Morningside Fall(25)

Wren came over to her side, and she went down on one knee, offering the other as a step for him. He climbed up on it, using her shoulder for support as he did, and his heel dug into her quadriceps with a dull ache. When had he gotten so heavy?

“What do you think?” Cass asked.

She watched his face as Wren studied them for a moment. She waited for the sound of the next impact. But it never came.

“Alright, this is starting to give me the jibblies,” Sky said.

“What now?” Cass asked.

“They stopped,” said Gamble.

Cass took Wren off her leg and stood up to take a look.

“I can’t see, Mama.”

She picked him up and held him as they looked down over the wall together. The Weir were in a loose crowd, as if they’d begun to scatter and then abruptly stopped. Now they were just standing there, looking up at the wall. No. Looking up at Wren. And then one made the strangest sound.

“Spshhhh. Naaaah.”

Like a burst of thin hissing static, followed by wave of white noise, somewhere between a violent exhalation and a whispered howl. Cass had never heard anything like it before.

“Spshhhh. Naaaah.”

The same as before. Exactly the same, as far as Cass could tell.

“Spshhhh. Naaaah.”

They came in an even rhythm, almost like a chant. Some of the other Weir began shuffling together, gradually closing in around the one making the sound, like a dark pool spreading in reverse. Their eyes remained fixed on Wren. An evil shiver ran down Cass’s spine.

“That one’s begging for it,” Sky said, sighting in. “Ace?”

“Hold on,” Gamble answered. She looked at Cass.

“What do you think, baby?” Cass asked.

“Something’s not right, Mama.”

“Can you wake any of them?”

Wren surveyed the group below, and then shook his head with a sad look. Too far gone. Gamble gave a sharp nod in Sky’s direction. A half-second later his rifle hummed quick and low, and the chanting Weir fell violently backwards.

The other Weir didn’t even react. Some just stood around aimlessly, but those that were moving continued to gather together, closer and closer. A little over half of them, maybe twenty-five, slowly pressed together.

“Spshhhh. Naaaah.”

A new one took up the call now. And then another. Then a third. Sky’s rifle hummed once and quickly again, and two of them fell. Still no effect.

“Looks like some of ’em are busted,” Wick said. “Look at that one just turning circles.”

Sure enough, one Weir, separated from the others, was turning a slow circle; turn thirty degrees, stop, thirty degrees, stop, thirty degrees, stop. It really did look like a system glitch.

“Is it just me, or are some of them missing?” Finn asked.

Now that he mentioned it, the crowd did seem smaller. Cass was just about to say so when Able tore past her and she heard Swoop draw his sword. She turned.

“Mama!”

The Weir were on the wall. On top of the wall. Rushing towards them. Cass dropped Wren to his feet, pulled him behind her, and the team switched on in an instant. Able and Swoop were already there, intercepting the first two. Gamble, Mouse, Wick, and Finn all snapped weapons up as they collapsed in a protective ring around Cass and Wren. Sky swung his rifle around, ready to drop any that got past Able and Swoop. To Cass’s surprise, she heard Sky’s weapon hum. One Weir fell further down the wall, a perfectly placed shot right between Swoop and Able.

It was over in almost the time it’d taken her to process it. Only three of them, quickly dispatched.

“How did they get up?” Gamble shouted. She leapt on top of the parapet and started leaning out, scanning back and forth, checking the wall. “How did they get up here?” Sky instinctively grabbed her by the belt with his left hand, still keeping his weapon shouldered, up and ready, with his right.

“Mouse,” Cass called. Mouse came quickly to her side, his weapon down but shouldered in case any other targets presented.

“Yes, ma’am?” he asked.

“Take Wren back to the compound, please. Wick, Finn, you too.”

“But, Mama–” Wren started to protest, but Cass wasn’t having it.

“No buts, Wren. You shouldn’t have been here in the first place.” She pushed Wren towards Mouse. The big man drew Wren in close, protectively. “Straight to the compound,” she added. “Lock it up.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mouse said. He slung his weapon, and gathered Wren up. “Wick, Finn, let’s move it out.” Only then did the two brothers roll fluidly out of formation and take up defensive positions on either side of Mouse.

“Don’t worry, Cass, we’ll get him there, no sweat,” Wick said as he moved by.