“And if it doesn’t?” Alistair asked.
“I can’t speak for either of you, but I’m coming back with my grandson and his mother or not at all.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Truth Is Out There
“Are you…ok?” Alex asked. Michelle hadn’t said anything or looked at Alex for quite some time. Even now, merely nodded her head. But a few moments later finally spoke.
“Yah…just processing…so you said you saved Nick?”
“That’s what I saw.”
“That’s so weird. I remember that night so clearly, but I don’t remember you saying anything or doing anything. It was like an instant and then I was in the water. I didn’t think anything of it.”
“You might’ve been too terrified to remember.”
“Trust me, I would’ve remembered you touching me.”
Michelle said it in such an off-hand way, but Alex couldn’t help but wonder how such a simple sentence could make her feel so good and so confused at the same time. Before she could process it for too long, Michelle continued, “So, Nick is alive, and you were told this by a…a ghost?”
“Not just told. I saw it. And I don’t know what he is. He said he was an echo from his time.”
“But, he could touch you?”
“He touched my face. He kissed me on the head.”
“That’s so weird. How can a ghost, echo, whatever, touch you?”
“He said it was magic.”
“I’ll bet.”
Alex returned Michelle’s smirk. “In his time, he was a Master of Magic. The God of Thunder. He told me there were three items of absolute power to hold. A sword, a book and the armour.”
“I’ve seen Valkyrie pictures before with swords. Did you get the sword?”
“No. I don’t know where it is, but it’s not mine.”
“But you have the armour…can I see it?”
Alex sat back and unbuttoned the first few of her shirt, pulling it open and revealing the glinting V underneath. “I don’t know when I should take it off.”
“I’d start with when you have a shower.”
“And what, put it in the bathtub?” Alex was quite snappy with that question. So much so that Michelle looked concerned. “Mish, real talk, I’m freaking the fuck out. Look at me. Do I look like a hero to you? A warrior woman? Ok, I have the suit. I can do amazing things. I did an amazing thing. But now what? What am I supposed to do? Wait for a signal in the sky? Chase every siren I hear? Is every time I don’t…a life gone? It was the right thing to do. The best thing I’ve ever done was to agree to embrace this. I’m not saying I’m sorry. I’m saying I have no idea about the next step. Am I supposed to search for the sword and the book and unite them-”
“Alex, Alex, slow down. I think you’re missing a big and obvious solution to your problem. Talk to Masonian.”
“Mish, I have thought about that. I reckon it’s like going up to a guy that’s just given you a Ferrari and you say ‘cheers bud, how do you drive it?’ He’s already told me what to do…kinda. It was advice more like. He suggested to hold back until the next paranormal nasty comes along. When I’m really needed. But then I think. What if there’s someone out there that I can help and I figure…just let the cops handle it? I just…I don’t want to let him down.”
“If he is the guy you make him sound like, I doubt you could let him down by asking for help.”
“Maybe. I’ll see what happens. I’ll go when I’m ready. But…would you want to come with me?”
“If you want me to one day, I’d definitely go.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
The War of The Alphas
Tynan looked out over his domain. All sat in readiness. The estate was primed for war whenever Rykard’s people wanted to come. He did yet another perimeter and guard check, his seventh in fifteen minutes.
“All units report in. Any change in status, notify.”
They did so. One by one. Routine. Like clockwork.
“Sir, the jeep has returned.”
“And?”
“They appear to be a man down. But they have retrieved a good amount of weapons.”
“Tell them to put the weapons in storage. I want a word with them.”
“Aye, sir.”
Tynan moved along the perimeter of his battlement wall, looking up to the tower which housed Nicole and her baby. As yet, he still didn’t have a name. Nicole passed by the window with him in her arms. Singing a lullaby was Tynan’s guess.
It was the second beep of his receiver that snapped Tynan out of his stupor. “Report.”
“Sir, the two planes you wanted us to watch? They haven’t gone to red west.”
“Where are they?”
“Heading directly for us.”
“Still no radio contact?”
“No, sir.”
“Target both when in range and fire. I want no chances taken.”
Before he could get a response, there was another beep. Then another. Then a sensor alert sounded throughout the grounds. “What is going on!?”
“Sir! The front of the grounds!”
“What?” Tynan yelled, running back towards the top of the battlements. “Rykard? An attack?”
“I…I think so?”
“You think?!”
Tynan came up over the top of the tower to see the majority of the space just outside his perimeter fence ablaze. Almost a hectare of area bathed in flames. He moved slowly forward until he couldn’t move any further. There was no equipment visible. No vehicles to fight. But then, he did spot something.
A figure with the flames at their back, standing tall. Alicia Slade faced the estate, hair blowing in the breeze, looking him directly in the eye with her gleaming silver ones. She
