Code, p.15
Code, page 15
I nodded. “Shhh. He can hear you.” I mouthed the words and tugged on my ear.
Zen seemed to understand what I was trying to convey. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them, he released a long sigh.
“Ava. I’m sorry. I didn’t know Novak was Dr. Hunt. Novak is your father.”
“It’s okay.” I began to back away. “He told me. Don’t say anything, okay. I know everything.”
“Ava...”
How was I supposed to escape now? How was I going to save everyone? I needed to change my plan.
“Don’t say another word.” I retreated even more to where Novak stood, who was scrolling through his messages on his chip. “You have me, Novak. Let my friends go. You won, okay? Release them. I’ll do what you want.”
Novak regarded me but didn’t respond. That was a no.
I gave Zen my back and walked toward the exit. Surprisingly, Novak didn’t try to stop me.
Chapter Twenty-Four — Ambush
Rhett
After Vince gave Rhett permission to take five Propellers, he gathered his team and left to find Ava. Ozzie, Brooke, Reyna, Tamara, Mia, and Nina squeezed in the back of the glider and Cleo sat in front on the passage side.
Rhett checked the hologram map and clicked on the autopilot button. He couldn’t see as the fog had become thick and mist clouded the windows.
He glanced over to Cleo and adjusted his cap. “We’re going to find your father. He’s a smart man.”
Before Rhett left, he had told her what had happened to her father. He’d thought about not telling her, but if he were in her shoes, he would want to know.
Cleo didn’t look at him. She idly polished her gun on her lap with the hem of her shirt. “You better be right, Rhett. If something happens to my ... He’s all I have left.” She blinked and paused to gather herself. “I’m sorry. You lost so much too. We all have. When does this end? I’m so tired.”
Rhett cupped her hand. “Hey. Your dad and Frank are fine. Ava and Naomi are fine. We’re going to find them.” Because he didn’t know what he would do either.
Zen had been like a father to him, to all of them. Sure, they didn’t agree on a lot of things, but Zen had always done right by all of them. He gave the resistance a home and a feeling of unity, a family, a purpose.
“Looks like we’re almost there,” Reyna said softly, gazing out the window.
“It looks like hell,” Brooke said.
“I hope we don’t run into those creatures.” Tamara flipped her pocketknives while keeping her eyes on the view.
Rhett wished he had something—anything—that could keep his pulse level. He looked over his shoulder at Mia and Nina. Mia pushed back her red hair, taking in slow deep breaths. Nina twirled her nose ring and shocked herself from her electrical spark. The girls had assimilated quickly.
Rhett had instructed Ella and Cora to stay behind to help protect their home base. He didn’t like separating Mia and Ella, but he didn’t see the point of bringing them both when they had similar powers.
Alarm suddenly shrilled. Their glider shook hard enough to dislodge anyone not strapped in.
“What’s going on?” Reyna said.
“We’ve been hit.” Rhett checked the monitors to see where the missile had come from, but the window had misted with condensation.
The glider lurched again.
Ozzie looked out the window. “Visibility is near zero. Just land.”
Ozzie slammed against the side of the cabin. The transporter had been hit again. Rhett strapped the Propeller onto his wrist. It looked like a watch but with a square-shaped thin metal face, where he controlled the unit. He tugged Cleo out of her seat and guided her toward the back.
“Get your Propellers ready,” Rhett hollered down the aisle, over the warning beeping. “We have to evacuate.” He grabbed his backpack from a cabinet, shoved his cap inside, and hiked the pack over his shoulder. “Everyone get your weapons. Ozzie, get the emergency pack. Reyna, get ready to open the—”
Metal clanking sounded rapidly. Bullets tore through down the aisle. Had Rhett’s team been in their seats, they would have been sitting ducks.
Reyna opened the side door. With the wind gushing in and the glider freefalling in an incline, everyone teetered, losing their balance.
“Jump. I’m right behind you,” Rhett ordered, his hands anchored on the door handle, the mist dampening his face. His pack swung to the side and thumped on his back.
