She was faster and stronger, her senses far more attuned than mine, but each blow she threw, I parried. I saw a blind spot and thrusted towards her side, but Hazel used her speed and knocked it away. She followed up with a backhanded punch. I hadn’t seen it coming, and my nose snapped as I lifted from the ground and slammed back down a few feet away.
That stopped her, and she stared wide-eyed, incredulous, as I regained my feet, water gathering in my eyes.
‘You’re weak?’ Hazel laughed.
I kept my mouth shut, using the second’s reprieve to anticipate her next move. I may not have had the strength or speed my sister did, but I wasn’t a slouch. I had been training with Chris for almost two months, and I tried to use that to supplement my lack of abilities.
‘This’ll be easier than I thought,’ Hazel growled.
She threw herself forward and fired a flurry of swipes towards me. I managed to parry and block, but she was pushing me back. My rear smacked a table and I ducked a slice for my head. I swung my right fist into her side before I stood and planted a kick into her stomach. I angled my sword directly for her throat, but she bent backwards and I missed. I moved away from the desk and Hazel followed. She flew for my left, but I anticipated it, and as I grabbed her wrist, I turned into her and brought my other arm’s elbow straight against her cheek.
But she was far faster than I was. As I turned to plant my fist against her face, she recovered and a sharp pain slid across my arm. I could feel the blood as it trickled down my skin, but I lifted my weapon and caught another of her attacks. A knee broke my defence, and as the air rushed from my lungs, a fist angled upwards collided with my chin. Again I flew through the air. I crashed through glass vials and beakers on a desk before I landed loudly on the floor.
I could hear my sister’s cackle as she sprinted for the table and vaulted over it. Her blade dove for my chest but I brought my own round and smacked it in time. Then a kick sent me rocketing across the floor. I gasped and spat blood. Hazel had the upper hand, and I’d be lying if I said part of me wasn’t holding back.
My sister advanced.
‘Wait! Please!’ I mock cried.
It was enough, she stopped and laughed, but I moved. I slid round and kicked out my leg, sweeping the ground from beneath her. My sister gasped in surprise, and as she landed, I planted my foot in her face. Her head knocked backwards and I jumped to my feet, weapon at the ready.
Hazel’s green eyes flashed as she stood.
Ohhhhhhhh sh-
I’d never seen anyone move so fast, but I sidestepped her blade’s downward arc then ducked as it came round. I pushed off the knee that rushed to my face and blocked a swipe at my side. Her attacks were becoming faster, the force more pronounced. Sweat soaked my face as I worked to just stay alive. We reached the pit, my back towards the windows as our blades danced off of one another. Hazel pounced to the side and I turned; the glass that looked out into the night hit my peripheral vision.
As for my sister, she shook with rage. My mind couldn’t wrap around the logic that caused her to be so angry at me. Whoever had raised her had used jealousy to fan the flames of hate. My sister was tortured as a child.
I blinked, and she screamed. I caught her blade with mine as it came round, but the strength behind it was unnatural. My weapon snapped, half of my blade flew towards the windows, and the reinforced glass shattered. I gasped as I tried to think, but Hazel forced her palm against my chest, and before I knew it, I’d smacked against the chair in the pit, and slid to the ground.
‘This is over!’ Hazel screamed as she stalked closer.
I had to think of something fast.
The Sirens
‘You know they’ll kill you too!’ I screamed at my sister.
I’d smacked her blind spot again and she stopped.
‘They don’t give a damn about you,’ I said. ‘Once I’m gone and they have my son, they’ll take what they need from you too, then you become expendable.’
‘You know nothing!’ Hazel cried as she brought her foot into my stomach.
I gasped and she followed through with a punch to my jaw, but she wasn’t using her blade, and that was what I needed. I turned back to stare at her, words forming in my throat, when all my prayers were answered. I looked out the window, my ears primed to the heavenly sound of police sirens. Their coloured lights flashed from below and bounced around the ceiling.
‘I know that you don’t have as much foresight as you think,’ I spat.
‘I have everything!’ Hazel growled.
I struggled to stand as my sister glared at me, her eyes begging for me to respond and fill her with fire.
