The Revenge of Seven

  ‘Marina,’ he answers, simply, no malice in his voice. ‘I had it coming.’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  We round the next corner, and the hallway opens up, the ceiling rising as we enter the huge docking bay. I can see crisp, blue sky through the portholes, sunlight pouring across the dozens of docked Mogadorian scout vessels. Other than the ships, the docking bay is empty. The mechanics and crew must be on the observatory deck, gazing out upon the world they plan to conquer.

  We’re so close.

  ‘Hold on,’ I say. ‘If we open the airlock, are we going to be sucked out right away?’

  ‘We’re in the atmosphere now, not space,’ Five says impatiently. He leans over a nearby console, studying the interface. ‘It’ll be windy. You’re not going to chicken out, are you?’

  ‘No,’ I say, looking around the docking bay. ‘Do you think we could blow some of this stuff up? Maybe bring down the Anubis before it has a chance to do anything?’

  Five turns to me, looking slightly impressed. ‘You have any explosive Legacies?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Me neither. Know how to make a bomb?’

  ‘Uh, no.’

  ‘Then we’re going to have to settle for escaping,’ Five says. Five hits a button on the console and a thick metal door thuds into place behind us. It’s the airlock – sturdy enough to keep the ship safe from the vacuum of space. It effectively seals us off from the rest of the ship.

  ‘That’ll slow them down,’ Five says, referring to pursuers we don’t yet have.

  ‘Good thinking,’ I admit as I peer through the small window on the airlock, expecting to see Mogs chasing us down at any moment.

  Five taps out a few more keystrokes and, with a hydraulic whine and a gust of chilled air, the docking-bay doors at the far end of the room open up. The wind pulls at me and I let out a deep, relieved sigh. I reach into my dress and remove the Xitharis stone, clutching it. Slowly, I walk towards the open dock, wondering what it’ll be like to pitch myself into that open blue sky. Way better than life on the Anubis, that’s for sure.

  ‘So, I just hold this stone and fly?’ I ask, looking over my shoulder at Five.

  ‘Supposed to be how it works,’ he answers. ‘Just imagine your body light as a feather, floating on air. That’s how I learned to use my Legacy, anyway.’

  I glance towards the open air, the cloudless sky waiting for me.

  ‘What if it doesn’t work?’

  Five starts towards me, sighing. ‘Come on. We’ll go together.’

  ‘You won’t be going anywhere.’

  Setrákus Ra steps out from between two of the ships. I’m not sure if he’s been there the whole time, waiting for us, or if he just teleported into the room somehow. Either way – it doesn’t matter. We’re caught. Still in his human form, Setrákus Ra stands between us and the open docking bay, the wind gently blowing through his perfect brown hair, plucking at the lapels of his suit. He holds his golden staff – the Eye of Thaloc – in one hand.

  Five puts a hand on my shoulder and tries to push me behind him. I shake him off. We face Setrákus Ra side by side.

  ‘Get out of our way, old man,’ Five growls. He’s trying to sound tough, but he can barely manage to meet Setrákus Ra’s eyes.

  ‘I will not,’ Setrákus Ra replies, his voice full of scorn and disappointment. ‘I expected this kind of behavior from you, Ella. You have only recently joined us and it will take time to undo the brainwashing you endured at the hands of the Garde. But, Five, my boy, after everything I have done for you –’

  ‘Shut up,’ Five says quietly, almost pleading. ‘You talk and talk and talk, but none of it’s true!’

  ‘Mine is the only truth,’ Setrákus Ra counters sternly. ‘You will be punished for your insolence.’

  Five still can’t bring himself to look directly at Setrákus Ra, but his shoulders rise up and down rapidly, just like in the hallway with the Mog warriors. Inside his chest, a low rumble starts to build. It reminds me of a teakettle coming to a boil. I take a subtle step to the side, worried that Five might literally explode.

  ‘Enough of this inanity, children,’ Setrákus Ra says, but his latest rebuke is partly drowned out by the rabid scream that tears loose from Five’s lungs.

  And then he charges.

  At first, Five’s bare feet make slapping sounds across the metal deck. But as he nears Setrákus Ra, his footfalls become metal clanging against metal, his Externa changing his skin to match the floor. Setrákus Ra merely raises an eyebrow at Five, not impressed or intimidated in the least.

