Destroyers of the Lost Garden (The Lost Garden Trilogy Book 3) (6 page)

Chapter Ten

Knight and Jess had to abandon the tank and hike the rest of the way. It had served its purpose; getting them up the mountain road much faster than if they had decided to walk. When they finally found the river, they followed it to a point where it appeared to just stop at ground level, despite the fact that it still flowed.

Knight tightened his lips and looked at Jess.

“Underground. We have to follow the river underground. I would ask if you can swim, but I assume that it was part of your all-encompassing training.”

Jess looked surprised.

“How can you be so selfish, Evan Knight? Did you not hear that explosion? Your friend could be…”

“Don’t say that!” he interrupted. “Don’t ever say that! He’s okay. I know he’s okay. Besides, isn’t saving Eden the bigger mission here?”

“Don’t mock me, Evan Knight,” Jess barked. She frowned as she continued, “I know the mission. I just thought that showing no emotion for a friend is not part of your all-encompassing training.”

Knight grimaced as he moved in close to Jess.

“Of all the things that you learned from me, sarcasm is my least favorite. We‘re wasting time, Jess.”

She looked at a small crevice that the river drained into under the mountain. She looked back at Knight.

“I feel when my sisters are in pain. I have ignored the pain I have felt since we arrived. Not because I do not care, but because I honor them in my heart.”

That being said, she dived into the crevice and disappeared from sight.

“This hasn’t been easy for me either, Jess,” Knight sighed as he took a deep breath and eased his way into the 3 foot wide opening.

***

Knight was swept along by the furious underground torrent. The darkness made it more frightening when he was slammed into the rock wall around each turn. He tumbled and spun while trying to hold his breath. He tried to get into a fetal position to prevent any damage to his limbs, or more importantly
his head
.

That’s where he realized he made his biggest mistake.

Holding his breath while being curled up was next to impossible. He started to panic as he thought his ride would never end. His lungs started to burn and his chest tightened. He knew that if he wasn’t able to breathe soon, the Chosen One would be knocked out of the war, before he even had a chance to fight.

***

Geronimo rested underneath the truck next to the one he’d blown up. The ground was uncomfortable as he repositioned himself while he protected the backpack.
Well, they did want to see what was in his backpack.
Since it was their last request, it was the least he could do. He doubted it would work the same way if he ran into any others.

He heard people running all around what was left of the destroyed truck. They seemed to be cursing. He saw legs dressed in military boots running all around the area. He counted at least ten soldiers.
Ten to one? Been there. Done that.

Never had the stakes been so high. Just trying to imagine his mission was surreal. It was like a wild dream. No matter what the outcome was, it was most assuredly not a happy ending for him. Geronimo slowly pulled out a picture of his wife and him. It was his favorite photo of Molly. He was behind her with his arms wrapped around her as she faced the camera. She had that sparkle in her eyes. That sparkle was for him and him alone.

Whenever he was away from her for any amount of time, he would kiss the photo as if it would be the last time he would get a chance to kiss her. When he returned, he gave her the most passionate kiss he had ever given her up to that point.

He smiled as he closed his eyes and kissed the picture. He always held on to the belief that he would see his Molly again.

He couldn’t have picked a better place to keep his faith strong.

He opened his eyes, put his picture away and looked in the direction of the tanks. He couldn’t judge the exact distance because of the trucks in front of him; being flat on the ground didn’t help either and he’d lost one of his Mac 10s in his hurry to find shelter from the explosion. Carefully, he loaded the other.

He inched closer to the side of the truck that was furthest from the gathering of soldiers and checked as much of the area as he could from his supine position.             

He took a breath and clutched the backpack with all of his might. He inched out from under the truck. He was vulnerable. Thankfully, his enemy was focused on pulling their friends out of the mess he’d made. A mess he made just to survive.
It was worth it.

He stood slowly and looked around. He tried to walk as stealthily as he could to the next truck when he heard someone behind him shout.

“Shoot him! There he is!”

