The Last Bastion of the Living (The Last Bastion #1)(116)

“The last of the virus is in the Inferi Boon. Out there.” Dr. Curran waved her hand. “Everything was destroyed once they were dispatched. All samples of the virus were eliminated. Gone. This was our last ditch effort in every way. If the Inferi Boon failed, we’d all die anyway.”

“Immortality is in Maria’s veins and the SWD don’t even know it,” Lindsey said in awe.

“No. They don’t. I didn’t even realize it until today. And now it’s too late,” Dr. Curran said with a heavy sigh.

“We must have a few days until they clear the valley. If we compile all the information we have and release it to the news media, we can undermine the SWD,” Dwayne said. The passion in his voice revealed that his control had slipped and he struggled to regain it.

“Maybe,” Dr. Curran said thoughtfully.

“I’ll start right away.” Lindsey snatched her pad back from the still stunned Petra.

“It’s already too late,” Caitlyn said softly. “They’re going to wipe out the Inferi Boon today. That was what I was going to tell you. They may already be dead.”

“That’s why they sent us out of the command center!” Commandant Pierce’s fury was tangible. “Of course!”

Dwayne felt his anger fade away into an almost paralyzing numbness. All hope of saving Maria was fading fast.

“Her wristlet!” Lindsey shouted at Dwayne! “Call her!”

With trembling fingers, he activated the secret program, praying that he wasn’t too late.





Chapter 33


Maria cleaned the dagger on her armor, her eyes on the approaching tiltrotor. Shoving the blade into the sheath on her armor, she stood with her feet apart to steady herself. She felt slightly lightheaded from the blows Stillson had administered, but the pain he had inflicted was quickly receding.

Denman stood beside her, his hand on her shoulder. “We’re almost out of here.”

Tears pricked at her eyes. Thoughts of Dwayne filled her mind and she longed to feel his arms around her. She wondered how long it would take for the Boon to be returned to life.

“I have to admit,” Omondi said in a raspy voice, “that I felt they had abandoned us. But when you came to rescue us with the SWD’s blessing, I knew I was wrong.”

The Boon drew together, some limping, others being carried. Out of the forty that had started together, Maria was horrified to see only ten remained.

McKinney held up both Holm and Cruz, his big boyish face in a grin. “I’m going to get shitfaced the second I’m alive,” he decided.

Cruz’s tiny frame sank to the ground. Sobs without tears rocked her as she clutched her hands prayerfully before her. “We can’t even bury our dead.”

Maria knew she was speaking of Mikado and she reached out to touch the smaller woman’s head gently.

Cruz gazed up at Maria and whispered, “But it was worth it, right?”

“Yeah,” Maria assured her. “It was worth it. We saved humanity.”

“We’re heroes,” McKinney declared, relishing the word. “We’re f*cking heroes. I want a statue. A big one.”

Omondi laughed despite everything. “Well, you deserve it. We all do. Especially our fallen.”

Holm tried to speak, but what emerged from her mouth were barely words or sounds. But Maria could make out the gist of it. She had said Cormier’s name.

“Gather around,” Omondi ordered, digging into his pack. He withdrew small flares and struck them against the ground. They lit up as he formed a circle around the remaining survivors of the Inferi Boon Special Ops.

Maria’s wristlet buzzed against her skin. It wasn’t the jolt sent to activate her nervous system, but the buzz to indicate Dwayne’s call was coming in. Startled, she gazed at the wristlet in confusion. It buzzed again, an urgent sensation against her battered flesh.

No one around her seemed to notice. They were all staring intently at the fleet of tiltrotors whirling over the approaching Inferi Scourge. There was a flash from the lead aircraft and then the earth below it was on fire, the Scourge caught in an inferno. The Boon cheered. More flashes from the other tiltrotors were followed by a conflagration on the ground.

Maria’s wristlet kept buzzing. Unsure of what to do, she glanced over her shoulder. The carrier loomed nearby. She hesitated, but a quick look at the squad told her they were too busy watching the beautiful sight of the tiltrotors destroying the mob of Scourge heading their way.

As quietly as possible and trying not to draw attention, Maria hurried toward the carrier. She heard footfalls and cast a quick look over her shoulder to see Denman tailing her with curiosity in his eyes. Ducking around the carrier, she activated the secret program.

“Honey, I’m coming home. Can this wait?” she said with a grin.

“Maria, run! Hide! The SWD issued a kill order for the Inferi Boon!”

She only had a second to register Dwayne’s terrified expression before she heard another volley of missiles hitting the ground. Denman stood near her, staring at her wristlet in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Maria finally asked.

“Run! They’re going to kill all of you! Hide!”

“We need to warn the others!” Maria gasped. She grabbed Denman’s arm, yanking him after her.