  I don’t just stand around and watch. While Five charges in, I make a break for one of the nearby tool carts. If I can grab a wrench or any other object to charge with my Dreynen, maybe I can re-create yesterday’s lesson. Only this time, my target will be Setrákus Ra.

  That plan, along with whatever Five intended to do, gets scrapped when Setrákus Ra sweeps his arm from side to side. A wave of telekinetic force blasts across us, knocking me completely off my feet and scattering the nearby tools to the far wall. His telekinesis is so powerful that some of the ships even rock to the side, their shocks grinding and creaking.

  I land hard on my stomach and immediately roll over to reorient myself. Five was knocked into the air, too, but caught himself with his flight Legacy. He floats just a few yards from Setrákus Ra. Five’s skin is no longer the dull gray of the docking-bay floor. It has changed to a glistening chrome, like the ball bearing I know he carries around. So that must be jammed into his eye socket as well.

  ‘Stop at once,’ Setrákus Ra warns, but Five is way past the point of listening.

  Five soars in towards Setrákus Ra, throwing big, looping punches with the intention of smashing his pretty human face. Setrákus Ra deflects the blows easily with his cane, although Five’s sheer animalistic fury is enough to drive Setrákus Ra back towards the open docking-bay doors.

  Their scuffle opens up a path for me. Let these two crazies duke it out. All I have to do is make a break for it, dive into the open blue sky, and hope the Xitharis stone does what Five said.

  Just when I start to make my move, I notice Setrákus Ra’s eyes flash. I feel an invisible field of energy pass over me, almost like the pressure in the room has changed. As he’s in the middle of throwing a punch, Five’s skin turns back to normal. His fist crunches against Setrákus Ra’s upraised cane. At the same moment, Five falls out of the air with a shout.

  It’s just like at Dulce Base. Setrákus Ra has created some kind of field that cancels Legacies. He’s an Aeturnus like me, and now I know that Setrákus Ra and I also share Dreynen. His technique is different from anything I’ve been able to learn. It’s like he’s charged the molecules in the air around him, creating a radius where Legacies are useless.

  Except it doesn’t work on me. I can still feel my Dreynen lurking within me, and I know that I could use my Aeturnus if I wanted. Somehow, I’m immune to Setrákus Ra’s version of Dreynen. Is it because we’re related? Or is one of my Legacies an immunity to Setrákus Ra? He said all that crap about our Legacies coming randomly and Lorien being nothing but chaos. But what if he’s wrong and my Legacies have been specifically chosen to destroy him? More important – does Setrákus Ra know that his power doesn’t affect me?

  In that moment, Setrákus Ra isn’t paying me any attention at all. He’s completely focused on Five. I know I should make a break for it, but I find myself rooted in place. Even after everything he’s done, can I really leave Five behind?

  Five is on his knees in front of Setrákus Ra, clutching his injured hand to his belly. Setrákus Ra’s unimposing human form has grown by a few feet – he’s taller and broader now, inflated in a way that is vaguely grotesque. He reaches down and palms Five’s head in one unnaturally large hand.

  ‘All you needed to do was follow orders,’ Setrákus Ra seethes at Five. He jerks Five’s head back so he can look him in the face. ‘We could have walked into the Sanctuary together, if you’d
only brought me that damned pendant. And now, this – you dare raise a hand against your Beloved Leader. You disgust me, boy.’

  I don’t know what Setrákus Ra means by Sanctuary, but I make a mental note of it. I also take a step towards him and Five, still torn between fleeing and helping, and uncertain of what I could even do in a fight against the Mogadorian ruler.

  Five’s head is cocked at an awkward angle, so he can only gurgle in response to Setrákus Ra’s ranting.

  ‘I should have known that no member of the Garde could truly be salvaged,’ Setrákus Ra continues. ‘You are my greatest failure, Five. But you will be my last.’

  Five cries out as Ra’s hand tightens on his skull. My stomach turns over as I realize he’s literally going to crush Five’s head. I can’t let that happen.

  With all the telekinetic force I can muster, I shove Setrákus Ra towards the open docking-bay doors.

