“And take the chance of the secs trailing the breach back to you? Yeah—uhh, no.”
“Aww, you do care about me, don’t you?” Bishop teased, grinning down at him.
“Finish what you were saying. She asked a lot of questions about what?”
“Liège,” he hesitantly replied.
“Why?”
Bishop’s thoughts shifted to his conversation with Moonlight. Could they possibly be hiding out in Liège? If I was a vampire, I would. It’d be easy to cut through the security detail, which were a bunch of city knights who had never been in an actual battle with otherworldly creatures. The weakest soldiers were positioned around the castle in the Capitol. Reason being, no one thought a vampire could ever make it that far.
“Can’t this thing work any faster?” Bishop groaned. “I think we’re on to something.”
“You haven’t even told me what that something is yet.”
The neon symbols cascading down the screen froze then turned white. Cole once again ran his fingers across the keyboard. The combination of numbers and letters bunched together, and formed one lengthy code.
Bishop frowned. “What’s this?”
“Wait for it.” Cole tossed a few shy glances up at him. “Ay—uh, she said something about a cat. Did you catch that? Or was I hearing things?”
“It’s highly unlikely any strays are scampering around within the walls, especially near the barracks. Pretty sure the cat she came across was a shifter.”
Cole’s eyes grew wide. “Ya gotta be shittin’ me.”
“Told you the vampire didn’t come alone.”
“I thought the shifters were a non-factor in this Blood War. I thought they were neutral.”
“Qué? Who told you that?” Bishop chuckled. “Baby, you know better than to believe everything the Federation whispers in your ear.”
Finally, the code changed. The cipher took on an animated image and morphed into a cocoon. Seconds later, it opened up, and a butterfly emerged.
“Interesting,” Bishop extolled.
“Butterfly virus. Never fails me.”
The butterfly took flight, and flitted out of frame.
“Think you spoke too soon, sweetie.”
“Again. Wait for it,” Cole muttered, “How many Legion soldiers do you think he came with?”
“Four.”
“Why four?”
Bishop shrugged again. Of course, he knew why, but he didn’t bother to say. “When infiltrating a giant fortress, small numbers make it easier to slip under the radar.” Besides that, Cole would figure it out soon anyway. “If he’s as clever as I think he is, he has a special ops force covering the grounds beyond the walls as well.”
The image changed. A live aerial view of the barracks popped up. The butterfly made its way back onto the screen. It flapped over the tall buildings, heading toward the inner city. The view traveled behind the winged virus, as if it was in flight right along with it.
Bishop leaned over the desk, looking closely. “A drone. You hijacked a drone.”
“I didn’t. The virus did, which means all other access points have been cut off. That fucka has a diver on his crew.”
“Figures.”
Cole’s jaw clenched. For a long moment, he said nothing. When he spoke again, his tone was low and deadly. “Remember when I told you about that Legion vamp I met on an unsanctioned mission, the one who put his blade to my throat and asked me did I wanna die?”
The memory of the story Cole recalled one drunken night surfaced in his thoughts. “Yeah.” Bishop eyed him with a sense of dread creeping up within. “You sure it’s the same vamp? ‘Cause when you mentioned it, he didn’t address—”
“Oh c’mon, man! What was he gonna say? Yeah, I’m the muthafucka who iced your crew back then. It’s him! I’m fuckin’ definite,” Cole croaked out, glassy-eyed. He touched the small scar on his neck. “I told myself if I ever saw him again—”
The computer chimed, indicating the butterfly had reached its destination.
“Got her! Wait. Liège? Aw shit.” Cole glanced up at him. “You knew that’s where he would take her, didn’t you?”
“I assumed as much.”
“What the fuck is going on, Bishop? He not only took her to the inner city. He took her to the Capitol. What’s at the Capitol?”
“Councilmembers,” Bishop muttered, staring at the butterfly perched atop of the tall Capitol building. “I knew there was more of a reason he risked his life to get within these walls.”
