Court of Nightfall (14 page)

I'd always wanted my own aircraft. I just never thought I'd get it by stealing from the military.

I also never imagined it would be The Night Raven, a small stealth jet with hovering capabilities and cloaking.

A multi-billion dollar machine.

It wasn't hard. Once Evie hacked the Airforce base to find the identity and home address of the Head of Security, I caught him as he left for work and used my powers to compel him to program a Night Raven to leave base and arrive at the Cathedral. "You will remove all tracking and will not search for it. It will remain in your database."

He had nodded and done exactly as instructed. This was a bit high profile and Zorin had some concerns, but we needed something that could be flown directly into Manhattan without being detected and could escape with speed and agility. The Night Raven could go over Mach 3, three times the speed of sound. It was undetectable and it could defend itself and be operated remotely.

And… I'd always wanted one.

And with it, I had no trouble flying straight to Times Square, to where Jax was being kept as Ragathon show-boated until the execution.

I hovered the aircraft right in front of the central platforms and spoke, projecting my voice through all the e-Boards and speakers I'd hacked into. "This aircraft has the capacity to destroy this entire block. Do not move from your positions."

A group of bystanders had gathered to watch the execution. Even after what happened last time, their bloodlust could not be contained and it sickened me.

The crowd stirred, gasping, chattering like monkeys. There were more guards than before, Officers and Bruisers lining the Square, the Central Command vehicle with its giant cannon pointed straight at the Night Raven.

But no one moved. I'd gotten their attention.

Ragathon, the cocky jerk, held his giant hammer in his fist, his red Inquisitor cloak billowing behind him as he spoke through his own speakers. "Who is this?"

I lowered the Night Raven and opened the cockpit, stepping out in my full armor, my cloak, my face masked, my hair black as night. My image stared back at me from all the screens as I told them who I was. "I am Nightfall," I said, "and if you wish to live, you will do as I say." I pointed to the platform where Jax slumped in handcuffs against a pillar. "Hand Sir Lux over to me."

"And you'll leave?" Ragathon asked, the gold and crimson of his chest plate splintering the city lights into fractals.

"Yes."

He sneered. "And why should I trust a rebel?"

"I am no rebel," I said. "I am—" Before I could finish, another aircraft appeared from behind a skyscraper, hovering between Manhattan towers. I dashed forward, drawing my sword, my wings a spiral of silver light as I cut the jet wings off the aircraft using my blade. It crashed down to the street, bursting into flames before a screaming crowd.

With wings exposed, I flew up and then let myself fall to the ground below the Night Raven. I spoke softly, but my voice traveled through the city. "I am Nephilim."

"We can't let her go," Ragathon screamed to his soldiers. "Surround her—"

"Others of my kind are amongst you right now," I warned him.

At those words, the crowds and soldiers and leaders, all of them froze. I was playing on their worst fears. That the Nephilim would return. That they could turn anyone. That they could destroy them all. "If you move on me, my agents will destroy each and every last one of you."

"She's bluffing," Ragathon said. "Fire…" The cannon moved lower, pointing straight at me.

And then, black and blue tendrils like smoke whipped from the crowd and cut the cannon in half. The dark whirl of motion continued until it landed above the crowd on the balcony of one of the buildings. Zorin stood in his black cloak, sword raised, his face masked, his wings on full display.

The e-Boards alternated between images of him and me. Two Nephilim, and how many more were there? That was the thought on everyone's mind.

"You should thank me, Inquisitor," I said sweetly. "If that cannon had gone off, all of you would have been killed."

On cue, members of the crowd stepped out toward me, all cloaked in black and holding swords. The final illusion. The reason I needed the rebels.

"Sir, your orders?" asked Ragathon's Second—The Seeker. She stood at attention, ready to act, her body and face cloaked in cold steel with the Inquisition symbol of the eye carved into it.

His jaw tensed and I could see the internal battle he waged. He'd already failed one execution. Could he afford another?

He glared at me with raw hate as he gave the order. "Free Lux."

The Seeker hesitated, looking between the two of us, then did as ordered, unchaining Jax, who couldn't stand on his own from all the drugs they'd given him to subdue his para-powers.

"Escort him to me," I said, trying desperately to keep any and all emotion out of my synthesized voice.

The Seeker helped Jax down the platform toward me.

"That's far enough," I said.

They stopped.

"Sir Lux has been falsely accused," I told the crowd. "He did not murder Inquisition Officers on behalf of the rebels. He executed deserters who were threatening an innocent."

Images came up on the screen, images taken from an Inquisition helmet. It showed them before they found us, killing and ravaging those not in any way associated with the rebels. Then it showed Jax and me and how they confronted us. "Take the girl."

"We have nothing to report." Our voices filled the city.

"It is illegal to threaten a Knight of the Fourth…"

More gasps from the crowd. I knew the public hadn't been privy to the real story, the footage that got Jax in trouble in the first place. It wasn't hard to hack their system and find everything.

I held my hand out to Jax, my mouth dry, throat feeling like it was swelling shut, as I spoke. "Sir Jaxton Lux, join me. Together, we can lead by example and show the Orders what it means to protect the innocent."

Jax stumbled forward and it took everything I had not to rush to him and hug him. Instead I waited as he left the Seeker behind to reach me. "Thank you, Nightfall." He grasped my hand to shake it…

And then had the hilt of my sword. He grabbed me with more strength than I thought he had and pushed the blade against my throat. "Call off your agents," he yelled so everyone could hear.

