The Veil: Corruption (HASEA CHRONICLES BOOK 2)

by Stuart Meczes

  I was still fussing over the Unicorn when the siren started.

  Like a Pavlovian response, my body stiffened and all unnecessary thoughts vanished in a heartbeat. I threw the brush to the ground and sprinted to the fence. Without stopping, I leaped over, clearing it with ease. I ran through the protective Fae sheath, barely registering the tingling on my skin as I broke through the invisible barrier. A Golem was blocking my way on the other side. “Move!” I yelled, shoving the clay doll out of my path. It collapsed to the ground and thrashed about like an upturned beetle.

  I charged into the mansion and headed straight for an elevator. Prodding the button more times than necessary, I waited impatiently for the Nexus elevator to arrive. Around me, everything was action station. Agents were tearing about, shouting information and commands at one another.

  Inside the elevator, I pressed the button for Crow’s Nest and agitatedly jiggled my foot against the metal floor as I rocketed through the tunnels. The doors slid open, and I marched into the room, which was home to a multitude of flashing computer screens and complex machinery. Data Techs and logistic Guardians were moving around the room, pointing at screens and tapping furiously at computer keyboards. I glanced at a few of the displays. They were showing CCTV feeds from the multiple security cameras located around Chapter Hill. Commuters and tourists silently bustled about on the busy streets, totally unaware that they were being watched from all angles.

  A trio of the technicians were grouped at the front, underneath the large satellite display screen, which was showing a zoomed in map view of Chapter Hill. One was pointing at an area with a laser pen, whilst the other two chatted animatedly to Delagio and Grey.

  “What have we got?” I said, moving over to them.

  The Data Techs gave a nod of acknowledgement and fell silent.

  Delagio answered. “Boss, Coven picked up an SOS attack in a Chapter Hill restaurant that’s gonna happen three hours from now.”

  “At least fifteen Rogues,” added Grey.

  I gave a nod as I let the information sink in. “That’s one of the biggest attacks this year. It must be important. We got a specific target?”

  Del shook his head. “Not as far as we know. Ah guess it could be a new Awakening. Or maybe more than one – that would explain the large presence. But I’m sure if that was the case we’d have heard somethin’ from Moon’s Edge before now. Ah think it’s just another unorganised attempt at chaos by the SOS so that we don’t forget they’re out there.”

  I nodded. “Okay, I’m going to get hold of Ale—” I paused. “I’ll contact Scarlett.”

  Grey held up his phone. “I tried; it’s going straight to voicemail. Biomote is set to link reject too.”

  “Dammit. Okay, let’s get Delta and Trojan to lend support on this one.”

  “What about Alex?” asked Grey.

  “He’s not available.”

  “What do you mean he’s not—”

  “Grey, drop it,” I said with a glare. He stopped speaking. “Delta and Trojan will be enough,” I added.

  One of the Data Techs – a pale-looking man with a large Adams apple – looked awkward. “Huntmaster De Luca, I’m afraid that Sage Faru has the whole of Trojan, Delta, and Titan on infiltrations around the country. They’ve gone dark. The team members from Sol, Omega, Odin, Vesta, and Minos are all acting as envoys to bring recruits and representatives from multiple international bases to the Warren for the Trials of the Chosen. Plus home security has been listed as the paramount objective in case this attack is misdirection to invade the Warren. Cerberus, Gamma, Artemis, and Apollo are all fully engaged with base protection.” He fell silent and looked to the others to take over.

  Another member of the trio, a woman with a ginger bob and thick glasses continued. “So unfortunately, uh…well there simply aren’t any spare Guardians available to assist you. Unless...” she wrung her hands together nervously. “I mean, I guess you could always take some of the new recruits.”

  “That could work,” said Delagio.

  I shook my head. “No, we can’t put them at risk. Not until they’re ready.”

  Grey frowned. “But we used some at Waterloo.”

  “That was different; they were lending support to Del. They’re not ready for full combat. Besides, they may end up making the situation worse. No, I won’t use them.”

