Extant

by Mary M Wallace

  Speaking low, he said, “Muzzle flash. Up ahead on this side. I only saw one person. Look through there.” He pointed to a piece of the machine where there was a small gap that Sawyer could look through and see the other side. “Wait for them to fire.”

  She didn’t have to wait long before she heard the shot and saw the tell-tale flash of fire from the end of the weapon. It was small and didn’t illuminate much around it, but Sawyer thought that Corbin was right. It looked like the person was alone. There were a few moments of silence, then more gunfire, this time aimed at the person Sawyer could see. She looked at the shooter, calculating the distance. She could get there in a couple seconds.

  “No,” Corbin’s voice came from close to her ear. “Too dangerous.”

  Sawyer looked at him. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

  Corbin gave her a look and even in the darkness she could see his expression. She shook her head.

  “Fine,” she said. “You got a better idea?”

  She looked back to the shooter that she could see just as the man—and it was a man—stepped into a pool of light and took aim.

  “Shit,” she said and aimed her own gun at the man. She didn’t know who the man was shooting at, but he wasn’t one of her team which made him the enemy. The man fired a shot before quickly ducking just as Sawyer was about to fire. She adjusted her aim and fired a round. As she did, she saw the man’s head snap backward with the force of a bullet entering his skull. She heard three more rounds fire rapidly and then silence. Sawyer knew her own shots hadn’t hit him. She looked at Corbin, her gaze questioning. Several seconds passed and they heard nothing. No more shots, no one walking or talking. Sawyer made a quick decision.

  “Cover me,” she said and moved with supernatural speed over to the dead man. She checked him over quickly, staying behind the piece of machinery he’d been crouched behind. She’d been right. He was a stranger to her. Using his previous vantage point, she looked in the direction he’d been firing and felt her heart stop. Shit. She didn’t remember moving, but suddenly she was on the other side of the room.

  “Bree!” Sawyer felt a tiny surge of relief when she felt a pulse in Bree’s neck. She was breathing, but it was shallow and there was a lot of blood coming from her abdomen. Paul had his hand pressed to the wound, but he kept looking over at Zoe. Sawyer looked over and saw that Zoe was sitting up, holding her hand against her own side. Sawyer gave the other woman a reassuring smile.

  “Zoe, right?” she said. “I’m Sawyer. I’m a friend of Bree’s and I’m going to get you both out of here, okay?”

  Zoe smiled weakly. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

  Sawyer turned to Paul and said, “What happened?”

  Paul shook his head. “I don’t know. Stella went to take out the shooter, but she never came back. Bree was trying to cover us and get us to the door. I had Zoe protected, but then Bree got hit. Zoe ran back and tried to save her. I think the second bullet went through both of them.”

  Zoe looked as though the effort of remaining sitting was exhausting her, but she looked more worried about Bree. “Is she okay?”

  “I’m not sure,” Sawyer said.

  Sawyer didn’t see nearly as much blood coming from Zoe which she took as a good sign. She turned her attention back to Bree as she spoke into her radio. “Corbin, get over here now!” she said, hoping she’d conveyed the urgency in her tone. “Bree?” she said. “Open your eyes, Bree. Look at me.” She moved Bree’s hands and looked at the wound in her belly. She wasn’t a doctor, but this looked bad. Corbin was by her side in seconds.

  “Shit,” he said, bending down to kneel on the other side of Bree. He checked for a pulse and leaned his head down to hear her breaths. “Pulse is weak, breaths are shallow,” he said. “We gotta get her out of here now.”

  He spoke into the radio now. “Rowan, where’s the nearest hospital? We don’t have a choice.” His gaze met Sawyer’s as she held pressure against the wound in Bree’s belly. She knew what he wasn’t saying over the radio. Bree probably wouldn’t survive long enough to make it back home to Medical. She needed a hospital now.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Declan struggled to hear the voices on his radio through the barrage of bullets that rained around him and the others, but it was no use. They’d been pinned down by several of Ephraim’s soldiers since shortly after entering the building. He knew they wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Eventually their ammo would run out. They needed to find a way out of this mess soon. He looked over to Gwynn and Pax. Their expressions said what he’d already been thinking. There was a slight lull in the incoming gunfire and Declan heard Corbin in his ear.

