Ascension: Children of The Spear: Book one

by Rhett Gervais

  “Why has there not been a nuclear response?” demanded her father, running his thumb along the scar on his chin. “The United States and Russia have had proxy wars for decades now, the reason being that if either side engaged directly, the end result would be nuclear war. No one wants that, but the natural response to an invasion would be a nuclear retaliation.”

  The cardinal stared at the screen for an eternity, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Finally, he shrugged, adjusting his glasses again and clearing his throat. “We can’t respond. Our entire network, up to and including the nuclear football, has been compromised. What you are experiencing in the city, the communications blackout, is only a symptom of the greater problem. There are major disruptions countrywide, infecting even hardline military communications. In many cases, false orders are being sent. Troops are unable to confirm the authenticity of their orders, sowing chaos and confusion. Even if the president gave the order to nuke the bastards, we’re not sure the order would be received. The Russians seem content not to press this advantage on the nuclear front; they are fighting a traditional ground war for the acquisition of territory, not global destruction.”

  They all looked at one another in stunned disbelief. Even Gibbs, who had been avoiding eye contact with her, stared, dumbfounded. Rowen did not know how to feel. She had grown up knowing that she lived in one of the most secure countries in the world. America was unassailable! Invasions, attacks...these things happened in other countries, not here, never here. The cardinal was silent for a moment to let the gravity of his words resonate with their tiny group.

  “Cardinal, how could the Russians have such an advantage? It was my understanding from our intelligence agencies that they had fallen far behind us from a technological standpoint in recent years,” asked her father.

  “We aren’t sure, Captain, but given the effectiveness of their cyber capabilities, we can only assume that this was a major failure on the part of our intelligence community,” said the cardinal, shaking his head in disgust. “I’m sorry to inform you, Captain, but the situation is far more dire than you can imagine. In a single blow they have crippled us—Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, the head offices of most of our major banks are all centered in New York. The nation now faces a severe economic crisis due to this attack. The president has ordered the nation’s banks closed for now for fear of a total collapse, but unless we can quickly end this war, the road ahead will be difficult for us all.”

  Her father gave the cardinal a grim, knowing look. “I guess you’re not getting us out of here anytime soon, are you?” he asked in a whisper.

  “No, I’m afraid we will need you to stay where you are. Your group is the only source of intel we have for now, and we will need you to take an active role in gathering more.”

  “An active role... I’m not sure you understand our situation here, Cardinal,” said her father, his eyes narrowing. “I’m more than capable of doing what you ask, but I’m one man. My intention would be to limit exposure, find a way out of the city on our own. We could provide intel on a passive level, but no more. Please understand we have limited resources. I have my fourteen-year-old daughter—she needs medical attention. I will not put her in harm’s way—and a navy pilot who barely shaves. How could we take an active role?”

  Gibbs began to stand in protest, but Rowen put a restraining hand on his arm, shaking her head.

  “Captain Macdonald, you have an obligation to your country to follow orders.”

  Her father looked to have lost all patience. He gave the cardinal a cold look. “Cardinal, it is my intention to find a way out of this city one way or the other with my family. I have no interest in putting my ass on the line without resources, without backup. To do so would be foolish at best, suicidal at worst. Do I make myself clear?”

  “That is not possible,” said the cardinal, sucking in a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “I am ordering you and your unit to remain where you are, to gather whatever information you can. You will create a militia of any and all available personnel on hand, and you will do your best to disrupt the enemy—small raids, hit and runs, sabotage. You will have the advantage of being a small group. We will send whatever resources we—”

  “Unit, what unit?” he asked, looking around. “Are you insane?”

  “Captain, I will use every man, woman, and child at my disposal to keep this country from falling into enemy hands. My staff looked at your file while we’ve been talking. This is not the first suicidal order you have been given, yet here you are...you’re a survivor, you beat the odds. I am ordering you to do so now.Do I make myself clear?”