  “The decision is yours, Huntmaster. You will of course have full access to the logistical support teams here in the Nest though, if you need them,” added the woman.

  I turned to the Data Techs. “Thank you for the information.”

  The techs nodded and retreated back to their respective workstations, leaving me with the slim remains of my team.

  Grey looked at Delagio and me in turn. “Then it’s just...us three?”

  I sighed. “Looks like it.”

  Delagio took a deep breath. “Boss, I gotta say, I don’t like these odds.”

  “Noted. But we don’t have a choice.”

  “I believe Aranvai Valdenia may be able to alleviate this issue.”

  We all snapped our heads around to locate the source of the musical voice. A Guardian was standing near a computer cluster a few feet away from us, arms folded behind her back.

  I swear no one was there a second ago.

  The newcomer’s skin was the vivid blue of a summer sky, and her irises a splay of purple and pink. Her hair shimmered silver at the roots, growing progressively darker until it was black at the sharp tips, which rested on her shoulders.

  The Guardian was an Urisk – the only one of her kind in the Warren. A rare breed of Luminar, almost driven to extinction by the Ageless War due to their inherently docile nature. They were an odd species that rarely interacted with anyone but their own kind, which is why everyone had been shocked when Aranvai Valdenia had randomly appeared a few years ago at the same underground entrance I’d bought Alex to when we’d first recruited him. Since then, she’d led a solitary existence and was practically a shadow, slipping through the base unnoticed.

  I cleared my throat. “That’s very kind of you, but I don’t think that—”

  “Huntmaster Gabriella De Luca and her team of Orion have a lack of available Guardians to assist in the upcoming mission. Aranvai Valdenia is offering support to stabilise the ratio.”

  Delagio scratched the back of his neck. “We appreciate that, but you’re Atlas…” He drifted off.

  I took over. “What my teammate is trying to say is that you’re a member of a logistical support team. You aren’t combat-ready like the rest of us, and this mission will be dangerous. It would be unethical for me to put you in the firing line.”

  “Plus you’re an Urisk,” added Grey. “I mean come on...”

  I shot him a look and he stopped talking immediately.

  The Urisk gave a slow, thoughtful nod. “Aranvai Valdenia understands the concerns of Gabriella De Luca and her Orion teammates. The Urisk are not noted for their effectiveness in combat. However, it can be assured that much training has been completed, unbeknown to yourselves or other Guardians.” She looked each of us in turn. “A demonstration of skills would be acceptable in this instance, if Huntmaster Gabriella De Luca wished to see one.”

  “Look we don’t have time for this; we need to get prepared,” Grey said dismissively. He turned to me and added, “Huntmaster De Luca, shall we go?”

  Faru’s words stuck in my mind. Increase your efforts to secure a team.

  I held up a finger. “No. Let her try.” I turned to the mysterious Guardian. “I’m going to get one of my team to attack you, and I want you to defend yourself. Is that okay with you?”

  The Urisk gave a low nod that bordered on a bow. She moved so that she was parallel to the satellite screen in the makeshift path formed between the wall and row of computer consoles. Then she fell silent.

  I turned to Grey. “Attack her.”

  He raised his eyebrows as high as they would go. “Gabriella?”

  “Do it.”
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  He shrugged and ran at the Urisk. He vaulted off the ground and led with his elbow, bringing it down in a fierce striking motion. The Urisk waited until the last possible second and then sidestepped away from the attack, cupping the palm of her blue hand around the back of Grey’s head and driving a knee into the soft sheath of his bladder. I couldn’t help but wince as I watched the sharp blow. Grey let out an agonised yell. Data Techs looked up in shock and Atlas Guardians ran in to help. I raised a hand to stop them.

  Recovering, Grey fired out several punches in quick succession, which the Urisk knocked off course with the sides of her hands. My teammate tried to kick her instead, but she deflected every attack by simply shifting her stance and trapping every blow with the base of her foot.

