“Only three small poppers. Mostly good for blowing doors. Not sure one could blow the connectors.” Reece held out three small rectangles.
The Nix clone was still muttering to himself, seemingly unaware of the green goo leaking out of him.
“Give me one, I’ll do what I can to magically enhance it, and try to get those people away from the connector. Can you get past our friend to that last car?” She and Reece would still be with the clone, but everyone else should be safe.
He handed her a small gray rectangle. “Just place it, enhance what you can, and get back on this side. I should be able to disconnect the last car with two of these. And I’m agile, I can climb over the seats.” He flashed her a grin and demonstrated. For a tall guy, he moved well over the seats.
Aisling ran to the forward car and flung open both doors. “There’s a dangerous contagion, I need you all to move as far from here as you can and brace yourselves. We need to separate that car.” Surprisingly, everyone crowded out of the way, many even going into the next car up. Aisling darted back and placed the small explosive. She added a spell of healing. There was nothing to heal in the inanimate explosive, but it felt like it had more energy. She set it for three seconds and darted back into the car with the clone.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Reece was just shutting the other set of doors when she ran in. “Hang on to something!” He threw himself across a row of seats and she did the same. The explosions weren’t huge but they sounded that way in the car. Smoke billowed into the car, but also from the rest of the train pulling away. Most of the damage appeared to be on this end though as the door between cars was completely blown off.
Aisling looked up from the row she’d dove into. They had been going up an incline, and it looked like the car behind them was dropping back as well.
The Nix clone was now drooling green goo and stumbling about like a zombie. She just wished killing this one would destroy all of them.
“What next?” Reece was closer to the back of the car but was already working his way back to her,
She nodded to the gaping hole where the door had been. “Go outside and hope it follows us?” Aisling wouldn’t mind if it stayed here, but the other car wasn’t that far behind. It hadn’t looked like there were that many people in it but they needed time to get them away.
“Best idea.” Reece climbed over the final rows of seats, avoiding the oozing clone. They climbed out of the car and ran to the last one.
Aisling sighed as they got outside. They were in a large open field with no houses or businesses nearby. At least that was something. As long as they could stop the clone from getting out. She no longer thought he was going to explode, but that goo of his could kill.
There were only six people in the last car, all shaken but no serious injuries.
“What the hell did you do, mate? You blew up the train?” An older fey yelled out as soon as Reece appeared.
“I’m with Interpol and an explosive gas was released in the car ahead of you.” Reece adopted a British accent, not heavy and not too posh, but enough to sound legit. “We might have saved your lives. But you need to get far from here before it blows.”
That was it, all six scrambled for the door. One was a young male pixie flyer. “I’ll go get help, the rest of you head that way. I’ll send the police to you.” He pointed toward some very distant houses. At least that would keep everyone far from these cars. With a nod to both Reece and Aisling, the group started running the direction the flyer had pointed toward and he lifted up and flew off.
“That’s great, but now what?” Aisling looked at the car they’d been in. “That thing isn’t coming out and the only way the goo has been stopped before was with heavy explosions...or an electrical charge. The airport attack was stopped when it hit the electrical panel for the boarding screen.” Trains were full of magically enhanced and protected electrical parts. She smiled.
Reece grinned back as they ran to their car. “This car should have enough electrical juice to fry that stuff.” He looked at the passengers still running across the field. The flyer was long out of sight. “I want to wait until they’re further out, but before our winged friend brings the police in.”
“How are you going to explain you’re not British? Or is your Interpol identity from here?”
“It’s under my name, my real one, so it’s not British. But I figured they’d respond better to that.” He finally turned back from watching the former passengers running; they were little more than specks now. “We work together pretty damn well.” That smile was killer.
Aisling sighed. “That isn’t the problem—never was. But you’re right, we do. Now let’s go fry Nix. Gods I wish I knew where these things were coming from.” It felt good to be back to working with Reece, she just wasn’t sure how she needed to handle it.
They looked into the open doorway of their car. The Nix clone was half the clone he used to be. The goo was eating away at the seats, frame, and anything else it could reach. Aisling grabbed her pack and slung it on her back. Reece tore apart a few panels at the entrance and came across a large enough collection of wires. With some twisting, turning, and fancy knife work he managed to get a section of electrical wire an inch away from the goo.
“You are so lucky there is magic shielding on all the electrical wires on these trains or you’d be crispy.” Aisling had seen more than a few sparks go up even with the shielding. While her magic would help him if he did get toasted, she couldn’t increase the already in place shielding.
“I know.” He grinned and moved the wire a bit closer down toward the goo. “Be ready to dive out the second I yell. We have no idea what will happen when this hits that goo.”
Aisling did better than getting ready, she grabbed Reece with one arm around his waist. “I move faster than you, remember? If that backlashes, and you can’t get clear, you’re dead.” She could fling them out faster than anyone could see.
The goo oozed to the wire. The Nix clone was down to just a head, but while there hadn’t been much life behind those eyes before, there was nothing now.
Aisling held her breath as an electrical spark flashed and Reece yelled. She pulled herself and Reece out of the train car and ran as fast as she could.
