by Aaron Hodges
Liz’s eyes fell to the ground. “She wanted Hecate to take me as his mate,” she whispered. “I…I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted…no, I needed him.” Her fists tightened into balls. “Only my touch saved me.”
Chris’s fingers dug into the dirt beneath his palms. A rumble came from his chest and his stomach clenched at the thought of Hecate with Liz, at the image of them naked, bodies pressed against one another, limbs entwined…
Gritting his teeth, he forced the thoughts from his mind. This was no time for jealousy—Liz had been attacked, almost taken, by the darkness of the Chead. He remembered Hecate’s laughter as he slaughtered the innocent people from the van. Hecate was a vile, soulless creature that deserved only death. At least he’d suffered for trying to force his will on Liz.
He gripped Liz by the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
A smile flickered across Liz’s lips. “I’m glad he’s not.” She took Chris’s hand in hers and pressed it to her lips.
Chris shivered at the gesture. Looking up, he found Liz’s big blue eyes watching him. A lump swelled in his chest, and he savored the touch of her hand around his, her presence so close. There, high on the escarpment, in the quiet New Mexican wilderness, they were utterly alone. In that moment, it felt as though their past did not exist, as though everything that had come before was just a figment of their imagination.
Slowly Liz leaned towards him, her eyes unblinking. Chris found himself responding. A jolt of electricity rippled through him as their lips met. The kiss was soft, cautious and tender, neither of them quite sure of themselves, of what they were doing.
Shivering, Chris fought back tears. Even as the taste of Liz filled his mouth, he could hardly bring himself to believe they were kissing, that they’d found their way back to one another. Her scent wafted to his nostrils, a rich, almond aroma he would never forget.
She shivered as he took her in his arms, but Chris was careful not to jolt her broken bones. Lips still locked, they fell gently to the ground, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Chris swallowed as Liz’s good hand drifted through his hair. He trailed his fingers across her neck, felt her trembling against him.
For a long time they lay like that, eyes closed, touching and tasting, breathing in the scent of one another. It was as though they hadn’t seen each other for years, as though they were long-lost lovers, finally reunited. They made no effort to remove their clothing—high up on the escarpment, there was no urgency, no need to rush. They could lie like that forever, free from the outside world.
Eventually, sleep tugged at Chris, and he drifted into a dream. With the warmth of Liz’s body beside him, the nightmares of the last few days fled, leaving him at peace. Eyes closed, he slept.
It was dark when he woke again, though it felt as though only minutes had passed. Liz was sitting up beside him, her face aglow in the moonlight. She glanced back as he rose from the ground, a smile crossing her lips.
“Hey there,” she said.
“Hey there,” Chris replied, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Some of the color had returned to her face now, though her arm and wings were still a mess. He would need to carry her closer to the city soon if they were to find food and water. His heart quickened as he remembered the Chead were still out there. The creatures could be creeping up the cliffs towards them at this very instant.
“They’re not here,” Liz said softly, as though she’d read his mind. “You looked so peaceful, I thought I’d let you sleep. But I’ve been keeping a lookout.”
Chris leaned his head against her shoulder. “You should have woken me, but thank you.”
Liz nodded. Her eyes returned to the dark plains. In the distance, Chris could just make out the lights of Albuquerque.
“There’s something I’ve been wondering,” Liz said suddenly. “Something about what Susan said to me at the end.”
“What do you mean?” Chris asked, frowning.
“She said she was going to burn humanity from the earth.”
Chris snorted. “Hecate said the same thing, back at your farmhouse, remember? The Chead are dangerous, but even now, they don’t have the numbers to overthrow humanity.”
“Maybe not.” Liz pursed her lips. “But I don’t think that’s what Susan meant. She said killing the President was Talisa’s plan—so what is she hoping to achieve out here?”
Chris frowned, distracted by the way the moonlight played over Liz’s body. Her jacket had been torn in the…conflict with Hecate, and he could just make out the curves of her breasts beneath. Shaking his head, he tried to focus on what she’d said.
“What else could they want?” he asked.
“What if she knows about the President’s threat? What if she wants to use his nuclear arsenal to cripple humanity?” Liz replied.
Ice tingled down Chris’s spine at Liz’s words. Their eyes met in the darkness. Said out loud, the idea didn’t seem so outrageous. No, it seemed a certainty. After all, as Chris had just said, the Chead did not have the numbers to match humanity.
Unless something were to level the playing field.
The two of them came to their feet as one, turning to face the distant city. The glow of the Airforce Base remained unchanged, but as they watched, lights began to flash between the buildings.
Through the darkness came the far-off wail of an alarm.
58
“You think he’s even here?” Ashley whispered, her voice echoing from the narrow walls.
Squinting, Sam could just make out her shadow in the darkness. He sucked in a breath, trying to focus his thoughts in the stifling heat.
“We’ll soon find out, Ash,” he offered, finally.
Closing his eyes, he sat back and tried to ignore the suffocating darkness. Every inhalation brought with it the stench of gasoline—an unwelcome reminder of the hour they’d spent latched onto the bottom of the truck. Ashley’s improvisation had quickly turned into the most uncomfortable ride of Sam’s life.
