Red Smoke Rising. Rick Psy.D. Anthony

the stress of this news. “I’m sorry, Mir. The Myrmidon outside the door will see you to your quarters. I’ll have someone retrieve you as soon as the search party is assembled.”

      Mir nodded and left the room without saying a word. Stern erupted the moment the door clicked shut behind her. “Are you unfit for duty?” he squawked as he leaned forward. “I sent you to investigate rumours of tainted auras and you come back with two dead Myrmidons—and then let the prisoners escape? Do you know how long it has been since a Myrmidon died in the line of duty? Do you know that no one has ever escaped this prison?”

      “Sir, they broke through the cell walls; the structure failed,” Adan defended as he maintained his stature.

      “You failed,” Stern countered immediately. “You failed because they couldn’t breach the wall without help or, at the very least, gross ineptitude. Either way this is your fault.”

      Adan looked away. “Yes, sir. I take full responsibility. I wish to be charged with recapturing the prisoners.”

      “Good,” Stern fumed. “From now on when someone resists arrest—kill them. Make an example of them and set a standard for your fellow Myrmidons. You are one of the most senior men at this post and you are among the most heavily augmented. Start using your power or I’ll give it to someone who will.”

      With that Stern opened the door, showed Adan out and slammed it behind him.

      Adan stood for a moment without moving. He inhaled deeply; his shoulders heaving with every breath. After taking a moment to collect himself he turned and walked through the corridors to meet his search team.

      Kuvaleers were known for their arrogance and insolence, especially where their reports were concerned. Stern had given Adan his augmentation and he also had the ability to take it away. The day would come when Adan would retire and his augmentations would be removed, but being constantly threatened with de-augmentation and dismissal was starting to grate. He would do anything to keep the physical power he possessed. The problem was Stern knew it.

      Adan paced his breathing. He drew each breath with force as he concentrated. He could feel his muscles tighten and his skin stretch. He concentrated harder as he walked. In a flash of light he shifted and grew into his goliath, augmented size.

      “Adan,” a voice came from behind him. “I’ve been authorized to come with you.”

      Adan stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn to respond. For a moment he ignored the voice completely. Slowly, grudgingly, he turned to see Mir. She had changed her clothes and wore a suede riding suit. Her dark hair was pinned neatly on top of her head. He would have thought she looked beautiful were it not for the despicable tales about her—and the permanent scowl on her face.

      He tried to sound as professional as he could. “With all due respect, Mir, these students have proven to be very dangerous. Two Myrmidons are dead and now they have escaped from an inescapable prison. Having you in my care would be a liability for my patrol.”

      Mir’s response came quickly. It was as if she expected the rebuff. “Capturing them is your duty. Then I will take over and do mine. They could be a few hours away already and it may be days until we catch them. The information they have could be critical and bringing them back for questioning will take too long. I will come with you and we will interrogate them where we find them. Stern has already assigned me to your patrol. I’m coming with you.”

      Adan had nothing to say. He scowled as he stared down the hallway at the slender woman. There was an ugly taint to her aura that he couldn’t put his finger on. He simply nodded, turned and walked to the stables to meet the others. Mir trailed behind him.

      They arrived to find nine other Myrmidons assembled and ready to ride.

      “Sir,” one of the other Myrmidons addressed him, “two horses are missing.”

      “Jeanea,” Adan responded as he shook his head. “Someone find the healer Jeanea!” he hollered as his face reddened further.

      I knew she was far too anxious to heal the injured ones, he fumed. No one else had access to them.

      After a brief search of the barracks it became apparent that Jeanea was nowhere to be found. Adan’s suspicions were confirmed.

      “We have a traitor in our midst. Alert Stern,” Adan instructed a stable hand as he mounted his horse. After a horse was prepared for Mir, the patrol trotted out of the stables together.

      “The horses are augments?” Mir asked as they moved out.

      “Yes, for speed and endurance, plus it helps them see at night.”

      “Interesting,” she said. “I’m assuming it is impermanent? So they shift? How do you administer the drug to them to invoke the change?”

      “The stable hands light a fire in the back that fills the air with smoke just before we use them,” Adan explained. “They don’t like it much. They aren’t smart enough to control their shifting so they stay augmented as long as the drug is in their system.”

      Adan wished Mir would stop asking questions. He ground his teeth.

      Dawn would not come for another couple of hours, but any time spent waiting for light would be time for the escapees to get even further.

      “Who’s my tracker?” Adan bellowed.

      “I am, sir; my name is Cyril.” The smallest Myrmidon yelled back as he coaxed his horse to the front of the group. “I see their tracks.”

      “Are you sure?” Adan asked.

      “Yes, sir,” Cyril responded, “absolutely sure. I’ve been augmented to track, sir.”

      Adan realized then why the man wasn’t oversized like the rest. His augmentation was designed for another purpose. It was an interesting trick; Adan was anxious to see how it worked. “Okay. You lead, we’ll follow,” he told him.

      They rode off, leaving only dust in their wake as they tore across the prairie in search of Mia and her companions. They traveled for hours and the night wore on with no capture; the horses barreled on at full speed.

      The light of dawn became visible over the horizon as they came upon a ranch house. The wail of dogs pierced the air.

      The hunting party charged the ranch. The sound of hoofbeats replaced the frantic canine yelps. Adan planned to end the matter for good.