The Rise of Io Read online

  “I thought shooting a gun is just pointing and pulling the trigger.”

  How little you know. Keep bringing knives to gunfights. See how that ends.

  “Ella,” Cameron’s voice crackled in her ear piece. “We found what we’re looking for. There’s someone here you’ll be happy to see.”

  She perked up. It could only mean one person, unless the Genjix had been holding her amma prisoner all these years. Had they actually found Bijan? Some of the guilt she had been carrying washed away. “Is he all right?”

  No answer.

  In the distance, a figure ran to Surrett and interrupted his conversation with Mogg. The minister looked alarmed, signaled to the military people around him, and led them away from the front gates. They were making a beeline toward Cameron.

  “Cameron,” said Ella urgently. “The minister just left the perimeter. You there? Cameron?”

  No response.

  A little bell in Ella’s head began to ring. Her gut was making a ruckus again, and she felt an itch to do something other than just sit here, but what? She probably should stay put at this lookout like she had been told. She would only get in the way. Yeah, staying put was the smart thing to do. Or maybe she could warn Cameron that Surrett was heading his way with more soldiers.

  You should go to them. You should be able to reach them first if you hurry.

  “You’re just trying to trick me. I’m going to stay right here.”

  Ella’s resolve to stay put lasted for another minute. She noticed Mogg leaning against the wall and having a smoke. One of the union workers strolled right through the gate to speak with her. They exchanged a few words, and then the guy casually walked back outside.

  Ella frowned. The guards at the gate weren’t doing a very good job. She looked closer. In fact, they were barely paying attention to the dockworkers. One of the police went up to Mogg and she offered him a cigarette. They were acting awfully nice to each other for a supposed protest. Wait, that policeman over there was Inspector Manu. What was he doing being so friendly with the union boss? Shouldn’t Mogg be putting on a better act? This was the worst union protest ever.

  Ella swept her gaze across the line of dockworkers. Her guys were still making a bunch of noise, chanting and waving their arms, but it all looked lackadaisical and half-hearted. Mogg’s people were not trying very hard. She should tell Cameron to ask for a refund if they were going to put such little effort into this. It was almost as if they were just passing time…

  “Oh crap,” Ella muttered.

  The union boss must have sold her services to both sides. That’s why everyone was just lounging around. It had to be a trap.

  “I can’t believe it,” she growled. “They’re conning my con.”

  Impressive. This Mogg is a resourceful woman.

  Damn it, if Mogg had sold them out, then that probably meant the Genjix knew Cameron’s team was here. If this was a trap, then it was all her fault. She was the one who had arranged to use the union boss’s people. That meant she had led more Prophus to their deaths. No, not again. She had to do something. She had to warn Cameron.

  Now you want to warn them. Maybe you should have listened to me in the first place.

  “Shut up, shut up, alien!”

  Ella scrambled from her perch and sprinted toward the building with the prisoners, not bothering to stay hidden in the shadows. Several more attempts to call up Cameron, Nabin, or Lam came up empty. Something must have happened. With Io’s help, throwing caution to the wind, she reached the building with the prisoners in only a few minutes.

  She slowed down just in time to see a group of five or six soldiers enter the building from the front. One of them looked like that pretty scary woman, Shura. Ella hid behind the car nearest to the building and scanned the area. She could hear muffled shouts coming from inside. There were also three cones of light shining from the back out into the water.

  Going through the front is probably a bad idea. See if there is another way in.

  Ella pulled out her long knife in one hand and one of the throwing knives in the other, and then she sprinted to the side wall. She stayed low and crept toward the rear of the building where the commotion was getting louder. Something big was happening inside. She looked down at the two blades in her hands. Neither looked particularly sufficient for the task ahead.

  You think?

  “If you can’t be constructive, don’t say anything.”

  When I say constructive things, you ignore me.

  “That’s true. Can you be constructive now?”

  If things get rough in there, I want you to listen to me carefully, especially when it comes to breathing. Inhale through your nose. Hold your breath for four beats, and then exhale out of your mouth for four beats.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Just trust me on this. It will help you stay in control so you do not miss your shots so often.

  “OK, I’ll give it a try. This better not be a prank.” Ella took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, and then slowly exhaled. Her heart was still hammering in her chest, but it kind of calmed her down a bit.

  Also, you do not know what is in that room. Your smoke grenades make a great equalizer. Initiate with them.

  “Oh yeah.” She had forgotten about those.

  Ella took out one of the big canisters and hooked her finger through the pin. She rounded the corner of the building, peeked inside one of three double-doors, and pulled the pins.

  Forty-Four

  Reunion

  By the time I joined with Emily, I had already decided that the Prophus were no longer for me. They never had been. When the Quasing split into two factions, I had joined the Prophus simply because I believed that humanity did not deserve such a heavy hand. I still believe that, but that belief is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

  I have been through so many hosts and seen so many failures that I realize partnership between Quasing and humans cannot be the way forward. Emily did her best in spite of me, not because. We fought every step of the way. It is tragic, because Emily deserved better, and I did not give it to her. In the end, it does not matter; it never did. Humans come, humans go. I have seen this cycle hundreds of times now.

