Walking Among Humans

Chapter 14 - Part 1

Mona

We get back to the center with enough time to brief everyone on the details and get everyone into position thirty minutes before Abaddon's men are scheduled to arrive. I stay inside with Ben until five minutes before I am expected to crawl out the bathroom window. The window is a little too high for me to reach, so I enlist Jake to help me. That also keeps him out of harm's way until he is needed for healing.

He is nervous since it's the first time he might need to heal someone during a fight. Until now, the most he'd ever had to heal were self-inflicted injuries by teachers and minor injuries incurred during training exercises.

While we wait in the bathroom, I try to reassure him that he is ready for this. He still has his doubts as he helps me up to the window and I crawl through. Whatever fears he has left he'll have to face alone, and fast. I feel terrible making him deal with this on his own, but I have no choice.

I stay close to the walls as I head for the front of the school. It has to appear as if I am sneaking out in case Abaddon's men are watching me. I move slowly, stopping every dozen or so steps to look around to make sure nobody has spotted me. As I reach the front of the building I see them—thirty Nukpana men all marching right down the middle of the street.

Most of the businesses in this part of town are either closed for the day or have been abandoned all together, so there will be few, if any, human witnesses. I open the connection with Ben and let him know they are coming.

I take one last glance around to make sure nobody is visible. Everyone is out of sight.

I start walking in the direction of the men coming toward me. I need to get a closer look at them to see what kind of weapons they are carrying.

I am relieved to see that none of them are carrying guns. I'm not all that surprised since all Talonian weapons are blades. But they've been on Earth a while, and I have to be sure. Many of them carry katana-style swords, some sport daggers on their hips, and very few appear to have no weapons at all. All the weapons they carry have two things in common. All are sharp enough to kill, and they are all made of the same material, Talonian crystal.

"It looks like most are armed with blades. A few don't appear to have weapons."

"All right, it's time to move in."

"No, wait. Let them get closer."

"If we go now we'll catch them by surprise."

"Yes, but they'll also have an escape route planned, and they aren't close enough to block off all the routes."

"Don't wait too long."

"I won't."

I wait until the Nukpana are in position.

I run to them. "You're late. And I think I've been spotted."

Ben rushes out the door and heads straight for us. Within seconds the remaining guardians are surrounding us, demanding the Nukpana let me go.

The Nukpana all look shocked. "It's a trap!"

"You heard Abaddon! They all die, including the girl!"

The Nukpana all draw their weapons at the same time.

What have I gotten myself into?

I watch in amazement as the guardians start fighting the Nukpana. Just as the first guardian takes down his opponent, I feel a familiar strong arm grab me. Before I have a chance to say anything, Ben jumps toward the sky. The evening air feels warm on my skin as we make our ascent.