The Last Bastion of the Living (The Last Bastion #1)(118)

Denman kicked so that his mouth was out of the water so he could speak. “We need to move. One of them is starting to search the shoreline. Deep breath, hold it as long as you can.”

Maria nodded, then dove.



*



Caitlyn’s big blue eyes stared at the vid screen as the SWD transmitted live coverage of the destruction of the remaining Inferi Scourge. Dwayne gently rested his arm over her shoulders to comfort her.

Beyond the walls of the Constabulary facility, people were filling the streets to watch the coverage on the drones rolling along the streets. Cheers filled the night. The sound of the Maelstrom Platforms firing on the walls echoed throughout the vast expanse of the city.

The Constabulary Command Center was eerily silent. The SWD had replaced them as the protectors of the city and the officers watched the battle on the vid screens. Commandant Pierce sat in her command chair watching with a grim expression on her face. Lindsey and a few other communication officers worked vigilantly on the far side of the room.

Dr. Curran sat at a station watching the magnificent show on the screens. “Every last bit of ammunition, every last bit of fuel, every last bit of weaponry is putting on the biggest fireworks show in history.”

“They knew what they were doing,” Dwayne said, barely contained anger in his voice.

“They will worship the SWD as their salvation. We’ll just be their foot soldiers when the food riots begin.” Commandant Pierce sighed.

“Dad?” Caitlyn whispered, her hand resting on his.

“Yeah?” She looked younger than her age. He could almost see the child in the young woman. “What is it?”

“The woman who is out there. The vanguard?”

Dwayne nodded, not sure if he liked where she was going with her line of questioning.

“Do you love her?”

There was no other way to answer. “Yes. I do.”

Caitlyn smiled ruefully. “You’re going to save her, aren’t you?”

“She saved me once. I owe her,” Dwayne said with a shrug. “Plus, I’m not sure how to live without her.”

The doors to the command center slid open and Petra hurried in. Her usually impeccable persona seemed ruffled in light of all she had learned. She strode to Dwayne’s side and gave Caitlyn a slight smile.

“What is it?” Dwayne asked his harried assistant.

“My media sources informed me that the President is set to go on the air within the next hour to announce the destruction of the Inferi Scourge. He also will reveal the details of the sad death of the Special Ops who died tonight during the assault on the hydroelectric plant. The official story is that their tiltrotor crashed, killing all on board.”

“Then when we reveal the truth of the matter, what do you think the reaction will be?” Dwayne asked.

“They won’t care,” Dr. Curran said tiredly. “The people won’t care because it means all the Inferi Scourge in the valley are dead. All of them. Even the Inferi Boon.”

Petra pursed her thin lips together, then nodded. “I agree.”

“So how do we usurp the SWD?” Caitlyn asked.

Dwayne glanced toward Lindsey and her minions working away. “We hope that our little hacker over there can piece together what the SWD did in an attempt to take over the government illegally. And we save the President from being removed from office.”

“He’s a prick,” Caitlyn said, disapproval in her voice.

“Yes, but it’s better to have an official elected by the people, than a dictatorship,” Commandant Pierce reminded her.

“So no one is going to care about Vanguard Martinez and her people? That they were slaughtered trying to save us?” Caitlyn shook her head. “I don’t believe it.”

“They won’t care right now,” Petra corrected her. “They will once they realize how the SWD manipulated the situation. Plus, Dr. Curran is going to lie and tell everyone there was a cure, right, Dr. Curran?”

Dr. Beverly Curran, brilliant scientist and former member of the SWD, looked up at them with weary eyes and said, “Anything to f*ck over Petersen.” And grinned.




*



The hard bark of the trees, the scratching branches and nettles, and razor sharp rock wall had Maria’s exposed arms and neck covered with cuts and welts. Her boots and the lower half of her armor were weighted down with lake water that sloshed as she climbed through the foliage lining the lake.

In spite of the hindrance, they were still moving faster than she expected. Part climbing, part hiking, the trek was tedious and dangerous, but she still didn’t feel tired from all the exertion. There were odd internal twinges that were a little alarming though. A few had been sharp pains that had made her gasp for breath, but nothing that incapacitated her. Denman didn’t dare stop to scan her, so she kept her mouth silent whenever a wave of pain rippled through her.

The hydroelectric station was now far behind them. The sun had set on a fiery valley filled with death and destruction. The wind carried the sound of the Inferi Scourge howls, the tiltrotors firing, and the Maelstrom Platforms. Maybe it was her imagination, but she thought she heard a great crowd crying out in triumph. The Inferi Boon had reduced the numbers of the undead masses so significantly, the battle was extremely short-lived. Now the valley was filled with smoke from the smoldering fires. It was providing greatly-needed cover to her and Denman.