There was a baggage pickup just to the south of them, back towards the unloading zone. If they were careful, maybe they could slip outside unnoticed and get around to the back area of the zyphers.
Reaching the baggage claim area without a problem, they squeezed themselves through the hole in the wall where the baggage loading dock connected to the outside area. What they hadn’t expected was a large hairy gray ogre tossing bags onto the baggage chute on the other side.
“Hey you! You’re not supposed to be over here! Come back here!” the ugly man called in a booming, raspy voice. Ignoring him, trusting they could outrun the huge clod, they sat off in a run. Aidan’s hood slipped off.
“It’s the humans! Black Doves! Over here! The humans are over here!” the man bellowed.
Crap. The goon was calling for the Annokai.
Tat did her best not to freeze up or start shaking again. Her heart felt like it was about ready to explode or jump out of her throat, but she kept running.
From out of nowhere there was a half wall in front of them. What was this? This wasn’t on the map. Aidan hadn’t calculated dealing with it, but they had no other choice but to run and try to leap over. It was only about four and a half feet tall, and he knew he could do it, but Tat?
There was no time to find out. He could only hope she’d be able to do it too. Leaping into the air, he cleared the other side, stopping for just a second to see if she’d made it. She should have been just behind him.
She was climbing it and was just about to jump over when the Annokai swooped down, grabbing her by her pack. Flailing her arms and legs, she demanded to be let go. Aidan lunged for the Annokai’s leg and grabbed him, hoping to hold him in place so Tat could get free. Tat wrestled and undid her cloak and pack, squirming she managed to drop free. The Annokai furiously threw down her cloak and pack and swooped down again.
The crowd gathering from curiosity over the commotion parted, mostly shouting obscenities as they did so.
Four elven riders approached in a diamond formation on motorcycle-like vehicles. To Aidan the cycles looked something like what he remembered Harley choppers looking like in his world. Kenny, his ex-best friend’s dad had one a few years back. At this moment, that seemed like a lifetime ago.
The front fork on these things extended further than those he’d remembered and held one spoked tire like a normal motorcycle, while the back tires were replaced with what looked like two noticeably short metal tank treads sitting on the ground on either side of the seat saddle. The engine was wider than most too and there were extra exhaust pipes that curved in a funny pattern behind the back of the broad seat.
A rider slowed to scoop up Tat, and another circled around and stopped, yelling for him to hop on. Aidan didn’t have time to think so instinctively reacted and jumped on, seeing that another Annokai was well on her way to meet them. Tat, who was hanging half off the cycle sitting sidesaddle fainted, forcing the rider to have to hold her in place.
Two more Annokai joined the others, flying as fast as they could to keep up with the cycles. The female Annokai swooped several times over the rider holding onto Tat. One of the single riders pulled a weird, short rifle thing from his long trench and fired at the feathery-winged harpy; missing her, but it kept her at bay for a bit.
Tybor and Rowen had no trouble getting out, having gone through one of the outer terminals separately. The Annokai weren’t looking for them individually and since they both had seals and the poster didn’t show what they accurately looked like, Rowen reasoned and Tybor agreed, that they should be able to get out without a problem. He had been right. Rowen was happy that Tybor was willing to give his suggestion a try; maybe there was some hope in them reconciling their friendship after all.
Still, they needed to find Aidan and Tat. Hopefully, Aidan had some luck in getting Tat stable enough to make it out of there.
Tybor knew the boy did in fact have a good head on his shoulders and Tat was stronger than she realized and would be able to get it together, otherwise he wouldn’t have left them.
Without attracting any attention Tybor and Rowen met up deciding to pace the outside gates, hoping to see them. There hadn’t been a chance to plan a rendezvous point, but surely they would know not to wander too far away.
Tybor spotted the riders. What are they doing here? Knowing the situation just got a whole lot worse, he yelled for Rowen to keep up as he set out in a full run.
