Part 10 (1/2)
This time, the joy in Jason's smile reached his eyes.
He nodded to Adrastia, who led them toward the single door.
They emerged from the Veil in the spot they'd previously occupied. In the brief moment they pulled free from the Veil, it appeared time had ceased. The remaining members of Ansuz were statues watching over the s.p.a.ce Jason, Adrastia, and Fuyuko previously occupied.
Brandt blinked.
”Did you guys even talk? I think you were gone ten-seconds.”
Adrastia released her grip.
”Yeah,” Jason replied, ”we're good to go.”
A cheerful, boyish, grin spread across Brandt's face.
”I told you. Seven years don't matter-she's still family.”
Neither Jason nor Adrastia said anything to reveal Fuyuko's hesitation.
”Marie,” Jason said, ”time to follow orders. Get out of here.”
”But-”
”No buts! You know your orders, follow them.”
Marie shot a glare of contempt toward Fuyuko and disappeared.
”Brandt, Caelum, you guys good to get out of here?” Jason asked.
”Already got a tunnel set up. Lots of room in this place to push the dirt out.”
Jason nodded.
”Good. Go. Now.”
Caelum and Brandt exchanged confused glances.
They don't know he's staying behind, Fuyuko thought. I shouldn't be surprised. They'd never let him take that chance alone.
”It's fine. Adrastia has an escape route set for us. I'll follow soon.”
Jason sounded so sure, Fuyuko, even knowing his plan, was almost convinced.
Brandt and Caelum still looked unsure but didn't argue any further. They returned to the library.
”Will they be all right?” Fuyuko asked.
”Yeah, they'll be fine. The plan was for Brandt to tunnel out and lay low before returning to the Bifrost fragment.” Jason turned to Adrastia. ”You'll help them get through that last part, right?”
She nodded.
”Good. Ok, Fuyuko, we need to make this look good.”
”What?”
Jason stomped in place and shook his arms loose.
”You captured me. You need to make it look good. No one's going to believe you beat me if I'm looking pretty, now are they?”
”I...I don't know if...”
From behind her, the rock barrier Brandt created started to s.h.i.+ft and break apart.
”Hurry up,” Jason said, not unkindly. ”We're running out of time.”
She called Fimbulvetr from the Veil.
Seven years as an enforcer for Quetzalcoatl taught her many ways to hurt someone without causing any permanent damage. She'd extended those lessons to their fullest. There had never been pleasure in any of it, but sometimes hurting someone herself, was still a better option than a sloppier subordinate killing them.
Fuyuko struck Jason in a few key places. He didn't bother to stifle his cries and grunts of pain. She finished by blasting a stream of ice, encasing his hands and legs. Then, in a final move, she grabbed the collar from her pack and placed it around his neck, robbing him of his Veil abilities.
Adrastia nodded grimly and disappeared, most likely back to the Veil. Fuyuko realized Egypt, especially Alexandria, was warded against such a thing.
Perhaps Adrastia could rescue them when the time came.
As her team broke through the rock, she ordered a number of them into the library to search for the other terrorists-even though she knew they were gone.
Fuyuko smashed the ice around Jason's feet and hauled him up to be marched out.
In her head, she said a prayer to G.o.d, her dad, and anyone else who might be listening, that she hadn't just made the worst decision of her life.
2.
Forgiven
The axe followed a natural, smooth arc, pa.s.sing through the log with little resistance.
Gwynn inspected the pile of wood surrounding him and let out a sigh of one part relief and another part satisfaction.