The Dark Flame: An Ava James Short (Chronicles of the Modern Mystics Book 0) Read online

  “If I could attach—ohh, I don’t know—two jet engines, maybe,”” said Sebastian as he swerved away from more bullets. “We aren’t going to outrun that in this thing.”

  Roland looked behind them and saw the Shadow as it edged closer to the rear of their vehicle. He could not see the driver. Every Enforcer vehicle was equipped with one-way lexan, which prevented anyone from seeing the interior.

  “Roland, who did he send?” It was Mei this time. She dug her nails into his arm as the car swerved to one side and then sped off again.

  “He sent Marcus,” whispered Roland. “Marcus is the null.”

  Mei visibly paled and put her head back as she closed her eyes for a brief moment.

  “Not him,” she said and then looked at her husband again. “Roland you must take the baby and run. You can’t fight him.”

  “Who?” asked Sebastian. “Who is it?”

  “Marcus,” said Roland, loudly enough for Sebastian to hear. “Mac sent Marcus.”

  “Kuso-tare yarou,” said Sebastian under his breath. “Smythe wants that baby bad.”

  “By now, he’s given the order to sanitize us all,” said Roland. ““The facility is up ahead. Get her inside and I will deal with Marcus.”

  “There is no ‘dealing’ with that maniac,” said Sebastian. ““Don’t you remember last year’s ‘explosion’? He blasted an entire park full of kids to get one mystic…one mystic.”

  “I led the cleanup,” said Roland. “ I remember.”

  “The only way to deal with him is to put him down like a rabid dog,” said Sebastian.

  Sebastian accelerated into the parking lot of the Alley Pond Recreational Center and pulled the car up to the entrance. He jumped out and opened the back door. Mei cried out as she stepped out of the car and bore down.

  “Sebastian, get her inside!” yelled Roland. “Mei, love, hold on. Just a little longer.”

  “Try… telling …her … that,”” said Mei in between gasps as Sebastian helped her out. “Roland, you come back to me, to us, no matter what.”

  Roland grabbed her hand and squeezed. Her gave her a brief kiss and touched the side of her face. Sebastian picked her up and ran inside.

  “No matter what,” he said as the Shadow coasted into the parking lot.

  FOUR

  THE SHADOW CAME to a stop a hundred yards from where Roland stood. Its engine growled at him. It sat there like a vehicular predator waiting for him to bolt before it could give chase and run him down. Roland chambered a round in the guns and waited, gathering his power.

  It was common knowledge that a null, especially a third-degree null, could neutralize any mystic, even a third degree Arch Mystic. They only needed to be close enough and they could render the mystic powerless, with one exception. An Arch Mystic could override the null’s ability by using his life force. The Enclave called such a mystic ‘‘dark’. It was risky and usually fatal, which is why no arch mystic did it unless they were desperate. Today, Roland was desperate.

  The engine of the Shadow turned off. The stillness that followed embraced the parking lot in a blanket of quiet. Nothing moved or made a sound. The doors of the Shadow whispered open and two men stepped out. They were dressed identically in dark bodysuits with a red sword emblazoned on the left side—the mark of the Enforcers. The driver, noticeably older than the passenger, stepped forward until Roland pointed the guns at his chest. His sunglasses glinted in the sun and his muscular frame strained against the bodysuit. He reached up and slowly removed his glasses. He folded them into a pocket, and made his moves slow and deliberate. He held his hands up to show he was unarmed.

  “Roland,” said Marcus with his arms spread as he continued to inch closer. “You know why I’m here. You know the rules.”

  “Take one more step and I’m going to test how bulletproof those suits really are,” said Roland. “Who’s the tyro?”

  Marcus stopped walking and glanced down at his partner across the Shadow. Roland glanced quickly at the younger Enforcer. The second Enforcer looked fresh out of training. His young face held short stubble that passed as a beard. He was clearly trying to look older than his years. He kept his dark hair in the regulation screaming-eagle style and chose not to wear the standard sunglasses, favoring a slimmer, sleek style instead.

  “He’s nobody—some first-degree null I found on site when I got the call,” said Marcus.

