The Uprising (The Julianna Rae Chronicles) (14 page)

‘Not talking?’

Bas braced himself. ‘Nope, not talking.’

The rifle stock swung into the backs of his knees.

Whack
!

‘I want the safe house location, Julianna and Isis.’

Whack, crunch
!

The blood
ran in a steady stream, pouring over the floor to expand a puddle into the drain too small to gulp it down quickly. Bas chanted under his breath.

Taris laughed. ‘You can’t heal yourself in here.
‘I’ve placed invocations everywhere.’

‘
Then you’ve rendered yourself powerless, you dumb fuck.’ Bas puffed under the excruciating pain.

‘Maybe,’ Taris nodded.
‘Maybe not.’ 

Bastiaan’s head lulled forward under
the command of his cousin’s gestures. His body lunged with it in mid-air, suspended under a crush of pain before being released. His breath abandoned him. Bas gulped for air.

‘The Senate
has been very generous with me,’ Taris did another circle. Bas followed him, turning his head, stopping when Taris stopped at the trolley.

His hands tipped the vial
s, deliberating them. He lifted the one almost empty and gave it a gentle shake. Bas watched every deliberate move, noting every small gesture, waiting for Taris to pierce his naked waist with the vaccine.

‘There isn’t much in the way of binding my abilities. The Senate granted me the courtesy of becoming more powerful than you.’

The tip of the needle pushed into Bastiaan’s skin. He screamed much the way he’d heard the scream earlier. 

‘Dun give ‘em the satisfaction, sonny. Yer be strong yer hear?’

He caught his breath. ‘Hal? Fuck, can’t do this man,’ he screamed again in his torment.

‘Safe house location? Last time, then I stop asking.’

‘Sector Three.’ The pain was unbearable. He bit down on his tongue until his own blood seeped down his throat.

‘The address in S Three? Give me the street
, Bastiaan. Give me the street, or we start the induction. You’ll give me the information anyway, when you come out on the other side as Militia.’

T
he cuffs sprung open. Everything blurred, everything raced. He crumbled to the ground, useless. His arms and shoulders ached where he lay on the floor, stretching his fingers to clutch something for relief,
anything
.

Taris crouched beside him. ‘An act of faith on my part. Tell me now and I’ll let your brother share your fate. Tell me
after
and
you’ll shout the order at Cain’s firing squad. What’s your choice?’

Bas managed a laugh. The pain was intolerable, and he felt the warm release between his legs flow through his pants. ‘Fuck you, cous.’

‘That ‘er boy sonny. Fuck ‘em up the ass an’ give ‘em nothin’. ’

*     *     *

It was the last Bas heard of Hal. In fact, old Hal was never seen again. It was the last familiar voice Bastiaan heard for a while, and once the unconsciousness lulled over him like a soft pillow, none of it really mattered.

The Seer’s first vision

Julianna relaxed in the familiar park. Her legs outstretched until her toes felt the blades of cool grass, and her fingers picked a daisy. She put the flower to her nose and breathed in the full round fragrance, closing her eyes to enjoy the smooth breeze, under the clear skies.

A perfect day.

Her eyes opened. The bare feet before her shuffled away. She sat with her attention amused.

‘Why for am I here?’ he asked.

She didn’t have an answer. In fact, she was lost for words. This was her dream, her escape. He shouldn’t be here. She felt herself frowning. Not on a beautiful day like this. No, no frowns allowed.

‘I’m not sure.’

‘Are you okay?’ he asked. He held out his hand and helped her to her feet.

Julianna nodded. ‘Are you?’

‘I think so. The pain’s stopped now.’

‘Pain?’ she winced at the thought. ‘They hurt you?’

‘The interrogation,’ a look of realization crossed his face. He nodded to himself. ‘Yes, the interrogation. I remember now, they made me one of them again.
Taris
made me one of them.’

An overbearing, suffocati
on crept across her. A crushing band closed over her chest. Thunder rolled in the distance, and when she glanced up with Bas, the sky moved angrily around them, leeching a thick darkness from the horizon.

‘You need to be careful,’ he stressed in a low tone. ‘Tough times ahead.’

‘Okay. Are you coming back to us, back home?’

