True Traitor (First Wave Book 7) (14 page)

It didn’t stop him from thinking of how his people would react to him. “Sometimes it can be too late . . .,” he began.

Grai snorted and jumped off the hood of the vehicle. “It’s never too late. Come on, let’s go look at the plans we have laid out in the chamber hall and figure out how to keep everyone safe until your mother arrives. I hear she’ll be here soon to try and settle things down,” Grai said, motioning for the legend to follow him into the chamber hall.

Leif looked down the hall and shifted his feet. “I don’t think my people . . .,” he began before Grai cut him off.

“They need a familiar leader. They need you to tell them they did the right thing and they won’t be punished for it. Not by you. And your son needs to know his father loves him and doesn’t see this as being a traitor, but being the good man that you raised him to be,” Grai said, shocking Leif with his words.

Leif nodded his head and walked down the tunnel with Grai, to the surprised gasps of both Grai’s people and Leif’s. Everyone parted to let the two large men into the chamber and as they passed near where Gracus was sitting up in a chair, Leif Sr. stopped. The room became deathly silent as Gracus stared up at the legend unflinchingly.

Leif cleared his throat. “I can never express to you how sorry I am for my dishonorable behavior. There is no excuse for what I did or for the shame I inflicted on myself and my people. I hope to one day earn your forgiveness,” he said, uncaring that most of his people were listening to him.

Gracus reached up a bruised hand. “There is nothing to forgive. I will be well in a few hours and it will be forgotten long before then,” Gracus said with a lopsided grin, due to the bruising and swelling of his face.

Leif took the Valendran’s hand and shook it to the cheers of his people. He was a little surprised when his son slapped him on the back and smiled at him.

“Glad you’re here, old man,” Leif said with a grin.

Leif Sr. was a little overcome with emotion and he just nodded his hand and looked up to blink away the tears in his eyes. “Hey, who did you put on the catwalks?” he asked as he looked at the cavern ceiling, noting no one there.

Grai and Leif looked at one another in surprise before Leif said, “What catwalks?”

Leif Sr. looked at his son and said, “There are catwalks carved into parts of the walls and around the ceiling. I may not have shown them to you.”

Leif could hear the regret in his father’s voice and didn’t want to make the man feel worse. He’d sucked up enough pride coming there on his own the way he had.

“Dad, tell us how to get up there,” Leif said.

Leif Sr. nodded his head. “There are sixteen different positions up there, we should probably get some volunteers,” he said, looking to Grai.

Grai shook his head. “Your people, your cavern, your call. We’ll follow your lead, just tell us where you need us,” he said, allowing the man to earn back the respect of his people and his position as commander. But, he was also ready to kill him if Grai thought he was betraying them. He honestly didn’t feel like the man was being deceitful though.

Leif Sr. smiled bitterly at the chance the mutant was giving him and it again gave him pause at the clashing of the fiction versus reality in his mind. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he looked at Grai and said, “Thank you.”

Grai shook his head. “Let’s get everyone safe,” he said, not needing any thanks.

Leif nodded and called out, “Where are our climbers?”

More than a dozen hybrids pulled away from the others and Leif led his son and his people towards the side of the walls. He pointed at what looked like natural outcroppings in the walls.

“You’ve all seen the fake rock climbing walls the humans use. These nubs act the same way. If you follow the different nubs on the wall, each leads to a different defensive platform,” he said, showing them how to press themselves against the walls and look up to see the pattern in the nubs.

Grai stepped farther back and concentrated solely on the nubs and almost gasped at the pattern going up the walls in different sections. Leif Sr. and his son walked over and grinned at his expression, while the hybrids got ready to scale the walls.

“It’s impressive isn’t it?” Sr. asked.

Grai nodded his head. “That really is amazing. Who built this place?” he asked, wondering if the father knew.

Leif Sr. shrugged. “We never really tried to find out. By the time we’d gotten here, our numbers were thinner and our people exhausted from the arduous trek. We were just grateful to have found it and that it was vacant,” he admitted.