Cole’s eyes drifted as his expression changed. It went from sheer confusion to utter anger. “The children,” he growled. “I knew it! I knew something was off with that pod exchange. I just couldn’t see it. Shit…four! That’s why you said four. That’s how many kids were missing by the time the pods got to CPR. They manipulated us.”
Bishop stepped back from the computer. A bad feeling stirred in his gut. Those children… “I suppose they manipulated me as well,” he whispered inwardly.
What if those children weren’t just innocent, helpless souls forced into a life of darkness. What if they were the second wave of death dealers, waiting for the command to initiate a kill order. An icy chill crept over his flesh as his breathing increased.
“To hell with this, man. We have to tell somebody before the councilman—”
“If we mention any of this to anyone, the vampire won’t be the only one in the Federation’s crosshairs.” Did I foolishly open up my lab to a bunch of doe-eyed assassins? That means all of my workers are in trouble, or perhaps, dead already. “They wouldn’t hesitate to issue an elimination order on Moonlight as well. You know this.” No, they wouldn’t kill his staff yet. That would be a hasty move, one that would surely sound the alarms.
Thoughts racing, Bishop rushed out the office, heading toward the bedroom to get dressed.
Cole’s voice followed him. “Where are you going?”
“To the lab.” He pulled on his shirt and went in search of his shoes. “You forget I stashed a gang of fang-wielding nuggets on level twenty-one, who are most likely tied to all this shit.”
“A’ight, let me get dressed and grab my gear. I’m going with you.”
“Papi, no.”
“Papi, YES,” he shot back. “I just lost my best friend to a fuckin’ master vampire, Bishop. I’m not about to let you walk into some highly suspicious situation without backup so I can lose you too. I’m going.”
Bishop’s heart fluttered. “Aw, baby…” He pulled Cole against him and captured his lips in a searing kiss. “Relax, I know how to handle myself around vamps. I was forced to live with them for over a decade of my life, so I’ll be fine. You should stay here. If you escort me to the lab, that will draw suspicion. Moonlight has been tagged by the Federation. Anyone affiliated with her is automatically a suspect.”
Cole jerked out of his embrace and pinned him with a heated glare. “So, you do want me to just sit on my hands and do nothing.”
“No, hon. I want you to be here…for her.” Ah yes, Central Command. That’s it. If he were in their shoes, he would try to crack the code to the main server to bring down the shields.
“You’re not making sense. She’s not here!”
“But she’s gonna be. If what’s happening what I think is happening, he’s gonna bring her back. Either here or to her place. I haven’t put all the pieces together yet, but this infiltration was well thought out.” The server code was always changing, and even if they could somehow crack it, they’d have to find a way past the firewall…
“Bring her back? That doesn’t make sense. It defeats the purpose of taking her.”
…In order to do that, they’d have to grab someone who knew their way around the Central Command system. “Make sense? Does it? Since when have vampires made sense?” he muttered. “He wants to show her something, or maybe fill her in on the plan. No lo sé.”
“What? C’mon baby, don’t get weird on me.”
“Yo me estoy perdiendo
algo aqui. There’s a reason this is playing out like this. If he hangs onto Moonlight, knowing the Federation has a hard-on for her, eso arruinará su estrategia. So he has to bring her back. Pero espera…he didn’t just take her for a moonlighting reunion.”
“You know my Span-glish isn’t that good.”
“That passageway beneath the canal I found years ago…me pregunto si es por eso que están aquí. There were scribblings on the walls…felt like I’ve been there before…”
“Jesus, Bishop, you’re rambling again. I can’t pick up on shit you’re saying. Slow down. And for the love of God, speak English!”
He probably sounded crazy. Can’t help it. When his thoughts were storming through his head at a rapid speed, sometimes they came out of his mouth as a jumbled mixture of English and Spanish. Can’t help that either.
Bishop moved throughout the quarters with Cole swift on his heels. “Oh, there’s my shoes.”
“Bishop!”
