The Forbidden Tear

In the brief s.p.a.ce between the first and second series of explosions, Fuyuko was behind Jason, unlocking the restraining collar from his throat.

"Fuyuko Takeda," Quetzalcoatl roared. "What do you think you're doing."

Fuyuko stood straight.

"In case it's escaped your notice, we're under attack," she said. "And this man needs you. Meaning he's the closest thing we have to someone we can trust. We have no idea how deep Hildy's conspiracy goes. Every guard in this place could be on her side."

Jason got to his feet, rubbing the red spot where the collar had rubbed his neck.

"She probably had a monitor connected to her heart," Jason said. "When it stopped, it activated the sequence for the bombs. I'm guessing they aren't just meant to confuse us or take out some of the staff. They're probably a signal to anyone else on her side."

"You men," Quetzalcoatl barked at the guards in the room, "prepare to defend this room with your lives."

Jason shot a sideway glance to Fuyuko and nodded.

The two launched toward opposite sides of the room just as two guards on each side raised their weapons.

Jason's barbed whip slashed out, decapitating one guard as its tip slashed through his throat, then embedding itself in the head of the other.

Fuyuko's spear split open the chest of one guard on her side, while daggers of ice blasted into the face of the other.

"Fuyuko, the door," Jason said.

She was already moving, freezing the moisture in the air, building a thick layer of ice barring any further intrusions.

It was over before the remaining four guards were able to raise their weapons.

"Wait," Quetzalcoatl shouted at them. "Explain," he growled at Jason and Fuyuko.

"Those four weren't the least bit surprised when the bombs went off," Jason said.

Fuyuko added, "Their fingers were already twitching on the triggers as you pulled out her heart. I don't think they cared enough to risk saving her, but they were ready to take action in the confusion of the bombings."

"As best as I can tell," Jason said, "these were the only loyal guards in the room. Or they were too cowardly to go through with their betrayal."

"Which is it?" Quetzalcoatl asked them.

The men fell to their knees, right hands balled into a fist above their hearts.

"We are loyal and ready to die for you, our Lord."

Quetzalcoatl looked with a raised eyebrow toward Jason.

Do you believe them? the expression asked.

Jason nodded his approval.

Pounding came from the other side of the door.

"What do you think," Jason said to Fuyuko, "friendlies or not?"

Fuyuko shrugged.

"Equal chance of being either. I could open the door and find out if you don't mind getting messier."

"I don't care," Jason said. "But I'm not in a big hurry to fight through thirty-seven floors of resistance. Is there any other way out of here?" he asked Quetzalcoatl.

The self-appointed G.o.d stood straighter, smoothing his jacket and adjusting his collar.

"I have a private elevator in my office. There're no other stops between here and a secured area in the loading dock."

"Did Hildy know about it?" Jason asked.

He didn't need to hear the answer, Quetzalcoatl's expression made it clear.

"Then we're not taking that elevator," Jason said. "Dammit, I'd hoped we wouldn't have to waste any energy getting out of here. Fuyuko-"

"Express elevator?"

Jason nodded grimly.

"You up for it?" he asked.

She gave him a look that said both, eat s.h.i.t, and, I'm more than capable.

"What are you two up to?" Quetzalcoatl asked. "Shouldn't I be consulted?"

Jason gave a slight bow.

"With all due respect, my Lord, we're orchestrating our safe exit from this building. We've done a similar extraction in the past, but it wasn't quite so high up." Turning to Fuyuko, he asked, "How long do you need?"

She placed her hand against the gla.s.s, which fogged and thickened as ice formed on its surface. Fuyuko pulled her spear back and smashed it against the frozen gla.s.s, shattering it into thousands of splinters. She leaned out the hole and looked down.

"Say, forty-five seconds," she said and jumped.

"You," Jason said to one of the remaining guards, "start counting."

"One one-thousand. Two one-thousand..." the guard intoned.

"Keep counting, but listen," Jason said. "You remaining guards have an option. You can stay here, and see if the ones trying to bust down the door are friendly, or if they're not, take the chance they aren't interested in killing guards. Or, you can jump out that window and take your chances with us. I won't force you to do either."

"Forty-five one-thousand," the guard finished.

"You should go first, Lord Quetzalcoatl," Jason said.

Quetzalcoatl moved to the smashed window and looked down.

"Incredible," he said.

And then he jumped.

m.u.f.fled sounds came from beyond the blocked door-men moving about, the sound of metal sc.r.a.ping along the floor.

"I think they've brought in some-"

Jason didn't finish his sentence.

Shards of ice flying in all directions in response to a concussive blast cut him off.

His ears rang, making it sound like he was listening to the gunfire under water-his ears throbbed with the pressure of the sounds trying to break through.

