Watch It Burn

By L K Walker

Time for the hunt.

In this second book of the Fire Trilogy, Ari takes matters into her own hands and begins tracking seethers down, one by one. She quickly discovers they’re not as vulnerable as she first thought. In an attempt to learn more about what she is up against, Ari and Nate seek out the help of sentinels. But telling friend from foe is not always as easy as it seems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L K Walker
• Release date: Jul 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463525685

L K Walker

My imagination has always been my own private treasure trove. An escape from a reality that, at times, has not been enticing. It seems only a natural progression that those thoughts should be put on paper for others to enjoy.I have struggled with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) for a number of years. But I am one of the lucky ones. After spending six months in bed, I somehow found my way back to my feet. I am not well, and I struggle most days, but I can work and I can walk and I have hope the future will bring more improvements.I have also been adopted by a clown of a greyhound, and he keeps me smiling with his antics.

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Watch It Burn

L K Walker

Copyright © 2016 by L K Walker

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without the express written permission of the publisher

except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2016

Wandering Lost Books

New Zealand

www.lkwalkerauthor.com

In dark times, the world is illuminated by hope’s possibilities.

This book is for those who have kept my torches burning these past few years,

I will never be able to convey how thankful I am.

Ari wanted to scream. Loud. But since she was in no danger and on a public beach she restrained the urge. So instead of releasing the fear and the frustration that were pressurised inside, she forced herself to focus on the sand as she shuffled it between her toes. As the last grains slipped away, she dug her foot back into the golden sand, gathering a mound on top, before letting gravity once again take hold. Repetition dulled her churning thoughts—at least a little. She leaned back and plunged her hands into the sand behind her, reclining on her elbows in the warmth of the morning and silently screamed at the sky.

This early in the day, few tourists ventured out on the beach. Stallholders arrived on cycles, setting up their stalls, unloading gas bottles, cookers and the ingredients which were suspended from the sides of the bikes. Others had bins overflowing with whole coconuts which, with a well-placed cut, would be converted into a ready-made drink, then decorated with a straw and tiny umbrella.

Fourteen days had passed since she and Nate boarded the flight that had brought them to Phuket. Ari thought back to the moment in the aeroplane toilet when she had caught sight of her reflection. The unflattering, yellow-tinged light had grossly highlighted the cuts and bruises, and the deep, dark shadows under her eyes. What a difference two weeks had made. The marks of her struggle had nearly disappeared, and her skin had developed a healthy sun-borne glow. Even the wound on her arm, where a knife had bitten deep, no longer ached and the angry colour surrounding the scar was beginning to fade. While, superficially, it appeared she was healing, underneath was a different story. A light breeze teased the branches of the palm trees that lined the beach’s edge and they flittered with each breath of wind.

Ari forced herself to her feet and wandered the few metres back to the seaside bungalow. She padded across the tiled floor and slipped into the pure white sheets of her bed. Nate’s eyes drifted open as one of his hands snaked under Ari’s waist, wrapping around her back, attempting to pull her closer.

You were up early, he muttered before delicately kissing the end of her nose.

I couldn’t sleep. Ari leaned away, resisting Nate’s attempt at affection. It took all her self-control.

Nate blew out a lungful of air. It’s decision day, isn’t it? His hand snaked out from underneath her as he shuffled up the bed, leaning his back against the headboard. I hoped it would never come. His eyes appeared sorrowful. Or wished you would somehow forget.

Forget? It had never slipped far from Ari's thoughts. Like cockroaches in the darkness, the tittering scuttle gave them away. She shook her head. We can't go on ignoring it.

A guy’s got to have dreams. His cheeks dimpled with his sly grin.

Ari had been true to her word. She had promised Nate two weeks without discussing their future. Two weeks of just being here, together. No talk of crazed men and women ruining the earth. No talk of nearly being killed by said crazed men and women. And absolutely no talk of hunting all the crazed down, ridding this world of them.

Nate made no attempt to hide his disappointment that their two unburdened weeks had come to an abrupt end.

Yeah, well, dreams involve the future, Ari patted his chest, looking up at his face in time to watch the smile fade into a scowl.

Nate said nothing, perhaps weighing his answer. He leaned over and tenderly pressing his lips to Ari’s. When he pulled away, the frown still crinkled his brow, and worry plagued his eyes. Preferring to watch his feet fidgeting beneath the sheets rather than look at the mournful expression on his face, Ari laid her ear to Nate’s chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart.

I promised I would think about it, Ari started. And for two weeks I have. Ari waited for a response, listening to the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Nate said nothing. I’ve loved every moment of our time here.

"That doesn't have to change. You can live like this for the rest of your life." Nate’s voice intensified with each word.

"I’d have to hide for the rest of my life. There’s a huge difference." She tried, with great effort, to keep her voice neutral. Talk of hiding was a cold reminder of the freak of nature she had become.

