Sky of Dust: The Last Weapon (18 page)

“
I just want you to be happy
,
”
I managed to reply without my voice quivering too much.

She was opening her mouth to say something when several loud explosions rocked the dance floor. At first I thought it was just fireworks going off
,
but people began to run and scream.

I looked up
,
and I watched the far side of the glass ceiling begin to collapse in towards the ground like a wave.

I grabbed Abigail’s hand and pulled her behind me as people began to panic.

Several more
loud
explosions erupted around us
,
and glass began to rain down.

Black ropes fell from the sky
,
and people in black suits began to slide down.

As they landed
,
they began firing automatic weapons into the crowd.

The people scattered liked trapped rats. We had nowhere to run.

I took a deep breath
,
and time slowed down.

My eyes darted from one end of the enormous room to the other, taking in every entry point, rope, and enemy that had dropped in.

I then located Peter, Mary, and my dad
,
who were all located within shouting distance.

“
HEY!
”
I screamed to get their attention.

Slowly
,
their heads turned towards me.

“
Get them
,
”
I mouthed. They all nodded slowly.

I released my hold of time
,
and we all sprung into action like it was second nature.

Peter took out his watch and slid it on his
wrist
. He picked up a handful of long glass shards
,
placed them between his fingers
,
and made a fist.

Peter then launched himself forward as a soldier rounded on him and began unloading his clip into Peter’s chest. The soldier did not stand a chance. Peter slammed his glass fist into the soldiers
face
,
and the soldier collapsed.

He looked at his hands and shook off any feeling he had
, grabbing
another fistful of glass
to continue
the battle.

Mary reached down and pulled out two pistols from between her legs and extended her arms to full length
,
firing
two shots in separate direction
—
two more soldier fell. She turned and ran to the opposite side of the room where the damage was greatest.

“
Separate
!
”
My dad yelled to Abigail and me. He pulled on the familiar watch.
“
I will take care of whatever is up there letting them in. I will be back as soon as I can.
”

Then he disappeared. I mean
,
he literally deflated from existence.

“
Go help Mary!
”
Abigail yelled to me.
“
I will help out Peter!
”

Abigail had already strapped her watch on and was breaking a circular table top off the legs and holding it like a shield.

She ran full speed into a soldier with his back turned and sent him flying into the buffet table.

I had no watch. It was just me, and I know I could only handle my abilities in short bursts without it.

I sprinted towards the other side of the room, grabbing a steak knife along the way.

I spotted a soldier aiming towards a group of people pinned against a wall.

“
HEY!
”
I yelled at him.

Time slowed as the soldier began to turn like he was encased in jello. I ducked down to avoid the swing of his rifle and chose my mark. I let time return
,
and my blade slid into his side.

I did not want to see him die
,
so I turned and ran towards Mary.

She was making progress for sure. Soldiers were crumpled on the floor among the innocent people that they had slaughtered.

I heard a loud explosion from above
;
then a fireball lit the sky just enough
for me
to see a helicopter nose diving.

BANG!

The helicopter slammed into the ground just before the ceiling. I hope it was not one of ours.

The next thing I remember was the air being knocked out of me as I skidded through the glass on the ground.

A soldier with a wound on his right shoulder pinned me to the ground and removed a knife from his breast
, raising
it to stab me.

I slowed time
,
but it was fading quickly. I managed to free both of my arms from under his knees and grab his arm that
held
the knife.

Time returned
,
and I was using every bit of strength I had to keep him from skewering me.

I felt my strength give as the blade crept closer to my face. I tried to scream for help
,
but I couldn’t make a sound.

Over the soldier
’
s shoulder
,
I saw a boy looking at me. It was Casey. He just stared at me, with no expression, like he was deciding if I was worth it.

“
C-Casey
,
”
I managed.

Casey disappeared behind the soldier.

As I exhaled
,
my strength gave in
,
and the soldier made progress.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The soldier sat up straight
the
n
collapsed on me.
I had pushed him partially
off
when I looked up.

Casey was standing with a gun pointed directly at me.

We stared at each other for a moment. He had me where he wanted. I could not do anything.

