ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ Tethered ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Chapter 15

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• Amir •

Amir wasn't thrilled with the traveling arrangement. It was bad enough that Moon was in a different vehicle, but having her with Alisha and Sam, and even Major Thibeau, made him want to punch someone.

Sefora sat in the front seat next to Nurse Evans, dressed like a mini-Alisha in a pantsuit. Being in a car with someone who could be unstable made his skin crawl. He wasn't there when Luna and Lily fought, and he had no way of trusting that nothing was given to Alisha's daughter.

It felt like a ticking time bomb was about to erupt. And that feeling sickened him to his core.

That was messed up after the brief moment he had with Luna before they all took off. The time he spent with her now seemed like hours ago, even though it had only been ten minutes. His thoughts had a strange, desperate tinge to them that he couldn't shake. Like the feel of her body, and how it almost seemed like something from the past.

Greer gave him a long look before shifting his attention to the window. He was wound tight, almost like a knot.

Amir didn't care about how the outside looked because his focus was on Moon. Along the way, he could see burned metal and collapsed buildings, but none of it mattered.

They were on the freeway a few miles outside of downtown Los Angeles, and Amir still had no idea where the driver was going. He wanted to ask, but he decided not to.

"We're going to LAX," Greer said. "Then take a charter flight to Vancouver."

"Oh." Amir nodded slightly, his eyes drawn to the guard. "Did you hear my thoughts?"

"No. Your puzzled expression told me everything I needed to know."

He chortled. "I don't understand why Luna and I couldn't just ride together to the airport."

Greer shifted in his seat, his hands clasped together. "That's because we're not all meeting at the same time."

Amir realized what was going on. "Why is that?"

"They plan to prepare both of you privately and then have you fight in front of an audience in Canada," he explained, his piercing eyes shining brightly behind his dark green-colored contacts.

Amir scoffed. "Me . . . fight my wife?"

"And murder her," Greer added.

He shook his head. "No. No way. That's ludicrous."

"If you don't, they'll find another way to get you to do what they want. Believe me, you're going to want to kill Luna to put her out of her misery before it's all over."

Amir balled his fist, ready to punch someone now. Particularly, the guard seated on Greer's far left. It was absurd to think Major Thibeau and Alisha could pull a fast one on him. He wasn't going to let them get away with it.

He'd planned to create a distraction, grab Luna, and then flee as fast as they could, but he didn't know how. There was no way they were going to turn on each other.

The truck in front of them suddenly slammed on its brakes, jerking Amir forward as the Expedition followed suit. He groaned, clutching the back of the seat in front of him.

"What's going on?" Nurse Evans asked, eyes scrunched.

A police cruiser veered to the left without warning up ahead, and Amir saw something that made his heart stop in an instant. His stomach churned with horror.

The limo Luna was traveling in swerved into another lane and then went up on one side. It struck a motorcycle cop and spun out, right into the path of a taxi cab, where the rider shifted their physical form into a bright, shiny form a second too late and smacked into a cruiser's windshield. The limo soared several feet before collapsing on its roof and smashing into a tree. Metal crunched.

"Stop the car!" yelled the guard beside Greer.

When their SUV screeched to a halt, Amir was already reaching for the door. Throwing it open, he didn't pause to look at the dozen or so officers pouring out of their respective vehicles. He didn't care one bit.

He raced toward the wrecked limo, pushing past a man in uniform. The only way he knew Moon was still alive was that he could sense her, but that didn't mean anything. She could be badly injured, and the thought of her being burned again nearly knocked his knees out from under him.

Greer and the others were right behind him as they neared the mangled, glowing body of the Defective on the motorcycle.

Inside the limo, a bright white light flared.

And Amir fell to the ground.

The sunroof blew out from the top, flinging across the road with such force that it sliced right through an officer. It was like one officer suddenly became two split officers, his intestines showing.

Greer murmured, "Holy moly."

A gold, silver, and white form quickly followed the path of the door, rolling across the road and slamming into a pine. The ancient tree shook. As the blur landed face-first onto the dirt, needles fell to the ground.

Alisha.

Amir's wide eyes shifted to the limo as one small, delicate hand appeared on the concrete, followed by a slender arm, revealing the short sleeve of a white shirt.

Luna dragged herself out of the shattered opening where the door used to be. She pushed herself to her feet and brushed her long hair away from her face. Her right pant leg was ripped around the thigh and covered in dirt, and blood trickled from her lip.

He took a step toward her. Two words paused him.

She stared at him, inhaling deeply as the white light, tinged with gold, powered down both her arms. "I'm activated."

Greer swore as his nostrils flared, and sweat formed on Amir. Sefora shouted something to her mother while Amir began slipping out of his physical form. It was like taking a jacket off. It's on. He was only focused on getting Luna out of there immediately, activated or not.

