by L O Addison
She edged along the side of the transport craft, keeping her eyes glued to the Ascendancy agents. They were edging closer to Nathan, the guards on full alert.
“What is going on?” the man demanded, his harsh tone and accent making his words difficult to understand.
Nathan snapped a command into his comm unit before facing the Ascendancy agents. He held his hands up in a gesture of peace before saying, “I assure you, Zakhar, this isn’t our doing. Someone’s broken into the hangar.”
“Who?” Zakhar demanded.
Nathan shook his head. “We’re working on figuring that out.”
“You promised us a secure location for the deal,” the woman snapped. She made a vague gesture to his surroundings. “You call this secure?”
Anger flashed across Nathan’s face, but he quickly composed himself and said, “My men have things under control, Alyona. Let’s complete the deal and be done with it.”
Alyona hesitated, but then she exchanged a glance with Zakhar, and he nodded. Alyona gestured sharply to the two guards and snapped something in Russian. Or maybe it was some alien language. Kaylin wasn’t sure, but whatever she’d said, it made the Ascendancy guards fan out, heading to opposite sides of the tarmac. They each stood at attention at the top of the staircases, although Kaylin couldn’t tell if they were preparing to fight an enemy who might try to charge up the stairs, or Nathan’s guards, who were all huddled together at the top of the steps.
Kaylin considered tossing another explosive, but she quickly decided against it. All the guards were scattered and dispersed away from the Virtue, and if she set off another explosive and increased the threat level, it might make them converge back toward the item they were trying to protect.
Better to focus on getting inside the transport craft and getting it started. Kaylin carefully crept around the side of the craft, careful to stay in the shadow of its wing. The door on the driver side was unlocked, like she’d suspected it would be. After all, this was the most highly secure hangar in the base. The Wardens probably assumed that no one in their right mind would dare try to steal an aircraft from here.
Too bad for them she was completely out of her mind.
Kaylin glanced back at the guards, making sure their attention wasn’t on the craft, and then slid the door open. She slipped inside then closed it, sealing herself inside the transport craft. The craft’s windows were darkly tinted, so Kaylin pulled her night vision goggles back out and slipped them on.
A thrill of relief ran through her as she examined the craft’s interior. Jackpot. It’d clearly been made for military use, with the control panel showing controls for a high-tech navigation system, speed boosters, and a side cannon. That probably meant the craft’s armor was top-notch, too.
“Alrighty,” she muttered under her breath. “Let’s get this party started.”
The transport craft used a palm-scanner as the key, but it was an older scanner and easy to work around. Kaylin slammed the handle of her pistol onto the scanner, shattering its screen. The control panel let out a low beep and a small screen lit up on the dashboard with a nine-digit keypad. It was the backup keypad to start the craft—all military aircraft had them, in case the biometric scanner got destroyed in combat.
Kaylin retrieved a small code-breaking chip from her bag and slid it into the memory slot of her comm unit. It blinked yellow, telling her it was downloading all the system passwords recently inputted into the comm unit’s operating system. The Wardens had already proved they were dumb enough to re-use passwords, so Kaylin was willing to bet the code used to start up the transport craft was also used as a security code in the base’s security system.
The light blinked green, telling her the download was done, and she quickly inserted the chip into the craft’s control panel. The chip’s light turned red as it ran through the codes it’d downloaded, trying to input them into the craft. Kaylin held her breath, silently urging the device on. It had built-in programming to keep the craft’s control system from shutting down the password flood, but a strong enough security system could still block it.
The chip blinked green, and a low hum ran through the ship. She was in. Kaylin pumped her first in victory and quickly put the ship into stand-by, making sure its engines didn’t fire up and draw attention.
“Our ride is ready,” Kaylin said into her comm unit. “You guys need to get a move on.”
“Copy,” Beck said. “We’re waiting for an opening. But I’m sending Lio over to you so he can take cover in the transport.”