At least if you hid, you’d be safe. You could have a full life and grow old.

I would spend my life looking over my shoulder, wondering if they were coming for me, knowing that you could never stay. To Ari, the choices were simple. I either hunt down every last seether and stop them from turning grief-stricken people into hateful bastards, or…, she paused wanting her words to sink in, the only other option is to hide away, keep my ‘talents’ a secret and let the seethers do what they want to my world. They will breed destruction.

Slightly oversimplified, don’t you think? Nate responded. "You forgot to mention, if they get you, then they’ll try to use you to unlock the minds of masses of grieving people. Hiding would relieve them of that opportunity. You’d potentially save thousands, maybe millions of people from being emotionally savaged."

Ari sat up and looked Nate in the face. So, what? Sentinels are going to save my world? There aren’t that many of you left.

We can do it. Trust us. Nate patted her knee patronisingly.

How many years is it now since the rift? And how come humans have to sit to one side while the sentinels and the seethers slug it out? All the while turning a blind eye to the effects of their actions—whole nations starving, horrific wars, repressive governments…

Nate interrupted. The seethers don’t cause it all.

Yes, but you have to admit they take advantage of those things and turn them into full-blown brutality. Even if they only cause a fraction of it, I can’t just sit by, in hiding. If humans are going to be barbaric, it should be of our own doing, not due to the influence of a few pitiless alien thugs.

Three months ago, you didn’t even know we existed. Now, you seem to think that your civilisation will collapse if you don’t throw yourself into the front line.

"That’s just it. Now, I do know, she growled. And now, I have to do what I can to stop them."

Ari felt the tension building in Nate’s body still tucked up beside her.

"Well, we aliens weren’t doing so badly before you found out we were here," he hissed through clenched teeth.

You’re asking me to walk away from my family and friends.

I know that seems immense, but they would understand. Your parents would want you safe. I think if you gave them the choice, they would agree with me.

But it's not just them, is it? What if I do nothing and the seethers find a way?

"You are the way, Ari."

But if I could stop the seethers for good, don't you think it’d be worth trying? You've said it yourself, they are getting more proficient, they're picking up the pace. The tide’s shifting.

I don't think it’s a risk worth taking.

Ari sat up straight, meeting his eyes. His love for her drove his decision-making, that much was evident. She would’ve made the same selfish demands had the roles been reversed, but the fate of too many people hung in the balance. She only needed to think back to the innocents she had aided Dominic to change into rage-fuelled brutes. They still plagued her thoughts and her dreams. She’d had little choice at the time. Her best friend’s life had been under threat. Still, guilt festered into her gut, fixing her determination.

Don't you see, you belong to two worlds, Nate. You can save them both. After we’ve won, we can spend our lives together, however we choose, wherever we choose. Wouldn’t that be worth it? No more running or hiding. Just normal lives.

Don’t be so naïve. He balled his hand in his hair, tugging at the strands. There’s a solid chance you wouldn’t make it out alive. You’ve seen what the seethers are capable of. You’re not prepared.

Ari clenched her fists in frustration. That’s crap. I’m better prepared than most people on this damn planet. So, stop trying to wrap me in cotton wool. We both know, if we switched places, you would be off trying to save the world and there would be nothing I could do about it.

Nate didn’t reply. He took another deep breath, this time blowing it out like a valve on a steam train. His shoulders slumped and his head fell forward.

I’m sorry Nate, I have to.

I know, he whispered.

We have two more days left until we fly home. Ari slipped out of bed. Let's make the most of them. Starting with a shower.

Don't you think we need to talk about this more, see if we can find a solution that suits us both?

That ain't gonna happen. You know there’s no third option. Life’s a risk, you just need to decide what’s worth fighting for. Now, I’m having a shower. Are you coming, or what? she called behind her as she stripped off her shirt and flung it to the ground.

Well, that's not fighting fair, Nate said as he leapt from the bed and lunged after her.

At least Anna had been right about something—there’s certainly one here. Ari’s nerves added a hostile edge to her sarcastic tone.

Ari and Nate stood on the edge of a footpath. A multitude of people seemed to be walking up and down the road on one side, matched by vehicles on the other. They had arrived in Beijing two days ago, stepping off the plane into a cold wintery blast.

After returning home to New Zealand from their Phuket holiday, it had taken almost three weeks to organise their first seether hunting expedition. Anna, the elusive sentinel who lived somewhere in back country America, practically a recluse, had given Nate advice on where they should start looking. How could someone so detached from the real world possibly know where this seether lived? Ari couldn’t be sure if her dislike for the female sentinel stemmed from jealousy or anger. Probably both.

Shame she couldn’t be here to see how right she is. Ari didn’t hold back on her tone.

Ari, you need to get over it. Anna would have come to help us if she could.

