Fury of the Six (The Preston Six Book 5) (3 page)

Gladius took out her Panavice and scanned the maps. “Since we are in phase two, I say we jump past these last couple cities and head straight to New Hampton. He shouldn’t be too far behind.”

Just the thought of finally being in a real city, with net, power, running water, and high thread count linen drove her to the edge of release. The thought of being with Hank on proper sheets . . .

Hank plugged the information into the car and took control of the wheel. She thought it very amusing how he insisted on driving the car himself.

“New Hampton . . .” Hank said, glancing at the map and then back to the road, “is that the last city before we go back to Earth?”

“Yes, and maybe we can finally be over with this,” Gladius said and stretched out, getting ready for the long drive.

Running around together, moving from hotel to hotel was fun at first, but visiting depressing cities, one after another, pulled her spirits down. She took notes in each location and would address the biggest issues with her dad; seeing that the towns received the help they needed. Witnessing her once rich world brought down to a place where a man threatened your life for a bag of fruit and bitches in supermarkets took Snackie Cakes that you
claimed
, wasn’t a place she wanted to be in. She longed to get back to her room at the ocean house in Sanct.

Hank slowed down and then stopped.

Gladius leaned forward from her slouch and spotted the man standing in the middle of the road, with his arms crossed near his waist. He wore all black, with a scarf wrapped around his face and head, leaving only his eyes exposed.

“Is that—” Hank started.

“I don’t know, just freaking get around him. It’s too soon for this.”

The car lunged forward and Gladius stared at the man. He didn’t flinch as the car approached. Hank turned the wheel, avoiding the man in black. Gladius kept her eyes on him as they passed.

He reached behind his back and pulled out two guns.

“Go!” Gladius urged, pushing the button on the dash. Four small containers sprouted from behind the car and exploded. The man in black flew in the air, landing hard on the ground, skidding to a stop.

The car accelerated down the road and Gladius looked out the back window. The man in black got up and trotted after them with a severe limp.

“You think that was him?” Hank asked.

“Yes.”

“How did he get to us so quick?”

“I don’t know, but we better get to New Hampton in a hurry.” Gladius turned and slumped down in the seat. Thread count would have to wait until she dealt with this shit.

POLY LISTENED TO THE CREAKING noise the guard made outside their hut as he adjusted his stance once again. She took an extra look at Julie and Lucas, who lay close together near the window, before going back to watching her Evelyn sleeping on the wooden plank near Joey. The morning twilight had finally crept into the room, casting enough light for her to make out all the features on her daughter’s perfect little face. She wanted to hold her, but she enjoyed watching her sleep more.

Asleep, she looked like any other baby, cuter of course, but nothing out of the ordinary—not extraordinary and certainly not the next step in human evolution. Nope, while she slept, she was just Evelyn.

The guard creaked and bumped the wall a smidgen, maybe leaning against it with his foot. Poly winced at the noise and turned back to see Evelyn with her eyes wide open. She took a deep breath and smiled at her lovely child staring at her with eyes that seemed far too intelligent for a seven-month-old.

Julie had contemplated earlier that the only reason she couldn’t fully speak was the muscles in her throat hadn’t developed enough, but Poly knew her daughter understood most of what people said.

“Mama,” Evelyn said.

“That’s right, it’s your mama here.” Poly sniffled and looked away.

Every day she got smarter and every day that was a reminder of how valuable she was. Having a child someone wanted to take from you was unbearable. She knew now what all of the Preston Six’s parents went through. Poly’s chin trembled and she felt a small hand touching her stomach. She reached down and placed a finger in Evelyn’s hand. Evelyn squeezed and smiled.

Harris had run a few tests on her right after she was born and her DNA had many anomalies, not much unlike what Joey had but on a grander scale. It was a matter of time before she’d surpass all of them, and Marcus knew about this better than anyone. The longer he didn’t have her, the smaller chance he’d be able to control her. It wouldn’t be long before her mental abilities would match her physical abilities and Harris thought once that happened, it wouldn’t matter what Marcus did, he’d never be able to take her without consent. Not that he would ever get the chance. To hell with phase four. She planned on ending it all before then.

She sucked in a quick breath and thought of Samantha. Losing her felt like losing a sister, a close sister. Seeing what Marcus did to her was a constant reminder of what and who they were up against.

