Shanakee's Tale Page 10

  He went up and down, up and down, unable to sit still. He had finally found him. And he found Kyla. He could not bear to lose them again.

  Kyla’s arrival felt like a liberation. With one single head movement, she signaled to follow her. They tiptoed around the sleeping city where the daylight was completely gone and only fires burned in the houses here and there. Without a word, they descended further down into complete nothingness. Kyla held a torch to light their way.

  “Any guards?” Conall’s words sounded shallow.

  “Only at the entrance to the city. Not in here.”

  It was perfectly quiet in this pit of hell when torchlight finally illuminated a cell with two figures inside. Both lifted their heads. John was chained to a wall. Aideen jumped up and ran to the iron bars. Kyla fished out a set of keys and opened the door, then hurried towards John to free him.

  “Conall?”

  John sounded tired.

  If he only knew that this is just the beginning.

  “How much time has gone by?” Aideen’s voice shook.

  “Several hours. It’s night now.”

  Relief washed over Aideen’s face.

  But Conall did not trust her. While in the cave, he had been trying to understand her motives in vain. If she was Manasseh’s spy, why on earth had she brought John here? He could not suppress the look of suspiciousness either.

  “We’ll need to get your son and flee to Skye.” Conall said, reluctantly rethinking if he really could give away this hiding place to Aideen. He looked down at the scar on the back of her hand. It was probably only a farce. But there was time to decide later.

  For now, they needed to get out of this unholy city as soon as possible. Sneaking up the steps, they crawled along the walls to stay in the darkness towards the elevator that would take them to the surface. It would get difficult from then on, but three of them were skilled fighters, not to mention John’s other virtues.

  The elevator went up. So far, so good. Two armed guards awaited them at the gate, but they stood no chance again both John and Aideen. Conall stayed behind, keeping Kyla close to his side. They ran into the night that was cold and rainy, around the hill where they found four cars, and the barely conscious, half-naked and dehydrated guard Conall had strapped to the vehicle. John gave Conall an ironic smile at that sight.

  “So … not just a scientist?”

  Conall winked.

  Luckily, the cars did not rank amongst the new models that were impossible to break into. The old ones still ran on petrol and were easy to ignite without a key. Aideen set to work while suddenly, Kyla froze.

  “I … I’ll stay here,” she murmured against the wind that rose around their ears.

  No. Conall turned around. He could not lose her, not again.

  “Please …” But while he made a step towards her, she made a step back. “There’s no time, if they find out what you did …”

  She shook her head.

  “It’s not that simple.”

  But there was no time for explanation, they would come any second, and all would be lost.

  “Kyla …” He was lost for words.

  Her expression was so lost that for the first time, he realized how much he had failed her.

  “I know I was a lousy father.” He lowered his head. His obsession, the books and the studies, it had cost him his daughter. He did not even see how others manipulated her, snatched her away right from under his eyes. “Don’t make the same mistake, don’t sacrifice you child for your own beliefs.”

  Those words were sincere, and he knew that they hit her at the very core because she was exactly like him. And he wanted her to be better.

  She nodded when suddenly movement and sounds began to echo from the entrance of the cave.

  Conall snatched her hand and ran towards a car, breaking the glass on the passengers seat and crawling in to start the ignition. He could not believe the next words he uttered: “Skye Island. You still know the way?” Conall was about to leave Kyla alone. Again. She stared at him in disbelief. The engine started, and he left the cabin for her to take over the driver’s seat. “Kyla?” His voice grew urgent. “Do you know the way?”

  She nodded absently.

  “I’ll be in Skye tomorrow. It’s too dangerous for you to go to Area Three. We’ll divert them, and you’ll have a safe passage.”

  This was the safest way, and still he felt like he abandoned her yet again. He tenderly kissed her forehead, closed the door, and yelled, “Go!”

  After one last glance, Kyla was gone into the night. Only now the figures emerged from behind the hill, running at Conall with all kinds of blades that glistened in the rain. He sprinted towards the car where Aideen had already started the engine. More figures emerged, and this time, they opened fire. Conall ducked and hid behind the car door before jumping into the back seat. Aideen pushed the gas pedal. Engines started behind them.

  They needed to throw them off as soon as possible. Aideen knew exactly what she was doing, and it was a blessing in disguise. She drove along the main road for several minutes and then vanished from it into the dark of the forests where it would be nearly impossible to discover them, switching the lights off. When the sounds of the pursuing vehicles subsided, she stopped the car and took a deep breath.

  John took her hand in his, tenderly stroking it to clam her down. After a while, he said: “You need to cut out your chip.”

  Conall stared at the back of her right hand again. The fake scar must have been really thorough and painful in the making. John was right, Manasseh was probably monitoring her every movement through this chip as this micro-processor possessed every possible function one could imagine, especially GPS. If Conall wanted to take them to Skye, every tracking device should be eliminated anyway.

  Aideen hesitated for a second. She was reconsidering her last tie to civilization, to her old life. Then, she searched the car until she had found a dagger.

