Sentinel [Covenant #5] (15 page)

vehicle. “I am never wrong about these things.” Doors opened and closed behind us. “What’s going on?” Luke called, joined by Olivia. Both had daggers in their hands. Sentinels from the other cars were close behind them. “Are we just taking a pottybreak or something?” Aiden turned toward them, his mouth opening to respond just as the ground beneath our feet trembled. He looked down, brows furrowing. “What the…?” The vibration continued, growing in intensity, shaking the vehicles and rattling the trees that crowded the road. Asphalt cracked like an ear-piercing gunshot. A fissure spread along the side of the road, spreading toward the guardrail. I whipped around, following the progress of the crevice as it widened along the land, splitting open. Loose soil pebbled and rolled as giant elms shook until thick roots poked up from the ground. “Deacon!” Aiden shouted, spinning. His brother was already out of the car, his eyes wide. “Stay near Luke!” “Earthquake?” Olivia asked, one hand braced on the hood of the Expedition. I shook my head. “I have a really bad feeling about this.” “Ditto,” Seth said, joining us. The trembling eased off and the earth seemed to settle, along with my stomach. The reprieve lasted seconds. From the wide crack in the ground, rich, dark soil spewed into the air like from a volcano. The earthy scent was overpowering as the dirt arced up and shot back down, landing in twenty or so different piles. “Yeah,” Luke drawled the word out. “That crap ain’t normal.” The piles of dirt swirled along the ground in circles, then rose up, rapidly taking form. Legs appeared, thick and well-muscled, followed by torsos, broad chests and shoulders, and finally heads. I blinked once and then twice. “What in the hell?” The things resembled human males—human males who could’ve easily been pro wrestlers in another life. Soil traveled down their arms, taking shaping over the hands. Axes appeared in their hands, blades sharpened into deadly edges. Like, axes bigger than what I imagined Vikings used to carry once upon a screwed-up time. These things…they were made of dirt, but the axes were very, very real. “The Spartoi!” shouted Perses. “Warriors born of soil—sons of Ares!” “Oh, shit,” Aiden said, eyes flaring with recognition. I had no idea what the Spartoi were, but seeing that full-grown men made of dirt had just popped out the earth heavily armed, and seeing that were sons of Ares, I was going to assume this was a very bad situation. Their mouths opened in unison, letting out a heart-stopping battle roar that was matched only by the sound that came out of Perses’ mouth. He launched himself forward, over the crack in the road, and met the first Dirt Man head-to-head. “Yeah, screw this,” Seth said, lifting his hand. The marks on his skin brightened and akasha blasted from his palm, striking one of the manifestations in the chest. Dirt Man Two exploded outward, but all the tiny, million particles froze and then snapped back, reforming. The thing laughed, spewing tiny pebbles from its open mouth. “Oh crap,” I said, my mouth dropping open. “The heads,” Perses grunted, engaging his sickle blade. “You must remove their heads!” I unhooked my sickle blade as Dirt Man Two threw his axe. It whipped through the air, narrowly avoiding Aiden, and smacked into a tree across the road, embedding deep. A second later, a red film covered the majestic elm tree, completely and utterly swallowing it whole. When the red haze disappeared, nothing of the tree remained. “Holy crap,” Luke said. Another axe appeared in Dirt Man Two’s hands. Perses whirled, cleaving the head off of his Dirt Man’s body. The creature collapsed into itself, theaxe disappearing along with it. The Titan’s laugh was disturbingly joyful. Dirt Man Two charged forward, and I used the air element to fling him back against the trees. The thing shattered and came back together within seconds. Seth shot forward, avoiding the broad sweep of the axe as he brought the sickle around sharply, catching it under the chin. “Two down,” Aiden said, springing to the side as another axe flew by our heads. Luke grunted as he shoved Deacon back toward the rear of the Expedition. “Stay back, pretty boy.” Deacon responded, but it was lost in the invasion of the Spartoi. One was heading straight toward me, a trail of soil chasing after it. I dipped down, engaging the sickle part of the weapon with a shake of my wrist. I sprung up behind the Dirt Man. The thing twisted as it swung the axe down. Heat flew off the weapon, causing me to jump back. Dirt Man Three lurched at me. Darting to the side, I reached up and caught his arm. It fell apart under my hand, crumbling in a sheet of dry dirt. Ignoring the grossness of that, I swung it down and twisted hard, causing the creature to lose its grip on the axe. As it fell to the ground, I brought the sickle