Maxon Special Extended Edition, page 27
“For now,” says Kyo slowly. Little by little, her face merges back into the heavy raindrops. For a moment, I can make out the shape of her eyes, then nothing at all. The storm slows. Soon the only sign of rain are rivulets of water on the cement walkway. The sky brightens. No question about it.
Kyo is gone.
I shake my head. “Why did we appoint majordomos again?”
“Because we can’t track all four elements without help.”
Two words stick in my head: for now. “You heard what Kyo said.”
“I did.”
“And you know what that means.”
Maxon nods. “She’s calling in reinforcements.”
In this case, reinforcements means Kyo’s contacting the majordomos for the other elements. Things could get awkward. Our four majordomos like to pester us in shifts; a wedding is their favorite topic. A sly gleam lights up Maxon’s blue eyes. “I could always call in Mother, you know.”
Maxon’s mom is rapidly becoming my favorite person. “That would be something.”
“She’d kick all their elemental asses, easy.”
“Not necessary, but I do like the visual.” I chuckle. “Besides, I get why the majordomos are obsessed with our wedding.” To the elemental world, Maxon and I getting married means stability. Plus, our children are bound to be powerful monarkkis. No one currently rules earth and fire, so that’s a big need. An image appears in my mind: a pair babies made from rock or flame. Instantly, my body stiffens.
Parenthood. What an overwhelming thought.
All of a sudden, this steel building seems to tower even higher. I drop my arm from the door handle. “Maybe we should just go home.”
Maxon moves closer, pausing when our gazes lock. His blue eyes are wide with sympathy. “I get the concern. But you’ve been working non-stop on this for months. Healing naiads. Tracing the problem to DEX.” He nods toward the building. “Your plan is brilliant. Our identities are set. An appointment awaits. This took weeks to set up. Going inside today is the right thing to do.”
“Maybe we should wait until dark and turn elemental.” That means taking our forms as mist and wind. “We can try to sneak in again.”
“We’ve done that a dozen times already. Whoever built this building, they know more about our kind than they should.”
Which is true. Normally, I can go misty and get in anywhere. But no matter what Maxon and I try, we can’t break into DEX. No one knows how to block elementals. It took weeks—and special contacts from Emperor Tempest—to get us false identities and invitations inside.
“I meant what I said.” Raising his hands, Maxon cups my face with his fingertips. “You’re brilliant. This plan is solid.”
Reaching up, I clasp Maxon’s wrists. “But all that talk from Kyo. You know what she really means. We need to get married. Have a family.”
With gentle motions, Maxon runs his thumb across my bottom lip. His touch sends a pleasant shiver through me. “And so we will … when the time is right. Besides, Kyo always brings up the wedding whenever she wants you to stop doing something.”
My eyes widen. “Like when?”
“Like yesterday, when she wanted you to stop researching DEX.”
“It was two in the morning.” Not sure why, but I feel protective of Kyo.
“Then two days go, when she didn’t want you healing anyone new.”
“Only because I’d already cured a naiad that day.”
Maxon sniffs. “And Kyo takes forever to find your sick naiads. Each time you ask her why, she pulls the wedding card. You back down every time.”
I purse my lips, thinking this through. “Damn, you’re right. She’s like the girl who cried wedding.” I narrow my eyes. “What do you think she’s up really to?”
“Nothing bad.” Maxon shrugs. “Mostly, Kyo wants her lovely monarkki to slow down.” Leaning in, he presses a petal-soft kiss across my lips. The touch of his mouth against mine launches a whirl of emotions.
The burn of desire.
Rock-solid determination.
The feather-light pull of hope.
“But what if things go wrong today?” I ask. “We’ve no idea what’s inside this building.”
“That’s part of being us. Surprises happen. We improvise. It all works out in the end.” Maxon’s voice lowers to a rumble. “But the important question is this—what do you want?”
“Multiple things.” Slanting my mouth across his, I deepen our kiss. There really is nothing better than the play of my tongue against Maxon’s. “To be honest, some of those things involve you being naked.”
