ENERGY: 110/1600
My vision filled with Drake's report.
I don't have time for that. I need his wings! Copycat!
"Julie, Mia! On me!"
The next moment, I was a golden dragon. I unfurled my wings.
Staccato moved, but Mia somehow moved first, melding into a rolling turtle shell to knock a surprised Staccato off his feet. She bounced toward me and unmelded. A small weight climbed onto my leg.
Staccato quickly recovered his stance. The Mekanics at his side rose, hovering.
Julie melded and leaped onto my back. I grunted from the impact and edged closer towards the open air.
We vanished. "Go!" Julie screamed as Staccato lashed out blindly into the empty space where I had just been.
I pushed off the airbase and promptly dropped like a rock.
How do I fly!
I could see myself once gain. The presence on my back disappeared, and instead, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around my neck.
"Dustin!" Julie yelled. "Dustin!"
I beat my wings frantically, tumbling through the sky.
IT'S SIMPLE. THE INCREASE IN AIR SPEED ALONG THE UPPER—
Not now, Vikki! Dustin, Stop screaming! Focus. Steady wings. Steady wings!
I hadn't realized I was screaming. I calmed myself and tried to ignore the sensation of freefall, instead concentrating on beating my wings.
One. Two. One. Two.
I gradually slowed. I wasn't quite flying, but I was falling much slower than before, in a semi-controlled way.
The cloud layer rushed past us, and I couldn't see anything for several seconds. When the cloud layer broke again, a silver dragon was at my side.
"Who the hell are you?" Drake shouted.
"It's me, Dustin!" I screamed over the rushing wind.
"The fuck, you can't even fly?" Drake circled around me as I continued my descent. "Can you get them to the ground? There's a portal waiting."
Hadn't they shut down the portals? I didn't have time to question Drake.
"Yeah, I'll get them there!" I glanced upward. Five flying Mekanics were approaching.
"I'll slow them down. Don't wait for me!"
With that, Drake was gone. I watched his silver form shrink in the distance even as the Mekanics grew larger. There was no way he could win that fight.
The sky above me lit up in flame. It was as if air itself was on fire, burning brighter and hotter than I had ever seen before.
He's using everything he has. Zoe paused. It must be a booster.
The flames burned and burned, the heating still building even though we were falling further away from the blazing canopy.
We were gliding in a spiral now. I could make out a number of vehicles on the ground. I aimed toward them.
Above us, the sky still burned. Nothing had penetrated Drake's wall of flame. Yet.
I wanted to turn around. Fly higher. To do something, anything, to help him. Maybe I could catch him when he zeroed. Maybe I could convince Garvek to stop. Maybe, maybe…
I screamed in fury as we glided lower. I could make out figures below, soldiers with their weapons raised high. So small and helpless. Like me.
Dustin. We have to go forward. Drake made his choice.
I know, I know. After everything I had gone through, to save Drake the first time, I still couldn't do anything. I know we can't save everyone. Fuck! I hate it.
WE WILL END THE WAR. I PROMISE.
I spotted a shimmering purple dot on the ground. It had to be the portal. I beat my wings, adjusting my course.
A brilliant flash lit up the sky, as bright as when I had once used the nanonuke. The figures below me crouched and covered their faces.
"Drake!" Julie screamed.
When I looked up at the sky one last time, the flames were gone.
CHAPTER 25
I was coming in fast, the ground rushing to meet us. "Clear the area!" I shouted at the people below. "Mia, Julie, get ready to meld!"
"Go!"
Julie and Mia pushed off to either side, melding.
All three of us landed hard with three dusty booms.
A figure in dark armor pushed its way through the cloud of dust.
It was Dr. Hill.
I unmelded. "Dr. Hill! You're alive—"
"What'd you do to yourself, Hunter?" Dr. Hill stared at my face.
I touched my metal eye. "Oh, right. Long story."
"You're not one of them, now, are you?"
"No—"
"Incoming threats!" someone screamed.
Mia and Julie had unmelded as well. Mia pulled me past Dr. Hill, towards the open portal.
"He's one of us," Mia shouted as she ran toward the portal.
Dr. Hill frowned for a second, then pointed at the portal. "Hunter, go!"
We ran towards the portal, leaping into it, one after the other.
There was a wave of momentary dizziness. My feet hit the ground, and I bent over, hands on knees, to steady myself. We were in a dim room. Two other figures, soldiers, approached. I recognized one of them, Captain Rivera. The fierce woman eyed me warily. The man next to him shifted his weapon.
Dr. Hill stepped through the portal.
"What's the status?" Rivera barked.
"We got him, but I don't think they'll give up that easily." Dr. Hill pointed past me. Another open portal shimmered, two feet off the floor.
"Go, again!" Dr. Hill shouted.
Mia moved first, entering the portal.
Julie grabbed my arm. "Sorry, back there, with Garvek…I've been ready to die for so long. I thought it was finally time. I thought it was all over."
It must have been too much for her, what she had seen on the airbase. At least I had Zoe to guide me through it, and now Vikki. I shook my head. "No, it's not over by a long shot." I covered her hand with my own.
"What happened to you back there?" Julie asked.
"I'll tell you later, but trust me. This is only the beginning."
A soldier appeared from the first portal, blood streaming down his face. I stared at his shoulder. He was missing an arm, dark fluid gushing out of his wound.
Dr. Hill tapped at the console on her arm. The first portal closed. "Hurry!"
Julie jumped through the remaining portal.
I couldn't look away from the dying man. His mouth moved, but no sounds came out.
Dustin, we need to move!
I ripped my eyes from the gory sight and headed for the second portal.
There was a sizzling sound. I glanced backward. The first portal reopened. Dr. Hill screamed. "Go! They're coming!" She traded glances with Rivera. "You know what you have to do."
Rivera nodded and motioned to the other remaining soldier.
My stomach twisted at Dr. Hill's tone, but I jumped through the second portal in a rush.
I landed belly first on the hard floor. Zoe fell on top of me. Then, another weight fell on both of us. Arms pulled me out.
"Come on!" Julie pointed to another portal. I twisted free to find Dr. Hill getting to her feet.
Dr. Hill closed the portal behind us again. This time, Julie was the last one to leave, filling the room with webbing before unmelding and stepping through the third portal.
We ping-ponged across the country through four more portals. Dr. Hill wasn't taking any chances this time.
The final one left us in a large open chamber. I recognized the layout. It was a hangar.
There.
Zoe pointed to a vectorjet. Four figures in combat uniforms leaped to their feet as we approached.
"Oh my god!" Nikki reached us first, nearly knocking me over as she jumped on top of me, wrapping her legs around my torso. "Dustin!" She lifted her head to glance over one of my shoulders, then, the other. "Julie! Mia!"
I picked up Nikki by her armpits, setting her on the floor. "Thanks, Nikki." I nodded to the others who were standing further away.
Dr. Hill ran towards the vectorjet. "Save the reunion for the flight. Let's go!"
We ran up the open cargo bay door. The inside was similar to before, although the bathroom was in the other corner. Claire rushed forward to the cockpit.