Convergence (12 page)

Scott shrugged. “Athos was so eager to get everyone inside that anything even slightly plausible sounded like sheer genius to him. He’s more worried that I’ll die and he’ll have to force someone else to do the same thing.” He glanced at a watch on his wrist. “I should probably send the image for teleportation soon or they might start to panic.”

They jogged quickly to the “guest quarters” and Scott went inside to ensure he’d send a perfect image. Scott transmitted the image and teleported out of the large room, rejoining his welcoming committee.

They stood, watching screens built into the walls of the room which displayed the scene inside. All of them waited for the appearance of the Aliomenti invaders.

Adam glanced at Scott. “Just out of curiosity… what do you think would happen if you
hadn’t
transmitted that image?”

Scott shrugged. “Not sure. The troops might mutiny, the fleet might sail back to Headquarters, or they might throw caution to the wind and try to sneak everyone aboard the spheres at once.” He glanced at Adam. “Why do you ask?”

“I’m wondering if the better strategy might have been letting them think you’d been captured if mutiny was an option.”

Angel shook her head. “Too much risk, though. There’s a larger chance they sail back to Headquarters and join the fight there. We want them trapped
here
.” She frowned. “And if they have torpedoes, they might elect to fire a few into the tunnel. The percussive effects might collapse the Cavern and kill everyone inside.”

Adam shuddered.

“That approach
was
suggested,” Scott said. “But the general consensus was that the Alliance would have stabilized and reinforced their underground hideout to prevent just such an outcome.” Scott shrugged. “Angel’s assessment seems spot on from what I’ve seen. Our best approach is to follow the original plan and let them enter the Cavern so we can trap and control them here, rather than suffer the unknown consequence of leaving them outside.”

Movement on the screen captured their collective attention.

Athos appeared in the room, his scar standing out on a face filled with triumph. Additional Aliomenti followed at regular intervals, seconds apart, until the entire invading fleet congregated inside the room. The men looked around, faces full of malice and eager anticipation, ready to do battle with the enemy.

Scott confirmed all the Aliomenti were in place.

Gena flipped the switch, powering up the room, and though they didn’t know it, the Aliomenti were trapped inside.

Adam looked at each of them in turn. “Well…
that
was fairly straightforward. I hope things are going this smoothly at Headquarters.”

They chuckled. Scott nodded toward the screen. “I should probably let them know what’s happening.”

The others nodded and stepped away. Scott moved to the wall and tapped on the screen, activating the external camera. A bright light illuminated his face, indicating that his projected image now appeared inside the room upon each wall. The microphone embedded into the wall near the camera would capture and relay his voice inside. Scott smoothed his hair before he spoke.

“Hello, everyone. This is Scott. I regret to inform you that your invasion has ended before it began. You see, I joined the Aliomenti after first joining the Alliance. I masked my Energy skill and blocked my memories to ensure you’d never know. I subtly ensured I was part of the submarine construction and planning efforts that led to our journey of the past few days. And I helped guide our conversations on courses of action. That included ensuring that I entered the Alliance base alone and provided to you a single spot for teleporting inside this space.”

They watched as the faces of Athos and the others registered first shock, then bewilderment. They’d not yet fully registered what Scott was saying.

“We’ve done quite a bit of work here in the Alliance labs. One of our more impressive technologies truly blocks all Energy transfer in whatever form outside a controlled space. While the Energy containment in the Aliomenti prisons restrains Energy—similar to what the Hunter Aramis does—it cannot prevent a sufficiently powerful Energy user from sending telepathic signals for help or teleporting away. The technology employed in every molecule of the room you find yourselves in does just that.”

He glanced over at the quartet. “Simply put, you’re trapped. You cannot signal for help; no one will hear you. You cannot teleport away; your efforts will be thwarted. I recommend that you take this opportunity to rest, perhaps share some stories of interest. Meals will be provided to you, but you will otherwise not participate in the war for dominance between Alliance and Aliomenti. You will be trapped as the two sides converge for battle.”

