Cat shook her head and begged, “Please don’t make me do this.”
“You’ve never killed anyone before, have you, Cat?”
“No,” breathed Cat, “and I don’t want to. I wish Father was here.”
I was about to reach out and take the gun from Cat’s hands, but suddenly I had no control over my body. My legs, my arms, even my ability to blink had been taken over by what I instantly recognized as the psionic control of a puppeteer.
My legs took two steps back, and my mouth opened, saying soothingly, “It’s alright, Cathy, you can put the gun down now. I have control. Put the pistol on safety. We’re coming in.”
The last time an Angel puppeteer had taken over my body, it had been to use me as a weapon. This time, it was merely to prevent my escape. I desperately willed my body to obey my commands, but it was utterly useless.
Cat lowered her pistol and called out, “The door’s unlocked!”
I heard the side door open, and in stepped two men. The first was a rather tall, lanky man with short, gray hair. He looked about fifty or so, and reminded me a little of Riles. The other was younger, shorter, and appeared to be his bodyguard. I couldn’t sense their psionic powers, so whatever they were, they weren’t destroyers.
“Father!” cried Cat.
The older man smiled at her, asking, “Are you alright, Cathy?”
Cat nodded, and then the man she had just called Father turned to his partner and said politely, “Kindly release the visitor’s head and lungs so that we may speak with him.”
The younger man nodded, and I found I could move everything but my arms and legs.
Ignoring the puppeteer, I shouted at the gray-haired man, “Who the hell are you?!”
“My name is Randal Divine,” he replied calmly. “I would welcome you to my temporary home, but it seems you are threatening my daughter.”
“Maybe you haven’t noticed who’s holding the gun!” I shot back savagely.
“Which in turn begs the question as to why you are still alive,” said Randal Divine as he carefully took the pistol out of Cat’s hands.
Cat looked up at him, saying, “Father, this is my brother.”
“Adrian?” said Randal, looking at me in surprise. “My God, it really is Adrian Howell, isn’t it? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. You look very different from our somewhat dated records.”
“Let me go!” I shouted, struggling futilely to regain control of my limbs.
Randal turned to his puppeteer and said, “Do as he asks, please.”
The puppeteer raised an eyebrow. “Sir?”
“Adrian will not harm us,” replied Randal, putting the pistol on safety and slipping it under his belt. “He didn’t come here to fight.”
As the puppeteer released my arms and legs, my first thought was to blast a hole through Randal Divine’s head. This was the man who had lied to Cat about how our parents died. I kept my anger in check, though. Randal Divine was also the man that Cat now called Father.
Randal said to me, “In case you are wondering, Adrian, the second battle has just ended. Your champion, Ms. Henderson, has lost the match, putting us at one to one.”
I didn’t reply. I fleetingly wondered if Terry was okay, but I was more concerned for myself at the moment.
Randal continued, “I also hope that by now my daughter has convinced you of the futility of trying to take her back to the Guardians with you.”
I shouted furiously, “She’s not your daughter, Angel!”
“I love Cathy as my daughter, and she loves me as her father.”
It was all I could do to keep myself from attacking him. “She’d love you if you were a pile of dead snakes! Your queen converted her!”
Randal chuckled, saying, “We never converted Cathy, Adrian. We convinced her to stay with us.”
“You lie!”
He merely smiled. “Why would I lie?”
I turned to Cat, who nodded and said, “I was never converted, Adrian. I’ve talked with Queen Divine many times, but she never converted me.”
That wasn’t possible. “They wiped your memory, Cat,” I told her. “You don’t remember that you were converted.”
Cat shook her head. “The Angels would never do that to someone my age, Adrian.”
“I love Cathy very much,” Randal said to me. “If we were to put her through conversion, what reason would we have to erase her memory of it?”
I felt sick to my stomach as I realized that they spoke the truth. Memory alteration could cause permanent brain damage for anyone younger than eighteen years old, and even the Angels wouldn’t risk that without very good reason.