“He’s not ready to make his final move. No, no…aún no.” He grabbed his lab coat and slipped his arms into the sleeves. “He wants to work in the shadows and keep this quiet for now. Though, I can already smell the blood in the air. A lot of people have died. Most likely the doped-up inner city knights.”
Cole ran in front of him and cradled the sides of his face. “Just tell me this. Should I be ready to fight or die?”
“Her place…go to her place,” Bishop murmured, sliding around Cole to get to the door. “Wait for her there.” That said, he dashed out of the apartment.
Chapter Five
Alien Ninja
Beyond the Region Walls
“Bravo-two, those spicy rice buns gave me some serious stomach rumblies? The pressure is building. I’m ‘bout to clear this forest.”
“Damn, Bravo-Three. TMI.”
Posted a few klicks from the great wall, Asenna was crouched on a sturdy branch. He repeatedly slid the crystal rock along the edge of his blade. A long resonate hiss rang out in a constant rhythm. For hours, he’d been watching the large gateway that led into the Cross Knight barracks.
Ice flurries drifted from the sky, covering the land in a gorgeous white blanket. Stirring with the frigid air, they floated down the length of his cloak and became lost in the branches and foliage below. Though it was many hours away, he could feel the heat of the morning star hiding beyond the horizon.
He cast his gaze upwards. A distant buzz drew near. The drone was making its rounds over the perimeter. Right on time. It dashed over his position, just as it did every hour, unaware of his presence.
As he sharpened his weapon, he closed his eyes and offered his senses to the surrounding atmosphere. He could hear and see everything, as if it were right in front of him.
“Hey, Bravo-two. It’s so cold out here, my fart whispered a cloud.”
Laughter bellowed through their mental link.
“Quiet!” Asenna barked.
According to the intel he’d gathered, there were one hundred and seventy-three guards on patrol within the entire territory. After the shift change, which would take place soon, the number of guards would decrease. From what he could tell, the shift rotation fluctuated slightly with the dawn and dusk. But it only changed by an hour or two. They were clearly more concerned about vampires breaching the walls than any other creature. In two days, about around this hour… That would be the perfect time for their first wave to move in. He’d be sure to report that to alpha-one. Just gotta get those shields down.
The direction of the wind suddenly shifted, stirring up misty swells within the forest. A startled gasp and breathy huff rode the breeze.
Brow arched, Asenna titled his head toward the sounds.
“Whooo—shit!”
“What is it, Bravo-Three?! Hostiles approaching? Please say yes. God, I’m bored.”
“Worse. The wind blew the fart back in my direction. Damn, that’s rancid. Smells like rotten eggs. No more spicy rice buns for me.”
Sheathing his sword, Asenna opened his eyes and swallowed a groan of annoyance. Why’d the General place these two insufferable meatheads on my squad?
He slinked down to a lower branch, and leaned forward. He plucked two half-moon shuriken from the compartment within his cloak. With the pint-sized weapons clamped between his fingers, he flicked them in opposite directions, crossing his arms with the flash motion. They let out two sharp whistles as they blitzed through the air.
Seconds later, a pair of grunts echoed in the distance, meaning his piercers hit their targets.
“I promised the General I wouldn’t kill you two,” Asenna informed them on a low grumble. “Please don’t make me break my word.”
A unified, “Sorry, Captain,” and a whole lot of silence followed his warning.
Much better.
A quiet rustling and the crunch of snow from afar spiked his senses. The sound grew louder as it moved in his direction. He dipped his head and allowed his ears to be his eyes.
Movement far east soared with the path of the wind. Clever. Shadows zipped across the snow-covered terrain, pausing near the trees for cover. Very clever. He turned his face to the sky and allowed the breeze to carry the scent of the approaching threat to him. He drew in a deep inhale. The stench of wet dog filled his nostrils.
Lycans.
Not just a few. Maybe a couple dozen, or more.
“Sounds like we’ve got some action coming this way. Finally.”