Ozzie and Brooke leaped together. Next, Reyna and Tamara. Then Mia and Nina were given their own. Before the team had left the base, Rhett explained how the Propellers worked. He was glad he’d listened to his instincts and asked Vince for them.
When everyone was out, he clicked the button on the square, wrapped his arms around Cleo, and jumped. He felt high with a rush of euphoria. He loved the speed and the danger, always reveled in the freedom of body and gravity joining as one.
Cleo screamed, her voice lost to the beating gale.
A bubble-like shield engulfed them in an instant as they plummeted, gliding with the wind. It would have been an enjoyable ride under different circumstances.
The misty rain usually didn’t bother Rhett, but he didn’t know where he was headed. And being in enemy territory didn’t ease his mind.
Please let us land safe. That is all I ask.
They had been fifteen minutes from their destination when the first shot had hit. That they had been shot down might mean they were closer than he had calculated.
When Rhett pressed the oval-shaped button on the hologram monitor connected to the control on his wrist, it showed him a clear image of the ground below, crisscrossed with red laser lights.
“They’re shooting at us, Rhett. Can we shoot back?” Cleo leaned to her side of the window.
“Everyone, watch out. We have incoming.” Mia’s voice resonated through Rhett’s Propeller.
Rhett weaved the transporter to the left to dodge the laser beams. Too many. There were too many. He had to do something.
“Get the one to your left, I’ll get this guy,” Cleo said. “Yes. Target down.” She gave Rhett a light sock on his arm. She sounded proud of herself.
To Rhett’s right, Mia’s Propeller lurched forward.
“I’ve been hit, but I’m okay,” Mia said. “The machine has this line—like a lifeline. It was full when we got on, but now it’s only half. What does that mean?”
Means you’re screwed if you get hit one more time.
“Mia, stay in front of me.” Bad advice, but Rhett didn’t know what to tell her. Then an idea came to his mind. “Nina. Can you extend your power outside of the shield?”
“I can try.”
“Work on that and get ready when I count to three.”
“Where you going?”
Rhett ignored her and switched over. “Hey, Ozzie. If we don’t do something, we’re all dead.”
“Wow, thanks for that tip, Rhett,” Brooke said. “Got anything else to enlighten us with?” Rhett almost laughed. He would have, but they were in a hurry and desperate.
“Yes, I do, Brooke. Oz, remember that mission when I surprised the driver and—”
“Oh, hell no, Rhett. There’s no freakin’ way I’m—”
“Oz, are you with me?” Rhett looked over his shoulder when laser beams barely missed him. “Don’t make me do this by myself. Lives depend on us.” He switched over. “On the count of three. Nina, get ready. Don’t fail me.”
“No pressure there,” she murmured.
“One. Two. Now. Cleo, hold on tight.” Rhett’s voice boomed through everyone’s Propellers before he banked hard to his left, while Ozzie went right. They flipped upside down, then continued heading straight for their targets, firing away from their Propeller.
Nina, on the other hand made a U-turn, coming toward Rhett, like a lightning diva, she poured her power straight down the middle. Tentacles of her lightning extended, sizzled, and wrapped around six of their enemies’ gliders, electrocuting them.
“Rhett,” Mia shouted. “The light is flickering. Something’s wrong.”
“Don’t panic, Mia,” Rhett said. “Try to keep ...” She was going down too fast. “Nina, I need you again. Try to slow Mia’s Propeller. Whatever you can do.”
“On it.” Nina’s glider zoomed, her electrical lights pulling on Mia’s hub, but the speed of the falling aircraft seemed too heavy and powerful.
“I’ll try to clear her path,” Tamara said.
“I’m right beside you,” Rhett said, flying over a deserted golf course and a half-faced hotel.
Mia was falling toward an office building and the Propeller couldn’t keep her safe from the impact. So Tamara fired at the walls, which crumbled into chunks, dust and smoke powdering the vicinity. Nina’s lightning rod continued to encase and anchor Mia’s hub.
“Nina,” Rhett said. “Can you grab hold of Mia if I tell her to release the hub?”
“I don’t know. She’s too far. She’s almost down.”