blade against the back of its neck. “Three down!” I shouted, feeling a familiar adrenaline rushing inside me. Olivia spun gracefully, relieving another of its head. “Four!” Was it twisted that we were counting? I guessed not, because within a few minutes, we were down to ten. Even Perses was calling out numbers, but he seemed to be having a hell of a lot more fun than we were. A wide smile was on his face as he stalked a Dirt Man, easily avoiding the axes lobbed at him. It was like Christmas morning for the freak. Turning at the waist, I found myself nearly losing my own head when one of them swung an axe. I had two of them, coming from both sides. I started to summon the air element again, but Aiden appeared in front of me. In a graceful move, he spun and lopped off the head of one of the Spartoi. I wanted to take a moment to recognize the beauty of the way he moved, but another was running straight for me. Rushing forward, I met it with the sharp side of the sickle. Drop! Seth’s voice shouted in my head. Without thinking twice, I hit the ground half a second before Seth’s blade cut through where I’d been standing, taking out a Dirt Man that had been really close to putting the hurting on me. None of these things could kill Seth or me, or at least that was what I was banking on, but they could put us down long enough for Ares to swoop in. Rising, I nodded at Seth. “Thanks.” He said nothing as he joined Luke in cornering two more of the creatures. Looking around, I saw that Deacon was safe and Aiden was now a few yards in front of him. Nothing would get past him. I started toward another Dirt Man when a ball of flames landed about two feet from me. Fire licked over the ground. Startled, I spun, and my stomach dropped. Cresting the hill above us was one of the worst possible things we could’ve seen at this moment. Horns, dark matted hair, and long, flat snouts that sloped into mouths full of strong teeth came into view. Their thick thighs and large hoofs made of titanium were next. Automatons. Perses shouted another battle roar, and the rush of adrenaline coiled tight around my heart. I spun and darted out, reaching the Dirt Man closest to me. The thing dove forward, but I ducked under its arm. Swinging around, I swung the blade down, dispatching another one of the freaky creations. Something inside me clicked off as I ran toward the cars, dodging the axes and fireballs. We had to get rid of the Spartoi first. There were only a few left, so that was completely doable, and Perses was charging toward the bulls to keep them at bay for a while. Hearing pounding footsteps behind me, I whirled and jerked to the side, narrowly avoiding anotheraxe. Springing into the air, I spun and delivered a nasty kick that would’ve been so damn good if my foot hadn’t sunk through the thing’s chest. We went down in a burst of dirt and rocks. Dust flew into my mouth and nose. I gagged, trying not think about the fact that I just swallowed some of the Dirt Man as I rolled away from him. He swung his axe through the air and brushed my thigh. A slice of pain shot down my leg as a thin slit formed in the pant leg. The Dirt Man roared to its feet, heaving the axe like a Viking straight from Valhalla. Summoning air, I blew the S.O.B. back, slamming it into the Hummer. I popped to my feet and raced after it, taking it out. Through the smoke and clouds of dirt, I saw Aiden engaging an automaton. Like the Spartoi, the heads had to be removed. One of the automatons lit up from the inside, like a blue x-ray, before exploding in a shower of sparks. Or Seth could use akasha. That would work, too. With the automatons coming closer and closer, our group was scattered. Perses was making short work of the monsters, but the falling flames were making it difficult to pay attention to any one thing. A burst of flames shot from where Aiden and Deacon were, smacking into the nearest automaton. Flames spread across the ground, and I darted around the blaze. Springing up, I caught a Dirt Man before it launched its axe at Luke. Perses slammed the pointed end of the weapon into the chin of an automaton. Silvery blood sprayed the Titan in the face and chest. He didn’t even blink as he yanked the blade to the side. He turned, and his smile was gory with blood. In that moment, I understood the Olympians’ distaste of Perses. To enjoy battle and war was one thing. Twisted, yes, but there were a lot of aggressive people out there. Perses didn’t just enjoy it, though. The Titan got off on the violence and bloodshed. For a moment, the Titan transfixed me. The way he dispatched the enemy with that level of glee would make serial killers across the nation happy. A little sickened, I joined Seth and tapped into primitive, raw energy. Power rushed through me, and my skin tingled with the appearance of the marks. Using akasha, intense blue light erupted from me. Arcing through the air, it struck its target, reducing it to nothing but a pile of shimmery dust. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Olivia dart to the side to avoid an incoming fireball. My heart kicked in my chest as a Dirt Man let loose his axe. I shouted at her—I thought I did as I pushed off the ground, rushing toward her. In my head, I was screaming, but I wasn’t sure any sound was making it past my lips. A horrible, terrifying feeling of déjà vu settled in my stomach. In a split second, I saw Lea in my head, but this wasn’t Lea. No—no no no. This couldn’t he happening again. A flicker of recognition shot across Olivia’s face a second before the Dirt Man’s axe struck her in the chest. She hadn’t even tried to move. I think, in that tiny second, she knew it was already too late. “No!” I screamed, and then I screamed again. Olivia stumbled back a step. The red film spread out from her chest, quickly slipping over her. In a heartbeat, she was gone. Another hoarse scream tore through me, scratching my throat and darkening a part of my soul. Olivia was gone. She was gone. Just like that. Nothing in this world left of her. Luke shouted as he spun on his Dirt Man, dispatching it, and then whirled back to where Olivia had been. He kept the saying the same word over and over again—the same word that was repeating itself in my head. No. No. No. No. Deacon rushed forward, but Aiden caught him around the waist. Tears streamed down the younger St. Delphi’s face as he struggled against Aiden’s hold. He was saying her name—screaming it, really. My heart split open as my gaze returned to the spot. This wasn’t fair. Oh gods, it hurt. How couldsomeone be there one second and be gone the next? It didn’t matter how many times people had died. I still couldn’t fathom the quick and unforgiving end of existence. And there was nothing left of her. Not a speck of flesh or clothing. Not even a weapon remained. No body to bury or mourn. I hit the scorched earth on my knees, slowly shaking my head back and forth. All around us, the fight raged on with Seth and Perses taking on the remaining automatons. Flames burst a few feet from me, but I didn’t flinch, and I didn’t move. Olivia was gone.CHAPTER 21Things were a blur after that. Seth and Perses destroyed the automatons, and when they returned, the Titan hadn’t given a damn that we’d lost someone. That we had lost Olivia. “We don’t have time for this. We must move on.” I looked at him, searching for a fleck of sorrow, or compassion, or anything, but there was nothing. He stalked forward, walking right through the spot where Olivia had last stood. Luke started toward the Titan, his hands curling into fists, but Aiden grabbed his arm, shaking his head as he all but dragged the half-blood to the Expedition. “Get inside,” Aiden ordered. His eyes were still trained on Perses, and he wasn’t budging. “Luke,” Aiden warned. It was Deacon who got through to him. “Come on. Get in with me. Please?” Luke blinked, and anger, hurt, and dozen of other violent emotions still infused his cheeks, but he climbed into the back seat with Deacon. Alex? I didn’t respond as Seth passed me. I turned, opening the passenger door. I’m sorry, he said. My breath caught as I hauled myself into the seat. I know. No one spoke as the vehicles ground into gear, easing around the fissure in the road, with the exception of Aiden checking in with Solos. He shared what’d happened in a low voice. I sat unnaturally still, with my cheek pressed against the window, watching the trees as we continued up the mountain. My heart was heavy, and my eyes burned. Pain lanced my jaw from how tight I was clenching my teeth. I was barely holding it together, but I knew we had to forge on. We had to, but it didn’t seem right. I wanted to yell “STOP,” and I wanted to make everyone, included the Titan, acknowledge that we had lost someone important to us, someone who was too young to die. A tear streaked down my cheek, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I pressed my hand against the pocket that held several small coins—the ones I’d brought in case…in case we had to bury someone. We couldn’t even bury Olivia, but she had the coins with her. She’d have them in the Underworld. Olivia would get to be with Caleb now. He would find her, and she would be okay. Olivia was with Caleb now. I kept repeating that, because it helped to know that they would be reunited. They would be back together for eternity, and that was something to be happy about, because Olivia had never truly gotten over Caleb’s death. Knowing that still didn’t make this any easier to accept. At some point, Aiden reached over and found my hand. He squeezed. I squeezed back. We reached the heavily forested outskirts of the Catskills just before dusk. We parked the dusty Hummer in front of a sprawling house at the base of the mountains; Solos had directed us to the address, so we assumed it was full of allies. I stretched my tight muscles, then opened the door. Behind us, Seth and Perses had
