“Wake up," Tyson hissed as he rapidly stood from his bed. "A patrol is coming."

Maddison had woken with him and had strapped on her swords before he had finished talking. Reaching a hand out, she gripped Anisha's helping her up, nearly pulling her to her feet by herself.

"Hostile thoughts?" Zoe asked as Nix assisted getting her upright while Boo sat up.

"No," he replied a moment later. "At least, nothing that gives a more than normal bored patrol thoughts and their leader thinking about where to go next. Which happens to be near us."

"Nix, get wide range radar going," Zoe said aloud. "Let's go down to the truck, if we're going to have issues, it'll be there."

Her team nodded and moved swiftly to their truck, parked in a small, ground level park, the only other two cars there being little more than stripped, beaten and graffitied wrecks. The truck stood out like a sore thumb, even in the shaded area.

Maddison and Anisha broke off from the others, Maddison scaling the inside of the garage door and perching herself above the entrance while Anisha jumped into the pipes and beams in the ceiling. Tyson and Boo crouched behind the wreck nearest the stairs while Zoe crouched in the stairwell that lead up to empty offices above where they had been asleep.

"Battle plan?" Tyson asked.

"We want to try and make sure that if it does come to a battle, we end it quickly. Can you make the truck vanish from their sight?"

"No. Best I can usually do is just myself, and that's hard. I might be able to distract them, but probably not."

"Do what you can," Zoe said to him. She saw him nod before she focussed on the radar information. The group was approaching at a decent walking pace and Nix estimated they would be within one hundred meters in a few minutes.

The team waited tensely as the minutes passed in silence. The radar showed the patrol splitting, five individuals coming into the little car park between the buildings while the other five stayed out on the main street.

Zoe mentally cursed and, just as she thought to tell Tyson to come with her, he broke cover and ducked up the stairs with her, moving to find an elevated position where they could see the other half of the patrol.

Exhaling, Zoe released the power locks on her weapons while Tyson lay on the floor, sighting down the length of his rifle through the open window. Nix automatically powered up her weapons, deploying her helmet as the group downstairs started passing the open garage door.

Time seemed to pause for a few moments and all Zoe could hear was her heart beating rapidly as her adrenaline spiked.

"Hey, is that new?" Zoe heard from downstairs, her hearing enhanced thanks to Nix.

"Hey boss, there's a new truck in the garage," another said, the sound of a hand held radio clicking on and off. Nix caught the signal, giving Zoe direct audio. "Want us to wait for you?"

"Have a look, I'll be there shortly," a voice from outside replied. "Which building?"

"Should be the one you're next to."

The group outside turned and entered the building below Zoe and Tyson, the pair shifting and moving back to the top of the stairs, staying out of sight of the corridor below them.

"Boo?" Zoe mouthed at Tyson.

Her Talent is active, she's fine.

Zoe nodded as the patrol joined together, investigating the truck.

"Keys are in it boss," one of the patrol said as the group joined back together.

"Okay, Kev, have a look over it and see if it starts. Manny, Heidi, James, go look upstairs, its owner shouldn't be far." The man turned and pointed to the stairs.

With little hesitation, Zoe started striding down the stairs noisily, drawing everyone's attention. "Don't touch my truck," she warned as the stun array on her arm started rotating around.

The patrol members who had aimed their weapons at Zoe took a half step back, glancing at their leader, an older, weathered looking man, probably in his forties. "Who are you?" he asked, hand resting on a holstered pistol.

"Doesn't matter," Zoe replied. "What does matter is what happens next. You are outgunned. If you want to live, you all drop your weapons and walk away, heading north."

The man stared at Zoe's eyes behind the clear visor. "Why north?" he asked after several heartbeats.

"You renounce your oath to the Bloodless Pact and walk away from them now, or, likely die in the coming war."

Several of the younger patrol shook slightly, their weapons lowering a little. "Boss?" one of them asked shakily.

"What army do you have to strike at our position?" he demanded.

As Zoe went to reply, her entire team moved. Maddison dropped, drawing both swords and placing them against the necks of the two closest to her. Anisha jumped, appearing with her solitary sword at the neck of the leader as she gripped the back of his neck. Boo appeared next to the one at the drivers door, shoving them into the side of the truck, pinning them the best she could while making it clear that the knife at their stomach was there. Tyson, however, just strolled lazily down the stairs, rifle resting on his shoulder.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"Well, looks like we have some rats," he drawled.

Zoe closed her eyes, trying not to reach out and hit him. Breathing out, she walked forward slowly. "As you can see, we have resources. Now, the choice lays with you. We are pro-Talented, we want to see the world rebuilt and diversity celebrated. The Bloodless Pact and other groups are afraid of embracing Talents, thinking to either control or eliminate them. Your choice is this," she said, coming to a stop a half meter from the man. "You can choose to renounce the Pact, leave your weapons and head north, or, probably die."

Several weapons clattered to the ground as seven of the patrol group dropped their weapons, raising their hands in surrender. The man pinned by Boo hadn't drawn his, but was wide eyed and scared, while the leader and one off to the side, another sun weathered man, seemed to be trying to assess.

"What assurances do we have you'll let us go and not just kill us anyway?" the leader asked.

Zoe waved her hand and her team sheathed their weapons, releasing their captives. "You don't, but you look like a man who would hold true to his word, so I will give you mine." She mentally commanded the helmet to retract, leaving the visor in place. "On my word as an emissary of the Community, if you walk away and take no action against us, you will not be harmed."

