by Emery Hale
When I tore the thing out my eardrum rang, almost vibrating –what the hell was that?
Trojan weren’t meant to be here for a few more days; this couldn’t be them. But how could it be anyone else?
Just as I was about to run out the door I stopped – something silver was glinting in the sunlight. It was an engagement ring. Why take that off if you’re being shot at? Certainly wouldn’t be on my list of priorities. When I looked up, however, the sight ahead nearly sent me flying back into the clothing rails.
A woman, mid-twenties, nailed to the wall by her hands and feet, all her fingers missing. Nails hammered into her skull like a crown, while the bullet-holes in her body covered nearly every inch of skin. The dark blood oozing down looked like a dress, the flesh peeling from the weight, white foam dripping from her mouth – but what I focused on were her eyes. They were off to the left.
There was a message written there, in thick blood that dribbled down the wall.
TIME TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS DON’T YOU THINK?
What the fuck? Was this some kind of ritualistic sacrifice?
It couldn’t be, because then I saw the curved symbol written in the woman’s blood above her head. Trojan’s mark. No.
I bolted out of the shop, not looking back.
My earpiece wasn’t working – I had no way to contact the rest of my team and presumably neither did they. My one thought was that they’d found Quinn, but then again, I understood Trojan. They wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of finding the Techie, they’d have just blocked the channel. Quinn had to be working with James to fix the problem and Kayson would be on his way back to guard her.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t stand about waiting for good news, not when this was evidently a set-up. We had to get out of there.
I pulled out my gun, loaded it and held it by my side as I quickly made my way to Exit Point One. Everyone would soon be heading in the same direction. Suddenly a pair of thundering footsteps barrelled towards me – I whipped around and pointed my gun straight ahead but then lowered it, as Grace stood there.
‘There was a man, he was hung by the neck.’ Her face was grave, her hands curled into fists, eyes as wide as saucers.
‘Woman in the clothes shop, she was nailed to the wall. Then someone had written –’
‘Time to pay for your sins?’ she asked and I nodded.
Grace let out a shaky breath, running a hand through her hair, eyes now fixed on the sky.
‘Hey. This isn’t God, OK?’ I said, and thankfully it caught her attention.
‘This isn’t because you killed that man. This is Trojan. We just need to find them before they decimate the place.’
I knew she felt guilt for what she did and I respected her beliefs, but this wasn’t God. Just someone who thought they were. Grace grabbed her gun, took the safety off and held it at her side.
‘If the comms are down we need to find the others. We’re walking around blind here.’
‘If they’re down, Laurent will be sending in his team and ours will be heading to the exit point.’ Even though communications were down I wasn’t risking my brother’s identity.
‘Jess . . . ’
I looked up to see the smoke cloud Lily must have been talking about. It looked awfully big for a bonfire, but then the smell hit me. I gagged – the stench of burnt hair and boiled skin rendering me motionless, the smell of rotting flesh lingering in my throat. If there’s a God up there I beg you, let me be wrong.
It only took five minutes to walk up the hill but with every step the smell became more unbearable. Flies swarmed through the thick trees, blood lining the way like an aisle, but it wasn’t just a dribble – the dirt squelched with the stuff. My grey trainers were now soaked in blood, every movement we made caused a sea of red to rise from the ground, like some biblical event. Probably shouldn’t say that to Grace.
There was no sign of the others, but silence usually meant good news.
‘I don’t like this.’ Grace said, as we waded our way through the dirt.
Just as I was about to respond, I heard it.
SNAP
I spun around, my hand thrown out – a man in dark clothing was pointing a gun at my head. Grabbing the barrel I yanked it towards me before I raised my own and pulled the trigger.
BANG
The man flailed as he fell, blood spurting from the ground – and, funnily enough, his head.
As I checked over his gun I felt Grace’s eyes bearing down on me. I glanced up but she didn’t look away, sweat brimming on her brow, hands clenched and figure tense. She did remember we’ve done this before?