already sprung free from their vehicle and were rounding ours. Up ahead, I could see a mass of Sentinels in front of the house, and there were several lights on inside. It seemed like more than what we’d left with, and sweet relief coursed through me. They had somehow made it around the automatons. Maybe they’d just been waiting for the Apollyon-Titan carpool. “Ares has to know about this,” I said, hopping down and walking toward the stone fence separatingthe gravel road from the yard. Seth fell in step beside me, folding his arms. “I’m sure he does, but this kind of warfare reminds him of his glory days.” “He’s right.” Aiden hefted the bag of weapons onto his shoulder. “There’s no way two enemies would be stationed this close together in modern warfare, but this…” He waved his arm in the direction of the waiting Sentinels and Guards. “This is like trench warfare.” In high school, before I’d returned to the Deity Island Covenant, I had read All Quiet on the Western Front. That was about all I knew about trench warfare, and that was enough for me to want to sneak into the Covenant and act like a nuclear missile. I couldn’t bear to lose anyone else. Perses strode ahead of us, tall and silent, and I watched him for a moment. He’d relished the skirmish that had cost Olivia her life. The Titan thrived on the bloodshed and death. I didn’t want to hate him, because it was what he was, but there was still no trace of remorse or sorrow for the lives lost. Deacon stumbled past us, rubbing his red-rimmed eyes wearily. “I don’t want to see the inside of a car again for as long as I live.” “I’ll remind you of that the next time you have to walk any real distance and start whining,” Luke replied, the words light but the look on his face grave. He had been so close to Olivia, closer than me. An ache pierced my chest as I stepped through the narrow opening in the stone wall. The only thing I could console myself with was that I knew—I knew— she was with Caleb. She was with the boy she had loved so fiercely, had never stopped loving. I was still holding onto that thought like it was a life jacket. Solos jogged across the clearing, slowing down as he passed Perses. He cast the Titan a look before continuing toward us. He stopped in front of Luke, placing his hand on the half-blood’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said, and those two words carried so much weight. Luke nodded and said something in a low voice before he walked past. Deacon’s hand went to his lower back, and a small smile tugged at my lips when Luke moved closer to him as they followed Perses. Aiden clasped Solos’ hand as we met him. “How are things here?” “Better than what you had to face,” Solos replied. “I should’ve—” “There’s nothing you could’ve done,” I interrupted, shifting my weight. I wanted a pillow—STAT. “It seems like there are more Sentinels here than there were with us.” “There are.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Come on. I’m sure you guys could use something to eat. I’ll explain on the way.” My stomach rumbled in response, and Aiden sent me a quick grin. I was too tired to be embarrassed. “So what’s going on?” “Our advance scouts met up with a group of about fifty Sentinels outside of the city. They’re from the New York Covenant and were out scouting beyond the line of the automatons. They showed us a way around. We had a minor run-in with a few automatons, but we didn’t lose any numbers.” They were lives, not numbers. He knows that. Seth’s voice startled me. I hadn’t realized I’d projected those thoughts anywhere. But looking at them that way helps keep the mind clear. I guess, I responded without much conviction. “They brought us back here. There’s at least a hundred more. They’ve been here since Ares took over. They made it out after he did.” Purpose filled his voice. “They know the set-up inside, where Ares has been holing up, how many he has beyond the walls, and so on.” All of that was valuable knowledge, necessary knowledge, and that was what Aiden was telling Solos, and then they were talking about more important stuff. But all I could think was that, if there were Sentinels here that had gotten out after Ares took over, was my father among them? Solos wouldn’t knowif he was, but Seth and Laadan had said that that my father had stayed behind with the servants. “Are there servants here?” I asked, interrupting them. Solos glanced back at me. “Yes. There are quite a few. Most of them aren’t under the effects of the Elixir anymore.” My heart tripped up in my chest, and my wide eyes met Aiden’s. There was a reluctant hope in his gaze. I knew he wanted my father to be somewhere among those up ahead or in the house, but he was wary of that fragile dream and