“You awake?” Joey asked.

“Unless I started sleep walking.”

Joey sat on the edge of the cot and rubbed his eyes. He got up and walked next to Poly, placing his hand over her shoulder, kissing the side of her face.

It still gave her chills when he did that. She watched him smile and touch Evelyn. Evelyn giggled, reaching for him, and then sat up.

“Whoa,” Joey said and put his hand on her to stabilize her. “Guess she’s sitting up now. Who has abs of steel? You do.” He poked her in the stomach and she giggled.

Poly took a step back. Good, she was already building up her physical side as quick as her mental. With Marcus on Ryjack, it was only a matter of time before he found them.

“Are we still moving today?” Poly asked.

“Yeah, and with Marcus’s appearance, that means we are moving to phase three.”

Poly rubbed the hilt of Compry’s dragon etched black throwing blade. “You think we have a chance?”

“Yes, or what is all this for?”

“I don’t know, ever since she was born I can’t stop thinking of what our parents went through. I mean what if we fail, Joey? What if he hurts Evelyn?”

“Look at all the people standing behind us, next to us, or even Hank and Gladius standing out in front of us, putting their lives on the line. We have a huge group of well-motivated mutants with some nasty abilities here to protect us as well. I think our chances are high, they have to be.”

“We thought we knew what we were doing with Samantha and look what happened then? And
that
wasn’t even Marcus, just some sick, bastard disciple of his. How are we going to get one up on the real Marcus?”

“I don’t know, but we have a plan and what else do we have to work with?”

Poly frowned and tapped her finger on her blade. She hated the plan. She hated the things she might have to give up in order for the plan to work. “There is always another option. The Alius stone, it took eighteen years for him to find us the first time, maybe if we can find a planet he doesn’t know about, we can hide there and start a life there. I don’t know how much longer I can take this running.”

It wasn’t the first time she had this discussion with Joey and each time she felt more agitated when he didn’t see her logic.

Joey set Evelyn back on the plank and took a small step to Poly and hugged her. He kissed the side of her quivering mouth and then grabbed her hands.

“We are not going to kill ourselves by showing up on an inhospitable planet. Remember how many Arrack’s were killed searching through the Alius stones?” He shook his head and squeezed her hands. “I won’t let anything bad happen to our girl. I don’t care what I have to do.”

Poly met his stare. “You’re planning on slowing down time, aren’t you?”

“As a last resort, yes. If it means risking my life to save our daughter, then I will use my ability and anything else I can to stop him.”

She took a deep breath and tried to find a way to argue with him about it, but she couldn’t. She knew she would do the same thing if it were in her power to do so. “You have my permission to do whatever you need to do to keep our daughter safe.”

Joey let out a long breath. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”

“Hey, H. R. Talk-a-lots,” Lucas said. “It’s not even freaking full daylight and you guys are already talking about how to kill yourselves? Our plan is solid, just give it a chance to work,” he muttered into his thin blanket.

Julie stirred next to him. “Plus, he will have to go through a hell of a lot of people to get to Evelyn. You’re going to have to wait in line to save her.” She stretched her arms and then rubbed her swollen, pregnant belly. “Look at Evelyn.”

Poly shot around and saw Evelyn sitting up on her make shift wooden crib. Her arms outstretched for Julie.

“Set her on the floor,” Julie said scooting to the edge of her bed.

Joey picked her up and set her on the floor. Poly moved to stop him but then didn’t, she didn’t know if she wanted to see what Evelyn would do.

Evelyn lifted herself up and crawled toward Julie. Julie picked her up and Evelyn giggled. “Ju-ju,” she called out.

“Yeah, Aunt Julie is here.”

Poly turned to the window. She didn’t want the others to see her face, especially Joey. It wasn’t that she wasn’t proud of her little miracle girl, it’s just it hurt her every time she hurdled over a milestone, or leaped past what anything normal might have been for a baby her age. She wanted to rejoice in her special child and she hated Marcus even more for taking her joy away from her.

“Think we’ll reach the stone today?” Lucas asked in a yawn.

Poly turned back and watched Julie one hand her Panavice. “No, maybe tomorrow.”