Casey lowered the gun and dropped it
. He calmly turned
and walked through the chaos out of site. I sat up, too weak to move further as I watched the battle wage
around me
.

To my surprise, other people had joined in on the fight. People in
suits
had grabbed guns and were firing at the soldiers. There were even a few people
who
obviously had abilities that were plowing through soldier after soldier.

The girl that Peter had danced with, the one with light brown
skin,
was bobbing and weaving
,
somehow
making
every soldier she touched
stiffen up and collapse to the ground.

My focus shot back to Mary
,
who was now crouched behind a metal buffet table as soldiers advanced on her. She must have been out of ammo because she threw both of her pistols at them from cover.

My eyes darted to see if there was anyone who was close enough to help, but there wasn’t.

Just then
,
my dad seemed to inflate into existence as he swung a knife, burying it in a soldier’s chest.

Then my dad vanished again and popped up at exactly the same time next to another soldier and twisted
his
neck.

He did this about ten more times, disappearing and reappearing, until all soldiers were sprawled on the floor.

Dad stood on the stage and looked around. I got up and made my way over to him. I saw Mary emerge from behind a table
,
and she headed towards the stage.

We climbed up and joined my dad just as Peter and Abigail approached.

I turned
,
and for the first time I could see the devastation.

The ceiling had almost completely caved in, bits still dangled from the ceiling like a time bomb. Helicopter blades extended into view where the chopper had crashed.

But
worst of all
were
all the bodies scattered
across
the floor as the glass reflected back a red sky
. Hundreds of people lay dead o
r wounded, screaming in pain. People cradled their loved ones and pleaded for help.
Almost everyone had been cut from the falling glass.

The only one that did not seem
physically
harm
ed
was Peter, but
his
eyes seemed sunken in and glazed over.

I looked down over the people
,
who I noticed were looking up at us. A few times they would avert their gaze and walk away.

“
Mary
,
”
m
y dad said as he removed his watch and handed it to her.
“
Why don’t you help some of the people
with their wounds
? The rest of us can start moving the bodies.
”

***

We dragged the bodies of men, women, children, and soldiers to one corner of the room
,
while the rest of the people began to head back to their homes.

Only a few dozen remained to help
manage the bodies
, as well as
a
handful of
mourners.

I had long lost my dinner
,
and everything seemed like a dream.

“
Look at this
,
”
m
y dad called to everyone.

He knelt down and flipped the bottom lip of one of the soldiers
,
revealing a bar code.

“
This is a Renatus Guard
,
”
h
e told us.
“
The ones who didn’t die right away took a cyanide capsule.
”

“
You mean the
E
ast attacked us?
”
I asked.

“
Most likely not
,
”
Dad responded.
“
They gain no benefit
from
attacking us. There is no profit in starting a war with us in which they would lose their source of income.
”

We all stared at him
,
not following what he was saying.

“
They make money off of people. So
sending
people to die is not in their best interest
,
”
m
y dad clarified.
“
No, these Guards were bought.
”

“
It is a warning
,
Bret!
”
President Reeves called as she walked over, almost slipping on glass and blood.
“
They are telling us that they can touch us at home.
”

“
I agree
,
”
m
y dad said.
“
It seems like they are getting bolder with their attacks. This was meant to shake us. Terrorism.
”

President Reeves scanned the bodies and closed her eyes like she was out of options.

“
I want you to get the Cell team ready in two weeks
,
”
President Reeves instructed.
“
We don’t have much time left to get Renatus to join us before it’s too late.
”

My dad nodded to her
,
and the President walked towards some people mourning.

“
Okay guys, listen up
,
”
m
y dad announced.
“
Let’s meet at my place tomorrow morning. I understand if you want to back out. It will be very dangerous
, and we don’t have much time to train you
.
”

He looked at everyone’s faces
,
and no one objected.

“
What about Casey?
”
P
eter asked softly.

Dad looked at me
then said, “Let him know that it’s his decision if he wants to help or not.”

I know Casey
had changed
,
and the incident with the gun d
id not make me feel comfortable having him guard my back, but it was not my decision to make.

Peter nodded.

“
Why doesn’t everyone go get some rest?
”
m
y dad suggested.