Pelted by rocks flung up by the tires, Sam’s wings and back were now one giant bruise. Dust had clogged his lungs, making it difficult to breathe, and by the time the truck finally pulled to a stop, it was all Sam could do to keep from groaning out loud.
Instead, he’d held his breath, listening to the men whispering over the rumble of the engine. Boots had crunched on gravel as a pair of guards circled the truck. Hinges screeched, followed by laughter as the men inside conversed with the guards. The stench of cigarettes soiled the crisp night air.
Then a buzzer had sounded, and the clang of metal announced the opening of gates. The engine picked up again as they moved off.
Ten minutes later, Ashley and Sam had found themselves alone in what Sam assumed was a vehicle hangar. They’d listened to the soft patter of retreating footsteps, the distant bang of a door opening and closing, then silence.
After a second’s hesitation, they’d both dropped to the concrete. Sam groaned as he struck, the sound surprisingly loud in the darkness, but in that moment he hadn’t cared. He clenched his fists, wincing as pins and needles shot down his arms. Stifling another groan, he rolled out from beneath the truck and slowly climbed to his feet.
He’d half-expected to find himself surrounded by soldiers, but instead there was only Ashley, still looking all-too-fresh for someone who’d just spent the better part of an hour being dragged along by a truck. Two-hundred-foot-tall iron walls stretched up around them, curving at their apexes to meet in a giant ceiling above their heads. The first light of dawn was just beginning to shine through the skylights, revealing all manner of vehicles.
Their convoy had parked in a line along the side of the hangar, probably to be unloaded in the morning, but the other vehicles in the hangar were not so mundane as their simple truck. From fighter jets to tanks, the President’s base looked far too well-armed for Sam’s liking.
With daylight rapidly approaching, there’d been no time to linger on what the madman’s stockpile meant for the rest of hum
anity. Ashley and Sam had shared a glance, then headed for the nearest hiding place.
An M3A3 Bradley tank—according to the label on the exterior.
But after spending eight hours cooped up inside the thing, Sam was sure they’d picked some outdated model, long since retired from service. Even in the shade of the hangar, the air inside the tank had quickly risen to boiling point. Within a few hours they’d stripped down to their underwear, and for once Sam was too uncomfortable to be distracted by Ashley’s body.
Now, silence had finally returned to the hangar outside their iron tomb. He prayed that meant night had fallen once more.
Sam shared a glance with Ashley. “Think it’s time?”
Ashley pursed her lips, her shoulders rising and falling as she took a breath. “Let’s go.”
She went first, pulling on her clothes and clambering up the ladder to crack open the lid. Sam followed her, his body aching from the long hours spent cramped in the tiny compartment. Fresh air wafted over him as they emerged from their cocoon. He took a moment to savor the sudden cool, before Ashley’s whispers drew him back.
Jumping down beside her, he raised an eyebrow. “Where’s the exit?” It was almost pitch-black inside the hangar now, but he could still pick out the dull shadows of the other vehicles.
He looked around for a door, but Ashley was already moving, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him along with her. Together they threaded their way across the concrete floor, taking care not to disturb anything that might make a noise. Sam kept his ears peeled, listening for the slightest hint of movement, but all was silent.
The exit Ashley had spotted turned out to be a regular door fashioned into the wall. Beside it, a staircase ran up the side of the building, leading to a catwalk that weaved its way between the larger planes. Ignoring the stairs, Sam pressed his ear to the door.
For a moment, all he could hear was the thudding of his own heart. Taking a breath, he tried again. Seconds ticked by and he could feel himself growing anxious. His fingers curled around the door handle, preparing to hurl it open.
Then he heard it—the soft crunch of footsteps.
Retreating from the door, he looked at Ashley and mouthed, “Guard.” Her lips tightened and spreading her wings, she readied herself. Moving back into position, Sam gripped the door handle, and with a last glance at Ashley, yanked it open.
Outside, there was a low gasp as the guard staggered back. He had half a second to fumble for his rifle before Ashley struck him like a sledgehammer. The sound of his body hitting the ground was loud in the night’s quiet.
Darting after Ashley, Sam grabbed the unconscious man by the ankles and dragged him inside the hangar. Then he stepped back into the moonlight and closed the door behind them. Outside, the building didn’t seem half as large. The smooth outer wall stretched up behind them, concealing its size—along with half the airbase.
Ashley was already scanning their surroundings, searching for the glass tower they’d decided was the President’s headquarters. Joining her, Sam took up her hand. Her skin was like ice, but she flashed him a smile when he squeezed her fingers.
“No one in sight,” she whispered. “Most of the guards should be stationed on the fences.”
“Let’s hope,” Sam replied.
He scanned the nearby buildings, but there was no sign of the tower. Sam cursed as he realized it had to be on the other side of the hangar. They shared a glance, their gaze traveling skywards.
“Do we risk it?” Sam asked, staring at the distant watch towers.
Ashley was looking in the same direction. “They’re focused on things happening outside—I think we’ll be safe.” Her wings snapped open and she leapt into the air.
