Chapter 23: Evils Old and New
Alec quickly pulls out his cell phone and speed-dials Max. His jaw twitches and I fidget impatiently as we both wait for her to answer and watch with increasing foreboding as the black car stops and the occupants get out. We were trained not to betray our anxiety, but training has kind of gone out the window at the moment. This is absolutely…
"Max." Alec interrupts my thoughts, "This is all FUBAR."
"What are you talking about? I just waved Jack and Shortie through and three more are walking up right now." Max's voice reaches my alert ears.
"Check out the street!" Alec snaps, "We've got White and…Lydecker!"
Max is silent on the other end of the phone.
"Max? Max!" Alec yells.
"Hold your position." Max finally replies, "I'm sending Logan back to get the others and rush them through in the car. All hell might break loose, so try to keep this locked tight. I'll see if I can get OC and Sketchy to keep everyone else off the street."
"Okay. Work fast 'cause I've got a feeling that Deck is about to make our people."
I glance down at Lydecker again. For some reason, it's kind of difficult to tear my eyes away. I haven't seen him since my near recapture. Seeing him again now is not a good omen. And yet, I can't help but notice that he looks like hell. He's skinnier than I remember and his eyes seem sort of sunken in. His hands are tied in front of him, but he doesn't seem to notice or care. He simply glares at White, listening as White yells something at him. I can't hear what he's saying, but I can read his lips.
"I know they're here, Lydecker. Either you can ID them for me or my men will start shooting everyone on this street. It's your choice." White is saying.
I look to Lydecker for his response. He's silent for a long moment before he answers, his speech as slow and calculated as ever, "You torture me and now you want my help. Strange tactics. What makes you think I even care about the rest of these people?"
"Because," White immediately responds, a look of disdain on his face, "You're military. It's your job to protect these people."
The colonel remains silent. A second black car pulls up behind White's and a man jumps out of the driver's seat and runs over, "Your men are here, sir."
"Good." White says, a sickening smile that makes my guts twist contorting his features. He turns back to Lydecker, "My men are about to deploy. What do you say, colonel?"
My eyes narrow and my hands tighten on my gun. A handgun isn't optimal for sniper work, but I have a shot. I could take Lydecker out right now. Still, I hesitate.
"Alec, I have a shot on Lydecker." I say quietly.
Alec doesn't immediately reply, so I glance over at him. It isn't like him to hesitate.
"Alec." I insist.
Alec starts as if my voice surprises him, "No. Not yet."
He stirs, getting up from his position next to me. I begin to follow suit, but he shakes his head and motions for me to stay put.
"No, stay here. I'm going down to the street. Stay up here and cover me." he says.
"Alec…" I begin to protest, knowing he only wants me up here to keep me out of trouble.
"Jess, not now." he cuts me off, his eyes blazing. An argument springs to my lips despite the look in his eyes, but before I can speak he adds, "Please."
I pause, my own eyes blazing with fury over how he continues to play my emotions against me. How dare he do this to me? And yet, how can I not listen to him?
"You asshole." I swear, but continue before he can reply, "Get down there before I shoot you myself."
Alec grins at that and quickly heads back over to the fire escape. I turn my attention back to the street while he climbs down. I notice an increasing number of bodies on the street and some of them are obviously either military or Familiars. All of them are obviously armed. White's men don't appear to be too concerned about giving away their presence, either. Lydecker is looking around at everyone walking past and another small group of transgenics are approaching his location. I can almost see the disaster unfolding in slow motion. The transgenics can see the threat posed by White's men and are moving faster towards the checkpoint. Unfortunately, Lydecker and White stand between it and them and they haven't noticed that threat yet. Lydecker catches sight of the group and stares at them, not speaking. White sees where his gaze has lingered and draws his gun. I adjust the aim of my own weapon to try and take him down before he can fire. Most of his body is protected by his open car door, but his head and shoulders stand above the door. If I can just squeeze off one bullet and put it straight through his brain…
My hand tightens on the trigger, but I can see White tensing at that same moment, preparing to eliminate one of the transgenics who has unexpectedly walked into a trap. They still haven't noticed him yet, too busy watching the Familiars closing on them from behind. I fire, but at that same instant there's another shot fired and White jerks abruptly backwards, falling back onto the car seat. I hear Alec yelling and realize that he shot White before I had the chance. The bullet from my gun sinks into his car, not only not hitting my target, but tipping off the watching Familiars to my position. I can see them glaring up at my rooftop and quickly duck down, barely peeking over the edge to keep an eye on the street that has now erupted into chaos.
