Nicholas Smith - Wolves

The goggles were ancient artifacts with lenses yellowed from centuries of use. But they still helped keep the water out of his eyes.

He gunned the engine toward the next oil rig.

This one wasn’t a junkyard—it was a farm built on multiple levels. On the lower decks were shanty houses, some of them dangling over the water.

Blowing up a farm wasn’t an option. If Katrina ever did make it here, they would need it.

To blend in, he joined an armada of four boats, all filled with Cazador warriors, heading around the structure.

You’re going the wrong way, assholes , he thought.

Why would they be heading away from the Sea Wolf and the explosions?

Unless you’re on your way to protect someone or something…

Scanning the horizon, X counted a dozen more oil rigs. It took him only a glance to see their target. The city on the sea had a capital, and he was looking at what appeared to be a goddamn castle.

He eased off the throttle when he saw what could have been the Hive , sitting on top of the towers.

“Commander Rodriguez, do you copy?”

“I’m here, Pepper. You got a sitrep?”

“I do, sir. Magnolia’s beacon hasn’t moved for several minutes.”

X glanced down at his wrist monitor, which he had put back on a few minutes earlier. Sure enough, the beacons were idle. But they were still blinking, which meant Mags and Miles were alive.

“I believe she reached her destination about thirty minutes ago,” Timothy added.

“On my way there now,” X said.

“Sir, there’s something else.”

“What’s that?”

“A dozen Cazador ships have surrounded the Sea Wolf , and they just pulled a naked body out of the water.”

X cringed at the news. They had found the man he killed and stripped. But how?

Then it hit him. The man was fatter than any of his mates. Of course he would float! X felt like kicking himself.

“I’m about to be boarded, sir. I presume this is the end. Whatever happens next, I’m afraid you will be on your own. To say it’s been an honor would be an understatement, Commander.”

“You done good, Pepper. Thank you for helping us.”

“It was my pleasure, sir. Is there anything else I can do to assist you?”

“Yeah,” X said. “Relay this message to the Hive and Deliverance before you’re shut down. The very fate of my people may rest in your hands, Pepper. Make sure Captain DaVita gets this message.”

X grabbed the handlebar and gave what might be his final transmission as he sped toward the capital of the Cazadores .

In the medical bay of the USS Zion , Michael raised his left arm and bandaged right stump so Trey and Layla could pull his shirt over his bare chest. What had once been a routine requiring little thought or effort was now a painful and laborious process. Moving hurt. Breathing hurt. Staying awake hurt.

Layla held out two pills before he put his helmet on.

“No more,” he said. “I’m done with those. They make everything numb.”

“That’s the point, and you might need them for the trip back to Deliverance . Come on, Tin.”

“I said no.” His words and tone brooked no argument.

Layla closed her hand over the pills. “Fine.”

Les walked into the quarters. “Ready, Commander?”

Michael nodded.

“Follow me.”

The divers all made their way down to the hangar bay that had once been used to store aircraft and vehicles. Only one vehicle remained: an armored truck similar to the one back in the garage at Red Sphere. All the windows but one were cracked, and the tires flat. A mounted rocket launcher pointed ahead, the barrel covered in faded markings from centuries ago.

Helium boosters, armor, and helmets sat neatly arranged in front of the locked door. Michael glared at the two laser rifles on the ground, and then bent down to pick one up by the olive-green rail that had iron sights mounted to the barrel. Holding the weapon sent a bolt of pain through his stump and down his missing arm.

Layla reached out. “You okay, Tin?”

He nodded and examined the weapon that had taken his arm. “Do we know how these work now?”

Edgar nodded and grabbed the other gun. “Battery operated. These two have about half a charge left.” He pushed a button on the bottom of the barrel, ejecting the battery that had a display on the side. “This one is at forty-seven percent.”

“All right, everyone,” Katrina said. “Gather around.”

She motioned for everyone to join her around a computer station on the starboard bulkhead. The screen had multiple cracks across the surface, but it somehow came to life, activating a map of their current location.

“These are the Metal Islands,” Katrina said. “Interestingly, they aren’t actually islands at all, but old-world drilling platforms that once pumped oil.”

Michael gritted his teeth at a fresh wave of pain. He didn’t regret passing on the pills yet, but maybe Layla was right.

“We’re not sure how many oil rigs there are or how many Cazadores we’re going to be facing,” Katrina said, “which makes forming a battle plan difficult. The last thing I want is to blow up anything we might need to make this our home. But we have to make them pay dearly enough that they surrender.”

“These people are barbarians,” Layla said. “They aren’t just going to lay down their weapons when the Hive and Deliverance descend on them and we show up with the Zion .”

“Perhaps not,” Katrina said. “But they will pay a heavy cost until they do.”

She put her palms on the desktop and looked at each diver in turn with the confident gaze of a captain. Whatever doubts, grief, and insecurities she was harboring, none of it showed. The woman in front of Michael was the leader he remembered before she lost her child—the woman X had once loved.

“Vish, Sandy, Jed, Eevi, and Alexander will parachute to the deck shortly,” Katrina said. “I’ve asked them to bring a fuel cell from the airship to help us get to the Metal Islands.” She looked to Trey and Jaideep. “You two will remain here with the other divers and me.”

“I’m ready to fight,” Trey said.

Michael envied his friend, who had the bearing of a young man ready to go to war. No matter how hard Michael wanted to fight, this was one he must sit out.

Katrina looked to him and Layla next. “Layla, I need you and Les to return to Deliverance with Michael and Edgar. You will then fly to meet the Hive. As soon as you dock, your orders are simple: recruit a fighting force. We can’t do this all with missiles and cannons.”

Several nods.

“Once that’s done, the airships will meet us at the Metal Islands, and we will give el Pulpo a chance to surrender and hand over X, Mags, and Miles.”

More nods, except from Edgar.

“With your permission, Captain, I’d like to stay here,” he said in a gruff voice.

Everyone turned to look at the young man.

“You’re wounded,” Layla said.

“Don’t matter. I don’t want to go back up there. Ramon’s dead. He was all I had in the sky.”

Katrina held his gaze for a moment and finally nodded. “You can stay. I’ll need the extra help.” She looked at them all in turn again. “Any other questions?”

Les appeared to want to say something. It was obvious he didn’t want to leave his son.

Katrina stood up straight from the station and clapped her hands together. “Okay, let’s get ready. Deliverance is traveling at top speed toward our coordinates and should be in position within a half hour. We have a window in the storm above, people, and I don’t want to miss it.”