The Dark Flame: An Ava James Short (Chronicles of the Modern Mystics Book 0)
Author: Sanchez, Orlando A.
Date: 2016-03-14
Publisher: OM Publishing

The Dark Flame

An Ava James Short

By

Orlando A. Sanchez

ONE

THE GRAND CENTRAL Parkway was deserted at three in the afternoon.

“Since when is the Grand Central this empty?” said Roland from the back seat. He looked out the rear window of the Panamera that raced down the parkway and saw no vehicles behind them. His black hair, kept long, fell into his eyes, as he kept looking at his wife and then behind them.

“They must have known we would take this route,” said the driver. “I can get off and take the LIE, but I don’t think it will make a difference.”

“They won’t take a chance,” said Roland. “They will have covered every route.”

“Do you want me to get off?”

“No, don’t, Seb, the Long Island Expressway won’t help,” said Roland. ““Keep going, and get us to the hospital. I’m trying to keep the pressure regulated but she’s close and we aren’t.””

Next to Roland sat his pregnant wife, Mei. She wore a tan sundress with a repeating Musubi Mitsugashiwa, her family crest. She gasped with the contractions that came every few minutes. She cursed in Japanese and the driver smiled.

“Don’t let them…” She grunted in pain as a contraction crashed through her body. “Don’t let them take the baby. Don’t let them take her, Roland. Promise me.”

“I promise,” he said. “They won’t get their hands on her.””

Another contraction rocked her and she gripped his hand hard enough for him to notice. Her green eyes locked on to his and he pushed her matted jet-black hair back away from her face and caressed her cheek.

“Roland, we have company—looks like they got tired of waiting,” said Seb. “We’re next to Flushing Meadows. Can you use the lake?”

“If I take the pressure off of her, the water will break,” said Roland. Small beads of sweat formed across his brow and he wiped them away. He kept one hand on Mei’s abdomen.

“Mei?” asked Seb. “Anything you can do?”

“You mean besides trying to have a baby, Sebastian?” she said through clenched teeth as a contraction forced the air out of her and made her gasp.

“The contractions are getting closer,” said Roland.

“So is our tail,” said Sebastian. “I would appreciate not dying in a fiery ‘accident’ in the middle of the afternoon. One of you needs to do something, fast.”

“Mei, hold on, I need to disengage,” said Roland. “Take us closer to the lake, Sebastian.”

Sebastian swerved the vehicle close to the guardrail and the large manmade lake that sat nestled in the center of the park. Roland extended both his hands and closed his eyes.

“I need to get closer,” said Roland. “I can’t move enough of the water from here. Stop the car.”

Sebastian downshifted and pulled the emergency brake. The vehicle swerved and screeched, but came to a stop a few feet away from the guardrail. Roland got out of the car and raced down to the lake.

“Move the car, I’ll catch up,” he said. “Go.””

*********

Sebastian turned the car around, floored the gas pedal, and upshifted. The car shot off down the parkway. He stopped a few hundred yards away and waited.

“Hold on, sis,” said Sebastian as he checked the magazine in his modified Glock. “He’ll be right back.”

“Do you think you’ll need that?” she asked. “I hate guns.””

“If they’re coming after Roland, we need to be ready for nulls,” said Sebastian. “Come on, Roland,” he whispered under his breath as he tapped the steering wheel. His white shirt was dark with sweat. He kept looking in the rear-view mirror every few seconds. He shared many of the same features with his sister. His hair, cut short, spiked above him. His eyes were the same intensity as Mei’s— a deep green that earned them the name the jade twins.

*********

Roland stood next to the lake and extended his hands. A wave of water rose before him. He raced back to the parkway with a wall of water behind him and stood in the center. In the distance, he could hear the engine of the car following them. Behind him, the water rose thirty feet and roiled. He looked down the parkway and closed his eyes until he could pinpoint the vehicle after them. He slammed his palms together in front of his body and the water rushed down the parkway around him. He jumped back over the newly formed river and ran to the Panamera.

“Media is going to love that one,” said Sebastian as he put the car in gear and sped off. “Did you get them?”

“Unless they’re driving a speed boat, they won’t be using the parkway,” said Roland, out of breath. His face was pale and drawn from the exertion of moving so much water.

“If they didn’t know where we were, they will now, after that,” said Sebastian.

“No choice,” said Roland. “It bought us some time.”

He went to place his hand on Mei’s abdomen, but she stopped him.

“Roland, my water broke,” she said.

His heart grew tight in his chest at her words.

“Seb, we are running out of time. Call the doctor, and have him meet us at a facility,” said Roland tightly. “Alley Pond is closest.””

“How far away is the Enclave hospital?” asked Mei. “Perhaps we can keep her?”

“Mei,” said Roland gently as he rubbed her forehead. “They won’t let us keep her.” They will implant her memories and train her to be an assassin, an Enforcer.

Tears streamed down Mei’s face and Roland wiped them away. Her face became hard as she grunted in pain through another contraction.

“They are going to have to kill me first,” said Mei.

“Doctor will meet us at Alley Pond,” said Sebastian, ending the call. “Now all we have to do is get there in one piece.””

A small tremor rocked the rear of the car. It coincided with Mei’s most recent contraction.

“Mei, love, you’re going to have to control—never mind,” said Roland when he saw the expression on her face.

“When you start giving birth, love, we’ll talk about controlling powers,” she said through clenched teeth as she took shallow breaths.

Sebastian swerved around potholes the size of small craters that had been nonexistent seconds earlier.

“Mei, come on, hold it together, sis,” said Sebastian. “This is a Porsche not a Hummer.”

“I’m doing…I’m doing my best, Sebu,”” she answered, short of breath.

She grunted in pain and clutched her midsection.

“What is it?” said Roland, fearing the worst. “What’s wrong, Mei?””

“I can’t feel…I can’t feel…… the earth,” she said. “It’s just gone.”

“Nulls,” said Sebastian. “They wasted no time.”

Roland unholstered his guns and opened the windows.

“The baby is a threat to them,” said Roland. “The Enclave doesn’t deal well with threats, real or perceived.”

