Strange Skies (23 page)

I hadn’t seen the second ship. It could have landed or
flown a different route, and there was a third ship out there somewhere. Markus handed me the com. I wished I was talking to James in person. “We’re not too far from the creek,” I said. “If Max flies Markus’ ship to the other side, you should be safer from the fire. We can cover you from the ground if you fly straight over the clearing.”

“Were you soldiers planning to wait for us or were you just hoping we would burn to death?” Kale came toward us doing a bizarre run-limp. His soldier kept glancing over his shoulder at the oncoming blaze and wore a look of terror on his face. The scattered raindrops had done nothing to subdue the inferno. Web ran in front of them. I got the sense he was acting as a buffer between Kale and me.

How was Kale not dead already? Between his leg, the fire, and the lasers, he should have been gone. If a meat monster attacked him out of nowhere, I had a feeling he would somehow escape unscathed. As soon as I knew we didn’t need his help against the Consulate, I was so going to kill him if Markus didn’t do it first.

I spoke into the com again. “Do it now. We’ve got other problems to deal with when you get there.”

James’ gravelly voice came through the com. “Don’t do anything drastic. I’ll be there soon.”

For a second, everything disappeared, and it was like we were the only two people in the forest. I handed the com back to Markus. It was getting harder to keep up the same pace. My legs were tired. My ankle, which had felt great up until now, had started to hurt again. “Hey, your
nap idea sounded really good back there, but think you could catch us a meat monster first once we’re safe?”

Markus chuckled, though he sounded just as winded as I did. “Sure, I aim to please. And if you ever get tired of napping with James …”

I laughed. “Keep dreaming, soldier.”

Over the next few hundred yards, the rain came down harder and harder, yet the fire raged on. My hair hung in heavy, wet curls around my shoulders. We finally reached the creek as a ship passed overhead. I figured it was Markus’ until I looked up. The second Consulate ship zoomed past before I had a chance to fire. At first, I thought that maybe they’d seen Markus’ ship, but they didn’t fire. I craned my neck to look and the Consulate ship flew toward the very center of the blaze.

Something dropped from the ship, and I ducked and covered my head as I waited for the explosion. None came and I stood up, confused. A white hazy substance billowed up from the ground and headed in our direction.

“What are they doing?” Web asked.

The substance spread rapidly and was about to envelop us. “Maybe it’s some kind of poison!” I screamed. I couldn’t think what else it could be, but figured that between that and the fire, we’d be safest in the creek. “Get in the water.”

We jumped into the stormy water, sticking close to the bank. I tried to hold my breath, but came up sputtering for air. Maybe I should have spent more time practicing my swimming after all. Web, Markus, and Kale’s man were
coughing in the water next to me, but with his hurt leg, Kale hadn’t made it.

He stood on the bank, his body enveloped in white mist. He turned to us and rubbed his leg. “Well, I’m still standing, so it ain’t poison.”

Dumbfounded, I looked past him toward the trees. “The fire’s out. They put the fire out with that stuff.”

“That’s it!” said Kale. “Flame extinguisher. I’ve heard of it being used before.”

“Why?” asked Web.

Kale shrugged. “They’re either trying to save their own or trying to get the guns. Either way, let’s get the heck out of Dodge, people.”

My stomach clenched as the Consulate ship circled back around toward us. Even with the mist, they’d have to notice a group of people standing in the creek. Just then Markus’ ship, piloted by Max, headed straight for the creek. They were behind the Consulate ship and must not have seen them right away through the fog, because they suddenly pulled up and slowed down. The Consulate ship stopped and swiveled around.
God, no
.

I wiped the rain from my face and scrambled back on shore past Kale to the highest spot I could find. If I missed or accidentally hit Markus’ ship, I’d never forgive myself. Please let Dad’s guns work in the rain. The Consulate ship started firing before it had even fully locked on their ship.

“No!” I screamed. I aimed both guns and fired straight through the downpour.

I hit the engine dead center. The Consulate ship dove and headed full speed straight into the ground, still firing when it hit. Markus’ ship sped away from the debris that catapulted from the wreckage. I ducked as a broken piece of the wing flew past my head and lodged into a tree. Flames shot up briefly from what remained of the ship, but the rain quickly doused them.