Bas sighed and shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I don’t think they’ll le
t me. I’m not strong enough. I have my duties now.’

She smirked at the suggestion, ‘Rubbish,’ she looked down at their hands still holding each other. She gave them a playful swing. ‘You’re strong.’

He swung her hand playfully back and winked. Then the wink turned cold. His eyes changed. His face twitched. His grasp over her hand was not so friendly.

‘I shouldn’t be here, kiddo. It’s not my place,’ he kissed her hand and let it go. ‘Go find Caden. He has your answers.’

‘Don’t go,’ she tugged on his arm.

‘I have to go before I c
hange. Next time you see me…’

‘Yes,’ she said, still holding his arm, pull
ing him closer and refusing his leave.

‘You have to run.’

His arm broke her grip. He shoved his hands in his pockets and took the path turning around the lake.

When had the water appeared?

It didn’t belong in her special place. It was the lake Caden and
she had swam in, near the farm house. She wanted to follow.

‘Leave
the sonny. He’s not himself, girlie. He’s diff’rent now and not for yer touchin’. Yer need to tell Cain.’

‘I don’t know who Cain is.’

‘Yeah yer do girlie, and Cain knows yer more than yer think. Only he can help now, and he be unhinged with this news. Nothin’ more dangerous than an unhinged watcher.’

She watched Hal walk away.

What a frustrating dream.

5th May, 2018, 0010 hours.

The Safe House Level 8, Sector #3

Julianna breathed easily
. The dry clothes Caden had dressed her in, and the warm blanket she slept under on the sofa, steadied her restless sleep. Caden sat beside her. Daniel paced in the general’s office, and the general stared into the maps covering his desk, thumbing a book on war strategy.

‘How is she?’

Caden looked at the monitor hanging behind the desk. They’d hacked the power grid, the comms worked, but only briefly and not without static. The image blurred in and out, distorting Isis while he propped against his desk.

‘Put your borders up.’ Caden cupped a hand gently on her chin to stop her head moving. ‘Come back to me now, Julianna,’ he called gently. He returned to Isis,
‘You knew this was happening.’ Caden stroked her cheek again. ‘Has she had a seizure before this?’

The
dark green eyes lowered between the borders. Isis’s long sigh carried through the monitor and into the room. ‘If she’s being honest with me, then I’m under the impression it’s her first.’

‘Well chances of that are pretty damn slim,
don’t you think?’ Caden snapped and leapt to his feet to pace. ‘Sorry,’ his hands brushed through his hair when he stopped his pacing in the middle of the room.

‘We’ll get yo
ur brother back,’ the general offered and stepped out from his desk. His perfectly combed hair grayed around the edges of his hair line. A walker half-breed – the other half, a nocturno. The outcome was an interesting mismatching of features, but in his day he was considered handsome. Now, they described him as ruggedly distinguished.

Caden
stopped pacing beside the only window in the office, and blacked out with paint. Caden stared through the chips in the window, so small that the light in the room was never seen from those who passed in the street below.

Those in the room watched him
hunch and listened to his sighs. The general had a century on Caden, but considered him an equal. They’d been in past wars together, serving in more than he could count on two hands, and they’d serve in more in the future. He wasn’t accepting Bastiaan’s fate as easily as the others.

Caden slouched against the wall.

‘Bas will come back to us. You must believe he has the strength to do so, Cain.’

Caden gazed into the world as much as the crappy paint would allow. The general
’s use of his real name, presented the dire situation they were in. Only those from the old world understood his true identity, and he didn’t appreciate it mentioned so boldly in front of Julianna, even if she did sleep deeply. Caden peered at Julianna, then at the general, and back to the window.

The general
’s hands rested firmly on Caden’s shoulders, giving them a squeeze. Old friends or not, Caden sensed the general’s empathy for his pain.

‘Taris will anticipate a fierce reaction. He’ll expect us to act hastily. I suggest we wait before we react. Give it a few days.’

Caden’s eyes narrowed. The general’s hands left his shoulders to swing at his own sides, and he leaned against the window blocking Caden’s view.

‘What about the Guild, should we consider their involvement?’ the general asked.

Caden shook his head. ‘No, let’s not involve them. They’re rogue these days, too uncertain.’

