After Dawn (Book 3 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy) (15 page)

Stevens uncapped a pen and his hand hovered over the page.

"You believe me, don't you Martin? You believe that girl is going to destroy me?"

Martin's eyes traveled over his disheveled boss. Whether or not the girl was real, he fully believed that she would be the destruction of President Wendell Stevens, one way or another.

"Yes, sir. I believe you."

*

A knock at the door echoed through the room. Stevens was facing the gardens again and waited for Martin to let Chuck and Lorraine in before he spun around. He had allowed Martin to comb his hair and straighten his suit. Martin had also forced him to drink a strong cup of coffee. He gave his assistant credit. It made him feel a little warmer inside.

"What the hell is going on, Wendell?" Lorraine Calhoun marched up to Stevens' desk and planted her hands firmly on it. Her eyes burned through him. He fought the urge to cringe. "Susan and everyone else who signed this letter think you've lost your mind! What's the story?" Her red hair was cropped short and her green eyes flashed.

Stevens turned to face Chuck Zavala. His face didn't contain blazing green eyes. He had to keep his nerve here or he'd lose everything.

"Sorry about that. A momentary lapse due to extreme stress." Stevens slid his letter across the table. "I'm more than capable of performing my duties as president." He tried to read Chuck's face as he peered over Lorraine's shoulder to read the letter.

Chuck's lips were pressed firmly together. Lorraine turned to him and they exchanged a quick glance that Stevens struggled to read.

"Well, you better get your shit together, Wendell." Lorraine narrowed her eyes. "If they bring us another letter, I've got to take it to Congress for a vote. That could happen as soon as this afternoon."

"But by law I'm president again until they vote otherwise?" Stevens asked, a smile spreading across his face. He suppressed a snicker. They would soon understand he wasn't a man to be trifled with.

"That's right." Chuck finally chimed in, his mustached face in a frown.

"You better hope you still are by tonight," Lorraine snapped. "Let's go." Lorraine spun on her heel and marched out, with Chuck right behind her.

Martin held the door and closed it gently behind them.

"Martin, you're a good man." Stevens stared at his assistant for a moment. "Now get me Kobayashi on the phone."

Chapter 19

The bright desert sun blazed down on Christian and Torsten as they crossed the dirt path to the Mexican defenses along the border. Paivi was on the move and they had to be ready. Sterling had talked the general into a preemptive strike in the hopes of giving the convoy of EOS refugees the benefit of a distraction. According to the American radio stations, a terrorist attack took place in Las Vegas, but they didn't give many details other than to avoid the city. They insisted the military had it under control.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Torsten asked.

"Man, that's a stupid question." Christian snarled and kicked a rock in front of him. Christian’s skin was tanned where it stuck out from the Mexican military-issued camouflage shirt. His hair was whiter than Torsten ever remembered.

"Why?" Torsten's voice was light.

"Because, dude. I can't see the future. I have no idea if they'll make it here or if they'll even be alive if and when we do find them." Christian's voice was sharp. He noticed that Torsten winced at his words.

"I'm sorry." Christian shoved his hands in his pockets and looked towards the American border. The land was empty, dotted with sparse desert landscape consisting of cacti and dried-up shrubs. The desert was no place for life. He wondered why so many people chose to live there. "We should have never let your sister go there by herself. We messed up big time, dude."

There was commotion behind them as Mexican military vehicles bumped by on the rough ground. The roar of tanks reached their ears and they walked a little further forward.

"Yeah." Torsten said quietly. His shoulders slumped.

They both turned toward the Mexican desert at the sound of a Jeep racing across the dirt.

It skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust. Torsten and Christian coughed.

"What are you two doing here?" Sterling demanded.

"We just came out here to see how the defenses were looking." Christian said, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Now's not the time to be playing general. Get back to camp. The refugees are arriving in droves and I've only got Seamus and Jason to direct them. We've got to get those guys set up right away."

"We're coming." Torsten turned back to where they'd parked their own Jeep, just beyond where Sterling sat.

"What the hell is that?" Sterling shouted.

A loud roar cut through the air above them. Christian spun around to see numerous U.S. Air Force jets racing up and down the border. They watched in horror as some of the planes turned and released missiles that were aimed directly at the Mexican side.

"Get down!" Christian screamed and pulled Torsten to the ground just as a tank shell whizzed past them. "They're firing on us? I thought we were going after
them
today!" Christian shouted over the explosions that landed about a hundred feet from them.

There were shouts and screams from the Mexican line of defense. The air immediately became a deafening cacophony of ammunition and explosions on both sides of the border as the Mexicans started fighting back.

"Get in! I'll cover you!" Sterling jumped out of the Jeep and ran toward them, hands out and ready. Sterling flung his hands out as a tank shell flew straight toward the group. Throwing out energy, he stopped the shell in mid-air. It fell to the ground with a dull thud twenty feet away.