Markus came up, dripping wet from the creek, and clapped me on the shoulder. “Hey, good job, you finally hit an engine. Only took you a few ships but I think you’ve got it down now.” He laughed. “Seriously, thanks for saving my bird.”

Markus’ ship passed overhead as a garbled voice came through the com. Markus attempted to wipe the waterlogged device off with his shirt, but it was just as drenched.

“… okay … over here … soon.” It sounded like James.

Markus stuck the device in his pack. “This won’t do us much good until it dries out. Let’s head to the other side of the creek. They’ve got to be over there somewhere.”

People were going to have to start inventing waterproof products if they planned to stay on Caelia long. The rain pounded down around us. I hoped the light flashes didn’t start up again.

“Nice shooting there, soldier.”

No way was he calling me soldier again. I’m sure it was only because there was one ship still out there. Otherwise, I’d be dead. “Thanks, Kale.”

He slicked his hair back and shielded his eyes from the
torrential rain. “Where we heading?” I noticed that despite the rain and his injury, he’d managed to keep his gun in hand the entire time. His man stayed close to him.

“Across this creek,” Web said. He eyed the Consulate embers. “Guess we don’t need to worry about survivors with this one.”

“No, and with the way that other ship caught fire, I’d doubt there are survivors there either,” I said. “It’s just a matter of how many are in that other Consulate ship.”

I stared at the creek. It churned and the water level had risen so that it swelled and spilled over the banks.

Markus groaned. “This day just keeps getting better and better.”

“Yeah,” I said, “only the day part seems to be ending.” It was hard to tell when the sun had started going down, but it was definitely getting darker.

“Great,” said Markus, “now this crap is interfering with my mealtime.” He leaned in toward me. “I get that we need Kale for now, but let me know the second I can take him out.”

I nodded and secured Trigger by tying her tightly with the drawstring of my waistband then waded back into the creek, trying to keep the other two guns out of the water. Markus and Web followed. Markus cursed up a storm when his foot slipped, and he almost went under. Kale’s man looked even less thrilled by the creek than he had by the fire and he stepped in with hesitation. Kale stomped into the water like it was just something else that annoyed
him. His injury hadn’t slowed him down as much as I’d hoped. For a second, I’d wondered if they’d desert us and go back for the guns, but they had no way to transport them. They needed Markus’ ship for that.

The rushing water pulled against my body and it was hard to keep my footing. When I reached the center, the water came up to my chest. My arms burned from holding them up for so long. The guns were light but it would have been easier if I were taller.

A strong surge swept under me and my feet lost touch with the bottom of the creek. The water took me downstream, farther away from Markus and Web. I instinctively lowered one of my arms to try swimming and accidentally submerged the gun that was still in my hand. There was no way I could swim with a gun in each hand, so I let go of the one already underwater. With any luck, it would end up buried deep in the wet mud at the bottom of the creek.

I attempted a haphazard, one-armed stroke back to where Markus was barely visible through the rain. My brief swimming lesson hadn’t prepared me for this. I wasn’t getting very far very fast, inching along toward the bank and choking on water every few seconds. Thankfully, my toes brushed the bottom again and I was able to crawl through the water slowly.

“My gun!” Kale yelled.

He’d reached the center of the creek and must have lost his grip. His man ran downstream and felt around under the water, submerging his own weapon in the process.
After a minute, he fished Kale’s gun out of the creek. “Got it, sir!”

I smiled as I trudged through the water, though my legs moved like clumsy weights. The wetter Kale’s weapon, the better.

Markus reached the other side and called out, “Get over here, sweetcakes. Not a good time to go for a swim.” When I got close enough, he reached out his hand and pulled me to him. I climbed up onto the slippery bank with the last remaining strength in my legs. It felt so good to be back on land. I made sure Trigger was still secured to my drawstring and kept the remaining B.K.-style gun in my hand.

Web climbed out shortly after I did. I hoped that a sudden surge would pull Kale under and drown him, but he marched up onto the bank safely. If I’d been even a teeny bit more like him, I would have killed him while he struggled. He still limped but the wound looked cleaner. The man thrived in extreme conditions. His soldier dragged himself up on the bank and rolled over on his back, exhausted.

