CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"What have we got to work with?"
Abbas looked around at everyone as he spoke. They had all gathered in the back of the truck again to evaluate their situation and plan how to survive for the journey home. Jesse gestured to the supply cache in the truck floor.
"We've got about three days worth of MREs," he began. "If we ration them, we can maybe stretch it to four or five. Water is the same, only three days to work with. We've got some radios, so if we can get close enough to Town to pick up a signal, we might be able to call for help. We don't have any heavy weapons now, only a few pistols and some grenades. Hopefully we don't have to use them, but you know what I think about hoping."
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," Bell said as if she was quoting from a textbook.
"Driving all the way home will be dangerous," Abbas said thoughtfully, stroking his beard. "We don't have the equipment to scan our surroundings. We could drive straight into a sandstorm or a sinkhole with no warning. Animals could sneak up on us and we'd never know until they attacked. We'll have to pay extra close attention. Everyone uses all eyes, and absolutely no driving at night."
"We should get in as much travel as possible throughout the day," Mackenzie added. "We need to get some distance between us and Scylla."
"Agreed," Abbas nodded. "We'll have enough to worry about without her on our asses."
"All right," Bell said, climbing into the front of the truck. "We better get going, then."
Jesse took a seat beside her to help keep an eye on the path ahead, while Mackenzie and Abbas took their places at the rear of the truck to watch for anything that might be trying to sneak up on them. Bell started up the engine and they began to steadily peel away from the cliffs they had sheltered beneath. They drove steadily north, over the rough and uneven terrain. Mackenzie noted the hills and the rocks, wondering if anything (or anyone) could be hiding behind them, waiting to strike.
"You hear that?" Abbas suddenly asked her.
Mackenzie focused her hearing and, at first, heard nothing. But then she picked up the distant droning sound, like the humming of a far away engine. Both Mackenzie and Abbas looked around, trying to locate and identify the noise, but neither could see anything. Then Mackenzie suddenly spotted it. It was heading towards them, flying low, rising over the cliff tops not far away.
A VTOL. And it was turning their way. As Mackenzie stared at it, wondering if the pilot had seen them, she saw a bright spark of purple light bloom from beneath the aircraft.
"Lookout!" Mackenzie screamed.
The plasma burst from the VTOL streaked through the air before anyone had time to react to Mackenzie's cry. The burst struck the ground beneath the truck's wheels and the sudden release of energy exploded outwards, instantly lifting the truck into the air and flipping it over. Mackenzie and the others were tossed about wildly as the truck twirled through the air. Mackenzie cried out in pain as her head struck the side of something hard and she felt something warm and wet trickling down the side of her face.
The truck slammed hard into the ground, but it was still moving. It had landed on the downward slope of the nearest hill and was now tumbling down, turning over and over, rolling faster and faster until it finally reached the bottom of the rocky hill and came to a stop, lying on its side, bent and twisted while smoke rose from where the plasma had struck. There was no movement from inside the truck as the VTOL flew steadily closer, moving slowly as though taking its time, confident that no one was getting away.
Mackenzie gasped as she fought to stay conscious. Her whole body ached from having been tossed like a salad. She raised a hand to her head and felt warm blood between her fingers. She was bleeding a lot, both from her head and other wounds on her arms and another from having bitten too hard on her lip in the crash. Looking around, grimacing as every movement caused sharp pain, Mackenzie saw the state of the truck and knew they wouldn't be getting away this time.
Everything was on its side. Abbas was nearby, but he wasn't moving. His legs were both at odd angles as he was draped over the seats like laundry. Bell and Jesse were both still in the front cabin. Bell was groaning loudly and trying to move, while Jesse looked like he had been knocked out when Bell fell on top of him. There was blood on his neck flowing from an open wound. It looked like the windows had shattered and some broken glass had cut him.
"Jesse," Mackenzie gasped. "Bell, are you okay?"
"Son of a bitch," Bell hissed. Her hair was damp with her own blood, as she looked around. "What happened?"
"Is Jesse alive?" Mackenzie asked desperately. "Abbas looks hurt bad. I'll take care of him while you check on Jesse."
"Right, gotcha," Bell replied, snapping into action.
Bell turned around as carefully as she could and took in the sight of Jesse and the blood on his neck, while Mackenzie crawled to Abbas and checked his pulse.
"Abbas is alive," Mackenzie said, sighing with relief. "How's Jesse? He's bleeding a lot."
