Code

CHAPTER 57

THE SHOCK NEARLY extinguished my flare.

I stared at Ben, aghast, incapable of speech.

My friend. My confidant. Trusted above all others on earth. The pain of his betrayal sent tears to my eyes.

Coop nipped my hand, pulling me back from the brink.

Pack, Coop sent with crystal clarity. Pack.

The wolfdog had it right. Whatever Ben had done, I needed him at that moment. The pack had to be whole for what we were about to attempt.

Shelton and Hi were cautiously poking each other’s chest.

Amazing, sent Hi.

No doubt, Shelton thought back.

I heard them both. Our union of minds was seamless, not the strained, incomplete connections of the past. A blink, and I could adopt another Viral’s perception. See through his eyes. We could communicate telepathically without interference.

I looked at Coop. Is this what a pack truly is?

Coop looked back with feral intensity. I sensed contentment. Excitement. As if his family had finally arrived home.

“We should attack,” Ben said aloud. “Flush out the Gamemaster before … whatever this is fades away.”

Yes, I sent. And no more words.

The awesome power flowed through me. Filled me with confidence.

I sent the pack a series of images and instructions.

No more was needed. Single file, we stalked toward the plaza.

Marion Square occupies a full city block—a wide, flat expanse often used for concerts and festivals. Dirt paths run from corner to corner, forming a giant X on the lawn. Oaks and low bushes border the perimeter, but there is no cover inside the square.

We approached the southwest corner and slipped in among the trees, each ducking behind a giant truck. Coop crouched at my side, ears perked, tail pointed outward. Moving warily, I crouched and crab-stepped to my left to get a clean look at the terrain.

Across the plaza loomed a hotel designed to look like a fortress. The roofline was styled as a battlement, topped with false towers and indented crenellations.

A perfect shooting platform, Ben sent. He was watching through my eyes.

Agreed, I replied. We need to revise our plan.

CRACK.

Something stung my arm.

I dropped to my belly, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Not the hotel.

TORY! Shelton pushed so hard it made me dizzy.

Coop whined in distress.

Then Hi was dragging me back behind the oak. Shelton and Ben were staring with panicked eyes.

“Oh God,” Hi panted. “How bad is it?”

How bad is what? I sent. Why are you speaking?

“Your arm!” Hi took a deep breath. You’ve been shot.

I looked down. My jacket and shirtsleeve were neatly sliced. A scarlet blossom was streaking the outside of the nylon. Huh.

“She’s in shock.” Ben’s voice was shaky. “Hi, check the wound.”

I’m fine. But I let Hi probe the rip in my sleeve.

Seconds ticked by. Then color returned to Hi’s cheeks. “It’s okay. Just a graze.”

My finger traced the shallow slash on my upper arm. Close.

“Did anyone see the shot?” Shelton whispered.

No more talking! I mind-shouted, tugging off the windbreaker and ripping away my shirtsleeve.

The wound was neat, straight, and parallel to the ground. It sliced horizontally across my left biceps, angling neither up nor down.

He’s level with us, I sent. Not on a roof.

I considered my body position at impact—facing forward, shoulders square to the park. To graze my left arm, the bullet had to have originated either directly ahead or from somewhere to our left.

I scanned the left side of the plaza. Settled on a trio of live oaks crowding the northeast corner. There.

Shelton spreads his hands. That’s all the way across the square!

Coop nudged my thigh. When our eyes met, he transmitted a series of images: Shelton and Ben circling left. Coop, Hiram, and I swinging right. Then snapping jaws, our prey caught squirming between.

Overcoming my shock, I relayed the wolfdog’s plan. He would know.

Thunder cracked. A lone squall swept the block, sprinkling us with briny drops. The eye was passing. Katelyn was about to rage again.

Go! I sent.

Everyone reacted at once. Coop, Hi, and I shot down Calhoun. Using the tree line as a screen, we sprinted to the end of the block and slid into the bushes.

Running west, I was aware of Ben and Shelton sprinting north along King. They hit the corner and took cover in the trees.

Both groups paused, panting, sharing points of view.

No shots. No movement. I worried the Gamemaster had already fled.

