ten feet away as his army of hybrids hopped down from the walls and encircled the five soldiers, Delta Force and VPLA alike.
“What will you do with us?” Sara asked, stepping forward.
Weston smiled. “You two,” he said, pointing at King and Sara, “belong to Lucy.”
Lucy clapped, hooted, and then bared her inch-long canines at the two. There would be no fooling her again.
“As for the rest,” Weston said, then motioned to the circle of angry hybrids. “You belong to them.”
SIXTY-TWO
AS THE GROUP of hybrids closed in around King, Queen, Sara, and the two remaining Death Volunteers, they formed a tight, twenty-foot circle, bringing the group of combatants, who just seconds ago were trying to kill each other, into close proximity. The closeness and orange glow from the giant torches lit around the city revealed Major General Trung as one of the two remaining soldiers.
Queen saw him and frowned. She still had a gun and knife strapped to her waist. It would have been easy for her to kill him using either weapon, but the sudden action might be misconstrued as an attack on the hybrids. And that would do them all in. She decided to rely on the weapons she found most reliable and least likely to trigger an assault from the enemies surrounding them. She walked around King and Sara, facing Trung.
He saw her instantly. His eyes went wide with the memory of the terrible things he had done to her, to the woman whose ferocity and fortitude dwarfed any man he’d ever trained or served with, himself included. The bright red brand on her forehead burned fear into him. His companion saw Queen, too, and stepped aside.
“Don’t do anything foolish,” Trung said, his hand resting on his holstered gun. “You might set them—”
Queen reached out with both hands before Trung could think to draw his pistol. She took hold of him by the front of his shirt and yanked him to her. She simultaneously thrust the glowing red Death Volunteer brand on her forehead toward him. Her skull collided with his face, resulting in a loud crunch as his nose and cheekbones gave in to the powerful head butt. He fell limp, dead from the single blow. A bloodred, smudged version of the VPLA star-and-skull symbol was stamped onto his forehead.
She dropped Trung in a heap and regarded the hybrids closest to her. They stepped back for a moment before turning their attention to the last VPLA soldier. With a speed equaling Queen’s they reached out and snagged the soldier. He cried out, but a quick twist of his neck from one of the hybrids silenced him. The act was quick and easy, like unscrewing the cap from a Pepsi bottle. King drew his sidearm. Sara and Queen followed his lead, drawing their weapons.
A staring match ensued with neither side wanting to make the first move. There was no doubt that when the battle began, both sides would have casualties.
But the hybrids had numbers, strength, and speed on their side.
Weston stepped back, allowing Lucy to step in front of him. “I’m sorry, but the world will have to get along without you,” he said, moving farther back away from the impending fight.
The circle of hybrids closed in tight around them.
The attack would come soon. King knew that if the hybrids made the first move he and Queen might get off a few shots, but the fight would be over quickly. Their only chance was to act first.
“Shock and awe,” King said.
“What?” Weston asked.
Queen nodded.
“What does that—”
King and Queen took aim and pulled triggers. In a few seconds both had emptied their clips. Ten of the hybrids slumped over dead.
Lucy turned toward Weston. “Father . . .” She placed her hand inside the gaping wound in her chest.
The sudden act of violence shocked the remaining hybrids into stunned silence. They looked around at their fallen brothers and sisters, amazed at how quickly so many of them had fallen.
Weston’s jaw shook and his eyes filled with tears. Lucy slid from Weston’s arms and fell to the stone floor. Blood seeped from two gunshot wounds in her chest. “Lucy. My princess. No . . .” He became rage personified, his cheeks shaking as he shouted. “Kill them! Kill every last one of them!”
King took Sara’s pistol from her hand and grabbed her by the wrist. He fired and began running. Sara followed, watching as he blazed a trail through the bodies blocking their way. He led them straight toward the courtyard