Night of Nyx (The Nightfall Chronicles 2.5) by Karpov Kinrade Read Free Book Online Page A

feed, flies up and thrusts her open hand against the ceiling. A ring of red explodes from her palm, turning the stone into lava and then ash.
    As Trix falls back down, so does the white dust, revealing a hole with a steel building on the other side. Nightfall and Trix jump through to the floor above and land in a wide hallway. Trix grabs her rifle and scans the area. "We're clear," she says into her eGlass.
    "Evie, hack the cameras," Nightfall commands her AI eGlass. Zorin's feed changes to images from a different room. The hostages are all in one location, surrounded by ten Zeniths. The terrorists wear thick blue armor, military grade, making them look more machine than human.
    The top level is dark, the windows covered in metal. A lantern on the ground lights one side, casting the shadow of someone sitting alone. Zorin can't make out details through the haze, but the hair on the back of his neck stands on end, and he pushes closer to the glass as if that could bring him closer to Nightfall. He changes the feed to the room where she and Trix scout their surroundings, the feed that Nightfall hacked with her eGlass.
    Trix points her rifle at the double doors before her. "What's the plan, N?"
    "We request a meeting. Evie, the military helmets will be equipped with eGlasses. See if you can contact one. Tell them Nightfall wishes to meet their leader."
    "N, they're here," Trix says.
    Zorin's heart beats faster as he changes the feed to Trix's point of view . Two armed Zeniths enter through the doors. None of the camera's showed anyone near by. They must have been—
    "The cameras have been tampered with," Nightfall says. TR is no longer pacing. He's staring at the feed with as much intensity as Zorin, waiting to see what happens.
    Zorin switches his view to the room's camera . He sees Trix clench her jaw, finger on the trigger, no doubt ready to shoot . Nightfall raises a hand, gesturing her to hold.
    One of the Zeniths speaks. He sounds as if he's speaking through a radio. "Nightfall, we are here to escort you to our leader. He is very eager to speak with you."
    Nightfall is quiet, and there is panic on her face. It is gone in an instant, and Zorin wonders if anyone else noticed. "We have many things to discuss," Nightfall says.
    The Zenith tilts his gun at Trix. "You must come alone."
    "I will, but my companion may not be harmed," Nightfall says.
    "Very well."
    A new voice, male and heavily modified, enters the feed. "Don't go with them, Nightfall."
    "Who is this?" she asks.
    "Call me Crixus, leader of the Red Eagles."
    Zorin and TR exchange looks. Nightfall has been trying to set up a meeting with other rebel leaders, but this doesn't feel right. Zorin begins to scan his eGlass for hacks. Someone is playing with them, and it won't end well.
    Two shots explode from behind Trix and Nightfall, hitting the Zeniths in the head. They collapse, and Nightfall turns. Through her camera, Zorin sees two people in the same heavy armor. But unlike the Zeniths, their armor is black. A red eagle is painted across the chest.
    The voice in their eGlasses continues. "These are two of my soldiers. You can trust them. They will escort you out of the building."
    "No. I need to save the hostages," says Nightfall.
    Zorin’s hands curl into fists. She needs to see reason. She needs to leave while she can.
    The voice sighs. "My contacts have informed me this is a trap. If you stay, you will be captured."
    Trix moves her gun from one soldier to the other. "N, what's going on? Why are the Red Eagles here?"
    "They want to help," Nightfall says . "Why?" she asks Crixus.
    "You and I share an enemy. We can be very useful to each other," he says through the eGlass.
    "Why are you contacting me now?"
    "Because trust is a rare thing in our line of work, and I want you to trust me, Nightfall. So please, accept my help."
    "I will free the hostages."
    Zorin frowns and TR begins pacing again.
    "Very well," says Crixus. "My soldiers will depart. But remember, I