X held up his hands again to silence the crowd. When the chanting had died down, he lowered his hands, and the two soldiers led the murderer away.
“In a few hours, you will depart for an old-world city, Rio de Janeiro,” X said. “For the first time ever, Cazadores and sky people will fight together on a mission to protect what is left of humanity.”
Imulah relayed the words. This time, there was no chanting, no raised weapons. Not even a single shout.
“This mission is long and dangerous,” X continued. “Star Grazer will first stop to refuel at outpost Bloodline in Venezuela. Then it will proceed south to Rio de Janeiro, where warriors will begin the first part of the mission: to seek out and destroy any machines there.”
This time, Imulah’s words met with a few grunts.
“Second, we are searching for survivors we believe to be hiding in an underground bunker or shelter of some sort,” X said. “When we find them, we will evacuate them and bring them here.”
He waited anxiously to hear what these men and women thought of that idea. In the past, el Pulpo would have ordered his army to enslave the survivors and, in some cases, eat them.
But things were vastly different now that X was in charge.
After Imulah finished translating the second part of their mission, some warriors exchanged glances and talked in hushed voices. X could tell right away they weren’t excited about the prospect of saving people. To them, it just meant more mouths to feed.
“We must do this to help replenish our ranks,” X said. “To help rebuild the great Cazador army so we can meet the challenges and threats of the future.”
Imulah again relayed the words. This time, several Cazador warriors nodded, and one raised his rifle in the air.
“We crush the metal gods!” Santiago yelled in broken English, pounding his armored chest.
The warriors raised their weapons to their general and gave a loud grunt in unison.
X’s work was done. He had baited the hook, and the Cazadores had responded well to the reopening of the Sky Arena, and the idea of adding warriors to their ranks.
Over the noise, he heard the engine of Discovery activate with a loud vroom. Timothy was testing the engines, which meant the ship was nearly ready for takeoff.
X looked up again at the rooftop, where he could see the smooth back of the airship. He couldn’t see the Sea Wolf, but he knew she was already attached to the underside—by the same cables that had dropped the container of Cazadores into the ocean.
He swallowed hard at the thought.
But it was the thoughts that followed, the memories of his crazed years trekking through the wastes, that gripped him hardest.
He suddenly felt alone, far away from his home and his people. His people were setting out on a mission to the wastes, and he wanted so badly to join them, he could taste it.
He stepped away from the railing, ready to return to the rooftop so he could help with any last-minute issues, and so he could spend some time with Michael and Magnolia.
To his surprise, General Santiago reached out and gripped him by the forearm—the handshake of a Cazador warrior.
“Very good, King Xavier,” Santiago said.
“Gracias,” X replied. He nodded to Rhino that it was time to leave, and they went back down to the lower deck. Every face seemed to focus on the two men as they departed.
The Cazadores began to chant again. This time, they were saying something that X didn’t understand at all.
“What are they saying?” he asked Rhino.
“All hail the Immortal,” Rhino said.
X scratched his growing beard, not knowing how to respond.
“Most of them think you’re a god,” Rhino added. “But I’m pretty sure some of them would still love to kill you.”
TEN
The capitol tower was alive with activity tonight. The Cazadores and the sky people had finished preparations for their dual mission to the wastes. But it wasn’t just warriors and Hell Divers that had gathered. Cazador citizens from other oil rigs had boated over to the rooftop to catch the first fights in the Sky Arena since the sky people won the battle for the islands.
Rhino had the honor of fighting in the main event. But he wasn’t thinking about that. His mind and heart were with Sofia, standing beside him in front of the airship. She helped tighten the leather guards on his wrists—the only protection he wore tonight.
“You sure you don’t want your battle armor?” she asked.
“No need,” he said. “Javier may have fought in the army, but I don’t need armor to best him in battle.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Sofia said. “You still haven’t recovered from the fight against el Pulpo.”
She pulled the strap tighter.
“Javier is not el Pulpo, and that’s too tight.”
Sofia loosened the strap.
“Good,” he said.
She went back to work on the other strap. “I know he’s not, but you can’t let your guard down for a second in there.”
“I never let my guard down with any enemy.”
As she moved to the next strap, he gazed at the dark eyes, long black braids, and dexterous, knowing fingers.
God, you are beautiful.
She finished with the straps and stepped away, hands on her hips. “Good?”
“Perfect.”
Sofia picked her helmet up off the dirt and took a moment to look him over.
“I better not catch wind of any other ladies lookin’ at you while I’m gone, or there will be hell to pay when I get back.”
“Almost ready, Sofia?” Magnolia called out, passing them by with a basket of fruit.
“Be right there,” Sofia said, not taking her eyes off Rhino.
He laid his hand on her dimpled cheek. “I love you, my queen. Please, be careful.”
“I’ll be fine. You’re the one I need to worry about, back here with that madman.” Sofia glanced at X, who was eating an apple and talking to Michael inside the dark launch bay. Miles sat by his master’s side, looking down at Rhino.
“X is one of the best I ever met,” he said.
“Yeah, well, he’s still crazy. Maybe not el Pulpo crazy, but bat-shit nonetheless.”
Rhino chuckled. “I suppose we all are, in one way or another, aren’t we?”
She looked past him to the Sky Arena, where hundreds of Cazadores were starting to take their seats.
“I’m glad I won’t have to watch you gut Javier,” Sofia said. “But he does deserve it.”
Rhino could think of someone else who deserved to die: Lieutenant Ada Winslow. But his duty was to the king, and Xavier had told him to keep it a secret—one that he had kept even from his woman.
A horn sounded from the arena—the first notice of the impending fights.
“Te quiero,” Sofia said.
“I love you, too.”
He kissed her goodbye, and she hefted her duffel and started up the ramp.
Inside Discovery’s launch bay, Rhino could see X hand Michael a handgun. Then he gave the young man a hug. X embraced Magnolia next. When they parted, she hunched down to Miles, who licked her face.
She stood and waved at Rhino. “I’ll take good care of her, don’t worry.”
“You better.”
Rhino picked up his spear and stepped to the platform. Ton and Victor crossed their spears in an X, blocking his way.
“It’s okay,” said Lieutenant Sloan.
Both former prisoners of the Cazadores hesitated, but not for lack of understanding. Victor knew what she had said.
“Let him through,” Sloan added.
They pulled their spears back upright.