“I think we can stop now,” Reece grunted as he was bounced around as she ran.
Aisling stopped, dropped him to the ground, and then bent over to catch her breath. “You’re a hell of a lot heavier than you look.”
He got up and dusted himself off. “Clean living.” He grinned, then frowned. “I would have thought there would have been an explosion by now.”
Aisling shook her head. The scene looked like nothing had happened. Just two disconnected train cars sitting a few feet from each other in a field. “I thought so too or I wouldn’t have run so far. Damn it, I saw the spark.”
They started trudging back, but Aisling had no idea what else they could try. Maybe just keep everyone away from it until Area 42 personnel could come in and secure it. Unless the London Area 42 was completely compromised. Maybe she could catch Caradoc, Jones, and Stella before they left for Noth. She was still trying to sort it out when the train car exploded.
Reece dove to cover her as debris flew in the air. Only a small amount made it out to them, but the explosion was impressive. The goo was fried completely, it looked like tiny pieces of dark green glass had been flung about.
“Thank you, but I think we’re fine now.” Aisling said from under Reece.
He scrambled to his feet. “The solidified goo is new.” A piece had made it a few feet in front of them and he pushed at it with a stick. “Local office is going to hate us. They’re going to have to cover this entire meadow and get all the pieces. In hazmat suits.”
“It looks like stone. That hasn’t happened before. Not even when Harlie crashed a car into it.” They kept walking to what was left of the train car and were almost there when the sirens started. “You better go wave a badge and do some fancy talk
ing. I’ll call Bart while you deal with them.”
Reece nodded and strode up to the arriving cops and fire engine.
Aisling called Bart.
“Did you two get lost already?” From the sounds in the background, he was still at the collapsed building site.
“No. But we kind of blew up a train.” She quickly told him what happened as she watched Reece discussing a different version, whatever that was, with the officers. “We’re going to need support and this entire area blocked off. There are three police cars and a fire engine here right now.”
“Damn it. Okay, keep Larkin talking to them. I’m going to make calls and get someone I trust out there immediately. She’s a flyer, her name is Narissa Jhali and has enough layers of rank to get everyone else to step back. Once she arrives, you and Larkin get the hell out of there. Get to London and find Maeve.” He ended the call.
Aisling stayed back as Reece continued his discussion. She could only hear the tones of it, not the words, as she’d stepped some distance away to make her call. Reece was calm, everyone else was freaking out. With a sigh she walked forward.
“My partner, Aisling Danaan.” Reece turned to her. “What did the chief say?”
“He needs everyone to back off until he can get someone here. This entire area is a crime scene and will need to be taped off, at least as far as that tree.” She pointed just past where she and Reece had stopped.
“You’re Interpol too?” One of the police stepped forward, obviously the highest ranking. The fire personnel were all staying back by their truck as nothing was burning.
“She works with us. Different agency, and not sharing which. You verified my badge, that’s enough.” Reece looked ready to go another round, but Aisling tapped his shoulder. A flyer was coming in for a landing. Tall and slender with deep green wings. And wearing a dark blue business suit. Impressive.
“The person we are waiting for is here. Bart sent her.”
“Agent Larkin, Agent Danaan, good to meet you, not under these circumstances however. I’m Agent Jhali.” She shook their hands then quickly turned to the police. “Thank you for your quick arrival.” She flashed a badge that made the cop up front blanch even though Aisling couldn’t see what it was. “If you could keep this entire area clear for at least a few days while we continue our investigation, that would be appreciated. We have already notified the train line and they will divert all trains from this section of track.” She marched over to the fire crew and politely sent them on their way.
Aisling liked Agent Jhali.
The fire crew was driving off and the cops starting to establish the perimeter when Jhali turned back to Aisling and Reece. “Now then, please do call me Narissa. Have you looked inside yet?” She nodded to the train car. The walls were still mostly intact, the force of the explosion had gone up.
The three of them stepped forward to look. There were more of the green rock-like items here, still small, but very solid looking. Aisling was in the front so she started swearing first. Not only had the explosion gone up, it had also gone down. The tracks were twisted and the hole beneath them was deep.
“I’m surprised it hasn’t collapsed.” Narissa didn’t step inside.
“I think what’s left of the rails is holding it up.” Reece took his look around and stepped back. “Have you been read in as to what happened in London? A large hole?”
“Aye. I was not happy to hear those hit London. The prior ones were all out in less populated areas. You think that’s what happened here?”
Aisling walked around the car. “There’s no other signs of ground issues. They couldn’t have done whatever it was they did on a fast-moving train. Hopefully, that hole is just the result of the explosion.”
Reece filled her in on the Nix clone, the goo, and how they stopped it. If Bart sent her, she could be trusted.
Narissa nodded. “Quick thinking. Damn, Nix was a pain in the arse before this. Now there are clones? Hate to say it, but I do hope I get to remove one or two of them. And I speak for most of the agents in London. That man is a bastard.”
Aisling laughed. “There are many people who would agree on both those counts.”
