Jay Posey - Morningside Fall

“Oh, clever. But see how slowly you think, little brother. Already I perceive your mind.”

Wren had no way of knowing what effect it was having, but it had disrupted Asher, and so he kept trying it. And he noticed that once those connections were severed, Asher didn’t seem to have any way to repair them.

“Fine,” Asher said. “I was done with it anyway.”

A blinding white light entered Wren’s mind. Not one seen with his eyes, but no less powerful and painful to his senses. Something was happening. The machine was collapsing. And Wren felt himself thrown violently backwards. He cried out, and all was dark.

“What happened?” Cass screamed. “What happened to him?”

She was cradling Wren in her arms. Finn was holding his head like he was in severe pain.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “It was like… I don’t know, like feedback or something. The connection broke itself. And it hurt.”

Cass put her ear to Wren’s chest. He was still breathing; his heartbeat was still strong. Whatever had happened to him, it wasn’t something she could fix right now. It might be something she could never fix, and that thought terrified her. She held him close.

The sounds of the battle were intensifying, and it was clear that many others had thought to retreat to the governor’s compound. A crowd was gathering, and it wasn’t just frightened citizens. Some guards were there as well. One of the guards on the wall fired a warning shot, but that only made the crowd more frightened and angry, and some started pulling on the gates.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Sky said.

“Where else is there to go?” Finn asked.

“They can’t have surrounded the whole city,” Wick said.

“The train,” Cass said.

“What?” Gamble said.

“There’s a train. To Greenstone. It runs under the Strand.”

“Do you know where it is?”

Cass shook her head. “They wouldn’t let us use it.”

“It’s underground?” Wick said. “Where? Where does it come out?”

“I don’t know.”

“In the city? Close to it? Far away?” he asked.

“Close, I think. I’m not really sure.”

Wick’s eyes went unfocused, but his face was intense. Searching. “How big a train?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Big, small?”

“Small. Just a few passengers. Like an old shuttle.”

He was silent for a few more moments.

“People of Morningside,” the Voice boomed. Cass couldn’t comprehend how it was possible that she could hear him from so far away. And then she realized that his voice was coming from every system in the city. The compound’s public address system, the exterior alarm of the building next to them, everything with an output was broadcasting his voice. “The very heart of your city is corrupt. And so shall you fall from within.”

The echoing voice had stunned the heaving crowd across the street into silence. And then they started screaming, and fleeing away from the gate. The guards reacted, and some turned to face inwards, and Cass felt a shock of realization.

Painter. Painter had used the tunnel that ran from the compound out under the wall. And he had revealed it to the Weir.

She didn’t have to see what was going on inside the compound to know the truth. The Weir were inside its walls. The city had fallen.

“Got it,” Wick said. “It’s a run, but we can make it.”

“Lil? Gamble,” Gamble said. “City’s compromised, we’ve got Weir inside the governor’s compound. We gotta evac… Yeah, we’ll ping you a route now.”

The team got to their feet and started moving out, with Wick in the lead. They kept a steady, aggressive pace, and Cass had to struggle to keep up, with her unconscious son in her arms. Mouse offered to carry him for her, but she refused. Wick led them to a smaller gate, more of a reinforced door, really, on the north-western side.

As they approached it, Lil and her warriors were coming from the opposite direction, along with several Awakened, and a few of the people who had fought with them at the gate. Kit was with them, and when they met, she and Wick embraced without hesitation.

Chapel too appeared, sword in hand, shoulders and face spattered with the red-black dew of war.

“What’s the plan?” Lil said.

“There’s a tunnel,” Cass said. “We’re going to try to make it.”

“Abandon the city?” Kit asked.

Cass nodded. “It’s already lost. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

“Lead on,” Lil said.

Mouse popped the door, and Wick, Able, and Finn swung out to make sure it was clear. Once they were certain, they motioned everyone else to follow. Able hung back as a rear guard until everyone was through, and then closed the door behind him. Wick set a hard pace, and the terrible sounds of the Weir and their attack pursued them as they went. They’d made it about a third of a mile before the first of the Weir spotted them.

It was quickly dispatched, but after that, it became clear that their plan was blown. Two Weir showed up soon after, followed by a group of three. And though they never faced a major attack, it was only a matter of time.

Gamble told Wick to find them a place to button up, and he did so in a low one-story building, about a half mile from the tunnel. It was solid, mostly concrete, with only two entrances and a window. Gamble’s team shared ammo out as much as they could, but they were all low. Everyone packed in. This would be their last stand.

“Gamble,” Cass said. “Whatever happens, I don’t want Asher to get my son. I can’t let him take my son.”

“I understand,” Gamble said. “Wick can take you to the tunnel. We’ll do our best to hold them here as long as we can.”

“No,” Cass said, “I’m not leaving these people behind. I want you to take Wren to Greenstone.”

“Nope. Out of the question, Cass,” she said. “These people won’t last long without us. Take your son. None of us will blame you.”

“I can lead them,” Cass said, looking at the other Awakened gathered with them. “And we may be able to cross the Strand without you.”

“If you survive the night.” She looked over Cass’s shoulder. “Wick, take Able, get Miss Cass and Wren to the tunnel. Make sure they get to Greenstone.”

“Wait, what now?” Wick said.

“No, Gamble,” Cass said.

“It’s an order, Wick.”

“Alright, check.”

“Gamble–” Cass said.

“Cass, Wren needs his mother. Only you can be that. Go.”

“If we’re gonna do it, we gotta go now,” Wick said.

“I will aid you,” Chapel said from behind Cass. “Come.” He took her arm and pulled her towards the back entrance.

And somehow again, Cass found herself following Wick. There was sporadic gunfire behind them, but they didn’t come into contact with any Weir themselves. In about six minutes, they reached the station. The train, of course, wasn’t there. It belonged to the Bonefolder, back in Greenstone, and she controlled it jealously. But she couldn’t do much to control the tunnel.

“You can take it from here,” Wick said. “Straight on down the tunnel,” Wick said.

“What about you?” Cass said.

“I can’t leave my brother back there. Able can take you.”

You’re my brother, too, Able signed.

Wick reached behind Able’s neck and pulled the man’s forehead to his own in a show of affection. Able patted his face before they separated.

“Go on. Godspeed.”

Wick turned and started back towards where the others were holed up. Cass felt like her heart was about to break. She was Wren’s mother, and she loved him more than she loved herself. But deep in her heart, she knew that she would rather die fighting alongside those people back there than live with herself knowing she’d left them behind.