Chapter 49
Kieran
Gideon Quinn wasn’t leaving this school.
I had already decided that.
Even now, looking at him from across the courtyard, surrounded by his group of thugs and soldiers, he looked smug.
Untouchable—at least, that’s what he thought.
Every ounce of hate I had ever felt for the man coiled in my gut. My skin practically vibrated with power.
I had dreamed of this. Since that day on the courtyard when he sentenced my father to death.
Since the moment he touched her.
And as the helicopter approached, I knew I would stop him.
I was relying on Elliot to be true to his word.
Gideon would face the consequences of his actions. I would ensure that.
No matter the cost.
Behind me the horde was being forced back by Dev and Jess. A roar in the distance told me the dragon had joined the fight. But the horde was still coming.
Gunfire from the walls of the school was ineffective. The ferals seemed to barely feel it.
I hoped this wasn’t just a terrible miscalculation.
Acidic black smoke poured from the battlefield. The stench was horrendous. Dragon fire poured over the ferals, melting several on the spot.
The dragon was impressive, I’d give him that.
Even if he was an arrogant bastard.
I charged for the guards around Gideon. One shouted at my approach.
“Gideon!” I yelled.
The guard turned their fire my way. I dodged, sending bolts of lightning at them, forcing them to flee. One bolt hit the ground by a guards feet, throwing him clear. Gideon saw me and sneered.
“You!” he yelled.
“Me, you bastard.” I yelled, sending another bolt his way. His bodyguards leapt to his defence. Above me I heard the Quinn chopper reach us. A machine gun emerged from the door.
Gunfire from above forced me to take cover behind a wall. I waited in place until a break in the fire, then sent out bolts, hitting the guards.
One of Gideons men stepped out, yelling at the coward. I recognised him as Turk, Gideons head enforcer. He was a big man, his muscles practically bursting through his suit.
“Hurry up! Move now! We have unfriendlies incoming, five minutes!”
I had the chopper in my sight. It was landing. Gideon met my eyes and for a moment I saw his fear.
He read my intentions like a book.
I grinned.
I shot out at the chopper, hitting it full on. Turk threw himself out just in time.
The helicopter exploded, throwing debris everywhere.
It was my opening. I charged.
More helicopters were coming. I could hear them firing on the horde behind me.
Reinforcements or the enemy – I couldn’t tell.
But this was my shot.
I could have walked through the fire and burned without fear. Because he was there. In front of me.
He jumped up, blood now smearing his perfect suit. His white blond hair was messed and unkempt. On his face was a snarl. In his hand was a revolver.
Suddenly, a gun was pressed to my neck. I paused.
Six guards surrounded me, all of their guns aimed at my face.
Gideon smiled.
“You little punk,” he sneered. “What are you going to do now, Hawthorne?”
“What I should have done years ago, Gideon.” I said, my voice calm.
“I have you surrounded. The police, the military are here. You are fucked.” He stepped forward, leaning over me. “Just like your father.”
“Am I?” I asked calmly.
Something unseen moved around the guards. One was hit from the side. Another’s face exploded with blood.
My grin broadened.
It was almost funny watching the men scramble as they tried to see who was attacking them.
Phantom really was a killing machine.
Gideon followed the carnage, his face draining of colour. “What—”
I moved. I wrenched the gun from his hand and had it pressed to his face in moments.
“Oopsy. Got your gun.”
The last guard hit the ground by my feet. I felt a familiar presence step up beside me. Power pressed against my senses—cold, precise, lethal.
Gideon froze, like he had seen a ghost.
“No…” He took a step back.
“About time you showed up, Phantom.” I said. I gestured behind me. “You remember Gideon, of course?”
Phantom sneered beside me. “Oh, we go way back.”
My grin was nasty. I enjoyed watching the colour seep from Gideon’s face.
“Where have you been anyway?”
“Sorry, was a little busy trying to clean up your mess, as usual.” Phantom replied.
“You know I always appreciate your help.”
“Of course. You would be dead without me.”
I smiled. I nodded to the approaching forces.
“Ours or theirs?”
“Ours.”
“Well, look at that,” I said to Gideon
Gideon didn’t answer. His eyes weren’t on me.
They were fixed on the figure at my side—wide, unblinking, full of something I’d never seen on his face before.
“How…” Gideon swallowed.
Above us shot a Black Hawk helicopter armed with missiles. It aimed them directly at the ferals.
A split second warning, then – release.
Then the alarms screamed louder, and everything went to hell.