  “Bullshit, Marcus,” said Roland. “You’re always a lone wolf. If he’’s here, with you, he’s important, deranged, or you’re using him.”

  Marcus smiled at Roland, but it never reached his eyes.

  “Now why would you hurt my feelings like that?”

  “Shut up,” said Roland. “What’s your name, kid?””

  “Titus, sir,” answered the second Enforcer. “Titus McIntyre.”

  “Important, then,” said Roland still looking at Marcus. “Why would Mac send you?”

  “I asked to come, sir,” said Titus. “My uncle doesn’t know I’’m here.”

  “He will soon,” said Roland. “You made a bad choice today. Bringing him won’t work, Marcus.”

  “What?” said Marcus in mock surprise and then laughed. “He practically begged me so I figured why not? He’ll get to see a professional at work.”

  “Did he tell you why he’s here?” asked Roland as he took several steps back while still keeping the guns trained on Marcus. ““Did he tell you what his orders are?”

  “We are here to question you about some unauthorized use of power on the Grand Central Parkway earlier today,” said Titus. “Will you cooperate?””

  “You didn’t tell him, you bastard,” said Roland and he pulled the triggers as he dove for cover.

  FIVE

  SEBASTIAN RAN THROUGH the corridors with Mei in his arms.

  “I’m not helpless, Sebu—I can walk,” said Mei. ““Put me down.”

  “This is faster. Just hold on, Mei.”

  He ran around the corridors and found the ramp that led down. A massive steel door sat at the end of the ramp. He punched a code in the keypad that sat beside it. It opened with a click. He stepped inside, and placed Mei on a waiting gurney.

  “We can take it from here,” a nurse assured him. “Please wait here.”

  Sebastian walked right next to Mei, ignoring the nurse. She gave him a sharp look.

  “I have every confidence in your ability, but I’m not leaving her side,” said Sebastian when she looked at him. “Do we have an issue?”

  The nurse shrugged and continued to wheel Mei into the next room where a doctor in scrubs waited. The doctor was a short, stocky man with dirty blond hair peeking out of his cloth cap. Thick glasses covered his blue eyes and a mask covered the rest of his face.

  “He’s good, Norma,” said the doctor. “Sebastian, good to see you. I wish it could be under different circumstances. Hello, Mei.”

  “Same here, Will,” said Sebastian. “Her water broke on the way here and I think it’s going to be soon.”

  “Where is Roland?” asked Will. “Norma, please get her prepped.”

  “Yes, Doctor,” said Norma. “Ultrasound first?”

  The doctor nodded and looked questioningly at Sebastian.

  Sebastian and Norma placed Mei in a bed and Norma pulled the ultrasound machine closer. She spread a clear gel across Mei’s abdomen and handed the doctor the transducer probe. He took it and began scanning.

  “He’s outside parking the car. He’ll be right in,” said Sebastian tightly. “He’s probably dealing with the attendant.”

  “I see, and will this attendant be attending the birth?” asked the doctor as he moved the transducer around.

  “Not if Roland can help it.”

  “Then we are pressed for time,” said Will and he pressed a button on the floor beside his foot. Red lights flared in the facility. The image on the ultrasound monitor shifted as he moved the probe around her abdomen. “The girls look good, but one is transverse.”

 
He placed his fingers inside Mei and spoke to Norma. “Ninety percent effaced and ten centimeters dilated,” he said. “Looks like number one is crowning. How much time do we have, Sebastian?”

  “Not much,” said Sebastian. “I will keep you safe, but if the Paras get involved it’s going to go south in a hurry and this building isn’t rated to withstand a…Wait did you say girls? What do you mean, girls?”

  “Twins?” asked Mei the surprise evident in her voice.

  “Yes,” said Will, looking at Mei. “Mei, you and Roland are having twins. “The second one may need a bit of coaxing, though.” He patted her abdomen and held her hand briefly. “We do not have time or I would offer you an epidural. Will you be able to deal with the pain?”

  Mei looked at the doctor, her face covered in sweat, but she spoke calmly.

