Ghosts of Lyarra (26 page)

Iana nodded in agreement and shifted back to the far wall to a place where she would be in cover. Once he was convinced she was away from harm, Aen walked to the door and out into the hall. The second he emerged from the lab, he heard a familiar voice
shout.

“You have entered a restricted facility! Come out with your hands on your head slowly and
surrender.”

Aen took a few more steps forward and rolled the smoke bomb around in his palm to get the best grip. His helmet began to identify the attackers and their positions, along with the person who was in charge. While it wasn’t a complete surprise to hear that voice here in this house of horrors, Aen was curious to make sure he left its owner alive; at least until he knew why he was being killed and by
whom.

“Hands on your head!” it shouted, followed by “Fire at
will!”

The familiar crackle of a battle rifle echoed in the bowels of the concrete tomb, but Aen had surrounded himself by a thin shield of immense heat that even the plasma laced bullets evaporated in before they could reach him. But it didn’t deter his attackers, and they poured on the barrage and added some plasma rifle fire into the mix. These rounds too couldn’t penetrate his defenses, but just defending wasn’t going to keep Iana
safe.

With his right arm, Aen wound up and threw the gas canister as hard as he could through the barricade of tables and striking the chest of the leader; breaking a few ribs and sending him flying back to the far wall. The impact broke his right femur and the already fractured ribs punctured his left lung. With the primary target down and out, he turned his attention to the others and with a bit of concentration made their weapons too heavy to wield any longer by adjusting the force of gravity on the specific guns. With dull thuds, they hit the floor and dented the cement it was made of. Some turned and ran, and Aen assisted them by sending them flying into the wall, head first. Necks snapped with sickening cracks and in a flash seven men were
dead.

The remaining two were brave and drew knives; Aen chuckled and lowered his shield as he turned to face them. He imagined them both glowering angrily behind their gas masks; brave soldiers following orders to the very end. With a wave of his left hand, he awarded their bravery with a quick death as he ignited their cells and turned them to statues of ash in the blink of an eye. Now he was alone with the one he wanted all along and he slowly stalked his injured prey as it struggled to get to his feet. Aen grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up so they could speak face to
face.

“Fuck you!” the man spat. “Just kill me and get it over
with!”

His HUD noted the massive implants, cybernetic parts and robotic limbs that the soldier now had. When Aen last saw him, he was flying across the hanger to lie in a heap where he would die; a gross miscalculation of the man’s will to live was the only reason the two stood face to face years later. It was a mistake that Aen would not make twice, as now his anger was tempered; cooled by years of isolation and forgetfulness and forged by his mind and body finally becoming one after all this
time.

“You once again take a job that leads you to me.” Aen finally spoke. “Either you are extremely stupid or too naïve to say no to the old man’s orders, Lieutenant
Wilson.”

The man looked confused, then began to think hard on the words spoken as the light finally went on in his head. His eyes lit up in near horror as he realized what he had walked
into.

“You’re
dead!”

“So were you.” Aen replied. “But here we are anyways; you all broken like Humpty Dumpty and me stronger than ever. Like a reunion; let’s go dig up Taylor and call up Patterson and get some beers or
something.”

“Why?” Wilson questioned. “Why are you doing all this? Why did you turn on the one ally this planet
had?”

“All is not what it seems, but that is far above your pay grade soldier.” Aen was almost enjoying this as he dropped the man and let him fall to the
floor.

“And the two Lyarrans here on Earth?” Wilson questioned as he gasped for air. “That was you
too?”

“A necessary evil; one not without purpose I assure you. All for the greater good” Aen resisted the want to remove his helmet and stare at his enemy in the bare flesh and settled for the subtle verbal shots he was
giving.

“There is no purpose in torture and murder.” Wilson
muttered.

“There’s the hypocrisy!” pointed out Aen. “Wasn’t it your direct involvement that led to me being tortured and murdered? All for the greater good; wasn’t that what they told
you?”

“Don’t fuck with me.” The Lieutenant propped himself up on the wall beside him. “Kill me and get it over with. Been dying to see my wife again anyways, might as well be you that finishes the job
anyway.”

“It’s not going to be that easy, but I will grant your wish eventually.” Aen said as he bent over his fallen foe and produced a spherical device from his back and placed it on the floor between Wilson’s legs. A surge of energy from his heart flowed into the device and it began to glow from an electric blue fire
within.

“This is the same device I used on the Lyarra’s Fire.” He spoke clearly. “Once I leave, your comms will be active on the short range only. The Councils and their protection detail are closing in as we speak and as soon as you are in range I want you to deliver a message.” Aen thrust a paper with scribbled words on it into his
hands.

“Once you have read it, you can pick your time of demise by saying ‘I’m sorry’ and you will be free to join your wife in the afterlife and end your misery.” He poked the chest plate of his body armor. “Can’t imagine the pain that is causing
you.”

“And what if I say it now?” Wilson growled. “Will I take you with me? Or what if I wait for them to land and take your daughter along for the ride to
hell?”

Aen shook his head at his prey. “All thought of ahead of time, though I didn’t plan on it being you to find me here; was kind of hoping for the old man himself. It is programmed with a proximity sensor; if the incoming shuttle breaks the furthest threshold it will detonate. And don’t think of mentioning my name; not only will the comms disengage but the device will detonate then
too.”