Grai looked around the room in amazement, his curiosity piqued as to who or what had made it, so long ago. He was hoping that it was something they could all discover together when this was all over with.

Grai looked up when he heard a familiar voice call out, “You can cancel the climbers. We’ve got it covered.”

He looked up and grinned as Lt. David Jacobs and more than a dozen hybrids became visible on the platforms surrounding the cavern walls.

Grai shook his head. “How did you manage the camouflage?” he asked in surprise.

David grinned and kneeled down on his platform, shifting his weapon to his lap. “I seem to have a real affinity for the energy here,” he said as he waved his hand through the air and his body shimmered for a second before disappearing.

“Damn, that’s handy,” Leif Sr. said as the hybrids on the platforms appeared and disappeared.

Grai chuckled. “You’re an amazing ally to have, David, I’m glad you guys are all ok,” he said, truly happy David was watching their backs.

*****

Leif grinned down at True as he gently pushed against her until she turned irritated eyes to his. “What?” she mouthed.

Leif jerked his head towards the south tunnel. “Follow me,” he whispered.

True looked at him with narrowed eyes for a moment and he tsked. “Such thoughts at a time like this?” he asked teasingly and she stomped off towards the tunnel.

Leif sighed and followed behind her, admiring the view of her backside in her low rise jeans. Something about seeing her in the jeans with her guns strapped to her thighs was pretty hot and he had to shake his head to clear his thoughts.

They’d just walked to the last line of vehicles blocking the tunnel before True stopped and turned to him. “What do you want?” she asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

Leif sighed. He’d hoped they’d made a lot more headway than this and was a little disheartened that they weren’t. Trying to keep the hurt out of his voice he folded his own arms over his chest and faced her.

“I thought it would be a good idea to complete the task we began earlier, before we got distracted by a beaten Valendran. Now that we have even more children inside, it’s even more imperative to make sure they have food, water and medical supplies. And a few board games to keep them out of our hair would be a plus . . .,” he said, glad he’d just thought of the last. It really would make things easier on them.

True looked at him like he was crazy.

“Why? Your dad is helping us, won’t Fiorn back down now? I mean it’s not just his people he’s fighting anymore, it’s his son and grandson!” she said, unable to believe that this wouldn’t end quickly now.

Leif sighed. “No . . . that’s why dad is here. Because it’s only going to piss the old guy off even more when he realizes that you guys turned both of us . . . to the dark side, muah haha,” he said with a grin.

True threw her arms up in frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she said, really sick of the one eyed jerk.

Leif shook his head sadly. “No, the old fool is pretty determined. So, you going to help me get the supplies or not?” he asked, hoping she’d agree so they could spent some time alone.

True sighed. “Fine! For the kids . . .,” she said as she followed him down the line of vehicles to one that wasn’t blocked in.

Leif chuckled, knowing that it wasn’t just for the kids, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that was the case. “Besides, we need to figure out where the hell Traze and Tara are at,” he said, trying to reach his friend through the Shengari’.

He’d just started a vehicle and was backing it up, when Tara said, “There’s a bunch of us holed up in the northwest garage area. The damn Ass sent a strike team after the kid.”

Leif turned to True with a worried frown. “Get on! Traze is in trouble. Again,” he said as he revved the engine.

True hopped on with a sigh. “What’s he done this time?” she asked with concern as she held on to Leif.

Leif sped down the tunnel and said, “Fiorn sent a strike team after him. Tara and some others have him blockaded in garage.”

True was surprised. “How are we going to get him out?” she asked.

Leif shook his head. “I don’t know yet. But, I’ll figure it out by the time we get there,” he said with a grin.

True snorted. “Why do I get the feeling that I should be worried?” she asked, only half joking as the sick feeling in her stomach grew.

Leif chuckled. “Oh come on! I think I’ve done pretty damn good so far! Give me some credit,” he said.

It was the last thing he said before they rounded a corner and they were hit with blasts from pulse weapons. Both were thrown from the vehicle, knocked out from the blast before they impacted the ground roughly. Leif was unlucky enough to hit the wall before hitting the floor with a loud thud.