  * * *

  Cameron took Shura’s second punch pretty well, but the third on his nose knocked him onto his back. She didn’t think she had hit him hard enough to collapse him like that. It must have been broken already.

  The prisoner – Lee – tried to shoot her with his rifle. Shura stepped past the barrel and sent him tumbling backward with a kick to the chest. One of Cameron’s agents, the Asian woman, attacked her, throwing wide looping punches. Shura noticed the woman keeping one arm close to her body, so she stepped to the side and struck it. The woman cried out and fell back.

  Cameron was on his feet again and attacked. She was surprised at his speed, even in his weakened state. The punch clipped her chin, spinning her head to the side, but she recovered immediately and lashed out, striking him on the side of the head and tumbling him to the ground. She drew her pistol and shot one of the prisoners, Navah. She aimed the pistol at the next prisoner and turned to him.

  “Do you really want to keep doing this, Cameron?”

  “You waited at the door until I dealt with that first group of soldiers, didn’t you? That’s mighty brave of you.” He wiped the blood spilling out of his nose with his sleeve.

  “Oh, are you upset you didn’t get a fair fight with me, Cameron? How positively antiquated.” She chuckled and gestured at the bodies on the ground. “The objective here is not to prove who the better fighter is. The objective here is to prove who the better operative is. Now, stay down.”

  Cameron tried to stand.

  Shura shot him in the leg, and he fell, clutching his thigh.

  Shaking her head, she walked around his body and knelt near his face. She looked around the room. “Be proud of what you’ve accomplished today. That was a beautiful display.” She tapp
ed him twice on the forehead with the end of her pistol. “I’m bringing you back to China. Zoras would love to have some words with Tao. It won’t end well for you, but we’ll have some time to catch up on the way back. Our business has always felt… unfinished.”

  He coughed and sat up, shaking his head. “Alexandra. I always wondered where you went. You just fell off the face of the Earth. I never in a million years thought you’d be Shura the Scalpel. Why the name change?” He held his hand out. She took it and pulled him to his feet.

  Careful. You are playing with your prey again.

  “Please, Tabs. This means a lot to him.”

  “After our little adventure in Oregon, and the unfortunate death of my father, I wanted to start over. I was reentering the Hatchery and my family name had so recently been tarnished. I thought a new name would help give me that fresh start.”

  Cameron studied her. “You look stunning, just like I remember you.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. I wish I could say the same for you. I would have been in touch sooner, but I was busy fighting a war. My religion keeps me occupied.”

  He sniffed and then spat out blood. “When I saw you at that factory, I knew it was you right away. All the memories came flooding back. I was a teenager again, you were by my side, and we were running from the Genjix. It was us against the world. I remember thinking how great it was to finally meet someone who knew what it was like to be a host. I thought I had found a kindred spirit. You were my first crush.”

  “How precious,” she smiled. “Now–”

  “Then you betrayed my trust. You shot and killed your father, and you led the Genjix right to our house after we took you in and saved you from the ones hunting you. That’s what I remember most. I don’t think you changed your name to get a fresh start, Alex. You changed your name because you didn’t want to be the girl who assassinated her own father who loved her more than anything else.”

  It took all of Shura’s discipline to keep her face still. A silence passed between them. Finally, she spoke. “How long did you play that little monologue in your head? How long did you practice pretending to say that to me?” She leaned in. “Was it everything you hoped it’d be?”

  He shrugged. “No, I actually thought it would mean more. I guess the fantasy of you is much more appealing than the reality.” He glanced down at Navah. “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

  She followed his gaze to the dead Prophus agent. “Your people should know when to quit. You’re going to ask me to release the rest of them now that I have you, aren’t you? Oh Cameron, always so soft. I may not need them, but they’re Prophus, and if I don’t kill them now, they’ll just come back, like rats. They will all die in the next few minutes. You should all just accept the inevitable.”

  “Monster,” he growled.

  “Now, shall we?” She motioned toward the door.

  Shura turned to see a group of soldiers come in through the front door and spread out across the room. The last to walk in was Surrett. He looked her straight in the eyes. The man had somehow grown quite a spine since she arrived.

  Be wary. His men are focused on you, not the Prophus.

  “A little late, Minister. You’re not needed. I’m done here.”

  Surrett glanced at the prisoners and settled on Cameron. His eyes glinted. “Of course, Adonis. I’m sure Adonis Rurik will be pleased with this development. Now, please transfer the prisoners to me.”

  “I’m taking Cameron Tan to the Council personally.” Shura took a step forward. Surrett continued to block her way. “Step aside, Minister.”

  “I’m afraid not, Adonis. Adonis Rurik’s orders were explicit.”

  “That fool is on the other side of town chasing the wrong thing. These are my prisoners.”

  Surrett motioned to the guards, who trained their guns on her.

  “You dare,” Shura seethed. “Do you realize who you are threatening? I am an Adonis vessel.”

