~ 25 ~
As quietly as we could, we emerged underneath the deck and drew in a deep breath of air. Kyle was already there, and Ian and Jared soon joined us too. We listened intently since we couldn't see above. It was quiet; we only heard the natural sounds of the swamp and faint murmur of the water. If someone was at the window or door we couldn't tell. But we could glance out through the holes in the deck and check the portion of the thicket where the Seekers were waiting. Since we knew where to look, we thought we saw one of them hidden by the vegetation.
After another thirty seconds he gave us the signal to go ahead. No one was watching.
"We'll go first," Kyle volunteered without asking for his brother's opinion.
"We go," Ian repeated with a sigh as if not entirely understanding why they had to take that risk.
Nodding, we watched them climb up onto the deck. The old fire weapons had been discarded before the swimming trip and now we all used traditional waterproof Seeker gear. There were two windows above and a smaller one as part of the door. We heard them fire two paralyzing gas grenades through the windows, and we held our breath for ten seconds in case the gas got out through the small holes made in the glass.
"Clear."
At their announcement, we climbed up on the deck and pressed our back against the wooden wall. It didn't look that thick, someone could fire through it and hit us, the thought crossed our mind, but hopefully anyone on the other side of the wall was already passed out.
"We counted two thuds," Ian whispered.
Jared tried the door handle. It turned out the door wasn't locked so he carefully pushed it open. Indeed, two bodies were lying on the floor. We kicked away all the weapons we found, although the effect of the paralyzing gas was meant to last for a whole hour.
The entrance room was small, mainly a place to change mud covered boots for something more comfortable. This wasn't a simple cottage forgotten in the swamp. The building had two stories and a rather big attic, and back in its good old days it had been a private retreat for fishermen. By the look of things, we reckoned it had been abandoned for several years; no wonder Blue Flames used it for hiding. How he had found it had no importance at this point.
Gesturing silently, we advanced into the house. Merry Weather had said a dozen of people had flown from the base. It meant we still had at least two thirds to deal with. Other people could have joined them since then or already be there.
One door was opened, then another. A small bathroom and a closet. So far so good. At least three guards were watching the windows so we had to make it to them preferably before they became aware of our intrusion. It would have been too good to be true. The next door we opened led to a large living room, in which five men were sitting around a table, playing cards.
Two of them were downed the same instant thanks to Jared and Ian. They were the ones with the guns at hands, so it wasn't just luck that they had been chosen as primary target. The others didn't stand still and wait their turn though. They all hurried to reach for their own guns or find some sort of weapon. Although we were quick in not letting them do that, we were clearly in disadvantage. These were all mercenaries, perhaps former soldiers even, which I couldn't say about my own team. I wished the Seekers had accompanied us too. By the time we were done with them, Ian was sporting an injured shoulder and we had made enough of a racket to wake up the dead.
Wow, that was cool, Matt said, referring to the way we had combined our combat experience in restraining one of the attackers. It had taken us 2.5 seconds. My personal record was 2.3.
I can teach you some of that, I said like I had offered before. But it works better with two bodies to demonstrate. It will be my pleasure. If I could, I would have smirked. It would be payback for the treatment he had given me during the first days in the caves.
You're a small, revengeful thing.
Yes… watch out!
Someone was shooting from the corridor so we ran for cover. Kyle was closer, and he screamed, "Fire in the hole!" before launching another grenade. We sucked in a breath. The thud let us know the gas had done its job. While still holding our breath, we rushed out of the room to take advantage of the offered break.
A row of small bedrooms turned out to be empty until the last one just around the corner. There were three bodies laid across the bed. Except for one, they were tied up and showed various degrees of abuse. The one who didn't open her eyes was Vicky. We checked her pulse and it was very weak, but at least she was still alive. We gave all victims Sleep and Heal, while the O'Shea brothers were guarding the corridor. Jared had gone ahead.
"Someone should stay here and make sure they're not used as hostages again," we said.
"I'm not babysitting them!" Kyle argued.
Ian was more reasonable. "I'll stay."
The next room made our stomachs turn with all the blood covering it, but there was no one in it.
The ground floor seemed to be clear, especially after another shot hurt our ears and Kyle held up his thumb seeing Jared still standing at the bottom of the staircase and a body a few steps from him. It wasn't Blue Flames, and I would have been surprised if it were him. It was time to go upstairs and finish the job. Chances were he might not even be there.
We didn't waste any time and went ahead with it. The rooms were bigger and better equipped. Most parts of them looked like they weren't even used, except for the small saloon upstairs. No weapons in sight, but there were maps and plans and it looks pretty much like a campaign office would. Someone was even sitting behind the desk, waiting for us. It was the man we had met in the park.
"I knew you would come for her… Stardust." The man actually smiled.
"Blue Flames?" we asked tentatively.
He nodded, looking amused. "Souls often call me that."
"You're not Blue Flames," we stated and took a step forward. "He would never hurt his own kind."
"And where's the fun in that?" He smirked.
"There's no fun in torturing people," we retorted.
"That's… debatable."
"You're sick."
"By whose definition?"
"How about by everyone's definition?"
"Well, in that case you are sick too. You couldn't handle one little kill… and it wasn't even your doing." He shook his head with fake compassion.
"She's not sick." Oddly enough, Matt felt the need to defend me, when I couldn't care less what that monster thought about me.
"She?" The man narrowed his eyes. "Since when are we using the third person to talk about ourselves?"
