Redemption (The Extinct Race Series Book 4) (11 page)

Chapter 20

Time

That morning at the burned down rubble of the Germany Sect the men woke and started to take down the tents while loading everything into the helicopters. No one was going to stay here and Aldrich wanted the area to seem like no one was ever there.

Aldrich packed up his tent by himself and put his journal at the top of the small trunk that he was going to carry with him. It was smaller than the other trunks and held only the private things that he wanted his children to know nothing about. Once he was finished he had his children gather the belongings and place them in a helicopter. He then grabbed his small trunk and walked out to the crowd of men that were gathered.

There were fifty of his sons that were gearing to go and then there were twenty more sons and a few daughters that were only in their teens. He had yet to let the teens go out and hunt. Today was a different day however and it would be the end of the others and a beginning to his reign. So that meant that every one of his children was coming to end this once and for all.

Then there were the three teams, he never got their names and didn’t want to know them. The team from the cloudy helicopter had ten men. The one from the forest one had fifteen men and the one that was painted in black and grey camouflage had six men.

“Alright men our target is in Ireland. The actual location however is a bit sketchy. But with these radio’s” Aldrich handed a radio to one man in each helicopter, “I will let you know as soon as we find it. Now we will head from here to the UK. Fuel up there and then head to Ireland. We will probably have to refuel again there nevertheless I want you guys to go over the west ridge.” Aldrich pointed to the black and grey team. “I want you guys with me right down the middle.” Aldrich pointed to the cloudy team. “And lastly you guys to the east. As soon as I know the location we land and you all do what you do.”

Aldrich then nodded to the men and headed to his helicopter. The teens were all going in the helicopter with Aldrich and the older veteran sons were going to be in the other. Not all fit so they jumped in the human’s helicopters too. Tensions were high and the promise of a good fight had the older sons jumpy and tense.

Aldrich’s helicopter was the first to take flight and hover in the air. The others all followed and shortly after one by one in a V formation they headed off towards their destination.

Vivi ran to Bronwyn and wrapped her arms around the girl. As soon as she placed her hands on Bronwyn she threw out her senses and felt that Bronwyn was absolutely healthy and healed.

“Just had to check huh?” Bronwyn teased.

“Uh yeah, uh… I just…How?” Vivi asked

“Zach and Zoe did some funky red smoke Dragon magic and here I am. They are pure and simple miracle workers.” Bronwyn laughed.

Everyone clapped and welcomed Bronwyn back. She was passed around the room and by the time she got to make her plate her arms felt like she just lifted weights for the last hour. Levi stood back and watched as her eyes lit up with the love she felt from all of it. He joined her once she made it to the table and the smile she gave him made his heart jump.

When breakfast was over everyone immediately went to train. There was hope in the air. When Bronwyn walked into the training room that hope everyone was feeling spread even more. Because all the half-bloods that lived in the barracks thought they would never see her again. Also she was the first of any of the new soul mated half-bloods to become pregnant.

Her best friend stuck by her side all during training and made sure that everyone who sparred with her took it easy. Bronwyn however was having none of that and winked at Halina who was watching. Her sparring partner had very obviously taken a lighter swing at Bronwyn and Halina zapped him. His body went tense for a moment and he looked over at Halina who just winked at him. This wasn’t his first shock however so he upped his game the rest of the match.

Training went on a little past their normal time but Mary seemed to know it would. Today she planned a BBQ for lunch and was setting it all up when some of the half-bloods trickled out coming to her aid. They set up tables while she started the grill. Kevin was one of them and he took over the grill as Mary took the others to the house to grab everything. They came back down arms full of either chips or buns. One had the meat and the other had five bowls stacked in his arms.

As soon as everyone else smelled the meat grilling they all came running. Someone brought out a radio and soon they were all enjoying themselves. Finley made the sun shine a little brighter and a cool wind blew down on then which cooled them all down. The children ran around the tables and all the toddlers did their best to keep up with the bigger ones.

Ben and Abby were eating under a tree on a blanket while the four dogs sat in a line in front of them. Sue and Marty sat in the tree and were watching from above. Mr. Steinman and his children had even come out of the library with Rosa today and were enjoying the food. He usually stayed hidden behind a desk working on his cases back home as well as a few he had picked up while being here. His children were very shy and quiet usually stuck by his side or not too far away from him.

Zoe watched as everyone was having fun and not one person was missing a smile. She watched them snuggle into their mates and their mates pull them closer. She watched the kids being kids and imagined her son and Lily playing among them. This was life and this was what they were fighting for. This joy and freedom, the everyday things that brought them together are what they were training for. As she watched she dozed in Kaiden’s embrace. Lily was asleep on her chest and the feeling of content pulled her under into a beautiful dream.