‘I have one thing you don’t,’ I gasped as I swayed.
‘Oh?’ she mocked as a smile made its way to her face. ‘And what’s that?’
I levelled my eyes at her, my green ones meeting hers.
‘Family,’ I enunciated.
My eyes left her and settled on the woman who had just entered the room. Blood clung to her every limb, but she strode with purpose. Hazel raised her blade at my jibe, and Jessica opened fire. The sound filled the room as bullets blasted into my sister. I turned away as she shook violently with each shot. Finally, a click signalled the end of Jessica’s clip and I turned back to my sister sprawled on the ground. It was hard to swallow.
‘You were right tough guy,’ Jess beamed as she stepped over Hazel’s body, ‘forcing the police here to handle your Dad’s guys worked.’
I let out a breath and stumbled.
‘Whoa,’ Jessica said as she steadied me. ‘Looks like I made it just in time. Why is it a lady always has to save your arse?’
I laughed and brought my eyes up to hers, ready to repeat my doubts about her lady status when a sword burst from her stomach.
‘Jess!’ I screamed; my eyes wide.
She slumped to the ground as the metal pulled back. My sister glared at me maniacally.
‘You think that’s all it takes to kill ME!?’ she roared.
I lunged for her, but her hand flew up and slapped me. I tripped over Jessica’s body and hit the stairs that ringed the pit. I turned and rolled, throwing my hand out as my sister’s blade plunged for Jess. I cried out in agony as the sword passed straight through skin and bone. But I’d done what I intended, the blade didn’t reach my saviour. I brought my leg up and kicked away my sister’s hand. Her fingers loosened and let go of the blade.
I raced to my feet, desperate to take advantage of Hazel’s bullet-ridden state. I used my good hand to punch her stomach and she wailed as she folded in on herself. Filled with despair, my right hand pulled the blade from my left. The pain was excruciating, but I did my best to focus as I drove the sword through my enemy’s chest. Hazel screeched, and I pulled the blade back before I stabbed her again.
My feet crumbled beneath me and I found breathing hard. I watched as Hazel tried to keep her footing. Her hands grabbed the blade and ripped it from her body. I watched helpless. My energy had sapped, and any reserves I had were keeping me conscious. A sickening grin slipped across my sister’s face as blood dribbled from her mouth. She staggered haphazardly towards me and I tried to regain my feet.
Hazel lifted the blade, I watched wide-eyed and she laughed. She roared and brought the instrument of my impending death down, but a set of hands caught hers, and we both snapped our heads to face the man that had come out of nowhere.
‘Dad?’ I gasped.
‘You!’ Hazel cried.
Richard Bishop had looked better. His already paltry and aged looks were riddled with shades of blue and purple. His face was swollen and his gait was shrivelled. The man looked ready to collapse, but he wrenched the blade from Hazel and swung it for her neck. I closed my eyes as my sister’s head spiralled from her body.
‘Lucas, son,’ Richard said as he crouched, ‘are you alright?’
I batted his hand as he extended it and shifted back. Richard stood, his face pinched, well, as much as I could tell with his face
the way it was. He closed his eyes and nodded.
‘I’m-I’m sorry, Lucas,’ he whispered.
My forehead creased and my mouth opened and closed.
‘You may never know the full story, but trust me when I tell you, I did this all for you,’ Richard continued. ‘I just wanted it to be over. I just wanted my work to be done. That’s what my life was for, that was my mission.’
I stared dumbfounded, unable to coherently process what was happening.
‘They have to be stopped,’ my father suddenly erupted, his eyes wide and panicked. ‘New Dawn has to be stopped!’
Richard stumbled as he made his way to the obliterated windows. The wind that blew whipped through his grey hair and he turned.
‘Who’s New Dawn Dad?’ I asked.
He narrowed his eyes.
‘Their true name,’ he replied. ‘Not FOG. Their mission isn’t what I signed on for; it’s not the purpose of what I made. We were supposed to be helping people!’
‘You killed hundreds!’ I cried.
‘What is the price of a few lives, if it makes the world better for the millions?’ Richard whispered, but he was no longer looking at me, his eyes favouring the ground.