  “I am a Tanaka, Doctor. Pain is a constant companion.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” said Will. “Right, then. Norma, you and the rest of the personnel in the building need to evacuate—now. Make sure you use… the underground exit?” He looked at Sebastian, who nodded.

  “But the patient…?” said Norma.

  “Is in capable hands,” said Will. “Sebastian, here, is an EMT basic. I’m certain he can assist me with this.”

  “Will, I’ve never had to use those skills before,” said Sebastian. “I’ve never done something like this.”

  “No time like the present,” said Will, his tone crisp. “I’ll walk you through. Norma, will you please evacuate the facility now? Thank you for your assistance.”

  Norma left the room as she removed her scrubs and headed for the underground exit. Will followed her on one of the monitors in the room. When he was satisfied that she and the other personnel were underground and out of the facility, he exhaled.

  “Wash up and tell me what kind of shit we’re in,” he said.

  Sebastian put on a spare set of scrubs, a mask, and washed his hands.

  “At least one null—Marcus—and if they follow standard protocol, Paras will storm this place inside the hour,” said Sebastian as he put on gloves. “Where do you want me?”

  “Marcus? Christ, not that walking nightmare,” said Will as he reached in with one hand and pressed on Mei’s abdomen with the other. ““Who the hell did Roland piss off?”

  “The Enclave. They want the baby but I don’t think they know that it’s twins,” said Sebastian. “At least I hope not.”

  “Okay Mei, on the next contraction you need to hold and push—ready?” said Will as he put pressure on her abdomen while she gritted her teeth and pushed. The building shook at the same time.

  “Mei, I’m pretty sure he meant only push the baby out, not the entire building,” said Sebastian.

  Mei glared daggers at her brother as sweat poured down her face.

  “Mei, dear, this is not an Enclave hospital,” said Will while he gently patted her head with a towel. “It cannot withstand the stresses of having the foundation forcibly ripped out from under it, do you understand?”

  She nodded her head and braced against another contraction. She bore down and pushed.

  “That’s it, Mei, come on!” said Will. “Get ready Seb.””

  Will coaxed the baby’s head and shoulders out of her mother and the rest of the body followed easily. She started crying instantly.

  “That’s Ava,” said Mei. “Let me see her.””

  Will cut the cord and handed her to Sebastian, who placed her in mother’s arms briefly before taking her back as Mei dealt with another contraction. Ava’s wails filled the room. She had dark brown eyes ringed with green and a head full of black hair framed her face.

  “She is strong,” said Mei as she rested her head back, exhausted. “Sebu, check her for the mark.”

  Sebastian held Ava and checked. Across the backs of both her hands, two triquetras could be seen as they pulsed a faint red.

  “The right hand?” asked Mei. “Does she have it?”

  Sebastian looked at his sister with a mixture of shock and surprise.

  “What?” asked Mei. “Is the mark there?”

  “Both hands, Mei,” said Sebastian. “She has them on both.”

  The building rocked again. Will and Sebastian looked at her.

  “That…was not me,” she said, her voice tired.

  “Seb, please clean and prep Ava and then put her in the incubator over there,” said Will as he pointed to the side. “If Roland is dealing with Marcus and he’’s using his powers…”

  “No,” said Mei. “Oh, please no.”

  She grabbed her brother’s arm with enough force to make him wince. The building shook again and dust fell from the ceiling.

  “Sebu, you must go and stop him. He will kill himself.”

  “Mei, let’s focus on getting Ava’s sister,” said Sebastian in an attempt to distract her. “Do you have a name picked out yet?”

  Mei nodded as another contraction hit and she bore down.

  “Not yet, Mei. Please take some breaths while I try and move her around,” said Will. He massaged her abdomen and tried again to turn the second baby.

  “Alexa,” said Mei when she could speak. “We will name her Alexa.”

  Another contraction hit and she couldn’t help but bear down as Will tried to shift the baby.

  Will looked at Sebastian with concern. Mei caught the look.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Tell me, Will.””

  “The baby is not moving the way she needs to and I think the cord may be nuchal,” said Will.