Asenna pulled his mask up over his mouth and nose. “Tag the Omega and Beta forces, and spread out. There could be more moving in from other directions.” He flipped down to a larger branch. Kneeling, he reached over his shoulder and freed his folded bow. The weapon opened like a wing, ready to be loaded.
A trio of dark shadows moved across the snow in shifting speed.
He retrieved the triad from his back holster—three arrows for three visitors. As he took aim, the presence of two additional foes approached from the rear.
They had made his location. As planned. He knew as soon as he moved, they’d lock in on his position. Hook, line and sinker.
With the gentle tug on the string, he released the arrows. Before they could reach their targets, he unsheathed his curved saber, spun around, and met the four-legged predators head on.
A black furry beast with a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs barreled at him.
His blade flashed through its neck. Springing forward, he moved onto the next one, cleaving him from his maw to his tail.
He lowered his position, leaping from branch to branch. A soft, delightful aroma reached his senses. Cherries. Heavy pants and wheezing whimpers followed. Human. A woman, to be exact. Odd. She didn’t carry the scent of a warrior, which meant she was most likely just a civilian.
What is she doing out here?
Growls and blurring shadows trailed him as he dashed toward the human who was about to become Lycan chow.
In the distance, a thunderous tremor from an explosion shook the earth and rattled the trees.
Clenching his teeth, Asenna bit back a groan. Those idiots!
Meegan ran as fast as she could.
The snow swallowed her feet on every step, slowing her pace. The icy air sliced through her lungs like knives. Each breath was a struggle. An aching burn raced down her legs. The pain brought tears to her eyes. Still, she pushed forward. She tried not to look back. That would only slow her down.
The snarls and throaty growls drew in closer.
With a cry dangling in her throat, she spun around and fired her laser pistol wildly.
A dog-like whimper sounded as the shadowy pack scattered.
The whirls of snow-filled wind obscured her vision. Did I hit it? Her hands shook, and her heart drummed so hard, it felt like it would jump right out of her chest. She turned back to her path and continued to fight her way through the squalls.
Oh my God, what am I doing? This is insane!
Jody and Keith begged her not to go outside the walls. But she had to. My brother�
� He was in danger, barely clinging onto the threads of his life. She could feel it right down in her bones. If she didn’t find him soon…
Several black blurs dashed in front of her.
Meegan stumbled to a halt and fell back with a gasp. For a moment, she couldn’t focus. The breeze continued to carry snow in her path, making it difficult to see anything. Puffs of frosty air huffed out of her on wheezing exhales.
Suddenly, her pursuer emerged from the icy mass. Covered in fur, a bulky, four-legged creature slowly moved in on her. It had glowing yellow eyes and an elongated snout.
A wolf!
Good Lord, help me! Backstroking in the snow, she leveled her pistol.
More wolves stepped into the clearing, their heads lowered, their glares narrowed. Lips pulled back, they snarled, baring their pointy fangs. Slobber dripped from their mouths. Massive paws, wielding silver talons came down on the ground, crushing the packed ice in their path.
Those things are gonna rip me to shreds! I’m gonna die!
The memory of her brother’s voice rose in her head. “You can’t aim worth a damn because you get so worked up.” Her thoughts drifted back to the last time he took her to the firing range. “Calm down, Mee-mee. Breathe and focus. Now fire.”
She squeezed the trigger. A fiery beam of radiation discharged from the barrel and shot the middle beast right in its head. He dropped like a wet sack.
“Good. Again.”
She fired on the next one.
The others charged in. They bled into a mass of blackness with claws and fangs.
A glimmer of something in the trees caught her eye. It dropped down right into the bounding wolves. Arcs of silver flashed about. The sharp bray of a blade cleaving through the air resounded.
A second later, one of the lupine creatures burst into bloody chunks. Its innards went everywhere!
Meegan let out a piercing scream.
In that moment, the wolves lost all interest in her and focused their attention on the unknown entity.
A scuffle ensued.
Antares Page 5