by J G Barber
Leucosia finds the chronicle of her journey with her original Sirenian gossip. She relives the Great Flood. They establish their island homes on Anthemoessain and Crete in the Mediterranean Sea. When the humans turn on them, the sirens escape through the Mediterranean Sea and around southwestern Europe to establish themselves in the fresh waters of the German Rhineland. The holograph continues as Lorelei joins her gossip. Lorelei lures the local sailors, including Erik, to their deaths, leading to the bloody retribution of Erik’s son and the local men. One by one, the men behead her beloved sisters, and the Rhine river turns red with their blood.
Leucosia’s consciousness snaps back into her body on the meditation rock. Rage overtakes her. She stands in a fierce warrior pose, eyes like a snake, ready to strike. Sister Lorelei is correct. My dreams have made me soft. It is time to enact our plan. She marches back toward the facility, renewed in vengeance and her desire to eradicate humanity.
Paul wipes his mouth after another vomiting session in the bathroom. El Anciano was dead serious about the cleansing power of his tea and juices. After a week of expelling toxins from every orifice and his skin, he feels an aliveness and a sensitivity he’s never felt before. Each new purge, unpleasant as it’s happening, leaves him feeling more vital.
He returns to his meditation pillow in the storage room where they keep their weapons and supplies. El Anciano coached Paul on his ancestral ability to project his consciousness onto the mental plane and described the area surrounding the pyramid in great detail to enable Paul to remote view its interior.
His mind’s eye opens, and he projects his consciousness through the sky, flying as a bird-man over the desert brush and trees into the mountains. A siren’s call beckons to him. He banks and turns toward the ocean, continuing until he arrives at the sirens’ island facility off the coast of Barra de Potosí.
Leucosia returns to the facility to find the rest of the seven sisters waiting in her chamber. She speaks with a tone of poisonous vengeance, unable to perceive Paul’s mind. “I confirm it, sisters. The pyramid contains the laboratory we seek. We will fulfill the next step in our destiny. No longer shall we suffer the tyranny of the invasive humans. New Sirenia shall avenge their crimes against us and Great Mother.”
“Paul is here with us in spirit,” Lorelei observes. She speaks to him with her signature tone of arrogance. “It is only a matter of time before you join us, my dear Paul. Each of my beautiful sisters longs to experience the pleasure of mating with you. And they will pleasure you in ways you have not yet experienced in any of your lifetimes. Except with me.”
The six sisters join in a circle around Leucosia, emanating a collective wave of rage and lust to Paul. The intensity of it causes Paul’s mind to retreat. Monica-Lorelei closes her eyes as Lorelei reaches out through the causal plane to trace the origin of Paul’s mind-projection.
“You have no power over him.” Leucosia pushes her way out of the circle. She confronts Monica-Lorelei. “I have indulged you long enough. Paul has chosen not to join us. Let us end this ridiculous game.”
“As you wish, my Queen.” Monica-Lorelei takes Leucosia’s hand to re-form the circle. “The ancient one can no longer hide them.” She connects with Leucosia. “I know the hunters’ location.”
“Bring me El Jefazo!” Leucosia commands. Jiao exits the chamber to fulfill her command.
As his consciousness returns to the house, Paul processes the paradoxical moment of being aware of what the sirens were doing on the island and the wave of rage-lust that filled his body. He does not feel compelled to have an orgasm. The rage-lust dissipates, and his awareness returns to a pure energy state. The sirens no longer have a hold on my soul.
Chapter Thirteen
In his retirement, Paul discovers a love for cooking Mexican food. The siren hunters enjoy a vegan dinner he prepared. Black and pinto beans, brown rice, avocado, pico de gallo, and a variety of local vegetables grilled to perfection, with fresh corn tortillas from the local market. Once everyone finishes, El Anciano clears the plates and Ellen washes them.
El Anciano stations himself behind Paul. “Tell us of your journey.”
Paul considers how to describe his experience. “I saw the sirens’ island. Looks like there’s a core group of seven sirens now, including Leucosia and Monica. They’re looking for vengeance against humanity for the crimes we’ve perpetrated on them. And they’re very interested in having me join up with them.”