Alec runs to the group of transgenics that were nearly taken out by White and pulls them towards down behind White's car. It's the closest cover. Lydecker is saying something to them, but he's also ducked behind the car and I can't make it out. White is stirring in the seat, apparently still alive. The Familiars have drawn their weapons and are cordoning off the street briskly and efficiently. Innocent bystanders are screaming and fleeing. I feel useless up here. I need to get down there. So, my promise to Alec be damned, I run to the fire escape and slide down, not even bothering to use the rungs.
Almost as soon as my feet hit the ground, I'm engaged in combat with one of White's men. It takes only a second of fighting to realize that it's a Familiar. I don't have time to waste trying to disable the cultist, so I quickly draw my gun again as soon as I'm able and fire a shot that sends a bullet through the tall man's forehead. As he crumples, I'm already running to join Alec and the other transgenics by White's car.
"Jess, what the hell?" Alec yells at me as I fall into a crouch next to him.
"Sorry, couldn't let you have all the fun." I joke, keeping myself from looking at him and instead focusing on the danger closing in on us from all sides. I'm also looking for any sign of Logan's car. He's taking too long. Something must have gone sideways on his end, too, "So, what's the plan?"
"Plan…plan…well…" Alec hedges.
"This is not a fight you're going to win, soldiers."
I stiffen at the sound of Lydecker's voice. It's almost as if I'm still in Manticore and this is just another exercise under the colonel's supervision. I glance quickly at the other transgenics. We've all gone quiet, almost as if awaiting orders. Old habits die hard.
"494, you should get these people out of here while you can. There's no hope for the others now." Lydecker instructs.
I can't stop myself from looking at Alec. He's been on the outside less than a year. I wonder if that's enough time to make him less of a soldier when it comes to Lydecker or if he will still feel compelled to obey his orders.
Alec's eyes harden and his face remains emotionless as he replies, "Sorry, but that's not an option. We're not leaving anyone behind."
Movement nearby attracts my attention and I barely have time to yell at Alec before I instinctively spring into action. White is starting to get back to his feet. I dart around the still open car door and grab White, yanking him down in front of me and pressing my gun tight against his head. I lock gazes with a number of different Familiars. They slow their approach, watching White and I carefully. I drag White backwards towards Alec and the others. Pain receptors or no, he's still pretty badly wounded. Alec's bullet ripped through his torso and I'm frankly pretty amazed that he's still even conscious.
"What's more important, White, killing us or saving your own sorry ass?" I growl at him.
"Jess…" Alec begins when he sees what I've done.
I ignore him and slowly stand up, dragging White to his feet with me and continuing to use him as a human shield as I move out from behind the cover of the car. Every Familiar within shooting distance raises their weapons and takes aim. I have a feeling that I know what's more important to White despite the fact that he isn't answering me.
"Tell them to lower their weapons." I command.
"Jess!" Alec hisses, more urgently this time.
"494, you're losing control here." Lydecker comments, almost detachedly, "If you don't get a handle on this, you're going to have a bloodbath on your hands."
I marvel at how Lydecker can provide a commentary to this situation like it doesn't affect him. Maybe whatever the Familiars have done to him has pushed him off the deep end. But there's no time to think about that. White still hasn't obeyed my command and ordered his men to stand down.
"Damn it, White! Give the order!" I snap, shaking him viciously without letting the gun leave his temple for even a second.
"Do what she says." White grinds out through his teeth, fury evident in his voice.
I watch nervously as the Familiars slowly lower their weapons. All of them except the one at point, the one closest to me.
"I have other orders." he says, "Sorry, White, but the Conclave said not to let you fail them again."
