DusktoDust_Final3 (37 page)

Windham snickered.
“
Congratulations, you killed one asian man. There are billions more to take his place. The Federation will still be victorious.
”

“
How do we stop it?!
”
Letsego demanded.

“
What, Rockworm? You don
’
t stop it. It
’
s the future.
”

“
Didn
’
t your scientists tell you what it does?
”
“
They told me what it
did
. They told me how the Cdat
’
h Vars- the
Titans
- were weak. But humanity is strong. Humanity can control the Ferenic. Windcorp can control it.
”

“
You are naive. You are going to bring about the end of the world.
”

Windham frowned.
“
Either way, I guess I
’
m not going to see it.
”
He locked eyes with Letsego.
“
Why don
’
t you just put me out of my misery?
”

Letsego looked around the room. One of the fallen trooper
’
s rifles lay within reach. He grabbed it,racked the bolt, and sighted in on the Windcorp executive. Hatred and malice for the man
’
s ignorance flowed through Letsego
’
s veins.

And then it subsided. The man in front of him was broken, both physically with the crushing weight of the desk on top of him, and figuratively. Letsego could see the seeds of doubt permeating his mind. He lowered the rifle.

Gnasher touched Letsego on the shoulder.
“
We need to go, Staff Sergeant.
”

Letsego locked eyes one more time with Windham.
“
Mr. Windham, whatever fate you meet today, it
’
s of your own doing.
”
With that he turned and left.

The area outside of Windham
’
s office was dark. In the glow of emergency lights Letsego could make out a dozen bodies. A shadowed figure approached Gnasher.

“
Area secure,
”
Corporal Bailey announced.

“
The missiles?
”
Gnasher asked.

“
Whatever that smuggler did to the power, it
’
s shut down all of the missile systems,
”
Avery announced.
“
They
’
re not a threat.
”
He handed his lieutenant his helmet and weapons.

Letsego gathered his kit from another Diver. He keyed his mic.
“
Carpenter, this is Letsego.
”
He ignored the formality of call signs. When Carpenter didn
’
t respond he called again.
“
Carpenter, this is Letsego. Come in.
”
Once again there was no response.

Gnasher, hefted his rifle.
“
We need to make ourselves scarce. Troopers will be responding any minute.
”

The comm unit crackled to life.
“
Two-actual, this is two-one.
”
It was Weilbacher.

“
Send it,
”
Gnasher responded.

“
I
’
ve got two inbound gunboats from the
Defiance
. Callsign Pegasus.
”

“
Patch me through.
”

There was a pause.
“
You
’
re live.
”

“
Pegasus, this is ICARUS-two. Send it.
”

“
ICARUS-two, I
’
m coming in hot with two platoons onboard. I
’
ve got your coordinates but you
’
re going to have to open the front door.
”

“
Roger, can do Pegasus. What
’
s your ETA?
”

“
About fifteen mikes.
”

“
Copy. We
’
ll set up the welcome party.
”

“
Appreciate it, ICARUS. Pegasus out.
”
The link went dead.

Gnasher turned to Letsego.
“
We need to get to the hangar bay and get the doors open.
”

“
What about Carpenter?
”
If the smuggler wasn
’
t answering he could very well be in trouble.

“
We can worry about him later. If we don
’
t get those doors open the gunboats will be sitting ducks.
”
Gnasher
’
s logic was callous but sound. Letsego nodded his concurrence.
“
Alright Devils, mount up and look sharp. They definitely know we
’
re here.
”

As the last three power absorbers detonated the power source chamber became electric. David ducked as the Ferenic mist in the air swirled ever more violently around the central mound.

“
Shit!
”
he exclaimed as a Ferenic tentacle passed a meter from his head. He scanned the chaos. He could only make out two other individuals still surviving in the chamber. Next to him Washington staggered in an attempt to stand in the whirlwind and across the chamber David could make out one other figure staying low to avoid the Ferenic.

“
We need to get the hell out of here,
”
Washington screamed over the wind.
“
I don
’
t think the archeologist
’
s theory worked.
”

He was right. According to Robinson destroying the facility's link to the Ferenic power source should subdue its activity, but now the Rockworm was more active than ever. At this point David didn
’
t have any idea of how to stop it. They just needed to escape with their lives.

The two of them stumbled towards the blast doors. David helped Washington along. His left side had been peppered with shrapnel in the previous engagement. As they advanced, David continued to notice more and more crimson mist flow into the cavern. The battle in orbit must still be raging, and the Feds were scoring kills.

Above the cacophony of the Rockworm, a single shot rang out. Washington grunted and his weight in David
’
s arms doubled. The smuggler looked down. There was a single gunshot wound in the Peacekeeper
’
s chest.