Maxon gives me the hint of a smile. “How about at this very moment?”
I consider the question. Not sure how Maxon does it, but I always feel better after he showers me with some kisses and chatter. A minute ago, I was ready to fly home. But now? Not so much. When I next speak, there’s no question in my voice.
“Let’s find out who’s poisoning my naiads.”
Maxon’s expression blooms into an all-out grin, complete with dimples. “My beautiful warrior.”
“Right.” A sense of pride heats my chest. Turning toward the door, I grip the handle once more.
We’re going in.
2
Maxon
Lianna and I step into a boxy space that’s covered in dull gray walls. It’s also empty.
As in no furniture.
No be happy in your work posters.
Not even a person standing around.
I take in a deep breath—or what passes for it now that I have no lungs—and sift through the air particles inside me. Totally stale. No humans have walked into this space for months.
Odd.
Suddenly, the walls flare to life. Turns out, they aren’t regular panels. Nope, these are huge monitors. One second, everything is dim. The next moment, all four walls radiate white light. A woman made of silver appears on the screen before us. She’s like a faceless Barbie doll, only one that’s made of metal. Gotta be honest. This kicks up the freak factor in here.
A smooth female voice echoes through the room. “Greetings.” I’m guessing the silver chick speaking, although it would help if she had a mouth. “I am the Government Elite Entity Nine Alpha. GEENA for short.” Her voice carries a little metallic echo. “You must be Doctor Gusty.”
“That’s me,” I say.
Note to self: The next time Tempest makes us fake identities, make a point to ask the dragon emperor to open a freaking thesaurus. As aliases go, Doctor Gusty sucks ass.
GEENA turns to Lianna. “And you’re Doctor Flume.”
Lianna nods. “Correct.” My girl shoots me a half-lidded gaze. This is her snarky face. It means one thing. She’s not happy with her name situation, either.
“You brought no armorments,” says GEENA. The way she says those words, it’s not really a question. I inspect the walls once more, wondering about those hidden cameras. Are there scanners embedded as well? Probably.
“Of course not,” I say smoothly, because it’s the truth. Tempest insisted that we wouldn’t get inside with any weapons, even if I only brought my baculum. As always, the old dragon was spot-on.
“Welcome to you both,” says GEENA. “I’m here to provide you with a tour of our facilities for your purposes in…” Her face flickers. “Requesting additional funding for our efforts.”
“That’s right,” I say. But even as the words leave my mouth, something feels mighty wrong. Over the years, I’ve both lived and memorized miles of demonic facts. A beast with seven heads? Fought that. A snake meanie that changes size? Read four books on the topic. But when it comes to high tech, I only know the basics, like how to use a cell phone. Super computer stuff like GEENA? No clue.
All of a sudden, that feels like a big miss.
A sense of unease winds through me. I scan the walls more carefully. There must be super-strong sensors in here. Otherwise, how does GEENA know where to look at us? Which is a pretty cool trick. And it makes me wonder: what else is this place packing?
If Lianna is worried, she doesn’t show it. “Before you give us a tour, I’d like to start with some basic questions. What do you do here, exactly? Manufacture chemicals?”
“No,” replies GEENA. “We’re a storage facility.”
That’s unexpected. I figured this place was a huge office building. Lots of little desks and junk like that. But storage? This structure is way too high tech for that.
“What are you storing here, exactly?” I ask.
“It’s easier show you, Doctor Gusty.” She looks to Lianna. “Doctor Flume.”
A mechanical whir sounds. A panel wall rolls up, revealing a corridor that leads inside the building itself. GEENA steps into the hallway, although she really doesn’t step anywhere. It’s just that the image of her on the monitors walks from the screens in the lobby onto the ones in the corridor. As she ‘walks’ into the hall, the walls there light up as well.
My brows lift. This is some strange stuff. Human governments don’t develop crazy tech like this, as a rule. I rest my hand on the base of Lianna’s back as we follow GEENA into the hallway. The passageway ends with a waist-high metal gate. GEENA gestures to the corridor’s end. “This way,” she instructs.