  In the light of the moon, she cut the scar open and reached into the depth of her flesh. Conall looked away, but he heard the dripping of blood, and smelled the scent of it.

  She took a deep breath.

  Taking out the chip was painful beyond imagination, Conall had learned it when he cut out his. The chip was connected to the brain, and a crash of this connection could lead to severe injuries, even death. Aideen clenched her teeth and gave a dump sound before she collapsed right on the driver’s seat. Conall felt her pulse. She was still alive, but she would need time to recover. He pulled her to the back of the car while John took over the wheel.

  When Conall sat down in the passenger’s seat, he stared at John’s gray eyes for a moment longer. Into the eyes of the man he had been searching his whole life. His dark curls hung loosely into his face, and he stared back. It felt as if time had made a circle, and here they were. Did John even know who he was? What he was destined to do? But the way John returned to glance, the glistering in those eyes that evoked fear and terrible sadness, it felt like in this very moment, John knew more than Conall ever would.

  John ignited the engine and slowly began driving through the dense trees of the forest, into the night.

  AIDEEN

  The sky had turned dark blue when Aideen finally opened her eyes. She instantly felt the missing connection. Now, she was officially an outlaw. It didn’t matter. John’s words constantly kept ringing in her ears.

  Either she kills him. Or she dies.

  Which one will it be, Aideen?

  “Are you alright?” John’s voice sounded tender as ever, caring for her who did not deserve to be cared for. She nodded.

  “How far are we?”

  “Close,” Conall replied. “But we heard a helicopter pass by.”

  Aideen’s heart made a beat. Manasseh. He was there already, either because he had traced her back to Snowdonia, or because she had cut her connection. They could not approach from the main road as they would be seen instantly. But John was already driving off road, aiming for a small pl
ace where trees could cover their vehicle.

  John stopped the engine. When Aideen peeked from the trees, she instantly saw the mess. Blue army trucks stood along the main road, and soldiers just sprinted into the valley, blue helmets and black exoskeletons, guns that were connected to the artificial intelligence and their own brain. Conall dismounted without hesitation, but before Aideen could open the door, John turned around and snatched her hand.

  “You have to make your decision now.”

  Those words were so definitive that it cut Aideen’s breath.

  “Now?”

  “I will surrender to Manasseh if you don’t do it.”

  Her eyes went wide.

  “Wow, you really want me to kill you.”

  “I want you to make a decision.”

  “No, John, you want to be spared the decision yourself. Why would you even surrender to this man? This is crazy!”

  John placed something cold inside her hand. The dagger.

  “This is the only way,” he whispered. “Finish your mission, take our son into safety.”

  It was true. He wanted her to kill him. Because he wanted her to live.

  Her hands began to tremble.

  This was all nonsense! How could he even know that they both couldn’t survive this? Maybe all would turn out well, and they could start a new life together. A better life.

  But a look into his eyes made her realize that it was impossible.

  Regret washed over her like a wave so strong that it crushed her chest and lungs. If she had only known that the past nineteen months had been the most precious moments of her life. That it would never come back. She would have enjoyed every second of it, savored every moment. How foolish we sometimes are, thinking that we are able to master time when it’s more precious than anything else given to us.

  She took the dagger, her hand still shaking, looking into John’s eyes.

  Then, she put it on the seat, leaned forward, and kissed him.

  Aideen yearned for time to stop moving in this very moment, so that she could remain here forever, in his embrace, in a safety that was only an illusion. John returned the kiss with greed, reluctant to let her go. But time would not do her the favor. It was moving, always moving, and they were moving with it.

  Aideen snatched the dagger and left the vehicle, running towards the village. She ran as if for her own life, surpassing the emotions that rose in her, directly towards their house. To her son, whom he would never see grow up. He was all that mattered now. The soldiers were entering the village already, waking the inhabitants. Shots resounded from afar, but Aideen was now caught in the rush of battle, sprinting towards the blackhouse that lay at the other side of the village. Her fingers clasped the dagger, the blood now dry on the sharp steel. Aideen tore the door open, and sprinted with such speed towards Margaret that she was unable to react and get to the child in time. She pulled her body against hers, and although Margaret was a trained spy, she was much older and it had been too long since she had been in battle. Aideen drove the knife between her shoulder blades, and Margaret let out a sharp cry. But she fought back, turned around and threw Aideen against the flames that burned in the middle of the hut. They caught her coat and began to burn her skin. Margaret gave Aideen no time to brush off the flames, and she threw herself at her with raging fury, throwing her to the ground, a stone in her hand. Aideen tore away her head just in time, and the stone hit the wooden floor. The dagger was out of her reach, but she pushed Margaret away and ran for it. As she turned around, Margaret was at the other end of the hut. At her son’s bed. He had his innocent blue eyes open, and stared at Aideen. Her heart broke for him while Margaret lifted the stone.

  “Please!” Aideen cried. “He has nothing to do with it.”

  “This is where you’re wrong. He has everything to do with it.” Margaret’s smile was cunning and full of hatred. What did she mean?