“I can’t eject, Rhett,” Mia said, her breath heavy. “It’s damaged. I’ll have to fall. Just in case I don’t make it, please tell Ella I love her. And thank you, all of you, for accepting us with open arms. It’s been an honor.”
“You’re not dying today, Mia,” Rhett shouted. “This is an order. Get hold of her, Nina.” Damn it, he didn’t want to lose any more friends.
“I’m trying, Rhett,” Nina hollered, her voice strained.
Nina dove faster, her powers growing. Even the clouds seemed to mimic her desperation as they darkened and rumbled. No matter the effort, Nina was too late.
Mia crashed at the place where Tamara had fired. Her half-exposed Propeller bounced off the ground and skidded along the debris while Nina’s lightning rods grabbed Mia just as she was tossed upward. Nina brought her down safely around the crushed cement and landed her Propeller. The rest followed.
Rhett’s knees dug into the dirt as he hovered over Mia. He unzipped his pack and shot her with a dosage of painkiller from his medical bag.
Brooke knelt by Mia’s head. “She’s bleeding on her left shoulder. She’s been hit by a bullet.”
“Hey...” Mia groaned, fluttering her eyes open. “I’m still ... alive? I don’t feel so good.”
Rhett held her hand. “Mia, everything is going to be fine.”
Ozzie squeezed between Brooke and Tamara, withdrew a small box of medical supplies from his backpack and handed it to Rhett.
Rhett took a pair of scissors from the box and cut around the bloody sweater at her shoulder. The blood had stopped somewhat, but the hole looked nasty.
Reyna’s forehead creased and she took a deep breath. “If I take out her bullet, we need to stitch her back up. Do we have—”
“I can do it,” Nina said, on her knees beside Rhett. “It’ll hurt like hell, but I can close it up by zapping it.” She wiggled her fingers. “Don’t worry. I’m not making this up. I’ve done it before.”
“Well, we can either talk about it or actually save her life.” Brooke shrugged. “Just saying. What are we waiting for? Reyna, do your magic. Do I need to look away? Are you going to like stick your finger inside her wound? Cause that would be really freaky.”
“Mia. Hold on.” Rhett squeezed her hand and gave Reyna a nod.
“I haven’t done this in so long.” Reyna bent lower, hovering her mouth over Mia’s wound. She inhaled slowly at first. When nothing happened, she sucked in air deeper. The bullet’s face peeked through. Mia moaned and shifted.
Reyna’s face turned red the harder she pulled. The bullet moved upward. Half of its metal body showed. Then Reyna caught it in midair before it had a chance to go into her mouth.
Nina swooped in and released small amount of power over Mia’s wound. The lights were beautiful, sizzling and sparkling, and mended the wound with a livid, puckered seal. Mia squirmed again. This time she belted out a scream, her back arching.
“Give her another shot of painkiller,” Rhett barked, as Mia squeezed his hand harder.
Ozzie reached inside his bag and handed it to Tamara, who administered the dose. Immediately, Mia relaxed and lowered her body. Her breathing steadied.
“Done. That should do it.” Nina slumped down on her butt and rubbed at her pierced nose. “Don’t ask me to do anything today, Rhett. I’m out. I’m exhausted. I used all of my energy slowing Mia’s propeller.”
“We need to hide.” Rhett surveyed the area.
Nothing but fallen telephone poles, a few rundown homes, and then he spotted a perfect cave-like hideout in one of the warehouses. Half of the building had collapsed, but the other half seemed stable. Good enough.
“There.” Rhett pointed behind them to the far left, about sixty yards. “ISAN knows we’ve crashed. They’re going to come back. It’ll get dark soon and who knows what’s out there? Besides, we all need to rest.”
Another delay in getting to Ava.
A part of Rhett wondered if he should go on alone, but no. Having a strong team gave them a better chance of rescuing Ava and Naomi, and now Zen and Frank might need rescuing too.
“Cleo, where do you think you’re going?” Rhett said when he spotted her sneaking away. “You won’t make it far going alone. I know you want to find your father like yesterday, but I can’t lose you too. Going by yourself is crazy. You know I’m right.”
