An Apocalyptic Need
action.
    The situation had driven home, once again, just how honorable a man Grimm Forbes was. Which made it even harder for Audie to believe Grimm was working for the enemy. There had to be something else…something they were missing.
    He walked across the courtyard of the Authority Headquarters, the wind whipping his shoulder-length black hair around his face. The moist breezes left behind a heavy wetness and he looked skyward, to the magic-induced storm clouds that kept the Sorceri’s headquarters buildings safe from airborne prying eyes.
    They roiled and spun, thick and gray with unexpended power. At any moment the skies would open and send an electrically charged wash of rain downward, to ping against the ion dome protecting Headquarters.
    In the distance, an energy-drenched ocean crashed against the rocky shoreline, sending water upward in a frothy spray. Its roar was a constant drone that Audie suspected one got used to if one spent enough time there. Audie had no intention of ever getting used to it.
    The smell of water and fish permeated the water-locked buildings and the coldly grim façade turned Audie’s brooding thoughts to dark worry.
    “Hail, hunter,” a deep voice called out.
    Audie was pulled from his thoughts as an eight foot tall black man approached him. The last survivor of the once-thriving underwater city of Atlantis, the Ingress Sentinel had barely escaped as the walls of the great kingdom folded inward and sank into the sand at the bottom of the ocean. The event had left him prickly and not a little arrogant. The Sentinel made no secret of the fact he believed Atlantis’s inhabitants were the finest race to ever grace the twenty worlds. To him, the humanity that was left were little more than brainless animals.
    There were times when Audie secretly wondered if he was right.
    The sentinel fixed his silver-blue gaze on Audie as he approached. “What brings ye here?”
    “I had business with the Huntsman.” Though the huge Atlantan’s gaze narrowed with curiosity, Audie didn’t elaborate. He would be doing Grimm no favors to spread word of his possible traitorous behavior among the Sorceri. Especially since Audie didn’t believe for a moment that it was true.
    Dressed in the form-fitting, shimmery uniform of an Atlantan Special Guard, the Sentinel stood unnaturally straight, a lethal trident clutched in one enormous fist. He was a formidable warrior with or without the trident and Audie knew from experience that the Atlantan was a good man to have on his side in a battle.
    But he had no need to know the details of Audie’s current mission. It was true, the bounty hunters of the Sorceri suspected there were traitors in their midst. However, so far it was only speculation. Audie was determined that he would not be the one to put truth to the suspicions.
    “If you need help…”
    Audie inclined his chin. “Thanks. I’ll let you know.”
    He pushed past the Atlantan, moving toward the water, where pulling his guide magics to transport himself through time and space would be easier. By necessity, the Sorceri had dampening magics covering its buildings.
    “Hunter.”
    Audie stopped and turned back. “Yes?”
    “Some have said that Grimm Forbes works against the Authority. That the reborn use him to undermine our work against the zombies.”
    Audie frowned. “The reborn are not working against us. They are our allies.”
    The Sentinel held Audie’s gaze, his wide, black face giving nothing of this thoughts away. “I just wanted you to know I was not one of those who believe this.”
    To his surprise Audie felt relief. “That’s good.” Audie nodded. “I look forward to fighting beside you again, Sentinel.”
    The Atlantan inclined his head.
    Audie was fully cognizant of the Sentinel’s following gaze as he strode away from the magic barrier. He regretted keeping secrets from the others, but the secrets weren’t really his to share.
    So, for the moment at least, Audie would keep his
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