"I think he's okay," Bell said. "It doesn't look like he cut an artery or anything, he's just knocked out." Then, raising her voice and shouting at Jesse, Bell said, "Hey! Wake up!"
Bell slapped Jesse hard across the face, which seemed to jolt him awake.
"What happened?" Jesse asked at once. "Is everyone okay?"
"We got blasted like an easy prom queen," Bell replied.
"Abbas won't wake up," Mackenzie said desperately. "His legs, I... I think they're broken."
Jesse scrambled into the back of the truck to Mackenzie's side, quickly glancing over Abbas' condition. When Jesse saw Abbas' twisted legs, his face paled instantly. Bell was glancing worriedly at Abbas, while also peering out the broken windows at the VTOL that had come out of nowhere.
"I think it's landing," Bell said.
Jesse shook Abbas' shoulders, shouting, "Wake up! Abbas, wake up!"
As if stirring from a deep sleep, Abbas' eyelids fluttered and he moaned under his breath. Then his eyes suddenly shot wide open and he shouted in agony as he realized the pain in his legs. He slammed a fist hard against the wall of the truck, the sound booming around them as he tried to direct the pain he felt out through his fist.
"Abbas, they're coming," Mackenzie said. "We have to get out of here."
Abbas clenched his jaw tight and stifled his next cry of pain. Mackenzie could see sweat beading on his forehead from the effort it took not to scream. He looked up at Mackenzie, a pained grimace on his face.
"Scylla?" he asked.
"I think so," Mackenzie nodded.
"It's a VTOL," Jesse explained. "We can't stay here."
"My legs," Abbas whispered painfully. "They're broken. I can't walk."
"You won't have to," Jesse said firmly. "Mackenzie, help me carry him."
Jesse and Mackenzie both slid their arms under Abbas' body and tried to lift him, but the instant they applied any sort of pressure, Abbas threw back his head and roared in agony again. Jesse and Mackenzie both quickly lowered him back down and looked helplessly at one another, not sure what to do next.
"Abbas, please," Bell begged. "I know it hurts, but we've got to get going."
"No," Abbas replied, shaking his head. "No. You should all make a run for it. I'm not going anywhere."
"Yes you are," Mackenzie snapped. "We're not leaving you behind."
"Miller, look at me," Abbas said through gritted teeth. "I can't walk. You can't move me. Even if you do carry me, you won't get far. Your best chance is to leave me. Disappear in the hills. The terrain is rocky enough to provide some hiding places. Get going, all of you."
"No," Jesse replied. "We all go together."
"Not this time, Jesse," Abbas said, attempting to smile despite his pain. Then, turning back to Mackenzie, he said, "Do you remember what I told you? After you stepped in front of me when Boroslav was going to shoot me?"
Mackenzie thought for a moment, and then nodded. "You said that no one is allowed to die for you."
"Tha
t's right," Abbas said. "You have that water map. You have to get that back to Town! If you don't, then everyone will die. Including my daughters. Now, you leave me here, Miller. You leave me here and you get that information back to Town. Save my kids for me. Please."
"They've landed," Bell reported. "Soldiers heading down the hillside."
"Abbas, please," Mackenzie begged. "Just let us-"
"You promised me," Abbas interrupted. "You promised that you wouldn't die for me."
"But-I-I..." Mackenzie stammered, not sure how to argue.
"Go," Abbas whispered firmly. "All of you. Go. I'll slow them down as much as I can. The top priority is getting that water map back to Town. Just go."
Jesse was scowling hard, but Mackenzie could see his Adams apple working up and down as he forced down his true feelings. He slowly extended his hand to Abbas.
"Knowing you has been the greatest honor of my life, sir," Jesse said thickly.
Abbas smiled up at him, and then shook his hand. "Do me a favor, then," he said. "Make it a long life."
Jesse nodded once. Then he rose to his feet and turned away. Bell hurried over from the front of the truck and knelt down beside Abbas.
"You always were a stubborn twit," Bell smiled sadly. Then she kissed Abbas on the cheek.
"Take care of yourself, Bell," Abbas said.
Mackenzie felt numb. She couldn't do this, not again. First she couldn't save Ileana, now Abbas? She felt like she was dreaming, that none of this was real. She jumped slightly when she felt Abbas' hand slip into hers. She looked down at him, still uncertain if she was dreaming or not.