the crushing disappointment that was sure to come if he wasn’t. He was behind the walls when I was last here . Seth’s words were as heavy as Solos’ apology. He could’ve made it out since then, but… But Ares knew that my father was there. I sighed. It was stupid to hope, wasn’t it? “Never,” Seth said out loud. Aiden glanced back, brows furrowed, but then he turned back to Solos. Stones sat in my stomach. Man, that disappointment wasn’t far behind. I tried to shake it off, because we had such huge things to accomplish. We would have to move on Ares quickly, probably by the following nightfall, but I wanted to see my dad. I needed him to know that I knew who he was. If things went south fast, I wanted to see him before I… I didn’t allow myself to finish that thought. I had to trust that Apollo would find a way to stop the Olympians from snuffing me out once I became the God Killer. He’d said he would take care of me. He’d sworn, and supposedly gods kept their promises. Except in Solos’ case, and just about every other story I could think of. Sigh. As we crossed the lawn, the Sentinels that had been gawking at Perses did the same as Seth and I neared. Several muttered curses when they laid eyes on the First, their gazes cold and unfriendly. “Friends of yours?” I asked, watching one of them rest his hand on his gun. Seth gave a lopsided shrug. “I’m sure we may have exchanged a few words before…” “Before you pulled your head out of your ass?” A laugh burst from him. “Exactly.” “You should sleep well tonight.” He stepped around a bag full of what looked like rifles. “I doubt any of us will really be sleeping.” I recognized some of the faces from the University, but there were a lot of strangers in the crowd, and many of them were my age. Young. I didn’t feel young, not anymore, but I guessed technically I still was, and so were they. Solos introduced us to the Sentinels who were in charge of the group from inside the Covenant. They looked battered but hopeful as they saw with their own eyes what Solos must’ve been telling them. The Apollyons were unified, and we’d brought a Titan with us. It sounded kind of badass, but then again, we were going up against Ares. We headed into the house, which was really a mansion. Someone said it’d once belonged to a mortal in the government, but they had abandoned it when Ares brought in the mortal troops. Food was given to us, and I tried to eat quietly while Aiden conversed with the different Sentinels. I didn’t see where Luke and Deacon had roamed off to, but I hoped, wherever they were, Luke was doing okay. I picked at my sandwich, my stomach too full of knots to be hungry. Part of me worried that I was throwing way too many vibes at Seth, but I suspected he was blocking me. After all, he was a hell of a lot better at it than me. Giving up on the food, I set the plate aside, left the large sitting room, and investigated the house. I lost count of how many rooms were downstairs after I walked through what looked like the third sitting room. Who needed this many rooms? And why were there so many short halls? It was like a maze. Sighing, I pushed the shorter strands of hair that had escaped my ponytail out of my face. I knew Ishould be back in that room with Aiden and Solos. They had been talking about plans for tomorrow. I should’ve been leading those conversations—or at least paying attention. Or pretending to listen by being in the same room as them. “You shouldn’t feel guilty.” I jumped at the sound of Seth’s voice, surprised that he was able to sneak up on me. Turning toward him, I found him under the archway. Well, there went the idea that he was blocking my feelings. “Are you following me?” I asked instead of acknowledging his statement. “Yes.” “Shouldn’t you be following Perses?” “Why?” He tipped his head down, and a lock of blond hair fell across his forehead. “He’s behaving. Right now, he’s outside with the Sentinels, getting them all wound up.” I sat on the edge of an antique couch that had the hardest, most uncomfortable cushions ever. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” “I think so. He’ll get them ready to battle. We’re going to need everything we have to get past the army Ares has and inside those walls.” I nodded slowly. “You think we can do it?” “Most definitely.” One side of his lips quirked up. “And you think we can take out Ares?” “I do.” Seth strode over the couch and sat beside me. My initial reaction was to get up, especially since he was having so many problems ignoring the allure of the power that rested inside of me, but I stayed put. “Perses will make sure we get to him, and then he will weaken Ares, giving us time to make the transfer. You remember how to do it?” “Yes.” I clapped my hands together in my lap and peeked at him. The amber hue of his eyes was deeper. I decided to take a stab at the argument again. “Waiting until the