Page 33 of Merciless
A coldness ran through me at the thought of everyone in the hospital back at home—people like Mari’s dad whose memory came back in bits and pieces. Or the worst ones who remained catatonic. I didn’t have to be a medic to know there was no one home behind those dead, blank eyes.
Run, I wanted to say to the soldiers who were still in control of their own minds.Get away while you still can.
Horus seemed to sense my thoughts.They chose this.His mental voice bristled.The ones who do not have control are the ones who resisted. The ones who remain free needed no coercion to join the Sha’s cause. They are free as long as they’re loyal.
Who would choose this?I didn’t bother to hide my disgust.To contribute to the destruction of all people?
Who would choose to follow Hitler? Or Mussolini?Horus answered.Perhaps they have been bribed with lofty rewards in exchange for their service, but these people made their choices.
It was a morbid thought, but I felt a weird sense of gratitude that there were so few of them. If the majority of the black swarm was controlled, that meant they fought back. They were given a choice and said no, they would not follow the Sha in wiping out humanity, and accepted the terrible consequences.
Mari’s dad had been one of those, and it made me respect him even more.
We are drawing attention,Horus warned.We should leave.
He was right. The scouts along the wall had started following our movement with their binoculars and more people on the ground had begun to peer up at the dark speck flying overhead. It was creepy how people turned and looked at the exact same time, their heads tilted at the same angle. Fuck, they had to be some sort of hive-mind. Like the Sha was a queen bee with the ability to control thousands of drones with a single thought.
Yeah, let’s go,I agreed.Don’t make it look obvious, though.
Horus flew in one more leisurely circle over the fortress. I prayed we’d be written off as just a normal, desert raptor scoping the place out for food. He started heading away from the compound and I almost let myself feel relieved.
Until the shots rang out.
Shit!
Horus dove hard, the ground racing up to meet us at terrifying speed. Right when I thought we would splat on the ground, he shot straight up into the air again. It was then that I realized he was zigzagging to avoid the onslaught of bullets aimed at us. He shot up and dove down, banking hard from left to right. If I’d been in a human body, it would have felt like the most sickness-inducing rollercoaster in existence.
We were almost out of range of the fortress’ snipers when Horus changed direction hardagain,this time doubling back toward the compound, and kept going that way.
Horus, what are you doing?I cried in a mental panic.We were almost in the clear! Why are you going back?
He is that way. I have no other chance to retrieve him.
Who?!
The other presence I felt.
The one that might be a fucking trap?
The sky god was silent as he made another pass over the top of the fortress, flying lower this time, which gave the snipers much clearer shots.
Horus, we can’t! You’re going to get killed.
I warned you I might,he said lightly.If I do, then it’s your responsibility to communicate with this presence.
How am I supposed to—
A close shot cut me off, grazing just the edge of Horus’ wing tip, but it was enough to knock us off-course. Horus went spinning through the air, dropping altitude fast, but was able to right himself after a few terrifying seconds.
Fuck this other presence Horus, we have to go!
We cannot.
Somehow we cleared flying over the compound again, but the snipers on this wall were ready. They coordinated their fire so that not even zigzagging could protect us. Horus dove toward the brush just beyond the wall when the shot hit.
Pain exploded up my right limb like I got shot in the arm. Horus screeched in agony as we tumbled down toward earth. I could feel the urge to withdraw from the pain, to get back into my own body to escape it, but I wasn’t leaving Horus alone. To my complete shock, he was still flapping it and keeping us hovering in the air, though I couldn’t begin to understand why. We were an even easier target now.
Take cover in the brush, friends. I will meet you halfway.Another voice spoke to us—low, ancient and calming.