  “Rowan, where’s the nearest hospital? We don’t have a choice.”

  Rowan came back. “It’s about ten minutes from your location, Corbin. Can you get her out?”

  “I think our area is clear,” Sawyer’s voice now. “I’m afraid to move her. She’s not responding but she’s breathing. Zoe’s injured too but she’s conscious.”

  Bree? Declan felt his heart rise into his throat. He could do nothing but listen as they discussed the best way to keep her alive until she could get medical help. He heard the gunfire start up again, bouncing off the metal around him and spitting up sharp pieces of concrete where it hit the walls and floor. It was all just noise. In his mind, he kept hearing Sawyer’s voice repeating the same words. She’s not responding… He heard a dull roar like the sound of ocean waves fill his ears. He shook his head. He needed to focus. He had to get to Bree. She was hurt, and she needed help. He didn’t know how he would help her, but that didn’t matter. He just needed to get to her. The bullets continued to pelt the walls and machinery around him. He looked over to Pax and Gwynn, meeting their eyes briefly. The hail of gunshots made any words they might have spoken useless, so he didn’t attempt any. He pointed at himself and then in the direction the bullets were coming from. Pax and Gwynn immediately began to shake their heads, but Declan ignored them. He gestured to the two of them and their weapons then back toward the shooting. He knew he would have only seconds. He didn’t wait for them to agree with his plan.

  The rain of gunfire continued for what felt like hours but was only seconds. As soon as his ears registered another lull in the shooting, Declan shot out of his crouch and sped toward the nearest large piece of equipment. He felt his ability rush to the forefront and knew he was moving with Sawyer’s incredible speed. When he reached the large, dormant hunk of metal, he brought forth Corbin’s strength and slammed into it, ignoring the pain that tore through his shoulder with the impact. He heard the cries of people as the heavy equipment toppled over, landing on whoever had been unfortunate enough to choose it as their shooting blind. Pain shot through his shoulder and his right arm hung useless at his side. He could tell there was something wrong with it, but he didn’t have time to worry about it. Turning, he surged toward the far wall and the shelves of steel pipes stacked nearly to the ceiling. He was moving so fast that his vision blurred. He didn’t slow down but he called on Jon’s telekinesis. Using every bit of strength he could summon from his ability, he slammed it into the shelf, toppling it backward. The sound of the crash was nearly deafening, but it didn’t mask the gunfire coming from behind him. He turned quickly and watched Pax take out the last soldier in the room.

  He didn’t wait for the others to follow. He ran as fast as his ability allowed. He ignored the pain in his shoulder as he moved. He needed to get to Bree. He listened intently to his radio, even as every word felt like a physical blow.

  “She’s losing too much blood.”

  “Her pulse is getting weaker.”

  “We have to move her. There’s no choice.”

  He didn’t hear Jon and Rylee’s voices on the radio, but he thought he knew why. Like him, they were focused on getting to her. He rounded a corner into another room and suddenly realized he wasn’t alone. Standing before him was Ephraim Marsh, his gray suit pristine in this dusty place. D
eclan skidded to a stop, studying the scene. Being suddenly faced with the figure from his worst nightmare was incredibly surreal. He could only stare in surprise as he caught his breath. It took him a moment to realize that Ephraim wasn’t alone in the room. Twenty feet away, standing perfectly still and pointing a gun at Ephraim, was another man that Declan recognized. Rafe. What was he doing here? The bear of a man barely spared a glance at Declan as he’d materialized in the entryway. He was focused solely on Ephraim. Ephraim, on the other hand, turned to face Declan and smiled.

  “Mr. Thomas,” He said in a voice one might use to great a dinner guest. “So good of you to join us.” He gestured in Rafe’s direction. “Rafael and I were just having a bit of a chat.”

  Declan looked from Rafe to Ephraim, still confused, but said nothing. His mind was whirling but one fact stood out clearly. Rafe was here. He could save Bree. He could heal her. Ephraim’s interested gaze suddenly snapped to Declan’s face.