With that he fires. White's blood splatters my face and he slumps in my grip. I can't believe this is happening. My plan's blown up in my face and I know it will only be another second before the Familiar fires again and kills me as well, long before I can even think about raising my arm to fire my own gun. I know and yet I can't seem to move. I'm sure I look like a deer caught in the headlights. I can't even seem to blink my eyes. I can only stare with the utmost intensity at the muscles in the Familiar's hand as he tightens his finger on the trigger.
"Jess!"
Before a bullet can sear its way through my flesh, something hard impacts me from the side and knocks me off my feet. I cry out in surprise, twisting as I fall so that I can face whatever hit me. At the same time, I see that Logan has finally arrived with the last few transgenics. But that hardly matters to me as I realize that what hit me was Alec pushing me out of the way and I see a dark stain growing on his shirt.
I drop to the ground, falling to Alec's side. A voice in my head that sounds suspiciously like Lydecker is telling me that I need to focus on the Familiar threat before bothering with Alec, but I can't help it. I can only notice with half my mind that the Familiars have opened fire on Logan's car as it blazes past. His tires explode, causing him to swerve as he struggles to maintain control of the vehicle, but he hardly slows. Everyone is shouting. Kira and Krit are back in view on the street, desperately trying to reduce the number of our enemies. All that happens on the periphery of my world. Center stage is occupied by Alec.
He moans as he tries to move, his breath coming in gasps. I snake my arms under his shoulders and drag him as far out of the line of fire as I can, finally settling with him pulled back against my chest and my hands pressing firmly against the wound. I want to say something to him, something reassuring, but I can't. I'm afraid that if I try to talk, I'll lose it.
"Jess." Alec groans, his voice thick with pain.
"I'm here." I force out through my teeth.
"Didn't we have a talk about stupid risks?" he asks with a short, strained laugh.
My guts wrench inside of me. This can't be happening. I feel like I can't breathe, like I'm the one who has been shot. This isn't fair. It's not right.
"So…uh…keep an eye on Max for me…" Alec begins, but I can't let him continue.
"No! Don't you dare say goodbye! Alec, you're not going anywhere! Do you hear me? I won't let you!" I yell at him, feeling myself coming unglued.
Alec shifts slightly so that I can see his face. He smiles sadly, "Jess, I was just shot through the stomach. And this time, it didn't just bust a rib. I can feel it."
"So? I've seen Manticore fix worse." I protest stubbornly, ignoring the hot tears burning down my cheeks.
"You may not have noticed, but we're not in Manticore. We're kind of on the run. No fancy infirmaries and no time to rush me into a hospital even if we could risk it." Alec points out with an infuriating calm.
"Shut up! You're being overly dramatic. You'll be okay." I insist.
Suddenly, someone intrudes upon my existence, leaning over Alec and pushing my hands aside to see the wound. My head snaps up to glare through my tears at Lydecker.
"613, 494 is critical." Lydecker informs me, "You can't hope to get him out of here without getting gunned down yourself. Leave him."
"I don't take orders from you!" I snap.
"Jess, do what he says." Alec grinds out, his eyes closing tightly and his face scrunching up in pain, "There's a 50/50 chance that the bullet pierced multiple organs. If it did, I only have a 66 percent chance of making it even with treatment. You have to leave me."
The figures he's hurling at me feel like punches. Doesn't he understand that I've only just found him? He can't possibly expect me to leave him here to die. I need him!
"I don't care, Alec. I don't care." I reply, tears already mixing with the rain on my face.
I have to think of something. Someway to get him out of here. I look around me and feel like smacking myself for not realizing sooner that I'm taking shelter right next to a car. If I can just get Alec into the backseat without getting shot myself, I can probably get him out. I look quickly to see where the others are and see that Logan's car has crashed into the checkpoint. Max and Joshua are pulling everyone out while Krit and Kira attempt to provide cover fire. I glance in the other direction to see if any help is coming from that way. I catch a brief glimpse of Syl and Mole down the street. They're practically surrounded. They're not going to be of any help.
"Give me your gun." Lydecker orders.
I glance at Lydecker. It's obvious he knows what I'm planning. It's not that hard to put together. I want to get Alec out of here and there's a car right next to us. But do I trust Lydecker to cover my back while I struggle to get Alec and I out of here? Then again, what other choice do I have?