Reece darted into the train car and grabbed their luggage. Aisling had made certain to keep her pack with her, there was no way she was losing that scroll or her clan jewelry, but clothing hadn’t been something to worry about when they were running away.
“Our bags were near the edge.” He shrugged.
Narissa walked over to the luggage and closed her eyes. After standing there for a moment she opened them and smiled. “Just checking. There are no contaminants on them.” She paused and stared at Aisling. “That is a most unique pendant. Is that trileium?”
Aisling reached up and tucked the pendant back into her shirt. That wasn’t good that Harlie’s spell on it was gone, nor that Narissa knew what the metal in it was. Few people who hadn’t come directly from the old world would have a clue of the metal.
“Easy.” Narissa flashed a smile and stepped back. “I won’t tell anyone. I am far older than I admit to, and have heard tales of it. I won’t ask how you came about it, nor tell anyone. But yes, do keep it hidden. These are strange times.”
“Thank you. It’s a family heirloom, but it’s only a type of steel, not trileium.” Aisling smiled. She knew Narissa probably didn’t believe her, but for good or bad that pendant had exposed itself. She just hoped that Narissa was on the right side.
“I think we should be heading out.” Reece lifted his bag and Aisling did the same. “Thank you for taking care of this, Narissa.”
“I hate to say it, but if this is what you leave in your wake, I hope not to meet you two again.” Her smile dropped. “But take care, this is a deadly time.”
“I agree.” Aisling nodded as she and Reece started off toward a row of houses in the same direction as the tracks.
“What happened to your pendant?”
Aisling pulled it back out. Yup, gold and trileium lines were back in place. “Damn it, I don’t know. Harlie had a spell on it to keep the extra lines hidden. I hope this isn’t a bad sign.” She didn’t like the pendant exposing itself, but the bigger issue was if something had happened to Harlie. She was pretty certain their mother was behind the collapse he had, but had she gone further?
“He’s fine.” Reece’s voice cut into her thoughts. “One thing I have learned dealing with you three siblings, is that you are all far tougher than anyone would think. I know you hate your mother, and I don’t blame you; I’ve never met the woman and I hate her too. But she made you all as tough as you are.”
Aisling dropped the pendant back into her shirt. “I will never be grateful to her for anything. We wouldn’t have had to be so strong, if she hadn’t been so vile.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
They continued in silence, each chasing their own thoughts. The hamlet they came to did have a train station and luckily a train that had been stopped before it could continue northbound and was getting ready to head back south. It wasn’t going directly into London; the track closure had messed up schedules. But it would get them closer and buses were taking people from its final stop into London. They quickly bought tickets and boarded. All around them were angry mutterings of who blew up the tracks.
Aisling listened carefully. Knowing what the average person thought could help down the line. So far everyone was determined it was an attack from the Human Liberation Front. That wasn’t good. The HLF was a young group, only found in England so far. They mostly stuck to propaganda concerning the inequities between fey and humans and tried to fight for more studies into increasing human conception levels. As far as Aisling knew, they’d never done anything violent. And they hadn’t in this case, but that wasn’t anything they could share with the people around them.
A quick glance at Reece and his scowl told her he heard the same thing. They’d need to pass this to Bart so damage control could kick in. Just what they didn’t need were rumors to make thing
s worse.
The trip was non-eventful. Aisling had intended to call Maeve when they got to the station to give her a heads up on when they’d get to London, but a familiar face stood waiting on the platform once they got off the train.
“Aisling!” Maeve ran forward and engulfed her. Then grabbed Reece in a hug too. “Come on, I’ve got a car.” She was smiling so hard that Aisling pulled back.
“How did you know where we’d be? Are you okay?” Damnit, she had Mott’s box and a sliver with her in her small pack, but was it already too late? Maeve didn’t smile like that unless she was drunk.
“I’m fine, just missed you both. Since this is where most of the London-bound trains are going, I took a guess.” She dropped her voice to barely a whisper as she escorted them toward the car park. “We are being watched. Not sure who they are, but there are at least six scattered in the crowd. You have the box, right? Bart called ahead and told me. You’ll see when you use Mott’s gizmo, I’m me, but we need to get out of here.”
Aisling glanced to Reece on the other side of Maeve and he nodded. He also had his gun hidden in his pocket now. Aisling mentally prepared to use her anti-healing magic if this wasn’t really Maeve, and they got in the car.
Maeve shook her head as they pulled away. “I can see the gun, Reece, and I’m sure Aisling is armed physically or magically as well. I don’t blame you. But I am me and there are...damn it. Whoever was watching us, they also had cars waiting. Two behind us. A delivery van and a white BMW. Just pulled out behind us.”
Aisling looked back. Those two cars were behind them, but it was Maeve’s word that they’d just pulled out. “Okay, so where are we going? Mind you, I’d like to stop before we get there.” Not that there couldn’t be people after them, but she needed to make sure Maeve hadn’t been possessed.
Maeve started swearing and hit the gas.
An Uncommon Truth of Dying (Broken Veil Book 2) Page 28