Rowen had no idea why Tybor would be chasing a bunch of devotees through the terminal, but obviously now was not the time to ask questions, so did his best to run after him. They heard the gunshot ring through the uproar and saw the riders attempting to flee the Annokai. Was that Aidan and Tat with them?
Tybor loosened his dagger and sprang into the air, jumping over one of the single riders and pinning the hovering Annokai in the shoulder with his blade. Landing on the winged soldier’s chest he retrieved his weapon while the Annokai writhed on the ground from the stab wound. Tybor, being true to the assassin he is, remorselessly slit his opponent’s throat.
Another Annokai took to the ground and barreled towards him while the rider Tybor saved stopped and yelled for Rowen by name, telling him to get on.
Rowen didn’t question it seeing that Aidan and Tat were already with them. The riders circled Tybor, dodging attempts of the remaining three Annokai to knock them from their cycles. Tybor took aim and flung his dagger piercing the heart of the next Annokai to come his way, dropping him in his tracks.
Aidan realized that Tybor was now weaponless and quickly undid the dagger he’d given him earlier. Yelling, getting Tybor’s attention he tossed it to him. He hadn’t thrown it far enough, but Tybor dove for it, landing on his back then rolling backwards, unsheathing it just in time to impale the female up through the throat and into her skull.
His fist bloody, Tybor retrieved the other dagger and ran towards the last single rider who slowed to let him hop on. The rider took the lead in front of the others as they fell back in formation. The last Annokai pursued them but was unable to keep up once they took to the streets.
Chapter Seventeen
Minions of Khaos
A fter a while of riding on the outskirts of the great city, and being certain no Annokai was following, Tybor patted the rider on the shoulder and pointed out an alley. The rider pulled in and waited for the others to do the same.
Aidan, Rowen and Tat who awoke once the bikes slowed, dismounted the cycles quickly and moved to Tybor. He didn’t wait for the flood of questions to begin, instead threw his hand up at them, as he’d done many times the last few days signaling to them that he didn’t want them speaking.
To all appearances the riders appeared elven, possibly Braegin. But Tat noticed something seemed off about them, especially since most Braegin want nothing to do with the city.
Dressed in one-piece dark leather jumpsuits and boots much like Tybor wore when they first met, they also wore long heavy trench coats which concealed their weapons.
Their hair was various darkened shades of brown, and their vivid green eyes looked unnatural, as did their flawless bronze complexions. However, she also noted that the various tribal tattoos that marked their face, neck and probably other parts of their bodies made them look every bit like a typical elven biker gang.
“I dought da mission was clear. Why in Shadderah are you’s here Croix?”
“We received orders to intervene Sir. Knowing the Annokai would be there to intercept the zypher’s landing; we were ordered to see you and the children made it out safe.”
“Orders from who?” Tybor raised his voice demanding to know.
“From...” Croix hesitated, looking at the kids, “from her.”
“Fer da love of—” Tybor punched the brick wall behind him, caving in a good chunk of it. Rowen, Tat and Aidan instinctively stepped closer to one another and back from Tybor. They had never seen him lose it like this.
“Are you sayin’ dat she didn’t trust me?” Tybor grabbed t
he rider by the collar of his trench and more yelled than asked.
“Commander, you should know that all your titles have been revoked by the Crown,” one of the other riders spoke up with a sneer on his face. Tybor dropped the one he’d called Croix’s collar. “So Prince or not, technically, nobody has to answer to you anymore, and she said to remind you of that if you didn’t come along quietly.”
Prince?
“So Jasper, after I save you’n all from da fire an’ trained you’s, you’s gonna turn on me like dat?” Tybor calmly questioned him. Rowen noticed he’d also rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger.
“Boss. It ain’t like that,” another rider stepped forward, nearly identical to the one that Tybor was confronting except bearded and with slightly longer hair. “We’ll always be loyal to you no matter what Sir. What my idiot brother is trying to say is the Ceil, she put you up on her ship, then set the doves on you. And—”
“Jasper, Jocelyn; that’s enough.” Croix warned them not to discuss anything further.
