The Bleeding Worlds: Resonance Part 8

Jason took a moment to turn his attention to his team. Marie moved in blinding speed along the entrances and windows, stopping under cover long enough to bring a set of binoculars up and scan the direction she faced. Caelum had climbed all the way to the eleventh tier, his eyes following Marie, a.s.suming she would signal his target. Brandt seemed to be inspecting the structure, trying to calculate how much damage he could inflict without bringing the whole thing down on their heads.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked the question bothering you most," Adrastia said from behind him.

He turned to find her jade eyes focused on him.

"And what's that?"

A slight smile curled around her lips.

"Where have I been these past seven years? I mean, it has to be part of the reason you don't trust me. I can see they haven't been happy years for any of you. Reversing the situation, I'd be wondering "if this woman cares and is on our side, why hasn't she been helping us?""

Jason willed his body to stay relaxed-the tremor of frustration and anger made it difficult.

"So are you a mind reader now?" he asked.

She took a quick glance at the computer screen.

"Forty percent copied," she reported, returning her focus to him. "No, I'm not a mind reader. I've just spent enough years around people that I read them pretty well. Besides, like I said, if our roles were reversed, that would be my question."

"And is it one you will answer?" Jason made no attempt to keep the snark out of his voice.

Since her return, Adrastia's eyes and smile spoke of a gleeful mischief-it had been one more thing p.i.s.sing Jason off. It melted away now, wax exposed to a sun-like flame. Beneath the illusion was emptiness-her eyes hollow, a reflection of a void within her.

"I've been inside the Veil," she answered.

"For seven years?" His voice was thin, nearly choking on incredulity. "That's impossible."

Adrastia looked like she might cry. Instead, she turned back to the computer screen.

"Eighty-seven percent...And yes, it should be impossible. You know the funny part?" her laugh lacked humor. "It seemed longer. Much longer. For all I know, I wrestled Cain and chased him through the Veil for a thousand years. I intended to do it until the end of everything."

Jason couldn't look away from her. His friends told him how she s.h.i.+fted to various forms, all the while claiming to be some of the most powerful figures from history. Regardless of whether those claims were true, she had taken down a Veil beast by herself-she might be the most powerful Anunnaki in existence. If she had intended to hold Cain for eternity, the only way she could've failed was if he was even stronger. How could any of them defeat such a monster? He wanted to ask, to confirm his greatest fears, but the distance in her eyes kept him silent. Ansuz had been inside the Veil for maybe a few minutes, and it had changed every one of them. What would seven years do?

Adrastia leaned down, pulling two USB sticks from the computer. Once they were free, she started tapping away at the keyboard again.

"I have the information," she said. "I'm trying to cover my tracks, so they have a harder time figuring out why we were here."

Jason walked back to the railing and looked up to Marie.

"Anything?"

She flashed him a thumbs up-All clear.

He didn't know how much worth this information of Adrastia's would be to Fenrir. He was counting more on her followup promise. If that didn't come through, he'd consider this trip a failure.

"Do you guys hear that?" Caelum asked.

Jason looked up, catching dark shapes moving into position above the angled gla.s.s roof.

"s.h.i.+t!" he cried. "They're coming through the roof."

A soft thump, thump sounded as small packages fell and clung to the gla.s.s.

"Charges! Take cover."

They all dove, covering their heads as a series of pops sounded, showering gla.s.s down on them.

Ropes dropped through the holes accompanied by strafing machine gun fire covering the descent of troops.

Brandt snapped chunks of concrete from the walls, launching them like shotgun sprays toward their attackers.

Bodies fell from the sky, their descent even and odd because they remained tethered to their ropes. They hit the ground with a combination of a thud and a series of snaps.

Caelum let a volley of arrows fly from his position on the top level bringing down more soldiers. One of his arrows struck the tail rotor of one of the copters, delivering a satisfying plume of black smoke causing it to veer away from the fight.

Marie sped up the wall and along the remaining beams of the ceiling, weaving up and over through the shattered panes of gla.s.s, slicing through ropes and flesh as she made her way to rendezvous with Jason.

"Are you done?" Jason asked Adrastia.

"We're good."

She stood from the computer and shut it down.

"That was too easy," Marie said, arriving at Jason's side.

"Agreed," he nodded. "Head up to the roof and get eyes on all sides. We need to start firming up our exit strategy."

"But she hasn't shown up yet," Marie said.

Jason nodded grimly. "I know. But it's too easy to get boxed in here." He shook his head ruefully. "This is going to get messy."

As Marie proceeded to the roof, Adrastia came from behind and gripped his shoulder.

"We knew this would happen. I'd go so far as to say we counted on it."

"I know. But we could only guess how Osiris' forces would respond. You won't abandon us, will you?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I told you, I'm on your side. You can count on me."

"Good. I don't know what you're capable of, so I'll leave it to your discretion how best to help."

A sincere smile touched her lips.

As she pa.s.sed, she took his hand and pushed one of the USB drives into his palm.

"Will I even know what to do with this?" he asked.