Christian and Torsten raced to their feet and ran for the truck. They dove in through the back of the open Jeep. Sterling jumped into the driver's seat and hit the gas. The Jeep spewed rocks and dust in all directions as he aimed toward the camp where they hoped they would be safe.

"You guys keep an eye on the sky and keep whatever they're shooting from hitting us," Sterling shouted over the din.

"What the hell is going on?" Torsten shouted back.

"I guess Stevens decided to beat us to the punch." Sterling laughed. "Welcome to hell, boys."

Chapter 20

Paivi's eyelids fluttered. She recognized this place. It was the space in-between. The couch beneath her aching body was so comfortable; she allowed her eyes to close again. She willed herself to drift back into darkness. She needed to heal. Everything hurt from her hair to her toes.

"Paivi." A voice floated as if on a cloud, dancing into her ears. She knew the voice from somewhere. It had a hint of an accent. "Dear Paivi, please open your eyes."

Paivi blinked and her eyes settled on a friendly face.

"Master Song!" She attempted to sit up, but every muscle in her body screamed in protest. "Wait, am I still alive?"

"Yes, but don't get up, you need your rest." Master Song waved a hand and conjured up a chair. He pulled it to the edge of the couch and hitched up his saffron robes so he could sit.

"It has been awhile since we have been able to meet, dear Paivi." Master Song's round face glowed like the sun.  “I’ve come to tell you the wonderful news. We have stopped the Chinese. They were waiting for your people to start their war so they could begin their attack.”

“That’s amazing! You did it!” Paivi’s eyes brightened.

“Really, we must thank Master Gendun and those that reside in Potala Palace. The revolt was bloodless. Master Gendun is now in charge of China, though it is behind the scenes. He’s advising the new government. At the least, your people are safe from China and those at the Potala Palace now hold their own destiny in their hands.” Master Song reached out and grasped Paivi’s hand. Healing heat surged through her. "I've missed you," Master Song said.

"We've missed you too, Master Song." Paivi paused. "Or at least I have. I haven't been able to see the others as much with everything that's going on."

She met his eyes and pushed all the pain and suffering she had seen at him. The horrors of the mountain. Molly's death. Las Vegas. She needed someone outside to understand what she felt.

Master Song winced and shuddered. "Your people have not been very kind to you. For that, I am sorry."

"Why are you sorry? They're not your people. You didn't do anything." Paivi didn't hide the bitterness that oozed out.

"All people are my people, whether they know it or not,” said Master Song. "Whether we are working for a common cause, or against each other, we are all humans, are we not?"

"Yeah, I guess." Paivi attempted a shrug, but even that hurt.

"I came because I worry for you. For your soul," Master Song said. "You are doing great damage to it. Much of this is our fault, and for that I am sorry.”

"What do you mean?" Paivi's heart sank. "What did you do to me?"

"We have great hopes for you, Paivi. We know you can overcome this. But you must be careful. Every life you take in malice places a black mark on your soul. Too many and it will take a millennia of lifetimes to cleanse if from you."

Anger hit her like a ton of bricks. She reached for the energy, expecting it to bubble under the surface, but it wasn't there. "What are we supposed to do out there? First they tried to murder us, in cold blood! And they have continued to try and kill us all day in defense, because that somehow makes it okay!" she shouted. Her heart pounded like a locomotive in her chest.

"There is another way! You must believe that peace can work." Master Song smiled. Paivi knew it wasn’t possible.

Everything felt tainted. Fake.

"You and Master Gendun gave me this power to save you and to save us all. If you didn't want me to kill people who were trying to kill me, then you shouldn't have given it to me. Your ideas of peace are great and all, but when warplanes are screeching down on your head, it's hardly time to think of peace," she spat, her voice full of venom.

Master Song's face fell into a frown. His eyes darted to the floor.

"I think you've made a big mistake, Master Song. You and Master Gendun. You created your own weapon and now you can't control it. If I have to kill every last one of them to save what family and friends I have left, you can be sure I will." Paivi's eyes blazed. "I don't care if it destroys me to do it. But they will not take every life I care about and get away with it."

"The universe never makes a mistake, Paivi. Look for the love inside yourself, it must still exist somewhere." Master Song grabbed her hand so hard it hurt.

"Love? How can that even exist in this hell I'm living in? I don't believe in love anymore. I believe in survival. And that's what I intend to do. Survive." She turned her head toward the back of the couch so she didn't have to see his face anymore.

"Just be sure your soul doesn't die in the process, for what is life, but love?"

Chapter 21

Paivi groaned. Even her eyelids hurt. Her entire body ached like it had been run over by a truck. Her limbs were heavy. She tried to move her arm, but found she couldn't. In a panic, her eyes flew open to see the one thing she never expected.

President Wendell Stevens.

She gasped. "You!"