“
It
’
s not over,
”
were the last words of Sergeant Washington before he collapsed to the ground.

“
It seems you can
’
t protect anyone, Carp.
”
Fifteen meters from David, Castle had a pistol leveled at him.

Pure raged welled up inside of David. As he stared at Castle with hatred, images of Alana and all the other helpless victims of the murderous monster flashed before his eyes. His fists clenched, teeth gritted.
“
Castle, I am going to-
”

“
You
’
re going to kill me, are you?
”
Castle finished for him.
“
You really are delusional. Say hello to Ramirez for me.
”
With that he pulled the trigger.

The pistol
’
s hammer fell, but there was no controlled explosion, no muzzle flash. The Windcorp trooper glanced at his weapon in confusion.

David
’
s rage exploded. He let out a blood curdling scream and in a full out sprint, he charged.

Castle was in the middle of attempting to rack a new round when the smuggler slammed into him. His left shoulder hit him square in the gut and the two of them crashed to the ground. David didn
’
t let up. He got on top of the stunned trooper and started pummeling him with punches. His first split the man
’
s brow open and the third his chin. Castle was unable to counter the enraged man.

It was the Ferenic that saved the trooper
’
s life at that moment. A tentacle of red mist whipped through the air within centimeters of David
’
s head. He instinctually ducked. In that instant, Castle was able to land one punch square on David
’
s chin. The smuggler recoiled and Castle kicked him straight in the chest, the same move he had used back in the Belt.

David stumbled, giving Castle the needed time to get back to his feet. David put his fists up and took a combat stance. Castle grinned. He reached down and drew a sinister looking blade from his boot. Things were not looking up.

“
You always hated a fair fight, Castle,
”
David goaded.

Castle sliced the blade through the air.
“
That
’
s your problem, Carp. You never had what it takes to win.
”
He took two steps forward, closing the distance to his adversary. The blade gleamed red underneath the Ferenic storm.

David paced to his right. He was at a disadvantage, not only because he was not armed, but because his broken ribs made it extremely hard to breathe. Every breath he took of stale, hot air was accompanied by grinding bones and excruciating pain. He tried to conceal the pain from Castle but there was only so much agony the human brain could take.

The trooper circled him, like a jungle cat around a wounded animal. And this cat had teeth. It was ready to strike.

Castle lunged forward, bringing the knife swiftly down at the left side of David
’
s neck. The tip of the blade narrowly missed his jugular as the smuggler stepped right. Castle countered with a stab directed at his torso. David barely caught the man
’
s wrist, the blade millimeters from his chest. With all his weight, he twisted Castle
’
s wrist in an attempt to throw him.

The two ended up on the ground, Castle on top, knife in hand. David threw a right elbow and the blade went flying across the floor with a metallic clang. He grinned at the small victory.

It was short lived. Castle
’
s fist caught him across the brow, further opening the gash there. He tried to throw more punches but David grabbed his head and held him close in a grappling move. The trooper struggled to get out of it.

In a fluid motion, David thrust Castle off of him and rolled over to mount him. Now the smuggler had the advantage. He laid into the man, every punch drawing more blood from Castle
’
s face. The satisfaction David felt was palpable.

He was caught completely off guard by the shot to his groin. Castle
’
s upper thigh just barely grazed David
’
s most precious cargo, but the force was enough. David crumpled.

While the smuggler riled in pain, Castle wriggled free from under him. The man
’
s face was a bloody mess but he willed himself to crawl towards the discarded blade. Above him the crimson terror continued to swirl and grow.

David struggled through the pain. He pushed it out of his mind and regained his composure. He couldn
’
t bring himself to stand, his gut still reeling from the ungentlemanly blow. Castle was almost at the knife. He couldn
’
t let him reach it. In the state he was currently in that advantage would almost certainly mean the end to this duel.

With all the energy he had left, David lunged at the trooper. He landed on top of him. The man continued to inch towards the blade. David
’
s hands slipped around his throat.

It was too late. Castle
’
s hand wrapped around the grip of the knife. With one swift stroke he embedded the weapon in David
’
s right hip up to the hilt.

“
AHHHH!
”
David rolled off of his adversary, reflexively reaching for his leg. He felt metal scraping bone as he moved.

After standing, Castle reached down and gripped the handle of the knife. As he removed it infinite waves of pain flooded David
’
s nervous system. He gritted his teeth, but there was no way he could contain the following screams.

“
Oh, come on, Carp. It
’
s not that bad.
”
He wiped the blade of the knife clean on David
’
s trousers.
“
It
’
s not like I
’
m torturing you.
”
Something menacing played across the man
’
s lips.