  When she looked at him in confusion, he quickly explained.

  “It means it’s wrapped around the baby’s neck. This isn’t usually a problem, but she is taking too long to crown. If I can’t sort it out we may have to do a C-section.”

  “Will, we don’t have time for a C-section,” said Sebastian. “This place is going to come down around us and we’re going to have angry guests soon. Angry enough to kill.”

  Mei closed her eyes and the building stopped shaking. “Do what you have to do, Will,” she said.

  Will looked at Sebastian and stared hard. “If I don’t do this, we will lose the baby. Now let me try to straighten out this little girl,” he said.”” Prep for the operation and let’s make the time.”

  SIX

  ROLAND’S BULLETS HIT their mark and Marcus was thrown back several feet. He landed roughly on his back. Titus dove for the interior of the Shadow when Roland opened fire. Marcus rolled to the side and fired his own gun. Roland ducked behind a pillar to avoid the incoming fire. Marcus ran for the Shadow and jumped in next to Titus.

  “Sir, what the hell is going on!” yelled Titus. “He shot you!”

  “Subject is hostile and opened fire on an Enforcer in the line of duty,” said Marcus into the dashboard of the Shadow. “Will proceed to terminate subject with extreme prejudice.””

  “What do you mean terminate?” asked Titus. “I thought we were just going to question him?”

  “Shut your mouth, you little shit,” barked Marcus. “He just shot me and you did…what, watch? I could be bleeding out on the ground right now.”

  “I…I… didn’t expect him to really shoot,”” said Titus. “We were just going to question him. Why would he shoot?”

  “Stop your whining before I shoot you myself,” said Marcus. “Stay in the car and let the professionals work. Wouldn’t want to have to explain to your uncle how his precious nephew got himself dead.”

  “Marcus, want to tell the green what your real orders are?” shouted Roland from behind the pillar. “Or should I tell him?””

  Bullets peppered the pillar in response.

  “What does he mean, sir?” asked Titus. “What real orders?”

  “He’s here to take my baby away from her parents and turn her into one of you!” yelled Roland and he rolled away from the cover and fired on the Shadow.

  “That…that isn’t true, right?” asked Titus. ““We are just going to q
uestion him, right?”

  Marcus slapped Titus across the face, hard.

  “Wake the fuck up, tyro,” said Marcus. “We are Enforcers. This”—he gestured at Roland with his gun—“is what we do. If a mystic breaks the code, we enforce it. You want to know what my orders are, green?”

  Marcus punched keys on the dashboard computer and rotated the screen so Titus could read. The screen flashed one line.

  TERMINATE ALL SUBJECTS. DECOMMISSION AND DETONATE SITE. —LMS

  Titus read the line, his face hard. “It can’t be,” he said in shock. “This was going to be a routine questioning. That’s what you said. Why?”

  Marcus grabbed Titus by the collar and pulled him closer to the monitor’s screen. “You see those initials at the end there?” he asked.

  Titus nodded and tried to move back but couldn’t.

  “That order came straight from the top—your uncle, the director,” said Marcus as he released Titus. “Welcome to the real world. You do not ask why. You do as you’re told or someone like me gets the next order and erases your sorry ass.”

  “I just don’t understand…” whispered Titus.

  “You aren’t supposed to. Just stay in the fucking car and let me do my job,” said Marcus.

  He crouched down behind the open door and looked through the window. The ground beneath him turned to mud and he leaped to one side as the car began to sink in quicksand. Titus jumped out of his side and landed unceremoniously some distance away.

  Marcus opened fire, but Roland remained still. The bullets never reached him as they traveled through superheated air and melted a few feet in front of him. The front end of the Shadow disappeared from view as it sank into the ground.

  “Shit, he’s gone dark, kid!” yelled Marcus. “Shoot him!””

  Titus fumbled for his weapons. A rock the size of a softball bounced off the back of his head and knocked him unconscious.

  Three more rocks raced at Marcus. He ducked under one, twisted his body to avoid the second and shot the third into dust. He shot at Roland again with the same effect as before. He ducked behind a tree and reloaded.