Page 4 of House Divided
“Aria Gryffin is my woman. Do you hear that?” Jack took a step closer, falling into parade rest with his feet shoulder width apart, until he was standing toe-to-toe with Enoch Immanuel.
“Whatever you think she may be to you,” said Enoch softly, “you would do well to get out of my way, right now.”
“Not until we get a few things clear,” responded Jack evenly.
It was at this point that the hallway exploded.
***
Madeline’s ears were ringing. Her entire head was filled with pain, and she struggled to make out what was happening. One eyelid seemed stuck shut, and everything sounded as if it was taking place underwater. A sickly chemical smoke made her cough.
“Madeline. Madeline.” Someone was shaking her shoulder. She turned to look out of her one good eye. It was Jack. He had blood streaming out of a cut on his forehead.
“Whazapin?” Madeline ventured blurrily. Putting words together seemed hard.
“Stay here.” Jack’s words had a strange echo. “I’m getting Aria. I’ll be right back.”
“’Kay.” She looked around. Marc lay next to her, his eyes closed, but his chest was moving up and down in regular breaths.Where was Enoch?Madeline leaned over to try and rouse Marc, shaking his shoulder gently.
“Marc. Marc!” Her voice sounded strange to her ears. “Marc, wake up!”
“Hmmm?” muttered the man muzzily, opening his eyes. They widened.
“Mon Dieu!Miss Marx, you are wounded!” Marc cried out, sitting up in alarm. His face turned gray as he sat up too quickly.
“Easy, Marc,” she said, keeping a hand on his shoulder. “Gently, now. We’re all hurt. We’re just sorting it out.”
She heard a snarl behind her, and Enoch pushed himself to his feet. His body was covered in smoke stains, burns, and blood. He looked like the embodiment of some terrible ancient god of vengeance.
“What did youdo?” he demanded, rounded on Madeline.
“Nothing, you fool! We’ve all been ambushed; can’t you see that?” shouted Jack, supporting a semimobile Aria. Her left thigh was heavily bandaged, but she looked alert, if shaken.
“Aria!” cried Enoch, and for a moment, Madeline could see the vulnerability on the face of the formidable rebel. He showed fear, relief…and even love.
Aria’s face, however, showed nothing but confusion. “You’re…my father?”
“No time,” said Jack. “If you didn’t do this”—he turned to Enoch—“and we sure as hell didn’t, we’re under attack. We need to get the hell out of here. Marc, can you move?”
The man nodded.
Enoch put a hand to his ear. “I can get no signal from my troops or my cutter,” he said grimly. “I believe they have been wiped out.”
“Jack, what on Palamar is going on?” cried Aria.
Marc raised a hand for silence. “Comms are coming back online!” He paused, listening. His face once again turned gray. “There has been an air strike on the landing facilities. We were caught on the outskirts of the explosion. Security reports over a hundred casualties, possibly many more.”
“Who has done this?” demanded Enoch.
Marc looked at them. “The Tarma Planetary Defense Force. They are demanding your immediate surrender.”
“They can bloody well come and get me,” snarled Enoch.
“Not yours,” countered Marc, shaking his head. He looked at Madeline. “Yours.”
“What?” cried Madeline and Jack together.
“They’re calling you a traitor and a criminal, with an order to arrest you on sight,” said Marc. “Mes amis, we need to leave. Now.”