“I don’t know about you all, but I can’t wait to get into some dry clothes. I wonder if they’ve got the Chappy’s back up and running. Do you remember the freaking waffle stacks they made?”

She did indeed. Chappy’s had been one of their favorite places to go for breakfast back in Preston, but she didn’t like thinking about the places they couldn’t go to anymore. She would prefer to save those memories until after they got rid of a particular person.

A knock sounded on the door and then Edith entered. She held a tray of fruits and a stack of flat bread. It amazed Poly everyday what the mutants were doing for her and her family. She didn’t think she could ever repay them, but she would try her whole life to.

“Thought I heard you guys up. Brought you some breakfast,” she said with all smiles.

“Thanks, Edith.” Lucas jumped up and rushed to help her carry the tray. He stuffed one of the flat breads in his mouth as he carried the tray to the bench under the window.

Edith walked over to Julie. “And how’s Queen Eve this morning?” She shot a quick glance at Poly.

Poly didn’t say anything, even though she didn’t like them calling her that. She had too much respect for Edith. The woman had lost her husband and son while protecting Poly from MM troops, and there wasn’t a day that went by where she didn’t think of Hatch and Paul.

“Fine,” Julie said.

“Let me hold her while you eat, dear.”

Julie gave up Evelyn and walked to the bench buffet.

“Look at that kid,” Lucas pointed out the window.

A young man had his foot on the same branch that crashed down yesterday. It had almost killed Lucas. Poly took a deep breath and thought of Evelyn screaming Lucas’s name right before it happened. She’d no doubt saved his life, but it had to be a coincidence.

Poly hung out the window, looked up and saw a kid run by, laughing and chasing after another. It felt eerily similar to the first moments she had with these people. She’d begged them not to come and then again to leave their children and caretakers behind, but they all took it as a great insult and insisted on coming. She didn’t really think she had a choice in the matter. They were going, Edith had said.

Poly sighed. She didn’t like the idea of her daughter being part of them, yet she was. In a way, she was just as much as a mutant as the young man in the tree.

“You should eat something.” Joey pushed a plate of food near her.

“No thanks.” Poly crossed her arms and stared out the window.

“You didn’t eat anything yesterday. How can you protect our daughter without the energy to stand?”

She released her arms and took the plate. For the next ten minutes, she plucked at a few pieces of fruit. It might have been mango, or something similar. Who knew how close everything was on Ryjack.

A light tap sounded on the door and then Kris entered the hut. He wouldn’t make eye contact with Poly and she knew that was a bad sign; something was wrong. He nodded to Edith and she walked over to him, holding Evelyn. They shared some close words before Kris looked up.

“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked first.

“One of our runners didn’t come back this morning.”

Poly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her thoughts blazed with the idea of Marcus being close enough to get a runner.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Edith said, but she turned to Kris and spoke quietly. He nodded and left the hut. “You guys ready to move on from this place?” Edith asked.

“Yeah, I am,” Julie said, already folding her sheet.

“No, no, don’t bother with this stuff, you get going ahead and we’ll take care of everything.”

Julie finished folding the sheet and pressed the creases. “Thank you for all you do, and tell the others as well. We really appreciate it.”

“You told me that a hundred times. Just stop it already,” Edith said.

“You deserve it, and more.” Julie rubbed her stomach and leaned against the wall.

“You doing okay?” Edith asked.

“Yeah, just a bit woozy when I first get up.” She smiled and stood straight. “See? All better.”

“If you get these woozies again, you best tell us,” Edith said. “We can carry you.”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

Edith walked over to Poly and held Evelyn out for her. Poly hesitated and then took her in her hands.

“Mama,” Evelyn said.

Poly brushed Evelyn’s thin hair back from her head. She remembered seeing a little baby bath setup for the kitchen sink, like a plastic lounge chair, and longed to use it. She couldn’t wait to get back to a civilized area. Her baby didn’t belong in a grinner infested world.

In an hour, they had traveled far away from the village. The mutants kept their distance and Poly had to search for their movement in the trees to maybe spot a glimpse of their tanned skin. They never strayed too far away from their queen.

With the thinning foliage, more light shone down on them; their perpetually damp clothes began to dry out for the first time since entering the jungle. The pace quickened as the underbrush diminished and the jungle loosened its grip.