Revolution (49 page)

             
"And you were only four the first time you saved Danny's life, remember?"
             
I thought back to what she was talking about. "He fell in the pool and I grabbed a hold of his diaper. Not the same thing."

             
"It is exactly the same thing," she said haughtily back. "You were where you were supposed to be when you were supposed to be. So is Lily. So is Calvin. So is Danny."

             
I thought about Calvin and Danny outside right now. It didn't seem right, but…it also did. I was torn again and it was beginning to hurt in my chest from all the ripping. "But…"

             
She hugged me hard. It was her and she was real. She smelled the same, that scent carrying me to a better time and place. "It's time, mamma. It's time you let her finish this thing for us. What we've done and who we've lost," she gave me a pointed look at she leaned back, "won't be in vain." I felt my lips purse to hold in
my scream. I wanted to scream for everything that had been done to me and mine. And now they were taking my little girl from me?

             
She wiped my tear away and smiled through her own. "Sometimes, we have to let go when that's the last thing we want to do."

             
Then she was gone and I was left looking at my little girl and knowing I was about to take her up the elevator. Merrick would never forgive me for what I was about to do.

             
I took her fingers in mine and I walked toward the elevator. She hummed as I pressed the button. It was something soft, something sweet. It didn't fit and the eerie feeling I had from before came back tenfold.

             
I was taking my daughter to the Lighters because my dead friend had told me to. I shook my head. Not only would Merrick never forgive me, but neither would Danny nor Miguel nor Calvin. But I had to.

             
I had to trust my gut as I always had. Because that whole time that Mrs. Trudy and Lily had been trying to convince me, I hadn't heard on
e
lie come out of their mouths.

Crashing

Merrick

             
When we emerged from
the elevator, we knew we were in
for a big fight. All the Spec
ials and gifted ones had come along with a
ll the Keepers and all the guys who could hold a stake.

             
We ascended to the roof and looked out.
My breaths accelerated into overdrive. I knew they'd come
for us eventually. The Lighter
s weren't known for their mercy or forgiveness, but this was swift punishment. As we looked out at the line of evil coming our way, I knew we'd never make it. Markers lined the sky, Lighters blurred, and Graphters…there were at least five of them.

             
Miguel hissed and grabbed his scarred leg as he glared up at the Markers so close.

             
I took a deep breath and started the descent of the ladder. I led with my head high. We had to do this. At least my girls were safe inside and hopefully, the Lighters wouldn't go poking around for more once they were through with us.

             
The Graphters
steps were shaking the building as we made our way down. I looked down the line of my people and then the other way. Everyone was solemn. It must have hit them like it hit me. This was the end, but we were going out swinging as Cain always would say.
Too bad my f
riend wasn't here to see this; a
ll of our family so brave and ready for whatever came their way.

             
All that
was missing was war paint.

             
Danny stood beside me. He bumped my shoulder with his. I looked at him and he smiled tightly and nodded. "Thanks, man."

             
"What for, Special?"

             
"For coming and making my sister so happy, Keeper." He gripped my shoulder. "You're a good
man
." He emphasized the man and I got a little choked up. I gripped his shoulder, too.

             
"Danny…you're a good man, too. I've always thought so."

             
He nodded. "Let's do this."

             
I glanced down the line again. Miguel and Rylee were gripping each other's hand. Celeste and Danny were doing the same thing. Marissa was crying soundlessly and Jeff was worried about the baby as he pulled her close and kissed her temple. When I thought I'd given everybody enough time to say their goodbyes, I started toward the fray.

             
They were just past the trees and were just as ready for us and we were for them. I could take it no longer. I looked over at Miguel, my partner in butt-kicking. He shrugged and said, "
I've been waiting to have another blue with these buggers. Look," he pointed to his pants, "I've even got on my fighting daks."

             
I laughed, even if this situation. I shook my head. "You know I never know what you're saying."

             
"I know." He grinned. "Let's give this mongrel mob what for, eh?"

             
"That I understand." He hugged me halfway and pounded my back. "Good to know you, man."

             
"Pig's arse!" he argued. "Don’t act like we ain't coming back. It'll all be apples, mate."