He seemed to be more worried about this little detail than his entire situation. His eyes flicked suspiciously towards the door where Jared was standing. Kyle was caught in yet another brawl on the corridor. He was happy, but Jodi was going to have our skin on a stick when we returned home. Home?
"Since we took over a Soul," Matt replied. "Like you did," we both added and took another step forward.
"Don't come any closer!" he warned, getting up.
"Or what?" we purred menacingly. We kinda enjoyed the power game.
"Or I'll turn his brain to mush? What do I have to lose?"
"Your brain for example. Blue Flames might be in there, but he's not the one holding the rains, uh-uh." We shook our head. "And, believe it or not, we are going to save him."
The man's shoulders twitched. He was starting to worry, we recognized that look.
"Wait, wait! I have something to give you in return. Something that you want…"
Does he? Matt wondered.
I can't think of anything… unless… he's stalling. Yes, this has to be it!
In a second we were next to him, with a hand grabbing him by the throat. We were taller, stronger, and more determined. He had no chance against us.
"Don't worry, we'll take good care of you… separately," we made them a solemn promise, and we started to squeeze. Not to kill him, just enough to make the Host lose consciousness, which he did. Victory!
"You're scaring me."
We turned around to grin at Jared, but to our surprise he exclaimed, "Jesus, you're bleeding!"
We looked down and saw the wound gaping open in our side. The all too familiar pain hit, and we started shaking.
That bastard! He stabbed us, I gasped in shock. I hadn't seen the blade coming; I should have known he had one. Was I getting soft? Oh, no… The shock was overcome by the pain. I didn't want Matt to experience that ordeal.
Stop it! What the hell are you doing? Stop it right now! Matt ordered me.
Sorry, I panicked… and an antenna snapped, I apologized. Oops. There goes another one.
Stop it! We're fine, we're not going to die… focus, God dammit!
Sorryyy, I whimpered. I'll replace them right back.
No! Don't do that, that hurts even worse… Just keep calm, OK?
OK, I sighed, but I was feeling less tensed already, and I started to relax.
The next moment everyone jumped hearing the engine of a motor boat approaching.
"He was waiting for help!"
We pressed a hand against our side to stop the bleeding, and we wanted to go down stairs or at least to a window facing the right way, but we hadn't even made it to the door yet when the shootings began. We recognized two kind of shots. The Seekers weren't wasting time either.
It all ended quickly. None of the attackers got to set foot on the deck on their own. They were fished out of the water later on so they wouldn't drown, and they were left in a pile in the hallway. Soon we were downstairs in the living room, congratulating ourselves for the success of our mission. Half of us hadn't dared to hope for it, while the other half had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
"Are you alright?" The youngest of the Seekers came to check on us. "I can help, I know a little about healing," he offered.
"Thank you. In a second, I need to arrange some things first," I told him and went to pull Jared to the side. "Grab one of those cryotanks from the kitchen and put Blue Flames in it. We'll take him with us." Then we turned to Kyle. "Tell Ian to prepare Vicky for the trip. There's something wrong with her leg," I whispered, giving him a pointed look. The tracking device had to be removed.
"Now," we said to the others, "two of you, who are not injured, should take the boat and bring those left in the forest. They'll be safer here, and this location is easier to protect if anything happens before the helicopter comes to get us. Once the boat returns, half of us we'll leave to join forces with the closer station and continue with the investigation. The rest will wait here to be picked up."
No one contested our orders. Two Seekers jumped to comply with them, and we sank in a chair to gather our strength. The walls were starting to spin a little. Everyone else was in position, ready to defend the cottage if a threat arrived.
"We're ready to go." Jared showed up with the cryotank underneath his arm.
"We're ready too," Ian announced. He was wiping his hands on a cloth, leaving behind traces of blood.
We winced. The young Seeker was dabbing at our side, trying to treat us. We weren't so sure he succeeded.
Stitches would be better.
That's barbarian, I protested.
"We can take the other boat? We can row." Kyle suggested eager to leave.
So were we, but we had to stay practical. "No, we'll wait for the motor boat. It's faster."
Kyle grumbled, but he didn't dare to protest too loud. The following thirty-five minutes felt like hours. The gassed people were beginning to stir. The good part was that No Pain had kicked in and Seal had worked, so we weren't in pain and we weren't bleeding anymore.
The injured people were brought in, and they were recovering too. That meant two more added to their defense power. They were fine, we could leave.
We checked the fuel and, estimating that we had enough, we climbed into the boat and started our journey, giving my fellow Seekers firm instructions to wait for the chopper. It would be easy for them to be found since Ian had left the tracking device under the bed.
The sun was preparing to set when he asked, "Everything alright, Starry?"
They were all staring at us, even Jared who was steering the boat had turned his head to look at us.
"She's fine," Matt answered for me.
You didn't ask.
I didn't have to. I know it already.
We smiled contently and glanced at Vicky's body laid in the back. It was going to be fine.
I woke up startled by an unsettling dream. It was dark and quiet. The air was hot and heavy, making it hard to breathe. I looked around for comfort, but there was no one else inside my head beside me. I whimpered and stirred confused. I didn't want to be alone. I felt a set of lips press on mine, and I surrendered with a sigh to the arms wrapping around me. I was home.
THE END
Author's note: Thank you everyone for following along. If you got this far please drop a note to say so. It will make my day. :)