After getting stepped on a few times, we edge our way to the front window where we scan the street.
My heart sinks. Hybrids form a line on the street. There must be fifty of them in a row, and three deep.
Tyren heads out the door toward the front line of soldiers gathered in formation, and we follow. I scan for signs of Hunter. He’s nowhere to be found, and Tyren appears to be the ranking officer.
“What’s the situation?” Tyren asks a private.
“The hybrids showed up about ten minutes ago. We don’t know what they want, but they look ready for a fight.”
Gnashing teeth and growling, the hybrids spill onto the side streets. At their sides, they carry an assortment of weapons—guns, bats, knives and katanas.
Are they here for Gatz? But the hybrids are vastly outnumbered. A battalion of soldiers triple their size waits, ready to stream out of the towers.
Next to me, Tyren assesses the hybrid threat. A dozen black crows soar in the sky, cackling as if cheering on the interspecies showdown.
I grab Tyren’s arm. “Let me talk to them.”
He swivels his head, a deep frown etched on his face.
“Listen,” I say. “This hasn’t gotten violent—yet. I’ll talk to them. Find out why they’re here.” I peer at the hybrids, at their weapons. Can I stop this from escalating?
He cocks his head, and suddenly his comms device crackles. “Tyren here,” he answers.
Hunter’s gravelly voice comes through the speaker. “What are these damn hybrids doing here? Do you have a read on the situation yet, Major?”
“No sir, not yet. Just arrived.”
Hunter’s voice erupts through the small device, and Tyren flinches. “Find out the situation and report back.”
“You’re up, Sarek.” Tyren sighs. “I’m trusting you. Go find out what the beasts want.”
“Hey, don’t call them that.” Lucy glares at him.
“Stay by him,” I whisper to her and hand my rifle to him. I pivot, ready to sprint over to the hybrids, when she grabs my jacket.
“Wait.” She pulls me closer, whispers in my ear. “That one…there, with the green hood. That’s Pilar. I met her when we stormed into DremCorp. She’s a good friend of Gatz’s. I’d talk to her, if I were you.”
Spotting her, I nod to Lucy. “Thank you. Real smart. You did good.” I squeeze her arm and step away from the line of soldiers.
Jogging toward Pilar, I try to appear non-threatening. She’s stationed among the middle of the hybrid formation, diagonal from my vantage point with Tyren and Lucy.
As I cross the thirty feet that separate our groups, I shiver as a damp breeze rolls off the vast lake. The smell of ozone simmers in the evening air signaling an impending storm.
Making eye contact with Pilar, I draw closer as several hybrids tense and move in front of her, weapons raised. I halt and raise my hands, showing them I’m unarmed.
Pilar utters something. The hybrids clear a path.
“Pilar, I’m Ida Sarek. Lucy and Gatz are my friends. Lucy told me about you—”
“I know who you are.”
Shadowy gray fur covers her face. Midnight-black eyes shaped like large olives study me, and her pink lips curl into a snarl. “Gatz has been arrested. We received the news.” Razor-thin whiskers twitch as she says, “Is it true?”
“Yes. I was with him when he was arrested. In fact—”
Pilar leans in, hands on hips. “On what grounds?”
I lower my head. How do I tell her that I’m the cause of this mess? That he got himself arrested to save my ass? “Pilar, please understand, I’m on your side. Gatz has been wrongly accused. I’m here because—”
“The military has no jurisdiction over hybrids.”
“Let me finish. The reason I’m here is to clear his name. They’re saying Gatz killed a soldier, but he’s innocent. The death was an accident.”
Her hood falls, revealing rosy oval ears that tremble in the wind. “Then it’s worse than I thought. Murder. Tell your commander we demand his release.”
I step closer. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do—get him released, but it’s not that easy. Colonel Hunter—”
“Is a piece of shit.” She finishes my sentence, raises her chin. “Obviously, we both want to free Gatz. I know you’re his friend because he spoke highly of you. What do you propose we do?”
I lower my voice. “Back off. Take your people home. Let me figure this out. I’m making progress with my commanding officer. Well, I was until you showed up.”
