Illarion remained silent but the anger racing through his eyes flared without remorse.
‘I want to know whether the Darkness found her that day and pulled her down into that endless abyss.’
A man behind Illarion pulled his arms back forcing a joked cry to break free and my heart sped up.
‘I want to know whether that was the final moment of evolution.’
Illarion cried out again as the man tied his hands to either side of the chair.
‘Now, Agent Hart—I know you’re there; I know you’re listening, and I also know you’re about to plan an extraction.’
Everyone’s eyes shot to me and I leaned down, watching every move the bastard made.
‘I know you’ve got coms running, I anticipated it. Now here’s what’s going to happen.’
All my attention was on him.
‘We don’t want Lazarev, although a man of his talents is always useful, I’m interested in you and if I’m not mistaken, I believe you’d do whatever it takes to get him back.’
‘Ace, no.’ Aurel gripped my hand.
‘What’s he talking about?’ Matt asked to which Riley simply gave me a dangerous look.
‘Be smart. Make the exchange, Hart. You for Lazarev—that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?’
‘You cannot do this.’ Aurel shook his head.
‘If I don’t, they’ll kill him.’
‘If you do, they’ll kill you!’
‘They’re not going to kill me.’ I pulled my hand free.
‘You can’t know that.’
‘They need me.’ I unclipped my concealed gun and dropped it on the seat behind me. ‘They’re not going to kill me.’
‘What the hell is going on?’ Matt squeezed my arm, turning me toward him.
‘We fucked up.’ I muttered. ‘That’s what’s going on and now we have a hostage situation.’
When Aurel opened his mouth to protest, I pressed my hand to his arm.
‘I have a plan. It’s a stupid one, but it’ll work.’
‘Shit.’ He expelled a long breath. ‘I’m not going to like this, am I?’
‘You might actually love it.’
Turning toward Peyton, I took the tablet. ‘Is there any way to remotely access Illarion’s earpiece and get it to transmit?’
‘Yeah.’ She nodded, quickly getting to work. ‘I can patch into the nearest frequency, most likely a cell phone. It’ll take a minute.’
‘Do it.’
Matt moved beside me. Damn, I owed him a long and very detailed explanation.
‘I’ll explain everything later. I promise.’
‘I’m holding you to it.’
I nodded.
‘You’re on.’ Peyton called me over, giving me a thumbs up.
Taking a seat beside her, I pressed my earpiece and looked down at the screen.
‘I’m here.’ I said.
The man in front of Illarion smirked, reaching for the cellphone in his pocket.
‘Right on cue.’ He shook his head, looking at Illarion. ‘Knew she’d come through. You’ve got a tough one.’
Riley silently handed me a tablet and my eyes lit up when the location flashed a few streets away. He’d already pulled up the schematics of the building and I gave them to Aurel.
He gave me a quizzical look.
‘I’m coming.’
He laughed and Illarion shot off a few creative remarks. That piqued my curiosity, he was doing well to fight the Serum, but maybe it wasn’t a full dose? Or maybe it was something new, something creative, either way, it wasn’t good.
‘By now you’ve triangulated our location. You know what to do.’
Riley pulled the van over and let me slip out.
He drove off and somewhere deep in the pit of my stomach I started praying to whomever was listening, that Aurel would figure out my cryptic plan and I sincerely hoped that Aaryon would give me the strength I needed to see this through.
***
My head raced with a million scenarios. I wouldn’t let Illarion die and I wouldn’t let them take me in, so my only option was to succeed.
In my heart, I knew I could do this and I was confident that Aurel would come through for us. He was the best and I trusted him with my life, it was also the only way I knew to do this without using my power.
The door to the warehouse came into view and as I came a few feet closer, it slid open and two guards I hadn’t seen on the feed, came out.
Great, that makes five so far. I kept my eyes on them and my face as neutral as possible.