Before the limo driver could go special Defective on everybody, Amir spun around and let loose his energy source on him.

Defectives were difficult to eliminate. They reminded him of mutated science fiction characters. They didn't stop getting up and coming. The impact had to be catastrophic for their central nervous system. Like with zombies, removing the head was one option. Another was a blow to the chest. But a single burst of energy wouldn't always cut it.

The driver scrambled to his knees, rearing back to unleash his own little ball of ecstasy, but Amir hit him again, and again, right into the heart.

Multiple energy hits did the trick.

Bright light flared inside the driver, pulsing through his vein structure, then all the light went out as the driver slumped over like a shopping bag in the wind.

He turned to see Greer unleashing his pent-up rage on a Defective dressed as an officer. Luna turned around, arms raised, flipping the wrecked car back onto its wheels.

Hell yeah, Moon.

The guard, Hawthorne, rushed out of the car, and Amir drew up short as the long strands of Luna's hair rose off her shoulders, easily dodging a blast of lightning. Static burst around her, and she was about to unleash hell on him.

Her hand fired a burst of energy, slamming into Hawthorne's chest and launching him into the air. She didn't stop, sending one after the other until he crashed through the windshield. Pieces of glass cut along his skin. Under his body, a glittery, fluorescent pool of liquid quickly formed.

That made parts of Amir's body tingle.

Moon glided toward him, her eyes shimmering from within. He saw her as a goddess—the goddess of justice. It didn't matter if she was activated or not, because she was getting her revenge.

'I'd kiss the hell out of you if things weren't so crazy.'

Her lips were curled on one side. 'What's stopping—Behind you!'

Greer's hand caught a staff member's arm as Amir spun.

"Traitor!" yelled the man.

"Whatever! Don't you dare touch Amir or Luna again!" Greer hissed.

He twisted to the side, gripped the guard tightly, lifted him, and tossed him around like a Wiffle ball. The man flew through the air and collided with a telephone pole. The wood snapped. Electricity lines snapped and sparks flew.

"You're with us now?" Amir said to Greer.

"I've been with you since the beginning. Who do you think arranged for you and Luna to reach the surface and run?"

Amir's nerves shook as he slowly pieced together all the experiments BARDA had put him through earlier in the day.

Their guard was finding them a way out.

"Why didn't you say anything before?"

Greer snorted. "Do you even have to ask?" He stared for a moment. "They track everything."

Moon rushed past them, letting loose on another officer who was sneaking up on Greer while he began finishing off two others. The newcomer charged at her, howling after he clutched his shoulder.

Nobody messes with my wife.

Luna slammed her knee into the man's midsection at the last second, then slapped her hands down on his bowed head. Her palms sparkled with energy, cascading over him in a direct headshot.

Another one gone.

'God, you looked so beautiful doing that, Moon.'

She gave him a sly smile.

Alisha was standing on the side of the road, stumbling forward. She supported herself by placing a hand on the hood of a blue Hummer, huffing.

Luna stalked over, determination written across her piercing stare. She swooped down and swung a damaged car door toward Alisha like a rolling pin. The door slammed her across the chest, knocking her from the Hummer and down onto one leg.

"That's for torturing us!" Luna grabbed her from the back of her neck and threw her forward. "And that's for thinking it was okay to burn me!" The final swing came from underneath Alisha, snapping her head into the next day. "And that's for keeping us away from our daughter!"

Luna turned to Amir, Alisha on her back, knees folded under her. Then she lifted her fist up and smashed it across the woman's cheek. "That's for being a bitch!"

Amir rushed over, grinning. "That was hot, almost terrifying, and yet so beautiful, Moon."

She flung the door to the broken concrete. "She's not dead."

"Alisha looks dead."

Luna bit her lip. "She's a hybrid, and they never stay down."

Sam began running from the back of their little gathering, eager to join their party of awesome ass-kicking. Amir took a step back, glanced around, and tapped into his energy as he spotted the perfect weapon.

A powerful wave emerged down his arms, cracking the asphalt and flipping a police cruiser on its side, landing on Sam's body. As the roll struck the trees lining the road, sirens wailed. Two trees trembled violently before being uprooted. The scent of rich, old soil hung in the air while thick roots dangled, mud clinging to them.

'Run!' He sent the message, and Luna and Greer took off like pros.

Amir directed his energy toward the trees, causing them to fly across the road like a giant rope, catching and carrying the line of glowing figures along the highway and slinging them into other dense pines.

He shook out the tension in his shoulders after lowering his arms and inching forward. A few Defectives were covered in shimmery liquid and looked like smashed bugs on a vehicle.

Luna rose to her feet. She straightened up and pointed toward the limo.