Randal smiled at me and said, “I honor your courage, young Knight. Not many people could have gotten past our Seraphim so easily. Won’t you consider joining us here? Cathy would be delighted, I’m sure, and I would be quite happy to welcome you into our family. Considering your history with the Guardians, I believe that conversion is unavoidable at this point, but I would rather that you underwent it willingly. I’m sure Cathy feels the same way.”
I stared down at the floor.
Stay here with the Angels? Willingly be converted by Larissa Divine? After the Angels killed my parents and took my sister? After they kidnapped Cindy and tortured Terry’s brother to death?
I looked up at Randal and said slowly, “I want to speak with Cat alone.”
“Very well, Adrian,” said Randal. “If it is okay with Cathy, that is.”
Cat nodded, and Randal took his puppeteer and stepped out of the motorhome.
After a short but very awkward silence, I asked Cat, “So he calls you Cathy, huh?”
Cat smiled embarrassedly. “Yeah. No one has called me Cat in a long time.”
“This guy that you call Father... does he treat you well?”
“Yes, Adrian, he does. He’s not like our dad, but he’s a good father. I love him.”
I sighed. “Cat, when you were taken by the Angels, I feared for you every day too. I thought they had converted you and forced you to become one of their servants. That’s why I came here today.”
“I am not a servant,” said Cat, looking me in the eyes. “I have a good life here.”
“I can see that,” I said quietly.
“I had to beg Father to let me come with him to this gathering. He didn’t want to risk me getting hurt.” Cat gently fingered my hair. “Look at you, Adrian. It’s amazing you’re even alive. You can’t go back.”
I gave her a wry smile and said, “Whatever you may think of them, Cat, my family is with the Guardians, and I have to return to them.”
Cat slowly shook her head. “No, Adrian. Father is right. You will have to be converted. There’s no way around that. But I don’t want you to have to go through it feeling angry. Conversion can be very painful that way, and it can damage your mind. It’s better if you’re already willing to join us. That way, conversion is more like a reassurance of trust than brainwashing.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you, Cat,” I said sadly. “But I promise you one thing: No matter how painful it is, I won’t stop fighting it. I’d rather have my mind completely destroyed than be converted by your queen.”
Cat looked horrified. “I can’t let you do that, Adrian! You’re my brother. Even if you’re a Guardian, you’re still my family.”
With any luck, Mr. Baker would send his team in to come get me and kill Number Two well before I was converted. Terry’s battle was already over. Had Alia read my fake Braille message to the Knights? Where was the Guardian attack team?
Cat gazed at me for a moment longer, and suddenly said determinedly, “You’re not going to be converted, Adrian. I’ll find a way to help you escape before you’re taken to the queen.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to get you into trouble, Cat.”
“Father will understand.”
The door opened and Randal Divine stepped back inside, faithfully followed by his puppeteer sidekick.
“Indeed I will,” said Randal.
Cat and I said in unison, “You were listening to us?”
“I’m sorry,” said Randal. “I overheard. But I believe that it will be for the best. Did you mean what you just said, Cathy?”
Cat faced Randal and said resolutely, “He is my brother. I don’t agree with him, but if I can’t convince him to stay, I don’t want him converted. Please, Father.”
Randal smiled. “If you feel that strongly, Cathy, I will allow Adrian to return to the Guardians, as my gift to you.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“I’m not leaving without her,” I said, suddenly having an idea.
If I stalled here with Cat until the Guardians attacked the camp, I could get her out with me whether she liked it or not. Since Cat hadn’t been converted, I wouldn’t be risking her mind by forcing her to come with me. Cat might resist, but I would blast her unconscious if that’s what it took. Once she learned the truth behind the Angels’ lies about our parents, she would thank me for saving her.
Randal said to me, “I believe Cathy has already made it perfectly clear that she will not return to the Guardians with you, Adrian.”
I glared at him, but he remained relaxed as he continued, “While I was waiting outside, one of our runners told me that the Guardians have demanded your swift and safe return. I will personally escort you back to the Guardian side of the arena now.”
