Maximus tried to get to his feet, but his vision swam. His stomach protested. Every muscle in his body was on fire. Getting hit by a truck wasn’t the right metaphor. No, it was like he’d been hit by a truck covered in lightning.
He managed to crane his neck toward Selena. She lay there on her stomach, wide-eyed, staring at Quinen, trembling. Maximus didn’t want to imagine what might have happened if she’d not been standing right behind him when the wave hit.
“Do you understand now?” Quinen asked, walking forward still cloaked in the purple energy. “I’m beyond you. I’m the beginning of humanity’s future. I’m imperfect of course and require further fine-tuning, but I wanted to give you a taste of why I don’t need you. I must insist on taking the girl, though.”
Maximus grimaced and fought against the pain suffusing his body. CJ, Tiberius, and Cornelius all lay unconscious. He reached for a pistol holstered around his belt and pulled it out, his hand shaking.
There was no time to worry about aiming. He had to save Selena. Three quick trigger pulls. Three bullets. They bounced off Quinen, falling to the ground crushed as if they’d struck a dense metal wall. The pain grew too much, and he dropped the gun.
Quinen wagged a finger. “Did you really think it’d be that easy?” He marched over to Maximus and leaned over with a look of disappointment. “I’ll admit to a certain fondness for you and the others. A weakness, for sure, but until recently, you were my greatest work. It might be unfair to say you were a detour. I wouldn’t have achieved this superiority without my work on you and the others, and I believe if the special twelve of you had lived up to your full potential, you would be pleased with what I did.”
“Go to hell,” Maximus managed through his clenched teeth. “You’re insane.”
“Why?” Quinen straightened and shrugged. “I set out to achieve power, and I have. I’m insane because some sacrifices were made along the way? What a narrow-minded view.”
Several gunshots sounded. They were much closer than most of the gunfire from before.
“I don’t fear you failures.” Quinen strolled past Maximus toward Selena.
She scurried backward, but he yanked out a dart gun from a jacket pocket and fired it into her shoulder.
“Ow,” Selena cried, rubbing her shoulder.
Quinen shrugged. “Unfortunately, being more powerful doesn’t mean having all powers. Alas.”
Her eyes fluttered. “W-w…” She groaned, blinking. “I can’t move.”
“Don’t worry, my dear. Soon, this whole thing will be over.” Quinen scooped Selena up, the purple light moving to surround her.
“Let go of her, you son of a bitch,” Maximus shouted. He managed to stand despite the pain and swayed. “I’ll gut you for touching her.”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic.” Quinen sprinted away, his movement almost a blur. He was running faster than a hybrid.
“Quinen’s on the run,” Maximus transmitted, his breathing heavy. He growled. “He’s got Selena. Be careful. He’s… something different now, tougher, faster. Enhanced. If you get a chance, shoot to kill.”
Maximus put one foot in front of him and then another, ignoring the pain. Quinen wouldn’t escape again. There was no way in hell he’d escape with a Vestal.
Chapter Twenty-four
Doctor Quinen burst through a door, shoulder-first, knocking it off his hinges. It crashed against the hard pavement, cracking. Two hybrids, including Zephyrus, stood close by. They pointed their guns at the doctor, concern on her faces.
“Put the woman down,” Zephyrus ordered, his deep base voice even lower than usual.
Doctor Quinen tossed Selena roughly to the ground. Pain shot through her elbow. She screamed when she realized she was next to a dead guard. She tried to crawl away from him, but her muscles barely responded. Her pace made a snail look fast.
“On your knees, Quinen,” Zephyrus shouted, gesturing with his rifle. “Or we shoot.”
“No.” Doctor Quinen laughed. “You don’t understand that I hold your life in my hands, do you?”
“You think just because you’re glowing we’re scared?” Zephyrus grunted. “Please.”
“You should be scared. If you’re not, it shows you’re foolish.”
“Take him down!” Zephyrus opened fire, his muzzle flash killing the nearby shadows.
The other hybrid fired too with careful controlled bursts. Two men firing assault rifles at close-range in bursts tossed a lot of angry lead toward Doctor Quinen. Like inside the warehouse, the bullets bounced off. The hybrids continued firing, no fear on their faces despite the fantastical scenario they were facing.
Selena couldn’t believe it. A man started glowing and showing what could only be described as superpowers, and they didn’t blink. Being fast, strong, and having good senses doesn’t prepare someone to face off against an enemy who was bulletproof.
She now understood something important. The hybrids’ courage didn’t come from their superiority. It was easy to be brave when a man was facing off against enemies he knew were weaker than him. True courage came when he wasn’t sure he could win.
Doctor Quinen flung out another energy wave that knocked the hybrids to the ground. When Zephyrus stirred, the doctor thrust his palm forward, this time launching a bolt of purple energy. His hybrid target grunted again before falling unconscious.
Selena gasped, worried Zephyrus had been killed. His chest still rose and fell, and she let out a sigh of relief.
Her gaze flicked over to Doctor Quinen. Sweat ran down his forehead, and his breathing had become ragged. His eyes continued glowing, but the purple field around him was dim and insubstantial compared to before. His power wasn’t as infinite as his ego.
Rifle fire continued in the distance. It sounded like it’d come from the other side of the warehouse. Any hybrid reinforcements wouldn’t make it in time to take advantage of the doctor’s weakened state. He continued standing there, a hand to his chest, taking deep breaths.
Selena managed to roll toward the dead guard and grabbed his rifle. She didn’t know much about guns, but she assumed the man had been fighting with it
