“Yes, even if it means dying.”
“Well, f**k.”
Chapter Six
Vela heard the words come out of her mouth, but she still didn’t quite believe that she’d become this person, where her new darkening power was concerned. Yet there seemed no alternate response to the truth that her power had brought her to Duncan’s cell. Responsibility for him had descended on her; and she would see this through, even in the face of death.
Samuel worked his molars again. “I think we need to bring Alison and Fiona in on this.” Vela frowned. “I can understand Alison, but why Fiona?”
“Because she has the ability to enhance power. If the four of us were in the darkening, and figured out a way to draw one of the wreckers close enough, I could use my dark power and force the weapon away from the wrecker. Then Alison could do her thing.”
“Can she even reconfigure a weapon like that?”
“Well, we’d know soon enough.
Then once we had the weapon, we could go after Duncan.”
“It won’t work.” Merl rested his jaw on his curved hand, his fingers holding the lit cigarette away from his face.
“Which part?” Vela turned to Samuel because they’d each said the same thing at the same time. She smiled and his lips curved. He nodded.
“Well, first,” Merl said, “wreckers never work alone. They patrol in squads of three, so you’re talking about battling three Third Earth, very powerful warriors, each with an identified weapon. But let’s say the whole thing with Alison and Fiona works and you gain possession of at least one of the weapons, without dying, by then the grid monitors would have already detected a point of chaos. Add that to a loss of contact with the wreckers and the monitors would have already sent in another squad after you. Before you even figured out how to fire the damn thing, they’d be up your ass.”
“Then we get the weapon and come back here,” Samuel said. “Simple.”
“Simple, huh? For a Militia Warrior, you’ve got balls.”
“Is that a compliment, Merl?” Merl puffed on his cigarette, eye squinting. “Just commenting on your general stupidity,” he countered, holding back the smoke then blowing it out in a quick stream. “All right, let’s break it down. How do you plan on facing-off three Third Earth wreckers, each with a weapon that could blow your ass into a million pieces?”
“We get Thorne in on this and Warrior Leto after he’s morphed into his beast-state.” Leto had developed a new power in that he could increase his size and strength by just a thought.
With the addition of two of the most powerful vampires on Second Earth, Vela felt confident that the plan could work, although they had one more step to take.
She turned toward Samuel. “Despite Merl’s objections, I think this is a good place to start, but we’re going to need Madame Endelle in on this. She’s got to be informed every step of the way because this is about Third Earth. If she has a new threat on her hands, she’ll need all the details we can provide. Besides, I’m pretty sure that she won’t give us Leto and Thorne without some convincing.” Merl sat forward in his chair and stubbed out his cigarette in an ashtray at his elbow. “Yeah, you should definitely include Endelle.” Samuel snorted. “Now why am I not surprised.”
“Fuck off.”
“Back atcha, ass**le.”
“Are you two going to start that again?” Merl glared at her. “Only if your boyfriend doesn’t shut the f**k up.” She leveled her gaze at Samuel.
Though he opened his mouth, his chin at a stubborn angle, he returned her stare, grimaced, then swallowed his retort.
Vela drew her phone from her pant pocket and called Jeannie at Central.
“Hey, girl. Yeah, it’s me, smack dab in the middle of hell, carrying my hand-basket.”
“Heard it’s the breh-hedden?” Vela tensed up then forced herself to relax. So it was now common knowledge.
But after what had happened in the workout center, she could hardly expect anything different. “Yeah. It is.”
“You deserve it, Vela, that kind of love. And I wouldn’t say that to just anyone.”
“Thank you, Jeannie. You’re such a good friend.”
“You’re welcome. So what’s your breh like? Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is talking about Warrior Samuel. I heard a rumor he’s the next Warrior of the Blood. Do you think it’s possible?” She glanced at Samuel whose lips were compressed as he tried to ignore Merl. Merl kept waving his fingers toward Samuel.
She interceded on a whisper. “Stop that.” Merl smirked, but he lowered his arm. “You’re worse than my brothers growing up.”
“Stop what and who’s worse?” Jeannie asked.
“Nothing and nobody. Listen, as soon as I’m out of this fix, let’s get coffee, okay?”
“You bet. Now how can I help?”
“I need a secure location, probably the palace, to bring over a Third ascender with a Peter Pan complex, myself, and Warrior Samuel.”
“A Third ascender?”
“You heard me right.” Jeannie whistled. “I’ve already got orders from Her Supremeness to do whatever you wanted. I have the fold set.
Tell me when.”
“Let me check.” She held her phone by her leg and asked if the men could stop posturing long enough to join Endelle at the palace.
But Samuel held his hand up for a moment, then waved it once over his body. Poof: flight battle gear, including that damn sexy leather kilt.
Vela may have weaved slightly on her feet. After swallowing hard, she asked, “Can I give Jeannie the word?” Samuel nodded.
Merl did the same.
Bringing her phone back to her ear, she said, “Fold at will.” Central had a lot of power and the sudden brisk ride through nether-space was smooth as silk. Some believed that the disappearing-reappearing power typical of all five Upper Dimensions wasn’t about dematerialization at all, but the folding of space, hence the term. The debate still raged in all the major universities, but it was one of those theories hard to prove.
Whatever it was, Vela had always enjoyed folding-travel.
And as before, the moment she started down the ramp, Samuel took her hand in his.
Merl glanced around. “Some digs.
Ro-tun-das.” The sing-song way he spread the word out made Vela chuckle.
“White mar-ble,” he added.
More sing-song, more laughter.