‘We don’t want them learning about Julianna’s status.’ Isis stated.

‘They already know! She’s worked with them longer than she has the Rebellion, how did you not know
this?’ he looked over his shoulder. She stirred under the blankets. ‘It’s been the world’s worst kept secret,’ he waved his hand and slowly paced into the center of the room again.

Daniel looked up from the seat he
took behind the large desk.

‘This
whole damn thing,’ Caden said, frustrated. He faced Isis on the screen in front of him, hanging large on the wall behind Daniel. ‘And you my friend, have a lot to freaking answer for!’

Isi
s stood; his chest up to his light brown hair was on the monitor. ‘As do you,’ his eyes narrowed. ‘
Friend
.’

Caden moved his hands to his hips. ‘And you mean what by that?’

‘I have to spell it out? You couldn’t wait to get into her knickers!’

Caden threw his hands up in contempt and
paced again.

Isis scoffe
d. ‘She’s a tenth of your age—’

The general
stood between them ‘Men, enough—’

‘I don’t believe this,’ Caden muttered. ‘She’s a consenting adult.’

‘She’s vulnerable!’ Isis argued. He leaned into the screen.

The general put a hand to Caden’s chest, anticipating the rise in his temper.

‘And she’s a damn good fuck too!’ Caden responded.

Isis hit the desk in his
office. ‘And she’s my daughter! Damn it Cain!’

Caden shook his head and returned to the window. Separate corners for time out. Julianna stirred
from the noise.

‘Is it agreed that we wait? That we don’t give the reaction that Taris expect
s from us? Can we discuss this in
calm
detail tomorrow?’

Caden glanced up from his moody stance and nodded silently.

The general shook his head between the men who lived in separate worlds, pushing his hands into his pockets, driving them as far as they’d go.

He opened the office door on the private level. Only his closest security would hear this argument.

‘We’re all ending in Central if we react. We can’t afford this in-house fighting. Sort your differences for the sake of the Rebellion, and Julianna. You need to put this aside for another day.’ His dark eyes darted across them both, warning them silently before moving in on Daniel.

‘What’d I do?’ Daniel protested.

The general regarded Daniel for a moment and Daniel looked away, shaking his head. ‘It’s late. I’m retiring for the evening gentlemen.’ He considered his last words from the doorway and waited for Caden’s attention. ‘Take the VIP quarters. Make her comfortable.’

Caden watched the general lift
his jacket from behind the door, closing it on his leaving. Caden locked his stare with Isis.

‘I’m worried about her
.
What medical supplies did you send us?’

Isis moved to a seat in the corner of the screen and clasped his hands
in his hunched posture. The black borders dropped down to display the immaculate office and rows of books shelved behind him. Tonight, the watcher with the usually stunning eyes and perfect appearance was roughly shaven, pale and quiet.

Isis leaned back in his chair and raised his clasped hands to loosen his dark tie. They were all tired tonight. Tired and worried that the war was almost lost, but no one spoke it. He shook his head.

‘You need to keep those borders up man; if she wakes, she’ll flip.’

Isis ignored Caden. ‘I know what you’re asking Cade. You know the anti-seizure drugs are as rare as the Seer herself. The Militia made sure of that, remember?
You
made sure of that, so the full-bloods were forced to cross to the Militia for help.’

‘Hey, don’t you fucking put this back on me, you prick.
That
was a long time ago,’ Caden said.

‘Worked though,’ Isis said under his breath.

Daniel listened, waiting for the argument between his father and teacher to end. He ran his hands over the soft wood of the desk, ignoring the maps and the books, and the coffee ring that rested neatly on the edge, and when nothing more was said, he glanced up.

‘Is that all you need?’ Daniel said.
He had their attention. ‘If that’s all you need, I know someone who can help us.’

‘Is it clean?’ Caden asked. He sat beside Julianna and checked her wrist for a pulse. She objected under his touch, asked Taris to leave her alone, and pushed his hand away. He gave
her hand a gentle squeeze.

‘I use it.’

‘You use it. Well that convinces me,’ Caden frowned. ‘You’ll put anything into your veins.’