I didn't know what to say or do. How could this be happening? What was he doing?

"Do not move without my command," I told the rebels through my e-Glass.

Trix's voice came through. "N? What do you want us to do, N?"

Zorin's voice cut her off. "Nightfall, use your ability."

On… Jax? I never thought I'd have to do that to him.

"I have a shot," T.R. said. "I can take him out. Your call, N."

Too many voices vied for attention in my frazzled mind. "No!"

Jax stared deep into my eyes and spoke softly. "Tell your agents to retreat. You will be taken into custody, but you can still save your people."

I pushed through my haze to try to reach him with logic. "If you don't come with me, they'll kill you."

He gritted his teeth. "A price I'm willing to pay."

Zorin was right all along. He was a caged lion who had learned to call his prison home. I couldn't change his mind. Not as Nightfall. Maybe not even as Scarlett. He wouldn't betray the Orders, even after they'd betrayed him. Even to save his own life. I felt tears well in my eyes. I couldn't lose Jax. My last true friend. The last of my family. But if he wouldn't go with me willingly, then I was powerless to save him.

"I'm sorry," I said as I unleashed my wings to full effect and surrounded us both in silver white light, blinding Jax. The blade cut at my throat and I pushed it away and flew upward with us both. Jax struggled against me, trying to kill me. I never thought I'd be in the position of defending my life against Jax. The pain nearly killed me, saving him the trouble.

I yanked the blade from him, dropped closer to the ground, and let him fall.

Jax stumbled, falling to his side as the Inquisition Officers surrounded him, taking him back into custody.

I looked away from the man I loved and addressed Ragathon as I rose back into the sky, the skyscrapers fading below me. "My agents will not attack," I said on the speakers, the cut on my throat already healing. "Hold your position until we have left." I boarded the Night Raven and took myself off speakers to address the rebels. "Pull back," I told them.

"This was pointless," said T. R. "We should at least take the Inquisitor prisoner."

"No," I said, programming in my new destination. "He may choose to fight instead of sacrificing himself. We pull back."

"You heard her," Trix said. "Everyone pull back."

"Such a waste," T.R. grumbled, but he obeyed.

"Not a waste," I said as I flew out of the city and back to the Cathedral. "We revealed the truth to the public, we proved we could outmaneuver the Inquisition, and we showed them all the Nephilim have returned."

"We, N?" Trix asked, and I could practically hear the smile in her voice. "Are you joining us now?"

"Just explaining what we accomplished," I said with a sigh. "I'll meet you back at the rendezvous." I cut the comm and pulled off my mask. As the Night Raven piloted me to our safe house, I buried my face in my hands and sobbed.

***

I couldn't let them see what this failure had done to me. Couldn't let them know that this was personal. Only Zorin knew, and even then he didn't really know.

My best friend, my only remaining family, was about to be killed for something he didn't do, and he'd rejected his only way out. He would rather die than do what I was doing now, aiding the rebel cause. How could he and I be so different? We'd shared everything growing up, but now, I didn't understand him at all.

I was glad of my mask as I sat around an old oak table with Trix and T.R. across from me and Zorin at my side. Outside the sun had already set, casting the world into darkness. Fitting.

They would be hanging him now. Or would Ragathon choose to use his hammer? I shook my head to clear away the brooding thoughts as Trix leaned back in her chair. 

"We didn't get Sir Lux, but we'd rather have you, N," she said. "With Nephilim on our side, we could really make a difference."

"You mean, you could start a second war." My voice sounded hollow. Dead.

"We can crush the Orders," she countered.

"Really? Then why did we nearly go extinct to begin with? The Twilight Court had hundreds of Nephilim fighting and they still lost. We have two. We needed Sir Lux."

As silence fell, the rebels looked between Zorin and me, and then Trix cocked her head toward him. "What about you? Where do you stand in all this?"

Zorin looked at me, then back at them. "I'm with Nightfall," he said. "But, if I can be of assistance, please call on me."

His offer surprised me. Maybe he had more hope in their cause than I did.

"Here," Trix said, passing him an e-Glass. "Use this to stay in contact. It's encrypted, so no one can trace the signal."

"Thank you." He took the device and slipped it into his pocket.

Trix turned back to me, her green eyes scrutinizing. "So how about it, N? You with us?"

With Jax gone, dead… what was the point of any of this? "I need to go." I stood and headed toward the front door, back to the Night Raven.

"We can help each other, N," Trix called after me. "You've seen that."

Had I? What had we really accomplished after all? I'd spouted some lines about our success, but without Jax…

"Let her go," T.R. said from behind me. "She broke her promise."

I spun around to face him as he continued.

"The aircraft you took down. It crashed in the streets. That pilot and anyone around died." He glared at me with his blue eyes. "You promised no one would die."

"The aircraft had no pilot," I said, a weariness forming in my bones. "And I controlled the crash."

T.R. smirked. "How could you possibly do that?"

"She sent it there," Trix said, as realization dawned. "She stole it like she stole the Night Raven and programed it to show up. Didn't you, N?"

"Yes." Despite everything, I was impressed by Trix. She had a quick mind and rational approach I admired. "I needed to demonstrate my abilities without hurting anyone."

Not even Zorin knew that part of my plan and they all looked at me with something new on their faces. Awe. Respect. 

Trix folded her hands together and locked eyes with me. "We need you, N. You're better than any of us."

"Thank you," I said, as I opened the door and stared at the Night Raven. "But T.R. was right. I did break my promise. Someone will die tonight because of me."