“That was so I could find out why they had attacked us.”
“Doesn’t the same logic apply here?” I asked.
Rafe nodded and turned toward the nearest line of men. “Yes, it does. So, I have to keep one of them alive. Activate your shield; I’m going on the offensive.”
I triggered my one and only tat. The shield formed around me. I tapped the local ley line and pushed power into my shield as I drew more into me to replenish the energy I’d was using.
Rafe triggered his own shield and then collapsed the circle. He raised his left hand and the lightning tattoo on his fist glowed with gold light.
Lightning split the clear sky and struck amidst the line of men between us and the road. The bolt lasted only a second and then Rafe turned toward the other line and repeated the action.
I watched the first target and noticed that at least three of the approaching figures had fallen. That left six standing. The night lit up with muzzle blast as all six began firing automatics at us. The sharp reports of their firearms sounded like .223 rounds. My shield began taking impacts. I could feel each impact as though someone was poking me with a finger. It was annoying.
Glancing toward the other line, I saw a similar number of attackers firing from that direction.
This was fucked up. Why would anyone in the military or CIA be trying to kill us? I was getting pissed off and was quickly coming around to Rafe’s idea that these people needed to be taught a lesson. You don’t just start shooting at people without giving them a chance to surrender. I mean, it wasn’t as if we were in a war zone. We were in New Mexico for God’s sake.
I glanced back toward the line between us and the road in time to see a flash of heat and light from where the three men had fallen. Oh, shit!
The rocket round slammed into my shield a second later.
I flew backward across the clearing.
I landed twenty feet back and rolled to my feet. My shield had protected me from injury, but I hadn’t had it anchored in the earth. My mistake. I poured more energy into the shield as I took Rafe’s Colt from my jacket pocket and cocked the hammer. If they wanted to play rough, then I was willing to join in. I trotted back toward Rafe’s position.
Another rocket flew from the other line and impacted Rafe’s shield. He’d seen what happened to me and had anchored his in the earth. The explosion jarred my senses, but Rafe and I were still meshed, more importantly, I was keeping it together.
*They have some sort of shield,* Rafe said across our meshed link.
*Why would mundanes have a shield?* I asked as I stopped beside Rafe.
*Good question. It means they’re working with magic users, but I can’t see the government either working with mages or coming after a Wanderer. This is exceedingly strange. Perhaps we should leave until we know more about what’s going on.*
*Can we do that?* I asked as I noticed that the men on the ground were reloading what appeared to be a recoilless rifle. I had fired one of the Carl Gustav M3 MAAWS rifles in a training exercise before going to the ’Stan, and it seemed like what they were using on us.
*Yes, but not safely without getting rid of some of their firepower. I don’t want them beating on your shield like that.*
Rafe raised his left arm and pointed toward the group that had targeted me. A foul blackness flowed out of his upraised hand and moved through the air like an undulating cloud of oil. The sight of the night magic gave me a shiver. It was too unnatural, and while I understood his need to use it, it gave me the creeps to watch it.
The cloud reached the three men working the recoilless rifle and flowed over them. If their shields had kept it from reaching them, I couldn’t tell.
Rafe raised both hands then, a blast of fire leapt from his right hand toward the approaching line. Simultaneously, another bolt of lightning split the sky and struck the same line. This time, Rafe held his tats and both effects continued to pour into the center of the line.
I heard another whoosh and a moment later another rocket impacted Rafe’s shield. I could feel the effect it had. His shield had weakened temporarily as he poured energy into his offensive spells, but in a second, he had diverted enough energy to restore his shield to full strength.
He canceled his offense on the first line and turned toward the others. I watched to see what effect Rafe’s attack had had. I was cheered to see that except for two individuals whose clothing was blazing as they beat against the flames, no one in that line was moving.
Over the gunfire and explosions, I heard the sound of returning helicopters.
*Rafe, heads up,* I said as I watched the western sky.
Both helicopters were making an attack run. Already rockets were flashing from pods mounted to the sides of the copters.
I stepped between Rafe and the oncoming rockets and pushed as much power as I could into my shield.
The fraking rockets impacted the earth and my shield in a staccato beat. I found myself flying through the air again. My vision narrowed and the night became dark except for the flashes of gunfire and rocket explosions. I hit the ground and rolled into the tree line. On my hands and knees, I spat and noticed the taste of blood in my mouth. My vision had darkened except for a narrow tunnel I appeared to be looking down. Damn it, it was happening again, but I couldn’t let it. Whatever effect the explosions were having on me had to stop. I couldn’t let Rafe down. I had to get through this myself.
A shadow appeared between the fires in the clearing and me.
I looked