Lianna and I follow her direction, but I can tell my woman isn’t happy about it. Lianna’s body turns arctic cold. It’s one way my woman shows worry or fear. My own element churns inside me, like dozens of tiny cyclones are spinning within my torso, ready to break free. Together, Lianna and I stroll toward the hallway’s end. All the while, my elemental instincts scream at me.
Something about this wrong.
Even worse, I fear this place threatens my Lianna.
3
Lianna
Maxon and I reach the end of the hallway. There, we pause by the gate. It takes a moment for my vision to adjust to the dim light.
What I see turns my world upside down.
Before me looms a large and open space. Like the inside of a chimney, it stretches far above. All the walls have the same dull gray look that lined the outer hallway and lobby. Clearly, this place holds more monitors. But that’s not what shocks me. On the floor below, huddled in a corner, there sits a naiad. And not just any naiad, but Avonlea, the most powerful water sprite of her clan.
They captured her.
I scan her body. Normally, Avonlea is blue-skinned and lithe as a ballet dancer. Her long silver hair usually hangs to her ankles. My heart sinks. Small patches of scraggly hair now cling to her skull. A white film dims her once-bright eyes. All her skin oozes the same greenish pus that’s been spreading through other naiads. Poisoning them. Cold rage swirls within my soul. I grip the metal railing before me. The steel immediately frosts over from my touch.
Inside the containment chamber, the gray panels come to life, flaring with white light. GEENA appears again. Only this time, the projection of her stretches twenty stories tall—the entire length of one wall panel. Her metal arm gestures toward Avonlea.
“Do you see that puddle of water?” asks GEENA.
“Puddle?” I meant to ask that as a question, but the word comes out as more of a snarl. Maxon rests his hand on my shoulder. It’s a comforting move.
“The small green puddle in the corner?” clarifies Maxon. “That’s how it appears to you, right?”
Maxon’s words cut through my icy rage. That’s right. Unless you’re an elemental, Avonlea would look like nothing more than water.
“Correct,” says GEENA. “That’s water sample Q43. And yes, that puddle is more than it appears to be. Let me demonstrate. First, we’ll apply our chemical spray.”
Down by the metal floor, images of nozzles appear on the walls surrounding Avonlea. Then, the metal cones stretch out from the wall.
They become real.
At this point, I should be shocked that pictures on a monitor screen can transform into something physical. But I can’t. All I can focus on is how Avonlea cowers in the corner, her shoulders heaving with silent sobs.
My poor naiad. Sprites like Avonlea giggle when a stream gurgles. They laugh as sunlight dances through water. Their joy seeps through to humankind, allowing everyone to enjoy nature’s beauty in all its forms. And now, she’s tortured for being different.
“This chemical mixture should turn Q43 into vapor,” adds GEENA.
The metal nozzles spit a black haze above Avonlea’s head. She coughs, her hands grasping at her throat. Tears stream down her cheeks.
“As you can see,” says GEENA. “Sample Q43 remains liquid. That shouldn’t happen.” She rolls her eyes. “You’ve no idea how many chemical mixes we went though before we found this particular reaction.”
When I speak, my voice comes out low and deadly. “I’m starting to understand.”
“Excellent,” says GEENA. “It took our agency decades simply to create a scan that could separate Q43 from regular liquids. Then we had to locate this particular sample and contain it. All these steps needed to take place before we could start testing. And the tests themselves have taken ages to create. That’s why we’re low on funding. We need more investment in order to continue our research.”
“How much have you spent already?” asks Maxon.
“This facility has required sixty years and three-point-seven trillion dollars. We’ve only begun to test this thing and its capabilities.”
“She’s not a thing,” I declare.
If GEENA detects the rage in my voice, she doesn’t show it. “No one knows what Q43 is, Doctor Flume. That’s why we need more funding. Here’s another example.”
