Ragathon, the cocky jerk, held his giant hammer in his fist, his red Inquisitor cloak billowing behind him as he spoke through his own speakers. "Who is this?"
I lowered the Night Raven and opened the cockpit, stepping out in my full armor, my cloak, my face masked, my hair black as night. My image stared back at me from all the screens as I told them who I was. "I am Nightfall," I said, "and if you wish to live, you will do as I say." I pointed to the platform where Jax slumped in handcuffs against a pillar. "Hand Sir Lux over to me."
"And you'll leave?" Ragathon asked, the gold and crimson of his chest plate splintering the city lights into fractals.
"Yes."
He sneered. "And why should I trust a rebel?"
"I am no rebel," I said. "I am—" Before I could finish, another aircraft appeared from behind a skyscraper, hovering between Manhattan towers. I dashed forward, drawing my sword, my wings a spiral of silver light as I cut the jet wings off the aircraft using my blade. It crashed down to the street, bursting into flames before a screaming crowd.
With wings exposed, I flew up and then let myself fall to the ground below the Night Raven. I spoke softly, but my voice traveled through the city. "I am Nephilim."
"We can't let her go," Ragathon screamed to his soldiers. "Surround her—"
"Others of my kind are amongst you right now," I warned him.
At those words, the crowds and soldiers and leaders, all of them froze. I was playing on their worst fears. That the Nephilim would return. That they could turn anyone. That they could destroy them all. "If you move on me, my agents will destroy each and every last one of you."
"She's bluffing," Ragathon said. "Fire…" The cannon moved lower, pointing straight at me.
And then, black and blue tendrils like smoke whipped from the crowd and cut the cannon in half. The dark whirl of motion continued until it landed above the crowd on the balcony of one of the buildings. Zorin stood in his black cloak, sword raised, his face masked, his wings on full display.
The e-Boards alternated between images of him and me. Two Nephilim, and how many more were there? That was the thought on everyone's mind.
"You should thank me, Inquisitor," I said sweetly. "If that cannon had gone off, all of you would have been killed."
On cue, members of the crowd stepped out toward me, all cloaked in black and holding swords. The final illusion. The reason I needed the rebels.
"Sir, your orders?" asked Ragathon's Second—The Seeker. She stood at attention, ready to act, her body and face cloaked in cold steel with the Inquisition symbol of the eye carved into it.
His jaw tensed and I could see the internal battle he waged. He'd already failed one execution. Could he afford another?
He glared at me with raw hate as he gave the order. "Free Lux."
The Seeker hesitated, looking between the two of us, then did as ordered, unchaining Jax, who couldn't stand on his own from all the drugs they'd given him to subdue his para-powers.
"Escort him to me," I said, trying desperately to keep any and all emotion out of my synthesized voice.
The Seeker helped Jax down the platform toward me.
"That's far enough," I said.
They stopped.
"Sir Lux has been falsely accused," I told the crowd. "He did not murder Inquisition Officers on behalf of the rebels. He executed deserters who were threatening an innocent."
Images came up on the screen, images taken from an Inquisition helmet. It showed them before they found us, killing and ravaging those not in any way associated with the rebels. Then it showed Jax and me and how they confronted us. "Take the girl."
"We have nothing to report." Our voices filled the city.
"It is illegal to threaten a Knight of the Fourth…"
More gasps from the crowd. I knew the public hadn't been privy to the real story, the footage that got Jax in trouble in the first place. It wasn't hard to hack their system and find everything.
I held my hand out to Jax, my mouth dry, throat feeling like it was swelling shut, as I spoke. "Sir Jaxton Lux, join me. Together, we can lead by example and show the Orders what it means to protect the innocent."
Jax stumbled forward and it took everything I had not to rush to him and hug him. Instead I waited as he left the Seeker behind to reach me. "Thank you, Nightfall." He grasped my hand to shake it…
And then had the hilt of my sword. He grabbed me with more strength than I thought he had and pushed the blade against my throat. "Call off your agents," he yelled so everyone could hear.
I didn't know what to say or do. How could this be happening? What was he doing?
"Do not move without my command," I told the rebels through my e-Glass.
Trix's voice came through. "N? What do you want us to do, N?"
Zorin's voice cut her off. "Nightfall, use your ability."
On… Jax? I never thought I'd have to do that to him.
"I have a shot," T.R. said. "I can take him out. Your call, N."
Too many voices vied for attention in my frazzled mind. "No!"