“I’m calling the family; they can help,” said Sebastian. “Father will not be pleased about this.

“No, Seb, it’s too risky,” answered Roland. “We don’’t know who has been compromised.

“Father would not be part—”

“We’re on our own,” said Roland with an edge in his voice.

“Brother, I have many talents, but delivering a baby is not one of them…Goddammit, get down!”

Roland and Mei both lowered themselves below the rear window.

Bullets riddled the side of their car as a sleek, black vehicle pulled up behind them.

“Shit, they’re using a Shadow,” said Sebastian as he swerved away from the next barrage of bullets. “I just got it detailed, you fuckers!”

“Seb, tell me the detail you had done included upkeep of the wards,” said Roland, “or this is going to be a short drive.””

“Of course,” said Sebastian. “ I had Ghost do them. Doesn’t help the paint job, though.”

The vehicle behind them was a sleek and specially outfitted version of Lamborghini’s Aventador. Used only by the Enforcers, very few vehicles could outrun a Shadow. The low growl of its engine was masked as it raced behind the Panamera, as silent as death. The absence of sound and its angular shape made it difficult to track by any conventional methods, which only served to reinforce its given name.

Roland fired his weapons, two Glock 17’s, with no effect. Shadows were warded against projectile weapons in addition to being made of amorphous steel. He could have fired an RPG and barely scratched the paint job.

“Take the exit,” said Roland. “We need to draw them out. When we get there, you take Mei, and I’ll deal with them.”

“Roland…I know that look,” said Sebastian as he looked in the rearview.

“They want to threaten me, fine,” said Roland, his eyes fixed on the Shadow as he spoke. “They threaten my family? I lay waste to them all.””

“This is a populated area,” said Sebastian, his tone a warning. “A densely populated area.”

“Which I’m sure they cleared out, Seb,” said Roland. “Get Mei to the doctor. I’ll deal with them.”

Sebastian accelerated off the exit and raced down the ramp with the Shadow close behind.

TWO

LAWRENCE MCINTYRE SMYTHE sat behind his desk and contemplated killing his oldest friend. The Enclave Director’s office occupied half of the floor on the top level of the Cloisters tower in an area off limits to visitors, and overlooked the central courtyard. It smelled of old wood with a hint of citrus. He smoothed down his Savile Row jacket before he splayed his rough, callused hands across the top of his desk. They were a direct contrast to his upbringing of luxury and privilege. He always enjoyed being hands-on in the Enclave. Some said it was this involvement, and not his name, that catapulted him to his current position. He pressed a button on his desk and sent a current through the lexan wall facing him. The opaque wall became transparent and allowed him to observe the current operation.

The other half of the floor belonged to the ‘fishtank’. It consisted of a six inch-thick lexan partition, which divided the room. Several monitors hung on the stone wall behind the partition. They ranged in size from desktop to four-foot wide, with the largest ones in the center of the wall. Beneath the wall of monitors sat five long desks covered with nine next-gen computers each. Sitting in front of each computer was an operator with headphones on to prevent any ambient noise from distracting them. The space was completely sealed and self-contained, giving it its name. The operators never left the space and he saw no way to access it. This floor was the central informational hub of the North Enclave. Opposite the fishtank, his office dominated the space.

Adjacent to his desk, on the left, sat a smaller desk that was populated by one next-gen computer and one operator, Rogers. He was a thin man, wiry, with deft hands and a quicker mind. On the far wall, to the right of his large desk and just this side of the partition, two large windows allowed the sunlight to spill into the room.

“Have you located them, Rogers?”

The thin man pushed up his glasses on his nose and pressed some keys on his keyboard. The image of a Panamera followed by the sleek, black vehicle came up on one of the central monitors.

“Is this live?” asked Smythe.

“Thirty-second lag, sir,” said Rogers. “It’s the best we can do, sir, given the distance.”

“Thirty seconds is a lifetime. Do better,” said Smythe. “Do we have their location?”

“Yes, sir, we have them on the Grand Central Parkway, sir,” said Rogers. “It appears they are headed to the Alley Pond facility. It’’s the only one in the area that can handle their special situation.”

“Childbirth, Rogers—you can say the word,” said Smythe as he stood behind his desk and paced. “Get him on the phone.”

“Sir? Who, sir?” said Rogers.

“Get Roland James on the phone,” said Smythe. “I’m certain in that vast network of technology”—Smythe swept his arm and indicated the fishtank—“you have before you, his number exists somewhere.”

“Sir, yes, sir.”

“Good, route the call here,” said Smythe. “On speaker.”

Rogers tapped on his keyboard again. In moments, the familiar sound of a call could be heard going through. Smythe sat behind desk and sighed.

How did it come to this, Roland? You were always so stubborn.

The call connected and silence filled the space.

“I know you’re there, Roland,” said Smythe. “Stop this madness and come in.”

“Hello, Mac,” said Roland. “I see you’re flexing your promotion already.””

“Not flexing, enforcing. The child of every Arch Mystic must go through reprogramming.”

“Yes, and for the good of the Enclave and every mystic, fuck you Mac.”

Smythe removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Did you think that somehow those rules didn’t apply to you? Do you really want this to escalate? Can I speak to Mei?” he said as he replaced his glasses.

“You really don’t want to hear what she has to say to you, Mac,” said Roland as rapid Japanese could be heard in the background. ““You aren’t going to get our child. How long have you known me?”

“Since we joined the Enclave of Mystics—twenty years, old friend.”

“In all that time have you known me to change my mind once it’s made?”

“No, you hardheaded shit, but don’t make me do this! We have to take the child or sanitize you all.”

“Sanitize. How…efficient. Call it what it is, Mac—murder,” said Roland. ““Who is the null? You owe me that much.”

“Roland, I’m not at liberty to…” began Smythe. “ That’’s classified information.”

“Mac, I’m asking as a friend,” whispered Roland. “Who is in the Shadow?””

“Marcus. Marcus is the one in the Shadow.”

“That was your idea of not escalating the situation, sending him?” said Roland with a hard edge as the anger rose.