Sweeping my eyes over the visible entry, I counted two more men beside the door, who took their post beside me as the two original guys led me in.
We stepped into the garage and Illarion’s eyes quickly found mine and the look in them seared me. Regaining my composure, I turned briefly, keeping my body cam facing forward in hopes that Riley and Aurel would see what I was doing.
‘Bring her here.’ The man spoke and when one of his guards reached for me, I wrapped my hand around his wrist, pulled down and slammed him to the ground.
The other moved to retaliate but the guy running the show, called out telling him to stop.
‘Good move.’ I said firmly. ‘You know who I am. So, I’d suggest that you tell your men to keep their hands to themselves.’
‘You caused me quite a headache back there, it would have been much easier had you both come willingly.’
‘Obviously that was never going to happen. So, why don’t you tell me why you’re here, looking for me and my partner?’
‘Oh, partner is it?’
My eyes narrowed in on him.
‘Interesting, what happened? Pre-marital bliss didn’t work out?’
‘Enough,’ I spat. ‘Call your men off and tell me what you want.’
‘Of course.’ He clapped with a wide, amused grin. ‘Men, you heard her.’
“Why did you come, Ace?” Illarion’s eyes locked onto mine and his voice sounded in my head. “You should’ve stayed away.”
“Familiar isn’t it?” I asked quietly, walking toward him.
“This is a bad idea.”
“It’s the only idea, wait for my word.”
He didn’t like it, but he got it. I forced a tight smile.
Each of the guards took a few steps back, keeping their distance.
Turning my attention to the obvious head of this organization, I cocked my brows at him.
‘So, who are you? Another lame Bond villain? Someone more exciting. Oh, don’t tell me, you’re a Mitch Rapp villain.’
He grinned again. ‘You truly do live up to your reputation, always hiding behind snarky remarks.’
‘Guess I do.’ I replied dryly. ‘I’m just sick of dealing with nameless morons like you.’
‘Well, let me introduce myself then, I’m Reicher.’
‘Reicher, really?’
He smirked.
‘What is this about?’ I asked glancing around, tallying up exactly where each one stood, what Illarion was bound with and how high the ceiling was.
‘It’s about the code of course.’
My eyes shot back to his.
‘Something tells me you know exactly what I’m asking.’
‘What do you need the code for?’
‘You haven’t figured that out yet?’
‘Dalca was crazy.’ I spat. ‘He was looking to wage a war.’
‘The war, my child, is already in effect, the turning tide is what we seek.’
‘What the hell are you talking about?’
‘By the shocked look on your face and slight hint of curiosity, I’d wager that you have read what was in the safe you broke into?’
‘What do know about the note?’
‘The same thing you do.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
He smirked, stepping toward me. I stood my ground, keeping my breathing even.
Illarion flinched but his eyes narrowed with curiosity.
‘Ah, you
really don’t know.’
‘Know what?’
‘The codes are the key to what we’ve been waiting for. Our salvation, specifically from the end that note speaks of.’
‘You’re crazy.’
‘Same thing you said about Dalca, no?’
‘He was a maniac.’
‘He knew we were in danger.’
‘From the non-Sensitives?’
He gave me a knowing look.
‘No.’ I shook my head. ‘He was paranoid, high on power.’
‘After so long, after all he put your through, it must hurt to know that he was telling the truth, trying to protect you.’
‘He was a sadistic animal who did only what he wanted to please himself!’
“Ace.” Illarion’s voice broke through the blood rushing in my head. “He’s trying to rile you up. Just breathe.”
‘The truth is always the hardest to hear when it hurts.’ Reicher said quietly, almost like he was feeling sorry for me.
Fuck no.
Whatever he was doing, was working, without even realizing, it was fueling the fire inside me and that sent forth a new level of panic. From the corner of my eye, Illarion was getting ready, as much as he wanted to fight, he wouldn’t be able to.
‘The note you read relates to your end, my dear, the end Dalca was trying to save you from.’