  Aideen remembered her tender eyes as she met her for the first time. Had all of it been pretense? Had she only faked her worry, her care? Her heart clenched with sadness as she lifted her knife and threw it at Margaret with precision. Before she could even react, the knife landed hard in her forehead.

  Aideen ran for her child. She wanted to spare him those horrors. She clung to him as he silently pressed his shaking body against hers, and brushed her fingers through his curly red hair, kissing him. The boy began to sob softly, but held himself with strength. She was proud of him.

  Aideen peaked out into the village that had now become a place of chaos and death. The blackhouses were lit with bright red flames, and blood had covered the earth. Aideen clung to her boy, and began to run towards the car they left in the woods. Where was John? Didn’t he follow her into the village?

  Suddenly, she heard a desperate cry to her left. It belonged to a voice she knew. Sena. A soldier was beating him, and then lifted his gun towards him.

  Aideen ran for him, tearing the solder backwards with one arm, pulling the helmet off that offered the most protection. She put down her son and disarmed the soldier with another movement, shooting him with his own gun. Sena jumped up, eyes wide. His look instantly slid to what must have been a terrible mark on her throat, and he reached out for it, eyes devastated.

  “It’s fine,” Aideen murmured, picking up her son.

  Sena nodded. “Have you seen my mother?”

  Aideen made a deep breath. Sena, the unwanted child. “She was killed by a solider,” she murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

  And she was, at least for Sena and the mother he lost today.

  The big leader’s hall was burning in the middle of the village. Cries were rising from inside of it. She snatched her son and ran towards it, Sena following her.

  “The MacIans …” Sena’s whispered, aghast.

  By the looks of it, the hall would collapse soon. Where on earth was John? The voices on the inside died. No, not Arthur. The MacIans had taken her in, protected her. The guilt of her betrayal threatened to suffocate Aideen. All of it, those deaths, this destruction, it was her fault. She had brought it upon these innocent people.

  She pressed her son into Sena’s arms.

  “You guard him with your life.”

  With those words, she tore a piece of cloth out of her half-burned coat, pressed in against her mouth, took one deep breath, and stormed into the burning building. It was insanely hot, the heat pressed against her like a heavy force. It suffocated her, and she had trouble holding her eyes open against the burning flames. Where were they? She nearly crawled along the flames, hoping they would not swallow her completely. The air was getting thinner.

  A figure was lying on the ground. She barely recognized Arthur. His face was twisted with pain, and he coughed incessantly. But she had found him. She lifted his weak body, supported him and nearly dragged him towards the exit. He threatened to collapse any second. And if he did, she would never be able to carry him.

  “Arthur,” she yelled, “It’s me! Hold on! You have to stay awake!”

  He seemed to recognize her a little, but his consciousness came and vanished in waves. Aideen closed her eyes and thought of her little child. She wanted to make it out so badly, she wanted to have a chance for redemption. But she wouldn’t, would she? The fire was swallowing them. Where was the exit? The wooden roof behind them collapsed and she ducked. Aideen felt life streaming out of her with every breath.

  CONALL

  Conall stood waiting at the car when Aideen sprinted past him. He also made a run for the village, but John held him back. Conall turned to find John’s expression filled with tears. Panic was rising in his own gut. John took a deep breath for a second, and it made Conall nervous.

  “We need to go, the soldiers …” he began.

  “We cannot stop the wheel of time, Conall. We can only make decisions of where it will take us.”

  John reached to the back of his sweater and took out a black leather book. He passed it on to Conall. It felt weirdly rough beneath his fingers. As he turned
it, a cross was engraved into the leather. The symbol of Christianity, Conall recognized, one of the big religions to be banned from the new world over decades ago. A forbidden book.

  Conall lifted his eyes towards John to find the gray of his piercing him like a knife.

  “No matter what happens from now on …” John’s voice was haunting, insistent, “promise me you will take this book to Skye Island.”

  Conall blinked. He did not understand the exact meaning of those words, but the way John formed them made a chill run down his spine. No matter what happens?

  “It holds the meaning of everything.” John suddenly grabbed Conall by the elbow and shook him, “Promise me, Conall!” Conall made a step back, eyes wide. “Promise me!”

  Still taken aback by the urgency, he slowly nodded. “I promise.”

  AIDEEN

  With the last strength left in her, she dragged Arthur out into the open, and collapsed on she ground, grasping for the oxygen that suddenly burned her lungs, coughing from a horrible pain that spread in her throat. Somewhere in the distance, she heard the crying of a child. Her child.

  Slowly, she opened her eyes to see the her son’s eyes red with tears. Sena approached them, trying to feel their pulse.

  “Arthur’s alive.”

  While he was still speaking, the hall behind them had just collapsed with a loud crash, and emitted thousands of sparks. It buried the McIans inside the fire. Arthur’s eyes were wide open, and stared at the mess. Tears and shock rose in his expression. Aideen felt his pain as much as she felt her own guilt.

  They needed to get away before Manasseh found them.