Reckoning (20 page)

M
y mind spins away from me and ever
y
instinct screams at the sight of my baby brother strapped down and tortured by
that
monster. I yank my arm free from David’s grasp and start down the hall.

Dakota, no!
David yells through my thoughts.

I reach the lab and hesitate at the door. Carefully, I peer inside. Nothing. No one is in the room. Or the hall. Not a guard. Not LeMercier. No one.

“It’s a trap,” David whispers as he catches up to me. “What do you want to do?”

Slowly, I open the lab door. Liam doesn’t move, barely breathes. The machines beep and click. Lights pulse. The IV drip-drip-drips.

Be careful,
David says.

I close the distance between myself and Liam.
Snap!
My fingers snap once, twice in front of his face. He doesn’t flinch. “What’s wrong with him?”

“They probably have him drugged up with some mind-altering concoction. LeMercier probably assumes we’d messed with his mind in some way.”

“And did you?” The voice sends terror exploding through me.

My body stiffens as I tighten my thoughts.

“You’ve been practicing I see,” my father says. “Wise. But it won’t be enough. Christyn allowed you to grow soft.”

David lunges at LeMercier who dodges with impossible speed. A wave of his hand sends David across the room.

“Stop,” I say. I can’t hide the desperation from my voice. “Leave him alone.”

“You’re in no position to bargain, Daughter.” I refuse to allow him to see the torment that title unleashes in me.

LeMercier joins my brother. He detaches the wires and electrodes. “It’s time,” he says as he removes the IV drip from Liam’s arm.

My brother opens his eyes. His gaze shifts between LeMercier and me, before settling on David.

Crap.

Liam launches into David. They crash to the floor with a heavy thud. Heavy hands clamp around my arms before I can make a move. “David!” I yell.

Liam pounds David’s arms and chest with his fist. David blocks most of the hits and gets in a few shots of his own. I squirm, desperate to escape my father’s hold.

“There’s no use, Dakota. You can’t beat me. You can’t outrun your destiny.”

My mind grows dark. I kick my leg back, colliding with his knee. My father grunts and spins me toward him.

You are mine,
he roars into my mind.

I slam a mental shield between my father and me, thankful for Mark’s insistence that I learn to strengthen my blocking skills. Grunts and groans continue behind me as Liam continues his attack.

“You must let David go, Daughter.”

“Don’t call me that,” I spit.

LeMercier ignores my words. “You and Liam are meant to be together. Paired for battle. Unstoppable.”

Images float through me. Pictures of my brother and me torturing world leaders, killing, taking whatever we desire.

“No!” I yell as I mentally shove the pictures away.

I strengthen my shield and imagine a direct connection to David. His pain flows into me. I swallow it down, forcing the little strength I have left into him.

More growls and grunts as LeMercier tightens his hold on my arms and glares at me, desperate to reach my thoughts.

My body shakes. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep him out of my head.
Remember your promise,
I say to David.
Take Liam and run. Do it now.

David screams
No!
as our connection breaks. I shove my shoulder into LeMercier, taking him by surprise. My eyes gloss over, my mind coils, and I unleash my fury.

L
eMercier stumbles backward, his min
d
filled with my torment. His eyes widen, grow wild.
Yes,
he taunts.
Yes. Do it. Become my Assassin.

“You want me?” I ask as I unleash more mental anguish. My father releases his hold on me and I wave my hand, sending him flying into the back wall. “You got me!”

Dakota, no! Remember who you are
.

From the corner of my vision, I see David subdue Liam with a sharp punch to the jaw. Liam wobbles, falls. I pin David where he is, refusing to allow him between my father and me.

Do what you promised,
I say.

Not without you
.

LeMercier stands, straightens his clothes and laughs.
You are getting better, Daughter. But you aren’t there yet
. He pushes his own torment into my thoughts, edging past my defenses. Pictures of Mom and Josh, each tortured and killed by LeMercier. Memories of the killing experiments, Maya’s father. David’s.

