Birthright: Book I of the Temujin Saga (21 page)

Moe kicked the driver’s side door clean off the hinges and hopped out, a “paintball” rifle clutched in his hands. The others followed suit, jumping out of the back and brandishing weapons. Challis stared in awe at the completely intact people walking away from a wreck that should have left every last one of them in body bags. One of the deputies raised his shotgun at the armed strangers, but Challis put out an arm and lowered the gun.

“Who the hell are you people?” he yelled.

Moe cocked his rifle and smirked. “We’re the good guys. We’ll take it from here, Sheriff.”

The sound of grinding metal drew their attention and they turned in time to see the wounded Death Walker swipe the wreckage of the truck away with a single swing of its remaining arm. It turned to face the bewildered TDC agents and growled.

“I think you pissed it off, Moe,” said Robert.

The mech stepped forward and a red laser flashed out from its electronic eye, passing slowly over each of the TDC agents in turn before finally blinking out again.

The mech took another step forward and in its electronic voice said, “TDC.”

“I take it we’re expected,” said Cherry.

“Samrai,” Lamont growled as he twisted his grip on the rifle stock.

“Objective altered,” said the mech, flexing the razor-sharp claws on its remaining arm. “Destroy TDC.”

The other mechs immediately ceased their assault on the police and focused their attention on the six new arrivals. Lamont raised his rifle and fired a plasma bolt at the nose of the damaged mech, but the blast bounced harmlessly off its armored shell.

“We’re in trouble!” he yelled.

Moe fired three paintballs from his gun and the sticky purple substance adhered to the mech’s shell, bubbling and smoking as it began to do its work, but after several seconds, the metal was still intact. Only a dark stain showed the corrosive gel had ever been there.

“You ain’t kidding,” said Moe.

The others immediately opened fire, but it had no effect. As the other mechs approached, they unloaded their arm cannons at the TDC, sending them scattering to various areas of the parking lot. Quintin ran toward the school, firing continuous bursts of automatic plasma fire, and took cover behind a demolished and burning police car. He turned and looked at the school, praying to the Great Mother that his brother could hold out just a few minutes longer.

*****

Tears stung Alex’s eyes as Temujin kicked the Spanish teacher’s lifeless body aside. The poor woman had shown no defiance, only immobilizing fear — something the Khan had shown no patience for. Temujin strode forward, away from the spreading pool of blood at his feet.

“You’re only prolonging the inevitable, boy,” he taunted. “How many more have to die? Maybe your peers should be next to suffer.”

Alex ground his teeth together in anger.

In the distance, an explosion rocked the school. Dust rained down from the rafters, and the students huddled together and screamed. Temujin smiled.

“Are you that much of a coward that you will let others die in your stead?” the warlord asked.

Alex took a deep, calming breath.

“I tire of this,” said Temujin. “Separate them.”

The girls shrieked, clinging both to each other and their boyfriends for protection.

“If they resist,” Temujin shouted to be heard over the screams, “shoot them. The girls are of no use to me.”

Slowly, the soldiers picked the girls out of the crowd one by one. Alex held onto Crystal’s hand until a Horde trooper finally tore them apart, his fingers reaching for that one last touch as she was pulled away, sobbing hysterically and struggling not to cry his name and reveal him to the invaders. Finally, the girls were herded to the other side of the gym, and Temujin approached the boys, examining them carefully. Alex tried to empty his mind, not giving the Khan anything to lock onto with his mental powers.

“Reveal yourself, Alexander,” said Temujin as he passed. “Spare these innocent children. Prove to them just how much of a hero you
really
are.”

Alex’s anger reached the boiling point. ::Bastard.::

Temujin turned, but the brief projection wasn’t enough for him to lock onto his prey. He smirked.

“I had hoped we could be civilized about this, but it seems you leave me no choice.” Temujin turned to address the soldiers guarding the girls. “Shoot one of the girls. Pick a pretty one.”

The boys shouted with outrage as the soldiers pulled one of the sophomores, a raven-haired girl with braces named Lindsey, out of the group and shoved her to her knees. Lindsey cried and screamed as a Hordesman placed the barrel of his plasma rifle against her head. Alex tensed and prepared to surrender himself when a voice rang out from the group of boys.

“Wait,” said the voice. “My name is Alexander.”