Thibeau wiggled his way out, clutching his side. "Kill both her and Greer! Spare Amir!" he yelled, then began cursing under his breath.

At least ten men were still standing, and Amir knew the odds weren't in their favor when he darted toward his Luna and Greer. They were creating more chaos, taking a few people out here and there, but there were still a lot of people left. Too many.

Sefora stood back the entire time. She didn't get involved in the fight, and she didn't come to them or the organization's aid. She stayed by the side of the road, her fists curled, watching the surviving Defectives cover them. Greer extended his hand to her. Amir didn't understand at first, but he figured that the guard might also want to save her.

But she didn't move as the others neared.

"Sefora, come with us right now," Greer said.

She shook her head and stepped away from him. "I can't."

"Please," he begged.

Luna let go of Amir's hand and raced over to her. "Come with us. Let's take them down together."

Their enemies were closing in.

"We have to go," Amir said. "Now."

"We can't leave her," Greer said. "Sefora doesn't have to be involved in this any longer."

This decision was not debatable. They could all run, jump into one of the working vehicles, and take shelter, but Greer was determined that Alisha's daughter join them.

Amir joined the group and wrapped his arm around Luna. Light pulsed up his arm and she squeezed back. He drew her closer when Greer moved to stand in front of them, shielding them from a rifle aimed their way. He knew they could take more hits, and there were some major hits on the way, but they needed to think fast.

The trees that lined both sides of the road were suddenly flooded by what seemed like a hundred large-winged birds. Four dark-colored helicopters crested the towering trees, and the group turned, just like their enemies had.

All but one of them tilted as they got low to the ground, sliding their doors open as they circled them.

Amir had seen enough war films to be prepared for what was to come.

Over the edge and spinning to the road, ropes launched. Armed with protective headgear and dressed in black, soldiers quickly appeared at the helicopters' doors. Some grabbed the ropes and repelled down. Others were crouching at the helicopter edges and aiming what appeared to be miniature rocket launchers.

The same weapon that was used to shoot Amir was strapped to the backs of the soldiers running down the street. The one that caused him excruciating pain.

Oh no.

The group was doomed.

• • •

• Luna •

Every joint in Luna's body hurt. The situation quickly changed from Oh God to To Hell With This. Even in the one location around the back of a broken-down 18-wheeler that was empty, they were seriously screwed in every direction.

Amir grabbed her arm and the three of them dashed toward the open spot. They were then faced with several Defectives, and he dragged her around a wrecked Prius. Multiple armed soldiers ran down the street straight ahead. She was afraid they wouldn't have a chance. Not with so many enemies hurling themselves at them.

One of the Defectives reared, and as Amir's hand tightened around her, he fired a bolt of energy at the closest helicopter. The energy struck directly beneath the thrusters. As the helicopter abruptly turned, spinning out of control and into the pines, sparks flew. The heat wave from the fireball pushed her further back against the car as the impact shook the ground.

One soldier raised his weapon and dropped to the ground. At the muzzle, there was a yellow flare, and then a brilliant sheen of gold light, which was similar to their energy, shot out. It struck the Defective, illuminating him as if struck by lightning. The man fell backward after a vibrating pulse when a pale color emerged. There was no longer any life in the Defective as the glow from him began to fade.

Chaos escalated.

Luna was yanked back and thrust into the windshield of an old station wagon. She couldn't see Amir or Greer through her hair, but she knew both men were fighting somewhere.

In the distance, she heard gunfire and screams. A hard punch smacked into the back of her head before she could jump up. She threw her hand over her bump and looked back.

It wasn't just any female Defective staring at her. It was the same one she'd fought at Dr. Kim's.

"Look who came out to play," snarled the woman.

"You were so much fun to play with last time, I couldn't stay away," Luna replied.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time." The woman's lips twitched with an insidious grin. "You're dead."

"Bring it."

Luna circled, eyeing the Defective's dark red irises. The woman threw the first punch, but Luna caught her fist and snapped a bone. "How dare you!" she howled, then screamed.

"Didn't you like it?" Luna hissed angrily. "Too bad. I'm only getting started."

She launched forward, hands up, and threw a leg into the air, slamming it into the Defective's right cheek. She picked up a large piece of glass on the ground and hurled it straight at her target, striking her in the chest. The woman screamed and landed backward against the back of a truck. After a few gunshots, they were both pursued by more soldiers and, to her horror, more Defectives.

"William said to kill Luna," the woman told one of the men, who pointed a gun at her.

Luna tapped into her energy and struck both of them with bright light from her fingertips.

They fell instantly.

Pulses of light from the soldiers' guns flashed across the street behind her. Both Amir and Greer were taking them on, and the guards were dropping like dominoes.

"Shit!" Greer grunted as he looked back at Luna and began rushing toward her. Then he pushed them to the side of a Honda.