Police sirens and gunshots echoed into the room from the streets below, the war still being waged. I crawled over to Jessica’s body, her blood pooling beneath her, but her chest rose and fell as her lungs dragged ragged breaths.
‘Athena!’ my father erupted. ‘Lucas, son, find Athena!’
‘What!?’ I gasped.
‘You’ve been betrayed, you’ve been betrayed,’ he continued to ramble. He stopped trembling and his eyes locked onto mine, they quivered with fear. ‘You’ve been betrayed! I told you that you wouldn’t believe me before, but you have to know, you have to. You need to watch out for-’
BANG!
My body jumped as my father’s head snapped back, a hole in his forehead. His eyes glazed over and his legs gave way as he fell out into the darkness, and crashed towards the street. My head whipped round, my eyes landing on the two people I came to rescue.
‘Chris!’ I screamed.
The man didn’t meet my gaze, but kept his gun aimed as he and Anna made their way over.
‘Oh my god,’ Anna whispered, dropping to her knees.
My hand came up and cradled her face as tears sprung from her eyes. She laughed and threw her arms around me. I gasped.
‘Sorry!’ she said, but she didn’t let go, and neither did I. ‘I watched you die! I watched you die!’
‘I know,’ I whispered, ‘I know. I’m here, I’m fine.’
‘Alex?’ Anna asked as she pulled away.
‘Fine,’ I replied with a smile, ‘Brian’s got him.’
A strangled choke pulled our attention to Jessica as blood burst from her lips. All of us surrounded her, and her eyes fluttered open.
‘D-damn,’ Jessica shuddered, ‘your sister is a bitch.’
Chris moved from her side and reappeared with some sort of cloth. He pressed it hard down on her wound and she moaned in pain.
‘We have to get her out of here,’ Anna cried.
Chris looked at me, his eyes hooded, his demeanour helpless. The damage was too much.
‘Is there any way?’ I begged, but he shook his head.
No.
It took Anna awhile to understand, but once she did, she refused to believe it.
‘Anna,’ Jessica gasped, ‘hey, listen to me. It’s okay.’
‘No,’ Anna replied.
‘Hey, listen to me okay? This is fine, look at me, this is f-f-fine.’
Another fit of blood filled coughs racked Jessica’s body, and her hand grabbed Anna’s.
‘If I was to ever go out, this would be the way,’ she continued.
‘We need to do something….’ I whispered, but Jessica pursed her lips and shook her head.
‘No, I’m done tough guy,’ she said. ‘It’s my time, it needs to be.’
I moved my head to both sides in confusion, and she smiled.
‘I can be with Penny now,’ Jessica gasped. ‘I can’t be a part of this world anymore. Not the person I am. I’ve had my run, and it’s time to go.’
‘I don’t want you go,’ Anna said and squeezed her hand. Tears streaked her cheeks.
‘You have no idea how much you’ve already helped me, Anna, all of you,’ Jessica whispered. ‘You set me back on the right path, I was meant to help you. Now I need your help again, okay? I need one thing.’
‘Anything,’ Anna promised.
‘Bury me beside my daughter,’ she replied and broke down, her body wracked with pain and sobs. ‘Please?’
‘Count on it,’ I replied.
Jessica smiled and tried to suck in air. Her features crinkled with every breath, and her pale skin was almost paper white.
‘Don’t blame yourself for this one tough guy,’ Jessica said. ‘My death is not your fault. Y-y-you guys are-are the best things that’s happened to me in a l-long time.’
I couldn’t help but laugh and retort, ‘What’s with all the sentimental bullshit. You make it sound like you’re dying.’
A great, genuine smile wrapped around her face.
‘You tell anyone I said that, and I’ll-I’ll kill you,’ she laughed.
Her body convulsed, and her eyes widened.
‘L-l-look after A-alex, look after……’
Jessica Reed’s final breath slid from her body, and her eyes glazed over. Her head tilted to the side, and the cold-hearted assassin we had come to love, the woman whose true core wasn’t made of ice, died.
I didn’t try to stop the tears, neither did Anna.
‘Guys,’ Chris whispered, ‘we need to leave. We don’t have a lot of time.’