Each picture takes hold of my confidence, squeezing it. I swallow the pain, the fear. Tuck it into the recesses of my thoughts. More images, more memories. My thoughts falter. I take a step back as bile threatens to overtake me.

“Get out!” I say, unsure if I’m speaking to LeMercier or David.
Go!

David’s mind brushes mine and for a brief moment I’m calm. Until I hear his scream, Liam’s growl. I turn toward them, horrified by the blood oozing from David’s side.

Liam and David are a whirl of fists and growls as their battle resumes.

“Stop,” I say as my father continues clawing through my mind.
Remember your promise,
I scream through David’s thoughts.
Take Liam out of here
.

More bodies thunder into the lab, guns at the ready. My mind detaches as instinct takes over. I spin, drop, crawl to a set of medical cabinets. Fumbling through the drawers, I find what I’m searching for—a syringe exactly like the ones from Mark.

I stand, glaring at the lead guard. He lifts his gun toward my head. Aims.

With a flick of my wrist he drops. The Glock flies into David’s hand.

“Here,” I say as I toss a syringe to him.

Another gunman enters the room. David aims, shoots.

“Hurry,” I say.

I don’t feel my father’s presence until it’s too late, until his arm is around my neck. “Now, now, Daughter. I can’t have you killing all of my men.”

I growl, writhing against his hold. I push more torment into his thoughts, only to come up short against the immovable barrier of his shield.

David has the Glock trained on Liam’s temple. His face is white as the blood on his shirt continues to expand. “Let her go,” he says.

LeMercier stiffens, his arm still pinning me. I meet David’s gaze.
Take him,
I say in David’s mind.
Leave
.

David’s  eyes widen with realization.
Don’t do this,
he says in my thoughts.

You promised.

And the cold cement floor rushes up to meet me.

A
familiar fire simmered through
Seven’s veins. He forced his eyes open, his body struggling to comply with his brain’s commands. Heavy straps secured him to a chair. To his left, the Samurai sat, bound in a similar fashion.

“Nice of you to wake up,” the Samurai spat.

Seven grunted. He pulled against the bindings with no success.

“We need to get out of here,” the Samurai whispered. “But how?”

Seven’s mind was reeling. Why was he strapped down like the enemy? Why had his master abandoned him here?

He knew the answer of course.

Her
.

Again he pulled against the restraints. And again they held.

“I already tried that,” the Samurai said.

Seven turned and glared. He hated that superior tone, hated everything about his enemy.

Creator,
he said in his thoughts.
I’m here. Why have you abandoned me?

Nothing.

Ice water filled his veins as his mind sloshed, unable to make sense of the chaos that spread through him.

Master. How may I serve you?

Silence engulfed him.

Seven’s stomach lurched, spun. He reached into his memories for the last moments before he lost consciousness. The Samurai had plunged a syringe into his arm. LeMercier had captured the Assassin.

And she had pledged herself to him.

Anguish filled his every cell. She had taken his master away, had caused his betrayal. Just as she had with the Architect.

Seven’s thoughts ignited. He had to get out, run, before the Creator demanded his sacrifice.

For her.

The Samurai swung his legs, catching Seven’s attention.  The Samurai pumped his legs higher, farther, until his chair inched forward and his feet tipped a medical tray, spilling a set of scalpels onto the floor.

The hair on Seven’s neck rose as the Samurai tipped his chair dangerously. Over and over, he rocked the chair. Until it tipped, fell.

“Ha!” the Samurai yelled, triumphant. He wormed his way to the razor-sharp knives, twisting and writhing until he could grab a blade and begin sawing at his restraints.

“Okay,” Seven said, the escape plan somewhat clearer. He tipped his chair as the Samurai had done, landing a few feet from the scalpels.

The Samurai ignored Seven and worked on his own bindings until one snapped. He twisted and contorted his arms, determined to get free.

