A pained expression darts across my face. “I don’t know,” I admit, rubbing my tense jaw. “He has looked out for me from the moment I got here, and I can tell that he loves me and that I loved him back. But I don’t return those feelings anymore, even though I have warmed to him, and there’s a familiarity between us that is both weird and normal. Everything’s all messed up.”
She bobs her head in understanding. “What are you going to do?”
I have to make a spur-of-the-moment decision. What exactly can I tell her about my plans? I need her help, and I want to ensure she gets to safety too, but I can’t tell her the complete truth, because if I admit that I’m about to take out a lot of Tor and myself into the bargain, I’m pretty sure she will never agree to it.
I press my lips to her ear and fill her in on the most notable parts, omitting the fact that the bomb I have nestled around my neck will most likely blow up this entire building and everyone in it. Instead, I tell her that I intend to throw it into the Tempo to permanently destroy their only means of time travel. Guilt threatens to overpower me again, but all I need to do is remind myself of what the Tor did to Thalassic City, and the massive human and Saven losses, to know that I need to follow through on my plan. I hate that innocent people will suffer the consequences, but I need to sacrifice the few to save the many. The irony of my statement isn’t lost on me. To think I criticized G for coming to the same conclusion.
Izzy is calmly absorbing the information. After a couple of minutes, she nods her head. “I’ll help you,” she whispers in my ear. “I’m on the Assassin’s program, and we all have full access to the Tempo control room. I can get you in there.”
“Why?” Perhaps it’s foolish to ask, but I need to understand her motivations to be certain this isn’t a trap.
“Very few people have access to the Tempo for two reasons. Firstly, it’s used for a variety of dubious political missions, most of which would not sit well with the general populace. And it’s not right. You can’t mess with the natural timing of events without huge consequences.” She grimaces and her face contorts in pain. “And secondly, excessive time travel takes a toll on our bodies, but Griselda doesn’t care about that. In the last few months, she has increased the missions without any regard for our safety.” Her face folds in agony, and she squeezes her eyes shut.
I reach out to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
She opens her eyes, sniffling quietly. “I can’t go there. Not yet.”
A short-lived recollection dances before my eyes. Another moment in time. Both of us in my room, me holding her in my arms while she cries on my shoulder. As quickly as the memory sprang to life, it withers and dies. Looking at her tear-stained face, I know now isn’t the time to broach the subject.
I hold her hand until she composes herself. “So, what I’m saying is that I support your plan to destroy the Tempo. It’s the right thing to do, for a whole heap of reasons, and I’ll help you do it.” I nod my head. “What now?” she asks.
“We take immediate action. Is there anything I can write on, or some way of leaving a message for Ax?” I ask. She lifts a suspicious brow. “Trust me, it’ll all work out. I have thought this through.”
She fiddles with the buttons on the tablet still clutched between my fingers. “You can record a message for him. I need to use the bathroom, so I’ll give you some privacy.”
I wait until she has left the room to start the recording. “Ax. I’m really sorry for what I’m about to do, but it is the only way. Your mother will never stop coming after me, targeting Logan and the Saven and thwarting lasting peace in the Galaxy, unless I rectify things once and for all.” I deliberately omit mention of her threat to kill him, because I’m trusting that will die with my life, and I know it would only hurt him beyond all comprehension. “Thank you for everything these last few days. I know we didn’t have much time to reconnect, but I’ll never forget how much you were prepared to sacrifice for me. That is why I couldn’t let you die here with me today. You need to live. Be safe. Be happy. Goodbye.”
I’m surprised when my eyes grow moist, but I swipe the tears away before Izzy notices. Plopping down on the bed, she eyeballs me with fierce intensity. “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Please round up all your friends and get as far away from this building as you can.” I hand her the tablet as her eyebrows lift. “It’s only a precaution”—I rush to assure her—“in case the impact extends further than the Tempo. Also, I need you to find Axton after you leave me at the control room. Get him out of here. Tell him whatever you need to in order to get him to leave. Only give him this after you are far away.”