Although I didn’t believe a word he said and I didn’t believe anything Dalca did, I found myself sinking into myself. What if he had been right…what if he knew…
Illarion shifted, dragging my eyes back to him. The pained expression on his face tore through me. Although the Serum hadn’t rendered him completely complacent like it had me, he was still incapable of acting. This was something new, he was aware and lucid, not like the normal Serums we’d been exposed to.
‘You’d never wondered why he kept you safe?’
‘Safe?’ Oh God, this was rich.
‘Contrary to your obvious understanding of what he was trying to do, he was keeping you safe, he was waking you up.’
‘From what?’
‘From the dream world you live in, he was preparing you.’
‘He was keeping me drugged.’ My tolerance was diminishing. ‘He was completely insane.’
‘Granted, his methods were unsavory, but he knew where this was all leading, and why he needed you to be at your best.’
‘And where exactly is this all leading?’
‘To the Legion of course.’
‘What the hell is the Legion?’
‘An initiative which has been waiting for you for a long time.’
‘I don’t have time for this shit.’
‘I suggest you make time for it, Agent Hart. Your destiny awaits and you need to be ready.’
‘This cryptic bullshit is old.’
‘Whatever you think now, is irrelevant. He was looking for the codes, to save us all. Where are they?’
‘I don’t have them.’
‘Time is running out.’ He said matter of factly, ‘When the worlds align and you’re out there on your own, you’re really going to be thanking him for what he’s prepared you for.’
‘And what’s that?’
‘The warrior’s blood will open the door and in the morrow the battle will soar. But only when the door is sealed can the human race be healed.’
Those words again. That cryptic note that made me shiver.
‘What the hell does it mean?’
He grinned. ‘Your destiny, Agent Hart, your purpose.’
Illarion moved from the corner of my eye, quickly dragging my attention back to him. His head was barely up, and his body wasn’t doing much better. He wouldn’t make it much longer. A pool of dark blood spilled through his vest and dripped through narrow slats in the wooden chair.
‘By my count, he doesn’t have very long.’ Reicher said, looking pitifully at Illarion. ‘You should talk now.’
He was right, Illarion was barely holding it together.
Narrowing my eyes, I snapped my attention to one of the men off to my side as he moved closer.
Reicher held out his hands like he was waiting. ‘Are you going to make the right choice, or do we have to get creative?’
Creative wasn’t a word I liked hearing in situations like these, they never meant anything good and by the look on Illarion’s face, I could tell he thought the same. Before I could piece together what was happening, the guard standing behind Illarion, stepped forward, wrapping his arm around Illarion’s throat.
A gargled scream was cut off when the guy tightened his hold and pressed.
Time was up.
Holding my hands out by my side, I tightened them into fists.
“Focus on me, Ila. It’s going to be okay.”
He was trying hard to hold his head up against the attack, but his eyes were growing vacant as his body grew weaker.
Despite that, my heart was speeding up as fast as the Darkness spreading through me, but I wouldn’t let it control me, I survived long before I had any power and I’d be damned if I had to rely on it now.
As Reicher opened his mouth to speak, I squared off, preparing for what I knew would be a one-sided battle. The guard closest to me broke formation and I launched my fist into his and stunned him with a perfectly executed right hook.
Two more guards sprung me and the second I jerked back, a bomb blew half the back of the building and Peyton and Matt dropped down onto the grates below.
A large sonic explosion echoed through the warehouse, throwing everything around me, backwards, followed in quick succession by three consecutive concussion grenades.
I ducked low and covered my ears, when the dust settled long enough for me to move, I glanced up through the chaos, and crept to my knees and moved toward Illarion. He was scrambling against the binds which had come loose as the wooden chair hit the ground, breaking at the joints.
Peyton was firing at anyone coming my way, buying me enough time and a clear run to Illarion.
The moment I reached him, I heard Aurel shout into his com and the whole warehouse was plunged into darkness.