Mr. Baker had demanded my return. That meant things were moving along on the Guardian side, but not quickly enough as far as I was concerned. How much longer would it take before they raided the camp?
Randal said to Cat, “You may walk with us, Cathy, but only to the edge of our camp. It’s dangerous outside, you know.” He gave Cat a wink and added, “But if your brother can convince you to join him, you are, of course, welcome to leave us and go live with the Guardians.”
The puppeteer looked aghast. “You can’t be serious, Mr. Divine!”
Randal turned to him and said lightly, “Don’t I sound serious?”
“But the queen’s orders, sir!”
“I will take full responsibility if Cathy chooses to leave us,” said Randal. “She is, after all, my child.”
Cat said firmly, “I’m not leaving.”
“There, you see?” Randal smiled at the puppeteer. “Nothing to worry about. Cathy is an Angel through and through.”
I could think of no excuse to delay, so I meekly followed Randal Divine out of his motorhome. Randal led us through the center of the Angel camp, with Cat and me behind him and the puppeteer bringing up the rear. The camp was bustling with activity now that the witnesses were all back from the battle. Dinner was probably going to be some kind of celebration for today’s victory. Some of the Angels pointed and stared at us, but Randal Divine led us safely toward the south side of the motorhome barrier.
Cat walked beside me, but neither of us spoke. There seemed to be nothing further to discuss. I was running out of time. Where were the Guardians?!
When the four of us reached the south end of the camp, there was nothing left to do but say goodbye.
“Come on, Cat,” I pleaded. “This is your last chance. We don’t even have to go back to the Guardians if you don’t want to. Just come with me, and we can leave this awful war behind.”
“And where would we go, Adrian?” asked Cat. “We can’t leave the war if you take me back to live with the Guardians. So where would we go?”
Where indeed? If it didn’t mean saying goodbye to a few very close people, I would have happily left the Guardians. But perhaps that was how it was for Cat as well.
Cat touched my arm. “Would you really leave the Guardians, Adrian?”
I remained silent, and Cat said, “You see? We can never leave this war.”
“But we don’t have to become enemies, Cat.”
“Then join us.”
I shook my head.
Cat smiled sadly. “We already are enemies, aren’t we?”
I took a deep breath, and nodded slowly. Perhaps it was better this way. Whatever lies had been told to my sister to convince her to call the Angels her home, nevertheless it was clear to me that she had made a life for herself among them. And I couldn’t honestly claim that the Guardians were all that better a faction anyway.
I pulled the amethyst pendant off over my head and held it out to her. “I’m sorry I kept this so long.”
Cat took the pendant in her hand and looked at the stone. “My lucky pendant...”
“It brought me luck too, Cat,” I said with as much smile as I could manage. “I told you that I’d return it when things got back to normal, but I guess things will never go back.”
Cat sighed quietly once, and then placed the pendant back around my neck. “Keep it, Adrian. You’re staying with the Guardians. You’ll need luck more than me.”
“I hope that’s true,” I said. “Have a good life, Catherine Divine.”
“You too, Adrian Gifford.”
Slowly, we shook hands. I don’t know how or when that handshake turned into an embrace, or how long Cat and I stood holding each other, but when we finally broke apart, I saw in my sister’s eyes the same resolve that I felt in my heart.
Taking a step back, I said, “If we ever meet again, I hope it won’t be at gunpoint.”
“Me too,” said Cat. “Good luck, Adrian.”
“Goodbye, Cat.”
I looked up at Randal, who said, “Let us be going now, Adrian. While I am well aware of your age and the risks associated with mind control for minors, for your own safety and ours, I must nevertheless ask my partner here to restrain your limbs until we reach the arena. I beg your understanding in this matter. It will be much safer on your mind if you do not attempt to resist.”
“Fine,” I said, and I felt my arms and legs once again under the puppeteer’s control.