“I’m not getting a good vibe here, Sadie. What if you are caught? Or you don’t get away in time?” She chews on the corner of her fingernail.
Reaching out, I take her hand in mine. “I know how to take care of myself. I will destroy the Tempo and find a way of meeting you guys outside. But if I don’t show, you can’t come back for me, and don’t let Ax return either. You have to trust that I will find you. Promise me.” I squeeze her hand.
Uncertainly flits across her face, and panic rears its ugly head again. If she pulls out of this, I don’t know how I’ll gain access to the Tempo. After a couple of anguished minutes, she slowly nods her head, and I allow myself to start breathing again. “Okay. But you need to promise me something too.” She eyeballs me. “Promise me you will get out. Promise me that this is not some form of noble sacrifice.”
Dammit. I guess she does know me inside and out. I hate lying to anyone, but unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—I’ve become quite adept at it these last few months. I keep my eyes locked on hers as I lie through my teeth. “I promise I’ll get out, and that’s not what this is. Honestly.”
She peers intently at me, and I pray she doesn’t have whatever mind hijacking abilities Griselda has. Slowly, she nods her head, signaling her agreement. “Okay. Let’s do this.” She slots the tablet back in her bag and we both stand.
Pulling me into a fierce hug, she whispers one final time. “If anyone can do this, you can. I trust you.”
Talk about a gut punch, but I smile reassuringly at her all the same.
We chat casually as we walk the corridors toward the Tempo control room, lest we draw attention to ourselves. Izzy deflects a few well-natured attempts at conversation from a handful of Tor who seem pleased to see me. The closer we get to the control room, the more nervous I become. Sweat coasts down my spine, and my palms are sticky. I swipe them down the outside of my pants and pray for strength.
I can’t dwell on the fact that my time on this world is almost at an end, because if I do, I know I’ll lose my nerve. So, I focus on visualizing Logan’s face in my mind and the fact that he will go on to live a long and happy life. Thoughts of him fuel me with the necessary strength to continue.
We reach the room far too quickly. Quelling my anxiety, I nod at Izzy, shooting her a quick, final message. “Go! You have ten minutes.” She moves to hug me, but I shake my head. A few bodies hover in the hallway, and I don’t want to draw inquisitive stares.
Planting her palm in the center of the door, she gives me one final look before sprinting away. The door opens with a tiny click, and I step forth to meet my real destiny.
No one as much as lifts their head in my direction when I creep into the room.
Talk about anti-climactic.
Two guards lounge against the far wall, laughing and joking, too engrossed in conversation to notice me. I silently applaud their lack of commitment to their jobs. Five bent heads huddle over holoscreens on the opposite side of the room. The control room staff is all loudly debating something, gesturing wildly among themselves.
Security is shockingly lapse. Then again, I guess threats are generally few and far between. Thank God, my security detail was removed, or I would never have been able to pull this off. Something else I have Ax to thank for.
I edge toward the Tempo, staring into the churning, sw
irling hole. It’s almost a shame to destroy such a masterpiece of modern scientific technology. Whenever I think of what this device can do, I’m bowled over by the sheer genius. Like before, sparks of electricity burst from the machine in irregular patterns as I approach.
“Hey! You! Stop right there,” someone calls out from behind me. Dammit. I knew it was too easy. I have two seconds to make a split decision. Proceed toward the raised platform or deal with the threat at my back.
I race forward without another thought. I’m not far from the Tempo. According to Logan, all I have to do is moisten the pendant with my saliva and adhere it to something solid. The side of the Tempo should be adequate, I hope. Now, two voices yell at me to stop. A shot whizzes by my head, and I drop to the floor like a pro. Shunting forward on my belly, I attempt to maneuver myself over to the side of the steps leading up to the Tempo. Two hands grip my shoulders and pull me up. Using my body, I jerk forward and then slam my head back into the guard’s chin. Catching him unaware, he staggers back, groaning loudly. Spinning around, I shove my booted foot into his groin with force. He sinks to the floor, screaming in agony. I level my hand at his carotid artery and deliver the winning shot. His eyelids flicker erratically in his head just before he passes out.