Mary started to clean and soon others helped. She noticed more than a few napping couples and that made her happy. She needed to start dinner though and knew it was going to be a little later than normal. Mary had planned an easy meal anyhow and it was something she hadn’t made yet. Now that she had the buffet table she thought her idea was going to be a hit. She has also been craving it for a few days and some of the dishes she had planned needed to get into the oven.

As the noise of the BBQ quieted down the couples all started to wake. Zoe and Kaiden got up and went into the house to shower and change. Once they came down the stairs they heard the laughter in the house and took it all in. John and Ben along with Quinn and Oliver were all playing teams on a video game on the TV set to the side of the room. The girls were all on the couch watching a movie with Abby and they all seemed lost in the princess movie that was playing. Max and Hunter sat at a small table playing a game of cards. Everyone seemed to be doing something in the house.

Zoe thought it a bit odd that everyone was inside. Then she noticed the rain outside which didn’t bother Zoe one bit as it matched the happy rejuvenated atmosphere in the home.

Whatever Mary was cooking wafted through the air of the house and Zoe rubbed her tummy. The spices were driving her crazy with hunger. She motioned Kaiden to grab a bouncer seat for Lily and then to follow her. Zoe walked to the kitchen snagging a handful of cheese that was in a huge bowl. She then went to sit at the small table grabbing two sodas out of the fridge first.

They sat and watched Mary do what she did best. Mary moved around the kitchen like a mad woman. The other girls didn’t do much other than follow directions. There were tons of bowls laid out on the counter all full of something different. Soon those bowls were leaving the kitchen and being placed on the long table. Mary was pulling casserole dishes out of the ovens and the girls immediately grabbed those and took them out to the table.

Mary waved at them to help take thing to the table. When Zoe came back in to grab something else Mary handed her three baskets of baked hot tortilla chips then handed Kaiden three smaller bowls of salsa. She told them to place all three on one table then she pointed to the counter and showed them there was enough for all the tables.

The long table was full of all different types of Mexican food and everyone dug in when they got a chance. Mary never thought there would be a line however with the rain outside it seemed everyone was in the house and she hadn’t noticed. Moans of taste bud pleasure filled the room as people dug into their plates.

“Mary this is like wow! We need to have this stuff more.” Zoe complemented

“Yes! I could eat this all the time.” Halina agreed

“I have been craving this for a few days.” Mary replied around a mouthful of her burrito.

“This is excellent although I think those babies in your bellies make it better.” Rosa laughed.

“Oh yes, I used to crave pasta. Any pasta at all I wanted Aidan to just give it to me.” Piper agreed.

“Just you wait until you want the weird stuff. Like pickles and ice cream.” Monica offered.

“Huh?” Tia had a look of disbelief on her face.

“Oh honey wait until you are with child, for now just watch them and laugh about it.” Camilla teased.

“What are you all talking about?” Zoe asked confused.

“Oh honey once that baby starts to really grow in there you will have food cravings like none other. Sometimes you will want the most crazy things and sometimes if you don’t eat what you are craving everything else, well it just doesn’t taste as good as it did. Even foods you have always loved if you aren’t craving that and just settle for it, it is not going to work.” Monica explained

“Oh that’s ok I love food. You should have seen all the food Kaiden got for me and Justine when he first found us. He wasn’t sure what we liked so he got everything like every item on the menu from four different fast food places. We ate it all though and we weren’t pregnant then.” Zoe laughed remembering that day.

Dinner went on with talk of pregnancy and babies. Everyone laughed and enjoyed their dinner. Everyone was commenting on how they needed more rainy days inside. They even joked with Finley to not manipulate the weather on rainy days so that they could all enjoy being cooped in the house together. They hadn’t had a rainy day in so long that they all forgot sometimes to slow down and enjoy life.

When dessert was brought out Zoe jumped up and got a bit of all three different ones. Jaco and Shiloh had grabbed dinner and then went to their room only coming back out to grab dessert and disappeared in their room like they did every night that week. He had relived Rosa and Michael from watching the screens in the library and had moved it all into his room. Rosa loved it because it allowed her to relax. Always having to watch that screen made her nervous and jumpy.

Lily was falling asleep in Kaiden’s arms so he took her upstairs and ran Zoe a bath. A few moments later she arrived and smiled at the candles he had lit around the bath. It was quiet in their suite with the baby asleep. Zoe slipped into the bath and leaned back against the little pillow attached to the tub. Kaiden went to the bedroom to set out some pajamas for her and so she closed her eyes reminiscing over the day they had just had.

Zoe was concentrating on the drips of water and the peace she felt in her soul when she heard something that shouldn’t be there. She knew the sound though, knew the sound of the blades from her many years in California. And she knew they did not own any helicopters and that none had ever been in the area since she arrived.