He tapped the wall. The lighting from the camera ended, indicating that the exterior camera no longer displayed images inside, nor did the exterior microphone capture their words. They watched and listened as realization dawned on the faces of the men inside the room. The voices began as murmurs and escalated into screams and shouts of rage, all directed at Athos, who shouted at the men to stand down and leave him alone. They shunned their leader, stalking away, leaving him isolated even in a relatively small space. Though the emotive Energy couldn’t travel through walls any more than other Energy types, they could see fear and fury in the faces of the men inside.

Angel smiled and turned to Charlie. “Looks like we’ve gone and ruined all chances for excitement here, then. Shall we head to Eden?”

Charlie nodded. “It’s time.”

They said their goodbyes to those left behind and then headed out to gather their final supplies before transporting themselves to Eden.

Gena took Adam’s hand and pulled him aside into a quiet corridor, away from Scott.

He blinked in surprise as she kissed him.

He pulled away. “Gena… it’s not… don’t do this to yourself. You deserve better than me.”

She stared at him. “Adam, you’ve been telling me that for decades. I’ve seen you, I know you, I understand what motivates and drives you. I hope
I
deserve
you.
Stop with the unworthiness tripe.” She scowled as her voice choked with emotion, clearly trying to avoid the tears that always came when he pushed her away in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. “I love you. Why isn’t that enough?”

He shook his head, his face tight in a depth of agony she’d never before seen. “You don’t know the real me. Trust me. You’re better off staying away. You deserve the best. I’m not the one.”

“I think I can make my own decision on that front, Adam. What can I possibly not know about you by now?”

Adam shook his head. “What you don’t know is… it’s best that you
never
know. Trust me. Please.”

He turned to walk away.

She seized his arm. “Don’t you
dare
walk away from me.
Tell me!
”

He hesitated, his face marred in pain, and yet there was a longing there. “Gena… once you know… you can’t
un
know.”

She folded her arms. “I understand. Tell me.”

And he did, watching the shock etch its way across her face as he did so, wondering if he’d just made the biggest mistake of his long life.

Fil felt his muscles lock
up and his breathing turned shallow. He’d last seen those manic, red-streaked eyes from afar, through a computer screen. He’d watched as the eyes turned joyful as the knives plunged into the hearts of those he loved, rending his own heart in the process. Abaddon’s eyes were cruel, merciless eyes that prevented peaceful slumber.

Now he was face-to-face with the cause of his greatest torment.

His only solace came in knowing the man could take nothing greater from him than what he’d already stolen.

His strength came in the thought that today he’d have the opportunity to inflict his revenge.

But not yet.

He calmed his breathing, rolled his eyes in an act of dismissive boredom, and turned back to face the Leader.

The man had moved to sit upon the front of the massive desk, watching him, his eyes calculating and appraising. “Interesting.”

Fil cocked his head. “What’s interesting?”

Arthur picked up a glass of water and took a sip. “I’d been under the mistaken impression that the Alliance cared for humans. Yet you seem entirely unconcerned that this guard is in grave peril, standing near you with a knife pressed against his throat by a man you know is capable of spilling blood. I’m… disappointed.”

Fil didn’t take his gaze off Arthur. “I concern myself only with legitimate threats.”

He heard the cursing from Abaddon as the knife dissolved. Fil turned to offer a smirk of his own. Abaddon threw an arm around Rand’s neck instead, squeezing the man’s throat. Rand tried to pry the killer’s arm free without success. Fil turned back to face the Leader.

“Legitimate, you say?” Arthur snorted. “Abaddon, it appears this man has a faulty memory and thinks you incapable of inflicting pain. Perhaps you should refresh that memory.”

Fil didn’t turn, but heard the thud as his Energy tore Abaddon away from the guard and hurled the killer against a wall ten feet away. Abaddon slumped to the ground, dazed. Rand’s fingers moved to his neck, massaging his throat as he took huge gulps of air, his eyes wide as he tried to understand the sorcery unfolding around him. Fil tightened his gaze upon Arthur. “Perhaps we can stop with the theatrics and get down to business? Mind you, I’d be perfectly happy to hurl your Assassin through the exterior wall if you’d like.”

Arthur studied him with an appraising glance once more before nodding. “What business do you, a member of the Alliance, have with me? Are you here to dump water on my building again?”