Nailed it, Tyson projected as the man nodded and extended his hand, which Zoe, after taking off her glove and collapsing the weapon array away, shook.

"Then we leave." He slowly undid the holster for his pistol, maintaining eye contact with Zoe as he drew it and tossed it to the floor near Tyson. "Would you allow us to take some knives and a bow so we can hunt and survive?"

Zoe nodded. "Yes, I agree with that. If you head north and a bit west, there is a community who would likely let you stay with them, provided you pull your weight. Head to Asquith. Tell them Zoe and the twins sent you. If I hear of any incidents from you or any of your group, there will be issues."

"Boss, they're only five," the other man said, still clutching his rifle in hand. As he finished, Anisha jumped to his side, her sword lashing out, opening a long wound on his arm, making him cry out in pain.

As he tried to bring the rifle towards Anisha, Maddison's sword appeared under his chin, drawing a thin line of blood on his throat.

"We are leaving," the leader said, turning to the other man. "If you don't drop your gun, they will kill you."

"I will," Maddison growled at the man as she pressed the flat side a little harder against his throat.

Finally relenting, the man dropped his rifle, the swords withdrawing from his personal space a moment later. "See, that wasn't so hard," Maddison said, patting the man on his shoulder. "Honestly though, if you are for the destruction of Talented, or, what you likely think as Tainted, people, then we have problems."

"Not at all miss," the leader said. "The Pact provided shelter and routine. My team, other than me and Manny, haven't seen action before as they're mostly kids."

"And what action have you seen?" Zoe queried.

The man sighed. "I tried to call off the attack on Asquith, but was overruled and demoted. I did not agree with the…" he trailed off, staring at Tyson, then Maddison and back to Zoe. "Oh lord."

"There we go," Tyson said smugly. "So, for those who haven't picked up on it, my sister and I are wanted dead by your leaders. We are Maddison and Tyson, also known as the twins and as extremely dangerous. We're intending to remove the dangerous leadership and all Bloodless Pact influence in the area." He grinned dangerously. "I think that about covers it. Oh, yes, I can read your minds, I can tell if you're lying. Yes, my sister will react to you before you can act. Yes, she did teleport, no, she wasn't invisible, you just didn't see her."

Their leader straightened, drawing attention to him as he slowly drew the machete switching his grip from the handle to the blade as he presented his weapon to Zoe. "On my oath as a man of honour in this lawless world, I have never taken a life in cold blood or under orders, only in self defence. I hereby renounce my oath to the Bloodless Pact and swear to use this opportunity given to me to start anew. As this is the second time you've saved my life, I owe it to you to do what I can."

"Second time?" Zoe asked, confused.

"Must have been about four months ago, while we were attacking those two, you showed up in a green buggy which zapped me into unconsciousness. If you hadn't shown up, one of them would have likely killed me."

Tyson snorted with laughter as Zoe's expression widened in shock and wonder. "He's not lying Zoe," Tyson said, still laughing as he shouldered his rifle. “He was one of the unit leaders.”

The man nodded. “While I have been with the Pact and have followed commands, I do not agree with their philosophy. I have seen their methods and have looked for a way out. If you’re offering one, I will take it, and I’m sure I speak for most of the others in saying we will all go.”

“Yeah,” one of his team replied.

"So why did you go along with the attack on the twins?" Zoe asked.

"They attacked us."

"After they hunted most of the Talented outside of Asquith down," Maddison retorted, drawing a wince from the man.

"That was mostly before I arrived and found myself being conscripted. All actions I was in and lead, I did what I could to make sure there was no unnecessary loss of life. I cannot be excused entirely and I don't wish to be. I want to make amends and potentially dismantle the Pact and their presence here."

Everyone waited a moment, looking to Zoe, who glanced at Tyson. With a confirming nod, he let Zoe know he was sincere.

"All right, then head north to Asquith," she stated. "You start there, under their watch. If you are truly not with the Pact, then you won't mind working alongside Talented individuals." She extended her hand. "I still don't know your name."

"Lucas," he replied, taking her hand and shaking it. "You won't regret this decision," he said, confidently.

"I know," Zoe replied. "Head to Asquith, tell them I sent you."

He bowed his head and, as the group retrieved the weapons they were allowed to keep, they left, heading north.

~

As Zoe's team watched them leave, watching from the shade of the building, they talked, trying to figure out what was going to happen now that a patrol had been removed from the Bloodless Pact's resources.

"Manny will break away when he can and circle back," Tyson said confidently. "He will alert the Pact to our presence."

Zoe nodded slowly, trying to think. "If we let him, attacking their base will be harder. You're all aware that I want as little loss of life as possible."

"A surgical strike will be easier without the warning," Maddison said as she checked a shot was loaded in her rifle. "Less people who are just following orders in the way."

"Gregori would advise that a single life now would save more later," Anisha added.

"Are we really arguing for taking a life in cold blood?" Boo said angrily. She turned to Tyson, who raised his hands defensively.

"Not my call, it's Zoe's," he stated. "I'm neutral here, for and against both sides."

"Is attacking their base any better?" Maddison asked. "Manny will likely die either shortly or in any battle at their base. The battle is going to happen and it will be the only way to remove the Pact from this area. They won't respond to diplomacy and they won't go just 'cause you ask."