Dread filled her as she jumped from the bath and ran into the bedroom dripping water and bubbles all over the floor.

“Zoe what is it?” Kaiden asked when he noticed the alarmed expression on her face.

“Aldrich is here.” As soon as she said it she knew it was true.

Chapter 21

Making Deals

Jaco sat in his room watching several different screens. Then he noticed the helicopters landing. One was in the forest and the four others were in the open valley where Kaiden had thought they would go. The alarms started to beep as the weight of the helicopters landed on them but Jaco wasn’t listening. Jaco was watching the one lone helicopter in the forest.

Jaco counted fifteen men exit the helicopter and move forward towards the barrier. They were good he gave them that. They moved among the trees like they belonged there. As he watched the men on the screen he ran his program on each and every face that came into view. He didn’t need all the faces though. He just wanted the one that was in charge. As he watched he saw it happen one man directed the others to spread out on either side then looked forward and right into the camera. Jaco clicked the button and soon the man’s face was on several screens as multiple programs ran the image.

Kaiden and Zoe quickly got dressed in their fighting gear. Kaiden was done first and jumped to the radio. He pressed the button for all and started yelling into it for everyone to get to the house that this was not a drill. As soon as Zoe was ready they ran down the stairs stopping at each floor to make sure the house knew. When they made it downstairs the house was packed. He asked the women who were not fighting to take the children up the stairs to any suite especially his, Vivi’s and Justine’s. He instructed them to just go through the normal routine with the kids like nothing was wrong. Lily was already asleep so he just needed someone to sit in the suite.

The ones who were fighting in their Dragon forms were all dressed in clothing that could be easily discarded. Others were all in black with their bullet proof vests on. Some had their weapons others did not. The Fury’s were all a sight to see. They all had on the vests with leather strips crisscrossed over it. Knives and lead filled wooden sticks fit securely in the slots on those leather straps. Not on Fury had a gun on them they relied solely on their hand to hand skills.

“All right it is time. He is here and we are ready. Piper and Aidan will you please go scout and tell us where they are. They can’t feel us or see us and nothing can get in here. Brad and Monica, will you also go? Start at the house. One couple go east the other go west and then back here. I need ten men to go get weapons and bring them up here. If anyone does not want to fight please help with the children. Just make sure everyone is calm.” Kaiden asked

“I am going to go see what Jaco is doing.” Zoe informed everyone.

She went back to Jaco’s room and found him studying the screens. He looked up at her as she walked in.

“I have a plan.” Jaco blurted before she had a chance to say anything.

“What are we looking at?” Zoe asked

“Five helicopters in total. Four here in the valley and this one is all alone in the forest. I have a plan Zoe. Something that Vivi had said sparked an idea and well I just hope they take it.” Jaco informed her.

“Ok what is this plan?” Zoe asked

“Well these guys are hired killers, like the one who pays the highest wins.” Jaco replied

“Oh and what is your plan, Jaco?” Zoe asked more curious by the moment.

“Just keep everyone here, inside. I need…there!” Jaco yelled and grabbed a phone. He dialed a number and then she heard the ringing. Zoe watched as the man on the screen pulled a phone out of his pocket and answered. Then she just listened to the conversation taking place in front of her.

“Hello?” she heard through the ear piece of Jaco’s phone.

“Hello good sir. I want to make you an offer.” Jaco replied

“Who is this?” the man demanded

“This is one of the men you have been hired to kill. I am watching you and I already have all of your details Mr. Morales. I see you have a wife and three beautiful daughters living in Spain. That is beside the point however you will not win this fight sir it is a no win situation that will only end with your deaths. So I would like to make you a counter offer.” Jaco responded as he watched the man on the screen freeze in place and signal for his men to stop.

“How much and what is the job?” Mr. Morales asked

“I will double what your current employer is paying you and what I want from you is to get the other two teams to leave. I want you employer and his men alive except I want their helicopters destroyed. Wait for them to get a good distance from the helicopters before you blow them up I do not want them injured in the process. Then I want you to leave and never come back to Ireland.” Jaco offered

“And you are going to double his price?” Mr. Morales asked a little amazed.

“You will give me the details to deposit the money now and an amount. I will transfer half now and half after you have completed your part. The job is getting the other two teams to leave and blow the two helicopters.” Jaco sneered. He hated that he was doing this although to him it was the only way they got out of killing humans. Better to lose some money than to have to take a human life.

“You will pay ten million?” Mr. Morales asked

“I will pay ten million now and five million when done. Do we have a deal?” Jaco asked

“We have a deal.” Mr. Morales replied.

