Chapter
26

Jake walked up to the security tent that led into the Ironguard base. After three bases, this had to be the one where Miss Bloodmayne was located. It was the only one left besides the smaller units, and he doubted the military would allow a woman civilian along the front lines.

Steam rose from the mud-covered ground as the summer sun dried out the rain-drenched landscape. A gentle wind blew from the south.

“Halt!” A man in olive green uniform stepped out from the tent. From the corner of his eye, Jake saw at least three rifles trained on him and his comrades, probably more out of sight. “What business do you have here?”

Jake held out the documents the city council had given him.

The man looked suspicious as he walked over and took the papers. He studied the documents, the frown on his face deepening. “You’re looking for a woman fugitive?” he said finally, looking up. “On a military base?”

“We have reason to believe she came here on one of the blockade runner airships.”

The soldier slowly shook his head. “The only women here on the base are nurses—wait.” He tapped the sheaf of papers against his hand. “There is one woman who came in on a supply convoy. I don’t know much about her or what she is doing here.” He folded up the documents and handed them back to Jake. “You’ll have to check in with Commander Powell before you can search the base.”

“I understand.” Jake took the papers and placed them in his front pocket. “Please take me to your commander.”

“Follow me.” The man turned and started for the opening that led into the base.

Piers and Rodger joined Jake as he followed the young man. The base looked like it had seen better days. A hint of smoke filled the air and many of the tents showed evidence of fire, with charred sides and broken poles.

“Was there some kind of attack recently?”

The soldier looked back. “Yes.”

“Casualties?”

The soldier never answered, just kept walking through the base.

Piers came up to Jake’s side, his monocle fog-covered from the moisture in the air. “If Miss Bloodmayne is here, hopefully she was not one of the causalities.”

“Agreed,” Jake said, his shoulders tightening at the thought. That would make their mission a bit difficult since the bounty required the woman alive.

The soldier led them between the canvas tents toward a large one near the middle of the base. He ducked inside, and the three men followed.

The soldier stopped just inside the flaps. “Commander Powell.”

A large man stood beside a table that took up most of the tent. His gray hair was parted to the side and he sported a thick mustache beneath a bulbous nose. Two other men stood beside him, all three dressed in olive green uniforms.

“Yes, corporal?”

“There are some men here from World City. They have documents from the city council concerning a woman.”

“A woman?” Commander Powell straightened, his gaze landing on Jake, then Piers and Rodger. His gaze narrowed. “Let me see those documents.”

Jake pulled them out and handed them over. He waited quietly as the commander perused the creased papers.

“I don’t understand.” Commander Powell placed the papers on the table and looked at the three bounty hunters. “Another bounty hunter came here over a week ago with the woman, seeking Dr. Latimer. Are you saying the city council wants this woman? On what charges?”

“Murder,” Jake replied, hands behind his back.

“Murder? Her? It can’t be possible. Have you met the woman?”

The three bounty hunters glanced at each other. Jake would never forget the way Miss Bloodmayne had thrown him against the wall with an invisible force, and the way she had laughed afterward. “She is more dangerous than you realize.”

Commander Powell laughed in disbelief.

“In any case, you are to hand her over to us. Our orders supersede any others you have received concerning the woman, including Stephen Grey’s request.”

Commander Powell looked up. “I didn’t say the woman was with Stephen Grey.”

“We know who she came with. Now, about the woman . . .”

Commander Powell ran a hand through his thinning hair while his two officers looked on. He finally sighed and picked up the papers again. “I don’t understand what’s going on, but I recognize the seal on these documents. Are you sure Miss Bloodmayne is the right woman? I know her name is on this warrant, but still . . .”

“We are positive. And we sincerely hope you will comply with the World City Council’s demands.”

Commander Powell’s face darkened. “There is no need for threats, gentlemen. I understand the chain of command better than most. The woman you’re looking for is with the medical unit. The corporal here will escort you. Take her quietly. I don’t want a ruckus on my base.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

“And no shooting.”

Jake nodded and turned, although he wasn’t going to promise anything. If Stephen tried to stop them, they would stop him first. “Where do we find the medical tents?” he asked the corporal.

“Follow me.”

Jake glanced at the other two bounty hunters. “Let’s go, men.”