"Remember," Abbas began. "Save my kids. I won't ask you to save the whole Town, that's too much for one person. But you can save three little girls for me. I believe in you, Mackenzie. I know you're the one to save them."
"They're nearly here," Jesse said from the back of the truck, peeking around the edge. "We've got to go."
"I can't leave you like this, Abbas," Mackenzie insisted. "I just can't."
"Don't worry about me," Abbas replied, smiling a sly grin. "I've got a surprise for whoever comes through that door to kill me. I won't let them have the satisfaction."
Abbas held out his other hand to show Mackenzie something. Looking down at it, Mackenzie saw that Abbas held a small, black, egg-shaped object in his hand. It was one of the grenades from the weapons cache. Mackenzie looked back into Abbas' eyes in horror.
"You can't-" she began.
"There's no time, Miller," Abbas interrupted. "You have to get out of here. Go. Go!"
Abbas roared at Mackenzie so loud that she stumbled backwards. Jesse reached down and lifted her to her feet, both of them watching Abbas with shock and sadness. Bell looked like she was about to say something, but Abbas began shouting again.
"Get going!" he bellowed. "Get out of here! Go! Run! That's an order! Get the hell out of here, now!"
Left with no time and no choice, Jesse, Mackenzie and Bell all moved swiftly out of the wrecked truck. Mackenzie stole one last glance back at Abbas, and saw that he was smiling at her, nodding encouragingly. Then Jesse dragged her along and Abbas vanished from sight.
"Crap, here they come!" Bell cried out, pointing towards the hill they had just rolled down.
Mackenzie looked and saw six soldiers with rifles heading down the steep hill towards them. They seemed to struggle staying upright due to how sharp the decline was, but there was one man among them who seemed surefooted and agile, as if he was merely taking a casual stroll. A look of fierce determination on his face, murder in his eyes, and his canine tooth glinting between his cleft lip.
"Boroslav," Mackenzie breathed in horror.
As she whispered his name, Boroslav looked directly at her. The two met the gaze of the other; Boroslav narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth like a shark that smelled blood in the water. Mackenzie felt her heart racing faster than she had ever known.
"Mackenzie!" Jesse shouted in her ear. "Let's go!"
Snapping to her senses, Mackenzie turned and ran alongside Jesse and Bell, vanishing into the twisting and turning hills that swelled out of the terrain.
Reaching the bottom of the hill, sliding on his heels the last few feet, Boroslav cocked his gun and glared in the direction he last saw Mackenzie Miller run. He sneered in contempt as he longed to pursue her and hurt her more than she though possible, but he had orders. Scylla had trusted him with her secrets and he was determined to prove himself worthy of the honor. And Scylla wanted Mackenzie Miller alive.
Boroslav gave two short whistles through his teeth, and then gestured one hand in a chopping motion in the direction Miller and the other two had run. Then he started heading towards the turned-over truck, his soldiers following close behind. Two men peeled away as they approached the truck, though, and ran into the hills after the escaping Diviners. Boroslav led the remaining four soldiers towards the truck, each one lifting their rifles to the ready.
Only three ran, he thought smugly. One must have remained.
Boroslav approached the open rear of the truck and carefully peered inside. As he quickly scanned the inside of the truck and saw Abbas lying there, a nasty grin spread across his face.
"Hello there," Boroslav said gloatingly. "Looks like you're not doing so well, my friend."
Abbas fixed Boroslav with a cold stare, breathing heavily due to the excruciating pain in his twisted legs.
"I hope your friends don't think they will get far on foot," Boroslav taunted, still standing outside the truck. "My soldiers will track them down. And even if they do escape, the desert will kill them within hours. This whole escape plan was... well, stupid."
"Sorry, I can't hear you," Abbas replied scathingly. "Step closer and say that again."
Behind his back, Abbas tightened his grip on the small grenade.
Boroslav chuckled humorlessly. "I think I will enjoy slowly killing you all." Then to his men, Boroslav barked, "Take him."
Two men ducked inside the truck and holstered their weapons. Abbas watched them closely, only moving his eyes. He needed to make sure. He needed to wait for the perfect time.
As the two men crouched down on either side of Abbas, Boroslav confidently stepped into the truck, still smiling that smug, broken, smile. As soon as he was inside the doors, Abbas grinned back at him.
The soldier on Abbas' right looked down and saw Abbas click the button on a small egg-shaped device. First there was confusion as the soldier wondered what it was, then his eyes widened in horror as realization struck.