When a stray beam from a weapon rolled into a nearby demolished Corvette, Luna smacked his chest. He nudged her toward the hood and kept moving, but she dug in her heels, straining to see Amir around the car.

Amir was weaving through the line of damaged cars, silver and white light flashing across his angelic form, striking anyone he saw.

"Sefora!" Greer yelled.

Luna's eyes scanned the area for her friend, which she noticed further up the road near a retreating Thibeau. He was heading straight for her, dodging beams of light from Amir. Her heart skipped a beat when a weapon exploded only two inches from his feet.

"Amir!" Luna stepped toward him but was grabbed from behind.

"Don't!" Greer yanked her against his hard chest and lifted her off the ground while she struggled. "They're ordered to kill you!"

She kicked out, clutching his forearms. "I have to get to him!"

He continued to pull her along the sides of several charred cars, just as Amir levitated over a sedan, hurling energy blasts from his hands. Greer pivoted, and the flashes of light near the crushed limo were almost blinding.

"Good God," he said, close to her ear. "Amir needs help. But not you. They'll kill you."

"They'll kill you."

"As long as you and Amir are alive, I don't care. Let them kill me."

She and Greer could only stare for a moment. He eased his grip on her, lowering her to her feet. They were both drawn to the same, possibly morbid, scene.

The Defectives and soldiers charged one by one and were killed by a blast from Amir's palms. The crowd attempted to form an almost impenetrable circle around him in an attempt to bring him down, but he resisted. He was striking them in the head, causing them to fall easily.

A soldier behind Luna was heading straight for Amir, who had caught up to Sefora and was pulling her forward by the arm. Thibeau stood beside them, staring straight ahead. A cluster with nothing but bad things written on it was about to implode.

Luna's only concern was getting to Amir.

She smashed her foot into Greer's, startling him into letting go, and she bolted up the road, his curses trailing behind her. Once she moved between a Hummer and a smashed-up motorcycle, agony pierced her leg.

Amir's target kneeled and leveled his gun.

At the muzzle, bright light pulsed, but she couldn't pull any more of her energy. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. She pushed with everything she had, ready for another round of combat.

Luna was only three feet away from the kneeling soldier when another soldier stepped out in front of her. She landed on her bottom after skidding to a halt.

Ouch!

The tip of the same specialized weapon that had been used to shoot Amir months before was thrust near her face.

"Stay down," said a muffled voice from beneath the helmet.

As she cried out in terror, a gold light flared from the other weapon. Greer spun around, shielding Sefora even when she pushed away from him. The gun's blast pierced the cars, bridging the gap between the Defectives and where he and Amir stood, and struck its intended target in the chest.

Thibeau was knocked back behind them, his physical form fading in and out.

What the hell?

When Thibeau screamed, his head smashed onto the road. The glow around him throbbed once, then vanished.

The soldier hadn't intended to shoot at Luna, and she stared, gulping, her chest rising and falling sharply.

Sephora's eyes met hers for a brief moment before she turned and disappeared among the tall pines. Following her retreat, her light bounced off the tree trunks. Greer turned around to follow her but stopped when Luna caught his stare.

Did he have feelings for Sefora? Was it because he liked her that he wanted to save her?

Luna spotted Amir being led back to where she was standing.

"You're lucky you didn't get hit," the soldier grumbled in front of her, not taking his gaze away.

She glanced down and scanned his name tag, but couldn't read it properly. Dirt was smudged on it.

"I suppose I should thank you?" Luna said. "You're part of the rebellion, too?"

He didn't respond when a soldier surrounded and shoved Amir forward.

A wave of intense energy flew off Amir as he stared at the soldier, striking him. The trigger finger spasmed, and Amir quickly wrapped his hands around Luna's waist and hauled her up. He drew her into the safety of his arms, angling his body so that only a small amount of her skin was visible.

Greer's jaw muscles twitched. "Well, damn."

Within seconds, another chopper peaked above the pines, easing down in the middle of the street, a couple of yards from Luna and the group. It stirred up wind, causing her hair to whip out from beneath her husband's grip as she pressed harder against him.

She was tired and battered, drained like a soaked loofah, and she knew they were done. The three of them, and perhaps the soldier turned out to be on their side. It would be over if the chopper opened fire. A sick sensation crept up her throat. She wished she could close her eyes, but that seemed like a cowardly move.

The sound of metal grinding on the ground was loud, and then the door to the helicopter opened, revealing who was kneeling inside, staring at them.

His blond hair poked out from beneath his dark beanie, and he smiled brightly across his mouth.

"Connor?" Luna uttered, her mouth open.

He laughed briefly before saying, "Guess again, Lu."

Then it hit her. It wasn't Connor in the helicopter, but it was someone she never expected to see again. His brother.

Chase.

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