Fiorn smiled smugly. He’d caught his traitorous grandson and the she-bitch who’d turned the boy against him. He eyed the fiery redhead with disgust, only a slight amount of regret at the large bruise on her face and the cuts and scrapes on her hands and arms.

“Get them in lockup! Apart! I don’t want that bitch anywhere near him again!” Fiorn roared at his personal strike team.

When one of the females tried to tend to True’s wounds, he roared in fury, “Now!”

When everyone began to scramble to do his bidding Fiorn added, “And find a way into that garage! I want that damn mutant!”

Chapter Twelve

Countdown Clock to Human Discovery

13:00 Hours

This is a WSBC Channel 9 News special update. Garfield County Sheriff Joe Scarborough has confirmed that a concerted effort is being made to reach the location on foot or on all-terrain vehicles.

Many residents have called the station with their opinions on what’s caused the disturbance. Some have called it God’s wrath on America or the beginning of the apocalypse. A few have blamed it on the presence of aliens. We spoke to one of the seismologists at the Adventure Caverns, and he assured us that every effort is being made to determine what precisely caused the landslide and that news would be available soon. Stay tuned for updates as they come in.

Thjodhild Erikson, aka ‘Delicate Flower’, aka Nana, went through the portal without skipping a step. Her anger radiated from her as she spared the hybrid team waiting for her a small smile before launching into her questions.

“What the hell is going on? Where is my son, my grandson and his mate? What’s the status of those damn ships in the air? Get them the hell down!”

One of the hybrids cleared his throat, “Ma’am, they are refusing to comply. They say they are under orders from Fiorn . . .”

The man never got to finish. Pulling out her own comm the DF tapped irritatingly at the screen for a few seconds before turning on a broadcast to their craft in the air above the mountain.

“This is Thjodhild, I am ordering you to get back inside the base now!” she said, waiting for their reply. It didn’t take long.

“Ma’am, please . . . Fiorn revoked your authority as well as both Leif’s. I’m sorry . . .,” the male hybrid said.

The DF shook her head. “Me too. Because, I may not have the authority over you, but I do have authority over our weapons. If you won’t comply, you can eject. I suggest you do it. Now,” she said before she pressed a button on her comm and launched missiles at her own craft, before continuing her walk across the room.

Various curses were heard from the pilots before they ejected and the mountain and surrounding forest was rocked by the impact of craft debris.

Thjodhild looked at her personal staff and security detail and ordered, “Get out there and get the fools. Make sure you put them in custody so they are well aware next time that no one has the authority to revoke my own. Not even my fool mate. And get the craft debris cleaned up too.”

She sighed and continued, “Get one of our ‘scientists’ at the Adventure Caverns to explain the explosions away as . . .,” she said, looking around at her team for an excuse.

Her longtime assistant and friend, Darina, offered,” I’m sure they can come up with a better excuse but I would think that the landslide could expose pockets of methane and natural gas . . .”

The DF nodded, “Sounds good. Get one of them on it, now.”

Darina walked beside the DF as she left the portal room. “Your son is in the old chamber hall with the mutant and his family. I believe he’s had a change of heart about following Fiorn. Your grandson, Leif and his mate have been imprisoned separately in Fiorn’s personal interrogation area, there is one other mutant, trapped by Fiorn’s strike team in one of the garages,” she said quickly, excitement running through her and the others at what the DF was going to do next. Whatever it was, it was going to be spectacular.

The DF nodded her head. “Get to the boy in the garage and get him safely to the chamber hall and with his family. Now my grandson and his mate . . .,” she said, thinking carefully with narrowed eyes.

Darina grinned. “You did say that Leif thought she hated him . . ., who could blame her after what Fiorn has done . . .,” she said slyly, knowing her friend and leader didn’t need much pushing to end up with an acceptable idea.

The DF looked at Darina with a calculating smile. “Take them to Beta Station. But, keep them knocked out until they get there. I should have this over with soon,” she said with a twinkle in her cerulean blue eyes. 

