One World

Part 5

Rag'ell knew it was a setup.

Everything suggested it. He could feel the strange tension hovering around them, as if the trap were about to snap shut.

The tall, damaged buildings they passed on their way provided perfect hiding places for the rebels.

The collapsed houses, overturned cars and debris prevented them from moving faster and scanning the area more carefully, which played into the hands of their enemies.

"Our sensors have picked up signs of life, my lord," Maw-ghet informed the Supreme. "They are everywhere."

"How many?"

"About fifty." Ardanians were slightly fewer in force, but numerical superiority was not a major factor at the moment.

Although they were walking into an obvious trap, Rag'ell did not give the order to retreat. Perhaps he did not believe that any attack would threaten them, perhaps it was his overconfidence in the superior abilities of Ardanians.

Or perhaps he ignored all his instincts and experience because he finally had Gabriel Cassel within his grasp and didn't want the man to escape at any cost.

He longed to meet him, to challenge him, to look into those proud eyes and bring the rebel leader to his knees.

Rag'ell was protected by an electromagnetic shield that the most powerful blast or missile could not penetrate. It made him feel safe. But he was the only one of their group to wear this latest marvel of Ardanian technology.

The regular soldiers weren't equipped with them, only Maw-ghet owned one, but he hadn't thought it necessary to take it on this routine mission.

This turned out to be a big mistake when the humans actually attacked a few moments later.

Against all logic and common sense, they suddenly charged, firing from behind the ruins, hidden in the rubble of the destroyed buildings.

"Defensive position!" Maw-ghet shouted to his soldiers, who were in perfect formation, ready to fight and, more importantly, to protect their Supreme.

Rag'ell was undeterred by the firefight between his soldiers and the Earthlings. Although the humans had acquired several Ardanian weapons and were outnumbered, the tactical advantage was clearly on the side of his highly trained soldiers.

He glanced at the attacking figures in their filthy clothes and old uniforms. Gaunt, desperate and ill-equipped, they were no match for a perfectly armed force of the best Ardanian warriors.

Did they think, in their naivety, that they could surprise them with stolen weapons? They might succeed at wounding a few of his soldiers, but the human casualties would be many times greater. This brief skirmish would soon end in the bloody defeat of the rebels.

Maw-ghet stayed near their leader, ready to defend him. But none of the enemies were able to get close enough to threaten their Supreme. Precise Ardanian fire stopped anyone who wasn't hiding behind the ruined walls of houses and wrecked vehicles.

Several explosions rang out, fires broke out. Black smoke billowed into the air, but the choking fumes did not reach Rag'ell through the air filter in his helmet. He could hear the screams and cries of the wounded, mostly humans, though the number of casualties on their own side was beginning to increase as well.

Was Gabriel Cassel among the attackers?

Perhaps in response to that thought, a familiar figure emerged from the burning wreckage.

The dark-haired man, whose face he had remembered from the footage, skilfully moved through the rubble and car wrecks, using the debris for cover. And he was closing in on him.