“Good plan,” Kaylin said. She glanced toward the ladder the others had scaled. The cargo boxes would give Lio plenty of cover for a few yards, and then he could creep along in the shadows of the other transport craft. But that still left a twenty foot gap of open space he’d have to cover, and it was way too close to the Ascendancy ship for comfort.
Time to make use of the comm unit she’d stolen off the fallen guard. Kaylin had been avoiding it, knowing her location could be tracked on it, but she was running out of time.
She pulled the stolen comm unit from her pack and switched to the main channel.
“At your right!” she said, using a deep, brusque voice. “There’s movement on the steps.”
Immediately, all the guards on the platform shifted to the left, raising their rifles and readying for an attack. And turning their backs to Lio. He raced across the open tarmac, skidding to a halt at the side door of the transport craft. Kaylin opened the door and he leaped inside, settling in the passenger seat beside her.
Kaylin barely recognized him. Gone was the prim and proper ambassador she’d met only days before. This man was smeared with blood, drenched in sweat, and practically vibrating with adrenaline.
“Thank you for keeping them distracted,” Lio said, giving her a grateful nod.
All right, so his prim and proper side wasn't totally gone yet. Kaylin nodded in reply and then tapped a few buttons on the control screen, initializing the exterior mic on the transport ship. Immediately, sound flooded in from outside, coming through the control panel’s speakers. She turned the volume down low and listened closely.
“Someone’s messing with the comms channel,” he heard one of the Warden guards tell Nathan.
“Someone is messing with all of us,” Alyona snapped at Nathan. “They have us chasing shadows. Why haven't your men found them yet?”
“My men have searched the entire first floor and found nothing,” Nathan said, his voice strained with frustration. “Whoever is trying to disturb us obviously doesn't have much to fight with besides tricks.”
“Beck, you need to make a move,” Kaylin murmured in her own comm unit. “Quickly.”
“There’s no opening,” he replied tersely.
Alyona cursed and edged closer to her ship. “Enough talk. Let's get this deal over with.” She gestured abruptly toward the cargo boxes next to her ship. “Examine our goods and confirm they meet your standards.”
Nathan nodded and strode over to the boxes, two guards shadowing him. As they moved away from the Virtue, Kaylin was finally able to get a look at the thing. It was... disappointing. The ancient weapon of mass destruction just looked like some sort of rusted Rubix cube made of dull metal. Brownish veins of light pulsed through the Virtue, giving it a muddy glow.
“That's it?” Kaylin whispered to Lio.
Lio didn’t answer, his eyes glued on the Virtue. He reached up with a shaky hand and clasped his Fragment in his palm.
“This isn’t right,” he whispered.
“What do you mean?” Kaylin demanded. “That’s not a Virtue?”
“It is,” he said, dread filling his tone. Then he pointed to something next to the Virtue. “And so is the box beside it.”
Kaylin squinted closer at the box. She’d hardly paid any attention to it at first—the box was just about the right size to hold the rusted Virtue, so she’d assumed it was a carrying case. The silver box had no markings, and it seemed to be made of sheer metal.
No. It wasn’t entirely metal. Faint veins of color pulsed along the very bottom of the box, their light the same deep blue as the veins of light in Lio’s Fragment.
“Shit,” she said. “You mean there’s another Virtue inside there?”
Lio nodded gravely. “It’s a Virtue of Healing,” he murmured. His hand tightened around the Fragment. “That’s why it’s pull on my Fragment has been so overwhelming. It wants to be activated.”
Kaylin forced herself to take a deep breath and calm her spinning mind. “Okay. But at least it’s not another Virtue of War. The Ascendancy can’t do much harm with a Virtue of Healing.”
Lio turned to stare at her with a flat look of horror. “Imagine an army that can instantaneously heal its soldiers the moment they’re wounded.”
Kaylin’s stomach dropped. “Never mind. We’re screwed if they get either of those things.” She took a deep breath and then whispered into her comm unit, “Beck, we’ve got a complication. There are two Virtues. The rusty-looking thing is the Virtue of War, and that silver box on the crate is a Virtue of Healing.”