  “Ahh,” he said, smiling. “I see.” At Declan’s confused expression, he went on. “Has our young Miss Warren had a bit of a mishap? I daresay she could use a healing touch.” He turned back to look at Rafe, his expression suddenly cold, the smile gone from his face. “We both know how effective that weapon is against me. I could easily kill you right now if I wished.” He sighed. “Put the gun down, Rafael. It really doesn’t become you.” Declan watched as Ephraim flicked a finger in Rafe’s direction and the gun flew from his hand to the floor.

  Rafe began to claw at his throat, clearly struggling to breathe. Ephraim hadn’t moved, but he was staring intently at the other man. Declan stood frozen for a moment, staring in shock as Rafe struggled to suck in a breath. He fell to his knees, still grabbing for his throat but there was nothing there to grab. Ephraim was strangling the man from twenty feet away. He was going to kill him.

  Declan couldn’t stand here and watch Rafe die. He’d saved Jon’s life and he was the best chance they had to save Bree. Pulling on whatever strength he had left, he summoned Jon’s ability and swung outward with his mind. Ephraim flew backward as though an invisible wave had swept him aside. He landed in a heap a few feet away. With Ephraim’s concentration broken, Rafe was finally able to suck in a deep breath. Declan kept his eyes on Ephraim as the man picked himself up from the dusty floor, brushing his hands together as though knocking off the dirt.

  “Well, well,” he said with a smile as he walked toward Declan. “I see you’ve mastered your ability fairly quickly, Mr. Thomas. Well done.” His smile grew sinister as he looked at Declan with narrowed eyes. Declan felt a spike of fear that he tried to hide. When Ephraim gave a little shake of his head, he knew he’d been unsuccessful. He didn’t know the full scope of Ephraim’s abilities, but he knew they far surpassed his own.

  Suddenly, Declan felt his right arm being wrenched hard and twisted at the shoulder. He cried out with the sudden pain and dropped to his knees as he felt a strange popping sensation. He grabbed at the arm with his left hand, panting with residual waves of pain. He was dizzy with pain and felt an urge to vomit but managed to suppress the feeling. When he looked back up to Ephraim, he saw him laughing quietly.

  He shrugged, “Just trying to help.”

  Declan pushed himself to his feet with some effort. He thought for a moment before he let a hint of a smile curve his mouth. He focused on Gwynn’s ability. He didn’t have as much experience with it as he might have liked, but he knew the basics. It was a difficult one to practice safely so he hadn’t had a lot of opportunities. Ephraim thought he knew about Declan’s ability, but he was about to realize how wrong he was. He felt his smile grow as he held his hand out, his palm facing Ephraim. He focused on the energy within him and forced it into the palm of his hand. Still looking at Ephraim, he released the pulse of energy at the man. It wasn’t the first time he’d successfully used the ability, but it was the first time he’d used it on another person. He hadn’t known what to expect, but the cry of shocked pain from Ephraim as the bolt of electric energy struck him was gratifying. He fell to his knees, seeming to be paralyzed briefly.

  After a moment, Ephraim struggled to his feet. He looked at Declan with a wariness that he hadn’t had before. Declan only stared back, unblinking. From the corner of his eye, he saw Rafe begin to edge backward as though meaning to leave. He glanced away from Ephraim just as Rafe turned and began to walk swiftly from the room. Declan looked back to Ephraim to see that he was smiling again. He felt a moment of indecision. Stopping Ephraim might end the war, but Rafe was capable of saving Bree’s life.

  “What’s it going to be, Mr. Thomas?” Ephraim’s confident voice taunted him even as he knew what he would choose. What he would always choose. He glared at Ephraim as the man straightened the cuff of his suit sleeve, gave him a sarcastic salute before he turned and strolled from the room. Declan watched him for another second before he turned and ran in the direction Rafe had gone. Using Sawyer’s ability, it didn’t take him long to catch up to Rafe.

  “Stop!” he called out. “I need your help.”

  Rafe turned to look at Declan standing a few feet behind him. His expression was incredulous. “You let him go?” he asked, his tone outraged. “You could have ended this!”

  Declan only shook his head. “I need you to help Bree,” he said. “She’s hurt. It’s bad and you’re the only person who can save her.”