‘Willow was right.’ she said.
‘What are you talking about?’
Grace didn’t get a chance to respond as a bullet shot through her shoulder, sending her back. I grabbed her by the hips and tackled her to the ground, pressing her back against a nearby tree. Shit, there was a sniper. This wasn’t an op, this was a trap.
From our position I couldn’t see anyone, but I needed to prioritise Grace.
I went to grab for her bag, but she pulled away.
‘Grace?’ Confusion burned across my eyes. ‘Tell me what to do, you must have bandages in there.’ She kept moving, her lips almost disappearing as she grimaced in pain. ‘Grace?’
CRACK
Wood splintered just above my head as a round of bullets sprayed the tree, splinters ransacked my skin and hair. Thankfully it remained standing. OK, that was it! The angle was downward so he had to be on the hilltop ahead of us.
I turned back to Grace.
‘I’m going to draw their fire, you need to get back to base. The team will be there soon.’
I didn’t look back as I bolted out – the field was vast but there was a clear hillside. Despite the harsh wind the smoke was getting thicker, but I kept running. Bullets clipped at my heels and my knee throbbed, but I had to keep going. I pushed myself to the bottom of the hill, slamming my body into the banking, my nails clenching the crumbling dirt and grass. The sniper would have to reposition to get a shot at me.
Then from above, rustling. The sniper was moving to – left!
I pushed myself forward and aimed, seeing a man scarpering to get cover – but before he could dive down, I plugged two bullets in his throat. That should keep him occupied indefinitely. Then I fell against the grass, the raw thick blades gnawing at my skin, and I waited. There wasn’t any more noise, just silence and, fortunately, no more bullets.
I looked over to the lone tree but there was no sign of Grace – she had to survive long enough to make it back to the jeep. James’s team was only fifteen minutes out, tops – she’d get the help she needed.
Without another glance in her direction I stuck to the grass and headed around the corner towards the smoke. Once again the smell of rotting flesh curled my tongue; I had to pull up my top over my mouth to make it somewhat bearable. After walking for a couple minutes I saw the heart of the blaze; searing red, yellow and burning orange.
As I inched closer I knew it wasn’t just a pile of bodies, it was a wall. People of every age, gender and race were piled high, flesh melting from their corpses. Should I be thankful it was no one I recognised? The heat was immense, unlike anything I’d ever felt. If I got any closer, I was certain my skin would burn. The flames were the height of a skyscraper, almost touching the heavens.
And the devil shall walk the earth with fire and brimstone.
Then, through the flames, I saw them. Naomi was kneeling in front of the wall; Kayson and Lily both had at least three thugs on top of them, all with guns – but a hand flew over my mouth when I saw Chris lying on the ground, because he wasn’t moving. Please no, I beg you, please.
‘No!’ Naomi cried.
‘You bastard!’ Kayson roared. ‘How could you?’
Kayson must have been intercepted before he got to Quinn, I knew she could handle herself but given the situation it didn’t calm my mind.
A screeching droned from my pocket a
nd I yanked out the comm, ready to smash the thing when I heard a playful voice scratch through.
‘They’re both dead son, get used to it.’ A man’s voice replied.
The comm unit was back online.
The voice was familiar but I couldn’t place it, the name on the tip of my tongue. Was he the one responsible for all of this?
As I placed the comm unit back in my ear I heard Naomi’s shaky voice.
‘I don’t believe you. They can’t be.’
I crouched down low, crawling along the ground and keeping my nose and mouth covered as trying to get a better look at the situation. The man in question was in a cream suit, had bleached blonde hair and walked like he had a spoon up his ass. I knew him. Where did I know him from?
‘Little one,’ the man said. Kneeling down in front of Naomi, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. ‘Jessica and Grace are long dead by now. I took care of that, but not to worry. They aren’t in pain, I’ve released them from their mortal shells.’
Through the wall of burning skin and bone I saw that the man had a large birthmark on his neck. A key identifier – but to what? I’d never seen him at the Academy.