I quickly snap the bindings on Lydecker's wrists and hand over my gun before I start trying to pull Alec into the backseat. Lydecker quickly takes out the Familiars closest to us. Alec mumbles protests, but I ignore him. He gasps in pain as I heave him up into the car. I almost apologize, but there's no time for it. The problem is, I still don't have a plan. I can't just jump behind the wheel and speed out of here. What about the others? I can't leave them. Alec would never forgive me even if I could somehow manage to forgive myself.
After covering me while I got Alec into the car, Lydecker slides into the driverseat. The keys are missing, but the colonel swiftly hotwires the vehicle and gets it running.
"Drive slow so we can stay behind you." I yell to him as I move out of the way.
He nods and begins to inch the car forward.
"Syl! Mole!" I yell, gesturing quickly for them to disengage.
"Working on it!" Syl snaps back.
She pulls the assault rifle out of her opponent's hands and uses it like a club, batting back those nearest her until she can use it to clear a path to the car. She nods to Mole to proceed and then backs rapidly after him. A bullet hits her in the arm before she can eliminate the shooter, but she just grits her teeth and keeps retreating. Unfortunately, as many times as Familiars seem to go down with bullet wounds, they seem to get back up again. It's impossible to keep track of everyone.
I glance quickly behind us and see that we're gradually approaching Max and the others at the checkpoint. Then, I glance in the window of the car at Alec. I can't tell if he's conscious or not, or really read too much into the expression on his face through the heavily tinted windows, but my sharp eyes can detect the rise and fall of his breathing. That's enough for now.
As we back away, my eyes land on the body of Ames White, lying in the street. Hatred flares up inside of me. Even in death he's managed to hurt me. It's his fault Alec is probably mortally wounded. No, I'm not going to think that. If I don't think it, then it can't be true. A bullet to the brain seems too good for White.
"Jess!" Max yells.
I glance quickly behind me. Max is gesturing for me to leave the cover of the car and run to join her and the others over by Logan's wrecked vehicle. I notice that only Lydecker, Syl, Mole, an X6, an X8, Alec, and myself are still stuck on this side of the checkpoint. I think about following her orders, but I don't want to leave Alec. Besides, even if we all make it through the checkpoint, how are we going to stop the Familiars from following us?
I signal to Syl instead to move the X6 and X8. She nods and, after a moment's hesitation, sprints with them across the open ground to the other car. Shots ring out and before my eyes the X8 crumples. I want to scream at the sight because she's just a kid, but there's no use to it. Besides, I'm not sure my voice will obey me at the moment. Instead, I catch Max's horrified eyes and signal to her that this is not going to work. The Familiars are just going to gun us down the second we step out from behind our cover. We can't hide behind cars forever.
As I'm signing the problem to her, an idea hits me. Gunfire plus cars might actually equal something that can help us. I quickly communicate my idea to Max. She thinks about it for a second before she nods and turns to the group of soldiers huddled around her.
"Are you sure about this, soldier?" Lydecker calls to me.
I barely stop myself from starting in surprise at his question. It's stupidly hard to nod and defend my plan to him. I hate that he still gets to me.
"Well, let's do it, then." he says like it's an order.
And I obey like it is, too, but that's okay because in the end it might help Alec. Selfishly, that's all I seem to care about. I can already sense the guilt that will overwhelm me later, but thanks to years of training I'm able to suppress it for the time being.
Lydecker stops the car and I eye the distance between it and the wreckage of Logan's SUV half-inside the checkpoint. I know what I have to do, but I'm sorely lacking in the proper equipment to do it. I need something like a hose. The checkpoint should have a fire extinguisher. That should work. I just need to get to it.
I dart away from the car, moving as fast as I can and miraculously avoiding the shower of bullets that follows my movement. It takes only a moment to pick out the red extinguisher and grab it. I also snatch a half empty coffee pot out of the machine. I detach the black hose from the extinguisher tank and dump the old coffee from the pot. Quickly unscrewing the gas cap on Logan's car, I do my best to siphon out the gas as quickly as I can. It still feels like it takes forever, but finally I have a nearly full pot of gas.
