38

Ashton

The sound of Ashton’s sword tinged in the confines of the South Carolina blockade runner’s ship.

Riley looked over from loading his revolvers. His mask covered his mouth and nose, leaving only his goggles visible underneath the brim of his hat.

Ashton adjusted the holster strapped to his thigh and pulled down his full face mask.

Hunley had come through and retrieved him from the port, taking him and Riley to the small islands off the coast. Riley bargained weapons and transportation from outlaws hiding with the waterways. “We’re making good time, Wells,” he said.

Captain Mordecai, enticed with the promise of a fair amount of silver and the schematics for the Chasm Walker, soared at breakneck speed along the coast, barely skimming the trees. He was most definitely living up to his name as the craziest pilot in the black market.

“What is our ETA?” Ashton called back to the helm.

The ancient pilot shrugged. “Fifteen minutes.”

Ashton turned to face him.

The straps of the old man’s leather cap flapped in the winds. His gas mask sat askew his wrinkly face. But he was steady at the wheel and that was all that mattered.

“You said that already,” Ashton shot back, frustrated. With every minute they took to get there, his hopes diminished that he might be able to stop the impending disaster.

“Well, I mean it now,” Mordecai said and wiped his misty goggles with his fingers.

“How do you know they’ll be there?” Riley asked.

“Why would someone sabotage the invasion?” Ashton asked, ticking off reasons on his gloved hands. “Someone who wants the merchant lines kept safe, someone who could use them after.”

“After what?”

“That’s just it,” Ashton continued. “Arecibo’s actions at the Coalition of Khent did the opposite of what he was sent there by The Order to do. My sources say he was to offer appeasement, to join forces with Europe, not enrage them.”

“But instead, he blew up their head guy,” Riley said, nodding. “Not the best strategy.”

“Well, it is if you want to ensure an attack. One that you would then use to gather and destroy Europe’s most formidable force. The Spanish Armada was the largest naval power. What’s left, the French? The British? After The Great Calamity they focused their resources on isolationist policies.” Ashton shook his head. “No, this was deliberate and meticulous. This was Arecibo and I suspect, someone close to the king. Someone with access.”

“To what end? Why save Outer City?” Riley mused and then answered his own question. “Unless you plan to use it?”

“That’s my guess.” Ashton braced himself as the ship rolled sideways.

“Hold on,” Mordecai yelled two seconds too late.

“In one fell swoop, Arecibo secured trade essential to the Peaceful Union’s survival and took out the bulk of any future invading force.” Ashton craned his neck, peering out the window at the approaching shore. The dull outline of the New York dome came into view. His chest tightened. Almost there.

“You think he wants to protect the Peaceful Union from Europe invading?” Riley made a face. “No one said anything about that.”

“I’ve been in the Order my entire life,” Ashton said. “Arecibo is a true believer in their quest for power. I just think he’s decided he deserves to rule this time. What better opportunity than now? When everything is in upheaval. The Reaper Invasion weakened all the domes. With city-states overrun by chaos and Tremblers, the government is at its most vulnerable.”

Riley took off his hat, wiped his brow with his sleeve, and put it back on. “To do that, you’d have to attack with a sizable force. One he can’t have unless he turned hundreds of knights in the order to his plans.”

“There’s more than one way to gather an army,” Ashton said, looking at Riley. “Blackburn is a soldier. She was his weapon.”

“But still…” Riley rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head. “I don’t know, Wells. I mean the domes are weaker, yes, there are problems, but the governors still wield tremendous power over their own militias within each dome.”

“What if there were no governors?” Ashton asked. “What if they were all gone and you took the biggest, most stable dome as your command?”

“No governors?” Riley chuckled. “As in send out a team of killer Tremblers to just hunt down each one in each dome?”

“Arecibo won’t have to,” Ashton said. “The Governor’s Summit is there, in Manhattan, right now. The Coalition’s decision to invade triggered the directive to meet. Arecibo knew that. He’s been behind all of this.”

“All of them?” Riley’s wide eyes were evident even through his goggles.

“All that remain of the still operational domes.” Ashton said. “He’ll have a stranglehold on the entire country. Railway, shipping lines, food, water purification…all of it.”

“That madman wants to rule this country!” Riley yelled.

“Yes, and he’ll use any means to take control, no matter the cost in lives.” The ship banked, pulling close to shore, and Ashton strode to the helm, climbing out onto the deck. The penetrating tone of the Trembler Knights’ devices sounded, and he gritted his teeth against the sound.

“What about Blackburn?” Riley asked, behind him. “If he has her. If she’s hurting people…”

“Then I do what I have to,” Ashton said, his heart stuttering as he gazed out at the growing swarm of Tremblers. “Whatever the cost.”