El Anciano rests his hands on Paul’s shoulder, smiling to Laura as her blood comes to a boil. “This is to be expected. You are the father of their only son.”
Sorcerer slides his chair out. “Your objective was to reconnoiter the pyramid.”
Paul locks eyes with Sorcerer. “I can confirm the pyramid is at the center of their plans. But this whole thing feels wrong. I totally get, we can’t allow them to wipe out humanity. But is it necessary for us to kill them all? They just want to live.”
El Anciano stands with Sorcerer and addresses both Paul and Laura. “Their souls have become toxic beyond redemption. If they could forgive and restore their peaceful natures, what we do would be unnecessary.”
Paul gets up from the table. “How do you forgive the genocide of your people? Have you, El Anciano?”
“Yes,” El Anciano replies in a resonant voice. “Only advanced souls can accomplish this. The Sirenians have not found the way. They choose retribution over forgiveness.”
His comments hit home for Laura, but she denies the feelings. “Is there a problem?” She stands toe-to-toe with Paul. “We came here to finish the sirens. If you’re not up for this, step aside and we’ll do it without you.”
The sound of vehicles penetrates the house. Leucosia’s words replay in Paul’s mind. Let us end this ridiculous game. He takes Laura’s hand. “We need to move. Now!”
Paul leads Laura down the hall to the back exit. El Anciano and Ellen follow. Sorcerer, Alexei and Clive grab weapons and escape packs out of the storage room, running down the hall and out the door as machine gun fire roars. Bullets tear through the living room, destroying the house as the siren hunters escape into the night. In a minute, the gunfire guts the house. Screams and cries fill the night from nearby homes that caught stray bullets.
The siren hunters watch from their hiding place in a ravine down the street as four military Jeeps, each outfitted with a Gatling gun and three cartel men, rumble away from their former home.
Paul checks Laura head to toe. “You okay?”
Laura looks down at their feet. “Thank god we’re all wearing shoes.”
“Let’s go.” Paul leads them to the marina. Sorcerer, Clive and Alexei scan the area for trouble. El Anciano accompanies Laura and Ellen.
As Paul unlocks the entry door, Ellen scans the marina and surrounding area. The complete lack of human activity makes her nervous. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to go back to the boat?”
“Where else we going to go?” Paul heads down the dock ahead of the others. He arrives at their mooring to find the Open 50 gutted; steering wheel missing, cabin burned out, sails slashed, motor thrashed, and windows blown out. “Fuck!”
Sorcerer motions everyone to follow him. “We have a safe house. There’s a safe route to walk from here.”
Alexei and Clive take up the rear as they leave the marina. The siren hunters make their way through the dark streets to the outskirts of town. They arrive at a small cinder block house surrounded by a stone fence. From the outside, it looks like an abandoned crap shack.
Sorcerer unlocks the front door. “It is not what it appears to be.”
As it opens, Paul notices six inches of steel behind the door. Dirt and sludge cake the interior cement floor. Old food garbage and used needles provide decorations. Clive pulls a remote out of his pocket, revealing a concealed hidden door with steel stairs leading underground. He leads group down into a huge basement filled with computer equipment, weapons, scuba gear, a kitchenette, food and water stores, and sleeping bunks.
Sorcerer opens his arms to introduce their new home. “Welcome to our headquarters.”
Clive and El Anciano set up two more stacked bunks, adding four beds. Paul checks out the equipment: a sophisticated array of computers, radio, radar and satellite imagery capable of tracking just about anything. He studies a satellite view of the sirens’ island on one display, and the top of the pyramid on another.
Laura and Ellen check out the weapons stash. There’s everything from pistols, rifles, bayonets, knives, semi and full automatic weapons, to crossbows, rocket launchers, and Jeep-mountable machine guns. Laura picks up a rocket launcher. “What the fuck?”
Sorcerer shrugs his shoulders. “I have a past. This place was a gift from a deceased friend.” He processes an emotional moment. “He believed in our mission.”
Laura feels the weight of the rocket launcher, checking out how to shoulder the weapon. Clive shows her how to set herself to aim and fire it. She tests her aim on the satellite display of the sirens’ island. “Next step, blow up their fucking island.”