  His eyes widen in surprise as he stumbles backwards, the open air tugging at his fancy suit, which is now bulging at the seams from his inhuman growth spurt. Setrákus Ra loses his grip on Five’s head, his nails scratching divots into his scalp. He manages to stop himself before I push him off the Anubis, and I can feel his telekinesis battle back against mine.

  ‘Ella, how –’ he starts to ask, surprise mixing with frustration.

  But then Five is charging at him, his forearm blade extended.

  ‘Die!’ Five bellows. Setrákus Ra tries to step aside but can’t entirely avoid Five. The blade plunges into his shoulder.

  I scream as a piercing jolt of pain courses through me.

  A hole in my shoulder opens up, warm blood pouring down my front. I stagger against one of the nearby ships, clutching the wound, trying to stop the bleeding with my fingers.

  Five recoils from Setrákus Ra, his eyes wide. The Mogadorian looks unharmed. Setrákus Ra smiles as Five turns to gape at me. I’m run through right where he should’ve stabbed Setrákus Ra.

  ‘Now look what you did,’ Setrákus Ra chides.

  The Mogadorian charm, I realize, even as I start to feel faint. Any damage done to Setrákus Ra is instead done to me.

  Five looks horrified by what he’s done. Before he can react, Setrákus Ra picks him up by the throat and slams the back of his head violently against the hull of the nearest ship. He does this again and again, until Five’s body is limp.

  Then, callously, Setrákus Ra tosses his unconscious body out the open doors of the Anubis. I try to reach Five with my telekinesis, but I’m too weak. His body plummets out of sight, towards the Earth below.

  I collapse to the floor, blood seeping through my fingers. All the strength has gone out of me. I won’t be escaping from the Anubis today. My grandfather has won.

  Setrákus Ra stands over me, his human form returned to normal, although his suit is ruined. He shakes his head, his smile like a disappointed teacher.

  ‘Come now, Ella,’ he says. ‘We must put this episode behind us.’

  I hold up my blood-covered hand for him to see. ‘Why? Why did you do this to me?’

  ‘It was the only way for you to learn that Mogadorian Progress is more important than even your own life,’ he replies. Setrákus Ra gathers me up in his arms. As I start to lose consciousness, he whispers gently, ‘You won’t disobey Beloved Leader again, will you?’

  23

  Adam’s flight plan is to take us down the Atlantic coast until we hit Florida, then dip back west over the gulf and finally arrive at the southeastern tip of Mexico. With the Skimmer flying at maximum speed and staying low enough to avoid any other aircraft, the trip should take about four hours.

  It’s a quiet ride. I lean back in my seat and watch the coast ebb and flow beneath us. Adam doesn’t say much of anything; he keeps his eyes straight ahead, occasionally adjusting our course when his systems pick up another aircraft. Dust naps on the floor at his feet. As for Marina, she remains typically rigid, her whole fear-of-flying thing not getting any better with a Mogadorian at the controls.

  ‘You know, you can rest for a few hours,’ Adam suggests eventually, his tone cautious. I’d already been close to dozing off, so he must be talking to Marina. She’s sitting straight backed, a slight chill coming off her. She must be looming right in the corner of Adam’s eye.

  Marina seems to consider this for a moment, then leans forward so that her head is nearly on Adam’s shoulder. He raises an eyebrow, but otherwise keeps his hands on the controls.

  ‘The last trip Six and I made south was less than a week ago,’ Marina says, her voice measured. ‘We found out too late that we had a traitor traveling with us. I ended up stabbing him in the eye. That was me being merciful.’

  ‘I know what happened in Florida,’ Adam says. ‘Why are you telling me this?’

  ‘Because I want you to know what will happen if you betray us,’ Marina replies, leaning back. ‘And don’t tell me to rest.’

  Adam looks over at me for help, but I shrug my shoulders and turn away. Marina’s still figuring out just how angry she wants to be, and I’m not going to get in her way. Besides, I don’t think putting a little fear in our Mogadorian companion is such a bad thing.

  I assume he’s just going to let the conversation die, but after a few minutes Adam speaks up. ‘Yesterday, for the first time I picked up a sword that’s been in my family for generations. I’d never been allowed to touch it before, only admire it from afar. It belonged to my father, General Andrakkus Sutekh. He was fighting Number Four – John. I drove that sword through my father’s back and killed him.’

