Take Back the Skies

by Lucy Saxon

  ‘To take over the family business?’ he asked, but Cat saw his colleague shake his head.

  ‘No, to add to the test subjects, actually. He says he wants both of them involved in his masterpiece.’

  This made the other man shudder.

  ‘Told you, the man’s a nutcase. Wait, what do you think you’re doing! Don’t connect that, you’ll wake it up!’ he exclaimed suddenly, dragging one of the mechanics away from the child he was working on.

  ‘I can’t check if it’s worked unless I connect it,’ the mechanic argued weakly, watching as the fair-haired government man roughly pulled out a chain from the chest plate, tossing it carelessly to the ground.

  ‘I don’t care, you can check another time! We’ve got strict orders not to wake any of them until absolutely necessary, you idiot!’

  Duly chastised, the mechanic went back to work. Deciding that was probably all they were going to get out of that conversation, Cat bent down and turned off the audio recorder, attaching it once more to her coat and gesturing to James to close the door. Fox turned off his video recorder and crouched down to speak to them.

  ‘We should find somewhere to wait until this Thomas bloke turns up – it seems like he’s running things here. Cat, any ideas who it might be?’ he queried, and Cat sighed.

  ‘Definitely one at the top of my list.’

  Fox nodded, peering around the narrow corridor.

  ‘How do you two fancy getting a bit cosy?’ he asked, his gaze fixed on a storage cupboard opposite the entrance to the pulley-lift.

  Cat groaned quietly, glaring at Fox. James looked like he didn’t know whether to cheer or scream.

  ‘Come on, it’s the best we can do,’ Fox insisted. ‘We need to stay safe until the Mericans get here.’ Opening the storage-cupboard door, Cat grimaced when she saw the dust inside. Still, she settled down in the corner closest to the door. Fox sat next to her, and a disgruntled James squished himself into the opposite corner, sitting on top of some boxes. Closing the door almost completely, Cat leaned her head against the side of the frame so she could see out into the corridor.

  ‘What if he walks in from the other end?’ James asked in a whisper.

  ‘He won’t, that’s a dead end. Both manholes up and down are on the other side of us, and the pulley-lift is right in front,’ Cat said quietly. Her mind was still reeling from the information; this Thomas would use his own son as an experiment? Even her father had spared her that fate! Though, she had to admit, he had tried to kill her.

  Hearing a brief scuffle and a muffled yelp of pain, Cat looked back over her shoulder. She rolled her eyes when she saw Fox and James glaring at each other in the dim light.

  ‘Honestly, both of you, grow up!’ she hissed.

  ‘He kicked me,’ complained James, sounding far younger than his fifteen years.

  ‘I’m sure it was an accident. What are you – five? Just put up with each other, can’t you? For my sake?’ she requested in frustration. She didn’t get an answer, and assumed that was the end of it – then James spoke again.

  ‘I was just wondering who Fox thinks he’s fooling. When all this drama is over, he’s likely to move on in search of something more … interesting. He is a commoner, after all, and too old for you. His baser instincts will lead him to stray, eventually.’

  Cat wished she could reach over and strangle the young prince.

  ‘I would never find Cat uninteresting, and I have no want or need to stray from her. But even if I did, she wouldn’t choose you! You don’t realise how much of an arrogant brat you are, do you?’ Fox spat in reply.

  ‘I’m right here, you know,’ Cat pointed out sharply. ‘And I can hear every word you’re saying. James, for the last bloody time, stop trying to get between me and Fox. It will never happen, and I won’t stop loving him.’

  ‘You love me?’ Fox cut in, sounding surprised.

  Cat blushed deeply; had she just admitted that out loud?

  ‘Well, I –’ She never finished her sentence, because at that moment, the cupboard door was wrenched open, and Cat was left staring at a horribly familiar face.

  Chapter 28

  ‘Well, well, look who we have here. I was so terribly concerned when I thought my cupboard was talking to itself,’ the dark-haired man sneered, his black-brown eyes alight in amusement. He grabbed Cat by her coat, dragging her forcefully from the cupboard.

  ‘Gentlemen,’ he snapped curtly, prompting the two guards flanking him to reach for Fox and James.

  ‘Gale,’ Cat gasped, glaring at the man she knew all too well.