The rain had let up a little, which helped, but the sky was growing darker by the minute. “Can we try the com again?” I asked Markus.

He held up his soaking wet pack in response. I sighed. “Damn. Let’s walk fast then.”

We moved toward the horizon. In the distance, I thought I saw a light flash. “Did you see that?” I asked.

“Where?” Markus asked.

It flashed again.

“I saw it,” Web said. “Max must be sending a signal.”

My heart leapt in relief. They were okay. My pace picked up. I’d see James soon. We headed toward the flashing light while I wondered how to handle the Kale situation when we got there.

The sound of firing lasers echoed in the distance, but they weren’t coming from the direction of the flashing light. They came from behind us, back on the other side of the creek. I peered back into the twilight and could barely make out the lasers through the trees. There was no way we could recross the creek in time to help.

Web turned back to the flashing light. “I say we get to the light, find out what’s going on, and then worry about all that. There’s nothing we can do from here, anyway.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Markus. “Have I mentioned I could eat an entire herd of meat monsters?”

My stomach turned. Despite not having eaten in a while, the idea of food didn’t sit well. The stress had killed my appetite. “I’m sure they have stuff on the ship, even if it’s just gel packets,” I told him.

I looked skyward. It was full night, though clouds covered the moons and a steady drizzle still fell. The breeze had lessened, but every time it blew across my body I shivered in my wet clothes. Visions of a dry shirt—and James—kept me going. The light grew closer and voices permeated the darkness.

“Bez?” Web called. “Is that you, bro?”

A hulking figure, even larger than Web, ran toward us. “You guys made it!” Bez slapped Web on the back. “James had me out here to keep an eye out for you. The ship is back this way.”

I did mental calculations as we walked. Aside from the guy with Kale, there were three more of Kale’s men, including his pilot, with James. And Sonya. With Max and Alec injured, and Becca being Becca, that left James, Markus, Web, Trent, Bez, Ian, Reed and me. It wasn’t perfect, but at least we outnumbered them.

“How is everyone?” Web asked Bez.

He paused. “Ian’s dead. Some Consulate ground troops found Markus’ ship just as James and the others were coming back. We got a few of them, just not before they got Ian.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said, my gut twisting.
How many more people had to die before this ended?

“Yeah,” said Bez. He sighed. “Max and Alec are doing okay, though. It helps that Reed is doting all over them. And Lucy is loving up everybody.”

We walked through the hatch and James ran up, grasped my face in his hands, and kissed me. “You’re awesome. You saved us,” he said.

Kale’s voice boomed from the entrance of the small ship. “How come I never got a greeting like that, soldier?” He rubbed his leg. “Makes a man feel underappreciated.”

“Kale, your leg!” Sonya shrieked. She ran to him and looked at him the same way she’d looked at James the first time I saw her.

Markus leaned over and whispered, “Oh yeah, Kale definitely showed her his ship all right.”

Reed came over and hugged me, while Lucy licked my arm. Alec waved from where he sat on the floor with his leg bound. Max was actually up and moving around. He looked great for someone that had his neck blown open not long ago.

“James, I saw laser fire back in the clearing where the weapons are,” I said. “We need to get over there and help.”

“Kale is the one that needs some help here,” Sonya demanded.

James looked surprised. He completely ignored her. “That’s a good sign. It means there are other Resistance members still out there. I heard them earlier but their coms must have gone out from the storm.” He touched my sopping shirt. At least the thermoplastic wasn’t translucent or I’d be giving everyone quite the show right now. “And you’re soaked. Let’s get you a dry shirt.”

“My room, third drawer down,” Markus said. “Grab me one while you’re in there.”

“Max, can you fly us over there?” James asked as he walked toward Markus’ room. “The last Consulate ship is still out there, so we need to be quick.” He turned back to Kale. “I’ll check your leg on the way.”

Markus was more than fine with Max flying after the creek ordeal. He seemed happy just to be on board his own ship and rummaged through a cupboard for an energy gel packet.