowed only because my daughter has such strong feelings for you."

  "I think you've underestimated your daughter, sir. She won't be your pawn. Mae is stronger than that."

  "Well," Harrison chuckled, "I'm afraid you aren't playing with a full deck. It's a shame, but no matter."

  Neither spoke for what seemed like an eternity and Harrison continued to smile, not bothered at all by the silence that stretched between them.

  "How'd you do it?" Ryan asked.

  "Do what?"

  "Clear this hotel," "Ryan said. "You're perfectly situated with the Summit, right across the street. This empty hotel has obviously got to be a security risk for the Summit."

  "Not when the private company hired to run security for the event is in this empty hotel across the street. We needed several thousand square feet of space to set up our command center in order to provide the best security money can buy. The hotel was the perfect, and most obvious, choice."

  "You're kidding," Ryan said, a bitter laugh escaping his mouth for the first time since setting foot in the penthouse suite. "You're hired to protect them, to keep them safe, and all the while, you're the threat."

  "Brilliant design, wouldn't you say? Billions of dollars and years of active service with many countries around the world have positioned us to be one of the most trusted private security companies in the world. At an event such as this, not one country trusts the other to handle the security, so they agree on an objective third party. Of course, each representative wil
l have his or her own detail, but we handle the general matters."

  "But all of that will be destroyed when the Summit is destroyed on your company's watch."

  "The company will have served its higher purpose," Harrison said with a brush of his hand. "After tonight, the world will be a much different place."

  "You're insane," Ryan said after several seconds.

  Harrison's smile cracked, flickering for only for a split second before widening. He was staring at something behind Ryan, who turned and saw Mae wearing a flowing black gown that hugged her body and then tapered off into ruffled tiers just below her waist. Ryan stood, the words caught in his throat.

  "Ryan." Her smile was radiant and sad.

  "Hello, Mae."

  "You look wonderful, honey," Harrison said, standing and crossing in front of Ryan to put his arm around Mae. As he did, Ryan lashed out with his fist, punching Harrison in the face and driving him to the floor. He grabbed Mae's wrist and began to pull her towards the door.

  "No," Morales said. The single syllable was laced with cruelty and contempt. Ryan looked over his shoulder and stared down the barrel of Morales' Desert Eagle. He froze.

  "Ah, well Mae, you know how to pick 'em." Harrison wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and spat on the carpet. He climbed to his feet, no longer grinning, but also not angry. "Quite the left hook, I'll give you that. Unfortunately for you, Ryan, now is the time you say goodbye to my baby girl."

  "I'm not going anywhere without Ryan," Mae said.

  "Oh, you will," Harrison said. He grabbed her arm, no longer the gentle, loving father he'd pretended to be. "You're coming with me, and Ryan will stay here."

  "No, Dad. I'm not doing this."

  "You don't have a choice," Harrison growled through gritted teeth. He snapped his fingers, and Morales whipped Ryan in the head with the flat side of his gun with a solid THUNK. Ryan stumbled to the side, and Morales had the barrel touching the back of his neck.