He moved forward, his whip slashing the first targets he saw. To his mind, no friendly troops would burst in spraying the room with automatic weapons. To a friendly's mind, their Lord and master was most likely being held hostage in this very room. So it stood to reason if they didn't care about shooting Quetzalcoatl, they were no friends of Jason.

"Go," he said to the last of the guards-one had been killed by a large piece of wood-probably from the door-puncturing his chest plate, and likely his heart.

Ideally, they would give some lead time between jumps. But the three were going out the window one after the other. There'd be some broken limbs to worry about on the ground below.

A bullet grazed Jason's cheek, another pa.s.sed through his left bicep. He might've lost part of an ear, but those were trivial. As long as he had his legs and could hold his whip, he'd manage.

He willed the whip to stiffen, forcing all his strength into a sideway shove, smashing four of the invaders against the wall. Two were rendered unconscious, one probably dead, and the fourth crumpled to the ground wetting himself.

The remaining three saw a blur of motion, and their cohorts decimated. One turned and ran, the other two hesitated, losing their heads as a reward.

Jason let the whip fade into the Veil.

Would they keep Takeda's Solution somewhere in this building? Should I look for it?

He glanced back to the window. If he didn't move quickly, he'd lose his chance to leave that way.

If I don't go out that window, Fuyuko will worry. And if she finds out I was trying to find the Solution, she'll kill me.

Jason went out the window.

About four storeys down, his backside came into contact with ice, angling at a gentle slope. The initial surface was smooth as gla.s.s, with it becoming rougher as he descended. Between the slope, and the increasingly rough surface, his descent slowed. He still hit the snow pile at the bottom hard. Thankfully, his moment of hesitation meant no other bodies were in the snow when he plowed into it.

The three guards were holding their sides and bruises already showed wherever skin was exposed.

But they were alive, and still able to walk. All thanks to Fuyuko and her minor miracles.

"I'm amazed you can still work out the math so quickly," he said to her.

The hand she offered felt rough and callused against his own-more like holding a block of ice than human flesh. She gave him a strained smile-her cheeks so pale he could see the musculature beneath.

"Do you have any idea how I was drilled on those equations after we did this and Paltar broke his leg? You never forget that."

"Are you ok?"

In response, her smile widened but she shook her head no.

Quetzalcoatl regarded the ice structure, then waved a hand, sending the construct toppling to the ground.

"Impressive," he said. "But we don't need anyone following us that way."

Fuyuko's shoulders sank a little, but she nodded her agreement.

"It doesn't look like any major fighting has broken out down here," Jason said. "Lord Quetzalcoatl, what are your order from here-should we withdraw, or regroup, and eliminate the traitors?"

Quetzalcoatl stretched his neck side to side and cracked his knuckles-which remained at odd angles, ending in knife-like fingers.

"I've allowed cancer into my house once before. It destroyed an entire, glorious, civilization. I will not allow it to happen again."

"What about your team?" Jason asked Fuyuko. "Do you think they're on our side?"

"They will follow my lead," she said.

Jason took note she didn't mention their loyalty to Quetzalcoatl.

Good to know. Could be useful down the road.

"They were going to the barracks after our first meeting," Fuyuko said. "If the commotion out here hasn't brought them out..."

"Then something is delaying them inside," Jason said. "We should go. The more Anunnaki on our side, the faster this will get cleared up. You men able to fight?" he asked the three remaining guards.

They snapped attention, answering, "Yes, sir," even though he could see them wince against their bruises and possible fractures.

"Good. Let's go."

The barracks turned out to be the UN Plaza Hotel. Jason lived his younger years in the plain concrete confines of Suture. To him, the word barracks summoned those gray images, so he nearly turned around when stepping into a lobby with bra.s.s fixtures, lush carpets, and warm wood paneling.

"This is where your troops sleep?" he asked.

"I know," Fuyuko said sheepishly, "a little opulent. But it's because only the lower floors are the barracks. The upper floors with the best views are still reserved for visiting dignitaries and VIPs."

They moved without further sound to the stairwell. Jason suppressed a shudder as the horrible visage of the Gorgon floated up from memory. d.a.m.n, he hated stairwells now.

Jason eased open the door on the second floor. A metallic smell, like the reclaimed, rusted metal panels Fenrir welded to help shield their vehicles, a.s.sailed his nostrils. He knew it was blood before opening the door enough to see butchered bodies and walls smeared red. He pulled more strength from the Veil and summoned his whip. He picked his way along the hall, trying to step on pieces of floor devoid of blood or flesh. In some places, it proved impossible.

One of the soldiers who'd come with them started gagging, finally producing a loud splash of vomit.

Fuyuko moved immediately to the man's side, shielding him-whether knowingly or not-from Quetzalcoatl's intolerance for weakness.