  Rafe studied Declan for a moment, his expression unreadable now. Finally, he sighed and closed his eyes briefly. “Alright,” he said. When his eyes opened, Declan could see something else there, a kind of resignation. “Where is she?”

  Declan used his memory of Rowan’s schematics and the directions Corbin was giving him through his radio to make his way to where Bree was. He moved as fast as Rafe was able to run. Every step closer to her made the ball of dread in his stomach grow larger and heavier, even as he longed to get to her. He didn’t want to see her hurting, suffering. He tried to steel himself for what was coming. His mind kept flashing to the images of their nightmare, seeing Bree shot trying to save him, watching her struggle to speak to him, the pain in her eyes. He tried to run faster but realized that he was leaving Rafe behind and had to slow. No one could move as fast as Sawyer and he didn’t even realize he’d been mimicking her ability.

  They came to the end of a long hallway that opened into a massive room. Declan could see several bodies strewn about the room along with large pieces of abandoned machinery. He scanned the room before entering and saw a cluster of people on the far side. His heart stuttered as he realized what he was seeing. Several people were gathered around two injured people lying on the dirty floor. He froze, unable to make himself take the first step into the room. He knew what he’d see. He’d heard it on the radio. Bree and Zoe had been hurt. Bree was fading fast. Hearing about it and seeing it were not the same thing, however. Where he stood now, looking across at the group, he couldn’t make out the details. He knew that once he crossed the room, however, he’d never be able to remove the image of Bree hurt and possibly dying from his memory.

  He felt Rafe bump into him as he rushed into the room. It snapped Declan out of his momentary shock and he began to move. He heard a sound off to his right and glanced in that direction. He wasn’t sure what he was seeing at first, but then he realized it was Stella. She was huddled in a tight ball, her knees drawn up to her chest.

  “What happened?” he asked as he bent down to check her over. She didn’t respond, and her eyes were unfocused. She was shaking.

  A glance at the crowd of people showed him that Rafe had already made it to them. That was good.

  “Stella? Are you okay?”

  She didn’t respond and Declan worried that she might have an injury he couldn’t see. He bent low to try and look in her eyes, but they stared at nothing. He wasn’t sure she even registered his presence.

  Declan looked back over to the crowd of people and then back to Stella who didn’t appear to be hurt, but something was clearly wrong. He couldn’t just le
ave her here. His right arm was still hurting, but he managed to wedge his left shoulder under her arm and was attempting to lift her when Corbin looked up and saw them. He hurried over and easily lifted Stella into his arms.

  “I got her,” he said. “Go to Bree.”

  The look on Corbin’s face told Declan all he needed to know. He gave Corbin a grateful look and ran across the room as quickly as his own speed would carry him. He took in the scene as he approached. Zoe was slumped against the wall, her face pale. Paul was pressing a hand to her side. She gave Declan a faint smile, but he thought she looked far too pale. He forced himself to look over to where Bree lay, her head in Rylee’s lap. Her eyes were closed, her lips nearly colorless. Rafe was already bent over her, holding his hands tightly to a wound in her stomach that was bleeding heavily. Declan sucked in a breath and dropped to his knees beside Bree, taking her hand in his. Her skin was icy, and he tried to rub warmth into her fingers. His mind went blank. The only thing he could focus on was Bree lying on the dusty floor, bleeding to death. He stared, unblinking at her face, praying he’d see her blue eyes one more time or hear her laugh at some stupid joke he’d made. He tore his eyes away from her and looked at Rylee who was silently stroking her daughter’s hair, tears trickling slowly down her cheeks. Jon was sitting on the floor beside Rylee, his arms around her. He wore a shocked expression as he stared at Bree’s lifeless face. He looked at Rafe, a wordless plea in his eyes.

  Rafe’s eyes were closed in concentration as he worked to heal Bree’s wounds. Sawyer sat nearby, her hands sticky with Bree’s blood. She had a sudden flashback to the blood-covered SUV, pumping away at Jon’s lifeless body while Rylee held him to her and Bree huddled on the floor. Looking over at Declan’s terrified eyes, she shoved the memory aside and focused on the present. She didn’t understand why Rafe was here or where he’d come from, but she was grateful for his presence as she watched him heal Bree’s injury.