Randal led us through the gap between the motorhomes. I could have turned my head to get one last look at Cat, but I didn’t.
The puppeteer walked me next to Randal as we silently made our way toward the cargo loading area on the north end of the factory building.
Randal had said he was going to lead me through the arena to the Guardian side. Why didn’t he simply let me walk straight back along the outside of the factory building? Was he afraid that the Guardians might attack him if he got too close to our barrier? But then he could have let me walk alone.
I turned my head and glanced at the pistol tucked under his belt.
“She can still see us, can’t she, Mr. Divine?” I said quietly. “That’s why you haven’t killed me yet.”
Randal Divine didn’t break pace. He kept looking straight forward as he replied, “We are both soldiers, Adrian. I respect your loyalty, but damn you for putting me in this position. You should have chosen to stay. Cathy is very dear to me, and I cannot allow the Guardians to use you against her someday.”
“Use me?” I scoffed. “Like you did with Terry’s brother last year?”
“I had nothing to do with that, Adrian. We are a much larger organization than you imagine. Besides, that was a very special case. Personally, I think Riley O’Neal got exactly what he deserved.”
“He deserved much worse than he got,” I said. “But I’ll have you know that Terry didn’t kill him. I did.”
“Then I am in your debt,” said Randal.
“But not enough to spare my life, I take it?”
Randal Divine finally looked at me. “No, Adrian. I was sincere in my wish to have you stay with us, but Cathy would not see you converted against your will.”
Randal nodded toward his puppeteer, and I could no longer speak. The puppeteer had complete control of my body now. We were nearly at the loading area, and I saw a doorway next to it that led into the factory building.
Randal said to me, “I promise it will be painless. It is the least I can do for you. Your body will be returned to the Guardians for burial, and we will tell them that you died fighting. As for your sist
er, I will tell her that you returned to the Guardians safely for now. When she is older, I will tell her that you were killed while fighting another faction. She will probably shed many tears, but rest assured that she will have me to help her through her grief.”
It would be meaningless to try to explain what was going through my head as Randal Divine told me this. I wasn’t thinking so much as screaming inside.
We entered the factory, and the puppeteer made me walk behind Randal as we made our way down a wide, dimly lit corridor. There were a few Angels here, but they took little notice of us as Randal led me to a descending staircase.
One flight down and we were in a narrow, dusty passage. There were many pipes and wires running along the ceiling and walls, and I guessed that this was one of the service tunnels that ran under the factory compound.
Strangely enough, I was just a little calmer now, and even in my hopeless predicament, I couldn’t help noticing that the Angels had taken the time to run electric lights through this tunnel. Where did it lead?
We walked slowly, through turns and junctions, arriving at a metal door set into the side of the passage. Randal Divine opened it, and the puppeteer walked me in first. There was no light on inside, but the light shining in through the doorframe was enough to show me that it was a square concrete room not much bigger than a walk-in closet. There was nothing inside, and for what purpose it had originally been created was a mystery. But I knew why I was here.
“Turn him around,” said Randal.
My body turned on the spot, facing Randal Divine and the puppeteer, who had both followed me in. It was too dark for me to see their faces clearly. My legs took five steps back, and my back was touching the cold concrete wall behind me.
“I’m sorry it has to be this way, Adrian,” said Randal as he slowly drew his pistol. “I wish–”
But I didn’t hear what he wished. Instead, I heard a low, muffled boom from above, followed quickly by two more. The curious sounds distracted Randal, who glanced up at the ceiling.
And that was when I realized that the puppeteer had been similarly distracted. My time with Terry in the dojo was about to pay off.
Screaming at the top of my lungs, I thrust my right arm forward and blasted the puppeteer in the chest, knocking him back. Before Randal could even begin to react, I had wrestled his pistol from his hand, shot the puppeteer between the eyes, and pushed the still-smoking barrel up against Randal’s neck. I heard a dull thud as the puppeteer finally collapsed onto the floor, a crumpled heap of dead flesh.
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