When I tried to get a better view my eyes locked with another’s, those of a small child, the remains of her dress now ash that fell like rain. Rage corrupted my vision as I stood tall; the flames reached out to me but I didn’t feel their touch. I was all for sacrificing myself for the greater good but not her, not an innocent, not a child.
‘I hate to disappoint, but I think it’s the other way round, mate.’ I snapped.
Everyone’s head lifted, looking for me, then suddenly, the birthmark and face of the man clicked. It was Gabriel Hale. The man we tried to reach out to, the man we trusted to help us, the man who ignored our cry for help. I’d only seen him a few times growing up, when mum had to take me into work – wasn’t he supposed to be on our side?
Why had he turned? What could Trojan offer that we couldn’t? I’d heard from my mother he liked to travel – he must have neglected to mention that he spent his time with terrorists, not landmarks. Could my mother have known? No that was ridiculous, just because she was a neglectful cunt didn’t mean she sided with terrorists.
Gabriel stood up, glancing around the area, but I planted myself low on the ground: if he didn’t know where I was then I had the advantage.
‘Miss Winters, lovely to hear your voice,’ Gabriel said. ‘Care to join us?’
‘You’re meant to work for us,’ I said.
The man laughed. ‘You are ignorant aren’t you? Trojan showed me a better way.’
‘There are children in this wall, innocent people.’
‘Oh, no one is truly innocent. Especially you.’
‘Let my team go.’
Silence.
Shit, had someone spotted me? I lifted my head a couple of inches but couldn’t see anyone on the hilltop. Then, through the comms, Grace cried out.
I crawled closer towards the wall, lifting a hand over my face to block the heat. I needed a better look at Grace’s condition. The right side of her shirt was soaked and red blotches dotted her face. They’d caught her; someone had followed us. This entire thing had been a trap. Where was the team James was sending in?
‘I want to see you, little one, get out here,’ he demanded, but I stayed firmly put. He grabbed a gun from one of the thugs and pointed it at Grace’s head – she started to blubber and sob, her entire figure quaking. ‘Now, preferably, or I’ll just have to shoot Grace. She is the Medical Response isn’t she? Be a shame to waste such talent.’
I wasn’t going to comply.
‘There’s another team arriving now, leave while you can.’
‘Oh, I don’t think they’ll be bothering us any time soon,’ Gabriel said snidely. ‘No really, they won’t. You see, I had access to this so-called mission – in fact I was the one who assigned it to your dear brother. After your little incident, I knew he’d give it to you.’
‘You bastard!’ Kayson yelled.
‘I thought your mother would have taught you to think before you speak,’ Gabriel said. ‘Besides, this was the perfect opportunity to see you, as Trojan will take their rightful place at the top of society very, very soon.’
‘That will never happen!’ Lily thrashed. ‘You aren’t powerful enough!’
‘Jess, little one, get out here.’ I didn’t move. ‘One.’
CLICK
‘Two.’
CLICK
Grace’s cries turned to shrieks and wails as the gun pressed to her forehead.
Without thinking I grabbed the small silver knife from my sleeve pocket, put one foot in front of the other and, with every ounce out strength I had, threw it towards Gabriel. The blade spun as it hurtled through the air.
However without missing a beat the man whipped round and grabbed the blade, the slice of his skin tore through the field but all he did, was smile.
A sadistic grin slithering up his long face like a snake. He dropped the knife before twirling the gun in his fingers, arms open for an embrace, but I didn’t move any closer. My eyes flickered to Chris, his body splayed out on the ground, blood seeping from a wound I couldn’t see. I needed to stop the bleeding, was he conscious at all? I couldn’t lose him, I promised myself I wouldn’t lose him, how could I – No, focus. Breathe.
‘You got what you wanted – now, why are you here? I thought you were meant to burn this place to the ground?’ I asked, my hand firmly resting on the holstered gun.
Who was quicker, him or me?