“You left me no choice. He was the only third-degree on site, and it’s you we’re talking about,” said Smythe. “You aren’t known for negotiation; you only understand force and power. The team you washed away with the new river on the Grand Central can attest to that.”

“Call it a water-main break,” said Roland. “The people will believe you. Don’t they always?”

“That’s beside the point and you know it,” answered Smythe. “We had to create an emergency hazard area spanning the entire Grand Central! Do you even understand the scope of maintaining a dead zone that large in the middle of the afternoon, in this city? Or the damage you caused with that show of force?”

“It’s irrelevant and I don’t care, Mac,” said Roland. ““Force and power are the only tools that the Enclave understand. If you want my child, you are going to have to come get her yourself. Marcus will be going home in a body bag if you don’t call him off.”

“This so typical of you. You never understood the need for subtlety. Of keeping the Enclave in the shadows.”

“Sending Marcus—that was your interpretation of fucking subtlety?”

“Roland, don’t engage him,” said Smythe. “His instructions are only to get the child. If you provoke him, things will get…messy.”

“The moment you sent that unstable prick, you ensured things would get messy. Goodbye, Mac,” said Roland. “The next time I see you, I’’m going to make sure you’re sanitized, old friend.”

Silence filled the room.

“Shall I reconnect the call, sir?” asked Rogers. “They are approaching the facility now.”

“No, don’t bother,” said Smythe. “We have nothing more to say to each other and he wouldn’t listen anyway.”

He stood, walked over to the large window, and looked down at the courtyard below. The flowers were in bloom and filled the courtyard with blues, greens, reds, and yellows. The colors were brilliant in the afternoon sun. It reminded him of London, and his youth.

“How many are in the facility now?” he asked. “How many personnel?”

He remained facing the glass as he spoke. Even with his hands clasped behind him, he filled most of the large window. Behind him, Rogers typed on his keyboard.

“Currently, there are ten people in the facility, sir,” said Rogers. “Mostly non-essentials, maintenance, and janitorial staff.””

Without turning, Smythe responded. “Give Marcus the order,” he said. “Sanitize all personnel and decommission the site. Burn it to the ground, and then detonate it. Make sure no one leaves that facility alive. Tell him to start with Roland. Give him thirty minutes, and then alert the Paras.”

“Sir?” asked Rogers. “Are you certain this is the wisest course of action? James is a third-degree Arch Mystic and his wife is an accomplished Earth Mystic, easily a second degree.””

“I know who and what they are, Rogers,” said Smythe. “It is precisely because of what they are that we’re doing this. Give the order. The child is lost to us now. Roland won’t give it up without a fight. A fight we cannot engage in. We need to think about containment at this point or New York will be known as the city of four boroughs.”

Rogers pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose again as he typed on his keyboard. “Orders sent, sir.”

Goodbye, old friend, thought Smythe as he continued to look out the window.

THREE

“WHO DID HE send?” asked Sebastian as he raced down the side streets with the Shadow right behind him.

“Can’t this thing go faster?” said Roland. “We need to put some space between us.”

“If I could attach—ohh, I don’t know—two jet engines, maybe,”” said Sebastian as he swerved away from more bullets. “We aren’t going to outrun that in this thing.”

Roland looked behind them and saw the Shadow as it edged closer to the rear of their vehicle. He could not see the driver. Every Enforcer vehicle was equipped with one-way lexan, which prevented anyone from seeing the interior.

“Roland, who did he send?” It was Mei this time. She dug her nails into his arm as the car swerved to one side and then sped off again.

“He sent Marcus,” whispered Roland. “Marcus is the null.”

Mei visibly paled and put her head back as she closed her eyes for a brief moment.

“Not him,” she said and then looked at her husband again. “Roland you must take the baby and run. You can’t fight him.”

“Who?” asked Sebastian. “Who is it?”

“Marcus,” said Roland, loudly enough for Sebastian to hear. “Mac sent Marcus.”

“Kuso-tare yarou,” said Sebastian under his breath. “Smythe wants that baby bad.”

“By now, he’s given the order to sanitize us all,” said Roland. ““The facility is up ahead. Get her inside and I will deal with Marcus.”

“There is no ‘dealing’ with that maniac,” said Sebastian. ““Don’t you remember last year’s ‘explosion’? He blasted an entire park full of kids to get one mystic…one mystic.”

“I led the cleanup,” said Roland. “ I remember.”

“The only way to deal with him is to put him down like a rabid dog,” said Sebastian.

Sebastian accelerated into the parking lot of the Alley Pond Recreational Center and pulled the car up to the entrance. He jumped out and opened the back door. Mei cried out as she stepped out of the car and bore down.

“Sebastian, get her inside!” yelled Roland. “Mei, love, hold on. Just a little longer.”

“Try… telling …her … that,”” said Mei in between gasps as Sebastian helped her out. “Roland, you come back to me, to us, no matter what.”

Roland grabbed her hand and squeezed. Her gave her a brief kiss and touched the side of her face. Sebastian picked her up and ran inside.

“No matter what,” he said as the Shadow coasted into the parking lot.

FOUR

THE SHADOW CAME to a stop a hundred yards from where Roland stood. Its engine growled at him. It sat there like a vehicular predator waiting for him to bolt before it could give chase and run him down. Roland chambered a round in the guns and waited, gathering his power.

It was common knowledge that a null, especially a third-degree null, could neutralize any mystic, even a third degree Arch Mystic. They only needed to be close enough and they could render the mystic powerless, with one exception. An Arch Mystic could override the null’s ability by using his life force. The Enclave called such a mystic ‘‘dark’. It was risky and usually fatal, which is why no arch mystic did it unless they were desperate. Today, Roland was desperate.

The engine of the Shadow turned off. The stillness that followed embraced the parking lot in a blanket of quiet. Nothing moved or made a sound. The doors of the Shadow whispered open and two men stepped out. They were dressed identically in dark bodysuits with a red sword emblazoned on the left side—the mark of the Enforcers. The driver, noticeably older than the passenger, stepped forward until Roland pointed the guns at his chest. His sunglasses glinted in the sun and his muscular frame strained against the bodysuit. He reached up and slowly removed his glasses. He folded them into a pocket, and made his moves slow and deliberate. He held his hands up to show he was unarmed.