She stares over my shoulder, assesses the growing number of soldiers ready to defend HQ. “You have twenty-four hours. If Gatz isn’t freed by then, we’ll return, ready for a fight.”
“Thank you. You have my word.”
She locks her gaze on me. “Promises from humans mean little to me. Follow through, or your military will suffer the consequences.”
I sprint back to Tyren. Lucy stands by with wide eyes.
“Well?” he says.
“They’re leaving. This won’t escalate, but they’re demanding Gatz’s release within twenty-four hours.”
His eyes scan the crowd of hybrids, now lowering their weapons and starting to flow southbound toward Section H. “No shit,” he says and slaps me on the arm.
A crackling sound from his comms precedes Hunter’s voice. “What’s the read out?”
“Sir, good news. The situation has been de-escalated. The hybrids are departing of their own accord.”
“What? How can that be?” Hunter says.
“They request we review Gatz’s case and hand him over within twenty-four hours,” Tyren answers.
“What?” Static obscures Hunter’s voice, and it sounds like he pounds his fist on the wall. “Son of a bitch! Did that woman, Sarek, have something to do with this? We do not negotiate with hybrids. I repeat, we do not negotiate.”
Tyren’s forehead wrinkles and he scratches his head. “Sir, we were able to stop the crisis, for now, without need of force.”
“Where does her loyalty lie? The freak—mutant—we arrested is a murderer. Where does your loyalty lie, Major? You swore to uphold the law and protect the citizens of Spark City—the human citizens.”
“Sir, I-I mean no disrespect, but perhaps we should consider a non-violent resolution.”
Lucy and I exchange a glance. Behind us, a group of soldiers fidget and shift on their feet, hearing bits and pieces of the conversation. She saunters over to distract them, strikes up a conversation. Across the street, the hybrids exit the area, making slow progress.
Tyren grimaces, holding his comms up. Hunter’s red face scowls at him on the holographic display. “I’m sending Paul. He’s on his way. I’ve ordered a droid attack on the hybrids. We need to stop them before they get cocky—thinking they can negotiate with us.”
“No!” I grab Tyren’s arm to get on screen, but Tyren shoves me away, hard, causing me to stagger.
“I should have put an end to the hybrids ages ago,” Hunter rants. “Attack the hybrids. That’s an order, Tyren. Out.” The holograph fizzles, and Tyren lowers his arm.
“You can’t possibly go along with him,” I say. “We have to stop this from happening.” I point at the retreating hybrids. “Look, they’re leaving peacefully.”
Tyren lowers his head. “I can’t disobey an order from the Colonel. Ida, I’m sorry but this is bigger than you and me.”
A gust of wind blasts the area as five police cruisers descend from the sky, hovering above. The doors to the lobby burst open. Paul storms out followed by twenty androids, light gleaming off their gray-steel bodies. He spies us, then sprints toward us while shouting commands into a tablet.
Thrusters steer the cruisers to landing spots on the street. More droids file out of the vehicles, and two Scramblers emerge from an underground passageway. The metal behemoths tower twenty feet above the assembled army on two massive legs that pound the pavement as they lurch forward. Gatling guns whirl inside massive side-cannons.<
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Lucy lunges at Paul, careens into him, and sends him crashing to the ground. “Hey,” he yells.
I crouch down and pull Paul up by his jacket collar. “The hybrids are leaving peacefully. Stop the attack!”
Paul’s eyes dart from me to Lucy to Tyren, who lingers behind me. “What? But my uncle said they’d attacked us.”
“He lied, idiot!” shouts Lucy.
“Stand down, stand down,” he shouts into his command tablet.
But it’s too late.
The Scramblers and androids march toward the departing hybrids.
Twenty
“We can’t let them attack!” shouts Lucy. “The hybrids will be slaughtered.”
I yank Paul to his feet. “Do something!”
He stares into his tablet, taps at it furiously. “It’s no use. My uncle has overridden the commands. He’s controlling everything from the war room.”
Bullets tear through the air, slicing through bodies and shattering windows in nearby buildings. We watch in horror as a dozen hybrids slump to the ground. Shrieks pierce the air, and the retreating mutants start panicking.
