When All Else Fails (A Push of a Button Novella)

Chapter Nine

Seb grabbed his ankle. "Let me go first. If they're out there, you shouldn't be the first one they see. Maybe if Viv and I show up first, we can make them believe you had nothing to do with it."

Mr. H pursed his lips and climbed back down with a frown. "I'm not going to hide like a coward."

"I know, and no one said you would. But you're important to the work."

"No more important than anyone else could be. The Father has done mighty things in spite of me, son, but I'm old. And I know that I need to get you two out of here, one way or another. I'm going first."

"But—"

Mr. H rested a hand on his shoulder. "Sebastian, the Father didn't lead you two here to let you die. He led you here to me for a reason, and I know there is some part I have to play. I know it in here." He tapped his chest just over his heart. "There's only so much that I can do now. I'm old. My God and my story are all I have left."

"I can't watch you die."

"If I die, it will be because it is the Father's will. And if I don't, it will be at His will then too." He turned and started back up the ladder.

This time, Seb let him go. But he climbed up right after, keeping himself ahead of her. She sighed and put a hand on the metal ladder's first rusty rung. A chill skittered down her spine, and she closed her eyes. Sucking in a breath, she reopened them and began the climb. Lord, please let us all walk away from this.

SEB FOLLOWED MR. H through the hatch into the cool night air. Rows of bushes hedged the gardens to their left, and the house hunched on the top of the hill half a mile behind them. He sucked in a breath of the damp, cool air and forced himself to ignore his racing heart. No one was around, and the woods surrounding the property loomed in front of him. Empty too it seemed.

The moon lit everything in an eerie, cold light, and he turned away from the scene to help Viv out of the tunnel. She spun in a slow circle, searching the darkness just as he had. "No one's here?" she whispered.

Mr. H headed for the woods and motioned for them to follow. He didn't answer Viv's question. If anyone was around, best they not speak. Otherwise, they might give themselves away without even knowing it. The trees rose around them, and he grasped Viv's clammy hand with his. She squeezed tight, and a glance at her told him all he needed to know. She was terrified. Her skin held an unusual pallor, and her fingers trembled as they laced through his. He squeezed back and hoped she knew he'd never let anything happen to her. They'd have to kill him before they took her away from him. He rubbed the back of his sweat-soaked neck. Dying seemed more and more likely of late.

Mr. H led them onto a pebble-covered trail. The breeze rustled through the branches overhead, and something moved in the bushes. A shiver skittered down his spine. Mr. H stopped and held up a hand. Seb listened, but he didn't hear anything else.

With a nod to them, Mr. H resumed his quick stride down the path. The rustling resumed as soon as they started moving again, and Seb's instincts screamed at him. Danger! Danger! Well, why wouldn't they be yelling right now? There were intruders on the property, and Dane or the Supremacy's men were the only ones who would be here at this hour.

The rustling grew closer, and then everything erupted into a flurry of movement. Three men dressed in the black and red uniforms of the Supremacy, and they leveled plasma blasters on them all. Their leader stared him down. "All of you! On your knees now!"

As if they were going to do that.

"Now, men, perhaps we can talk this out?" Mr. H slowly raised his hands. "What are you here for?"