Piers nodded and Rodger answered with a grunt, his cannon-arm ready, though not yet armed.

Outside, the three bounty hunters followed the corporal around the command tent and north toward the tents marked with the blue circle and white star of the medical corps. Sunlight poured down on them. Jake readjusted his collar and wiped the sweat from his face.

A few soldiers glanced their direction, their eyes lingering longer than Jake felt comfortable with. He, Piers, and Rodger stood out amongst the sea of olive-colored uniforms. The faster they retrieved Miss Bloodmayne, the better.

The corporal stopped just beyond the first medical tent. “Wait here while I find Miss Bloodmayne.” He left before Jake had a chance to answer.

Jake scowled at the corporal’s back. Like blazes he was going to wait! Not when there was a chance she would run or perform that black magic on them again like last time. They need to catch her and sedate her before she knew anything was happening.

He looked around. As far as he could see, the area was empty, at least outside. “All right.” He eyed Piers and Rodger. “Here’s the plan. We’re not going to wait for the corporal to bring Miss Bloodmayne to us. We need to catch her off guard, and that means finding her ourselves. Silently search the tents and try not to be seen. Once you locate Miss Bloodmayne, meet back here and we will retrieve her together.”

“And what if the corporal finds her first and brings her here?” Piers asked, adjusting his monocle.

“Then have Dr. Bloodmayne’s injection ready. We won’t have much time to react and we don’t need her going off again.”

Piers patted the small satchel at his side and nodded, his face almost as pale as his white suit. Apparently they were both remembering their last encounter with Miss Bloodmayne. Rodger, however, seemed untroubled.

“Now go.”

Rodger went to the left and Piers to the right. Jake walked behind the tents, peeking inside each one, lingering only long enough to glance inside and move on.

At the third tent, he found her.

Miss Bloodmayne stood behind a table, her back to him, mixing an assortment of liquids from small glass vials into one large one. The rest of the tent was filled with crates. His heart gave a long, hard beat at the sight of her. Petite and pretty, but he knew better. That woman was a monster, and the sooner they took her back to World City, the better. The trick was getting to her before she could turn her magic on them.

Jake headed back to the rendezvous point.

“I found her,” he said quietly once Piers and Rodger arrived. He pointed down the row. “That way, three tents down. Piers, do you have the needle ready?”

Piers pulled a glass syringe from his satchel and checked it. “I hope this does what Dr. Bloodmayne says it does.”

“Don’t we all?” Jake mopped more sweat from his forehead. “Rodger and I will grab her. You’ll administer the liquid. All right?” He peered at both men. They nodded back. “Good. Let’s go, before the corporal shows up.”

The three men made their way to the tent. The closer they drew, the faster Jake’s heart beat. They needed to grab her fast and insert the needle. If they didn’t . . .

His stomach twisted and he breathed in quietly. He was confident that whatever the reason the Tower—and the city council—wanted her, it had to do with what she did to them that morning in Covenshire. Was the Tower creating humans with some kind of magical power? Was Piers right? Should they even be helping the Tower?

Just focus on the bounty. He took another deep breath. It wasn’t his problem. Soon he would have the cash in hand, and he would be gone from World City.

They stopped outside the tent. Jake motioned toward himself and Rodger, then mouthed, “Ready?”

Rodger nodded, his face grim like usual.

Jake held up a fist, then lifted a finger with each number. One. Two. Three.

The men rushed into the tent.

Miss Bloodmayne turned. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened. The glass vial she had been holding fell to the ground and spilled out. “What are you— How did you find . . . ?”

Faster than Jake could blink, she spun and went for the other side of the tent. Blazes! He tore across the ground, caught the back of her corset, and yanked. Before she could yell, he wrapped his other arm around her neck and choked out her fledgling scream.

“Now, Piers!

Piers was already at his side, thrusting the needle into the side of her neck.

She shook her head and fought his hold.

“Come on,” Jake breathed as her face began to change. Her lips curled into a snarl and a fire lit inside her eyes. “Work!”

She went stiff. Her eyes returned to their normal color and rolled up into her head. Jake caught her as she began to fall. “There we go.” He looked around. That was a close one. “Now let’s get her out of here.”

“I don’t think so,” said a cold, hard voice.

Jake grit his teeth and turned. Of all the people he didn’t want to run into.

Stephen Grey.