Redemption (The Alliance Series Book 1) (29 page)

              These guys were the elite forces. They were the ones that snuck in behind enemy lines and assassinated the leaders before the battle ever started, quietly and quickly. They were deadly efficient.

              It takes one to know one.             

              "You still don’t get it do you, John? She was the main objective. I'm sure you think it was all about you or Nathan and Peotr, all worthy targets and on the list for sure." He said, bubbling over with excitement.

              "This whole Alliance thing was her doing. She has strayed from the ways of her kind. Sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong, messing in the affairs of men."

              "We knew she was with Peotr and his group, so first we had to find it, knowing she would be here. If not we would at least have been able to destroy your little bunch of rebels."

              "No, John. You drop your weapons. My squad here answers to me. One word and I will have them filet you both." Simmons said.

              "You’re just going to kill us anyway. Why should I?" I asked. Thinking rapidly, trying to figure out a way through this.

              I noticed movement overhead. Clouds had quickly covered the blue sky with gray thunderheads. The wind picked up and the air took on a chill.

              "I had planned on killing you both that is true. I was going to go into town and finish mopping up all the members of the Alliance as well. They couldn't have gotten far."

              "Cynthia is to accompany me to the Col. where he is interested in talking to her. She has so much information. I will kill you quickly if you do not struggle. I will also allow your puny Alliance members to live, for a while at least."

              "I also promise that when the time comes I will kill Cynthia cleanly and quick. That is the best I can do." He finished, smiling his shark’s grin.

              Nathan and I couldn't use magic. If we attacked, we would die. I may be able to take out Simmons, but his goons would kill us then go and finish off the men, women and children who would be caught unprepared.

              I looked at Nathan and saw the answer already in his eyes. He had come to the same conclusion as me. We couldn't risk their lives. If there was a chance our deaths saved them it was worth it.

              We both dropped our weapons and watched as Simmons pulled Cynthia up by the hair. He let his gun leave her head and said to the nasties.

              "Kill them both, then go to the Compound and kill all of the remaining Alliance. Leave a message. Let whoever finds them know that this sort of behavior is unacceptable."

              I saw a flash of light from above and everything slowed down. I looked up and watched a bolt of lightning light up the sky overhead. The bolt showed a silhouette of a woman that I recognized from a dream. The vision was there and gone in a fraction of a second. I had an idea of what I could do, but I didn't know if it would work. I had never attempted something like this, but theoretically, I knew it might work.              

As the nasties took their first steps towards us, they began raising their guns.

              I was quicker. I raised my right hand towards the sky. Reaching out with the same force I used to bring energy from my bandolier and myself. This time I reached out towards the storm. I visualized what I wanted, tracing the path of my intentions. I had a sudden memory flash in my mind.

              I was fifteen again standing in the practice room, trying to split the bolt.

              I walked back over to where I was standing earlier and slowly started to draw in energy from the surrounding environment. I gathered it on the palm of my right hand again, continuously visualizing the path I wanted it to take.

              Only this time not only did I imagine it's trajectory, I took some of the pride I felt when the captain nodded in approval, I tapped into the well of anger that I felt when the instructors used some of their "discipline" techniques.

              I channeled the energy along with intangible drive to make my magic behave like I wanted and I released it in a flash.

              Like before the bolt was amber, but this time instead of reaching the dummy and melting it even more, the bolt suddenly split into two separate streams and reignited the vertical two by four and began to melt the tire again.

              "WhoooHoooo!!" I yelled as I jumped up in excitement.

              I took all the true and real feelings I had from that success and used it to fuel my attack. I gathered my anger at having been betrayed, my frustration at not being able to have stopped it and my determination to enact my revenge. I channeled that into the power I used to draw energy and felt it reach into the storm. It almost felt as if someone grabbed onto my outstretched hand and held on.

              A bolt of lightning of purest white streaked out of the clouds. It found my arm and raced down it, into my body where I was focused on creating a channel. I didn't use magic to create the bolt. The lightning was natural. I did use magic to help guide it. The bolt of lightning that left my left hand streaked directly for Cynthia, coming to within a foot of her it split eleven ways and hit Simmons and every nasty coming for us with death in their eyes, boring a hole the size of volleyball in them.

              Simmons eyes widened in surprise, not believing what happened.

              The lightning was natural. I only conducted it. When it hit him, his disrupting ability was powerless to protect him.

              The realization of what happened dawned on him at the same time his body fell to his knees and he toppled over with his squad, all dead.

              My hands burnt, I think I they suffered damage from the electricity.

              No matter, it was worth it.

              I began to see stars as I realized my shoulder really hurt. My head swam from the loss of blood and I couldn't keep my feet under me any longer. I was falling.

              I only realized this when Nathan caught me. He grabbed my shoulder and another spike of pain raced through me.

              I passed out.