"Grenade!" the soldier screamed.
In the next instant, several things happened at once. The soldiers who were about to lift Abbas moved as if to run, but never got the chance. Boroslav was already diving for the exit at the soldier's cry, but was still inside when the blast came. The grenade split open in Abbas' hand and spilled fire out into the air. The flames engulfed Abbas instantly, burning so hot that the steel wall of the truck bent and blistered behind him. He never felt a thing.
Then the two soldiers were swallowed whole by the flames, vanishing with quickly silenced screams. The fire then reached out to Boroslav, clawing at his clothes as he dove out of the truck. The fire expanded within the truck until it had taken up every available inch of space, but that was not enough. The fire still needed to grow, so it pushed against the inside of the truck until it ripped a hole through the walls and burst out into the air, tongues of fire licking the air and singeing anything that could burn that was unfortunate enough to be too close.
Boroslav fell out of the exploding truck with his clothes aflame. He roared in pain and fury as the fire bit through his clothing and into his flesh. He rolled around on the ground, trying to put himself out as the truck burned, the sound of crackling flames and bending steel filling the air to compete with the sound of Boroslav's enraged howling.
The two surviving soldiers that were with him hurried over and began trying to pat out the flames that were chewing through hi
s clothes, throwing dirt on him to smother the fire. They managed to put out the flames, but Boroslav was clearly hurt. The skin on his neck was red and sore, as were his legs and his left arm where the fire had burned through his clothing. To look at his face, though, one would assume he felt nothing but rage.
Boroslav rose slowly to his feet, scowling hard with gritted teeth, his eyes ablaze with a fury that burned hotter than any fire. Smoke still steadily rose from his singed clothes and he looked so fierce and dangerous as he glared at the burning remnants of the truck that his soldiers took two full steps back from him, as if they feared he would kill them with only his rage. Between his burned skin and the smoke that still rose from his clothing, he looked like a demon having just risen from the fires of hell.
"Get them," Boroslav growled through his teeth.
The two soldiers hurried off at once, running in the direction Mackenzie and the others had run. Boroslav took a moment to consider the burning truck, furious that Abbas had stolen a victory from him. Disgusted, Boroslav spat into the flames, then turned away to join the hunt.
"Mikhail, what was that?" came Scylla's voice over Boroslav's radio.
"A minor setback," Boroslav replied coldly. "The Diviner Abbas is dead by his own hand. Miller still lives."
"I don't care what happens to the others, just bring Miller back alive!" Scylla screamed in Boroslav's ear.
"Of course, Scylla," Boroslav replied, his lip curling.
Inside the VTOL, Scylla paced around the small cockpit, behind the pilot. At the controls to the aircraft, Min-Hee sat silently, pretending her sister wasn't there.
"This is getting out of hand," Scylla fumed. "I shouldn't have trusted Mikhail with this, he's too bloodthirsty after what happened to Vasilii."
"Who else would you have trusted to recapture the Diviners?" Min-Hee asked indifferently.
Scylla scowled at the back of her sister's head. "No one, of course. But I worry that Mikhail is not in his right state of mind."
"Well, if you are so worried, you could always call him back," Min-Hee suggested. "Order him to wait in the VTOL."
Scylla shook her head. "No. I need a leader out there to keep the men from killing Miller before I get what I need from her."
"How unfortunate," Min-Hee began, sounding bored, "that there is no one else your soldiers will follow orders from."
Scylla narrowed her eyes at Min-Hee. She knew her sister well enough to know when she was being condescending.
"You think I can't control my own men?" Scylla demanded.
"I'm only a pilot," Min-Hee replied cooly. "What I think about your leadership is irrelevant."
That's a 'yes,' Scylla thought angrily. Aloud, Scylla snapped, "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Actually, you did," Min-Hee corrected.
Scylla closed her eyes and counted to five, resisting the urge to slit her sister's throat. By the time she opened her eyes again, she was calmer and knew what she had to do.
"I'm going out there myself," Scylla announced. "Someone needs to make sure Mikhail doesn't kill Miller. He is loyal, but there's no telling what he might do when he catches up with Miller."
Min-Hee shrugged slightly, as though she didn't care, and said nothing in response.
Shooting Min-Hee one last contemptuous glare, Scylla turned and stormed out of the cockpit, quickly exiting the VTOL. As Scylla descended the stairs, Min-Hee carefully glanced over her shoulder at her, watching Scylla leave.