Beck cursed under his breath. “You’ve got to be kidding me. There’s two?”
“Dead serious,” Kaylin replied.
As she spoke, Nathan lifted the lid off the Ascendancy’s cargo crate. His carefully neutral expression dipped into a frown as he peered inside.
“This isn’t what we agreed on,” he said to the Ascendancy agents, his tone hardening.
Zakhar gave a cold smile. “This is even more powerful, I assure you.”
Nathan shook his head, pinning Zakhar with a cold look. “There’s a reason I asked for rifles. My men are trained to use guns, not whatever this is.” He made a sharp, disgusted gesture at the cargo box.
Alyona frowned, although Kaylin couldn't see a hint of genuine concern on her face. “If this isn't suitable for you, perhaps we can offer you something else.”
She moved back toward the Ascendancy’s ship, one guard in tow, while Zakhar and the other guard moved closer to the Virtues.
“Stop,” Nathan said, his voice cracking through the air. He gestured toward his guards, giving them some sort of hand signal, and they immediately abandoned the staircase to converge toward the Virtues.
Nathan crossed his arms as he faced the Ascendancy guards. “You don’t touch the Virtues until I’ve approved your end of the deal.”
“Peace, Nathan,” Zakhar said, his tone unimpressed. “If you’re not satisfied with what we’ve brought you, we may have something else that suits your needs.”
Nathan scowled, suspicion darkening his expression. “And what would that be?”
Alyona pointed toward their aircraft. “We brought samples of a new type of laser blaster we recently learned how to manufacture. Would you like to see?”
“I’d be willing to consider an alternative to the rifles,” Nathan said grudgingly.
Alyona nodded and headed toward the aircraft, the other Ascendancy agents following behind her. As they strode up the boarding ramp, Kaylin saw Alyona discreetly draw something out of her pocket. Kaylin squinted closer at the object. It looked like some sort of slim mask.
Suspicion slammed into her, followed by a feeling of dread.
“Beck, Matteo, do you still have your air filters?” Kaylin demanded.
“Yeah,” Beck replied. “Why?”
“Put them on,” Kaylin said. “Now.”
She hurriedly searched the control panel of the transport craft and found what she was looking for: the controls for the air filtration system. She punched in the command to lock all outside air from entering the craft.
She’d barely drawn her hand away from the control panel when a hiss came from outside. Kaylin winced at the sound and stared out at the tarmac. A dark grey mist rose from the cargo crate Nathan had examined. It almost looked like smoke, but it had a strange, metallic glimmer.
Beside her, Lio murmured something gravely under his breath. Kaylin wasn't sure if it was a prayer or a curse, but either way, it wasn't good.
The dark mist rose into the air, surrounding Nathan and his guards. Nathan coughed as he breathed in the substance and whirled toward the Ascendancy’s ship. A flash of pain coursed across his expression, and he clapped a hand over his mouth, as if trying to block out the mist. Anger twisted his face, and he removed his hand to speak.
“What sort of trick are you trying to—”
His words cut off with a choked sound. He turned back toward the cargo crate, and his angry expression vanished, replaced by wide-eyed fear. He opened his mouth to speak again, but it only allowed more of the mist to flow inside him. The substance seemed attracted to him, as if it were alive and seeking out flesh.
Nathan collapsed to his knees. A hoarse whimper escaped his throat, followed by more choking. Then he went limp, his body striking the ground with a dull thud.
Nathan’s guards began backing away, but the mist reached out toward them, quickly enveloping them. They choked and clutched at their throats, falling to the ground beside Nathan.
Kaylin’s gut dropped, and she instinctively covered her own mouth, even though she’d sealed off the vents in the transport craft. “What is that?” Kaylin demanded, watching as the mist reached out toward the other guards at the stairs.
“That’s melarrin gas,” Lio murmured. He spoke the words the same way a human might say “mustard gas” or “cyanide,” or some other invention of horrible cruelty.