“Stop or I’ll shoot,” the second guard says as I straighten up and face him. The five workers are all frozen behind their desks as they watch the scene in horrified amazement. The guard keeps his weapon elevated, pointed at my chest, as he tentatively approaches. His fingers quake where they clutch the gun. Guess these guards haven’t seen much action to date. It shouldn’t be too difficult to gain the upper hand.
He reaches for me, and I strike. Jumping into the air, I flip my leg up into a ninja kick that Haydn would be proud of and knock the weapon from his hand, sending it flying across the floor. Fire scorches through my veins, whipping all over my body, urgently seeking an outlet. My hands throb with searing heat, but when I flick my wrist, nothing happens. Damn Griselda and her restrictive bands.
The guard stands nervously in front of me, perceptibly trembling, and I almost laugh. Griselda’s arrogance may be the death of her after all. I stalk toward him and he starts backing away. Time to test my acting skills again. On purpose, I extend my arms, flexing my hands in a menacing fashion, as I lunge toward him. The mask hides his face so I can’t detect his expression, but my posturing does its job. He turns on his heels and flees the room. I know it won’t be long before help arrives, so I stride quickly toward the operators now cowering behind the control desk. “Get out of the building. Now,” I instruct them. Five frightened faces gape at me. “Go!” I roar, grabbing the nearest one to me. “Quickly.” I thrust her forward, and the others wake up, running for their lives. The door shuts automatically after them.
I glance at my watch. I need to give Izzy another few minutes to evacuate Ax and their friends. I anxiously pace the room in front of the platform, keeping a beady eye religiously trained on the door. Which is why I don’t notice Alinka creeping in through the ventilation shaft behind me until it’s too late.
She grabs me in a headlock as she elicits a high-pitched warrior cry. Seriously? Is there really any need for the amateur dramatics? I shove my arm back, elbowing her in the ribcage. It’s enough to loosen her hold, and I duck down out of her grip. I race up the steps toward the Tempo with no more time to lose.
I face plant the floor as she grabs onto my ankle. My face snaps painfully as my cheek impacts the hard ground. Stars blur my vision. I kick out, trying to wrest free, but now she has my two ankles in one hand, dragging me back. I wriggle like I’ve got ants up my butt, to no avail. “You are a total idiot!” she yells. “How on earth were you going to escape when you don’t know how the Tempo works?! I’ve a good mind to just throw you in there myself.” A devilish glint glimmers in her eye, as she stops moving forward. If I thought that would work, I’d taunt her into carrying out her threat myself. But I need something solid to affix the bomb to.
“You don’t need to do anything. Just let me go and he’s all yours then. You can turn a blind eye, and no one will be any the wiser.”
For two seconds, it looks like she might actually be considering it. Slowly, she shakes her head, unconsciously hoisting my ankles higher. I slide toward her on the ground. “You really don’t have a clue, do you? How do you think I found you?” Her superior look slams into me. I shrug. “Surveillance cameras, dummy.” She leans forward, putting her haughty face closer to mine. But she hasn’t been paying attention.
I shove at her forcefully with my conjoined feet, slamming my boots off the underside of her chin. Bone crunches, and she stumbles back, howling in pain. She clutches her chin as a steady line of blood starts trickling out of her mouth.
I stagger to my feet, dashing to the side of the Tempo. I yank on the pendant around my neck. Ignoring the burning pain as the chain breaks around my delicate skin, I bring it to my mouth and lick the underside of it. I’m reaching toward the edge of the swirling wormhole when Alinka grabs my ankle a second time, and I crash to the ground on my belly. The pendant flies out of my hand, coming to rest just at the edge of the open hole. No!
Alinka climbs up my legs one armed, digging her nails into my flesh through my clothes as she makes her journey up my body. Her other hand holds her bloody chin in place. I try to bump her off, but her body mass is considerable, and she’s halfway up my legs by now. Murderous intent has replaced the normal hue of her eyes. Twisting around, I ignore the throbbing ache in my torso from the movement and the razor-sharp pain in my head. Pulling with all my strength, I haul myself toward the pendant, Alinka clinging to my legs like an additional unwanted limb.
