The Dark Edge Chronicles - Hardwire

Epilogue: A Parting of Ways

As for Lash and what was left of his team, the big vampire was supposed to report to Europe and his clan, to let them know what exactly had happened in the battle against the Brotherhood and its Armageddon Project. The rest of the Qos Viran would return to Brazil to debrief Aizea about their efforts to keep the man in black hale and whole.

The Qos Viran survivors were already gone, having left nearly three days ago on a flight for Rio de Janeiro. Their big commander, however, was nowhere to be found.

Lash had vanished shortly after they secured what was left of the convention center and its grounds, before the Normals could arrive to take charge. Where he was nobody knew, not even members of his own team. Perhaps draining a couple of humans before his flight to Europe, maybe plotting a new war against the Brotherhood with his newfound weaponry and technology, thanks to Mordecai. The man in black suspected the latter, considering what he knew of the Qos Viran commander.

Either way, it didn't matter to him. Mordecai had other things to worry about than a missing vampire commando. Like returning to his lone gunman duties. Already he could feel the tug of the next strongest probability node pulling at him. It wouldn't be long before it would be all he could think about.

Raven, Agony and Jeriko were already gone. The three of them were making their way to Asia where a conclave of lone gunmen would sit in judgment against Sonja, Brillman and Coyote for their part in assisting Katengaur foment chaos in Calgary in the time leading up to the confrontation at the convention center. Not to mention the unjustified attack on Mordecai upon their return from Toronto. The man in black also suspected that Raven and Jeriko would petition to have Agony join the lone gunman; the reformed Brotherhood psionic was certainly strong enough.

By all rights, Mordecai should've followed the Swedish and Native American hardwires to Asia, having played a pivotal part in the whole affair. The conclave would also demand an explanation for why he created the Storm Wolves, which now promised to change the balance of psionic power across the world. But he had better things to do than answer to the Lone Gunmen Conclave right now, like interrogating Martin before the pull to the next node became too strong to resist. Paladin's recording crystal that had captured the events as they unfolded in the airport would be sufficient to convict all three without the need for his direct testimony.

The man in black stood with a sigh. Eventually he would return to the conclave and give his personal account of everything. He was, after all, still a member of that organization. Now, however, it was time for him to catch his flight to the remote corner of the world the Storm Wolves had stolen Martin to, before the Normals had locked down the city. 

As he began to walk towards the security checkpoint that led to the departure gates, one could see that he was dressed much the same way as he had been when he had first arrived in the prairie city back in August of last year. His favorite black leather jacket, a black turtleneck sweater beneath with a pair of black Dockers finishing the look, his black leather bag slung by its strap over his shoulder. He would depart, just as he had arrived: under the radar.

But before he could reach the security checkpoint, heavily manned by both airport security and an RCMP tactical team, a man's voice called out his name.

"Mordecai!" Pausing, Mordecai looked over his shoulder.

And smiled when he saw Lash, also dressed completely in black, stride towards him, a broad smile on the vampire's face. A black bag, similar to his own, was slung over the big vampire's shoulder.

"Well, there you are!" the man in black declared with a smile as Lash drew up to him to take Mordecai's hand in a strong grip. "You had us all wondering what happened to you following the battle at the convention center when you abruptly disappeared."