‘Oh that?’ he said. ‘No, that was just to grab your attention. I would say this spectacle would tug the public’s heartstrings more than simply blowing a crater in the ground.’
‘Step away or I will shoot you,’ I said, but it was an empty threat. I was outnumbered by a long shot, but better to go out swinging.
‘The Academy,’ he said, ‘they train and train you children, but you never see the bigger picture. Trojan is not the enemy.’
‘You put a bomb in a bank and then tried to blow up a the theatre of innocent people.’
‘Answer me this then. Willow’s death, was it just an accident?’
What? Of course it was, how could he even question that? We were sent on an op, got split up and then she died, end of. Did he know something we didn’t? Then the thought hit me like a brick wall. Trojan murdered to make a point. So did the Academy.
‘Of course it was.’
‘Who shot her?’ Gabriel asked. ‘It certainly wasn’t us.’
‘It had to be.’ I told him, but the man cackled.
‘As far as I know, Willow’s father needed her out of the way, but of course I don’t imagine the request was perceived as literal. He’s high up in the Academy, you see. Didn’t need daughter dearest causing a fuss or exposing him for who he really was. Shame really, I heard she had a bright future.’
The entire field fell silent, the only sound to be heard was the crackling of the fire and crisp wind cutting through the air.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, you didn’t know?’ the man mocked.
If I closed my eyes I could pretend I was in the mountains beside a fireplace, wrapped up all cosy and warm. But I couldn’t. My eyes were open, more so than they’d ever been.
Willow’s father was high up in the Academy – how could I never have realised before? She always lied about her parents’ whereabouts. We’ve probably met him, who knows how many times. Could it be Duke? Harkness? Thompson? Ames?
I knew one thing for certain, we were never the heroes of this story.
CHAPTER 24
Dichotomy
Incompatible or opposite principles.
NAOMI JADE
Half an hour into the mission we were ambushed. Men with guns had us surrounded, then bullets rained from the sky. I dived to the nearest building, Lily covering me from behind. Each shot she took rang in my ears, thudding in my chest. The world was on the highest exposure and volume, even the leaves scatteri
ng along the ground sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
I covered my head – all the training I’d gotten never covered this. I knew some hand to hand combat but I had no idea how to fight against people I couldn’t see. I was way out of my depth here.
I didn’t realise until a couple of seconds later that my eyes had screwed shut, fear forcing them to stay closed, my legs trembling. I wanted to get out of here.
Wasn’t this how Willow died?
We split up in the beginning – I knew Kayson was close by, as was Chris, but I had no idea about Grace or Jess, they’d gone off on their own.
‘Move!’ Lily shouted, grabbing my wrists.
Then we ran.
Pounding footsteps bounded behind us, bullets clanging as they hit the ground – why were they aiming at our feet? I didn’t get time to think as Lily sped up the pace and, in turn, so did I. From my days on the running team I knew to focus on my pacing, pushing myself through every step. I kept up with Lily, and soon the footsteps from behind echoed more distantly – we were outrunning them.
Lily yanked me around another corner and shoved me into a nearby shop. Without having to be told I darted behind one of the tables, trying to even my breathing. That was really close. What the hell was I doing here? They made it look so much cooler in the movies – easier, even. Lily hid behind the till, switching out the ammo, but her head was poised, ready for anything. I, on the other hand, was ready to call it a day. How the hell were we supposed to get out of here?
From where I was hidden I could see the shadows of what looked like eight people running past – they must have lost sight of us. It was only then I realised we were in a small café, but the place was completely abandoned; chairs thrown over and tables flipped.
‘Report. There’s been a shooting.’ Suddenly a high pitched wail screeched in my ear and I threw the earpiece on the ground. When the sound stopped I put it back in, but there was only static.
Had something happened to Quinn?
As I glanced over to Lily I saw that she’d done the same, nursing her ear, the gun clattering to the ground. What the hell was happening? Trojan weren’t meant to be here for another couple of days – it wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Had they gotten to Quinn? Could they have taken her hostage?