The Forbidden Trilogy(271)

He returned to his location on the cliff, concentrating again to raise the magma even higher.

Drake raised his voice to be heard over the boiling rage beneath them. "In your broadcast, you said you were doing this for common man, for the people like those living on this island. If that's true, then why erupt the volcano?"

Clever boy, just like his mother. "When the demons of this volcano are ready, I will send it over the side of the mountain and let it tear a scar through the land. It will burn through everything as it makes its way to the harbor."

Drake's jaw dropped in shock. "You'll burn the entire island."

It felt good to finally share his plan with someone who could see the bigger picture. "People will die, naturally, but I've given them a chance to join me. It's time for the next step. These things must happen for the greater good."

Drake stared past Steele, no more questions on his lips. Perhaps he had finally seen the futility of fighting it.

Behind Steele, an explosion erupted and he flew forward, shards of metal, plastic and rock piercing his body. Pain stung him, but he pushed it aside—nothing his body couldn't handle. He looked up to where Drake had been looking.

A kid stood with a grenade launcher over his shoulder, and several others flanked him. One boy levitated, throwing rocks at Steele, which he easily dodged. The same boy called out orders. "Toby, move to the flank. Gary, find some metal. Greg, Mary, get behind cover. Norm, get above him."

Another boy nodded and jumped into the air, flying straight for Steele.

Paranormals. Kids that must have grown up in my facility. Steele headed toward them, sorry that it would have to end this way for them. He'd given them their powers, sheltered them and trained them. They could have been his agents, helping him form a new world order, but instead they had rebelled, forcing him to create the Grunts.

Now, he'd have to kill them. Such a waste.

He lifted his hands, and the earth around them began to shake.





Chapter 127 - Lucy



The beetle attacked Beleth, pushing him back with its horns.

Lucy used the distraction to check on Luke and Hunter. Both had been knocked out, again. She worried about permanent damage after so many attacks. Purplish bruises had formed on Luke's face, and on Hunter's stomach, where his shirt had been pushed up.

"Guys, wake up. We gotta get out of here." She nudged them each and cajoled them to wake. The sphere had fallen from Hunter's hand, and she grabbed it and slid it into her pocket.

Beleth and the beetle had taken to the air, tumbling through the sky in an acrobatic aerial battle. Jaws snapped at blades. Claws tore into muscle. Beleth struck the beetle's shell, and Lucy felt it in her gut. It was willing to die for her, and she couldn't stop it, only try to get away in time to stop Steele and save her friends and the other kids.

There was still a way they could all make it out alive. Maybe.

Hunter groaned and sat up. "Lucy, are you okay?"

She nodded and caressed his face, also starting to bruise. "I am, but you look like hell. We have to go." She turned to her brother. "Come on, Luke."

He looked worse than Hunter, pale and sunken into himself. He'd used too much power, drained himself too often. He groaned. "Luce, did we win?"

She helped him up. "Well, we're not dead yet. Let's count that as a victory and get the hell out of here."

They followed the edge of the cliff until reaching a waterfall. Simmons followed silently, still nursing her broken nose and shooting daggers at Lucy.

The waterfall plummeted into jagged rocks below. Jumping would not end well for them. Near the waterfall, a thin piece of rock rose, like a column sticking up from the cliff, thinner through the middle. They might be able to jump to it and climb down, but even at optimal health, that could be disastrous. And no one in her rag-tag crew was at optimal anything at the moment.

Another spasm in her gut; the beetle had taken another hit. She couldn't let it die for them. This wasn't the beetle's battle.

She edged near the waterfall, her toes hanging off the cliff. "We jump. Luke, I know you're tired, but try to slow us down as much as you can."

Simmons balked. "I'm not jumping down there. Your brother can barely stand on his own two feet."

"Fine. Stay here and die. I really don't care anymore."

Hunter held her hand and leaned in to kiss her. "I love you, Lucy. You're the bravest woman I've ever known."

Simmons frowned at them, but Lucy ignored her.

As they prepared to jump, the beetle fell from the sky and landed in water beside them—flipped on its back, gashes and dents in its shell. It twitched, still alive but hurt.

Beleth dropped from the sky behind them, turned his hand into a giant hammer and lunged it forward, throwing Luke, Lucy and Hunter over the cliff.