  Her father’s eyes were like bullets. If the cardinal were physically present, Rowen was sure her father would have broken the man in half. He closed his eyes, whispering silently to himself. He took a deep breath to center himself. When at last he opened his eyes, he was calm, focused, in control. “Yes, sir, I understand.”

  “Excellent...now—”

  “One last thing, Cardinal, off the record. Know that you’ve signed a death warrant for myself and my family,” he began in a quiet voice, peering intently at the screen. “I recommend that you pray, to whatever god you worship, pray that I don’t survive this...because if I do, I will come for you. I will come for you and destroy everything that you love. I will make you watch as I do it...then I will end you. Understood?”

  The cardinal blanched. Her father’s gaze had that effect on people. It was made more terrifying because he spoke so calmly, as if discussing the weather. Her mother once told her that he had broken an enemy soldier by just staring at him. He just sat across from the man. Staring. The man broke down crying like a child. Rowen almost felt sorry for the cardinal.

  Rowen watched Cardinal Washington struggle to regain his composure, wiping sweat from his brow with a trembling hand. “You...will face a court-martial if you survive this,” he seethed. “I will see to it personally. We have no room for soldiers who cannot follow orders. However, now is not the time for threats. We will see whose judgment shall come if we both survive this. Do not attempt to contact us on this line. We will be in touch with your orders when it’s safe, at regular intervals. God be with you,” he said, closing the line.

  As the screen went black, they all looked at one another for a long time, no one daring to speak. To Rowen, it didn’t feel real. Her father stood quietly for a moment, resolute. Finally, he nodded to himself. “Well, it looks like this is going to be home for the next little while,” he said, looking around the dismal subway platform. “Settle in, people. I have every intention of living through this. I will not have any of you die at the whims of some upstart zealot. We will survive this. You have my word on that. Do you understand me?”

  Despite the dire situation, they all nodded. The empty feeling that had been churning in the pit of her stomach vanished, replaced with the tiniest spark of hope. Not much, but Rowen knew if they were smart, with a little luck, they would have a chance, and that’s all anyone could ask for.

  Chapter 15: A Day at the Front

  April 2076

  From the transport plane’s tiny window, the city looked like something out of a nightmare, mile after mile of burnt-out, gray concrete and broken glass stretching as far as the eye could see. The once shining towers, a beacon of civilization, now stood like rotting teeth, jagged and vile.

  “How can people live like this? Why do they stay?” muttered Arthur under his breath, tugging at the uncomfortable straps that dug into his shoulders.

  “I wanna see,” said Gwen, fully draping herself over him from her seat, looking out the tiny window, mouth agape at the destruction. “Fuck, that’s messed up. I always wanted to see Boston, heard it was an awesome party town.”

  Feeling her heat on top of him, the apple wood scent of her shampoo in his nose, Arthur had to close his eyes, trying to control his sudden rapid breathing, praying she couldn’t hear his pounding heart.

  “What’s the matter, Arthur; you afraid of flying?” sa
id Gwen, suddenly moving off him and giving him a playful shove...and nearly pushed him through the bulkhead of the plane. “Shit, sorry, still not used to being this way.”

  Arthur groaned, rubbing his shoulder and blinking away stars. “It’s ok. It’s not every day someone tries to shove me through a titanium wall,” he said, giving her a tight-lipped smile, the smell of her lingering in his nostrils.

  Arthur had only flown once before, that night when the major bishop had come for him, and he had spent most of that trip drifting in and out, barely conscious. But he remembered the soft leather seats where he curled up and the plush carpet he buried his toes in. The cabin had been luxurious, warm and welcoming with fine wood panels. It had been just the two of them on that trip, with more room than he had ever needed, the pilot having locked himself away in the cockpit right after takeoff. The overloaded transport was drab in comparison, gray, unpainted titanium walls draped in bright insulation, exposed cables, and the electronic guts of the plane snaking along the length of the cabin. He sat shoulder to shoulder with the airborne infantry that served as a support unit for Divinity Corps, packed in so tight it made him feel claustrophobic. Arthur didn’t miss the major bishop in the least, but his fancy leather chairs would be welcome now. The threadbare padding on the transport’s seats was painful to say the least, so much so that it cut off his circulation, and Arthur had spent most of the trip squirming in place, trying to keep his bum from falling asleep.