Glancing east, I saw a wall of rain marching across the peninsula. A blast of wind nearly knocked me on my butt as Katelyn stormed back. Howling and spitting, she fired branches across the plaza like matchsticks.

Close the jaws, I sent.

Simultaneously, we began to converge on the northeast corner.

Lightning flashed. For an insane moment I heard the wind scream my name. Then I danced sideways to avoid a tire tumbling down the sidewalk.

CRACK. CRACK.

Hot metal buzzed my ear.

Hi dove for the hedge. I crashed in after him, and together we army-crawled to a stand of live oaks. Coop scurried to join us.

I shifted my perception to Shelton. He and Ben had ducked behind an outcropping of the hotel wall. As I watched, Shelton buried his face in the back of Ben’s sweatshirt.

Everyone okay? Struggling to catch my breath.

Coop yapped.

Beside me, Hi flashed a shaky grin. Not shot, if that’s what you mean.

Check. Ben was staring at a stand of pines twenty yards from his position.

I’m okay. Shelton had wedged himself farther behind Ben. Think I’ll stay here.

Hi tapped my shoulder and pointed.

A form was emerging from the shadows in the corner of the plaza, rifle trained on the hotel. Unaware of where Hi and I were positioned, the Gamemaster stepped into the square and began circling for a clean shot at Ben and Shelton.

In seconds they’d be in his crosshairs.

I beamed the danger. Move!

Ben didn’t hesitate. Pushing Shelton before him, he darted up the block.

For a terrifying moment the two were totally exposed.

The Gamemaster tensed. Raised his weapon. Fired.

CRACK. CRACK.

Sparks flew from the hotel wall.

Ben and Shelton reached a stone bench and dove behind it.

The Gamemaster hurried forward, rifle trained on their position, back to where Hi and I crouched beside Coop.

Panic bubbled in my chest. He had the boys pinned down.

Before I could react, Hi rose and burst from the trees, lumbering straight for the Gamemaster’s back.

No! I sent.

Coop streaked after Hi.

I shot from the trees in pursuit.

Focused on his target, the Gamemaster failed to notice the action behind him. He closed to within a dozen yards of the bench.

I felt Ben enter my headspace. Look through my eyes.

Then, to my shock, he popped up and started waving his arms.

The Gamemaster froze, momentarily surprised. Recovering quickly, he leveled the barrel to fire. Ben dropped back behind the bench.

Hi kept bombing toward the Gamemaster. Thirty yards. Twenty.

At ten yards, Katelyn betrayed him.

Lightning flashed. The Gamemaster caught movement in the corner of his eye.

He spun. Centered Hi in his crosshairs.

Hi stumbled and fell in the pouring rain. Slid to a stop on his knees.

A smile split the Gamemaster’s mouth.

Oh damn, Hi sent.

I screamed, helpless.

Then a shadow exploded from the center of the plaza, rushing directly for the Gamemaster. He turned, astonished by this new attack.

The figure was familiar. I thought I was hallucinating.

Kit lowered one shoulder. Bellowing like a madman, he reached the Gamemaster and swung a wild haymaker.

The Gamemaster dropped his rifle and stepped sideways, ducking the blow and tossing Kit forward with one arm. Kit toppled and rolled across the slick grass.

Laughing, the Gamemaster pulled a Glock from his robe.

Too late.

Coop struck first, upending the Gamemaster and sending him sprawling.

The Glock went flying.

As the Gamemaster staggered to one knee, my foot connected with his jaw.

His eyes rolled back. Then Ben and Shelton tackled as one, driving him face-first into the muddy lawn.

“You freak!” Ben was hammering our enemy with his fists. I needed Shelton’s help to drag him off.

“Now that’s what I call backup!” Hi searched the Gamemaster’s robe and removed three more handguns. “Never doubted you guys for a second.” He jammed the weapons into his pockets. “Okay, that’s not really true. But you came through anyway!”

As we regained our breath Katelyn raged on, pounding our group with renewed ferocity.

No matter. It was over. The Gamemaster lay unconscious at my feet. We’d won.

Then, a moment of panic. Kit was there.

I quickly fired a message: Kill the lights!

Four flares snuffed in rapid succession.

I turned to find Kit staring at me, lungs heaving, water coursing down his face.

He wore a look of total bewilderment.

“Hi, Dad.”