“Roland,” said Marcus with his arms spread as he continued to inch closer. “You know why I’m here. You know the rules.”

“Take one more step and I’m going to test how bulletproof those suits really are,” said Roland. “Who’s the tyro?”

Marcus stopped walking and glanced down at his partner across the Shadow. Roland glanced quickly at the younger Enforcer. The second Enforcer looked fresh out of training. His young face held short stubble that passed as a beard. He was clearly trying to look older than his years. He kept his dark hair in the regulation screaming-eagle style and chose not to wear the standard sunglasses, favoring a slimmer, sleek style instead.

“He’s nobody—some first-degree null I found on site when I got the call,” said Marcus.

“Bullshit, Marcus,” said Roland. “You’re always a lone wolf. If he’’s here, with you, he’s important, deranged, or you’re using him.”

Marcus smiled at Roland, but it never reached his eyes.

“Now why would you hurt my feelings like that?”

“Shut up,” said Roland. “What’s your name, kid?””

“Titus, sir,” answered the second Enforcer. “Titus McIntyre.”

“Important, then,” said Roland still looking at Marcus. “Why would Mac send you?”

“I asked to come, sir,” said Titus. “My uncle doesn’t know I’’m here.”

“He will soon,” said Roland. “You made a bad choice today. Bringing him won’t work, Marcus.”

“What?” said Marcus in mock surprise and then laughed. “He practically begged me so I figured why not? He’ll get to see a professional at work.”

“Did he tell you why he’s here?” asked Roland as he took several steps back while still keeping the guns trained on Marcus. ““Did he tell you what his orders are?”

“We are here to question you about some unauthorized use of power on the Grand Central Parkway earlier today,” said Titus. “Will you cooperate?””

“You didn’t tell him, you bastard,” said Roland and he pulled the triggers as he dove for cover.

FIVE

SEBASTIAN RAN THROUGH the corridors with Mei in his arms.

“I’m not helpless, Sebu—I can walk,” said Mei. ““Put me down.”

“This is faster. Just hold on, Mei.”

He ran around the corridors and found the ramp that led down. A massive steel door sat at the end of the ramp. He punched a code in the keypad that sat beside it. It opened with a click. He stepped inside, and placed Mei on a waiting gurney.

“We can take it from here,” a nurse assured him. “Please wait here.”

Sebastian walked right next to Mei, ignoring the nurse. She gave him a sharp look.

“I have every confidence in your ability, but I’m not leaving her side,” said Sebastian when she looked at him. “Do we have an issue?”

The nurse shrugged and continued to wheel Mei into the next room where a doctor in scrubs waited. The doctor was a short, stocky man with dirty blond hair peeking out of his cloth cap. Thick glasses covered his blue eyes and a mask covered the rest of his face.

“He’s good, Norma,” said the doctor. “Sebastian, good to see you. I wish it could be under different circumstances. Hello, Mei.”

“Same here, Will,” said Sebastian. “Her water broke on the way here and I think it’s going to be soon.”

“Where is Roland?” asked Will. “Norma, please get her prepped.”

“Yes, Doctor,” said Norma. “Ultrasound first?”

The doctor nodded and looked questioningly at Sebastian.

Sebastian and Norma placed Mei in a bed and Norma pulled the ultrasound machine closer. She spread a clear gel across Mei’s abdomen and handed the doctor the transducer probe. He took it and began scanning.

“He’s outside parking the car. He’ll be right in,” said Sebastian tightly. “He’s probably dealing with the attendant.”

“I see, and will this attendant be attending the birth?” asked the doctor as he moved the transducer around.

“Not if Roland can help it.”

“Then we are pressed for time,” said Will and he pressed a button on the floor beside his foot. Red lights flared in the facility. The image on the ultrasound monitor shifted as he moved the probe around her abdomen. “The girls look good, but one is transverse.”

He placed his fingers inside Mei and spoke to Norma. “Ninety percent effaced and ten centimeters dilated,” he said. “Looks like number one is crowning. How much time do we have, Sebastian?”

“Not much,” said Sebastian. “I will keep you safe, but if the Paras get involved it’s going to go south in a hurry and this building isn’t rated to withstand a…Wait did you say girls? What do you mean, girls?”

“Twins?” asked Mei the surprise evident in her voice.

“Yes,” said Will, looking at Mei. “Mei, you and Roland are having twins. “The second one may need a bit of coaxing, though.” He patted her abdomen and held her hand briefly. “We do not have time or I would offer you an epidural. Will you be able to deal with the pain?”

Mei looked at the doctor, her face covered in sweat, but she spoke calmly.

“I am a Tanaka, Doctor. Pain is a constant companion.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” said Will. “Right, then. Norma, you and the rest of the personnel in the building need to evacuate—now. Make sure you use… the underground exit?” He looked at Sebastian, who nodded.

“But the patient…?” said Norma.

“Is in capable hands,” said Will. “Sebastian, here, is an EMT basic. I’m certain he can assist me with this.”

“Will, I’ve never had to use those skills before,” said Sebastian. “I’ve never done something like this.”

“No time like the present,” said Will, his tone crisp. “I’ll walk you through. Norma, will you please evacuate the facility now? Thank you for your assistance.”

Norma left the room as she removed her scrubs and headed for the underground exit. Will followed her on one of the monitors in the room. When he was satisfied that she and the other personnel were underground and out of the facility, he exhaled.

“Wash up and tell me what kind of shit we’re in,” he said.

Sebastian put on a spare set of scrubs, a mask, and washed his hands.

“At least one null—Marcus—and if they follow standard protocol, Paras will storm this place inside the hour,” said Sebastian as he put on gloves. “Where do you want me?”

“Marcus? Christ, not that walking nightmare,” said Will as he reached in with one hand and pressed on Mei’s abdomen with the other. ““Who the hell did Roland piss off?”

“The Enclave. They want the baby but I don’t think they know that it’s twins,” said Sebastian. “At least I hope not.”

“Okay Mei, on the next contraction you need to hold and push—ready?” said Will as he put pressure on her abdomen while she gritted her teeth and pushed. The building shook at the same time.

