Keller hands me two Pugio blades as I step over the Parson’s body. Rabaan is made to sit on his knees in front of me while the remaining fifteen or so of his men await their fate. I look down at him, crossing the two weapons before his throat. He understands that with one motion from my wrists he’ll be no more.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“I know the truth about the Dormitories.”
“You lie,” I spit at him. “You murdered my family. You traveled into the Wasteland to destroy everything I held dear to me.”
“Not true. Devlan’s death was an accident. We were supposed to bring him back with us. And I’m telling you the truth when I say it wasn’t the Morrigan who attacked the Dormitories.”
“Keep talking. You’ll live until I hear something I don’t like.”
Sweat begins to cascade down his brow. “One of our spies got word to us that plans were being made to annihilate the Dormitories, as a way to destroy the cities. Since Nuceira helped build the facility, I felt a need to protect it. It was the one and only time I went against the Parson. The sun hadn’t yet risen when we arrived, but we could see our way in the dark from the flames. We searched for survivors, but only found Dr. Baccus and Quintus.” He gestures towards Quin, a look of defeat upon his face. “They were sitting in one of the pools in the center of the complex.”
I look over at Quin, his body sagging in Jagger’s arms. He lifts his head and nods at me. I turn my attention back to Rabaan.
“If the Morrigan didn’t attack us, who did?”
“The same consortium that developed the Levin gun: the Hostem. And I hear they’re mobilizing again, preparing to strike the cities, and anything affiliated to them.”
“Like a hatchery?” Braxton asks in an alarmed voice.
“Yes. The Hostem camps were destroyed after the destruction of the Dormitories. It’s believed many went into hiding in the Wasteland.”
“Where’s the closest hatchery?” I ask Braxton.
“Acheron Hatchery Nine. It’s the one we were planning to go to before your plan.”
“What’s there?” Lehen asks.
“Children.”
I cautiously ponder what Rabaan is telling me. I don’t want to believe him, but I feel somewhere inside he’s telling the truth. And Quin did confirm his story about the Dormitories.
“How many men will you need to defeat this horde?”
“If we can get to the resources the cities have off site, no more than ten.”
“Then you have determined your own punishment.” I look over at Braxton and Lehen, and nod to them.
Within moments, only ten Morrigan remain.
“What about the Nuceirans?” Lehen asks me as he wipes his blade clean.
“They embraced the poison that Parson Mathan spewed. They’re on their own.”
Chapter 24
We grab as many supplies from the Morrigan quarters as we can move, loading three armored vehicles with both weapons and food. Keller, Gage and four Morrigan take the first vehicle; Rey, Tobin, and another four Morrigan are in the second; the rest of us ride in the third.
People are still pouring out of the gates as we make our way forward, Braxton driving. We make our way around the crowds, ignoring those who try to flag us down for help.
The hatchery is fifteen hundred miles north of Nuceira and since there aren’t any direct routes or roads, it’ll take us several days. No time to help the refugees, even if I had the inclination.
The fuel cells operating the vehicles are solar powered, so we don’t have to worry about being short on power, but the air inside becomes stagnant after a couple of hours so Rabaan flips a control switch on the front dash opening a panel in the roof allowing fresh air to flow in. I close my eyes, lean against Jagger, and drift off to sleep.
My nightmares resume the moment my eyes close.
My friends perishing around me…the buildings collapsing…Magda rescuing me.
Sometime later, I sense the vehicle is no longer moving, and open my eyes.
I’m alone inside, the sun radiating through a group of trees just above the roof. I sit up and exit the vehicle. Everyone is gathered on a small patch of open land. Some appear to be sleeping while others are stretching or eating. Jagger and Lehen are sound asleep under a large elm tree. Quin is off to the left of the group, sitting alone, and reading. I walk up to him, sit down, and remove the worn leather bound book from his hands.
I recognize the book as belonging to Parson Mathan. “Where did you get this?”
“I took it from his study early yesterday.”
I hand the book back to him, but he doesn’t reopen it.
“I followed you and Braxton into the healer’s dean and stood out in the hall when you two were talking to him. I knew they were all lies…the same that they’d been telling me.”
“What did they say to you?”
“That I was wicked, crafted to lead the destruction of man. In order to save myself from death, I was told that I would need to befriend the other Antaeans. It would make their capturing easier. I had no idea what Parson Mathan’s real plan was. They never tried to harm me like they did Lehen and you. I think that’s because Rabaan prevented it.”
“How long had it been going on?”
“The torture?”
I nod.
“Since I was ten. I just accepted it after a while. I was taught to never question anything the Parson or Dr. Baccus did, or wanted. When I heard what Dr. Baccus told you and Braxton, I knew I had to find out more. I went to confront the Parson, but he wasn’t in his study. I