“Good now all I need is details and I will give you ten minutes to contact the other teams and leave.” Jaco told him as he wrote numbers down on a piece of paper. “Give me five minutes and then check your account. I will call you back in ten to make sure we are good and Morales? Do not think of taking advantage of me. I know where you live and would hate to see anything happen to those lovely daughters of yours.” Jaco hung up the phone and looked at Zoe. A little repulsed at himself for threatening children.

“Use my account Jaco.” Zoe insisted.

“Oh honey I am older than you and your father. I made this plan and I will use my money. I have padded a couple of the accounts for the kids you brought home. Morgan didn’t have a dime but please don’t tell them. I have more than I know what to do with and so will my kids and grandkids. Just keep everyone here until I let you know when it is only Aldrich and his sons standing. Can you do that for me please? I will let you know as soon as we can go out and finish this.” Jaco asked pleading her to accept this.

“Only because you just saved us from having to kill humans, even if they are horrible hired killers who deserve to be dead.” Zoe replied and walked out. A small smile played on her lips. She walked back out into the main room just as the Onyx couples were finishing their report.

Kaiden went to speak and Zoe placed a hand on his arm. “Jaco has made a deal and we need to wait here for a bit. When the deal is done it will only be Aldrich and his children left with no way to escape.” Zoe said loud enough for everyone to hear.

“How?” Kaiden asked surprise coloring his face.

“Money speaks, seems these men are hired killers. Meaning the highest payer gets their attention. So we will have a bit of clean up to do later but we won’t have to harm any humans in this fight even if they possibly deserve it. This is us against Aldrich nothing else.” Zoe announced

“Well ok then, we wait.” Kaiden smirked.

Aldrich felt the pulse of magic as soon as they went over this area. It was the same pulse he got from the journal but so much stronger. The helicopters landed in the valley a good ways away from the pulse of magic. The men all exited the helicopters armed with their guns. Aldrich stood for a moment and savored his victory letting the feel of it soak into his pores. He pulled his small trunk out of the helicopter and strode forward towards the human men. Both teams that landed with him carried a few of his sons. His sons all ran out and joined his other children. The humans however landed a ways away from Aldrich and were huddled close to their helicopters.

As he walked calmly towards the human teams he gestured for his children to form a line behind him as he shouted at them to be prepared. He kept walking to the humans when the forest color helicopter shot up from the ocean below. He stopped his walk standing there and watched in silent horror as missiles flew to his two helicopters. A huge a violent blast shook the area as his helicopters blew to pieces.

As Aldrich stood stone still and watched the burning pieces he turned and then watched as the humans ran back to their helicopters and shot into the air in a flurry and took off with the forest helicopter. The three helicopters shot off over the ocean leaving him stranded. Aldrich screamed in fury and threw his trunk on the ground as he ran towards the pulse of magic.

“FORWARD! Kill them all!” Aldrich seethed in anger.

His children strode forward not noticing the three brothers on the end that didn’t move. They waited a few moments to see if their father or siblings would turn to watch. No one turned to see them the rest strode forward with nothing but killing something in their eyes. When Aldrich didn’t turn around and none of the others did they ran. Once they got to the woods they kept running and didn’t look back.

As his children surged forward he stripped the clothing from his body and stood still as a statue. He felt his Dragon come forward and he let out an angry roar as the burn ripped through him then he ran forward on four legs right behind his children.

As one the line of half-bloods met an invisible brick wall that threw them back a good fifty feet. Aldrich was next to reach it and it tossed him back making him roll over and over crushing his wings. The sudden need to go home overcame his senses but the journal spoke to him loud and clear.

He knew it was magic and knew that the spell to make him want to go home would not stick. Aldrich noticed his children start to get up and look at one another confused and then some started to walk away. Aldrich quickly gathered them all back up and touched them to get the magic influence out. They were all lined back up when the ground below them started to roll toward them like a wave. What was left of his helicopters was being swallowed by the earth.

Aldrich knew they were here and that they were creating this. He roared his anger out loud and long some of his sons flinched and started to fire. Aldrich smiled, knowing those bullets fired out of terror from his roar would kill the ones hiding behind the magic. They won’t be able to run from a bullet.

Aldrich turned back to the invisible wall as screams filled the air from behind him instead of in front of him where they should be coming from. He turned to see the guns explode in each of his children’s hands. He let out another angry roar as he watched his stupid children scream in surprise then look to him like he could magically make the guns reappear. Aldrich went to take a step towards his children when an electric current ran up his body.

He turned to see a woman striding towards him. She wasn’t alone however there were at least a hundred or more with her and they seemed to just appear one by one from thin air. He watched as lightning came from her outstretched hands and struck his body. An intense shock ran through his body and he felt more pain than he ever had before. His teeth clenched together and his vision faded as everything went black. Then he felt nothing.