Alex looked over and saw one of the seniors, Alex Ross, stepping out into the open. Ross was tall and muscular; being captain of the football team and an avid bodybuilder, he actually looked the part of a hero. Temujin strode over to him and looked long and hard into Ross’s eyes.

“He is not the one,” he said. “Kill him
and
the girl.”

“No!” screamed Ross and Lindsey in unison.

Chuluun raised his sword toward Ross and the soldier across the room squeezed the trigger.

“Khan!”

Temujin turned slowly and looked doubtfully at the pale, longhaired young man stepping out of the crowd toward him.

“I’m the one you want,” Alex said. “
I’m
Alexander.”

The Khan sneered. “Prove it. Chuluun, kill the boy.”

Chuluun swung his sword, but an unseen force stopped the blade in midair, just short of Ross’s neck. A dark laugh escaped the Khan’s lips as he looked at Alex. The teen’s hair ruffled in the wind created by the psychic energy around him.

Temujin clapped slowly and took two steps toward his adversary. “Impressive… for a mere child.”

“That’s nothing,” said Alex. “Wait until you see
this
!”

Alex raised his arm and Lindsey’s captor was flung into the air. The angry teen swiped his arm across his body and the Horde trooper sailed across the room. The man struck the wall with a sickening crack that silenced his shrill screams and fell to the floor, his neck broken.

Temujin laughed. “A child with toy soldiers.”

Unable to contain his anger, Alex stepped forward and, focusing all of his rage into a single burst of energy, thrust it forward at Temujin. The blast struck him hard in the chest, knocking him off balance, but the warlord kept his footing and sneered.

“Very good.” Temujin nodded with approval. “My turn.”

Temujin thrust his hand into the air, and Alex felt the ground abruptly pulled out from under him as he was lifted into the air by the superior power of the Khan’s mind. Temujin curled his fingers together in a half-fist, and Alex screamed as his body was wracked with terrible pain, suspended helpless, over fifteen feet in the air. His body became enveloped in searing hot, blue waves of electricity and his screams grew louder. The lightning poured from his eyes like electric tears.

“Yes,”
Temujin roared. “
This
is the one!
You
are the child I seek!”

“Lamont!” Alex screamed, unable to project his call through the intense pain. “Moe! Help me!”

“Scream all you want, boy.” The Khan laughed and closed his fist tighter, sending new waves of pain into Alex’s body. “No one is coming to save you. You are alone now!”

“Quintin!” The tears streaming down Alex’s cheeks boiled and evaporated in the heat.
“Father!”

Through the pain, Alex heard Crystal crying out his name, her voice hoarse from the screaming. Suddenly the pain ceased, and Alex fell to the floor in a moaning, smoking heap.

“Help… me,” he groaned. “Please.”

A shadow fell over him, and Alex looked up through burning eyes to see the cloudy form of Temujin standing over him.

“How does it feel, boy?” Temujin jeered. “True power? The power of God! Perhaps you would have attained it if you lived long enough.”

Across the room, Crystal fought against the holds of several girls trying to restrain her and cried out, “Alex!”

::Crystal,:: Alex projected desperately. ::Don’t!::

But Temujin intercepted the mental message and turned to look at the girl. “Crystal? Come to me, my dear.”

One of the soldiers grabbed Crystal by the hair and dragged her to where the Khan stood waiting and Alex rolled on the floor in agony. Crystal sobbed as she drew closer. The smell of burnt flesh and hair hung heavy in the air. She tried to run to him, but the hand tangled in her hair jerked suddenly, yanking her away, even as she reached out to touch his prone form. Temujin took hold of her by the arm and pulled her closer to him.

“See your beloved hero?” he whispered in her ear. “See how far he has fallen?”

The putrid stench of yak’s milk lingering on the Khan’s breath reached her nostrils, and Crystal tasted bile rising in the back of her throat. “A-Alex!”

“She’s not part of this,” Alex moaned.

Temujin sneered. “She’s
yours
.”

“Let her go!”

“Or what, hero?” Temujin mocked.

His muscles burning, Alex reached behind his back, drew a plasma pistol from the waistband of his jeans, and aimed it at the Khan’s head with a trembling hand. The captive students gasped.

“I’ll kill you,” Alex croaked. “You son-of-a-bitch, I swear to God I’ll kill you.”

“Put that away, boy.” Temujin swatted the air with his hand and sent the pistol flying. “You might hit the girl.”