“Cara did this?” Tybor turned around and asked Croix.
“This isn’t the best place to discuss this Sir,” Croix replied looking over at the kids.
“I asked you’s a question,” Tybor was doing his best not to lose his patience again.
“Just come back with us and we’ll let her explain...”
“She’s here?”
“Kinda,” the last of them stepped forward. Looking a lot like the other three, although his skin and hair was lighter and he wore what looked like aviator goggles on his head.
“What you’s mean kinda?”
“Well Sir, I’ve managed to get a secure signal on the communication crystal. She’s still at the base, dealing with a Myrr uprising and all the bombings, so the image might be a bit fuzzy but the signal goes through clear enough.”
“Kynen, I said that’s enough.” Croix, obviously the leader of this gang of misfits announced. “Let’s go back to the den Sir, we can speak privately there and I can tell you more. Then you can call and work this all out with her.”
“Dat’s not da mission.”
“Things have changed. The mission has changed,” Jasper chimed in rather bravely, “and we got orders from Moira to bring you and the twerps back to the den.”
“Hey!” Rowen objected to being called a twerp.
Tybor thought for a moment. Who did she think she was, and who did they think they were talking to? He clearly outranked her, if not by title of Prince any more than certainly by honor. He was their Commander; they should be following his orders. Leave it to her to think he couldn’t finish the mission. No, the mission – his mission – would continue as planned.
“No. You’s tell her I’ll have words wid her when dis is o’er. You’n my soldiers an’ I’ll give da orders, Crown rank or not,” he told Croix and then looked at the rest of them. “Dis mission came from way higher up den Moira. An’ you’n know dat, so unless you’s tellin’ me you’s been tol’ from da source, den we go wid de original mission.”
“Are you sure Sir?” Croix asked.
“Are you’s questionin’ my orders Croix?” Tybor asked in disbelief, amazed that his top officer had the audacity. Perhaps he’d been too lax in his leadership duties lately.
“No Sir.”
“Den do we’s have a problem?”
“No Sir,” Croix replied as a soldier should; yet felt compelled to add, “but you did tell us that she was in charge until you returned.”
“If I’d known she’d pull dis stunt!”
“So, should we return to base then Boss?” Jocelyn asked.
“No. Stays here, I might have need of ya. Are dere o’ers here too?”
“There’s the eight of us Sir, your full squad,” Croix answered.
“A’ight. I’ll deals wid you’s all later. Righ’ now de kids an’ I needs ta git to da temple. Kids get back on de mounts. Deys goin’ ta give us a ride again.”
Mounts?
“What the? Now hold up! We’re not going anywhere until you–”
“Don’t start wid me now Rowen, jus’ do as I say like you’s agreed you would.”
“Come on! You can’t expect us to just get on these steel death traps and ride through the streets again. What if the Annokai show up?”
“Den I’lls deal wid ‘em again. Now allons!”
“No.” This time it was Aidan that was refusing. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Rowen. We deserve some answers. I know you said you can’t tell us everything. I get that, but–”
“An’ nothin’s changed. I dought we all had an un’erstandin’.”
“You said we were a team,” Tat cried. “And teams shouldn’t keep secrets from each other like this. If you want us to trust you, then you should trust us too.”
“Looks like you got a bit of an insubordination problem with your little squad here Sir,” Jasper chuckled, daring to scorn Tybor again, ignoring his obvious ire.
“We’re not his soldiers,” Rowen informed them through gritted teeth.
“Fine, ask yer questions. Jus’ remember, I still can’t tell you’n everythin’. So, what’s it gonna take?” Tybor asked.
“Wow!” Jasper snickered and Kynen whistled lowly. His men seemed rather amused that their commander was kowtowing to these kids.
“First off, who the heck are they?” Rowen began questioning, amazed that Tybor caved so easily, and wasn’t waiting to give him a chance to change his mind.
