Chp 31
Edline could hear the commotion of the battle and longed to fight.
“But Stephan said to keep hiding,” she muttered, pressing her forehead to her knees. Then the ground began to rattle so hard her teeth clattered and she pushed herself out of the vents.
“What was that?”
“Get me Zen!”
Edline’s eyes blazed with lightning as she ran out to the streets and found a man about to grab Zen. She rushed him and shot a lightning bolt at him.
###
D’Angelo grinned and grabbed onto Zen but was shocked away by a stray bolt of lightning that hit a laser cannon and sent it reeling before it exploded. Zen felt tiny hands grab onto her waist and looked down to meet frizzy hair. She picked up the small girl who was still blazing. D’Angelo coughed and stood slightly singed, his hair on end. He growled and shot at Edline. Once more the bullet froze in mid-air and it was joined by a water shield coming over Zen and Edline while air bubbles encompassed them. Stephan and Marco shot from the crowd beside Isaias who had started running the minute Zen was grabbed by D’Angelo, gun in hand.
Zen gave Edline to Stephan and stepped up.
“Leave these people be. I’m the one you’re after D’Angelo.”
D’Angelo grinned. “Indeed. Come with us quietly and we’ll let them go free.”
“Zen don’t listen to him. Dons have no honor,” screamed Isaias from beside her. He put his hand on her shoulders and pushed her back but she wouldn’t budge. Instead, she turned her head and met eyes with Stephan.
“Don’t,” he whispered.
“You know it’s the right thing to do, Stephan,” she said before turning to face D’Angelo.
“I’ll go with you but you will leave these people alone. All of them. All of you will swear on Ishevara.”
Bernado stepped up and swore first. Then D’Angelo before Cecil swore. Satisfied, Zen walked down with them. When they reached the first plane, Zen heard the laser cannons beam up and she screamed.
“You swore on Ishevara!”
“Pendeja que eres! Dispare!” (Imbecile that you are! Shoot!)
Zen screamed and the whole cave was illuminated. Zen rushed to take the cannon fire as she created a shield around everyone including the woman and children. Stephan was kneeling over Edline, his arms around her. Isaias was holding onto Marco and Marek held on to Val. Surprisingly Kiera was holding hands with Senka. Stephan opened his eyes and stared at her as she took the shots. His crystal eyes shone with surprise.
Zen you do not have the strength to save them like this. Let us join so that we may save our family.
How do we join Ishevara?
You must bury me within your heart Guardian. I will still work but we will share power and you can save everyone.
Zen took Ishevara and pulled the crystal off only to stab herself with it as the lasers grew stronger. A strong glow emanated from Zen and she walked over to where Stephan was kneeling. She brushed his cheek and kissed his lips before whispering a soft, “goodbye.” Then he and everyone disappeared and she walked back to her spot by the Dons. Time resumed its normal course. The lasers fired but no one was there and Zen crumpled to the floor. The crystal was now embedded deep within her chest and let off a soft glow.
“Recogenla! Quitale el cristal!” (Pick her up! Take the crystal from her!)
Several men approached cautiously but the minute they touched her, they began to burn.
Cecile screamed and stomped her heel. “Como la vamos a mover?” (How are we going to move her?)
“Nice shot!” said Bernado coming down from the small hill and wiping his sword on one of the dead’s clothes. He had fought like always to keep his skills sharp.
“We needed to get rid of annoyances,” muttered D’Angelo as he neared Zen. He tried to run his hand through her hair but felt the blaze of her skin and backed off. Bernado approached and when he tried to touch her he could. He swept his hand down her back gently. Pobre niña hasn’t gotten much rest since Cecile attacked her and she healed Mariposa.
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He picked her up and finally knew what to do with the pearl. He made sure the backs of the others were turned before he whispered a few words into the pearl and placed it on the floor. Isaias will find it.
“Bernado hurry up and lay her on the laser cannon,” D’Angelo said as Cecile began to whine that it was her seat and she could not walk uphill in heels.
“Entonces porque carajo vinistes en ellas! (Then why the hell did you wear them!)” D’Angelo snapped, shutting Cecile up.
Bernado grinned and let D’Angelo handle Cecile. He had the crystal to worry about. He turned to face Zen who was still glowing slightly, the crystal deeply embedded in her chest.
“Ai muchacha what have you done now?” he muttered as the laser cannon began to move forward.
Skin watched his crew disappear and sat to wait for them. They’d be back.
###
Isaias and Stephan looked around them as the cave came into view again. The blast from the laser cannons had blasted a hole right where they had all stood.