“Mei, I’m pretty sure he meant only push the baby out, not the entire building,” said Sebastian.

Mei glared daggers at her brother as sweat poured down her face.

“Mei, dear, this is not an Enclave hospital,” said Will while he gently patted her head with a towel. “It cannot withstand the stresses of having the foundation forcibly ripped out from under it, do you understand?”

She nodded her head and braced against another contraction. She bore down and pushed.

“That’s it, Mei, come on!” said Will. “Get ready Seb.””

Will coaxed the baby’s head and shoulders out of her mother and the rest of the body followed easily. She started crying instantly.

“That’s Ava,” said Mei. “Let me see her.””

Will cut the cord and handed her to Sebastian, who placed her in mother’s arms briefly before taking her back as Mei dealt with another contraction. Ava’s wails filled the room. She had dark brown eyes ringed with green and a head full of black hair framed her face.

“She is strong,” said Mei as she rested her head back, exhausted. “Sebu, check her for the mark.”

Sebastian held Ava and checked. Across the backs of both her hands, two triquetras could be seen as they pulsed a faint red.

“The right hand?” asked Mei. “Does she have it?”

Sebastian looked at his sister with a mixture of shock and surprise.

“What?” asked Mei. “Is the mark there?”

“Both hands, Mei,” said Sebastian. “She has them on both.”

The building rocked again. Will and Sebastian looked at her.

“That…was not me,” she said, her voice tired.

“Seb, please clean and prep Ava and then put her in the incubator over there,” said Will as he pointed to the side. “If Roland is dealing with Marcus and he’’s using his powers…”

“No,” said Mei. “Oh, please no.”

She grabbed her brother’s arm with enough force to make him wince. The building shook again and dust fell from the ceiling.

“Sebu, you must go and stop him. He will kill himself.”

“Mei, let’s focus on getting Ava’s sister,” said Sebastian in an attempt to distract her. “Do you have a name picked out yet?”

Mei nodded as another contraction hit and she bore down.

“Not yet, Mei. Please take some breaths while I try and move her around,” said Will. He massaged her abdomen and tried again to turn the second baby.

“Alexa,” said Mei when she could speak. “We will name her Alexa.”

Another contraction hit and she couldn’t help but bear down as Will tried to shift the baby.

Will looked at Sebastian with concern. Mei caught the look.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Tell me, Will.””

“The baby is not moving the way she needs to and I think the cord may be nuchal,” said Will.

When she looked at him in confusion, he quickly explained.

“It means it’s wrapped around the baby’s neck. This isn’t usually a problem, but she is taking too long to crown. If I can’t sort it out we may have to do a C-section.”

“Will, we don’t have time for a C-section,” said Sebastian. “This place is going to come down around us and we’re going to have angry guests soon. Angry enough to kill.”

Mei closed her eyes and the building stopped shaking. “Do what you have to do, Will,” she said.

Will looked at Sebastian and stared hard. “If I don’t do this, we will lose the baby. Now let me try to straighten out this little girl,” he said.”” Prep for the operation and let’s make the time.”

SIX

ROLAND’S BULLETS HIT their mark and Marcus was thrown back several feet. He landed roughly on his back. Titus dove for the interior of the Shadow when Roland opened fire. Marcus rolled to the side and fired his own gun. Roland ducked behind a pillar to avoid the incoming fire. Marcus ran for the Shadow and jumped in next to Titus.

“Sir, what the hell is going on!” yelled Titus. “He shot you!”

“Subject is hostile and opened fire on an Enforcer in the line of duty,” said Marcus into the dashboard of the Shadow. “Will proceed to terminate subject with extreme prejudice.””

“What do you mean terminate?” asked Titus. “I thought we were just going to question him?”

“Shut your mouth, you little shit,” barked Marcus. “He just shot me and you did…what, watch? I could be bleeding out on the ground right now.”

“I…I… didn’t expect him to really shoot,”” said Titus. “We were just going to question him. Why would he shoot?”

“Stop your whining before I shoot you myself,” said Marcus. “Stay in the car and let the professionals work. Wouldn’t want to have to explain to your uncle how his precious nephew got himself dead.”

“Marcus, want to tell the green what your real orders are?” shouted Roland from behind the pillar. “Or should I tell him?””

Bullets peppered the pillar in response.

“What does he mean, sir?” asked Titus. “What real orders?”

“He’s here to take my baby away from her parents and turn her into one of you!” yelled Roland and he rolled away from the cover and fired on the Shadow.

“That…that isn’t true, right?” asked Titus. ““We are just going to question him, right?”

Marcus slapped Titus across the face, hard.

“Wake the fuck up, tyro,” said Marcus. “We are Enforcers. This”—he gestured at Roland with his gun—“is what we do. If a mystic breaks the code, we enforce it. You want to know what my orders are, green?”

Marcus punched keys on the dashboard computer and rotated the screen so Titus could read. The screen flashed one line.

TERMINATE ALL SUBJECTS. DECOMMISSION AND DETONATE SITE. —LMS

Titus read the line, his face hard. “It can’t be,” he said in shock. “This was going to be a routine questioning. That’s what you said. Why?”

Marcus grabbed Titus by the collar and pulled him closer to the monitor’s screen. “You see those initials at the end there?” he asked.

Titus nodded and tried to move back but couldn’t.

“That order came straight from the top—your uncle, the director,” said Marcus as he released Titus. “Welcome to the real world. You do not ask why. You do as you’re told or someone like me gets the next order and erases your sorry ass.”

“I just don’t understand…” whispered Titus.

“You aren’t supposed to. Just stay in the fucking car and let me do my job,” said Marcus.

He crouched down behind the open door and looked through the window. The ground beneath him turned to mud and he leaped to one side as the car began to sink in quicksand. Titus jumped out of his side and landed unceremoniously some distance away.

Marcus opened fire, but Roland remained still. The bullets never reached him as they traveled through superheated air and melted a few feet in front of him. The front end of the Shadow disappeared from view as it sank into the ground.

“Shit, he’s gone dark, kid!” yelled Marcus. “Shoot him!””