Her back still to Rhett, she sighed. “Fine. I’m going to scout the perimeter while it’s still light.”
“Tamara goes with you.” Rhett looked at Tamara to confirm.
Tamara gave him a curt nod and rushed to Cleo, walking in the middle of the empty road.
Chapter Twenty-Five — ANS
Josephine Chang
Josephine waited for ANS to come to her rescue as she paced about the room.
Without warning, the floor groaned and vibrated and a section of the ground near the file cabinet slid open. She halted by the door and pulled out her gun.
A handsome young Asian man with dark hair and kind brown eyes came up an underground staircase. Six men appeared after him, holding weapons that were triple the size of a Taser and bulkier.
Josephine shouldn’t have been surprised. ANS had renovated this building in the middle of a meteor-ruined town. Few instructions had been given to her. One—keep Verlot in this room. Two—release the steel walls in the event of an attack, and call ANS on a special line.
“I’m Mr. San, Josephine,” Mr. San said in a smooth deep voice, his gaze shifting to Verlot inside the hub.
Josephine shoved her gun back into the holster. “Mr. San, I wasn’t expecting you.” His guards, yes, but not him. And she certainly hadn’t expected him to look like a rock star in jeans and a leather jacket.
He offered a tight grin. “I apologize for not telling you we’d come from underground instead of the front door. I wanted to take care of this matter personally. I’m escorting you and Verlot to safety. You did make the call, didn’t you?”
“I did.” She eyed the darkness. “ISAN guards are trying to get in. They want him.” She gestured to Verlot and unmuted the sound from the hub. She wanted Verlot to hear that his team was not coming to his rescue.
“My people are out there too.” Mr. San offered his hand. “Please, come with me. My men will handle Verlot.”
Verlot shifted, his forehead creasing. “You can’t kidnap me. I’m on the Remnant Council of the former United States. This is treason.”
“Hold on.” Josephine pressed a button on the monitor and shut Verlot’s sound off, then returned to San. “I can go down the stairs myself. Just lead the way.”
“Please watch your step.” He waved a hand. “I’ll be right behind you.”
Josephine descended one step at a time, the cool air caressed her face like a gentle kiss. When she reached the last step, she turned left. The dim tunnel seemed sturdy, the space spotless, and a hint of soil scent permeated in the air.
“When did ANS build this place?” she asked San, who walked beside her.
“Not too long ago. ANS was organized first as SAN, then one faction of SAN was reformed into ISAN by Verlot. He thought ANS had disbanded, but we were recuperating and building to a stronger unified group. We’re not as big as ISAN, but we will get there. I’m hoping to recruit some of the rebels to our unit.”
After Josephine rounded the corner, she looked behind her. The two men wheeled the hub, the other four flanked in protective position. When Verlot’s glare met hers, it warned of revenge.
“Where are you taking us?” Josephine asked.
Their steps echoed along the tunnel in every direction. One could get lost in here.
San pulled up his hologram monitor, then closed it. “To my glider. From there, I’ll take you back to your office. And I’ll take care of Verlot.”
“I can’t get a hold of Zen,” Josephine said, worried.
“If we can get a lead on his whereabouts, my men can help.”
Josephine halted. “Mr. San. I kept your secret as you asked, but now that the rebels know about ANS, I will have to inform them about my association. We need to work together if we are to stop ISAN, or we will end up destroying each other. Do we have an agreement?”
“Yes, of course.” He dipped his head and met her gaze. “After you.”
San dropped Josephine off at her office and told her he would be in touch. Josephine didn’t ask what they would do with Verlot.
Josephine held a press conference later that evening, stating Verlot had suffered a stroke and was in critical condition. Further details were forthcoming.
Josephine didn’t feel what they were doing to Verlot was heartless. Verlot had destroyed families, taken children, molded them into weapons. As a result, she felt no guilt regarding his fate.
She had to get things done, even if it meant manipulating the system to her advantage.
Chapter Twenty-Six — Save the Baby
Ava