“What happened,” Marco asked as he walked over to a stunned Isaias. Stephan had been kneeling beside him covering Edline from the blast. Marek had grabbed onto Val and closed his eyes. The Stalagmites were rushing to the safe house that had been blown to pieces by the laser cannon but the women and children walked out safe from harm just as stunned as them. Senka had chosen to stick by Kiera’s side and was still grasping onto her hand. He let go and turned to her. She was just as stunned as him.
“We’re alive,” she said.
He nodded and walked over to a fallen Isaias who was pounding the ground. Marco was rubbing his back and standing beside him.
“Those bastards have her! They could be anywhere!”
Stephan looked at his watch and blinked. “Kiera, what time you got?”
Kiera closed her eyes and stopped moving.” A quarter to eight. Why?”
“It was a quarter to six when those Lasers pinned us. We lost two hours.”
“I mean eight in the morning S.”
“Wait, we lost a whole night,” Marco said surprised.
Stephan nodded. “Zen, she stopped time completely and hid us away in between time itself,” he said standing and picking up a bawling Edline.
“I wasn’t strong enough,” she wailed. “I couldn’t protect her! I couldn’t protect Zen from the bad guys!”
“Neither could we Ed,” Isaias muttered standing and ruffling the girl’s hair gently.
“What do we do now,” Kiera asked, walking forward and joining the group beside Senka who hadn’t left her side since the cannon.
“We go rescue my sister, that’s what!”
“Wait, we don’t know where she’s at right now. We’d be walking into a trap or worse,” Marek said. Isaias narrowed his eyes and grabbed Marek by his collar, hoisting him in the air. “Listen you…”
“Stephan!”
Stephan growled. “Not now Mira. I am not in the mood for your games.” He turned from her and began walking from her.
“Wait, I found something by the gates! A pearl! It could be Zen’s!”
Isaias lunged at her. “Give me that,” he said, snatching the pearl from her hands and squeezing it lightly. Immediately Bernado’s voice came through.
“Isaias, we headed for Con Station where Zen will most likely be tortured and put through the converter. It orbits right above Earth. Godspeed and may the best man win! You’re right, family comes first...always, especially when they decide to become an intergalactic crystal.”
There was laughter then it cut off.
Isaias dried a tear from his cheek and growled “Thanks uncle,” he turned to Marek. “Satisfied?”
“How do we know it’s not a trick?”
“You can’t lie into one of those voice recorders Marek. They are Galactical made recorders and well my people used to use them,” Val said.
“How did you recognize it, Isaias,” Marco asked as he examined the small pearl.
“Several years with a gang can acquaint you with a lot of stuff,” he said, swinging his gun back on its harness to his back and facing Stephan who was staring at the blaster hole the laser cannons had made. His eyes were slowly bleeding blue but outwardly he remained calm. He was holding onto Edline and slowly rocking her to sleep.
He was the last one to have contact with Zen. He knew of her merger with the crystal. She had done it right in front of him. She had absorbed the energy of the two laser blasts standing in front of the blasts and taking the brunt while she shielded them. He had seen it. Had felt her last kiss. He had also seen when she had taken Ishevara and stabbed it in herself before he disappeared. Now she’s gone and they have done who knows what to her! We’ve got to get her away from the Dons.
He turned to his crew.
“Well, Captain? The decision is yours. What should we do?” asked Marek. The rest of the crew and Isaias stood waiting for an answer. Marco was already walking towards the gates. He knew his baby brother.
“Let’s move out, crew.”
Isaias whooped and trooped down the hill to meet Marco while the rest began their descent.
Rafael met them at the gates. “Going to rescue your girl aren’t you?”
Stephan nodded. “We are going. Wish we could help but…”
“You’ve all done enough, especially that girl” muttered Keenda who was standing beside Rafael.
Stephan turned his completely blue eyes on Keenda.”That girl saved your life.”
“Would it have needed saving if she hadn’t been here? They were after her.”
Stephan grinned maliciously and Keenda found himself underwater before he could utter another word.
Rafael sighed. “He meant nothing by it Stephan, and I’m sure he’s learned his lesson. I need my Head of the Guard conscious today.”
Stephan grinned and let the water go and one very drenched guard with it. “Watch how you talk about my girlfriend,” he said, walking off and leaving the Yuka behind him. He had to save Zen...again. The things you get into and I have to pull you from! You better stay alive Zen!
“Skin!” called Val and from the shadows materialized the iguana, burning eyes glowing with the fires of hell itself or so it seemed to the crew. Skin was truly terrifying sometimes. As the iguana stuck its tongue out to test the atmosphere, it seemed to grin at all of them. A pack member was missing. It assumed that’s what they were going after. He crawled up Val’s shoulder and fell asleep again.
Book 2 END