Titus fumbled for his weapons. A rock the size of a softball bounced off the back of his head and knocked him unconscious.

Three more rocks raced at Marcus. He ducked under one, twisted his body to avoid the second and shot the third into dust. He shot at Roland again with the same effect as before. He ducked behind a tree and reloaded.

“You keep this up much longer you’re going to do my job for me,” said Marcus in a singsong voice. “And then I’m going to go inside, kill your baby and gut your wife, maybe after I’ve had some alone-time with her.”

“I don’t need to keep it up for long, you bastard,” said Roland as he jumped up and used a cushion of air to propel himself forward. ““Just long enough to kill you.”

He landed behind Marcus and extended a hand, cutting off the air around him. Marcus turned and got two shots off before he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. One of the bullets went wide, but the other buried itself in Roland’s abdomen.

“Void weapons, fucker,” said Marcus before he passed out.

*********

Roland leaned against a tree and looked down at the wound. It was bad. A void weapon only had one purpose: to expand nothingness, eventually consuming the target. As an Arch Mystic, Roland had mastered the void discipline. He could halt the progress but not stop it completely. He needed to get the bullet out before it was too late. For a brief moment, he contemplated putting a bullet in Marcus’’s head. Then he ran for the facility and his wife.

SEVEN

ROLAND ARRIVED AT the steel door and punched in the code. The first thing he saw was the blood and imagined the worst. Sebastian and Will were hovering over Mei and she looked bad. Then he saw Ava and stumbled over to the incubator.

“Hello, Ava,” he said as he took two steps and fell to the ground. “My little warrior.”

Sebastian turned at the commotion and rushed over to him. He placed a bandage over the wound to stop the bleeding.

“Tried…tried to kill him,” said Roland. “I tried……couldn’t.”

“Shut up,” said Sebastian. “He’s lost too much blood, Will. This looks like a void bullet.”

“Normally I would say leave it in until I could attend to it, but you need to get the bullet out of him before it does more damage,” said Will, still focused on Mei. “Use the pliers, get the bullet out, and contain the bleeding.”

“What’s going on, Seb?” said Roland. “What’’s wrong with Mei? So much blood.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” said Sebastian, You’re having twins. Now hold still as I remove this.”

Sebastian reached in with the pliers and grasped the bullet. It had started to degenerate into a black mass at the tip. Once removed, Roland regained some clarity and color.

“He’s still out there, Seb. You need to take Ava and run,” said Roland. “I tried to do it…”

“You’re not a killer, Roland, you never were,” said Sebastian. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“Take her to your father. Leave the country, Seb,” said Roland as he grabbed Sebastian’s arm. “You have to keep her safe.”

“Seb, I’m losing them—I need you here,” said Will as Sebastian approached. ““Put pressure there and there,” Will said and indicated as he moved quickly.

“What’s happening, Will?” asked Sebastian.

“Baby’s heartbeat is getting thready and Mei’s BP is falling, both bad,” said Will. “I think she is using her ability in addition to giving birth, which isn’t helping her.”

Roland stood beside Mei and rubbed her head. The ground shook and the roof caved in on one side, sending debris into the room.

“Did you see her, love?” asked Mei. “Did you see our daughter? She has both marks. She has a sister. I chose Alexa, after your mother.””

Shhh,” said Roland. “Save your strength for her.”

“I’m so tired, Roland, please keep them safe,” whispered Mei. “I love you.”

She lost consciousness after that and the heart monitor flat-lined.

“Mei, no,” said Roland. “Bring her back, Will. Bring her back!”

“I’m trying, but she’s hemorrhaging and I can’t find the source!”” yelled Will as he worked feverishly to stop the blood flow.

Another part of the ceiling collapsed. A beam crashed into the room, slammed into Will, and crushed him. It narrowly missed the incubator that held Ava. Roland and Sebastian were thrown to one side as a chasm formed in the center of the room.

“She must have been keeping the building intact,” said Roland. “Get Ava, Seb!”

Sebastian made it to Ava and removed the crying baby just before a large chunk of concrete flattened the incubator. The building creaked and groaned and more debris filled the room. He lifted Roland and dragged him as they left the room and headed down another ramp to the underground exit. Above them, it sounded like a wrecking ball had smashed into the side of the building.

“Paras are here,” said Sebastian, out of breath. “Roland, we need to go.”

Roland pulled his arm away. “I’m not leaving them, Seb,” he said. “You take Ava. Promise me you will train her. She has the marks?”

Sebastian nodded as tears filled his eyes. “Roland, I’m no good at this—I’m not a father,” he said. “You need to come with us. She needs you.”

“You’re all she has now. Train her for the MID,” said Roland as he leaned against a wall and slid to the ground. His wound had reopened and the blood soaked the ground beneath him.

“The investigative division?” asked Sebastian as he crouched down. “That’s for latents. She has the marks and will probably be a third-degree by the time she’s forty, if not sooner.”

“She won’t need her abilities there,” said Roland, his voice hoarse. “Teach her the void weapons. You’ve seen how effective they are.” He gave a dry laugh, which turned into a cough.

Ava cried in Sebastian’s arms and then grew suddenly quiet. Sebastian looked down at her and saw her focused intently on the ceiling with her brow furrowed. The building had gone silent as well.

“What the…” said Sebastian as she gripped his finger.

“Listen to me, Seb,” continued Roland. Sebastian snapped his attention back to his dying brother-in-law. “If she trains her body and mind, she can be a match for any mystic.””

Sebastian shook his head. “MID doesn’t make many friends, Roland,” he said. “They’re liked less than the Enforcers.”

“She doesn’t need friends,” whispered Roland “She needs allies she can trust.”

“And if she’s discovered?”

“By the time they find out who she is, it will be too late, she will be too powerful,” said Roland. “They won’t be able to move against her.”

“You’re consigning her to a life of shadows,” said Sebastian. “A life alone.”

“She won’t be alone,” said Roland. “She has you, and you know the alternative.”

After a moment of silence, Sebastian sighed.

“Death,” he said.

“There is no other way, Seb.”

“They will call her a dark flame and attempt to remove her if they find out. You know the Enclave.”

