The attack came that night. Swift and brutal.
Children, heavily armed, advancing in lines with death and destruction their key criteria. Hundreds of them creating a living barrier around the base.
Small in stature, though powerful and infinitely focused killing machines.
David woke with a start as the alarms blared and pulled them unceremoniously from slumber. The buzzing, blaring jarred as did the strident wail of personal communicators, having received an emergency call to action.
He bolted upright. One glance at the screen told him all he needed to know. He launched up. “Erin! We’re under attack!” He hoped the call was loud enough that she’d hear him from the next room.
Climbing into pants, thrusting feet into boots and grabbing the first shirt he could find with speed while the light from his bedside lamp was hardly enough to illuminate the room.
He searched for his sidearm, grabbed it, and shoved through the door, met by the set face of the woman on the other side. “I received the same.” She’d dressed and was tugging her hair back into a ponytail. “Grab me my side arm and we’ll get moving. They need me at the gate.”
Something akin to panic arced, but he fought it down. She was a skilled fighter and they’d need everyone they could get in on the action.
“I’m there too.”
“Good. Then we stick together if we can. Let’s go.”
He followed her out of the tiny apartment and down the stairs. Two of a billowing sea of humanity, ready to go to battle against an army without emotion.
His mind whirred into life, and he snatched up his communicator, connecting with Jonah. “What?”
“Where’s Daniella?”
“I sent her to the medical unit. She’ll be best protected there.” Jonah’s terse explanation removed one of the many fears that lanced through David.
He grunted, pleased the man who’d married his sister had made provision for her. “What about the babies?” They’d finally finished the process of adoption, but if the children were coming for them—
“Who?” Jonah bellowed, and David heard a commotion over the line. It was growing difficult to hear as voices called in the masses surrounding him.
“Jonah? Get the babies to the infirmary. Guard them well. I have a feeling they’re going to make a play for them. We damaged them significantly when we got them, we have to...”
“Right, I’ll send a team over to round them up. In fact, you’d be best since you finalized the placements and have the details...”
“I—” David’s mind blanked for an instant. That would mean Erin would go to the front line without him.
Head over heart, and how could he honestly protect one more than the other? His gut churned. The children were innocents, unable able to protect themselves. The battered organ in his chest squeezed tighter, producing an almost physical pain.
David shook his head. I’ve got my orders. “Fine. I’ll be on my way in five and will check in once they’re all secured.” His turn was slow, scanning around, but Erin was gone. His head thudded a wild tattoo. On a growl, he sent a message via her communicator.
Sent to round up and defend babies. Don’t take chances. D.
Then he whirled and loped toward the first cottage, knowing full well where every one of his charges had been dispatched to.
For the first time, knowing that Liv was loose somewhere on the base, the fury that continued to grow was dampened by worry and concern. The babies likely only being cared for by one person. The risk to them was great indeed. If Liv was coordinating with those attacking somehow or sending intel, who knew exactly how many others would attempt to infiltrate the base and carry off the children?
I can’t allow that. His legs pumped faster.
At the first cottage he rapped on the door smartly. A woman in her early thirties opened the door, the babe cradled in her arms. Before she spoke, he raised a hand. “The base is under attack, and in order to guarantee your safety and that of the babe, I’m here to escort you to the medical facility. I’m going next door to raise the family there. Grab only your essentials and follow me.”
He waited as she scooped up the small bag of items he gathered she must have had to hand, a coat and shawl, and followed him down the path to the house next door.
Once he’d gathered the first half dozen, which took far more time than he’d hoped, he ushered the women forward.
The infirmary loomed just beyond them, the echoes and screams, thuds and flashes of light had woken more than babies who wailed as the women scurried, fear making their movements jerky.
David turned, surprised by a flash of movement just to his side. A glance confirmed Liv had jumped out into the roadway, aiming at him, her hair flying and on her face a mask of intense hatred. Features tight and teeth bared, she’d raised her arm, bar in hand.