  “People stay because it is the only home they know,” said Asahi, sitting across from him, his voice sounding strained and tinny over the dull roar of the engines. “My family lived here, before the Russians came. They stayed longer than they should have.” Arthur looked over to see the pale-haired man frowning, clenching and unclenching his fist. In the months since he had met him, Arthur had grown to like the soft-spoken man. He had never met someone so calm and in control, and Arthur did his best to emulate him. His revelation about his family was a surprise, as the man rarely spoke about himself, preferring to focus on work and training, duty above all else.

  “If you wish to wage war, you must pay the cost, Asahi,” said a pinched-faced woman who sat beside him. “If we hadn’t spent so many years antagonizing them, none of this would have happened.”

  Asahi raised an eyebrow, shooting her a sour look. “When did you become so heartless, Komiko?”

  Komiko shrugged, turning away from him as she tucked a stray gray hair behind her ear. “A day on the front lines will make even the kindest soul bitter. I’m tired of wasting my time fighting over a memory. Boston is gone, its people broken. We should accept our losses and move on. I see little sense in showing our latest recruits our failures.”

  Looking at the two of them bicker, Arthur did his best to keep his face blank. His stomach was churning with worry. He and Gwen had just been cleared to go into the field and had strict orders from the major bishop to observe only, to let the more experienced members take the lead.

  “Don’t worry, boy, this is what you’ve been created for,” said Asahi. “I can see you’re afraid. I was too, the first time, but you won’t be in any real danger. The rest of us will engage the enemy and push them back beyond our lines. You and Gwen are backup, here to watch and learn.”

  Arthur nodded, swallowing hard, positive he wasn’t ready. He had spent more time with the major bishop than learning to fight, and while he had grown stronger, tougher, he still hadn’t shown any abilities beyond opening locks. Something he had decided to keep to himself, given how silly it seemed. “Sorry, I’m just worried. I keep expecting to wake up one morning and be able to do...I don’t know, something, but so far...”

  “Don’t worry, cutie, you’re just a slow learner, no shame in that,” said Gwen, giving him a lopsided grin while bouncing with excitement. “Don’t worry, I’ll try not to make you look bad down there.”

  “You will do no such thing, young lady,” said Asahi, steepling his palms. “While your development has been nothing short of remarkable, neither of you is ready to be in full combat, not without more training. The two of you will remain by my side. Komiko and the others will engage today. Understood!”

  “Yes, sir,” said Arthur, red-faced, relieved, and angry at the same time. He just couldn’t keep up with her, no one could, despite having gone through the process months before she did. Her strength was off the charts and still growing. With a deep sigh, he crossed his arms, trying to forget the memory of her warm body on top of him, but the smell of her kept wafting over him, making his heart race again. He unbuckled the straps holding him in place, about to make an excuse to find another spot, when a burst of static filled the cabin.

  “Two minutes to the jump zone, people, so begin your prep,” said a deep voice over the plane’s comm system. The voice belonged to Gabriel, a stern-faced man Arthur had only seen from a distance. He had flown with the pilots, not caring to be social.

  Unclipping the leather straps, he bounced to his feet, staggering as the air pressure in the cabin changed with the opening of the massive cargo door at the rear of the plane. “What does he mean—jump zone?” he said, squinting at the sudden brightness filling the cabin, his heart catching in his throat.

  “The Russians use some sort of dampening field,” said Asahi, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the wind. “It’s not always active, and we never know how big the area it affects will be, but most of our technology ceases to work the moment we enter.”

