Prometheus and the Dragon (Atlas and the Winds Book 2) (49 page)

“The beam is out of commission,” she added.

***

Stormhaven:

“Tom, the
Draco
is down,” Doug reported. “Sophie says there might be survivors. They took out the weapon.”

“Where are they?” Tom said, feeling the need to lean against a railing to keep from collapsing. He’d been trying to help coordinate security teams against the intruders.

“Way behind enemy lines,” he said. “Almost two miles southwest.”

“How’s the rest of the evacuation progressing?” Tom asked. “Can we clear out yet with the
Michael?”

“Stand by,” he said. Coming back several seconds later he reported, “Dr. Winston and Colton never got to the ship.”

“Mica, is Dr. Winston still in the medical center?” Tom asked.

“Negative. They reported a sniper several minutes ago outside the intake interview room. At that time they were on level five below the exit. Since then, I have had no contact with either of them.”

“Shit,” Tom said. “How long till we have to be out of here?”

“We are scheduled for security handoff to the residents who will be remaining in eighteen minutes,” Mica said. “The
Gabriel
is standing by for loading the remaining personnel. Antu is ninety-six minutes from impact.”

“And Colton has gone missing,” Tom said. “Daryl, you take over the tactical management. Shapiro, meet me at level five on the backside, under the exit. We’ll start tracking our wayward father from there. Mica, you’ve got command.”

***

The Wreckage of the Draco:

Dave tried to sit up but he was pinned under something. It felt like one of the chairs, but he couldn’t be sure. It was too heavy to move. He twisted his head to the side and listened to the creaking sounds in his neck. He coughed, clearing his throat.

“Anyone else alive?” he said, his voice weak from lack of expansion room for his chest.

“I think so,” he heard a voice.

“Over here,” another one said. Someone else groaned, but didn’t speak.

“Nice landing boss,” the first one said. Dave could hear him moving in the dark. He saw a distant light but it looked to be very near the floor.

“I’m pinned under something,” Dave said.

“Yeah, I think we’re upside down,” he said, closer. There was the sound of crunching glass right beside his head.

“Watch it, I’m down here,” Dave said.

“Christ, what the hell hit us?” a new voice asked. Dave was having trouble sorting them out. He couldn’t breathe.

“I think I’m in trouble,” he gasped. He felt some of the weight on his chest start to lift and he sucked in a deep breath. It felt like a knife twisted in his ribs and he coughed.

“If we don’t get out of here—“ Dave started. Another pain shot through him and he bit down hard on his lip to keep from screaming.

“Shut up boss,” voice one said. There were two of them now, lifting the stuff off of him while a third one pulled him out by his shoulders.

Outside there was a shot, and then the ground shook like a small earthquake. A shadow passed over the dim light through the windows and Dave shook his head. “They’re coming for us,” he said.

“Didn’t he say
‘shut up’
boss?” voice two said.

***

Above the Army of the Holy Right Encampment:

Sophie spun the
Raphael
in a flat circle, sweeping the enemy soldiers away like a leaf blower gone mad. She ran her guns at full power, not worrying about stunning anyone. Anytime something moved within range, she shot it. It didn’t matter what it was, it got blasted. She wanted them out of the way. Permanently was better.

She saw on her situational display the swarm of flight infantry rocketing toward her, most of them moving so fast they were across the enemy lines before they could be shot. She could also tell they’d attracted a lot of attention, and before they’d even arrived, there were signs of pursuit.

Below her the
Draco
lay scattered for a quarter mile, pieces of ship barely recognizable in their twisted and half-buried positions. She knew there were indeed survivors because she’d already seen two of the crew stagger out of open holes in the hull.

She hung closer to the bridge section, the furthest flung piece of debris, not just because it was the worst damaged, but because somewhere in there she hoped Dave was still alive.

“Come on, come on,” she pleaded under her breath, the chronometer on her display showing the time until impact. It was getting close. She glanced up into the morning sky, shocked to see a little point of light, clearly visible. Antu.

***

Near the Army of the Holy Right Encampment:

Nathaniel Sommerset lay on his back in a small drainage ravine staring up at the sky. He didn’t see the ship go down, but he knew it had exploded. He’d felt the ground shake, and he’d been lucky enough to find this ditch before the other ship had gone insane and flattened everything in sight. He knew the fighting was still going on for the stronghold of the evil ones, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever make it back to his army.

He was terrified to stick his head up. Beside him, around a tight turn in the channel he heard a sound. Someone moving, sounding like they were dragging something heavy behind them.

“Who’s there?” he whispered.

“Reverend Sommerset? Is that you?” It was a woman’s voice. Ancient sounding, and tired. He could hear the
psst, psst,
sound of an oxygen tank.

“Yes, it’s me,” he whispered again, watching her come around the corner.

“Praise the Lord you’re alive,” she said. “I was so worried that you’d been under that thing when it crashed.”

“The Lord has blessed me,” he nodded. “And you too, Sister?”

“Mobley,” she said. “Sarah Mobley.” She twisted around grunting in pain and leaned against the embankment facing him.

“I have this,” she said, pulling the box she’d been dragging out of the mud. She opened the lid and hauled out a LAW. It was loaded and ready.

The Reverend recognized the antitank missile, but had no idea how to use it. “Where did you find it?” he asked.