Aen looked back as his companion emerged from the room she was hiding in and slowly walked out to him. He met her halfway and wrapped his arm around her, then returned his gaze back to the fallen
soldier.

“I would hope you would go out like a man; taking innocents along with you isn’t in your blood.” Aen scolded. “It’s why you have nightmares every night and why this place gives you the creeps as bad as it does me. In a minute we both will be free of this memory of hell; either way, your life ends here so it might as well end when you want it
to.”

“So I have to apologize to you before I die?” Wilson was choked
up.

“No.” Aen said as he stepped back with his companion into the remnants of the smoke. “You will apologize to
her.”

A light flashed, blinding Avery and when his vision returned the two armored figures had vanished. He watched as the device rose off the ground and began to spin wildly just a few feet from his face. He contemplated his many options, but knew there was no way to escape before the bomb exploded. His eyes scanned the page once more as a tear streamed down his cheek. An image of his wife smiling back at him with outstretched arms calmed his nerves and gave him peace; and as the comm crackled back to life he accepted what had to be done and his responsibility to face up to his
sins.

“I’m coming home baby.” He sobbed. “See you
soon.”

—

“Come in Wilson.” Sara spoke into the comm. “We have your ship on radar and will be on your position in ten minutes. What is your
status?”

There was no response; nothing but the hiss of static and interference. There was no reason for such issues out here; there was no industrial sites to cause havoc with the communication and there was no way the new comms technology could fail like this. Something else was going on here and by the look on Lyxia’s face, Sara knew it was more than her gut feeling telling her it was all
wrong.

“Can anyone hear me?” she asked in
concern.

But the only answer was more static; the dead air of an open line with no one on it. Sara gave a quick look to Lyxia who wore a similar face of concern. Something was very wrong and both of them knew it. She tapped the pilot’s shoulder to urge him to get there faster and Lyxia ordered something in her language to her Ifierin to prepare them for landing. Best be ready before hand; Sara agreed with the strategy and silently wished she had some of her men here with her
too.

“
Stop
.”

The voice was so sudden that everyone in the shuttle halted their preparations and looked around at each other to confirm it was actually a real voice they heard. They didn’t have to wait long to get the
answer.

“
Stop the shuttle
.” It was Lieutenant Wilson, but his voice was ragged and worn.
“
Now
!”

Sara gave the order and the shuttle stopped all forward motion, it just hovered in place about forty miles away from the facility. Her mind began to race with possibilities of what might be happening or what was found down there. From chemical agents to nuclear contamination; her imagination tried its best to overrule her common
sense.

“I need a report Lieutenant.” She calmed herself and took a deep breath. “Why are we stopping? What’s going on down
there?”

“
I found him
.” The voice was laced with
fear.

“If you mean the killer from the desert then let us land and my Ifierin will take over.” Lyxia pushed past Sara to the comm and
interrupted.

“
It is him
.” Wilson whispered. “
The one that everyone
wants
.”

“Get this ship down there now!” Lyxia shouted; putting the words into context faster than her human friend. Just beyond the next ridge was the exact creature she was after; the one that killed Iana, was here on Terra
Sol.

“
Don’t
.” It almost seemed like the stoic soldier was almost crying. “
He’s gone, but he left a bomb behind. If you rush in here, I think you will die with
us
.”

“Maybe we can help disarm the device.” Sara grabbed the line back. “Give you enough time to get out
safely.”

“It’s too late, he made sure of that.” There was a weird sound; a crackling that almost sounded like interference, but yet reminded Sara of the sound of rustling paper. “I don’t have much time, so you have to listen; our friend left a message for you
both.”

The two shared a glance that spoke volumes; Sara shrugged and Lyxia nodded her head in agreement. There was more than what they could comprehend going on here; the being they chased was leading them around by a trail of breadcrumbs and this was the next one
found.

“
I control everything
.” Wilson began. “
I own the airways, the defence networks, video feeds, and comm lines. You have no way to notify the Imperial cruiser at the edge of the system, nor your crews upon Olympus high. You are trapped here with me, but yet you still aren’t ready for the
truth
.”

“
It is larger than any one world and the Empire in its entirety; the future is at stake and none of us will be safe when it all begins. It took time for me to see it, and some intervention from those that see everything. Now I see into the murkiness that shrouds them as the faces of those who wish to remain nameless begin to come clear, I am reminded of what has been lost in discovering this. Separate emotion from fact; if you stop looking with your heart you will see what you need to. Hard choices have been made; the first of many I am
sure
.”

“
I apologize about the message, but old wrongs must be made right and it was a way of doing two things at once. When you are ready to see the light, we will meet face to face; only then will you see the darkness through the glare of the light. Until then, look upon all with suspicion as the enemy is closer than you think; the darkness has penetrated deep within your ranks and will not show itself until it
must
.”

The line was silent; leaving Lyxia and Sara to only guess if the Lieutenant was still alive or not. They looked at one another as they shared a look of deep concern. Sara checked the ship’s logs quickly to see if the conversation had been recorded; a sigh of relief escaped her lips as the computer showed all data had been saved. Lyxia however, was more concerned with finishing the conversation with
Wilson.

“Did you get a look at him?” she asked in a feverish pitch. “Can you describe
him?”