Already second guessing himself, Sam cursed and leapt after. Ashley’s white feathers all but glowed in the moonlight; there would be no missing her if those in the watchtowers happened to glance in their direction. But there was no turning back now.
Muscles working hard, Sam joined Ashley as she hovered above the roof of the hangar. His wings brushed hers as they turned, seeking out the elusive tower, and found it several rooftops over. Its sleek glass panels towered over the dull metal and concrete of the other buildings. Angling their wings, Ashley and Sam shot towards it.
They were halfway there when the first siren began to screech. Sam lurched in the air as red lights flashed across the base. He swore and drew his wings tight against his body. Diving towards the rooftop, he leveled out with barely a foot between himself and the hard steel. Ashley was faster still, her white wings flashing in the darkness.
Sam glanced around, expecting bullets to tear them to shreds at any moment. Instead, he caught the flash of gunfire from a distant watchtower. He frowned, staring as dark figures swarmed the fence. Screams echoed through the darkness and the gunfire ceased.
A few seconds later it started again—only now the shooter was targeting the neighboring towers. Sam gaped as guards fell tumbling through the darkness.
“Ashley, wait!” he called. His wings flattened out, bringing him to a mid-air stop.
“Sam! What are you doing?” Ashley screamed back to him. The crack of feathers on air announced her return. “What are you doing?” she repeated, her voice barely audible over the gunfire.
Sam nodded at the shadows now swarming into the compound. “Something’s happening,” he murmured. “I think it’s the Chead.”
Part 7
Retribution
59
Susan squinted through the darkness, taking in the wire fences and looming guard towers. There was no sign of power lines or a power plant they might sabotage. Arriving beneath the cover of night, they had seen little of the base, but it was clearly larger than any of the towns they had slaughtered.
It did not matter. The humans would fall. At the first sign of trouble, they would turn tail and flee. It was their nature.
Beside her, Hecate was silent. Since the encounter in the cave, he had not dared raise a word against her. After the boy had fled with Talisa’s daughter, Susan had taken Hecate there on the floor, as he still lay recovering from the venom lacing his body. He had submitted meekly, bowing to her newfound power. A day later, he still showed the cuts and bruises Susan had left, to remind him of his place.
The other Chead had fallen into line without quarrel. That Susan had killed Talisa did not matter—only that she had the power to command them. Now, Susan’s hundred warriors were aligned behind her,.
From the moon’s position in the sky, Susan guessed they were passing midnight. Time was marching on and she dared not wait another day. So close to the base, the Chead would not go undetected for long, and the element of surprise was their greatest weapon.
She would let her Chead overwhelm the guards and keep their reinforcements occupied while she and Hecate tracked down the President. Only he had the power to accomplish her plan, to unleash humanity’s vile weapons on its own cities.
A smile flickered across Susan’s face. In a matter of hours, humanity would be brought to its knees. She licked her lips, savoring the thought, then pointed at the closest guard tower.
Silently, the Chead started towards it.
The humans did not notice the impending horde until the Chead leapt onto the chain-link fence. Standing ten feet tall, with the guard tower stretching up another fifteen, it was an imposing feature. Razor wire curling along its top made the fence almost impossible for a human to scale; the Chead were over it in seconds. As the guards swung searchlights towards the rattling of steel, the first of Susan’s warriors were already nearing the top of the tower.
Screams rent the night as the Chead swept over the railings and tore into the guards. A few gunshots followed, then silence. Searchlights from the neighboring towers swept towards them, as somewhere in the base an alarm started to screech.
Before the other guards realized what was happening, the Chead at the top of the tower leapt onto the machine gun turret and swung it around. White flashes lit the night a
s they opened fire. A deadly barrage of bullets ripped through the nearest guard tower.
Susan smiled, and with Hecate at her side, joined the stream of Chead scaling the fence. Those in the lead had already used their immense strength to tear the razor wire free, easing her passage. The Chead scattered through the base ahead of them. Screams drifted through the night, mingling with the roar of automatic gunfire. Unprepared, two towers had already fallen; the others were too far away to interfere.
Gunshots rang out from deeper inside the base as Susan reached the compound. Crates and vehicles littered the yard near the fence, and ducking down, she raced into cover. Most of the Chead had already vanished. Silence fell as the humans lost track of their targets.
Susan crept through the stillness, eyes wary for movement. The thump of running boots on pavement announced the arrival of human reinforcements. Peering out from cover, Susan watched as two dozen soldiers edged their way through the junkyard. Rifles held at the ready, flashlights cutting the gloom, they moved as one, taking each corner with painstaking care. Helmets and heavy body armor covered them, but it would do little good against the power of the Chead.
A howl sounded in the darkness.
Amidst the wreckage, the soldiers spun, seeking the source. Shadows came alive as their torches caught the grey eyes watching them. Gunfire roared and flashes lit the yard.
Screams followed, then silence.
Susan grinned as the Chead slipped back into the night, leaving the dead soldiers in a bloody pile. Several of her people had fallen, but they were only the weak, those too sluggish to avoid the humans’ bullets. The Chead would only grow stronger without them.