Taking a deep breath, I run back to White's car. A bullet grazes my shoulder and another clips my elbow before I fall behind the car again. I ignore the pain and the blood, focused entirely on trying to make this work. I shove the extinguisher tank at Mole, ordering him to get it to Max. He nods and he makes the dangerous sprint to join Max.
Lydecker says nothing as I watch Mole escape. His silence bothers me. It's almost like he's told me that I'm going to screw this up and we're all going to die. Or maybe that's just something I'm already thinking. No time!
I start splashing out some of the gas, aiming it towards the checkpoint I just left. Satisfied with the distribution in that direction, I nod to Lydecker to move the car again and inch along next to him, trailing gas as I go. As we finally approach Max and the others, I look for Max, to see if she's ready to execute. She's preoccupied with Logan.
"Logan, get to the car!" she yells at him.
"Max, I'm not leaving you!" he protests.
"Logan, get in the car, damn it! You're not fast enough!"
I realize in a flash that I can help end this. It has to be done. Every second wasted is a second that Alec doesn't have.
"Logan," I interject, "Please. Stay with Alec for me."
Logan looks at me. He pauses and glances back at Max, but finally nods. He runs to the car and throws himself in the passenger side. I signal to Lydecker to drive and get the hell away from here. He nods and slams on the gas. I turn my attention back to my task and dump out the rest of the gas as I move over next to Max so that it almost forms a line from the checkpoint to our current position.
"Ready?" Max asks.
I nod. Everyone runs back away, trying to stay behind the SUV still in the hopes that it will block the Familiars' sight of us until it's too late. When we have all gotten about twenty feet back, not nearly enough to ensure we will all have limbs at the end of this, Syl aims her assault rifle and fires. We keep retreating as the shot leaves the weapon and speeds through the air. It hits the fire extinguisher, which explodes, igniting the line of gasoline. A second later, Logan's car erupts. The second blast is so strong that it almost knocks me off my feet and the heat stuns me even from a distance. I try to ignore it. If we just keep running we'll eventually hit the woods and safety. I glance back and see that the checkpoint has become more of a wall of flame that is spreading to the buildings bordering the street. Hopefully the fire will prevent the Familiars from following us. The fire department will be on the scene soon and I'm banking on the fact that they don't want the exposure that will come with them being found in the vicinity of what is obviously a shootout.
The others are running around me. I can't stop to take stock of who all has made it. I'm already thinking ahead to what to do next. Because even if we escape Seattle, I still need to think of some way to save Alec.
"Jess!"
Someone's calling me. I tear my eyes from the black car I just caught sight of up ahead and glance to my right. Kira is near me, her eyes wide with what looks suspiciously like fear. I feel like I should stop and stay with her, but Alec is just up ahead by the trees. So, I gesture for her to follow me and continue onward until I reach the car and open the door.
"Alec." I gasp, leaning in and checking his wound.
It's still bleeding out. This is so bad. I have to do something now! And yet, I'm at a loss. I was never meant to take charge. I'm just a grunt, made to take orders. I don't know what to do.
"Kira!" I turn quickly to my friend, "Find Max! Hurry!"
Kira nods and runs off. I can see Lydecker watching me in the rearview mirror, but he says nothing. Logan looks lost as he gets out of the car and starts wandering in the direction Kira went to collect Max. He looks like he wishes he could sprint off to find her, too.
"Jess, what are you doing?" Alec asks, surprising me with the fact that he's still conscious.
"Max will know what to do." I tell him and myself.
"Jess…" Alec starts to protest again, struggling to sit up.
I push him back down, "You stubborn ass, stop arguing with me!"
Alec smiles a pained smile at that so I decide it's okay to continue talking to him while I wait for Max and Kira.
"Stop trying to talk me into letting you go. I'm not doing it, damn it! And you're an asshole for trying to make me." I blurt it all out, not caring that Lydecker can hear me, "I love you, you jerk. Don't leave me."
I may be crying, but it doesn't matter to me if I am. Nothing matters but Alec. I crawl into the car and kneel next to his seat on the floor. He reaches for me, so I lean over him and let him pull me to him for a kiss. This isn't a goodbye kiss. It isn't.