Ari could hear the irritation in Nate’s voice, but forgiveness wouldn’t be that easy. When they needed her the most, Anna had refused to help them. Ari believed the two sentinels, acting together, would be unbeatable against one seether. It was basic math. If Anna had simply flown to New Zealand when she had been asked, they could have stopped Dominic long before anybody had been hurt. But instead, Ari had to watch as Nate came close to being brutally murdered right in front of her eyes.

Under the same circumstances, if Anna had asked me to leave you, I would have told her no. Not when you could be in danger.

Ari dropped the subject, even though the memory of a seether choking Nate was firmly etched in her mind. All the signs point to him being somewhere in Tiananmen Square, Ari said. I guess that’s a lucky break. If we had to go searching in a mega-story apartment building or one of the suburbs outside of the ring roads, we would’ve had our work cut out. Her nerves were mounting. So, do you think he likes hanging out in the tourist spots since there are more people about? I wouldn’t have thought a tourist attraction would be a draw card for grieving people?

Nate’s finger flicked on the screen of his brand-new smartphone. Whatever he was reading had him engrossed. He scrolled to the top of the page and turned the device around to show Ari.

There’s been a substantial increase in unemployment in China recently. There’s a lot of chatter about a protest happening today, Nate explained.

That’s not exactly a recipe for grief.

Perhaps the seether is hoping for a repeat of the 1989 protests.

What happened… She didn’t need the answer. You mean the Tiananmen Square massacre, she whispered. There had been a lesson on it in Year 12 History. She could recall the picture of the tank and the lone man standing in front of it. Hundreds, maybe even thousands had died. Nobody knew for sure because the facts were a tightly kept secret, the events still veiled.

Was it really 1989?

Nate nodded, shoving the phone into his pocket. It’s not talked about, but people still remember. Some of the protestors are still in prison. Nate spoke quietly, as if someone might overhear him.

So, the seether is hoping for another blood bath? Ari turned to look in the direction of the square.

Or perhaps he has come to provoke one.

The idea that the seether might find a way to have innocents killed made Ari’s blood rage through her veins. Resolve settled in, pushing any nerves she still had into hiding.

Has your phone got enough battery left?

They had concocted a simple plan, and it started with Nate staying right where he was until Ari confirmed the seether’s location. Nate needed to keep out of the perceptive range of the seether, otherwise their surprise would be blown. He also needed to be far enough away when she pushed out her emotion-packed charge. Nate couldn’t be in the blast radius, otherwise, he would likely go down too.

Nate plucked the phone from his pocket, waggling it in front of Ari. Yes, it has half its battery-life still. Call me as soon as you see him. Then, hit him with both barrels. His eye implored. No mucking around. His tone was low and clear, easily carrying over the bustle of people and the constant stream of cars.

I do understand the plan. Find him, share a bit of the good stuff, and then you can swoop in and help drag him away.

"Good. Remember, we don't know what he’ll be like after he is dipped in humanity. I know Dominic seemed changed, but who knows what would’ve happened if he’d been awake for longer." Nates voice trailed off.

Ari took pity on him Okay, I see him, I call you. I got it.

And take care of yourself. I’ll only be a few minutes away. If there is a problem, any problem at all, you run.

Yes. I’ve got it, she replied impatiently. Ari knew her ability to follow instructions, according to Nate, was sub-par, but why he continued to lecture her about it was anyone’s guess.

He grabbed her shoulders and stooped so their eyes were level. "I mean it Arianna—run."

The use of her full name, along with the intense gaze, was obviously supposed to give him authority. It didn't.

Yes, Nathaniel. Ari shook his hands off and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. Although a blonde New Zealander running around Tiananmen Square might be easy to spot.

It will make it easier for me to see you too. So run—understood?

Yes, sir. She gave him a salute and a wink before walking off.

"Please take care Ari," he called after her.

It will be a piece of cake. You'll see.

There were more people than Ari had expected in the square and, since tourism dropped back significantly during winter, she assumed they were here to take part in the impending protest. She needed to find the seether and knock him out before the demonstration begun. Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous. After another few minutes, she found herself in front of a large pillared building, the mausoleum of Mao Zedong, according to the sign. Swarms of birds graced the skies above the double-eaved roof, swooping around in perfect formation. Instead of halting to take photos, like the few tourists who had braved the cold, she focussed on the seether’s location and quickened her pace. Hatred radiated from him like heat from a house fire.

The pink cobblestones, carpeting the busy square, twittered with the feet of their guests. To make her way through the throng, Ari constantly had to step around or out of the path of people intent on their own concerns. It was like negotiating a living maze. She soon spotted the seether and, as promised, she called Nate.

He’s in the square, near a big flag pole, about two metres to the left if you are looking at the big red building.

The gates to the Forbidden City, he corrected her.

What?