“I am going to enjoy ending you.” Her tone is laden with venom. I stretch out and my fingers grasp the edge of the chain. I pull it to me. Wrapping my hand around it, I slide it into my palm. Alinka lands a swift punch to my gut, and agonizing pain mushrooms inside me. I dip my chin and stare at her as I make one final thrust toward the Tempo. My fingers brush the bottom of the device, and I press the pendant into it, hoping the surface will suffice. The minute it meets the solid edge, it latches on, and a tiny red light flickers to life in the center of the pendant.
Yes! I mentally fist punch the air. Fleetingly, I think of how disgusted Jarod would be at my almost gleeful wanton destruction of such a sophisticated piece of tech. But I’m sure if he understood my motivation that he’d fully support my action. Help, even, if he was here. An emotional cloud settles over me.
Alinka’s movement stalls as her gaze flits between me and the flashing pendant. “What did you do?” she almost whispers.
A self-satisfied grin tugs up the corners of my mouth.
“What did you do?!” she yells this time, eyes widening in alarm.
“If I was you, I wouldn’t stick around to find out.”
I guess she sees something in my expression because she climbs awkwardly off me and rises on wobbly feet. Blood continues to ooze out of her mouth. I stand up but make no attempt to leave. Indecision skims across her face one second before she lunges at me, sending both of us crashing to the floor.
I’m pretty certain I have multiple concussions at this stage, so I guess it’s fitting that I’m about to die.
Alinka’s hands circle my neck. “I’m going to kill you, even if it’s the last thing I do.” I don’t even attempt to retaliate as her hands tighten further, compressing my airflow. I manage a smile and that infuriates her more. Blackness encroaches my vision as she roars in frustration. I feel strangely at peace. I’ve achieved what I set out to do, and knowing I’ve saved Logan, Axton, all our friends, and the world at large from the Tor threat makes this all worthwhile.
My eyes shutter and I don’t fight it.
I’m ready.
I’m prepared to leave this life behind.
All of a sudden, the pressure releases from my neck. My senses return in a confusing rush. Axton’s anguished howl fills my eardrums, and my eyes fly open just in time t
o see him ram his fist into Alinka’s face, knocking her out cold.
“Shista! Sadie! Can you hear me?” Izzy asks, her fuzzy form hovering over me. My vocal cords protest as I try to speak. My throat scrapes painfully as I rasp in a croaky voice, “Get out.” I pant heavily as my breathing struggles to return to normal. “This whole place is going to blow.” Tears stream out of my eyes at the knowledge that neither of them is going to make it out alive. I didn’t want this for them!
Ax is beside me in a heartbeat, lifting me up. With fumbling hands, he straps the Saven comport to my wrist. “Please tell me you know how to work that thing.” His frightened eyes latch on mine.
I don’t have the heart to tell him I don’t have a clue.
A jarring ringtone emits from the pendant, like some last-minute death knell. Here goes nothing. “Hold onto me. Both of you.” They wrap their arms around me, one on either side, as I twirl the dial on the comport like I’ve seen Haydn and Logan do. In desperation, I stab a few buttons and offer up a silent prayer.
Then I close my eyes, unsure if I’ll ever open them again.
CHAPTER 10
We crash to the ground, a mass of tangled, writhing limbs. Someone curses in a foreign language. Ax, I think. Something coarse grates my already aching face, and I part my lips to moan, ingesting a mouthful of sand in the process. Hunched over on all fours, I heave, my body instantly rejecting the inedible sand snack. I spit and cough until my mouth feels less dry.
Quiet groans on my left draw my attention. “Look, there’s only one sun,” Izzy says, pointing at the sky.
I roll onto my back and stretch out my sore limbs.
“Where are we?” Ax asks, shunting over alongside me.
With enormous effort, I push up off my elbows and sit up. I inspect the comport, wondering if it holds any intel on where we’ve teleported to. But it’s indecipherable and not of any use.
Saven Denial (The Saven Series Book 3) Page 9