             
I patted him on the back, too. We turned to the war and ran. Miguel's battle cry was a starting point for them all and we ran and yelled. They thought we were an easy target, but we weren't going out without a fight
, no matter how bleak.

             
Some time later, we ha
d compelled them, staked them, been slammed into trees, been slammed into each other, Marissa had them staking themselves and each other, Calvin was flaming them as Ryan protected his back, Rylee was using the balloon bombs and Miguel was s
tabbing them with his iron rod while shooting at the Markers in the sky.
The explosives we had had been dispatched and every bullet fired.

             
But it wasn't enough.

             
We’d taken a beating. Everyone was spent and wounded somewhere. I'd been shot in the foot by a Lighter who'd stolen Danny's gun. Danny got a tire iron in
to the Lighter's
back for it, but it made it almost impossible to keep going. Though I tried, it wasn't just me that was barely hanging on.

             
They corralled us, a bloody beaten mess, into a tight circle and what was left of them stood around us. All the Graphters had survived and there was enough of the others left to make me know what fate was coming.

             
One Graphter in particular seemed to be the silent leader of the rest. He walked back and forth and repeated the process several times before he spoke. "I can imagine you know why we're here."

             
"I'm so hot you can't stay away?" Miguel goaded. That earned him a kick in the gut. Rylee glared at the thing and helped Miguel sit up.

             
"Your little stunt with the video tape." He laughed as if he were aggravated. "We worked really hard to make sure everything was right and all lined up. And in one fell swoop, you destroy
ed
all the compulsion to an entire state and start
ed
a riot that will only destroy the people and the town. You shot yourselves in the foot, it would seem." He grinned at me, his black teeth shining. "No pun intended, Keeper."

             
I huffed. "None taken, Graphter. You can keep your jokes. I'm not really in the mood."

             
"But this is what you wanted!" he yelled and smiled. "You wanted the world to be free of compulsion! You wanted us to know the rebels meant business. You wanted us to know this was
your town
. Well, we know and here we are to congratulate you on a job…piss poorly done. You get an 'A' for effort, but an 'F' for
execution."
             

             
"Get on with it," Jeff growled. "We don't need to banter with you. Just do whatever it is that you're going to do."

             
"Well, we're going to kill you," he stated matter-of-factly. "But we have a few things to discuss first. One being this." He yanked Lillian up. My mouth fell open. She'd snuck out somehow. I hadn't even know
n
she was out here with us. I saw Simon beside her and knew he'd been helping her. He would feel responsible to her for Cain.
"For two
, I've met our traitor, now you can meet yours."

             
Piper walked up from the back of the pack. She shaved her head mostly, leaving only a little black stubble. She smiled at us. I didn't even question the hows or whys. It just didn't matter anymore.

             
"We found her where you had deserted
her in your hideout. We offered her a place if she helped us look for you. She was so close to this place several times," he mused and looked around.
"
But she's been very instrumental in our pursuits. She followed you home last night and came to tell us. But then you pulled your little stunt, so we were….delayed in coming for our visit. And we won't be killin
g your wome
n." He grinned at Lillian
and she looked as if she might slap him. "We'll be keeping them for our…pleasure.
"

             
Then she did slap him.
It was the slap heard round the
dustbowl. He stared in shock and then his face melted into anger. He let her arm go and lifted his arms as if to smite her in some way, but then a Lighter was blown back and toppled into him, sending him flying with him. A boom resounded to our side.

             
Cain was huffing his breaths like he'd ran. And I guessed he had. He ran on the other side of our group and engulfed Lillian, even a
s the Graphter got up and came
his way for more. She gripped onto him and we waited.

             
His steps shook us and his anger was a tangible thing. It filled our lungs and let us know he was done with his banter. Cain raised his hand again, but stopped. "Dang. Forgot you're some kind of freak that ca
n't be blown to bits
."

             
"True. I'm immune to your abilities. Bu
t
you aren't immune to mine." He clapped his hands and we all covered our ears and groaned. Cain had been the closest. When he pulled his hands back, a small trail of blood was making it
s
way from his ear down his neck.