Seven rocked himself on the floor, desperate to break his bonds before the Samurai could end his life.

“Stop,” he said. “Let me help you.”

Seven’s brow furrowed. “Why would you help me?”

“A promise.”

Seven’s mouth drew in a line.

“Look,” the Samurai said as he crouched down in front of Seven. “You can either get out of here with me, or you can stay and rot.”

Seven stilled, his mind still clouded and unsure. He extended his awareness, unable to untangle his thoughts. He grew heavy, too-heavy, as fire continued to pump through him.

Clearly satisfied the hestitation didn’t mean no, the Samurai quickly freed Seven. “Don’t think this means I trust you,” he said as he pulled Seven to his feet. “I’m more than happy to kill you if you try anything.”

The words came in too fast for Seven’s brain to process. His body wobbled. The Samurai steadied him.

Seven took a breath.

“You good?” the Samurai asked. Seven nodded and the Samurai released him before walking around the lab.

He searched each drawer, every cabinet. “Yes! This will work,” he said as he reached the far wall. He pulled two oxygen tanks from a tall cabinet. “This will do nicely.”

Working quickly, the Samurai placed the tanks against the locked door of the lab. “Help me,” he said to Seven as he tried to shove a heavy cabinet behind the tanks.

Seven didn’t understand. He followed the Samurai’s gaze, noted the tanks against the door. His brain worked slowly, placing the random puzzle pieces together one by one.

“Come on,” the Samurai urged. “Help me.”

Together, they rocked and tipped the metal until it crash into the floor with a loud thud. “Crap,” David said. “We need to hurry.”

They shoved the cabinet toward the door, trapping the tanks.

“Get ready to run,” the Samurai said.

The Samurai grabbed Seven’s arm and pulled him into a low crouch on the far side of the room. “Look,” he said. “I’m going to set those tanks on fire. When I do, we need to run. Then we’re going to find Dakota.”

Seven’s brain snapped. He growled, and pulled against the Samurai’s grasp. “No!”

“I don’t have time for this,” the Samurai said. He grabbed the torn restraints that littered the floor.

Before Seven knew was happening, his hands were tied in front of him and his mouth was filled with fabric.

He snarled against the restraint, his nostrils flaring.

“You didn’t give me a choice, Liam.”

Again Seven’s brain jarred to attention. He reached for the Samurai’s thoughts, finding only a cold mental shield.

Seven grunted and groaned. A heartbeat passed as the Samurai closed his eyes.

Another.

A deafening explosion shook the building. Heat filled the room, along with smoke and debris. The doors flew backwards. Dodging the flying metal, the Samurai shoved Seven into the hallway.

Fire from the explosion consumed their path. Alarms wailed as the smoke and heat continued to grow. .

Dakota,
Seven heard in his thoughts.
Where are you? Dakota?

No answer.

Feral pain passed over the Samurai’s expression before he buried it deep in his thoughts. He pushed Seven down the hall, searching. Seven shook his head and pulled against the Samurai’s grasp. They were going the wrong way. If they went much farther in this direction, the Samurai was going to get them both killed.

Seven wasn’t about to sacrifice himself for
her
.

He inhaled a sharp, smoke-filled breath. His lungs choked and he coughed around his gag. He spun toward the exit, pulling the Samurai with him.

“No,” the Samurai said. “I have to find her.”

Too late
. Seven pushed into the Samurai’s thoughts, shoving past his clouded mind and the Samurai’s mental block.
We have to go now!

Betrayal turned to acid on Seven’s tongue. It clung to his thoughts, his emotions. The Creator would never forgive him for leaving. But he wasn’t about to become target practice for his master’s pet Assassin, not like the Architect had been.

He dragged the Samurai down the hall and through the large double doors just as guards filled the rooms behind them.

“Shit!” The Samurai raised a hand and growled.

The guard’s screams clawed into Seven’s thoughts.

Screams followed by the eerie sound of silence.