Fil shook his head. “I’m here to discuss the terms of your surrender.”

The silence in the room lasted several seconds. Rand looked between the men he knew as Mr. Sebastian and Mr. Lowell, trying to understand what coded language the stranger spoke. Porthos glanced at the Leader, his lip curling, his face bearing a look of amusement.

Arthur snorted, leaned back, and took another sip of water.

Porthos laughed. “Is this some type of standup comedy routine, Fil Trask? You’re in our building and you’re sorely outnumbered. We have… means of limiting what you might try to do.” The Hunter flicked his eyes in the direction of Rand, who looked confused before busying himself trying to find the gun he’d dropped when seized by Abaddon. “You cannot demand surrender from us and expect to be taken seriously.”

“I’m quite serious,” Fil replied. “And I’m not alone.”

“Is that so?” Arthur asked. He put his drink back on the desk and moved around to the computer on the other side. “Were you perhaps counting on the assistance of the Alliance woman sent to my data center to steal my computers and data?”

Fil felt his stomach churn as he sought to control his emotive energy. He’d never managed to master the lessons on the topic from Sarah before she… “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Arthur laughed, clapping his hands together. “Young man, you’re a terrible liar.” He tapped a button, and Ashley’s voice filled the room, bantering with an unknown human employee.

Fil felt his breath catch in his throat when the man whispered his apologies, staggered when the man whispered, “I’m sorry.” When the sound of the gunshot reverberated throughout the room, he bowed his head and fought to retain his balance. He wanted to drop to the floor, to grieve her loss, but he steeled himself. What Arthur didn’t know is that she’d accomplished her mission before the fatal gunshot wound. He’d let Arthur’s original assumption stand. “It’s a moot point. We’ll get in and capture that equipment once your surrender is complete.”

Arthur shook his head, his eyes full of cruel laughter. “Ah, the naiveté of the young. There will be no surrender today.” He paused. “Unless you’re planning to surrender to me.”

Fil snorted. “I think not. I’ll accept nothing less than your unconditional surrender.”

“You’ll get nothing of the sort,” Porthos hissed.

Rand had located a gun he’d hidden in a holster on his leg. “Yeah, we’re not surrendering! Aw, come
on!
” He stared as the second gun dissolved to dust as had the first.

“It would appear, then, that we are at an impasse. We each demand the surrender of the other, which seems unlikely to happen because of mere… words.” Arthur stroked his chin.

“Don’t do it, Porthos,” Fil said. “I won’t be standing here when you pop in behind me.” He turned his head toward the Hunter.

Porthos arched an eyebrow before beginning a slow clap. “I’m suitably impressed.” He glanced at his Leader. “This guy’s legit, sir. We won’t capture him through Energy means.”

“What energy?” Rand asked.

The Leader offered a grave nod and a sigh. “I thought so. Will Stark wouldn’t send a lightweight in his stead.” He glanced up for a moment. “Perhaps I can offer you a bit of motivation to see things my way.” He snapped his fingers.

He heard the sound of doors opening around the penthouse level. A dozen Aliomenti guards stepped forth, each pressing the barrel of a gun against the head of a human prisoner. The eyes of the humans were wide with fear as their captors steered them forward toward the Leader.

Fil glanced at Arthur. “I’ve already demonstrated that such a tactics are useless. Why do you bother repeating something that you know won’t work?”

Arthur chuckled. “Oh, this isn’t the threat, young man. This is, shall we say, a visual demonstration. The human population on this Island reaches into the thousands, but my people number into the hundreds themselves. Each of them is, at this moment, capturing a human prisoner throughout the Island. Each of those prisoners finds his—or her—life in peril as you stand here exchanging small talk. You can’t find and disarm all of my people before I can get the word out to execute the prisoners.”

Fil stared at him.

“But I am a merciful man, Fil Trask. They’ll be freed when I have your surrender, when I’ve isolated you into an Energy deprivation cell built for one of your… unique skills.” He sighed, a dramatic sigh. “Their lives are in your hands. Will you save them, Fil Trask? Or will you once more act in the role of Destructor?”