David tried to catch his breath but ended up choking as his lung strained against his broken ribs. The violent motion further enflamed the wound in his leg, which he could feel seeping out more and more blood every second.

“
Bite me.
”

Castle laughed.
“
Never one for witty comebacks.
”
He started pacing beneath the Ferenic storm.
“
Why do we do this, Carp? Why do we play these games?
”

“
This isn
’
t a game, Castle. The survival of humanity is on the line.
”

Castle looked up at the swirling mist.
“
What? The Ferenic? You really don
’
t understand the opportunity we
’
ve stumbled onto.
”
He waved the knife in the direction of the power source.
“
Look at the energy. Look at the
power
.
”

David coughed.
“
It
’
s going to kill us all, like it killed the Cdat
’
h Vars.
”

“
No. It
’
s the future.
”
Castle knelt over him.
“
I can see it. Windham can see it. The Federation can see it. Why can
’
t you?
”
He held the blade up to his throat.

“
Because I
’
m not blinded by power, Castle.
”

“
What
’
s wrong with power? It
’
s what makes the galaxy turn.
”
He dragged the blade across David
’
s cheek.

“
You
’
re a monster, you know that? An animal!
”
He spat in the man
’
s face.

Castle recoiled.
“
An animal? Okay, I
’
ll take that.
”
He stood up.
“
Like a dog. Well, at least that means I have loyalty. That is something you never learned.
”

David couldn
’
t believe what he was hearing.
“
You don
’
t have a loyal bone-
”

“
Don
’
t interrupt me!
”
He stabbed the knife in David
’
s direction. After a pause as long as a heartbeat he continued.
“
A dog has loyalty. I
’
ll admit it may not be smart or ingenious, but at least it doesn
’
t betray those it serves with.
”
He glared at David.
“
Or maybe you
’
re calling me a
wild
animal. In that case you have been approaching this all wrong. You
’
ve been provoking me, baiting me. You can
’
t seem to let the demons lie. But that
’
s the problem. You don
’
t provoke a wild animal. The only choice it has then is to strike. You have to leave the animal alone.
”

With that Castle squatted down.
“
Are you going to leave me alone, Carp?
”

The pain welled up in David. Not the physical pain that wracked his body, but mental anguish. Alana
’
s voice filled his mind. The image of Castle placing a gun to her head and in the slowest, most agonizing way, pulling the trigger.
“
I will not rest until you lay dead at my feet.
”

Castle shook his head.
“
Then you put me in an awful position. If I am a wild animal I only see things two ways; kill or be killed. And I am not about to die in this tomb.
”
Reversing the knife in his hand, he raised it threateningly over David
’
s body.

Over the roar of the Ferenic, two shots rang out. Castle
’
s body crumpled on top of David, the knife tumbling harmlessly to the ground.

David shoved the carcass off of him. As he did so he could hear the dying breath of his adversary expel from his lungs. The relief of seeing the man dead was outweighed greatly by the fact that he had not taken his life from this world. Fighting the pain in his leg, he looked around in an attempt to find his savior.

Washington staggered towards him, a pistol gripped in his right hand. He was a mess, his uniform a blood soaked rag surrounding the chest wound he had sustained.
“
We need to get out of here!
”
he yelled as he approached.

David looked up at the chaos above him. The mist was denser and swirling far faster than it had been before. The Ferenic continued to build its power. If they left now, there would be no chance of stopping it. But what would could the two of them do? Disconnecting the facility from the power source had only intensified the Rockworm
’
s activity.

Then something Castle had said struck home.

The staccato of unmuffled weapons fire complemented the suppressed shots of the Peacekeepers. The snap-hiss of nearby rounds permeated the passageway.

“
Fall back!
”
Gnasher bellowed while he emptied a magazine in the direction of the Windcorp troopers.

Letsego complied. He retreated from the alcove he was using for cover and withdrew down the tunnel. They were almost at the hangar bay.

Two Divers motioned him into a doorway. Once through he found himself in the bay control room. Behind him, bullets stitched the entryway.

Besides the men at the door, there were seven other Peacekeepers in the room. They had taken up positions at the various windows overlooking the hangar floor. Seeking cover behind a desk, Letsego checked his watch. The friendly gunboats would be here any moment. He had to get the hangar doors open.

The Divers stationed at the door continued to fire at an unseen enemy. The team had awoken the hornets nest as they had made their way down from the Windcorp office spaces. In this case, the hornets were a battalion
’
s worth of Windcorp troopers. The team had run head first into a squad of them as they rounded a tunnel corner. It had not been much of a contest for the Divers considering the twelve troopers had been in no way ready for a fight. The following hundred dispatched to hunt down the rogue Peacekeepers had been a very different story.