SkyEarth (Reborn) Book 1: Stratos Rising

Chapter 13: Bombs Have Heartbeats

"My name is Lysander Marcus, leader of the Stratos."

Hearing those worlds sent chills down on Shaun's spine. This tall, handsome man in a crisp business suit standing before him is responsible for the destruction of his hometown. All so he could get his hands on Melody's journal. He remembered the words those mercenaries had said to him that night. Lysander Marcus is the anonymous client.

Shaun could feel the intensity of the man's sharp gaze behind those sunglasses.

"Is it strange that you're wearing sunglasses inside a dimly lit building?" Shaun asked the man. Lysander smiled, but there was no kindness in those curled lips. Instead there was cruel fascination and intrigue. "Indeed, you are an intelligent young man. It's a wonder why you associate yourself with these radicals."

As soon as he said it, Shaun's fear became reality. Escher had summed up what had happened in the maintenance room, but a part of him did not want to believe it. But there's no denying the fact when a thick wall of Wolf Guards parted to reveal Manny's team, huddled and blindfolded just like Shaun and his companions. They were seven in all, including Manny himself. Among the seven were Esme and Mason. And Oliver. Vixen's also a part of the team as well.

"Shaun? Is that you?" Oliver asked, looking around even though he had a blindfold on.

"Yeah, it's me." Shaun confirmed, feeling a strange feeling of relief and fear. Relieved that his best friend seemed and sounded okay, and fear because, well, the presence of the Wolf Guards and the leader of the Stratos should be explanation enough.

One of Marcus's entourage leaned in to him and whispered something into his ear. Though barely audible, Shaun caught the words "boy", "tram", and "man in black". Marcus's eyes dilated into pinpoints. Then one of the guards got a good look at Shaun and said, "I recognized him. He's one of the intruders who got into the HQ in an attempt to release the prisoners."

Shaun recognized that voice. The gruff voice though muffled by the thick wall that separated the office from the secret cell block, but now he could hear it unfiltered. Wolf Guard Garret. A round of murmurs echoed throughout the clockwork chamber.

"One of the rebels of the Revolution?" asked an unfamiliar Guard.

"No, he's not one of them." answered Garret. "He's not wearing their colors."

"And that's all I needed to know." announced Marcus, his commanding voice hushed the murmurs. He looked at Shaun straight in the eye, the sharp grey meeting the soft forest green. "You should never be near those anarchists." he said, his voice soft as if he wanted to sound compassionate, but there was no compassion or empathy in the voice. "They say they want to help the masses, but they're true goal was to topple the Granazian government and spread chaos. We, the coalition between the Stratos and the Committee, don't want chaos to be rampant in the city."

"Then what of those prisoners?" asked Shaun, defiant. "Jonathan Ambrose. Mr. Aberdeen. And all those people in your secret prison. They were part of the Rotary Society, a harmless charity organization." Marcus shook his head, as if he was hearing the words of a confused child.

"You believe they only helped the poor? I'm so sorry for me to say this, but the truth is that the Rotary Society was funding the Revolution." said the man. "They were supplying them with weapons of war and corruptive propaganda. They're nothing but suppliers for the bloated anarchic monster that is Revolution 13, feeding it the innocent people of the city as fodder. It's the cruel truth."

Persephone was struggling and shaking and trying to scream through her gag. The guards restraining her tried to stop her struggling but the effort was fruitless. Shaun saw what's happening and turned his attention away from Marcus to Persephone. With difficult effort, he moved his cuffed hands to hold her arm. She stopped struggling at his touch. It all felt like that time in the skies of the Uvas Valley, aboard the falling Peryton, minutes from crashing into the ground. Persephone had been frightened, lost all hope, succumbing into an inescapable darkness, but Shaun showed her the light, the way out. She wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. And now, in her bound darkness, Shaun's presence told her that everything will be fine. He will not let them hurt her.