“You won’t let them.”

“They will have to kill me first.”

“No easy task,” said Roland and gave half a smile. “I have firsthand experience. Help me up—they’re coming.”

Sebastian gave a grim smile in return and helped Roland up to his feet.

“Go, get out of the country, and keep her safe,” said Roland. “Tell her about her mother and me, about her family.”

Sebastian gave Roland one last hug. Roland cupped Ava’s face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “I love you, my little warrior,” he said and then stumbled back up the ramp.

Roland made it to the makeshift operating room where his wife and unborn child lay. He could hear the boot steps of the Paras coming down the corridor. He gathered his power as they got closer. He felt underneath the building and saw the compromised foundation. He let his power excavate past the foundation and into the earth beneath the building. He hugged his wife’s lifeless body and gave her lips one last kiss.

I was never as good as you were with the earth, but I can do this.

He closed his eyes and unleashed everything he had left.

*********

Sebastian reached the underground exit and punched in another code. The door swung open and he ran through it. He closed it behind him and shattered the lock with a gesture, sealing the exit.

EIGHT

TITUS REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS just as the Paranormal Task Force first responders entered the building. They were armed like a swat team on steroids, with dark blue uniforms and mirrored helmets. They approached, blew the front door off its hinges, and stormed the facility. They smashed in the walls, fired first, and asked questions second. It was clear they were expecting heavy resistance.

I think I’m going to sit this one out, he thought as he rubbed the swelling on the back of his head. He stood unsteadily and made his way to the partially buried Shadow. He was about to call the Enclave when a sinkhole swallowed the entire Alley Pond Recreational Center and it vanished from sight. He stepped to the edge of the sinkhole and peered down, careful not to slide into the hole itself. He could not see where it ended. He stood there for a few seconds, when a dim light caught his attention. He peered closer and decided to move back several feet. Those feet saved his life as a fireball, the circumference of the sinkhole, raced into the sky and exploded at ground level. It singed his face and flung him back over the Shadow like a ragdoll. Only his Enforcer suit prevented him from suffering multiple fractures. He stood shakily and saw Marcus lying face down in the distance.

He approached and saw him stir. He chambered his weapon as he stepped closer. He watched as Marcus turned over on his back and looked up into the barrel of his gun.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” snarled Marcus. “You’re going to draw on me, you little pissant?”

“Don’t move,” said Titus. His voice was calm and his hand never wavered. Marcus slowly sat up and stopped moving. Titus saw him look around and spot his gun a few feet away.

“You planned on killing the mystic and his family.” It wasn’t a question.

Marcus craned his neck around Titus and looked around at the sinkhole and at the fires around its edge.

“It was an order and I’d say that took care of itself,” said Marcus with a smile. He put his hands up in mock surrender. ““Listen, no harm no foul. We completed the mission and I will let you take some of the credit. I’ll tell your uncle that you contributed significantly to the completion of this objective.”

“I’m done with the Enclave, the Enforcers and my uncle,” said Titus. The words were cold, calculated, the cadence measured. “This is over.”

“You’re done?” asked Marcus. “This is over? You think this is some club where you can cancel your membership? Boy, you do not know what you are dealing with. You will never be done with the Enclave. They own you!”

“No one owns me,” said Titus. The words came out quietly, more to himself than to Marcus.

“If you think you’re walking away from this, you are sorely mistaken, you little shit,” said Marcus. “There is nowhere you can hide—I don’t care who your uncle is. They will hunt you down until…”

Marcus made a grab for his gun and Titus shot two bullets into his head.

“Let them come,” he said to the corpse at his feet. “I’ll be waiting.””

He disappeared into the woods.

NINE

THE PLANE LANDED at one in the morning. As they taxied into the terminal, the voice of the captain came over the loudspeaker and announced that they had arrived safely in Fukuoka airport. He wished them a pleasant stay, gave them the local time, and told them to wait until all of the airplane personnel had unloaded the carry-on luggage. He wished them a good morning and turned off the seatbelt indicator. A hive of activity followed. Some of the passengers remained in their seats and allowed the more impatient ones to disembark first.

Sebastian sat in first class and waited for the plane to empty before moving. An airhostess came over and offered to assist him. He politely refused but thanked her. With one hand, he removed his small bag and slung it over his shoulder. He traveled light. In the other arm, the little baby girl slept peacefully as he made his way off the plane and into the arrival terminal. A woman dressed in a black bodysuit with a red sword on the side waited for him——an Enforcer of the Japanese Enclave, who served his father. She bowed when she saw him and led him to a waiting limousine.

He entered the car as she held the door for him. Once he settled in, they pulled away from the airport. Sebastian rubbed Ava’s chin, waking her up.

Little Musha, you look just like your mother, he thought. She cooed at the stimulation, but her eyes remained fixed on his face intently.

“Your father would like to extend his welcome to you both,” said the driver from the front. “My deep condolences on the loss of your sister and brother-in-law, sir.””

Sebastian did not answer, but nodded to show that he had heard her. He kept his gaze on Ava and returned her stare. He raised the partition and created a cocoon of silence.

When the time comes, I will make sure you are ready, Ava Tanaka James. I promise.

She had fallen asleep again. He closed his eyes, put his head back, and did the same.

TEN

THE AREA AROUND the sinkhole buzzed with activity. Several of the Paras had rappelled down the sinkhole and had reached the bottom. One of the Paras, in a dark blue uniform with silver striping, stood on the edge of the circle and spoke into his radio. A silver fist surrounded by laurels on the left side of his chest showed his rank as commanding officer. He stood a head above the other Paras. His close-cropped hair cut a stark contrast to the long hair of the Paras around him.

“What is the sitrep?” said the officer. “Any survivors?”

“Sir, this place looks like ground zero for a nuke,” said the voice over the radio. “Everything is slagged, and the first responders are DIS——deceased in situ. This looks bad, sir.”

The officer turned to one of the Paras who operated the rappel lines. “Get me a harness and a line,” he said. “I need to go down there.””

Moments later, the officer, with his line secured to a nearby tree, rappelled down the hole. One Para made sure the line did not become entangled with the others, while another secured the ties on the tree.