Geronimo started to run to toward the tank. It seemed even further away than before. As he ran he zigzagged back and forth to make himself a harder target to hit. He gritted his teeth and focused on his goal.
If he could just reach the tank.

That’s when the automatic weapons opened fire.

***

It was dead quiet inside the fortress. Sulina strained to hear the low hum of the emergency lighting. The lights were positioned on the wall, every twenty feet and mainly in the halls.

Sulina took point as Morina and the others followed. Ellisia brought up the rear. Despite not having much light, they could see just as easily as if it were outside in broad daylight. The Fallen had a keen sense of night vision.

Sulina stopped in front of the metal door that led to the stairs.

“It looks like we have our work cut out for us,” she said, as she looked through the small glass window crisscrossed with wire. She saw that the stairwell was undamaged.

“I’m curious, Ellisia. How are the lights still operational? I thought all of the power was taken care of with the computer virus.”

Ellisia looked up at the closest light.

“It’s an emergency power system activated only when the main power is cut off.”

“So, that means there is a possibility that the main power can be restored through the emergency power generator?” Sulina asked, as if she already knew the answer.

“I’m not sure,” Ellisia replied. “I never received my complete training. I’m sure if there is some source of power that there would be a way to tap into it. The only problem with that is the emergency power grid isn’t set up to provide power to the entire complex. It would burn out before you had a chance to power up the entire grid.”

Sulina turned her attention away from the door for a moment.

“Would you be able to find that emergency power source, Ellisia?”

Ellisia smiled.

“I know exactly where it is. I suppose you want me to find it and try to restore power to the control center. If I do that, you still won’t be able to do anything from the control center. Everything else takes power of its own.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Sulina said, as she sneered. “You work on that and Morina and my minions will work on getting us to the fourth floor.”

Ellisia looked concerned.

“I won’t be able to contact you if I’m able to switch the power. All of the emergency lights will no longer be functioning either.”

Sulina smiled as she placed a reassuring hand on her newly formed Fallen’s shoulder.

“Come to the control center whether you succeed or not. The emergency lights not functioning will be exactly how we will know if you’ve succeeded. How many metal doors do you have to power yourself through?”

Ellisia counted silently. “Only two.”

“Then get started,” Sulina urged. “The rest of us have to make our way to the control center. That’s the last known whereabouts of my dear sister. I want to make sure that the lack of oxygen in her giant metal tomb was more than enough to finish her for good.”

Ellisia went on her mission, as the two of the others started to work on opening the door to the stairwell.

Morina crossed her arms in disgust.

“What if we find sister dearest still alive? How much could that turn the tide in favor of the Daughters?”

Sulina’s eyes became dark as she clenched her fists.

“Not to sound overly dramatic, but that
could
win the war for them.”

Chapter Eleven

Knight was slammed hard into a rock formation, which caused him to not only straighten up slightly, but it also made most of the breath that he frantically held onto to evacuate his lungs. He was swallowing water and started to panic. His arms flailed as his mind raced.

He was the Chosen One but he wouldn’t make it to help the Daughters of Eve.
What if they failed without him?
He betrayed the Daughters. He betrayed Geronimo. More importantly, he betrayed Jess.

Jess was all he could think of as he felt himself blacking out. He pictured how beautiful she was when she smiled at him. He had failed his love.

“I love you, Jess!” Knight yelled as he was pulled up into something he thought he would never experience again…air.

He was placed on soft ground. He felt himself give in to the darkness. Jess smiled as she stood over him.

“I love you too, Evan Knight.”

That was the last thing he heard before darkness. At least he had seen her smile one last time.

***

Geronimo felt the searing pain from where his leg was grazed by a bullet.
Why the leg of all places?
He gritted his teeth and ran harder toward the tank. He turned on the run and fired a few shots of his own, just to keep them on their toes.

He saw that he was only about 20 yards away from his tank when he heard something strange. Nothing. No longer did he hear weapons firing or bullets hitting the ground around him.

