(The Push Chronicles (Book 2): Indefatigable (21 page)

"Your world is wrong, Eric, and I'll never give in to it."  Epic looked up, trying to rally himself, but his godly features were already diminished.  I could only think his confidence had finally shattered.  "Stand down and help me fix it."

For a moment, a brief moment, I thought we had won.  Not only had we won, but I had won.  If Eric gave in, I could convince him to work with me and properly fix this.  Not some heavy-handed kludge like Mackenzie wanted, but maybe more like a 'tune-up'.  No one would have to suffer and no one would forget the bloody lessons we had witnessed.  I thought that, until I realized that we weren't alone anymore on that rooftop.

"Step away from him, Indomitable, and surrender!"

At a quick count, there were a dozen or more Crusaders arrayed around me, looking all too eager to rip me to pieces.

I sucked in a tight breath as I considered my options.  Had Epic gated in all of these Crusaders when I wasn't looking?  Unlikely, especially as his waning confidence stunted his power.  They must have been the extras from the very start of our clash, which meant only one thing: we had lost.  I had to know a few things before I decided how to answer the Crusaders' demand.  Eric was still bowed and broken at my feet when I glanced at one of the nearby Crusaders.  Twister, I think his name was, probably because he was sitting suspended by a spinning cyclone, he looked like he was the spokesman of this particular bunch.

"Where are my friends?" I demanded.  "If you've killed any of them ..." I raised my boot above Eric's head.

"No, of course not," he replied.  Midwesterner by the accent.  "We're not the bad guys!"

"That's rich."  I lowered my foot.  "You're the ones that attacked us."  There was an uncomfortable murmur among the Crusaders.  Epic seemed to be slowly recovering, but I knew for a fact that Eric had never gotten the crap kicked out of him before.  It would be a few more moments before he got to his feet.

"I'm sorry about that, ma'am, but it was necessary."  Twister didn't sound entirely convinced himself, but he stuck to his guns.  At least he was loyal.  "The Five, Argent Archer, and the crystal girl are in custody but safe.  Now, are you going to make us fight you or are you going to give up?"  Strange, or fortunate, that they didn't mention Rachel or Duane.  Maybe they were free.

I contemplated what to do.  I could finish it now, deprive the Crusaders of their leader and maybe provide hope for anyone else against them.  Of course, that would turn me into a murderer.  That wasn't the woman I was or the woman I wanted to be.  Those thoughts were interrupted by a crackle in my earbud.

"Irene, give up," Rachel whispered harshly.  I could only guess she, hopefully they, went to ground.  "I've got a plan.  You must trust me or we have no chance."

Part of me wanted to ignore the buzzing in my ear, just like a part of me wanted to curb-stomp Eric's head into a bloody pulp.  My trust in Rachel Choi was far stronger than those violent whispers.  As much as I hated the idea, I raised my hands over my head.

"Fine," I conceded.  "I surrender."  As Twister and another Crusader came up to me with some rather massive manacles, I smiled.  "Just remember what you all saw here.  Remember who was kneeling before who."  With absolute confidence, I held out my hands as those heavy chains were clapped on.  "I'm going with you to ensure my friends' safety, not because I couldn't beat every single one of you if I had to."

Given the careful eye and wide berth most of the others gave me as they moved to collect their beaten god, I think they believed me.  Not that it mattered now.  The chains were all too real and I didn't see very many options for freedom in the near future.

All I could think, as two of the fliers in the Crusaders' cadre scooped me up under my arms, was just how bitter the taste of victory was right now.

About the Author

J. B. Garner was born in Baltimore, MD on December 1, 1976, the youngest of three children. While still young, the family moved to Peachtree City, GA. His parents always encouraged his creative side and J. B. began writing and drawing from an early age. Though considered talented by his teachers, he never fully applied himself and bounced through high school and into college at the Georgia Institute of Technology. During his freshman year, his father died suddenly.

Grief and lack of purpose caused J. B. to drop out of school. If not for a few close friends, he might have dropped out of life as well. Taken in by his friends and given a second chance, J. B. matured, applied himself, and finally, after over a decade of hard work, is now back to doing what he loves the most: writing.

His writing passions include science fiction, fantasy, pro wrestling and superhero literature.  His third book,
Indefatigable
, is what you are reading right now.

Feel free to get in touch with him via e-mail (
[email protected]
) or at his deviantArt page (
http://megatarget.deviantart.com/
).

Discover other titles by J. B. Garner

The Push Chronicles

Indomitable

Indefatigable

Incorruptible (early 2015)

Three Seconds to Legend

The Opening Bell

The Tale of the Tape

The Twelfth Labor (early 2015)