The big red building, it’s a gate into the Forbidden City. It used to be home to the emperors many years ago.

Do you really think this is the most appropriate time to be schooling me in Chinese history?

Wouldn’t hurt you to know, he mumbled. Are you sure it’s him?

He has all the looks of a Chinese movie star, strong jaw, flawless skin. Big rich, brown eyes that threaten to steal your soul. Oh yeah, and he’s radiating the hate of a genocidal maniac.

Right. I’m coming. Be careful.

When have I ever not been?

Are you kidding me? Ari couldn’t recall Nate’s voice ever being so high.

I’ll see you soon. She ended the call with a laugh, more from tension than mirth.

She started towards the seether. He wasn’t alone. Beside him stood a boy. He looked younger than Ari and better dressed in new-looking jeans and a navy puffer jacket, the zip pulled down just a little to show a black woollen jersey beneath. His hair was cut short on the sides and thick on top like a stylish mohawk. No emotion came from the boy. No pain, no happiness, just a blank hole where he stood.

Oh, crap. That’s going to complicate things.

The seether’s focus had meandered over the crowd and stopped on Ari, his eyes widening. He would have seen an immobile blonde and felt absolutely nothing coming from her. There would be no turning back now.

Ari dug deep.

She stepped in closer. Balling her fists, she pulled her emotions to the surface and heaved them across the expanse between them. She had done the same to Dominic, moments before he and Nate had both crashed helplessly to the floor.

Ari’s nails stabbed at her palms as she waited for the seether’s eyes to lose focus and his legs to buckle. She could see the moment the force hit him. His face contorted. His eyes rolled back. And then, for no apparent reason, his eyes cleared and his startled look morphed to a menacing glare. The seether straightened his back in defiance.

Beside him, his companion savagely screamed, Stop! The boy staggered, hands clasping his head, but the seether stood firm, ignoring the cries.

As the boy feel to his knees, Ari withdrew her attack.

It had worked. The seether had taken the hit, but only for a moment, and then he’d regained control. Not good. He took three cautious steps towards her. Ari could hear the bustle of people walking about, momentarily distracted by the cries of a young boy before he staggered back to his feet. They moved on. She could hear their inane chatter.

Ari’s eyes stayed locked on her adversary. In all the scenario’s she and Nate considered, this had never been a possible outcome.

It seems we have someone who thinks themselves special, the seether said, looking down his nose at Ari, his words spoken in perfect English.

Ari felt around for the emotional signature that defined Nate. He was closing the gap at the fastest pace he could manage in the crowded, public place. Ari knew he would be moving even faster if he had any idea the seether was still standing. The seether glanced in Nate’s direction. No doubt he’d sensed his approach too, but any view of him was obstructed by the swath of people.

Who are you, girl? The seethers voice was quiet and, although his tone blended with the chatter of the crowd, Ari could still hear the intimidation.

No one.

Now, I don't believe that for a second. What did you try to do to me?

Nothing. Ari desperately struggled to maintain an air of innocence, but she knew her face would betray her. She took a step back, bumping into a passer-by. The woman grumbled and shoved her back from where she had come.

Wěi, come forward. The boy, although looking ashen and wobbly, stepped forward. Tell me Wěi, what did this girl try to do to me?

The boy started to speak Chinese.

English, the seether snapped. I don’t want our guest to miss out.

I do not understand. I felt my senses drowning. She pushed feelings, I think, too much for me to focus. He looked as if he might vomit.

At last, Nate arrived, his gaze taking in Ari and then the seether, still standing. Without hesitating, he grabbed her hand, jerking it as a sign they should go.

I wondered when you would get here, the seether said. He shifted forward, covering the space between them unnaturally quick. Reacting, Ari raised a hand to fend him off. He simply grabbed the outstretched wrist. Where are you going? Don't you want to stay and play? His intense stare locked on Nate.

"Let’s go, Ari." Nate tugged again.

The crowd had increased in numbers. People chattered in languages she couldn’t understand.

"Stick around, Ari." The seether tightened his grip, his fingers pinching skin under all the layers of clothing she wore, cutting off circulation.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ari saw a troop of soldiers quick-marching directly towards them.

Hey, she cried out Help! The seether glanced around, loosening his hold, enough for Ari to strip her arm away. She took off as fast as she could. Dread kept her legs moving. One foot after the other, she tore across the square. The crowd stifled her speed as she twisted her way through them, dodging those who hadn’t seen her approach. Ari wished they would stop squealing from fright, giving away her position. No doubt the seether could easily see her progress, but the noise added to her fear. Even the rustle of her jacket was too loud. Behind her, footsteps kept pace.

Keep moving, Nate encouraged.

By the time Ari reached the edge of the square, the number of people barring her way had diminished. She slowed her paced, partly to catch her breath and partly because her brain had started running overtime. What the hell had happened? Her