“In the mess tent. One of your soldiers left it when he ran out to protect the camp. I thought I’d bring it to him, but it’s too heavy to carry.” She gave a sad smile. “I wish I could fight for you. I believe so much in what you’re doing. I’d just take this and shoot that ship right out of the sky.” She heaved it up to her shoulder like she’d seen in the movies, and pulled the trigger. The missile streaked out toward the ship. “Oh my,” she said, blinking in shock.

A moment later the
Raphael
locked in and swung its guns toward the point of origin for the shot, pounding both Sarah Mobley and the Most High Reverend Nathaniel Sommerset into oblivion.

***

Stormhaven:

They found the doctor’s body in the stairwell where he’d been killed. There was no sign of Colton.

“Where would he have headed?” Shapiro asked, looking for clues like a cop trying to unravel a murder.

“Who knows? He was pretty doped up,” Tom said, staring up toward the landing above. If he’d gone that way he’d have been outside and Mica would have recorded the door access. That meant he was still inside somewhere.

“Goddamnit,” Tom growled, turning to walk toward the railing. The whine of a bullet ricocheting off the metal sent him jumping back behind the concrete.

Shapiro pulled his gun and eased toward the front, looking toward the east end. “Mica, we’ve got another sniper up there. Can you give me an idea where he is?”

“Negative,” she said. “He must have gotten through before the security team got to the breach.”

“Great, he’s killed the doctor,” he said. “Cole’s still on the loose.”

“We have volunteers from those staying behind ready to look for him,” Mica said. “Should I have them commence?”

“Not until we take out the sniper,” he said. “I think he’s down a level and to the south.”

“We have forces above that position. I am giving orders to see if they can find him. Stand by.”

Doug stuck his head out to see if he could spot him and another shot rang out. “He went down,” he said. “Otherwise he’d be dead. The sniper’s got the entire rest of the balcony in sight from over there.”

Tom nodded and they headed down, checking to see if they had any other direction they could turn. At each balcony the sniper had a clear shot of everything except the stairwell. It wasn’t until they got to the ground that they were obscured enough to step out. Right behind the amphitheater.

And there sat Cole, under the back edge of the riser, feeding a rabbit scraps of granola. “Look out for the sniper,” he said. “He’s got me pinned down here.”

“Yeah, we’ve got a team on him now,” Tom said. Shapiro was talking to Mica, letting her know they’d found Colton. A couple seconds later there were several rapid shots and then silence.

“He’s been neutralized,” Doug reported. “Mica’s advising that the long-timers are moving into position to hold the breaches, and our security forces are pulling out.”

“It’s time to go,” Tom said to Cole, not sure how cognizant of his surroundings his friend was.

“I’ve been drugged,” Cole said, standing up and leaning against the back of the stage like he was drunk.

“I know,” Tom said. “It was for your own good.”

“Whatever. Just don’t do it again,” he said, his eyes flashed with anger even though his voice sounded smooth and calm, a strange dichotomy of awareness playing out in his features.

“Let’s move,” Shapiro said. “Mica says the troops are holding the exit as long as they can, but they’re starting to catch a lot of heat with the flight infantry tied up in rescue operations.”

Tom grabbed Cole’s arm and started pulling him toward the stairs. He looked up to the top level, seeing several heads looking over at them. Their forces were waiting, ready to provide cover.

They started climbing, Shapiro in front and Tom at the rear, keeping Cole centered between them. Doug would reach a landing, scan it for hostiles, and then signal them up.

They’d reached the fourth landing, when a deafening thunder rolled throughout the Biome. Shapiro crashed backwards and Cole and Tom caught him as he almost sent them all down. Ungodly heat roared down at them like a dragon with indigestion. At least three men went flying past the landing, tumbling toward the ground.

“The exit above you has been compromised,” Mica said over the open com. “The damage to the doorway is sufficient that you cannot make it to the fabrication center.”

“Shit,” Shapiro said, turning around and pushing them back toward the balcony below.

“What about the security team?” Cole asked.

“There are no survivors inside that I can locate,” Mica said. “The roof over the egress corridor collapsed. Any personnel in the tunnel have perished. The Commander of the
Michael
reports there is an ongoing firefight outside, and security forces are engaging enemy units.”

“How do we get out?” Tom asked.

“The southwest emergency exit is currently clear,” Mica said. “I can direct the
Michael
to pick you up there.”

“What about the other ships?” Shapiro asked. “Aren’t they still providing cover?”

“The
Uriel
will be proceeding to the
Draco
wreckage. They will be transporting the survivors and the flight infantry. The
Gabriel
has begun air suppression operations over the back exit in an effort to extract the ground units that were outside when the corridor collapsed. The
Michael
is already near capacity and is the only ship available to meet you. The minies are providing interim coverage.” Mica said.

“Jesus, how many people have we lost?” Cole asked, his face twisting as emotions started to come closer to the surface than was probably healthy for him in his current state.

“A few,” Tom said, cutting Mica off before she could answer.

“The
Draco?”
he asked.

“Yeah, it got shot down,” Shapiro said. “But they’re pulling people out of it right now.” Then changing the subject he asked, “What’s the safest route to the extraction point?”

“Sensors are down or intermittent throughout the Biome,” Mica said. “Based on communications with the security teams, stay below the fourth level and then climb to the exit after you pass the former apartment of Dr. Rosnikov. There is some activity on levels six and seven north of the exit. Our forces are along the north side.”

“We’ll stay low then,” Tom said, dropping one stairway and turning to the left. They would catch the interconnecting balconies all the way around. He led until they reached the stairway up to the emergency exit. Gunfire, punctuated by an occasional heavier explosion, marked the position of the fighting several floors above them.