Darina and the others chuckled before sending teams to do as she ordered. Darina looked at her comm and shook her head. “It appears your mate is heading towards the old chamber hall. By his cocky stride and the arrogant energy he’s exuding, I assume he plans on bartering the life of Leif’s mate for their surrender,” she said, knowing the fur was going to fly really quickly now.

The DF stopped and turned in the tunnel and looked at her team. “Well, it looks like he’s going to force my hand before I can get things under control. Damn, the ass! Fine! He wants to play the bastard, I will treat him like one,” she said as she stormed off in the opposite direction. Towards the old chamber hall.

As she strode down the tunnels towards her mate, the DF contacted Blade, having no doubt that he had followed her directions to the letter.

“It is time,” she said, allowing her anger to burn with each step she took towards her son and her mate.

*****

Ivint and the others were talking with Blade over the 3D image on the table when Blade jerked upright and turned to the screen on the wall showing the ships.

“She’s here . . . be ready,” Blade said cryptically, before the ships exploded on the screen.

Ivint and the Valendrans gasped in shock before Ivint yelled out, “Who the hell fired? Who fired? Damn it!!!”

Blade chuckled and shook his head. “Your people didn’t fire. The DF has arrived and she didn’t accept their refusal to obey her orders to descend,” he said with a laugh.

Reven was astonished. “She killed her own people because they disobeyed orders?” he asked incredulously.

Blade laughed. “No, she told them to eject first. Trust me, they did. But, Fiorn is going to go ballistic over the loss of the ships. She is requesting your presence in the old chamber hall,” he said with a challenging grin.

Reven sputtered. “She just shot down her own craft and you want us to go inside there?”

Blade grinned. “She’s a little extreme in her measures . . . but she gets her point across. Besides, I think it’s safe to say, she’s not happy about what’s going on and she’s willing to punish her own to make it right,” he said with a shrug.

Ivint looked at Blade in shock.
‘A little extreme’
? he thought.
She shot down her own ships!
He couldn’t help but wonder if they’d just traded one psychopath for another.

Blade chuckled. “If it makes you feel any better, she invited all of you. Weapons and all,” he said.

Reven looked at Ivint like he was insane for even considering it. The woman obviously wasn’t any saner than Fiorn and they had truly gone from being in a bad position to being in a worse one. Just that quick.

Ivint considered his options and knew he didn’t have much of a choice. Fiorn’s mate held his people, and their future in her hands. And he hoped like hell she wasn’t as crazy as she seemed.

Ivint called out, “Scaden!”

Reven sighed and shook his head as Scaden walked up to his father. “Sir,” Scaden asked, wondering if his father was seriously entertaining the idea.

Ivint sighed. “You’re in command while we’re gone. Reven and Niklosi, get your teams together and be outside in five,” he said.

Blade waited until the men left before he turned to Ivint. “You aren’t making a mistake. The DF may seem crazy, but where she comes from, if you aren’t willing to do things a little differently, you won’t get respect. And she’s earned every damn bit she’s gotten,” Blade said, trying to ease the commander’s mind.

Ivint nodded, not really feeling any better about dealing with the woman. “Any advice?” he asked, surprising himself.

Blade chuckled. “Yeah, too much to go through before we get there so I’ll give you the highlights as we go. It would do well for your seconds to hear it too. We need to get there quick, so call one of your ships so we can transport,” Blade said, anticipating the storm he knew was coming.

*****

Grai and Leif Sr. looked up from the plans they were reviewing for their defenses when they all heard the multiple impact explosions above them.

Some of the children began to cry and were being comforted as everyone wondered what had happened. For a few moments anyway. Word got around very quickly that the DF had arrived and she was really unhappy.

Grai looked at Leif Sr. as he wiped a hand down his face and sighed. “My mother is here. Trust me that is only good news for you and your people. Not so much for my father,” he said with a slight grimace.

Grai looked around as an excited air of expectant energy permeated the room as the mountain hybrids continued to trickle in, everyone staying against the outer perimeter of the room. Leaving only the four vehicles with Grai and Leif Sr. in the middle of the room. He’d ordered Decano to protect his family and the rest of his people to hide among the mountain hybrids while David camouflaged his team on the platforms above them.