The enormous Scramblers gain speed, racing down the street after the fleeing creatures. I clench my fists, and rage consumes me. “Paul, tell your uncle to call off the attack.” I face Tyren. “Stop this,” I beg him.
His lips twist into a frown. “I’m sorry.” He lowers his head.
I had given Pilar my word, told her to back off, and I’d work this out. Why is Hunter still attacking after they’d gone away peacefully? Monstrous and unprovoked, his attack makes no sense. I can’t stand by as the hybrids are mowed down mercilessly.
I grab a rifle from a weapons cart and sprint after the android troops, now engulfed in battle with the retreating hybrids.
“Wait,” Lucy shouts as she and Paul scramble to catch up. “Where are you going?”
“Go back. I have to help Pilar—help them get out of this alive. I gave her my word.”
“You’re sure as hell not going alone.” Lucy glances sideways at Paul. “You in?”
I shake my head, mouthing “no,” to Paul.
He throws his arms around her in a bear hug from behind. “Lucy, you’ll be in danger. I’m not letting you go.” He mouths “Go” as she kicks and squirms in his grip.
I dart away. Lucy means to help, but she’ll only slow me down. I’m glad Paul restrained her. Better to keep her safe.
From behind, Lucy shouts, “Let me go, you prick!” I glance back and see a stream of blood gushing from his nose. He raises his hands to his face, groaning as Lucy runs toward me.
Ahead, gunfire and explosions rock the city streets. The hybrids scurry past buildings, seeking cover. Pedestrians, caught up in the skirmish, cower and sneak away to find refuge.
The Scramblers lead the charge as their Gatling guns fire relentlessly. Failing to distinguish hybrid or human, they spray bullets haphazardly.
If I can’t stop them, can I create a distraction? I need to think of something that’ll draw their attention and give the hybrids a chance to flee.
“Ida!” Lucy’s frantic voice sounds behind me as she races toward me.
Halting, I lean against a facade, wave my arm for her to join me. She follows, running to my side. A bloody-faced Paul arrives shortly after.
“What the hell, Paul?” I say. “You were supposed to hold her back.”
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, look what she did to me.” He shows off his bloody hands. I’d laugh in other circumstances, but right now, we’re in a war zone.
Between gasps, Lucy says, “Exactly. Don’t you ever try grabbing me like that, Paul.” She bends, hands on her knees, peering up. “What’s our plan?”
I stare helplessly at the chaos ahead. Hybrids fire guns and hurl grenades at the approaching androids. The streets have transformed into a combat nightmare.
“Paul, how can we stop them?”
“My uncle is behind this. He won’t stop.” He scans the area. A heavily armored car that resembles a small, sleek tank rolls up and comes to a stop nearby. Four bots spill out of the vehicle and hurry to join the action.
In the center of the fighting, the two lumbering Scramblers wreak havoc. Hiding behind a concrete barricade, the hybrids endure heavy gunfire. The metal giants lurch back and forth as their Gatling guns spew round after round of armor-piercing bullets. The hybrids won’t last long.
Paul’s gaze shifts to the tank car. I step to his side, then study the two Scramblers firing relentlessly on the trapped hybrids. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” he says.
“We need a distraction. Give the hybrids a chance to escape.”
“Paul, can you drive that thing?” asks Lucy.
“Yes, ma’am. Let’s go.” He jogs to the car, lifting the driver side door and climbing in.
Lucy sprints after him. “No.” I reach out and grab the hood of her jacket, causing her to stumble. “Go back to HQ.”
She stares at me with wild eyes. “Hell no! I’m coming with you guys. I’ll be in the armored car with you.” Her mouth forms a pout. “Safe.”
I shake my head. “If anything happens to you…”
“Nothing will happen to me.” She yanks free of my grip. “No time to argue. We have to do something or they’ll die.”
“Get in,” I say.
What am I doing, letting her come along?
Can I keep her safe?
Twenty-One
I slide into the tank car next to Paul. Lucy takes a jump seat just behind us. As he studies the dashboard, rows of digital displays, buttons, and screens light up. “I got this.” He places his hand on a biometric screen, causing the car’s AI to kick in.
