Part 31 (1/2)
The Forbidden Tear
In the brief s.p.a.ce between the first and second series of explosions, Fuyuko was behind Jason, unlocking the restraining collar from his throat.
”Fuyuko Takeda,” Quetzalcoatl roared. ”What do you think you're doing.”
Fuyuko stood straight.
”In case it's escaped your notice, we're under attack,” she said. ”And this man needs you. Meaning he's the closest thing we have to someone we can trust. We have no idea how deep Hildy's conspiracy goes. Every guard in this place could be on her side.”
Jason got to his feet, rubbing the red spot where the collar had rubbed his neck.
”She probably had a monitor connected to her heart,” Jason said. ”When it stopped, it activated the sequence for the bombs. I'm guessing they aren't just meant to confuse us or take out some of the staff. They're probably a signal to anyone else on her side.”
”You men,” Quetzalcoatl barked at the guards in the room, ”prepare to defend this room with your lives.”
Jason shot a sideway glance to Fuyuko and nodded.
The two launched toward opposite sides of the room just as two guards on each side raised their weapons.
Jason's barbed whip slashed out, decapitating one guard as its tip slashed through his throat, then embedding itself in the head of the other.
Fuyuko's spear split open the chest of one guard on her side, while daggers of ice blasted into the face of the other.
”Fuyuko, the door,” Jason said.
She was already moving, freezing the moisture in the air, building a thick layer of ice barring any further intrusions.
It was over before the remaining four guards were able to raise their weapons.
”Wait,” Quetzalcoatl shouted at them. ”Explain,” he growled at Jason and Fuyuko.
”Those four weren't the least bit surprised when the bombs went off,” Jason said.
Fuyuko added, ”Their fingers were already twitching on the triggers as you pulled out her heart. I don't think they cared enough to risk saving her, but they were ready to take action in the confusion of the bombings.”
”As best as I can tell,” Jason said, ”these were the only loyal guards in the room. Or they were too cowardly to go through with their betrayal.”
”Which is it?” Quetzalcoatl asked them.
The men fell to their knees, right hands balled into a fist above their hearts.
”We are loyal and ready to die for you, our Lord.”
Quetzalcoatl looked with a raised eyebrow toward Jason.
Do you believe them? the expression asked.
Jason nodded his approval.
Pounding came from the other side of the door.
”What do you think,” Jason said to Fuyuko, ”friendlies or not?”
Fuyuko shrugged.
”Equal chance of being either. I could open the door and find out if you don't mind getting messier.”
”I don't care,” Jason said. ”But I'm not in a big hurry to fight through thirty-seven floors of resistance. Is there any other way out of here?” he asked Quetzalcoatl.
The self-appointed G.o.d stood straighter, smoothing his jacket and adjusting his collar.
”I have a private elevator in my office. There're no other stops between here and a secured area in the loading dock.”
”Did Hildy know about it?” Jason asked.
He didn't need to hear the answer, Quetzalcoatl's expression made it clear.
”Then we're not taking that elevator,” Jason said. ”Dammit, I'd hoped we wouldn't have to waste any energy getting out of here. Fuyuko-”
”Express elevator?”
Jason nodded grimly.
”You up for it?” he asked.
She gave him a look that said both, eat s.h.i.+t, and, I'm more than capable.
”What are you two up to?” Quetzalcoatl asked. ”Shouldn't I be consulted?”
Jason gave a slight bow.
”With all due respect, my Lord, we're orchestrating our safe exit from this building. We've done a similar extraction in the past, but it wasn't quite so high up.” Turning to Fuyuko, he asked, ”How long do you need?”
She placed her hand against the gla.s.s, which fogged and thickened as ice formed on its surface. Fuyuko pulled her spear back and smashed it against the frozen gla.s.s, shattering it into thousands of splinters. She leaned out the hole and looked down.
”Say, forty-five seconds,” she said and jumped.
”You,” Jason said to one of the remaining guards, ”start counting.”
”One one-thousand. Two one-thousand...” the guard intoned.
”Keep counting, but listen,” Jason said. ”You remaining guards have an option. You can stay here, and see if the ones trying to bust down the door are friendly, or if they're not, take the chance they aren't interested in killing guards. Or, you can jump out that window and take your chances with us. I won't force you to do either.”
”Forty-five one-thousand,” the guard finished.
”You should go first, Lord Quetzalcoatl,” Jason said.