Dark Allegiance

Chapter 6

SIX

Councillor Kelvin Dillon glared at Neil Barrowman, annoyed by his aide’s subservient manner. ‘What do you mean, he got away?’

‘By the time the security guards realised who was at their gates, Captain Kyle had turned around and headed back to wherever it is he and his wardens are hiding out,’ said Neil.

‘Imbeciles. He should have been arrested before he could turn around.’ He ground his teeth; the failure of the Harlington security forces to apprehend Jackson Kyle made him want to hit something. ‘You can be sure the Over-Council will be hearing about this. As will Ward High Command. That disgraced captain knew Kyle was wanted by his own people. He should have taken steps to arrange his capture.’

He pushed his chair back and stood up, moving to pace in front of his large wooden desk. ‘Kyle will go to ground now, aware all the councils and Wards are on the lookout for him and his renegade wardens.’ Not that them being on the lookout had achieved anything at Harlington.

He faced Neil. ‘Is there any word yet on where Kyle is hiding out?’ That damned mercenary commander had known, but the freaking bastard had sided with Kyle, helping the warden trick him into cancelling the contract on him and Hanson Forsythe. If he ever crossed paths with the mercenary, he would make him pay dearly for that. He’d tried to take out a contract on the commander, but his offer had been knocked back. Supposedly, it was against some kind of mercenary code.

Still, he’d put out the word that the Righteous were not to be trusted. Even if no one took up the offer of a substantial reward for the commander’s head, once jobs started to dry up, he’d soon learn that it did not pay to cross Kelvin Dillon.

‘I’m afraid not, sir. We know it is somewhere between here and Harlington but have been unable to pinpoint where they have made their base. According to the old maps, there are no ruins big enough or in a stable enough condition to house them between here and there.’

Kelvin thumped his hand down on his desk. ‘Damn it. Tell them to keep looking. They’re out there somewhere, and we need to find them before they come back and attack us again.’

‘Sir, do you really think they would be stupid enough to come back after what happened last time?’

‘Not stupid. Desperate.’ He gave a cruel smile. ‘We have something they need.’ He might not know where his foe was hiding, but thanks to communications with High Command and the Over-Council, he knew what Kyle wanted.

‘They need more blood to make their vaccine. So far, Kyle has been the only source of the antibodies needed to make the cure. From what I was told, in strict confidence, the wardens believe our people can supply the blood, the ones that were turned into freaks.’

Neil shivered, and Kelvin’s smile widened. Neil had been one of those infected by Marcus Callaghan and subsequently cured by the wardens. ‘If you want to keep your blood where it is, you need to find out where Kyle and his wardens are hiding out. Then we can take the fight to them, rather than wait for them to realise the only hope they have of spreading their cure is right here in Brimfield.’

Neil’s brow creased. ‘But don’t we want them to spread the cure? After all, if they get rid of the freaks for good, there would be no need for wardens anymore. Life could go back to the way it was before the virus started.’

‘Don’t be an i***t. Brimfield has a chance to become the premier town in the country. There are no freaks here. No wardens, and no half-breeds. Our original citizens are safe from the virus, and we can make sure people pay dearly to come and live in safety with us.’

‘Won’t we just end up like before if people find out how good we have it here?’

Kelvin grimaced, aware Neil was referring to the lower-class humans who had fled to Brimfield from Harlington en masse once word got out that the town was freak-free. That had ended with them trying to take over, and Kelvin needing to be rescued by Kyle.

‘We will vet people at the gate and impose a hefty tax for entry to Brimfield. Those who cannot pay will be turned away. I will not let our home be overrun by riffraff ever again.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘In the meantime, we need to organise a welcoming party for when Kyle realises Brimfield is his last hope of securing the blood he needs.’

He strode to the door, beckoning for Neil to follow him as he headed for the office on the ground floor that housed his top security guard, David Flanders. He would make sure there was no chance of escape for Kyle this time, sure a closed gate wouldn’t deter him from making the attempt to get what he needed. He would have people stationed on every street, hidden, watching for the first sign of Kyle and his renegades. Once they were spotted, the rest of his forces would charge in.

Then he would see how smug Kyle was once he had him in chains. Forget about handing him over to the Over-Council for punishment. Kelvin would execute Kyle himself, and the half-breed who had killed his son. No one messed with the Dillon family and got away with it. Before he was finished, Kyle and his renegades would be crushed beneath his feet and Brimfield would become the most prosperous town of all, thanks to him.