Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(87)

She'd called me Colonel Hunter, in a voice I'd never heard before. Something was broken between us, and I worried that it couldn't be fixed.

Foreign leaders were already arriving; I watched the French President and the German Chancellor arrive, one after the other. They were ushered into the Cabinet Room by White House employees.

Corinne disappeared into the Press Secretary's office. I almost called out to her. I didn't.

*

Corinne

"Have a seat in here," the Press Secretary smiled as he indicated a small cubicle inside his office. It was lined with six monitors, each designated for a different camera hidden in the Cabinet Room.

They weren't on, yet. I fidgeted. I must have made some sort of frustrated noise, too-Richard held out a hand to touch my shoulder.

"Corinne, they'll be turned on soon," Leo said softly.

Snow appeared on each screen first before images appeared. In fact, I believe I heard the screams and shouts first, before the images appeared on six screens. Richard, poor man, watched as Maye, standing in front of the President to protect her, was nearly cut in half by exploding bullets a half-dozen lizard-like troops fired after appearing from nowhere.





Chapter 19

Notes-Colonel Hunter

At the time, I had no idea who'd attacked us. Maye was dead, Nick wounded, from their attempts to protect the President. At least four world leaders were already dead, their blood spattered over everything as armored, lizard-like creatures fired among us, the shots silent-the damage their bullets caused anything but.

Opal, still between Matt and me, had pulled a weapon from beneath her jacket and fired back at the creatures. While I might have believed these creatures were part of a force sent by the enemy, I was wrong.

I didn't learn that until later, however.

Zoran stood behind his two guards, who were shooting at the armored intruders, just as Rafe was shooting.

The French President died before my eyes while Opal took aim, her bullets ricocheting off the shield surrounding the creature who'd done the killing.

Rafe, though, his shield up and strong, downed the creature with a shot from the unusual weapon he carried before taking aim at another and killing him, too.

Only one or two of the attendees had managed to get through the door; one of the assassins went after them, shouting in a language I'd never heard. A huge chunk of the doorway was blasted to dust with a terrible noise as Rafe fired at him and missed.

Three were still up and firing as Nick, bleeding from at least two wounds, pulled Madam President to the floor and shoved her beneath the sturdy, wooden table. He was shot in the back for his efforts. He died as Corinne walked through the door.

If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never have believed it.

She was herself when she walked in; she transformed before my eyes.

Eight feet tall or taller. Blue skin. Pale, blonde hair. Fury in bright blue eyes. All three lizard-like invaders took aim at her. I opened my mouth to shout. Nothing came out. Instead, I watched, filled with terror and wonder as she lifted her hands, weapons firing all around her, each assailant doing his best to take her down.

I'll remember the wash of that power as long as I live.

Each lizard-man disappeared in a storm of glowing sparks, as if he'd been reduced to atoms before winking out of existence.

Dropping to my knees, I fought for breath-discovering that I'd been holding it for what felt like an eternity.

*

Ilya

Zoran's gaze leveled on Corinne-at least she'd been Corinne when she'd walked into the Cabinet Room. What she'd become after that I didn't recognize. Yes, I was motionless in shock when Zoran spoke.

"You," he snapped, drawing my attention away from Corinne. Jerking my head around, I stared into his eyes.

That, as it turned out, was the worst mistake I'd ever made. "You will not harm me," he said. I felt the command grip my mind. It had an ugly, sickening feel to it-I understood, then, what Corinne had meant when she'd described the fog on other's minds. The gun shook in my hand-I wanted to shoot Zoran and found I couldn't. A slow smile formed on Zoran's lips before he turned toward Corinne.

*

Notes-Colonel Hunter

"Very nicely done," Zoran spoke to Corinne in the sudden silence. "I see now how effective you can be at killing." One of his guards was dead, the other wounded in the shoulder. He was unscathed.

"Hello, President Phillips," Corinne said. She kept the shape she'd transformed into, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the one we'd believed to be Zoran.

"Well, I can't let you live after that little announcement," Zoran bared his teeth in a caricature of a smile. With bodies piled around us and blood from the dead and wounded soaking into the rug beneath the table, Zoran wanted to bandy words with Corinne. "Kill yourself," Zoran commanded.

"That means nothing to me," Corinne snapped. Zoran took a step back, a fleeting expression of surprise crossing his features.

Rafe, stunned by what he was seeing, stared at the tall, blue creature before him, speaking with Corinne's voice. I understood, then, why Cori had never revealed her true self to us. Rafe had no idea what to do, now.

"You had the same blood type as Zoran, didn't you?" Corinne asked.

"Yes-right again. That's another nail in your coffin." Zoran took another step backward, placing his one remaining guard between himself and Corinne.