  “So we just jump out of the plane?” asked Arthur, swallowing hard.

  “Something like that,” said Komiko with a twinkle in her eyes. “If we do our jobs properly, the enemy will be pushed back, whatever device they use to manipulate the field will hopefully go with them, and the plane can land to pick us up. Another fool’s errand will be complete and we will return home.”

  “It’s not a fool’s errand,” said the deep voice from the comm system. Arthur looked up to see a round-faced man with a receding hairline striding toward them, dark curls just touching his shoulders. He was dressed in Divinity Corps red, his long coat covering up his ample bulk. Given his size, Arthur was sure he rarely missed a meal, yet he moved with an agile grace. “People still live in this city, it’s our duty to protect them...or have you forgotten that,” he said, walking past everyone to stand nose to nose with the small woman.

  “Holding this place has cost us, far more than it should have,” said Komiko, looking up at him and holding his gaze, nostrils flaring.

  “Enough!” said Asahi, moving between the two. “Komiko knows her duty—we all do. We can’t change what happened! Gabriel, get us on the ground; the faster we do this the better. Everyone form up!”

  At Asahi’s signal, the officer up front gave the order, and the airborne organized themselves quickly, lining up against the wall just as the seating they had been using smoothly folded into the floor, whisper quiet, vanishing as if it had never existed and leaving a wide, open cargo area. Watching the men and women attach their parachute deployment bags to the static line above their heads, Arthur’s heart skipped a beat when he realized that he didn’t have a parachute. He was about to ask how it all worked when a soldier at the front counted down from thirty, then gave the order to move out. Arthur marveled at how soldier after soldier dived from the plane, plummeting to the earth without a moment’s hesitation.

  At his side, Gwen squeezed his arm, nearly breaking it, worry crisscrossing her face. “These pricks know we can’t fly, right,” she said, stealing glances from the corner of her eye at the older members of the unit who milled around like nothing was amiss.

  When the last soldier deployed, Gabriel pushed through to the front of their small group. Not bothering with pleasantries, he extended his arms like Moses parting the Red Sea, his long, brown curls flapping in the wind. Beside him, Gwen gasped as a pulse of blue light appeared from his hands, tracing down his round form and extending into a solid-looking square platform below his feet, wide as it was long, growing larger ever
y moment. When it was done, he stepped forward, speaking over his shoulder. “Ladies and gentlemen, your chariot awaits,” he said with a small chuckle.

  “Do you never tire of that joke?” said Komiko up near the front, her tone weary. “I will go on ahead, man the forward fortification for this area and make sure they don’t get past our lines.” With that, the small woman pushed past Gabriel with a sneer, aiming her hands downward, beams of white light projecting from her open palms like the thrust of a rocket, propelling her skyward. Before anyone could blink, she flew off, not caring to wait for them.

  “That cunt of a woman never had any patience,” said Gabriel, walking to the front of the platform. He turned around and planted his hands on his hips, waving everyone aboard.

  “Wow, that was harsh,” said Gwen, her eyebrows shooting up. “She must have really messed him up at some point.” She tossed her hair as she strode forward, spinning on her heel to test the platform.

  Asahi followed right after, his hands behind his back. “They were good friends once, very close. We all were in the beginning,” he said, locking eyes with Gabriel, “but time has a way of making even the best of friends bitter toward one another.”

  Not sure what to make of the exchange, Arthur followed everyone’s lead, gingerly stepping forward, amazed at how solid the platform was, how real.

  He jumped back suddenly as walls thick as his leg grew from the platform, reaching up to his waist. “I don’t normally put up the walls,” said Gabriel up at the front, “but since we got kiddies with us…”

  Arthur held his breath as the platform shot from the plane, a sense of vertigo threatening to overwhelm him when he realized there was nothing but the floating blue square keeping them aloft, the plane rapidly receding behind them, hundreds of airborne descending beneath them, like dandelions floating on the breeze.