“They’re ours. Give them to me!” Her scream, guttural and wild, told him everything he needed to know. She’d played a long and deep game and had always planned to attempt to regain control.
The girl swung her arm in an arc and the bar flashed in the lamplight.
David pushed a woman in the way to the side, her scream lost to him as the fight-or-flight chemicals urged him to move quickly. He didn’t even keep track of the baby she carried.
He couldn’t. The danger was too extreme right now.
A whoosh of air sailed past him, followed by the metal weapon.
David groped, the butt of his sidearm in his grip and he dragged it out in a quick motion. Finger to the trigger, he watched her moves, saw them telegraphed as she spun another wide arc.
He lifted.
Fired.
The pfzt sound echoed loudly in his hearing.
The girl’s eyes widened with surprise. He’d got her center mass, and she arched, arms flying up, fingers releasing the bar that clanged on the asphalt.
She hit the ground with a thud.
It felt like the altercation had taken hours, yet only a moment or two had passed.
Now he stilled, frozen by the ferocity of the attack and the intent in the girl.
“Stay together and get in the building,” he ordered the women.
They hurried to obey, and he waited until they pushed through the swinging doors then glanced back at the body before him.
He advanced warily, not sure if the girl was dead or alive.
The scent of charred flesh flared, and his gut churned. He crouched down, touched her throat, and sighed, realizing she was gone. “Dammit!”
David drew his device from his pocket, touched his finger to the call button on his communicator, and connected with Jonah. “I’ve got Liv. She’s dead. We’re outside the medical center where she attacked. Her intention was to steal the babies.”
The sigh rippled down the lines. “I’ll apprise Daniella later. Get Michael and his team to retrieve the body. You’ve rounded up everyone with the babies?”
David scrubbed at his brow. “I’d got to a dozen. I’ll wait until the body is retrieved then go get the rest.”
“Fine. Stay in touch.” The connection died away, and he tagged Michael, briefly outlined the situation, and waited as a party of three joined him.
“We’ll take care of her now. Go get the rest of them.”
David didn’t wait to see them lift the girl and carry her inside, he only glanced in the direction of the gates, allowed a moment of fear for Erin to intrude, then continued about his mission.
Erin slumped to the ground, exhausted by the break in the fierce fighting. Bodies lay strewn on the ground, the fencing little more than a mangled pile of metal. Dimly she made out the sounds of shouts, cries, and moans that filled the air.
Her eyes ached, her body felt battered, and her mind had yet to switch back out of combat mode.
In the middle of it all, she’d looked for David, but he’d been nowhere to be seen. Then his text had come through, and the terror that gnawed at her abated somewhat.
That had been hours ago. Her sidearm pulsed still, overheating from use.
“Help me,” someone behind her cried out, and Erin rose, unsteady, to turn.
Her mind turned slowly, missing the size of the person who called until it was almost too late.
They aimed a fist in her direction, and she dodged, stumbled, but regained her footing in time to lunge forward and grab the teenager who’d tried to jump her.
What the fuck? She’d damn well had enough of everyone trying to jump her, to attack. She grabbed the girl, coiled her fingers in the masses of hair, and tugged. The girl howled.
“What the fuck do you want with me?”
“Not telling,” the girl groused, and Erin sighed before twisting the hair. The girl screeched, fingers reaching to claw.
“Look, I’ve had an absolute gut-full. Tell me who you are and why you’re here.”
Tears dribbled down the teen’s face, and as much as Erin wanted to give up and in, she knew the girl wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her. The girl scrabbled at Erin’s hand, nails biting deep. Erin cursed loudly and wrenched the girl in her direction, ensuring she pasted her angriest and most dangerous visage on her face. “You tell me, or I’ll do far more than pull your fucking hair!”
The girl quivered in her grip. “I don’t... They’ll kill me.”