I nodded wide-eyed.
‘How?’ I asked. ‘I don’t know a way out.’
‘There’s an emergency exit the way we came from,’ Anna said. ‘I have no idea what’s happening out front, but if all attention’s there, we could slip out.’
‘Then let’s move,’ Chris said gently.
Anna wrapped an arm around me and pulled until I was back on my feet. Chris remained in his crouch as he found the best way to lift Jessica’s body. As we got going we passed the table that had previously been occupied by the blades my sister and I fought with. The little vial was still there, and as we passed I lifted and pocketed it. Why? I wasn’t sure, but with my powers gone, part of me wanted it.
Then we left the place that had claimed innumerable lives.
The Aftermath
Thankfully, we hadn’t met any resistance as we took the fire exit out. The alleyway we had walked into was vacated, with bundles of leftover possessions from whoever had been bunking there, left by their owners, who had probably vanished when the gunfight out front began. It took us awhile to get back. I was a wheezing mess, and Chris carried Jessica’s lifeless corpse. I tried to listen as Chris explained how he and Anna had escaped confinement.
‘When all hell broke loose, thanks to you,’ he huffed as he stopped and shifted Jessica, ‘the guards at our rooms thinned. They wanted us alive, to try and trade us for Alex, or to force Brian’s hand. I pretended to choke and collapse on the food they’d given us, and the guard panicked, he rushed in and I blindsided him.’
Anna listened intently. She had been held elsewhere, and had been found by Chris afterwards.
‘I didn’t know Hazel had locked up your father,’ Chris continued. ‘I have no idea how he got out.’
We stumbled and made slow progress, but we got back to the hotel, and as the elevator had rode up, I blacked out.
When I finally woke, I was lying in the bedroom Anna and I slept in. The room was empty, and it took a few minutes before my eyesight focused. The sky outside was orange, sunrise in effect. Every single part of my body ached in varying degrees. My head pounded, my face stung, and the rest of my body chimed in periodically, as if a painful composer was at work. Someone must have patched me up though. My hand had bee
n cleaned and bandaged, and there was a strip of something that cradled my nose.
I groaned as I moved to stand, dutifully ignoring the mirrors in the room as I made my way to the door. I already felt like one massive walking bruise, I didn’t need sight to reinforce it for me. I grasped the door handle and pulled. As I walked into the War Room, it was as if we had never been a part of a war. Anna sat with Alex, a bottle to his lips. She had changed, and thankfully, there wasn’t any sign she had been abused while in my sister’s care. Chris on the other hand, limped. He paced behind Brian, who sat typing, with a cup of steaming coffee at his side.
The all looked round as I stumbled in. Anna smiled and let out a breath.
‘Thank god,’ she sighed. ‘Brian told us that you lost your abilities, and you were beaten up good.’
‘Good’s an understatement,’ I grimaced and moved to sit next to her.
‘How is it possible that you lost them?’ Chris asked. ‘I mean the hell we were put through for them, and they’re gone?’
I shook my head, I didn’t have any answers.
‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘Jessica thought maybe I’d just tired them out. You know, dying, my heart restarting, having to heal. Plus I was trapped underground for almost a week without oxygen. So I don’t have a clue.’
‘You’re alive,’ Anna said. ‘That’s all that matters. And you all came through for Chris and me; even Jess.’
We slipped into silence.
‘You guys would never have been in danger if I hadn’t run off,’ I sighed. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘You damn well should be,’ Brian snapped, but he never turned to look at me.
‘Enough, Brian!’ Anna bit back. ‘Just focus on what you’re doing would you?’
He pulled his lips back and kept whatever had been brewing locked down. Chris stared at him, eyes narrowed. Not in an angry way, more analytical, as if he was contemplating Brian’s new attitude.
‘I think we need to stop pinning the blame on each other,’ Chris said, his eyes never leaving Brian. ‘There is no one here to blame for the situation we were thrown into, and each of us make choices that won’t always be the right one. At the end of the day, we’re here together. We help each other, no matter what’s thrown at us.’
Child of Recklessness (Trials of Strength Book 2) Page 20