  “We all serve the Holy Ones,” he replied. “I just happen to serve a more important one.” He turned to the soldiers around him. “Take the prisoners. Adonis Rurik should be back soon. We’ll hold them all until he returns.”

  Something in the back began to hiss. A second later, a round gray canister bounced once on the floor and rolled toward them. The hissing became louder, and the canister started spewing purple smoke. Two more canisters followed.

  A black object spun in the air and struck the soldier nearest to Cameron. The soldier stiffened as a blade stuck into his eye. A policeman near the back of the room clutched his lower back and fell forward. Cameron disappeared as purple and yellow smoke mixed and enveloped the room. Another soldier fell, and then another. Chaos unfolded as the room filled with colored smoke and panicked screams.

  There was a flash of a shadow and then a small figure streaked by, slashing another soldier in the back of the leg. The figure stopped long enough to streak another knife out, narrowly missing Surrett.

  The minister tried to flee, but Shura grabbed him by the arm. “You forgot your prisoners.”

  Surrett cringed. He turned to her, his face pale. “Adonis, stop them! What are you doing standing there?”

  You probably should.

  “Probably, but I don’t think I will. I believe it is against the Holy Ones’ interests for Rurik to control India and gain a seat on the Council. I also believe this man is not worthy of a Quasing.”

  You are a hair’s breadth from heresy.

  Shura pointed at the little girl popping in and out of the shadows. “Who was that girl again? Ah yes, Ella Patel. Minister, you want a Holy One? Why don’t you take hers? If you can. I would be careful. She has teeth.” She shoved Surrett into the thick smoke. There was a high-pitched scream, and then a thump as his body disappeared into one of the holes.

  Alexandra Mengsk, known to the world as Shura the Scalpel, turned, walked out of the room and closed the door behind her as more men began to scream.

  Forty-Five

  A Girl’s Best Friend

  I think back to my role as a Receiver, and the immense responsibilities required of me, and I am ashamed by how far I have fallen, when many of those who had small roles back on our home world now thrive on Earth. The pain is overwhelming.

  The Genjix turned me a year ago. Emily had come across some rough schematics during a security raid. As a Receiver, I immediately recognized the structure they were trying to build. I contacted Surrett Kapoor through an intermediary and offered my expertise. I told him I would not only be an invaluable asset to the project, but to all Quasing.

  The price for that defection is what you have witnessed, with Emily, Bijan, the Recon Team, and Cameron, and many other Prophus. I feel some guilt about what I have done because I know it is wrong.

  However, after all these years, I no longer care.

  Breathe in. Hold.

  * * *

  Ella crouched in the center of the smoke-filled room, like a spider, waiting for her prey to wander too close. For the first time, she worried that she would run out of knives. She was already down to three throwing knives and her long knife. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be too many soldiers and policemen left. At least she didn’t think there were. She could hardly see past her outstretched hands.

  Ella had unloaded all six of her smoke grenades in here, which honestly was probably two grenades too many. The smoke was so thick and suffocating, a soldier could have been standing next to her and she probably wouldn’t have noticed. She knew she had already cut down several though.

  Breathe out. Hold and focus.

  The crashing sounds of battle dulled and the loud thumping in her chest became muffled. The smoke stung her eyes and her hand throbbed from a small cut, but she pushed them all to the background. Her nerves hardened as her awareness of her surroundings grew.

  A dark object neared. Two legs. Wearing the dark camouflage of the Indian military. She slashed. Once horizontally along the back of the calf. Once upward at the arm that dangled too close
to her. She shifted to her left and brought the long knife down on his foot, through the boot and into the flesh. The man howled and fell onto his side. Ella kicked his rifle out of his hands and poked him once more in the shoulder. Then she disappeared, just like Manish had taught her.

  Several shouts echoed in the room, pulling her toward them. Ella prayed she wasn’t the only Prophus left standing. For all she knew, she could be. She hadn’t seen the others when she first charged in, except for Lam briefly when she had jumped on a policeman’s back and pulled him to the floor in a nasty-looking headlock.

  Ella also saw an older Asian man in rags take a rifle and swing it like a club down on a soldier’s face. Ella almost stabbed him before she realized that he wasn’t dressed like the others. Her instincts told her to stab him anyway, and she almost followed through, but Io had warned her that the man was one of the Prophus.

  “Why did you warn me?” she asked.

  One day, you will learn that we are on the same side. If I have to prove it by saving you one mistake at a time, I will.

  “It’s like you’re on everyone’s side, you crazy alien.”

  I am on my own side, which you will discover more often than not will be yours as well. Do not forget to breathe in again.

  Ella continued, hoping to either find a friendly face or the minister. She would be happy with either. She found one more soldier struggling with someone over a rifle. Since the military was bad, that must mean the other person was good, so she stabbed the soldier in the butt. It wasn’t until after she pulled the knife out and came face-to-face with the person who now pointed a rifle at her that she realized it was Bijan.

  She tackled him in a hug. “I’m so glad to see you. I’m sorry.”

  “Ella? What are you doing here, child?” he asked.

  “I came to find you.”

  He pulled her in behind him. “We can catch up later. Right now, we need to clear this room and escape before more come.”