Daniel reached for his sidearm.
You dumb cunt, you don’t know anything about me.
‘I wouldn’t give junk to my sister.’

Caden glanced up. ‘Go surprise me then,’ his eyes grew dark.
Quickly, before I smash your teeth to the back of your throat.

‘Men, are you real
ly doing this right now?’ Isis’s scowled temper travelled the room, ignored by both men.

‘Fuck you,’ Daniel tempted.

‘Anytime bitch. You want it now?’ Caden stood his ground.

His peripheral caught the bor
ders of the monitor flicking up and the eyes taking over the screen. The man in the suit called Isis, disappeared. Only his eyes remained again. Caden looked at Daniel edging toward the door and checking his gun.

‘It’ll take a few hours, this guy’s in Sector Six,’ Daniel said, but no one heard him.

Julianna burst into tears as she bolted up from her first vision. Daniel left in silence, weighing it heavily on his mind, that he shouldn’t bother returning.

*    *   *

Caden carried her up the flight of stairs when her strength dumped her onto the fourth floor in a heap. The room he carried her into, was bare but for the four-poster bed in the center with a once glorious rug underneath. She slipped between its covers with a guilty pleasure, surprised that something like this existed in the Sectors, let alone in the safe house. It was warm and comfortable and the clean pillows eased her into their embrace while Caden lit a cigarette in the corner of the dark room.

‘Not your fault. I should have known better than to split the group. It never ends well.’ Caden pushed his lips together and screwed his nose. ‘That whole divide and conquer thing
– been around long enough to know better.’

The smell of the tobacco dri
fted from where Caden propped. She watched the tip of the cigarette glow in the dimly lit room; Caden cast his thinned eyes under the shadows, looking at nothing in particular, but the cigarette he held and the concrete floor.

The word “fuck” waivered in a dull whisper. ‘I don’t know how
I’ll go without him.’

She was compelled to leave the bed and hold him in her arms. She would have if she trusted he wouldn’t push her away.
A tired sigh escaped and he took his cigarette between his parted lips. She watched its red glow in the dark, again.

‘We’ll get Bastiaan back,’ she said quietly. ‘I’ll make sure of it.’

He snapped his head up. ‘You’ll do no such thing Julianna Rae, you hear me? No such thing!’ His voice intruded into her mind.

Promise me.

‘It’s because of me that—’

He lunged forward, pouncing. ‘Promise me!’ his hand threw the cigarette to the floor.

‘Okay,’ she said quietly. ‘Okay.’

He lowered his voice. ‘I’
m sorry sweetheart.’ He wiped his face with his hand, grinded his foot over his spent cigarette before kicking it under the bed and slid onto the soft mattress to hold her close. It was for his comfort as well as hers.

Julianna had told him about Taris and Bastiaan. How Bas lowered her underneath the house with her thinking he’d follow. How she’d waited as long as she could. She told Caden everything except
for the reason why
it
happened.

Then there was the oddity of her dream. The reactions from Isis and Caden were
unexpected. The discussion of Sector One and any type of attack ceased abruptly and Bas was mentioned no more.

And the crying. Don’t forget the crying.
She hated the fact she’d cried in front of him.

‘Get some sleep,’ he whispered. He pushed an arm gently under her shoulders.

‘We should be doing something right now.’

He stared at the ceiling. ‘Don’t mistake my resting here for inaction. I want my br
other back more than anyone; but if he’s somehow been turned, what’s the point? How can I fix that?’

‘He’ll expect more than two people. We’ve done this before.’

‘With a whole lot of luck. Let’s not believe that of our reputation. It’s not all true.’

‘We still escaped.’

‘From a camp, J Rae. We’re talking about Central Command here. The place is a fortress. You’ve been there, you’ve seen it,’ he put a hand to his eyes. ‘The best thing to do right now, is wait. We know he’s alive. That’s something, right?’

‘What about the summit in Sector One then, we can still hit that can’t we?’ she propped herself on one hand. The dizziness overcame her, forcing her head into the pillows. ‘Bas might be there.’

‘They’ll be distracted with the Summit,’ he talked more to himself than her. ‘All the focus will be on the Summit, it’s where I’d focus the security.’

She closed her eyes. The blinding headache was searin
g hot pokers into her temples.