Page 64 of Swamp Kings 2

“What’s wrong?” he hurried,worry and fatigue in his dark gaze.

“I don’t know, something woke me up. Something’s wrong.” She looked out the window and spotted some kind of facility out in a field. She moved around him and hurried closer, the panic pounding in her chest as she stared. “It’s there,” she whispered.

“What is?” he asked, looking now.

“Something’s wrong there.”

“Wrong how, baby?” he asked carefully as the panic turned into dreadful knowing, the closer they got.

“We have to stop,” she whispered. She jerked her gaze to Seer. “We have to stop, we’re supposed to stop.”

“Bishop?” Seer asked.

“We have to stop,” she said to Bishop, feeling the threat more now. “People need help,” she gushed, realizing.

Seer let off the gas as Bishop looked torn.

“Say the word, brother,” Seer urged.

“Fuck,” he muttered, looking around then back at the facility now on their immediate right.

“We need to stop,” she pled, breathless.

“We’ll get the woman and stop on the way back,” he assured, taking soft hold of her arms.

They passed it and the desperate feeling drove into her spine and head then womb, bringing her hands to it when the baby gave a violent kick.

“WE HAVE TO STOP!”

Seer hit the brake so hard, she went flying into Bishop who was caught by Zodak.

“Holy shit,” Seer gushed as Bishop turned to him, pissed. “That wasn’t me, brother,” he swore, winded.

“What do you mean it wasn’t you,” Bishop demanded as Beth hurried to the window, looking back at the place.

“She said those words, my brain engaged my foot,” she heard Seer whisper as horrific dread pressed from all around.

“We need to go there, we have to go there,” she whispered, looking back at Bishop and Seer. “I don’t know why, I’m just telling you what I feel!” she swore, hurrying to him now.

Zodak got closer to the window, lifting hisdark shades and staring for many seconds while Beth held her breath. He lowered the eye gates again and looked over his shoulder. “The air above the facility is dense. The very atoms are charged with malevolent intent.”

Relief escaped Beth at the confirmation as the triplets moved to the window now.

“Confirmed,” Fetch, Fathom and Fin said in symbiotic unison. “The malevolence is being cultivated. And weaponized.”

“Against what?” Seer wondered darkly.

Beth closed her eyes, feeling like the answer to that was so close. She went back to the glass and peered out at the buildings, searching, seeking. She closed her eyes, and her mind flashed with an image that stole her breath. “Children!” she whispered, turning to them. “T-they have women and children, they’re… they’re doing something with them, I-I-I can’t see, we have to help them!”

“Fuck,” Bishop grit, shaking his head, his gaze moving all around. “Go back. Get us as close as you can while keeping a distance. We’ll scout first, see what we cansee.” He pulled his phone out. “I’ll let Spook know in case shit fucking goes south.” He turned to Beth with the phone at his ear. “You’ll not be leaving this vehicle,” he ordered, getting her immediate nods. “You or Maggie. Understand?”

“Yes, yes,” she assured as Seer moved the rig slowly in reverse.

Bishop lowered the phone. “Go,” he ordered, sending her hurrying for the door as he put the phone back to his ear.

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“We need to touch the building,” the triplets said from the canopy of trees only ten yards away now, their synced voices implying they were locked in to one another’s powers.

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