Adrastia shrugged.

"I guess that depends on how much stock you put in prophesy."

Jason looked at the USB drive. Prophesy? It suddenly felt heavier.

Adrastia didn't wait for a reply. A scythe materialized in her hand.

"I hope this goes well," she sighed. "I don't want to destroy another library in Alexandria."

She slung the blade over her shoulder nonchalantly and hopped toward the higher levels with balletic grace.

Marie seemed to materialize from thin air at his side.

"There're gunboats in along the sh.o.r.e to the North, three helicopters incoming from the east and I saw some activity in the conference center across the plaza."

Jason nodded.

"Any indication of Anunnaki?"

"If I had to guess?" Marie shrugged. "Probably the ones in the conference center. I think the first attack was a test. They seem to be keeping the strictly military personnel as a barricade to keep us from running."

"Give me your hand," Jason said.

He put the USB into her palm.

"If things go sideways, you take this, you run so fast you're nothing but a gust of wind, and you get it back to Fenrir."

"But-"

"No buts," he cut her off. "I know we're all friends...no, family. But if we can trust Adrastia, and what you've all said about her is true, then whatever this drive contains is important. I don't pull rank often, but this time, I'm telling you-this is an order."

Her eyes burned with defiance.

"Fine," she growled between clenched teeth.

Jason knew she'd keep her word. Regardless of how much she disagreed, they'd only survived this long by following a form of command. Every one of them knew it, and so none would break the chain.

Jason shook his arms, as if it might dispel the increasing tightness in his shoulders. Seven years since he'd seen her. What would she be like? And would she be able to forgive him? The fate of an entire world, maybe all the worlds, hinged on the answer being 'yes.'"

"They're coming," Marie announced. "And she's with them."

Here we go.

From across the pavilion, the Eternal Winter watched from the conference center.

Terrorists from Asgard had no place on the Pantheon's world. Still, their abilities were commendable. The speed of their counter-attack after the roof shattered demonstrated experience and cooperation. This was not some group of fanatics banded together recently, they were a team-and a team of powerful Anunnaki.

One of the a.s.sault helicopter's tail rotors screeched and belched smoke. The pilot veered away, fighting to maintain some amount of control and to prevent the chopper from spinning out of control.

"What happened?" she asked one of her lieutenants. She'd been trying to figure out how they were cutting the repelling ropes.

"Some sort of energy bolts," he responded.

"Looked like arrows to me," another member of her team suggested.

Hearing this, she nearly bolted upright. Only her training, and the sense giving away their position might be fatal, kept her hidden.

"Arrows?" she asked. "Made of light?"

The few monitoring the battle nodded their agreement.

Caelum?

No. Impossible. They'd all died within the crossroad anomaly.

More blood on Woten's hands.

More lives for her to avenge.

"Choppers are bugging out. They report one-hundred percent mortality rate of the infiltration team."

Her fist clenched. How many people just lost their lives? Twenty at least, likely more. A wasted opening move to test the resolve of their opponents. She'd tried to tell Anubis this would happen. Pig-headed Ageless One that he was, he refused to take any advice from the lackey of another Pantheon member. Oh no, his personal military force would be more than enough to handle the few Anunnaki terrorists Osiris granted support.

Idiot.

Hurrying to prove he could rule Egypt better than Osiris, he'd sent those people to their deaths needlessly. Anunnaki were best taken down by one method-using other Anunnaki.

I'll be d.a.m.ned if Woten gets even the smallest foothold on this world again.

"All right everyone," she faced her team and opened a com channel to the units positioned elsewhere, "Anubis had his chance, and we did our part by letting him. I don't think any of us are surprised they failed. It should be clear to all of you this won't be easy. The Anunnaki in the library are organized. Chances are they operate as a team just as well as we do. I'll go in the main entrance with Beta team. Alpha, go around to the northern edge and enter through the roof. Charlie team, you'll go in from the rear of the building. We'll have them flanked on all sides. Understood?"

The members of Beta team in front of her answered with silent nods.

"Charlie copies," came through the com, followed immediately by, "Alpha copies."

"Go."

Her team moved low toward the exit of the conference center. The pavilion was nothing but open ground between the two buildings. She had no doubt they'd be spotted long before breaching the entrance. But eyes on her meant eyes not on Alpha or Charlie.

Going through the main entrance was reckless. Wasn't that how Paltar died, during a frontal breach? Well, she didn't have any Hodurs behind her. Certainly any of her team would jump at the chance to take her place. But unlike Hodur, fear kept them loyal.

"We leave this building on three," she instructed. "All weapons drawn and ready for a fight."

Tension hung like a heavy fog, pressing on all of them, seeping into their clothes and chilling to the bone. This wasn't like any mission they'd partic.i.p.ated in before. Mostly they closed Tears, helped quell general population riots, and, on the rare occasion, suppressed a single Anunnaki. They'd never faced more than one at a time, and certainly not a well-trained team who demonstrated no hesitation in killing their enemies.

"One, two, three!"