He knew from his training that meant something or
someone
waited for him by the tank. He had come too far to stop. If that was his time, then he was going out swinging. Or in this case, shooting.

His thoughts were on his wife. Would he see her again? He remembered her dressed in her wedding dress. It was an off the shoulder Chantilly lace trumpet gown. It had lace layered into the gown. It had taken them a couple of years to find the perfect gown for Molly. That’s the one that made her heart sink when she saw it. He paid almost $2000.00 for it, which had set him back considerably.
She was worth it.

He even bought the wedding gown preservation kit, though he thought it was a waste of money.
Whatever Molly wanted, she got.

He smiled as he remembered her as she had walked down the aisle toward him. The sight of her had taken his breath away. She had her auburn hair up in a bun with loose strands that fell perfectly on both sides of her face. She had small eyes. When he first met Molly, he had to look closely to see what color they were.
Brown.

Geronimo wanted to see his wife again. He
would
see her again.

He focused on the tank as he increased his speed. Ten feet from his objective. A soldier appeared from behind the tank with his weapon drawn. Another stood on the tank itself. Geronimo didn’t slow down. He was ready for it and nothing in the world would keep him from seeing Molly.

Nothing.

Never slowing down, he grabbed the soldier closest to him, the one on the ground. He dropped his own weapon as he grabbed the man’s weapon with one hand and his neck with other. He quickly turned the soldier so that he faced his fellow soldier. Geronimo used the soldier’s body as a shield when the Iranian standing on the tank opened fire with his automatic weapon. Geronimo’s human shield was riddled with bullets but worked perfectly with only a few stray bullets whizzing past their intended target and hitting the ground.

The frustrated soldier on the tank was out of options and out of ammo. The incessant clicking sound told Geronimo all he needed to know. He dropped his then dead shield as he dove for the legs of his next opponent.

The Iranian fell forward onto the ground. Geronimo knew from his youth on the streets that it was time for some good old- fashioned street fighting. He kicked the Iranian several times in the face.

“Where’s your damn smile now, you little shit? Where is it?” He yelled in triumph.

He looked up after he realized that he probably wasn’t alone. He saw several Iranian heads pop up from behind the trucks. Geronimo smiled.

“Come and get me you fuckers!” He then got into the tank and prepared for battle.

It was his time to stop running. It was his turn to go on offense. It was time for them to burn.

***

Evan Knight spit up what he believed to be several gallons of water and he coughed as he tried to sit up. His lungs burned. Jess kept him still.

“No, Evan Knight. You must recover. You almost died.”

There was a light around Jess. Knight saw the vision before him and forgot for a moment where he was.

“Am I dead?” he asked, calmly.

“That’s a strange question,” Jess responded, with a questioning look. “You are obviously talking and “thankfully” breathing.”

Knight sat up.

“Just thought I saw an angel…never mind. Some Chosen One I turned out to be. I can’t even handle Eden’s waterslide.”

“Perhaps then you should be avoiding frivolous words and focus on staying alive,” Shala stepped out from the forest. “If you are indeed the Chosen One.”

Jess excitement could not be contained as she rushed to hug her sister.

“Shala! Thank God! How goes the war? What of Mother Daughter?”

Shala looked suspiciously at Knight as he struggled to his feet. She cautiously approached him.

“You don’t look like much, Evan Knight.”

“Oh yeah?  Well, it’s what you don’t see that’s…pretty special,” he replied. He then realized that he had no idea on how to respond to her. “At least you know my name. That has to mean something.”

“It means that I have good hearing,” Shala said with a bite in her tone. “I heard Jessima call you by name.”

Jess brought Shala over to Knight.

“Evan Knight. I would like to introduce my sister, Shala IL Eve. Shala, this
is
the Chosen One.”

“We’ll see,” Shala responded, non-chalantly.

She walked up to Knight and was easily a foot taller than he was. Her long black hair flowed over her shoulders. She was as beautiful as Jessima.