  Then, in a move that made my jaw literally drop, she lifted her leg straight up in the air and hooked the back of her knee around Grey’s neck. Slamming her leg back down, Grey was carried with it, and he impacted the floor with such force that the tiles cracked. The Urisk slid over my teammate’s back and gathered his neck in the crook of her elbow, tightening her grip into a crushing lock that made the Guardian’s eyes bulge.

  “Stop!” I shouted, and instantly the Urisk let her arm go slack. Grey’s head collapsed to the floor, and he let out a wheezing cough that made the tiles around his face steam up. A blue hand was extended and Grey was gently lifted to his feet by his victorious opponent.

  “Do you need a booster?” I asked him.

  Grey shook his head. When he finally managed to speak, his voice sounded hoarse. “No, no, I-I’ll be fine.” He staggered back over to Delagio, who let out a low whistle between his teeth and patted his comrade on the shoulder.

  Everyone in the room had fallen into a stunned silence and was watching us intently. “It’s okay,” I assured them. “We were just testing something out.” They continued to stare. “Come on everyone, we have more important things to worry about.” I gestured to the satellite image above me. “Like an impending SOS attack on innocent humans.”

  The room fell back into its usual hum of chat and movement. I turned back to the Urisk.

  “I have to admit I didn’t expect that. How many hours a day do you train?”

  The Urisk re-folded her arms behind her back. “Aranvai Valdenia trains in an unused area of the Warren grounds for seven hours every day since the day succeeding arrival. Sage Faru permits the use of a single Golem once per day. Aranvai Valdenia has to be careful not to destroy it too soon.”

  “But why go to so much trouble to learn something that’s against your very nature?”

  The Urisk shifted on the spot. “The role of logistical support within Atlas was automatically assigned, not desired.” She paused. “Not all Urisk wish to stand on the sidelines and watch their species and others go extinct. Some wish to fight.”

  Her poignant words were impossible to ignore. How can I argue with that?

  “Okay,” I said. “If I allow you to come with us on this mission, you are under my strict command. You do as I say when I say it. If you don’t, there will be severe repercussions. Are we clear?”

  The Urisk nodded. “Perfectly.”

  I held out my hand. “Welcome to Orion.” The Guardian stared at it for a moment and then clasped both of hers around mine. They radiated a dry heat that made my skin prickle.

  “Thank you, Huntmaster Gabriella De Luca.”

  “Just call me Gabriella, it’s much easier.”

  “Alright...Gabriella.”

  “One more thing,” I added. “No disrespect, but we’re going to need to assign you a nickname or something.”

  The Urisk nodded again. “Aranvai Valdenia is aware that the Lifename can be difficult to pronounce effectively for those unfamiliar with Urisk dialectical speech patterns. Therefore, abbreviations are occasionally chosen. Aranvai Valdenia will respond to the name Aran Val.”

  “Just Aran would be better,” I said.

  “That is acceptable,” the Urisk replied.

  I turned to Delagio. “Del, can you go and get Aran a Kapre belt and weapons?”

  He tipped his hat. “Sure thing, boss.”

  Grey was still rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

  “You sure you’re okay?” I asked.

  He nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He gave Aran an approving nod. “She’s a lot stronger than she looks.”

  “Evidently,” I replied with a smirk. “Okay, go and prepare. We’ll meet at the central entrance to the Nexus in an hour. Keep trying Scarlett in the meantime.”

  Grey made an agreeing sound and started to leave.

  “Oh, Grey?”

  He turned. “Yes, Huntmaster?”

  “What’s the name of the restaurant that’s getting attacked tonight?”

  Grey’s face went blank. He leaned over one of the computers and tapped a few keys. Then he looked back up.

  “Indigo.”

  6

  Alex

  I stood at the foot of the stairs waiting for Faru to arrive. My head felt woolly. I’d had another brief time skip after our conversation, and it had left me feeling on edge. Afterwards I’d packed a bag with a few essentials, like a toothbrush and spare Guardian uniform, as well as a change of clothes and the Crimson Twin. I’d felt a bit stupid while packing, but then again I wasn’t exactly clued up on what essentials to take for your casual god meeting.

