Revelation

Ashton hesitated before answering. “About fifty miles east of you.”

“I’m sorry…” Makara said. “What is it?”

“I don’t know, but it needs further investigation,” Ashton said. “I’m pretty sure that this…thing…I’m looking at is the source of the second Voice. I need you all here, pronto. There’s this huge spire, just rising out the Great Blight. The air is clear, as well as the ground.” He paused. “I’m landing first, to get a closer look. I could learn something that could help us for when we attack the other one, in Ragnarok Crater. But I need you guys here in case things get dicey.”

We looked at each other, hardly believing what Ashton had just told us. If there was another Voice, that meant we had two to kill, not just the one. And more might pop up out of nowhere. That meant this xenovirus might never get killed, if new Voices could just replace the old ones.

“Ashton,” Makara said. “Do not land. Are you crazy? You could be attacked the second you set foot on that xenofungal field.”

“Don’t worry,” Ashton said. “I have my gas mask, and plenty enough for everyone. This is a chance for research we might never get again.”

“Let me talk,” Marcus said. “Ashton, this attack is not going to be interrupted for anything. Whatever you’re talking about, it can wait.”

“I’m not so sure,” Makara said. “If the Voice is not being protected, we might have a chance to do some real damage.”

If that were true, then this would be a key time to strike. We already had the men and weapons on board. We were already in the air. If it was fifty miles way, we could be there in less than fifteen minutes.

“Do we have gas masks?” I asked.

“A dozen or so,” Samuel said. “Ashton collected them over the years.”

“Gilgamesh has about twenty,” Ashton said. “How many men on board?”

“About thirty,” Samuel said. “Enough masks for everyone.”

On our first trip to the Great Blight, gas masks were not a precaution we had taken. We had gotten lucky. When Makara and I had gone to Bunker 114, I had passed through my first Blight. Just as we were about to reach the Bunker, the xenofungus had released some sort of spore that knocked us out. The only reason we were still alive was because Samuel happened upon us and pulled us into the safety of the Bunker.

“What are your coordinates?” Makara asked.

“I’ve already uploaded them to you,” Ashton said. “Just open it up, and the ship can autopilot itself here.”

“We’re not doing this,” Marcus said. “We have to finish what we started.”

Makara held up a hand, silencing him. “And you said that it’s fifty miles east of us?”

“Yeah, I’m hovering above it right now, trying to get some readouts. I’m not going to pass up this opportunity.”

Makara turned her head to the side, concentration on her face. I’d seen that look before, and seeing it now scared me to death.

She was about to do something crazy.

“Marcus, we can come back and do this later. The mission against the Great Blight comes first.”

“No, we’re not,” Marcus said.

But Makara wasn’t listening. She veered the ship around, one hundred and eighty degrees. Everyone cried out as they were forced to the ship’s side.

“We’ll meet you there, Ashton,” Makara said. “On our way now.”

I was relieved. It seems strange to say I was relieved at going to the Great Blight, at the center of this new Voice, rather than what we had been doing.

“Makara, I hope you’re doing the right thing,” Char said.

“I am. I’ve got thirty fighting men on board, and the chance to deal a critical blow to the Blighters before they know what hit them.” Makara increased the ship’s speed. “I’m not going to pass up that chance.”

Anna stared at her from the copilot’s chair. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Makara nodded. “I am. I’m sure about this. The Reds can wait. This can’t.”

“You are sure?” Char asked.

“Of course I’m sure,” Makara said. “How many times are you knuckleheads going to ask me that? Fighting the Blighters is what we’re here for. It’s what we do.”

“What about the Reds?” Marcus demanded. “What about my fallen soldiers?”

Makara didn’t answer for a moment. “We’ll deal with that. As soon as we’re done with this.”

“No, that’s not good enough!” Marcus said. “I refuse to help with this!”

“If you help us out here, we’ll go after the Reds. I promise. They won’t get away with what they did.”

Marcus growled, realizing he wasn’t going to win. In one moment, everything had changed. It was par for the course as far as I was concerned.

Char stepped up. “Hey, Marc, listen. You’ve got to hang in there. It’ll just be another hour before…”

The fuse that had been burning all evening suddenly lit in a powder keg of anger. Marcus threw his arm back and swung wildly at his brother. Eyes widening, Char took the hit right in the jaw, spinning around and falling into Makara’s seat, right across her lap. As Makara’s eyes widened, Michael grabbed Marcus, pulling him off his brother. Meanwhile, Samuel grabbed Char, pulling him back.

Makara grimaced, and after putting the ship on cruise, stood up. “I will not have this on my deck! We are here to fight the xenovirus, first and foremost. Everything else is secondary. If that’s a problem with anyone here, you can get the hell off my ship!”

Marcus’s anger wasn’t spent, yet. His arms and hands shook in an effort to control himself.

“You’re a coward!” he shouted. “I knew you would back out.”

Makara pointed at Marcus. “Someone, get him under control. We are going after the Reds. Plans change, Marcus. That’s how it works. We might not get this opportunity again for a long time.”

Just then, a shadow swooped past the windshield and behind the ship. A baleful roar shook Odin’s interior.

A xenodragon.

“Anna, engage the auto-turret.”

“Roger that.”

“This is insane,” Marcus said. “We need to turn back, now!”

“I’m not going to let one of those things scare me away,” Makara said. “We’re almost there.”

The LCD showed the dragon, a dark mass in the night, chasing us from behind. The auto-turret fired, lighting the creature’s frame in quick, successive bursts. The creature screamed, then ducked to the side, out of range of the turret.

“Keep following his trail, Anna,” Makara said.

“I’m trying,” she said. “It’s getting away. Flying north. It’s out of range.”

“Why north?” Char asked.

I hoped the answer that came to my mind wasn’t correct. “Probably to get some of his buddies.”

That comment shut everyone up.

“Why are we doing this?” Marcus asked. “Why are we risking this entire mission? Just so some old man can do his research?”

“No,” Makara said. “We need to blow this thing up. This spire Ashton talked about could be the source of this Voice. We need to take it out, now, before it can do any damage. It might even be the thing that will control the attack on Vegas.”

Everyone grew quiet at that. Could it really be a coincidence? If this Voice had sprouted here recently, it could very well be for the purpose of attacking Vegas.

Marcus crossed his arms, but I could tell that even he could see her point.

“What’s the plan when we get there, Mak?” Samuel asked. “If that thing comes back?”

“We land. We scout around, and see what there is to see. I want everyone who’s going off the ship to wear a gas mask. I’m not taking any chances. We need to keep our eyes peeled for danger. Ashton wants to go on the ground and do some research first. I’m fine with that, as long as it does not endanger anyone in the group. The