Alex watched the pistol fly from his hand and skitter under the bleachers, hopelessly out of reach. He reached out to try to retrieve it, but he was too weak. His powers were gone.

Temujin sneered as he brushed his gloved fingers through Crystal’s mussed hair. “I wouldn’t want you to damage the newest addition to my harem.”

“No,” Alex growled. “Don’t you
touch
her!”

Temujin brushed his lips against the sobbing girl’s ear. “Perhaps I’ll let you watch before you die. Would you like that?”

“No!” Alex rose awkwardly to his hands and knees and prepared to lunge at his enemy.

Chuluun kicked, striking Alex square in the jaw with his boot. Alex tumbled over backwards from the force of the impact and fell hard onto his back, unconscious before he even hit the ground. Temujin shoved Crystal into the arms of the nearest soldier.

“Take her,” he said. “Prepare the
Ragnarok
for departure. We have what we came for… and more.”

“No!” Crystal shrieked and struggled against the soldier. “Alex! Oh, God! Alex, wake up!”

Temujin shushed her with a finger to her lips. “Hush, child. It will all be over soon.”

“What of the boy, my lord?” asked Chuluun.

Temujin turned to leave. “Bring him, of course.”

“And the TDC?”

Temujin paused and smiled at the general. “I don’t think they will be a problem, Chuluun. The alien saw to that for us.”

“What if he shows up here, my lord? Captain Sukh reported that he escaped to the north on one of the supply trains.”

Temujin smirked. “Let him come. What can he possibly do to stop us now?”

*****

Shania Twain poured out of tinny speakers, filling the cab with insufferable, inane lyrics. Sam rolled his eyes. At least it was a change from his traveling companion’s flood of questions.

The truck driver, a chatty fellow named Floyd, had picked him up hitchhiking a few miles south of Cedar Rapids. Floyd, glad to have someone to talk to while hauling hogs to a slaughterhouse in northern Missouri, had been more than happy to pick up the ragged hitchhiker. The Replodian couldn’t decide which was more offensive to his senses: the music or the stench. He wondered if he had just enough evil left in him to kill the man.

Floyd pointed to a sign beside the road and, through a mouthful of beef jerky, said, “That’s it, ain’t it?”

Sam sat up straight and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s it. Turn right here.”

“You got it.” The trucker turned the smelly rig off of the interstate onto the two-lane country road. “How much farther?”

“About ten miles.”

Suddenly Floyd looked into one of his side mirrors and shouted, “Whoa, lookit that!”

Sam looked over as five Iowa State Troopers whipped around the eighteen-wheeler with their lights flashing and sirens blaring. The engines roared as the cars rocketed to the west toward East Van Buren High School.

“I’m too late,” Sam whispered.

“Huh?” Floyd twisted the volume knob on the radio, silencing Shania. “You say somethin’?”

The Replodian disappeared into the back.

Floyd twisted in his seat, taking his eyes off the road to watch his passenger. “Hey! Where you goin’?”

Sam returned a moment later with his oversized duffle bag and unzipped it. After a moment of shuffling the contents, he pulled out his stolen plasma rifle and pressed the energy primer, bringing the weapon to life.

“Whoa,” Floyd shouted, pressing his body against the door. “What the hell is that thing? Hey, I don’t want any trouble, Sam!”

“Shut up, Floyd,” said Sam, using the man’s name for the first time in nearly a hundred miles. “Put the hammer down or whatever you guys do, and follow those cops.”

“But, I—”

Sam cocked the rifle and a loud hum filled the cab. “Do it!”

“All right!” Floyd shifted gears and stepped on the accelerator. “No need to get testy, pal.”

Floyd pushed the rig to its limit, passing several other vehicles as they barreled down the road toward the school. It didn’t take long before they saw the thick black smoke rising in the distance. Sam slammed the butt of the rifle into the dash and cursed.

Floyd chanced a brief glance at his passenger. “Mind tellin’ me what’s goin’ on, partner?”

“Just drive the truck, Floyd.” Sam fought back the tears flooding his eyes. “Just drive the damn truck.”

A few agonizing minutes later, the school came into view, and Sam ordered Floyd to pull over in front of the driveway. The truck had barely come to a complete stop when Sam threw the door open. A rocket fired by one of the mechs destroyed one of the highway patrol cars, sending it into the air in a long arc before it nearly fell on a group of cops firing futilely at the robots.