"613."
I stiffen at the sound of that cold voice stating my designation like he expects me to snap to attention. Slowly, I pull myself away from Alec, standing up and turning to face Lydecker with a glare.
"My name is Jess." I growl at him.
"You're far from safe here, soldier." Lydecker says, unphased by my tone, "The battlefield is no place for indecision."
"I know that!" I snap in frustration.
"Jess," Logan says, walking back over to join us, "shouldn't we be rushing him to a hospital? Maybe a doctor could…"
"Logan, we're on the run. We can't just rush a transgenic into the ER. Familiars will be all over us." I interrupt sharply, angry and frustrated.
"But he needs…" Logan protests, his face the picture of concern as he looks past me to Alec's prostrate form.
"Logan! Trust me, I know. So unless you have any ideas…please, just don't make this harder."
"People are always fighting over me." Alec comments from the backseat, trying to be his normal smart alec self, but failing as he dissolves into a moan of pain.
Logan is silent for a moment, leaving me to turn back to Alec and try to comfort him. I don't even have any First Aid equipment to help stop the bleeding or give him something to ease the pain. Everything is out of my hands and I feel completely useless. I wonder what the hell is taking Max and Kira so long.
"Actually…" Logan says, making me whip back around towards him, "I might know someone who can help."
I'm out of the car and right next to Logan in an instant, "Who?"
Logan jumps back in surprise, but quickly recovers, "Max and I met a woman who lives in a small town outside of Seattle a while back. She's a doctor. I don't know if she'll be able to do much, but…"
"Better than nothing." I finish for him.
"Jess!"
Now it's Max yelling my name.
"How is he?" she demands as she sprints to the car.
She doesn't wait for my response, but moves into the car and quickly lifts Alec's blood-soaked shirt to see the wound. Alec gasps in pain as cold air hits his skin. Max looks up at him in concern, but Alec tries to cover it up by raising an eyebrow at her.
"So you wait until I'm injured to try to take my clothes off? You could have just asked, Max." he teases.
"When you're better, I'm gonna kick your ass." Max promises, but her face is sad, like she doesn't think that's going to happen.
"Max, Logan says you know a doctor." I interrupt, unable to wait any longer.
Max looks to Logan, apparently unsure of what he's talking about.
"Trudy in Cape Haven." Logan explains, "Maybe she can help."
Max looks back down at Alec, then back at us. She nods quickly, "Sounds like a plan. Let's get him there."
"And what about the rest of your team, Max?" Lydecker asks.
I glance around. The remaining transgenics are gathering around us, waiting for orders. Obviously, we can't all fit in the car and drive to this place. Plus, we don't want to draw the kind of attention that a large group heading into a town just outside of Seattle will attract. We have to split up. I watch Max. She knows it, too. I can tell that she doesn't like it. It's obvious she wants to stick with Alec and make sure he's okay, but judging from the resolved look on her face, she's about to make a tough decision.
"Okay. Jess, you guys take Alec to Cape Haven. The rest of us are going to move out." she says, looking around at everyone for acknowledgment. Then, she turns back to me, "Jess, keep in touch. I want to know what's happening."
I nod and move back towards the car. Lydecker has already moved back around to reclaim the driver's seat.
"Hey!" Max calls before I get in. I look at her questioningly, "Take care of him."
I nod quickly and climb into the backseat, gently lifting Alec's head to rest in my lap.
"Max," Logan says, moving towards her.
Max shakes her head and backs up a step, "No time, Logan. Help him. Please."
Logan looks hurt. I suspect this might be the last time he'll see her. She can't come back to Seattle and he has to head in the opposite direction to help us. There's no way he's going to be able to keep up with her now. And to top it all off, there's no time for goodbyes. Besides, they still can't even touch. I feel bad for him and Max, too, but I can't wait.
"Logan!" I yell.
"Go!" Max orders.
Logan nods and moves back to the car, getting in the passenger side. Lydecker steps down on the gas, but I'm hardly paying attention. My eyes are fixed on Alec and the bloody stain that keeps growing every moment that passes. I try to keep pressure on the wound as we drive, but it still feels like it's more than just his blood slipping through my fingers.