Cardinal Tower (Trinity Central Book #1)

Chapter 35

I lift the knife up and slam the hilt on the top of Devon's head. The impact is enough to knock him out, so I drag his limp body closer towards the iron bars. He doesn't seem to be carrying any weapons I could use to my advantage, so I just rip the key from his belt and unlock my cage. The door swings open, and I realize I can't bear to see him in such a lifeless state. I grab his legs and slide him into my cell, closing the door behind him. Much better, I think as I pocket the key. Let's see how he enjoys being the prisoner.

My only chance of escape is a deteriorating staircase leading up towards God knows where. I slip the knife back into my boot and start towards the ascent into quite possibly my demise.

I stick my head outside, and recognize I was being held in a prison under the conference room where currently twelve people are seated. It's a sector leader conference, which means whatever is about to conspire must be important.

"We have the Elementaler, which means we need to start devising a strategy for taking over Stafford." One woman says.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. We can't target them until Cardinal's fallen." A deep voice responds.

"That's child's play at this point. It's our forces against their defenses. Isn't it obvious that we're the clear victor." I recognize the third voice as Mcallister's. "If it works out properly, that building will be down within the hour."

"Were you sure to evacuate the chosen recruits before you invaded?" another unfamiliar voice chimes.

"Of course, we're not idiots." He's the Lutum leader I informed Kai about, the man with unmatched accuracy. He continues, "Aria, the ice girl, is currently being held with her sister, Scarlett. And I believe Blake is among the recruits in the recreation hall being filled in about his mission."

"Shouldn't we be using our type fives for this attack?" The first woman asks.

"Not the children. The older type fives are on the field as we speak."

"So we take Cardinal, then what? We had people working on the inside as high ranked guards and generals. It was just a matter of time before we took it. But what about Stafford? We have no upper hand with them, and it's five times more secure. Breaking in there will be as impossible as reversing the radiation," a different man chimes in.

"Paxton, what are your thoughts? You're the leader of the Karmas, and your plans have yet to fail."

There's a pause before a familiar voice carries on the discussion. "Use her. Stafford will be expecting an attack now, so our only hope of success now is through the Elementaler." Of course, my father would be the infamous leader of the Karmas. I would've expected no less from someone of his character. He taught me everything I know. He was a monster in every other aspect, it's no surprise honestly.

I clench my teeth as he speaks, referring to me as nothing more but a Telum species. He acts as though he never had a daughter, and I in turn wish I never had a father.

"This will only work if we add in a few other variables of course," he continues, "I need Malachi Blaire. Alive."

"With all due respect sir, might I inquire why?" a much gentler voice asks.

"Let's just say a recent discovery has led me to believe that he's just as crucial a piece to victory as the Elementaler. In fact, he possesses something that could match her abilities. The two of them together could be unstoppable."

"Is that all you require, sir?" A young man asks.

"Yes. Bring me our president, and kill anyone that gets in your way."

* * *

I need to find Aria. It's the only thought that is able to pass my mind as I run around the infinitely vast compound that she's hidden in. I try to move discreetly as I open random doors in a panic. To my advantage, or disadvantage, most of the Karmas are headed towards Cardinal as I run rampant in their halls.

I imagine what they'll do to get to Kai. They were ordered to capture him at all costs, and my friends pledged to protect them with their lives. Not to mention the very detrimental breech in his personnel, an estimated half of his guards secretly in cahoots with the Karmas.

I'm throwing doors open, wondering how it is that there are rooms I haven't explored in my time as a member. I run down foreign hallways that have nothing that could possibly allow me to discern whether or not I've already explored them. It feels as though I'm running in circles, like I'm a mouse trapped in a maze.

After running around blindly and dodging from any voices I heard, no matter how distant, I almost lose hope. I'd look out of windows when a rather prominent scream echoes from Cardinal Tower. An explosion every now and then would turn my head towards the building, but I have to push aside the fact that I can't stop whatever's currently in motion. All I can do is to protect the one person that isn't trapped in the crumbling tower. But I can't. Aria's not here.

"Castelle?" I hear my name called from behind me, and I try to force myself not to respond. I know what will happen if I do, and I just don't think I'll be able to control myself. "I see Devon couldn't keep you locked up. I'm not surprised, you've always been much more cunning."

I try to walk away, but it's as if my legs are bolted to the concrete beneath me. All I can do is clench my fists, and ignore whatever it is he's about to say.

"It was a shame when you quit, I tried so hard to provide for you, to look after you like a father." I hear his shoes tapping towards me, but I don't bother to look at him. "I gave you safe jobs, hefty payments, I even got you offered a seat on the council of ten. But you quit. Even then I found you a job as a researcher at Stafford, I wanted to make sure you were well taken care of. Everything I did was for you and your Brother, whether you knew it or not."

Of course, he controlled my life, but to watch over us relentlessly. Any source of income I found was all because of him. Like an investment he made over time.

"I understand why you think of me so lowly. I understand why I'm not your favorite person, but you're still my daughter. Many of the things I've done were questionable, but it was to make you stronger. And as far as you're concerned, not a shred of weakness still resides in you." Emotion and weakness can't be used synonymously, father.

"In time I'm sure you'll realize the lengths I've gone through to protect not only you, but the greater good of what the world has become. I know you see the same flaws in the system as I do, so fight for us."

I shake the fear from my system, looking at him with all the animosity I've held back for the last seventeen years. "Paxton," I start, not wanting to acknowledge this man as my father. "How are you still alive? That bomb should have killed you." I silently scolded myself for succumbing to the urge of talking to him, but there's so much I need to ask him, it's impossible not to blurt out at least one question.

"You're right, it should have, but it didn't." He pauses, contemplating whether or not I deserve a proper answer. "You know I was a researcher at Stafford, one of the top ones I must add. Five years ago, I was entrusted with a special project. Project Carpa Malum. The intentions were never disclosed to the public but I knew the bomb was necessary."

Project Carpa Malum. Does he mean to tell me that Stafford ordered him to create the monstrosity that occurred all those years ago?

"I managed to engineer a cure to the radiation, but it was only a single dose. Your mother was too gone to be saved, so call me selfish, but I used it on myself. Listen, Castelle, Trinity's been lying to you, about your powers, about why Carpa Malum was created, about everything. You can go back to them, but that building will fall in ten minutes time. You'll come back, I know you will, and you'll realize that the best choice is to take over."

I hear his footsteps growing distant, and I'm sent into a world of questions. If he's telling the truth, then that means I'm running towards who I've always considered my enemy, if not, I'm just convincing myself to join the wrong side. Either way, I need to know the truth, I need to make a decision.

I need to find Aria.