very last minute is risky.” “You doing it now is risky, Alex. You don’t know what it’s like. I know—” “I believe you,” I said, and I really did. The power had corrupted Seth, and he was only the First. Becoming the God Killer was apparently going to turn me into an aether-crazed Terminator. Besides, yelling at him hadn’t worked last time. “If I can’t handle it after I take out Ares, you’ve got to get away from me. Quickly.” His frown did nothing to lessen his beauty. “I don’t think I’ve said this to you right.” My brows rose. His frown deepened. “You can handle it.” Now I was confused. “That’s not what you said before.” “Like I said, I’m saying it wrong.” Seth twisted toward me. “And I’m not being honest.” The knots in my stomach tightened, and I resisted the urge to hit him before he spoke, because I figured whatever he was about to say would deserve a five-finger hello to the face. “Seth.” “Alex—” “What in the hell could you possibly not be honest about now?” I demanded as a rush of anger rose inside me. “That you’re waiting until the thirtieth hour to divulge?” Seth looked away, his chin jutting out stubbornly. “You could lay off the attitude.” I flipped him off. A reluctant-sounding chuckle parted his lips. “Okay. Do I think you’re going to go a little powercrazy? Probably. You’re already a little crazy.” My eyes narrowed. “But you’ll handle it. You always handle everything, and I…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “We have to wait until the last minute because I’m not sure I won’t try to stop you. I’m not sure I won’t try to take the power myself.”I stared at him, the scowl slipping off my face as his words sank in. Holy babies in a manger, this was a big deal. Apollo had been right. I had wanted to believe Seth that night at the University, but Apollo had been right. Two pink spots appeared in his cheeks. “You’re looking at me like… like I said the worst thing possible.” “Well, that is pretty…um, well, it’s something.” I shook my head. “Seth, if you think you’re going to stop me and try to do it yourself, how in the hell is waiting to the last minute to do it a good idea?” He didn’t answer. Instead, he looked away, focusing on a really creepy deer head hanging from the wall. Seth? Lowering his chin, he rubbed the palm of his hand over his cheek. I’ll let you do it then. I know I will. How? What if you don’t? What if—? “I will,” he snapped, lifting his head. His eyes were glowing. “I know I will then.” “Excuse me if I’m not reassured by that!” I started to stand, but he grabbed my arm. The tiny hairs on my body rose. “I know I will, because too much will be riding on me to let you do it.” Was he saying that he’d perform better under the pressure? That somehow having our heads on the line would ensure he wouldn’t suck me dry? What the hell was that? I tried to pull my arm back, but he held on. “I think we should do it now.” He closed his eyes. “I’m serious. We could do it now.” My heart was trying to come out of my chest. “I’ll get Aiden, and then we’ll do it. Afterward, he’ll make sure we’re separated and—” “I’m not going to fail you or anyone. Not again. We’ll do it then, as planned.” “Seth…” The marks of the Apollyon went crazy, spinning and twirling across my skin, reaching his. His face contorted, and I felt the cord jump inside me. My pulse kicked into overdrive as every warning sensor went off. The last time, he’d said— Suddenly, the tip of a Covenant dagger was under Seth’s chin, pushing into the delicate skin of his throat. My gaze dropped to where Seth’s hand was wrapped around my forearm and then back to the tip of the dagger. Definitely a silent way of saying “let go.” Seth released my arm, finger by finger. I looked up, and my gaze locked with eyes the color of warm chocolate. Air halted in my throat, and my voice cracked on one word. “Dad?”CHAPTER 22The huge, potential problem of Seth taking the God Killer power from me at the last and possibly worst moment known to mankind was suddenly insignificant. I was staring at my dad. My father. He looked just like I remembered—a classically handsome face lined by the weather and his life, but his brown eyes were lively with intelligence and awareness. He was thinner, gaunter than before. And he was wearing a Sentinel uniform. Something in my chest came unhinged, like a door had been thrown open too fast and too hard. Tears poured into my eyes. He was in a Sentinel uniform. My father also held a dagger against Seth’s throat. “It’s okay,” I said, my voice hoarse. I glanced at Seth, who looked as surprised as I felt. “Seth?” Standing slowly, Seth raised his hands. His amber gaze was locked on my father. “I’m not going to hurt her.” My father didn’t look convinced. His lips curled in a sneer as he kept the blade against Seth’s throat, but he let Seth back away. The First headed for the door, stopping once to look at us, and then he