  His smirk widened, and he gripped her shoulder so tightly she thought he would break it. She reached up to her neck, as if trying to pull away from him, and discreetly flicked her audio and video recorders on – relieved when Thomas didn’t notice a thing.

  ‘I did wonder where you’d run off to, little Catherine,’ Thomas crowed. ‘Your father said you had died, but I never believed him. My poor Marcus was devastated when he heard the news. His little fiancée, lost to him forever!’

  Cat shuddered at the thought of Marcus being devastated by her death. He was probably only angry that he couldn’t get his grubby little hands on her money.

  ‘I bet he was,’ she muttered under her breath, earning a sharp jab in the back. Thomas opened the door to the lab, startling the men inside, who went slack-jawed at the sight of the three struggling teenagers being forced into the room.

  ‘Gentlemen, we have visitors. Why don’t you give them a guided tour of our most recent project, hmm?’ He dragged Cat over to the table with the teenage boy on it, forcing her to stare at the perverse, twisted mound of flesh and bronze.

  ‘Isn’t he beautiful?’ Thomas murmured lovingly, stroking the cheek of the camouflage mask. ‘I’m bringing Marcus up here soon – he’s awfully lonely without his brother. They’ll both make wonderful soldiers, though. Both my boys are very strong.’

  Cat gasped as she realised just who that boy had once been before the metal and gears.

  ‘Is that … Alexander?’ she breathed in horror. She’d only met the eldest Gale boy a handful of times – he was three years older than her and deeply unpleasant – but nevertheless, no one deserved … that.

  ‘It is my beautiful boy,’ Thomas breathed reverently. ‘He’s ready for the final enhancement, so he can take his rightful place as commander of my army. They’re almost ready, you know. My wonderful children are being born again.’

  Cat stared at the man in front of her. He was the one in charge? She’d always thought that Thomas reported to her father, but obviously she’d been wrong.

  ‘Then, Nathaniel …’ she murmured, making Thomas laugh harshly.

  ‘Nathaniel was never more than a convenient scapegoat. Tell him the right words and he would believe my ideas were all his own. Insisted on doing all the work, bless him, leaving me free to watch my children grow! My reign will be glorious, Catherine, just you wait! My children and I will unite the six nations and rule like gods, as the Anglyan rulers once did!’

  ‘The other five nations seem to be doing just fine ruling themselves. All you’ve done is make things worse! Anglya can’t prosper if its children are machines!’ Cat snarled.

  ‘Its children aren’t all machines, my dear. Solely the common ones, except for Alexander, who will become their leader. I would have killed the commoners, anyway. Those dirty scum don’t deserve to live in our country. No, we shall fill the country with only those of our own pure blood. But what a shame – a child to combine the Hunter, Ingate and Gale lines would have been the perfect heir for our perfect country,’ he said with a frown.

  ‘All people in Anglya are descended from the First Men,’ Cat recited, as she had learned as a young child in school. It was one of the few things every Anglyan child was taught, regardless of class or status. ‘Even the commoners. Our blood is no purer than theirs.’

  Thomas glared at her, his dark eyes flashing in anger.

  ‘How dare you speak su
ch blasphemy!’ he hissed, slapping her sharply across the face.

  ‘Don’t you touch her!’ Fox roared, earning a slap himself. As both boys began to struggle, their captors clapped hands over their mouths, silencing them.

  ‘It’s not blasphemy if it’s the truth!’ Cat argued. ‘Where did the commoners come from, if not the First Men? Everyone knows the Firsts were the only ones on Tellus and everyone is descended from them. The sole reason the aristocracy are any different is that we’re more directly related to them!’

  Thomas hit her again, and as her head jerked there was a spark from her coat opening. She froze, panicking, as Thomas eyed her suspiciously.

  ‘I wonder where that little spark came from?’

  As he spoke, several more sparks occurred, and Cat cursed as Thomas grabbed the source, yanking harshly on the video recorder. It sputtered and died in his hands, issuing pale violet-grey smoke from its film casing. She almost wanted to cry: it had ruined the footage! She just hoped Fox was recording everything. Her audio recorder was still in place, but without visuals it was useless.