*********

“Who’s that?” said the Para, securing the ties. “I’ve never seen a CO get his hands dirty.”

The Para who operated the lines made sure the officer was out of earshot before he spoke. “That’s Joshua Canus,” he said. ““They call him the Pitbull, because once he latches on, he doesn’t let go of an investigation until it’s done. He’s the youngest field CO in PTF history.”

They both looked down as Joshua descended into the sinkhole.

*********

Three hundred feet later, Joshua reached the bottom and saw what was left of the facility.

“Goddamn mystics,” he muttered as he looked around. “This looks like an op gone wrong.”

“Sir, yes sir,” said the Para next to him.

“Where’s Franco?” asked Joshua.

“Over here, sir,” said Matt Franco, the second in command. His uniform also had a silver fist, but no laurels adorned the sides.

“Any residuals?” asked Joshua.

“This whole place is bathed in residuals,” said Franco. “Looks like the entire center was lowered” —he looked at his notes—“three hundred feet, and then incinerated. We did find some remains. Over here, sir.”

They walked down the corridor and found the makeshift operating room. One of the Paras turned away and vomited at the sight. Joshua stepped close to the table where Mei’s body lay.

“ID?” he asked. “You ran an auric check?”

“Yes, sir, no ID,” said Franco. “The blast left only trace images. The auric check was able to determine how many were down here at the time of the blast, but that’’s all.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense, Franco, what’s the tally?” said Joshua. ““How many?”

“Sir, some of this information is…sensitive.”

Joshua looked at Franco and nodded.

“Security clearance Alpha,” said Franco. All the Paras left the room except Joshua and Franco. Joshua walked over and examined the bed where the remains of Mei’s body were. He looked under it and then examined the beam that had crushed Will.

“I only see two here, Franco,” said Joshua. “Tell me what I’m looking at.”

“Two, sir—one male and one female,” said Franco. “It looks like the female had just given birth. Judging from the structural damage, it would appear that at least one of them was an Earth Mystic.”

“That would explain why the entire facility is three hundred feet underground, but it doesn’t explain the blast,” said Joshua. ““You said the female had just given birth? Did the check find the remains of the baby?”

“No, sir,” said Franco. According to energy signatures and trace chemicals left behind, she was in labor, but no remains were found of an infant.”

“So a newborn just up and walked out of here and proceeded to climb three hundred feet of its own volition?” asked Joshua as he poked around the beam and found the incubator buried under rubble. “Did you get a reading on this?”

Franco approached the incubator and examined it with the auric calibrator. The device appeared to be a small hard drive with a screen. It remained silent for a few seconds and then chirped. Franco read the results and whistled under his breath.

“If I’m reading this correctly, sir, the child born here is off the mystic charts,” said Franco. “We are looking at an Arch Mystic, easily third-degree.”

“Well, that explains the Shadow and some of this, but not all of it,” said Joshua. “Someone dropped the ball and miscalculated.””

“Yes, sir,” said Franco. “How do you want me to proceed?”

“Contact the Enclave and get their response on this,” said Joshua. “I’m sure it will be the usual bullshit of ‘classified and no comment.’ Tell them the body count is… inconclusive due to the blast, but at least three, not counting our responders. Make sure to impound the Shadow upstairs. We may be able to get something from its hard drive. Keep the Enclave outside the cordon until I give permission to proceed and seal this room. No one under Alpha clearance enters.”

Franco spoke into his radio and relayed the orders as Joshua took one last look around the debris and found nothing.

“All this devastation for an Arch Mystic?” he said to himself. “Something went wrong here. It doesn’t compute. Did you secure the Shadow, Franco?”

“Yes, sir,” said Franco. “It seems the Enforcer met someone who didn’t agree with his methods. He was executed at what appears to be almost point-blank range, judging from the wounds.”

Joshua nodded. “I saw the double tap,” he replied. “It was Marcus, or what was left of him. He was a nasty piece of work. Can’’t say I’m going to be shedding any tears, but he was no lightweight either. Whoever put him down was powerful…or lucky.”

“A set of tracks led deeper into the woods, and then we lost them at the lake,” said Franco. “They didn’t reappear on the other side.”

“Whoever that was, wasn’t in this hole, unless mystics have learned to fly,” said Joshua. “This leaves me only one pertinent question.”

“Sir?” said Franco as he looked up from his notes.

“Where is the baby?”

THE END

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Every book is a group effort. So let me take a moment to acknowledge my (very large) group:

To Dolly: my wife and biggest fan. You make all of this possible and keep me grounded, especially when I get into my writing to the exclusion of everything else. Thank you, I love you.

To my Tribe: You are the reason I have stories to tell. You cannot possibly fathom how much and how deep I love you all.

To Lee: Because you were the first audience I ever had. I love you sis.

To the Logsdon family: Thank you for everything. You each have made this journey possible.

To my Launch Team: Dolly S. Steve L. Bill T. Mark R. Leslie P. Tracy B.

MaryAnn S. Chris S. Jonathan G. Penny C-M. Derek C. Tammy B.

Thank you! You each make me a better writer. Thank you for creating an amazing community.

To you the reader: Thank you for getting on this ride with me. I truly hope you enjoy this story. You are the reason I wrote it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Orlando Sanchez has been writing ever since his teens when he was immersed in creating scenarios for playing Dungeon and Dragons with his friends every weekend. An avid reader, his influences are too numerous to list here. Some of the most prominent are: J.R.R. Tolkien, Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, Lee Child, George Lucas, Andrew Vachss, and Barry Eisler to name a few in no particular order.

The worlds of his books are urban settings with a twist of the paranormal lurking just behind the scenes and generous doses of magic, martial arts, and mayhem.

Aside from writing, he holds a 2nd and 3rd Dan in two distinct styles of Karate. If not training, he is studying some aspect of the martial arts or martial arts philosophy.

He currently resides in Queens, NY with his wife and children and can often be found in the local Starbucks where most of his writing is done.

Please visit his site at OrlandoASanchez.com for more information about his books and upcoming releases.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 by Orlando A. Sanchez

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

Published by OM Publishing NY NY