Illarion groaned as I looped my arm under his, dragging him up to his knees, he was hurt badly, and he was bleeding and every choked sound that escaped his lips, made my heart grow heavier.
‘Get to the front!’ Matt yelled over to me as he launched his booted foot into one of the guards who’d made the mistake of trying to get the upper hand with him in a fist fight.
My eyes darted around the warehouse, smoke and flames billowed around the settling debris, Reicher was gone. God, I wanted to go after him, but Illarion’s staggered steps made me quickly rethink. Illarion was my priority.
‘It’s okay.’ I murmured, keeping him upright. He had a good foot on me, making the maneuvering slightly difficult. ‘Stay with me, you’re safe now.’
He faltered, his steps slowing.
‘Ila.’ I tightened my hold on him. ‘I need you to keep moving.’
‘I’ve lost a lot…blood.’
‘I know.’ I murmured, keeping my mind away from the very wet, warm pool of blood slipping through my fingertips. ‘We’re going to get you help, but you have to keep moving.’
We broke through the smoke and flames, rushing outside into the clear air. Matt had made it out, pulling Illarion and me into the van.
‘We need medics.’ I breathed, holding onto him.
His head lolled in my lap but the short bursts of breath coming from his lips were what drew my attention—his lung was punctured; blood was starting to splutter through his lips.
‘Fuck.’ I hissed, cleaning his lips with the cuff of my sleeve. ‘We need to stop the bleeding.’
When a stuttered breath, followed by a tremor rolled through him, panic set in. I pressed down on his wound, keeping his body still.
Matt pressed his hand to the wound in Illarion’s chest and gave me a dark look. This wasn’t looking good.
He was fading fast and with each minute that passed,
he was growing weaker and the slight tremors got stronger and as the van careered over a gutter, speeding through a bend, Illarion’s eyes closed and he lost consciousness.
‘No!’ I shook his shoulders, holding on tightly. ‘Don’t let go, Illarion! Keep your eyes open!’
The van slowed briefly and Peyton and Aurel got in. Riley wasted no time speeding off as Matt helped me hold Illarion down. Peyton’s wide eyes flashed between me and Illarion ignoring Aurel who took over from Matt.
‘How’s it looking?’ He asked.
‘Not good, internal bleeding, punctured lung and the bullet is still inside.’
He saw the faltering aura, just like I did, but I felt his heart slowing, I felt his life slipping from him and that was worse than any torture I’d ever gone through.
‘I need to get the bullet out.’
‘What?’ Peyton shot. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘The Serum is spreading, it’s killing him. I have to get it out.’
‘Ace.’ Aurel drew my attention. ‘Last time…’
‘Last time I was weak.’ I shrugged his hand away. ‘Just get to the hospital and keep driving no matter what happens.’
This was the only way, I had to do this. If he died…
Without letting anyone try to talk me out of what I was about to do, I blocked out the noise and laid Illarion flat on the floor of the van. I pressed my hands over his wound and prayed that whatever I did now, wouldn’t kill him, or me. I prayed that the power I was so afraid of would come to me when I needed it, when I was letting it in without promise of a forever home for its incessant need to be used.
It was the only way. I knew it in my heart the second Reicher showed him to me. His body wouldn’t be healing thanks to the dose he received but I could help him.
Calling on the Darkness for the first time in so long, I let the hum slip through my veins and heat up until the fire inside me burned at an intolerable level, and there, through all the blood rushing in my head I felt the familiar pull dragging me into its depths. I swallowed hard and pushed past it.
The ecstasy that beckoned was addictive, it was poison, dragging and pulling until no sane part of my mind remained.
As the van careered over another bump and my fingers connected with Illarion’s skin, a breath was stolen from me—I wasn’t going to fail, I wasn’t going to let it suck me in because I was doing this for him, not for me.
Jack of Hart- Wild Card Page 5