Inferno (Talon #5)(80)
A booming retort, more like cannon fire than a gunshot, rang out from somewhere far behind me, and one of the vessels simply exploded in midair. One second there was a dragon swooping toward me, the next it had vanished into a cloud of blood, bone and scales.
“Nice shot, Nicholas!” came Martin’s voice through the earpiece, and I realized they had finally brought out the prototype we’d stolen from the train. The Dragonkiller, as it was aptly dubbed. “Keep it up,” Martin encouraged as the echo of the retort finally died away, “but don’t fire willynilly! We don’t have a lot of ammo for that thing.”
Also, please don’t hit any of us, I thought, wondering, for a split second, what this would mean for the future of the Order. A gun like that would certainly change things, for both St. George and Talon, provided any of us survived this. It was certainly powerful, but there were swarms of small, fast-moving vessels that were difficult to hit with any single firearm, and a lot more clones than there were bullets. We couldn’t count on the Dragonkiller to turn the battle. It was up to us grunts, on the ground and in the air.
A dragonell shrieked as she plummeted past me, two vessels clinging doggedly to her back. With a snarl, I dove after them. Sinking my claws into one clone, I wrenched him off the other dragon as the dragonell twisted and managed to shove the other away. But the vessels recovered, beating their wings to stop their downward plunge, and came back for us. We flew higher with the clones in hot pursuit, and I whirled to face them, roaring a challenge as the two abominations came at me with teeth bared.
Ember, St. George, I hope you’re almost done in there. Because I don’t know how much longer we can keep going.
EMBER
“Hello, Ember.”
Dante’s voice was emotionless, his smile chilling, as he gazed at me over the threshold. I felt my companions stiffen in place as a couple dozen gun barrels were aimed right at us. The shock lasted half a second and was immediately followed by anger and bitter resignation. There was nowhere to go, no place to hide or take cover. We were caught, and the mission was over.
“Dante,” I whispered as my twin stared at me with hard green eyes. “You were waiting for us.”
His smile widened. “Who do you think sent that video?” he said in a low voice, making Garret and the others straighten. “Of course we were waiting for you. Of course we knew about the other tunnel into the lab. All of this, every part of your plan, was not only expected, but partially orchestrated by myself and the organization. You’ve made it this far because I allowed it.”
“And who the fuck are you?” Peter Matthews demanded.
My brother gave him a look of disdain. “You wouldn’t understand the significance even if I told you,” he said in a cold voice that was nothing like the Dante I’d known. “That said, I’m the one who holds your life in his hands. Keep talking to me like that, and I’ll have every one of you executed right here. Take them,” he told the vessels, and several closed in. Swiftly, we were disarmed, handcuffed and herded out of the elevator. A few stripped us of our packs, making my heart sink even lower. One vessel handed my bag to Dante, who unzipped the top and peered inside. His brows arched and he chuckled, shaking his head.
“Well, you certainly came prepared. I guess the Order doesn’t do anything halfheartedly.” Closing the pack, he carefully handed it back to a vessel, who swung it over his shoulders. “But I’m afraid you’re not going to be blowing anything up tonight. Tomorrow, the Awakening begins, and there will be no one left to stop it. The Order, Cobalt’s rogue underground—in the next hour, all of Talon’s enemies will be no more.”
“So why the elaborate ruse?” I asked. “Why didn’t you just kill us when you had the chance?”
“Because I want you to see our victory.” Dante turned cold green eyes on me. “Because I want you to watch as I destroy Cobalt and the rebellion. I want you to fully understand that there will be no one left to challenge Talon, and the only way you will survive is by joining us.”
“You don’t understand, do you?” My voice came out shaky, remembering the lab, the scientists and the Elder Wyrm gazing down at me with alien green eyes. “I can’t go back, Dante. You don’t know what the Elder Wyrm wants, what she’ll really do to me.”
Dante gave a small, sad smile. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I do.”
Stunned, I could only gape at him for a moment. “I know that you’re her vessel,” Dante went on, “and that she’ll be using you to live forever. I’ve known for a while now.”
“And…you’re okay with that?” I finally stammered. Not truly believing it. Dante was my enemy, the heir of Talon, and was responsible for countless deaths and suffering on our side. But even through all that, I couldn’t accept that my brother would willingly stand by and watch the Elder Wyrm kill me to extend her own life.
“We all have sacrifices to make, Ember.” Dante’s voice was flat, unemotional, and sent an icy lance through my stomach. “I’ve accepted mine. It’s time that you did the same.”
“Dante…” I stared at him, too horrified to say anything. Dante gazed back, utterly impassive, and a sick feeling spread through my body. This was the heir of Talon, the Elder Wyrm’s second in command and, next to the leader of Talon herself, our greatest enemy within the organization. My brother, the twin I’d known and loved, the sibling who’d looked after us both all the years we were growing up, was truly dead.