“Dey are de Brotherhood of de Minions of Khaos; well my squad of ‘em at least.”
“So you’re a devotee too? A minion? A follower of the god Khaos?” Tat asked, not believing what she was hearing.
“No’s, I ne’er said I was a devotee–”
“Are you some kind of double agent? You said they’re your soldiers.” Aidan cut in.
“Do you’ns wanna knows or not? If’n ya do, clam up so I can tell ya.”
“Sir...” Croix began to say something, but Tybor shut him up with a scowl. The rest of them decided it was probably best if they kept quiet too.
“Dey are my soldiers, I trained ‘em, and dey are secretly un’er my comman’. Sometimes dey claim ta be devotees out in da worl’, but dat’s jus’ a cover so’s dey can get info. We’s call ourselves da Brotherhood of de Minions of Khaos ‘cause we’s don’t agree wid da laws of da Gods of Fate dat are in rule. But dere’s a reason fer dat too. Dese soldiers were to be executed, an’ my sister Moira an’ I–”
“Sister?” Rowen interrupted, but then retracted the question with a sharp look from Tybor, “sorry, continue.”
“We saved ‘em jus’ as da Annokai were about to burn ‘em alive.” Tybor paused, hoping that was enough to satisfy their questions for now.
“They must’ve done something pretty bad for the Annokai to kill elves,” Tat added.
“We’re not elves,” Kynen corrected.
“Show ‘em,” Tybor ordered, knowing the questioning would continue if he didn’t. Kynen hesitated for a second then pulled off his trench. Pulling over his long braids he removed a silver chained necklace holding some form of ruby red crystal with runes on it.
The glamour magick that the necklace was imbued with immediately faded. His skin glistened for a moment then lost all hue. Drained of color he looked very pale with black eyes like that of an Annokai, leaving only the tattoos the same.
Turning around he pulled his arms from the jumpsuit, leaving his back exposed. Flexing his shoulders forward two grotesque stumpy nubs popped from his back where wings had once been. Lumps of skin had grown over the bony protrusion over a period of time, leaving a gnarly sight behind.
“They’re Annokai?!” Aidan gasped figuring it out before the other two realized it.
“No, Daemon,” Croix clarified, “it’s what they call us when we’ve been deemed unworthy. And for most of us, our crime was refusing to eradicate Errata’s. Or to think for ourselves.” Croix looked at Tybor as if he were asking permissi
on to continue, and Tybor nodded.
“It started with an Errata, a very old woman who was on her death bed. Her entire family, all her children, grandchildren even; her husband, anyone she’d come in steady contact with had already been eradicated by me or my brothers and sisters. All the people that had come into being because of her, they had all been removed – wiped from history, and there she was lying in her bed, dying with only moments of breath left in her.
“I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t take that woman’s last moments, her last memories of an entire lifetime away. And for what? All because the Gods made a mistake. It wasn’t her fault. She had lived an entire life. A productive life. A beautiful life, but it had been a mistake. But no, the God’s never make mistakes. That’s what we were told to believe, that the Errata’s were simply abominations, probably because of Kismet’s brother Khaos’s interference.
“But here this woman was, dying. Just lying there on her deathbed wondering why she was so alone when she was sure there had been a large loving family to comfort her. And I had been ordered to steal those last remaining moments.
“I began to question it all then, and then others followed my lead and we started refusing orders. So they rounded us up, cut off our wings and sentenced us to be executed by fire. And that’s when Tybor and Moira rescued us. It had been one of Commander Tybor’s first Fate given missions–”
“Dat’s ‘nuff of da history lesson. Now you’ns satisfied?”
“Not in the least,” Rowen added, shaking his head.
“Well dat’s all yer gettin’, take it or leave it.”
“Jus’ one more question,” Rowen cut his eyes at Tybor, “Prince?”
“I ne’er said Ambassador was my only title.”
“Well that’s a mighty big detail you left out.”
The Fateless: Errata Page 23