This time, the images of long metal rods appear high above Avonlea’s head. Once again, the pictures become real. Four actual devices now point at Avonlea.
“Watch this,” says the massive version of GEENA.
Lightning coils along the metal rods. For a long moment, the bolts crackle and twine together. Then all four devices let off thin cords of energy and power. All the lightning bolts strike right at Avonlea.
My sweet naiad screams.
“Do you see this?” asks GEENA. “After that blast, this water should have evaporated completely. But it doesn’t so much as ripple under the lightning.”
Maxon rubs my back in soothing motion. “We see it,” he says. “That’s enough of a demonstration.”
“Just let me show you what happens with more power. This is the best part.”
The four rods now flare more brightly. The bolts of lightning turn searingly strong. Avonlea screams and bursts into a cloud of vapor. Green haze fills the chimney-like tower. My elemental sense knows what’s happening.
They’re killing her.
This time, my words come out as a howl. “No! Stop!”
The lightning ceases. All four devices retract into the wall. Avonlea lays on the metal floor, unconscious. I barely notice how GEENA returns to her regular size.
After that, she steps out of the wall.
Just like the metal devices, GEENA has become real. I should be worried. Surprised. Something. Instead I only feel numb. It’s all I can do to stare at Avonlea and not weep. When GEENA speaks, it’s like I’m trapped in a dream or something. I can hear her words, but I can’t focus on them.
“Why Doctor Flume,” says GEENA. “You’re blue.”
“It’s an illusion,” says Maxon quickly.
But it’s not. I often turn blue when I’m overwhelmed.
A sensor orb appears on a nearby wall. Like everything else, it starts off as an image and then becomes real. A moment later, the orb flares to life, sending a grid of white light across my body. GEENA steps closer. “In fact, you’re the exact same color that Q43 was when we first brought it in.” GEENA raises her hand so that her palm faces toward me and Maxon. “Perhaps we should take a closer look at you, too.”
Black mist shoots out from GEENA’s palm. The haze tightens my throat. Waves of pain shoot down my body. I grit my teeth, fighting the hurt. What GEENA does is no longer important. I must connect with Avonlea. Crouching, I focus my powers on the naiad below.
“Avonlea,” I whisper.
My naiad opens her eyes a crack. She gives me a thin smile. A rush of water sounds in my mind. That means one thing. Avonlea is trying to communicate with me. I hear her hoarse voice in my head.
“Narragansett River.”
I nod. “The Narragansett River,” I whisper. “Your sisters are there. I’ll take you to them. I promise.”
Avonlea closes her eyes once more, confident that her monarkki will save the day.
Trouble is, I don’t know how I’m getting out of here myself, let alone taking Avonlea along.
4
Maxon
Frustration swirls through me. Lianna’s in pain. I must get her and that naiad out of here. But how? I scan my surroundings. Shit keeps appearing out of the freaking walls. Who knows what else is coming? I’ve fought enough demons to know that understanding your opponent is key.
Trouble is, I have no idea what I’m up against.
GEENA tilts her head. The orbs set into the nearby walls now flicker white grids across both me and Lianna. “Neither of you are scanning like humans. You’re more … like Q43.” More black mist hisses out from GEENA’s palms.
In some ways, the chemicals from GEENA don’t effect me. This stuff is designed for water elementals; my power comes from air. But the moment the dark haze reaches Lianna, she screams in pain. Her agony tears through my consciousness. Two thoughts spin through my mind.
Save Lianna.
Make them pay.
Reaching forward, I grasp the railing that separates us from the chimney-like prison.
“Stop,” cries GEENA. “Everything in here is precious.”
“Good.” I round on her. “Now watch me level it.”
“Altering headquarters,” states GEENA. “Alerting headquarters.” Her electronic voice now carries a note of hysteria. “Request guard support.”
The steps for escape appear in my mind: Tear up the hallway … Prevent anyone else from coming in to help … Then take Lianna and her naiad to safety. And if I can destroy this whole place in the process? Good.
