Dark Allegiance

Chapter 2

TWO

Justice pulled the heavy box toward her, coughing at the dust she stirred up as she peeled back the cardboard lid. The smell of damp and musty books rose in the air and she held her breath as she reached inside to pull out the first one, skimming her eyes over the faded cover.

There was no telling how long the Legion had stored these books. Barrett had discovered them on a foray deep into the mine while looking for supplies with Leon and some of the other former construction workers. He’d thought Hannah would find them useful, but it had been Justice whose heart had raced at the sight of the long disused library.

The Legion had spent countless resources, in both money and lives, in their effort to stop her from fulfilling the destiny Gaea set out for her before she was born. She was hoping this library would contain information she could use to decipher the Earth Goddess’ last message to her. For try as she might, she had not been able to understand how she was to wash clean the sins of the fathers to give mankind the second chance she had already died for once.

Daniel Zarb’s book had been more focused on the lore that surrounded her creation and the act of judgement. A judgement she thought she had delivered in this very compound, only to discover after her death that it had not been enough. Sure, her sacrifice had cured the man she loved and enabled Hannah to use Jackson’s blood to create her vaccine. But mankind was still on the same path to destruction as they had been.

Somewhere, she had failed to complete a final step, the step that would truly give mankind hope of a better future. All her sacrifice had done was buy them a little more time. But as each day passed with her no closer to understanding what her task was, Justice knew the days of everyone she cared about were numbered.

She had to find out the truth of her purpose.

This was the last box of books. Those she had opened earlier had revealed a mismatch of fiction and nonfiction texts, none of them related to her or her purpose.

This was her last hope, and she continued to hold her breath as she pulled out book after book and scanned the covers.

The box was half empty before she took her first breath, a wave of dizziness swamping her as she stared at the set of gold scales embossed in dark brown leather. Just like Daniel’s book, the scales matched the birthmark covering her right palm.

Hands shaking, not daring to hope in case what she’d found was a copy of the book she already had, Justice carefully opened the cover. The writing within was faded, the pages crinkling as she leafed through them. Some of them were stuck together, and she gingerly prised them apart as she scanned the words printed on them.

It was a different book.

Her gasp spilled out before she could help it.

‘Did you find something?’

Hope brimming inside her, Justice looked over to where Hannah was standing in front of one of the stainless-steel tables in the centre of the lab, her hands on the elaborate microscope taking up most of the available space.

‘I think so. At least, it isn’t a copy of Daniel’s book. But I don’t know if it will help us yet.’

Her friend took a thin slice of glass smeared with a whitish substance out of the view spot on the microscope and carefully placed it on the table. Then she wiped her hands on her lab coat and came over to peer at the book in Justice’s hands.

‘What does it say?’

Justice frowned as she peered at the faded writing, angling the book to take advantage of the brighter lighting in the lab. Unlike the rest of the compound that made do with solar lights and lamps, this room had fluorescent lighting. Considering the Legion scientists had been behind the creation of the freak virus five hundred years earlier, and had been working on a way to control the infected ever since, it made sense that this room would be better lit than everywhere else.

That was why Justice had asked Barrett to bring the boxes of books there rather than try to examine them in the mine or the room she shared with Jackson.

Hannah hadn’t been too impressed at the idea of cluttering up her immaculate workspace with musty old books, but she’d let Justice have a table in the corner. She knew how important it was to find a clue to what Justice was supposed to do next. Though Justice knew Hannah still thought her vaccine had already answered one part of the puzzle.

Justice hoped that when she found out what the bit about facing the past meant, she would also gain insight into the rest, to see if Hannah was right, or if blood still had a part to play in ensuring the future of humankind.

All her hopes rested on the book in her hand, and as she leafed through the pages, her excitement grew.

‘It’s talking about me, about what I would need to know to fulfil my purpose.’

‘Really? It has all the answers?’

‘We’re not that lucky. It is more of a guide meant for my teacher, for the one who would train me to dispense justice.’

‘And who would that be?’

Justice’s excitement dimmed. ‘Brother Owen.’ Tears filled her eyes. ‘He was the head of the monastery where I was raised until I was ten. I had lessons with him every day, even before I could talk, where he would tell me stories about what life was like before the virus was unleashed, and the state of the world since. It was because of his teachings that I knew I was supposed to visit each town and observe the people so that Gaea could assess humankind through me and determine what her justice would entail.’

‘But how does a teaching manual help you figure out what Gaea meant?’

‘It doesn’t. But it does give me a clue.’ Justice took a deep breath. ‘I think I have to go back to the monastery, to face my past.’

A hint of the turmoil created at the idea of going back to where her mother and the monks had been slaughtered by the Legion must have shown on her face, as Hannah moved forward to hug her. Justice was grateful for the comfort. The thought of returning, after fifteen years, set her stomach churning with a mixture of dread and sadness. It was the last time she could remember being happy, sheltered by the monks, with her mother’s love a constant in her life. As much as she loved Jackson and was happy to be here with Hannah and the rest of the friends she had made, part of her wished life could have been different. That she could have remained with the monks, venturing to the towns with Brother Owen as her guide instead of a succession of men who had tried to kill her before becoming her reluctant bodyguards.

But that was not the way her life had turned out, and wishing for it to be different would not help.

Besides, she was happy now. If she could just fulfil her duty by doing whatever it was Gaea meant for her to do, then that would be enough, a way to honour the memory of those who had fallen.

It was not just her mother and the monks who had paid with their lives. Many people—humans, wardens, and half-breeds—had died because she had not fulfilled her purpose correctly.

Once Jackson returned with blood from the newly cured freaks in Harlington, and plans were underway to cure the infected in the other towns, they could then return to the town where she had been born to complete one last task for Gaea.

No matter what, she would find a way to save them all.