Everyone turned to the commotion coming from the south tunnel when Gibly came flying into the room screaming, “The one eyed man is coming with a team of twenty hybrids!”

“Fuck!” Leif Sr. said as he turned to look for his son to send him to safety.

He tried to contact him through the Shengari’ and not getting a response he cursed and turned to Grai. “Can you get True?” he asked, dreading the response.

Grai whipped his head towards Leif Sr. “What the hell are you talking about? She was right here!” he said, trying to contact her as he looked around the room.

“Gods damn that boy!” Grai roared, turning with fists clenched towards Leif Sr.

Leif held his hands up. “I didn’t do it. They probably snuck off and got caught. My father is going to use her to barter your surrender. Don’t agree to anything. My mom is here, she probably has them by now and they are safe. Just stall him until she comes in,” Leif Sr. said, hoping to head off a catastrophe. He may be angry at his father but, he didn’t want him dead.

Grai turned to the tunnel and called out to his people, “Do not engage the fool or his people! Yet!” He clenched his fists and began pulling the energy of the ley lines into his body.

The energy in the room heightened as Fiorn Erikson strode arrogantly into the room and stopped a few feet from Grai and his son.

Fiorn barely spared his son a disgusted glance before he turned to the mutant. “Obviously, you know I have your hybrid and my traitorous grandson. You can either surrender yourself and your people or I will kill you right here,” Fiorn said with a sneer of disgust at the Relian mutant.

Grai crossed his arms over his chest and laughed as Fiorn’s men surrounded him and Leif Sr. with weapons trained on his head. Grai didn’t even note the weapons as he smirked at Fiorn.

“I don’t think so, old man. I hear your mate has arrived and she isn’t real happy with you. I think I’ll wait to talk to her,” he said, noting how many weapons began to shake in the hands of Fiorn’s team as they looked at their leader nervously.

Fiorn turned bright red and clenched his fists in rage.

“You dare to mock me in my own home? You’re an abomination!” he roared in fury.

Grai snorted.

“You are nothing if not consistent in your ignorance. Tell me, old man, which part makes you hate me so much? The fact I wouldn’t be here if you weren’t such a failure? Or the fact that I’m not the monster you hoped I would be?” Grai asked, shocked at the flicker of emotion he saw in Fiorn’s eye before he shuttered it.

Grai watched with narrowed eyes as Fiorn took two steps closer to him, the man’s fists shaking with the desire to hit him. Grai couldn’t help but wonder just what nerve he’d hit with the man. Where Fiorn had been barely controlled before, he was really close to losing it now.

What stopped him was the commotion coming from the North tunnel and the whispers among everyone in the room that, “the DF had arrived”. Grai watched as Fiorn looked warily around the room and began walking in the opposite direction of the North tunnel, while his team looked nervously between Fiorn and the North tunnel before they put away their weapons and began to walk slowly away from the center of the room.

Grai was more than a little startled when a tiny, blond woman came striding into the room, fully geared for war. He estimated her to be no more than 5’1” and couldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds.
And that was probably fully geared
, he thought as he turned to Leif questioningly.

Leif nodded his head, never taking his eyes off of the woman. “Yes, that is my mother. Do not let her size fool you! If you asked me who the deadliest thing in the room was . . . it’d be a toss-up between my mother and your son. Just watch,” Leif Sr.  said honestly.

Grai watched in bemusement as the tiny woman, who looked no bigger than a child, strode past him like he didn’t even exist, her eyes trained on the one eyed man behind him. Her waist length blonde hair floated behind her as her piercing blue eyes glared daggers at her mate.

Ivint, Niklosi, Reven, Blade, Traze and Tara, walked into the room at the same time that Grai turned as he heard the wind whip nearby and he gasped at what he saw. It took a lot to shock Grai, but, the tiny, beautiful woman who walked into the room, managed it easily.

*****

Fiorn caught the small hand axe a hairs breath away from his chest and he roared at his ‘delicate flower’, “Gods be damned woman! Stop . . .” He shut up in order to dodge several throwing knives.