“Let me guess,” Kaylin said. “Something highly deadly and completely illegal.”
Lio nodded grimly.
Kaylin studied Nathan’s body, searching for any sign of movement. There was none.
“Are they dead?” Kaylin whispered.
“Very, very dead,” Lio said.
Kaylin shook her head, struggling to wrap her mind around what had just happened. Nathan had caused so much damage and created so much chaos. And this was how he went out—with only a gasp and a whimper.
It seemed nearly unbelievable, but bizarrely suitable. The Ascendancy had snuffed him out as easily as squishing a bug. It seemed to be fate’s way of mocking the leader of the Wardens for not believing in the threat of the Ascendancy.
The mist surrounded the other Warden guards in a matter of seconds. Some of them tried to run, and one shot into the mists in desperate panic. But it was no use. Kaylin winced as their panicked cries cut out and their bodies fell to the ground with heavy thuds. They didn’t deserve to die, especially not the younger guards, and not in such a terrifying way.
A sudden surge of fear struck her, and she whispered into her comm unit, “Beck, Matteo, tell me you guys are okay.”
“We’re fine,” Beck said, although he sounded shaken. “Our filter masks are working against it.”
Eerie stillness descended on the tarmac. The mist slowly coalesced at the edges of the tarmac and then sunk to the ground, leaving a fine layer of metallic silt on the concrete.
“What happened?” Kaylin demanded.
Lio nodded toward the Ascendancy’s ship. “They deactivated the melarrin.”
The tarmac was absolutely still, although voices shouted from below and buzzed through the comm units of the fallen guards. Luckily, no one else came up the stairs. The Warden guards below apparently had enough common sense to realize that would only end in disaster.
The only people left on the tarmac were the Ascendancy agents and Kaylin’s team. She took a deep breath and settled her gaze on the Ascendancy’s ship.
“All right,” she said quietly. “Let’s finish this.”
39
Kaylin
A burst of motion exploded from the other side of the tarmac. Beck and Matteo sprinted out from behind their cover, both darting toward the Virtues, which still lay on top of the crate. Kaylin’s heart pounded as she watched them sprint across the tarmac. It was perfect timing, but still insanely dangerous.
“Come on, come on,” she murmured under her breath, urging them forward.
&n
bsp; Motion caught the corner of her eye, and she turned to see all four of the Ascendancy agents rush out from their ship, charging down the boarding plank. The two guards still held their rifles, while Zakhar and Alyona had slim pistols in their hands that reminded Kaylin of the one Marin had carried.
“On your left!” Kaylin called into her comm unit, no longer bothering to keep her voice down.
Beck and Matteo reached the cargo crate with the Virtues. Matteo snatched up the Virtue of Healing, while Beck grabbed the Virtue of War and tucked it under his arm like a football. He slung his rifle over his shoulder, no longer able to use it with the Virtue in his grip, and drew his pistol.
“Get to the transport,” Kaylin said. “We’re ready to take off.”
They didn’t bother stopping to give a response. Beck and Matteo turned toward the craft, rushing toward it. Beck began firing at the Ascendancy agents, letting off a rapid volley toward the tallest of the guards.
Two of his blaster rounds struck the guard, both square in the chest. Perfect shots. But instead of dropping the guard, the shots just fizzled against some sort of barrier, sending up a harmless shower of white sparks.
“Don’t waste your time shooting,” Lio said into his comm unit. “Blasters and bullets can’t touch them.”
“What can?” Beck demanded.
“None of your weapons,” Lio said sharply. “Just avoid them.”
Beck let out a harsh laugh. “Easier said than done.”
The Ascendancy opened fire on Matteo and Beck, but the two of them immediately leaped behind the other transport craft, shielding themselves. Kaylin cursed in frustration. They were only ten yards away, but with both of them trapped hiding for cover, it might as well have been a hundred.
As the Ascendancy’s shots struck the concrete, Kaylin realized they weren’t doing any damage. No cracks, no burn marks.
“Are they using stun shots?” Kaylin demanded.