  ‘What’s this, then?’ Thomas queried, studying the video recorder intently. He let out a chuckle. ‘A miniature newscast recorder! Oh, how very sweet! I suppose you’ve been doing this for a while, you sneaky little brat. Was it you who blew up our Breningarth compound?’

  ‘I saved the children you hadn’t touched and got enough evidence to make sure you won’t touch any ever again,’ she spat fiercely.

  The dark-haired man snorted, dropping the video recorder to the ground and crushing it beneath the heel of his boot.

  ‘It was you, then. How very … heroic. I must admit, it tickles me to know our brave young prince was rescued by a street rat and a little girl!’ he cried with a laugh. ‘But I can’t let this continue, I’m sure you understand.’

  For the second time that week, Cat found herself facing the barrel of a gun. Her heart pounded; there was no one to save her this time.

  ‘Any last words, little girl?’ Thomas taunted, his smirk widening. He flicked the hammer back.

  Cat opened her mouth, and closed it again. Should she tell Fox she was sorry, that she loved him? Ask him to apologise to the rest of the crew? Make some comment about how Thomas wouldn’t get away with what he was doing?

  Before she could decide, she heard a shout of anger and a curse from behind her, and saw Thomas’s eyes widen for a fraction of a second. She heard a sharp bang and felt her shoulder jerk back, then she was falling limply to the floor.

  Cat didn’t dare open her eyes, not wanting to see if she was bleeding. But … she didn’t feel any pain. Was that what it felt like getting shot? She lay still, eyes clenched shut, waiting for the explosion of pain she assumed would accompany a bullet ripping into her flesh. Nothing came, and she frowned, opening her eyes warily. Immediately, her eyebrows rose, and her jaw dropped.

  The only blood in the room was coming from the hole in Thomas Gale’s waistcoat, just a little to the right of his heart. The man had fallen to his knees, and was grinning even as foamy blood bubbled from his lips, dripping down his chin.

  ‘My children … will succeed … where I have … failed,’ he rasped, more blood dribbling from his mouth with every word, and Cat watched in horror as the dark-haired man began to laugh, falling backwards in a sprawled heap and laughing maniacally until his body grew still.

  Looking up, she gasped when she saw what had been going on behind her. Fox and James were both free, their guards slumped unconscious on the floor, and Fox was standing with his gun raised in the direction of Thomas’s now lifeless body. The two aristocrats were huddled protectively in the corner with the mechanics, and Fox turned his weapon on them as he crouched at Cat’s side.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked.

  She smiled at him, squeezing his free hand.

  ‘Fine. Are you going to make a habit of saving me?’

  ‘Only if you’re going to make a habit of needing saving,’ he retorted.

  ‘Uh, Fox, Cat? I don’t mean to alarm you, but … help?’ James called, his voice several octaves higher than normal. Both teens looked immediately at where James was standing, beside the table that Alexander lay on. Purple steam was streaming from a small chimney on the boy’s neck, and the gears on his chest plate were ticking slowly. ‘I’m … quite sure this isn’t meant to happen.’

  ‘He’s been woken. He was never meant to be woken – he’s not ready!’ one of the mechanics cried out in alarm, rushing forward to look over Alexander’s half-metal body. Cat jumped as the door opened forcefully, then laughed in relief when Matt stuck his head in.

  ‘Found you!’ he exclaimed happily. ‘The Mericans are about five minutes away and we’ve already set up a zip-line.’ He turned, looking back into the corridor behind him. ‘Hey, lads, I’ve found them!’

  ‘Mericans are coming?’ one of the mechanics asked fearfully, and Fox, who had stood up, nodded sharply.

  ‘The entire world knows what you’ve been doing. It’s over, you’ve lost, but if you cooperate with us now, your sentence may be less harsh,’ he informed them curtly. The entire group didn’t hesitate in raising their hands in surrender.

  As Matt entered the room again, Ben and Harry arrived hot on his tail, and grinned when they saw the three teens.

  ‘Was wondering where you three had got to! Everything all right, lass?’ Harry asked in concern, seeing Cat on the floor. She nodded, allowing Fox to help her up.

  ‘We need to find the rest of the children,’ Matt told them. ‘See if … see if any can be saved. Cat, Fox, James, you wait here and greet the Merican soldiers when they arrive,’ he added with a frown, ushering Ben and Harry from the room.