“I don’t see anything special. As you probably know, Mother Daughter is…dead.” She started to hold back a tear as she continued, “The war is imminent. The mortals have infiltrated Eden. There is more, Jessima. We have a traitor.”

“I know,” Jess replied.

Shala looked shocked at her sister’s response.

“You…knew? How…?”

“Mother Daughter reached out to me just before…I assumed that every sister received the telepathic message that I did.”

Shala’s concerned look didn’t get past Knight.

“The war has taken all of our time,” she responded, as if talking to herself. “We have you both here now, so our numbers have increased by two. I hope that’s enough. I will say one thing about this Evan Knight…he must be something special to behold the sight of Eden and not even flinch.”

That was the first time Knight had a chance to look around. He
didn’t
realize where he was until that moment. He looked back at the pool he emerged from and then the forest in front of him. He beheld the lush green landscape that he had only seen in paintings.
His paintings.

Nature at its best and most perfect surrounded him. His mouth dropped as even the air seemed sweeter and unpolluted. He felt alive in Eden. He not only saw, but felt, the connection to the paintings that frustrated him for years. Until he’d started his research on Eden, he had no idea where the inspiration came from to paint the hidden paradise.

Knight was impressed and a little intimidated by actually setting foot in what most people believed to be a place that had never existed.

“I have a couple of questions before we continue,” he stated, defiant to Shala’s overconfidence.

Shala got on her knees near the pool, cupped her hand in the water, and took a sip.

“You must think that we have all the time in the world, mortal.”

Knight turned his attention to the familiar face of the two Daughters.

“Did that underground river lead to this pool, Jess?”

Shala grabbed Knight’s neck with one hand and lifted him into the air. Her rage was sudden and her action swift.

“Sacrilege! How dare you call a Daughter of Eve anything but her given name? I could kill you for that indiscretion!”

Jess pulled Knight out of Shala’s grasp, unconsciously forcing him back into the pool. Jess matched Shala’s anger.

“Shala! Never lay your hands on the Chosen One again!” She took a defensive stance between Knight and Shala.

Shala stepped back in shock.

“You dare defend a mortal over a Sister of the blood? You step too far in the wrong direction, Jessima. You allow
him
to disrespect you so flagrantly and in front of another Daughter! What has happened to you outside the walls of Eden? Where is my sister?”

Jess lowered her head as if she were ready to strike.

“I am well aware of who you are, but how soon you forget that it was my mission to retrieve the Chosen One…”

“Retrieve?” Knight interrupted as he pulled himself out of the pool.

Shala didn’t have the silver streak in her hair that Jess did. He also noticed a tattoo of some kind of bird that peaked out through Shala’s clothing. It was on her back and the wings stretched out to her shoulders. It was the most lifelike tattoo he had ever seen. So much detail.
It was a falcon.

It was almost a replica of the eagle Jessima had emblazoned across her shoulders. What did they mean
?

“Let me handle this, Evan Knight,” Jess replied, without taking her eyes off of Shala. “Shala, I completed my mission. Harm came to Mother Daughter while I was away. There was a full complement of Daughters present and still…”

She narrowed her eyes.

“There is a traitor among us, sister. How do I know that it isn’t you?”

Shala had a knowing smile. “You fell in love with this mortal. Or perhaps it was just that your loins ached for the touch of a man. Either way, it is no consequence to me unless this bond between you two jeopardizes Eden. Know this, Jessima IL Eve…if the protection of Eden depends upon destroying the
Chosen One
and his chosen mistress, then I will be honored to shed the blood of you both. The greater need of Eden will prevail…
no matter what.”

“Now, can I get the answers to my questions?” Knight coughed out, while he rubbed his throat. “Did we come through that pool?”

Jess nodded.

“Good. See? That wasn’t so bad,” Knight said. “Now for next question…”

He had second thoughts about asking any strategy questions in front of a possible traitor. “Hmmm, it seems I must have forgotten. Maybe later.”