  The house hummed with silence. Mikey and Scarlett had headed out soon after I’d come to. I had written a note for Mum and John, explaining that Mikey and I were staying with our respective girlfriends and left it on the kitchen counter.

  I’d always been a fan of total silence; it let me escape into my own thoughts.

  Not anymore.

  Now my thoughts scared me. And the worst part was that whatever was making me think and feel this way was getting harder to control. As if in response, the dark tattoo twitched on my skin, which made my stomach lurch in anticipation for another shift. Thankfully nothing happened.

  I heard the car long before it pulled onto the drive. I picked up my bag and checked that the odd whistle was still in my pocket before I opened the door. Agent Noble was about to knock; his fist hovered motionless in the air like some military gesture.

  “Hi, Simon,” I said, closing the door behind me.

  “Good evening, Alex. How are you?” he replied, reliving me of my bag.

  I thought about the tattoo slowly creeping its way along my skin, feeding off my emotions like a demonic parasite. About how Sophia was shrinking further and further into her shell and there was nothing I could do to save her. I thought about my nightmare visions where I caused the destruction of Chapter Hill – maybe even England. Maybe the world. How I’d almost killed Danny with some messed up demonic power, and how I’d attacked the one person in my life I loved more than anything.

  “I’m great, thanks.” I smiled and stepped off the porch.

  The driveway was dominated by a sleek black limousine with tinted windows. Fitted on the bonnet were two flags flapping gently in the summer breeze. One displayed the HASEA emblem that we all wore on our uniforms: a knight crossing swords with a wolf/bat hybrid. The other broadcast our motto: Dilecti Surgemus – Socii Pollemus. Chosen we rise – Allied we prevail.

  The back door of the limo was open. I lowered myself onto the leather seat and Agent Noble closed the door with a dull thud. The boot was opened and closed a second later, causing the limo to rock slightly.

  The interior was an executive blend of leather and glossed wood. An open drinks cabinet ran along one side, housing a multi-coloured selection of Pandemonian drinks. A control panel with a host of buttons sat in front of a solitary chair on the other side. But in my opinion, the most impressive part was the spinning blue holograms of the HASEA emblem, which were somehow displayed on every window. Faru was sitting opposite me, his long black robes trimmed with gold, spilling down to the floor. His wrinkled hands were clasped around his iconic, orb-topped cane, which rested in his lap.
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  “Alexander, my dear boy. It is good to see you in person. With things the way they have been lately, it has felt like an age since we were able to spend some time together.”

  “It’s been too long,” I agreed. Being with Sage Faru had a calming effect on both my mind and spirit. Immediately I could feel the tight band of fear and confusion that had wound its way around my chest over the last few months begin to loosen.

  “How are you?” he asked.

  “I’m fine, sir,” I repeated automatically.

  Faru didn’t react to my lie; he just kept regarding me with his shimmering white eyes whilst running his long beard between thumb and finger.

  “I’ve been better,” I admitted with a sigh.

  Faru gave a slow nod. “Hopefully this journey will provide answers that will allow for us all to make some sense of things. I trust you bought the object you showed me?”

  I felt the judder as Agent Noble started the car. As soon as he did, the emblems dissolved from the windows, and the houses and cars that lined my street bloomed into perfect view.

  “I did. But I don’t understand why Lafelei would be in Brazil. I thought all the Elementals were in Pandemonia? Besides, I was told that Torre is a small base where nothing much happens.”

  Faru’s face broke into a knowing smile. “Sometimes things are not what they seem.”

  I waited for him to expand on his cryptic answer, but he fell silent. It was always evident when Sage Faru had said all he wanted to on a subject. I settled back into the seat and watched Chapter Hill flash by, followed by grassy banks framed by never-ending grey barriers as we joined the motorway.

  “I don’t know about you, Alexander, but I could use a drink.” Faru gestured a pale hand towards the drinks cabinet. “Could you pour some Snowdrake, please? It’s that white liquid in the curved bottle there.”