Chapter 26

The screen shut off, showing only static. The previous scene showed the archery range and the last thing the elite squad leader was looking at before John had put a bolt of lightning through his chest.

              The room was deep underground, in a secure facility. There were about ten men sitting around a table watching the feed that had been severed. Their uniforms clearly identified them from multiple nations. China, Russia and the U.S.A. were the most numerous.

              Lt. Col. West stood up from his seat, standing at the front of the gathering.

              "Well, gentlemen. As you can see from our demonstration there is great potential in our ongoing cooperation." He said with the air of authority, a new black eye patch covering the one that John had damaged.

              One of the older generals from Russia spoke up "What are you saying? We were defeated. Our test run was a failure."

              "Failure?" The Col. asked, clearly singling out the dissenting voice. "Our weapons successfully traversed the hardened terrain of the rocky mountains shaving our time for their arrival by a day. They assaulted a fortified target defended by two Merlin grade wizards and a five hundred year old werebear, not to mention the help of a gryphon. They eliminated the home operating base of the Alliance. Decimated their numbers and sent them running. Yes, we lost our weapons."

              "How many cosmonauts died before you successfully made it into space? And first, I might add. There are always sacrifices that need to be made when pioneering new ground. We have gathered tons of new data and real world experience that we are already preparing to use to improve the next generation. We have at least six new models being designed as well as an aerial attack unit."

              "I am sending each of you a detailed overview of the new versions being created. With our new programming dynamics, we will have more than just mindless robots. Look what the lobotomized versions accomplished. Imagine the possibilities."

              "The wizards cannot be everywhere. We will unify our efforts, improve our designs and bring order to the chaos. The time for freaks controlling the world is over. The rule of man is now. Order is achievable." 

              "Any questions please direct at Ms. Brookes." The Col. finished, as his influencing unknowingly flowed through the room. The coalition was willing to do what the Col. asked. They wanted to. They were afraid of failure. The Cols. influencing helped erase that fear and guide them where he wanted.

              A smile spread across the Cols. face as he saw the men all nodding in agreement. Some overjoyed at the prospect of control. He walked out leaving the men alone in the room, knowing they would follow.

              There was so much work yet to do.

Chapter 27

I opened my eyes.

              I was lying with my head in Cynthia’s lap. I looked up to see her forehead an inch from mine. Her eyes were closed in concentration. I felt my arm itching as her magic stitched up my bullet wound. She had her hands on the side of my head and it felt great. I just laid there enjoying her closeness.

              She opened her eyes a while later, seeing me studying her face she smiled.

              "You did the right thing. You could have gotten your revenge, but you chose to sacrifice yourself for others. I knew you were worthy of my name." she said quietly. This conversation was just between us.

              I was embarrassed so I coughed and said. "I still think your parents were hippies."

              She laughed. It was musical. I wanted it to last.

              She got up, carefully laying my head on the ground. I turned over and slowly stood. Getting to my feet I waited until the dizziness faded. Nathan, Cynthia and I made our way back towards the cabin.

              Picking up my pistol, I walked behind them keeping pace.

              We left the tree line and began the slow slope uphill.

              I saw the barest movement from the tree line, a green blur that I noticed in my peripheral vision.

              Cynthia was in front of me and Nathan was at the lead. I yelled "DOWN!" as I jumped on Cynthia placing my body in front of whatever was coming for us.

              I pinned her underneath me thinking shieldy thoughts as the green dragon broke its cover and came at us with deadly intent.

              It swept a clawed hand at Nathan. His own shield saved his life.

              The dragon’s blow landed on Nathan’s shield but sent him flying off his feet. He flew in a long arc away from us. Landing fifty feet away he kept his shield intact, saving himself from a damaging fall.

              I reached down and started pulling the Desert Eagle from its holster when the dragon turned on us in a flash.

              He dived down with his mouth stretched wide. Sharp, huge teeth descended on us intent on killing us both with one gulp when my bracelet flared up and he hit a shield that made his head bounce back up.

              I wasted no time.

              I aimed and started shooting.

              My desert eagle had the clip with the Arthur rounds in it. The last time I shot the dragon I missed his heart. He quickly recovered and would have easily dispatched me had not the local authorities scared him off.

              I didn't try that this time. I carefully aimed for his neck and started shooting a line across it. I turned the pistol sideways, allowing the recoil to guide my shots. As each round made the pistol buck, I used the motion to keep a bead on the dragons’ neck.

              It worked great. Big chunks of dragons’ skin, scales and muscle flew apart as I worked my way across his neck with precision.

              I fired the last round and watched as the dragon’s head and a small portion of his neck held on with a tenuous stretch of tendon and skin. To my utter amazement I watched as it began to heal.

              Fuck that.

              I dug deep down with the last of my dwindling energy and released a bolt of lightning directly for the closing wounds.

              The lightning entered the wounds, having no protection from his scales, and spread, burning and severing his head from his neck in a cauterized mess.