  Adam delivers this speech matter-of-factly, like he’s reading the news. I blink at him, then glance over my shoulder at Marina. She’s looking down at the floor, deep in thought. As the chill rising off her begins to die down, Dust picks himself up and goes over to her. The wolf rests his head in Marina’s lap.

  ‘Cool story,’ I say to Adam when it becomes painfully clear that someone needs to break the silence. ‘I’ve never known anyone who carried around a sword before.’

  ‘Cool,’ Adam repeats, frowning. ‘My point is, you don’t need to doubt my loyalty.’

  ‘I’m sorry you had to do that to your father,’ Marina says after a moment. ‘I didn’t know.’

  ‘I’m not,’ Adam replies brusquely. ‘But thanks for the sympathy.’

  To break the tension, I start messing with some of the dials on the Skimmer’s console. ‘Does this thing have a freaking radio, or what? Are we just going to tell death stories the whole way?’

  Adam is quick to readjust the dials right after me. I think I catch him smiling a little, probably relieved that the death-threat portion of the trip is over.

  ‘There’s no radio,’ he says. ‘I can hum some Mogadorian standards, if you’d like.’

  ‘Oh, barf,’ I reply, and Marina snickers in the backseat.

  I realize Adam is giving me a funny look, his angular face more open than I’ve seen, that defensive stoicism he wears stripped away. For a moment, he almost looks comfortable being up here with two of his mortal enemies.

  ‘What?’ I ask, and he hurriedly looks away. I realize his mind was elsewhere.

  ‘Nothing,’ he says, almost wistful. ‘For a second there, you just reminded me of someone I used to know.’

  The rest of the flight south is uneventful. I manage to doze off once or twice, although never for long. With Dust snuggled up against her, it seems like Marina is finally able to relax. Adam refrains from humming any Mogadorian anthems.

  We’re flying over the tropical forest of Campeche, Mexico, just another hour away from the Loric Sanctuary supposedly hidden amid the ruins of an ancient Mayan city, when a red warning light begins to flash on the Skimmer’s translucent windshield. I only notice it when Adam tenses up.

  ‘Damn it,’ he says, and immediately starts flicking switches on the Skimmer’s control panel.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Someone’s locked on to us.’

  The cameras mounted on the Skimmer send
images to our screen, views from the underside of the ship and behind us becoming visible. I don’t see anything but cloudless blue sky and the dense canopy of the forest beneath us.

  ‘Where are they coming from?’ Marina asks, squinting as she peers through the window.

  ‘There,’ Adam says, jabbing his finger at the screen. On it, a Mogadorian scout ship just like ours drifts slowly towards us from below. Its roof is painted in overlapping shades of greens, camouflaged to match the forest it detached from.

  ‘Can we outrun it?’ Marina asks.

  ‘I can try,’ Adam replies, pulling down the lever to give our Skimmer some more juice.

  ‘Or we can just shoot it down,’ I suggest.

  As we pick up a little speed, the blinking red light on the console multiplies into four blinking red lights. There are more of them. Two identical Skimmers rise up from the jungle right in front of us, another along our side. The first still sits right on our tail. Hemmed in, Adam has no choice but to stop. The other Skimmers surround us.

  ‘They all have guns, too, right?’ Marina asks.

  ‘Yes,’ Adam replies. ‘We’re at a distinct disadvantage.’

  ‘Not quite,’ I say, and focus on the sky outside. What was cloudless a moment ago slowly begins to darken, clouds rolling in at my beckoning.

  ‘Hold on,’ Adam warns. ‘We don’t want to give away you’re all on board.’

  ‘You’re sure they won’t shoot us down?’

  ‘Ninety per cent,’ Adam says.

  I let go of the storm I was whipping up, allowing the clouds to drift through the sky along their natural course. A second later, a shrill beep emanates from our dashboard.

  ‘They’re hailing us,’ Adam says. ‘They want to talk.’

  Another plan has occurred to me, one that doesn’t involve fighting a midair battle against bad odds.

  ‘You said you’re some general’s kid, right?’ I say to Adam. ‘So can’t you, like, throw your weight around or something?’

  As Adam considers this, the dashboard communicator bleats again.