“Scanning. Access verified.” A red heads up display flares to green.
Paul settles in his seat. “Computer, turn on manual drive.”
“Manual drive may cause injury. Are you sure?” the AI inquires.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Commencing manual vehicle operation,” says the car’s computer.
A panel slides open, and a manual steering controller emerges. Paul grips it and tilts his head to us. “You ready for a joyride? Buckle up.”
I spin and check that Lucy is strapped in before tightening my own seat harness. Just in time. Paul slams the steering control forward and the car lurches, scraping over a concrete divider.
Metal screeches. “That doesn’t sound good,” says Lucy.
I stare sideways at Paul, gritting my teeth. “You sure you’ve driven one of these things?”
“Nope, never driven one,” he says, grimacing. “Only training simulations. First time for everything, right?”
As the car grinds its way down the road, I reach my right arm up and latch onto a small handle, above which someone has written “oh shit” in black marker. Something tells me I’ll need it.
With Paul at the wheel, the car screams across the pavement, straight toward a line of androids. They swivel their helmets to face the car just before Paul rams into them, tossing them aside like bowling pins.
“Yeah!” Paul punches the top of the car.
Lucy whoops in the back seat.
He punches the accelerator, heading full speed toward the legs of the metal giants. We plow into the first Scrambler, sideswiping a leg, but the machine reacts, quickly shifting its other foot in time. It stumbles but remains upright.
Our car ricochets off the metal beast and spins twice before Paul regains control, stopping the car.
The other Scrambler drags its attention away from the hybrids and rains bullets down on our vehicle. Luckily, we’re behind military armor, but the impact forms dents in the roof above our heads.
Both Scramblers swivel in our direction, readying their guns. Inside the car, Hunter appears on one of the digital screens. “What’s happening, soldier?” he barks. “Paul, is that you?”
Paul punches a button and the screen flickers out. He revs the engine. “What do we do now?”
Behind
the Scramblers, hybrids emerge from their hiding spots. Several aim their fire at the giants, providing cover, while others sprint away from the scene.
“It’s working,” I say as the Scramblers stomp toward us. “The hybrids need more time. Keep distracting the robots.”
Paul hits a button, throwing the car into reverse. He veers wildly, trying to navigate using a rear camera screen. We’re bumped and tossed in our seats as the car upends market stalls, scattering food and produce on the street.
The Scramblers pursue, flanked by a dozen military droids.
Paul manages to weave a path through the debris as the Scramblers begin to close in. “Keep going, Paul,” I say as we draw the robot assault force back toward HQ, away from the hybrids.
But a silver cruiser with a blue star emblazoned on the side swoops down, hovering above the Scramblers, causing them to halt.
“Oh shit,” mutters Paul. “Uncle Will’s cruiser.”
The Scramblers ignore us, turn, and lurch toward the fleeing hybrids, accompanied by the cruiser and the small android army.
You’ll never beat my droids, Vance says. Don’t you know that by now?
“Shut up,” I mutter between clenched teeth.
“What?” asks a sweaty Paul. His hands tremble as he slowly brings the car to a stop.
“Nothing,” I say. “Let’s go after them again.”
“Are you crazy?” asks Paul, spit flying out of his mouth. “Did you see what happened? We barely made a dent against the Scramblers.”
“Ida’s right,” Lucy pipes up. “We have to go back. We can’t leave the hybrids defenseless.”
“Crap. Outvoted,” Paul whines and punches on the accelerator, and we surge forward. This time, he picks up speed and maneuvers the car between the feet of a stomping Scrambler. The behemoth tries to sidestep but ends up tripping as we cruise underneath. Paul slams on the brakes and throws the car in reverse again to clear the stumbling bot. Metal slams into concrete as the giant crashes onto its side, sliding twenty feet and crushing several droids.
“That’s right, hot damn!” Lucy yells, clapping.
Paul gnashes his teeth and drives forward, hurtling the car onto a sidewalk to avoid the flailing Scrambler. Ahead of us, Hunter’s cruiser fires on the departing hybrids, taking many of them down. They return fire, but they’re no match against the military ship.
The Rogue Spark series Box Set Page 34