“And I’ll do worse if you don’t spill your guts right now.” To emphasize the point she lifted the sidearm and pointed it at the girl’s head. Her gaze narrowed on the barrel then searched her face.
The fear and stench of bodily fluids told Erin the girl knew she’d use the weapon in hand as the color drained from her face.
“You’re Erin McNally and you keep getting in the way of our plans. My mission was to take you, specifically, out.”
“What?” She almost released the girl in shock, but shook her head, clearing away the hazy thoughts.
“You’re a problem for us. There’s a number of high-impact targets and you’re at the top right now.” The sullenness of the girl almost made Erin smile. Maybe she would have, if she wasn’t so completely pissed off right now.
“You lot are seriously in need of strategic assistance if you think I’m that important.”
When the girl sneered, Erin twisted the hair tighter, and the girl howled. “We got intel, says you’re right in the middle of trying to track down the people at the top of the tree. Can’t have that.”
Erin knew full well that she’d need to hand the girl over to the security forces on the base. A quick glance over Erin’s shoulder showed that members of the forces had already regrouped. Others military personal already worked to reinforce the fencing and provide medical care to those alive after the brief and intense skirmish.
She lifted her communicator and tagged David, who answered. “Erin, you’re okay?”
“Yeah, but I have a present for you. Meet me at the front gate with a security squad. I got one walking and talking here.”
“What?”
The loud outburst didn’t faze her after what she’d seen and participated in. “I’ll explain when you get there.”
Redoubling her grip on the girl, Erin shoved her sidearm into the soft flesh between the girl’s shoulder blades. They moved at a rapid clip to the area by the front gate, only two minutes before David arrived, two guards following him on foot.
The worry on his face eased when he caught sight of her though she didn’t acknowledge the force of her own ragged emotions. Here wasn’t the time or the place.
“She said she was sent here specifically to neutralize me. I caught her as she was sneaking up, we engaged in hand-to-hand. As you can see, she’s been overpowered.” Erin noted the way David’s mouth thinned at her declaration, but there was only room for the truth, and heaven knew, she’d had enough of the rubbish from these young killers.
Shoving the young woman into the guard’s arms felt good. Righteous even.
“We’ll want to interrogate her later. Put her into solitary for now. Check for hidden devices.” David’s voice rasped, and Erin frowned, realizing for the first time that his demeanor wasn’t just concerned; there was more there.
Something had occurred.
Something bad.
Her hand fisted, aware that she couldn’t ask him right here and right now what had happened.
Keeping still, holding some distance between them until they’d marched the girl away took every ounce of willpower. Once out of sight, Erin grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a dark area behind the guard’s post. “What happened?”
For all the fury on his face, David shook his head. “Later.” The single word was all he uttered as he slipped from the dark, her gaze taking in the carnage before them both.
“They came for the babies, didn’t they?” she asked.
Now his eyes took on a distant look. “Something like that. They’re all safe though.”
Jonah came striding through the mess, his face grim. “They were prepared to throw these ones away in order to gain control of the babies. I wish I knew why.” He scrubbed his hand over his gaunt features. “I need you two back in the lab, following up on your leads.” Jonah turned, then slid back in front of David. “You handled a difficult situation well. The women told me about Liv’s attack and your swift action. How it saved them and the children.”
Erin’s heart lurched. No wonder he didn’t want to discuss it. She reached out, instinct overriding everything else, and placed her hand on his in a gesture of understanding and solidarity.
David flinched but waited for Jonah to leave. “I was going to tell you later. Away from here.”
Erin dragged her hand back. He hadn’t pulled away, but neither had he seemed to want what she was offering.
It hurt. A tiny piercing of her heart.
He felt alone, that she understood, but the need to be there for him, to ease his pain, as scary as it was, grew. The need was a living entity in its own right.
He led the way, slowly picking their way through the mess, toward the center of the base. There were others who’d clean the place up, reinforce the fencing. This wasn’t where they’d be best used now.
Erin didn’t look back.