  Cat nodded, walking with shaky steps towards the door.

  ‘How many are here in the skyship, do you think?’ she asked, leaning into Fox. He frowned, kissing the crown of her head.

  ‘Far too many, whatever the number. But at least they won’t be joined by any more.’

  Neither of them saw the movement behind them, and Cat screamed when another loud gunshot went off. Glancing around frantically, her eyes widened when she saw Alexander sitting up on his table, the gun mounted on his bronze shoulder plate smoking. Turning around, hoping desperately the bullet hadn’t hit anyone, she screamed again when she saw the red stain seeping rapidly through the back of Fox’s shirt. He frowned at her in confusion, then looked down at himself and saw the gaping hole in his stomach. His head lifted, and his gaze met hers, eyes wide.

  ‘… Oh,’ he breathed, sinking to his knees.

  Cat choked back a sob and dropped to the ground, pulling Fox into her lap, stroking his hair.

  ‘Shh, easy, just relax, everything will be fine,’ she said in a strangled voice, looking up at James, who was staring at her and Fox in shock. ‘Get help! Get a doctor! There has to be one somewhere on this bloody ship!’

  Three of the mechanics had instantly rushed to Alexander’s table, and one of them reached into the uncovered chest plate and ripped several gears from the mechanism. Alexander froze, the eye-lights behind his mask going blank. Another mechanic bravely broke away from his fellows, reaching out to grab James by the arm.

  ‘I’ll take you to our ship’s doctor, but …’ his voice trailed off as he looked at Fox.

  ‘He’ll be fine if you get him a doctor! So go!’ snapped Cat, and both James and the mechanic left the room. Cat looked back down at Fox, who was deathly pale, his lips tinged blue. She pressed her hands against the wound in his stomach, remembering that pressure helped to slow bleeding.

  ‘Cat, stop,’ Fox breathed, and she levelled a glare at him.

  ‘No! You’re going to be fine, Fox. Just … stay awake.’

  His blue eyes were knowing, and a little bit sad, and Cat knew then that he wasn’t going to recover from his wound. A sob tore from her lips, and she pressed her lips to his copper hair.

  ‘Cat, listen to me,’ he murmured, drawing her gaze. ‘I love you. I will alwa
ys love you. But … I won’t be here for you.’ He paused, choking out a weak chuckle. ‘We could’ve had years. Decades. Bloody government.’

  She shook her head insistently, kissing his forehead.

  ‘No,’ she muttered stubbornly. ‘Hold on until the Mericans come – they’ll help! Just … don’t leave me, Fox.’

  ‘Not really my choice,’ he pointed out drily, slumping further into her lap. ‘Be happy, Cat. Our war is over. We won.’

  ‘I can’t be happy without you, I won’t!’ Her voice was full of anguish as she held him closer. He managed a barely there smile, and Cat tried to ignore the blood spilling between her fingers.

  ‘You have to try,’ he told her urgently. ‘I’m sorry. I … I wish I could stay, but I can’t.’ His words began to slur, and Cat felt hot tears dripping down her cheeks, landing on Fox.

  ‘Don’t leave me,’ she begged, kissing his cold lips. ‘Please, stay with me.’

  ‘You know … James isn’t so bad. He’d look after you, at least,’ Fox said hoarsely, coughing. When he coughed, blood spattered on his chin, and Cat wiped it away.

  ‘Don’t you dare!’ she sobbed, holding him tight to her, as if letting him go would mean him disappearing forever. In a way, it did. ‘Not now. I don’t care about James. He’s not you!’

  Fox’s lips twitched upwards.

  ‘You don’t have to. Just … be happy.’

  He leaned up with what little strength he had left, pressing his lips to hers. She held the kiss for as long as she could, ignoring the taste of blood, even when he went limp and his chest stopped heaving for breath. Feeling the tears dripping from her chin, she broke away, burying her face in Fox’s neck, wishing she could feel his pulse, or smell his unique scent of fire and tyrium that she always associated with safety and warmth.

  All she could smell was blood.

  ‘Cat?’ She didn’t turn at the familiar voice, hearing the gasp that told her Matt had realised what was wrong. She hadn’t heard him come back. ‘Oh, gods, Cat … Fox?’