Marika stands behind her, in the midst of her small army. The hacker betrayed us. Jude’s disdain is palpable as he looks at his old friend.
“Sorry, Jude,” she says. “But this is my home now.”
He spits at her feet.
Maeve’s smile widens. She throws an arm over Marika’s small shoulders. “Marika is an important member of my family now. She’s not going anywhere, boys.” She caresses her cheek possessively.
And I understand how she began her empire. The foundations of mine were always fear and respect. Maeve uses fear, too, but she also aims for adoration. It’s something I’ve always failed at. I’m not exactly easy to love, as it has been proven time and time again.
“Come on now,” says Maeve, “trying to steal a member of my family in the dead of night isn’t very courteous. What should I even call you?”
Jude and I keep quiet.
A man pushes his way to the front of the small crowd of Maeve’s minions. He has long ginger hair tied in a ponytail and a nasty scar over his right eye.
“The slim one is my little brother, Jude,” he says with a crooked smile. Jude’s eyes turn even more murderous as they behold his sibling. And from the look they share, I know that there’s no love lost between them. “I don’t know about the other one.”
“It’s Oliver. A mutant from the south,” provides Marika. “He takes his DNA from Urara, a god who produces electricity. Don’t touch him.”
I have to admit, she knows the subject.
Maeve claps her hands. “Oh, family reunion! My brother and your brother are trying to stab us in the back! Delightful.” And she does look delighted. This is all fun and games for her. We’re the new toys she can play with. She snaps her fingers. “Bring them to the altar.”
I don’t like the sound of that. I share a glance with Jude. There are enough guns pointed at us that I would be dead in a heartbeat if I so much as produced a spark.
They force us through the door and onto the bridge connecting the two west towers to the rest of the dam. The water level is so high that it almost reaches the bottom of it. A few men and women pull at my limbs and clothes, even with Marika’s warning a few minutes ago. I’m one impulse away from frying them all; consequences be damned.
As Jude walks close to his brother, the man kicks him behind the knees, sending him to the floor. Jude hits the concrete with his hands first. Once he’s on the ground, the bastard kicks him in the ribs. My anger takes me by surprise. It rises to the surface like a creature from the abyss. I lurch forward, but Maeve is expecting it. Her gun appears over my forehead.
“Now—now. Let’s chill the fuck out,” she says with a grin. “We don’t want it to get messy.”
Jude rises to his feet. His hands are bloody. He gives me a strange look, that is difficult to read.
The creature dives back into the abyss, waiting for a better opportunity to strike. I can learn to tame my hate and rage, just like Jude does all the time. I can be smarter. Even with the smell of his blood threatening to send me into a rage.
They walk us over the bridge and back to the main structure. The sun is rising over the canyon. The night has already come and gone.
The dam curves through the Colorado. And it’s in the middle of the wide wall, in the center of the river, that we stop. The altar in question seems to be a wooden catwalk nailed to the concrete, and that goes over the water. There is no mistaking what it’s for. I’m not so sure about the two heavy bells hanging from a metal pole.
“Do you like them?” Maeve says, noticing my attention. “I brought them back from a wedding chapel in Las Vegas. They’re very loud.” When I fail to comment, she continues. “Well, this is what we like to call the altar.” She gestures at the catwalk. “It’s a joke among us because what we do here is close to religious. You’ll understand shortly. But first, I want to know where you’ve put your aircraft.”
Jude glares at Marika, who is hiding behind her new master.
“It won’t fly for you,” I say. “It only obeys my command.”
Maeve smiles. “Well, then. It’s a good thing that I would like to offer you the opportunity to join my little family. It appears that one of my commanders has failed to report lately. We think he might have met his end. Malcolm will be missed. But he leaves behind a spot for the taking. And I’ve heard about your special set of skills, brother. I wanted to offer another one of our siblings to join too, but he seems to be resisting me. The Devil of the Wastes is quite slippery.” I tense up and share a glance with Jude. Maeve’s smile turns predatory. “Oh, so you’ve met him.”
Helios…
“He won’t join you,” I say.
The devil I’ve met is too strong and wild to obey someone like her. The same can be said for me. We mutants are all as territorial as the old gods we share our DNA with.
“Yeah, that’s what I’ve started to gather,” Maeve says. “He has been killing my men for weeks now. But it’s okay; his machine will suffice. I want the bug. And I want you and your aircraft. I’m building something great here, and there is room for you.”
From the corner of my eye, I notice movement coming from Jude. He tried to step forward, but two men stopped him with a rope around his neck. His face is turning red, but his eyes are on me.
“Don’t you dare!” he shouts.