Sorcerer returns the rocket launcher to the weapons rack. “Ill advised. The cartel is very well armed, as we saw tonight.”
Laura inspects the satellite imagery. “So what’s next?”
“For you, rest.” Ellen attempts to move Laura toward the bunks.
Laura sets her feet in an immovable stance, her rage re-stimulated. “I don’t need to rest.” She paces the room to dissipate the emotion. “I need to kick some siren ass!”
Sorcerer walks over to the pyramid display. “The island is of no strategic importance. This is our focus now.”
“How do we get in?” Paul asks.
Clive brings up a thermographic 3D scan of the area surrounding the pyramid. “The main entrance is still covered in earth. That’s what the excavation crews are digging out. However, check this out. Tunnels. Here, here, and here.” Tunnel entrances to the east and west are above ground. South entrance is underwater, leading into the center of the pyramid’s foundation. “The main entrance faces north. Their equipment and base of operations is here, to the west. The eastern tunnel looks like our best bet. It’s outside the perimeter of the dig.”
Ellen studies the 3D scan. “Why go to all the trouble to dig up the main entrance? Why aren’t they going in through the tunnels?”
“That’s an excellent question!” Clive says. “I don’t know.”
El Anciano joins the huddle around the 3D scan. “There is ritual significance to what they are doing. The wall of earth around the base of the pyramid forms a circle with the pyramid in the center.”
Laura gets in Sorcerer’s face. “Remind me again, what the fuck are we doing once we’re inside?”
Sorcerer grins. He’s invigorated by Laura’s warrior spirit. “Find what they are looking for before they do.”
His grin stokes her rage. “Which is?”
Paul intervenes. “I already explained this. Atlantean technology that will reactivate the Sirenian gene, restore Leucosia’s full abilities, and enable the others to transform to do what she can do.”
She turns her fury on Paul. “You did not explain this! You said this would turn all those sluts on the island into siren baby machines.” Ellen massages her shoulders to calm her down, but she shrugs her sister off and reengages Sorcerer. “And how do you see us getting into the tunnel?”
Clive grabs Paul’s shoulders. “My mate Paul here is our secret weapon. His ability to project his mind in and around that pyramid is exactly what we need. Once he figures out how to break the seal on the tunnel, we find the crazy Atlantean machinery and blow that shit up.”
Laura calms down. “I like the plan.” She groans, bending over in pain. Ellen leads her over to one of the lower bunks.
“This plan may need to wait,” Ellen says. “We have a pregnant woman here.”
“We have time, for now.” Sorcerer points out on the display that they have not finished excavating the pyramid. “It will take three to four weeks to finish digging it out.”
Paul joins Ellen to see how Laura is doing. “Laura’s due in a month.” He scans their new home. “I’m not raising our son in a bunker.”
Laura grimaces. “We have that handled. We found a wealthy family with a large villa in the mountains. They’ll provide a safe place for Jason.”
Paul’s temper flares. “And you were planning to tell me this when?”
“You were too busy smoking weed and visiting your siren harem.” She doubles over in pain.
Ellen pushes Paul away from the bunk. He’s impressed by how strong she’s become. “Enough of this bullshit, you two! Laura, you need to lie down and breathe. Paul, give her some space. Jason’s had enough stress for one day.”
Laura lays back and focuses on her breathing. El Anciano sits next to her and applies pressure to a few points on her body. She relaxes.
“You need to get some rest, mate,” Clive says to Paul. “The next steps are on you.”
Alexei points Ellen to the empty lower bunk. He slips off his shoes and climbs onto the bunk above. “It’s time for all of us to get some rest.”
“Agreed.” Sorcerer shuts down the equipment. Clive joins him, leaving on only the displays with the security camera feeds from outside the crap shack.
Paul removes his shoes and climbs into the bunk above Laura. He focuses on the satellite view of the pyramid as the display fades to dark, leaving the room with an eerie glow from the security displays. His mind flashes back to Los Angeles and his experiences in the hotel room where a similar glow led to supernatural seduction attempts by Lorelei. He tries breathing to center his mind so he can remote view the pyramid sight. No luck. Tonight, he’ll experience nothing supernatural. Just a prolonged inability to sleep as his body digests the adrenaline from the cartel’s attempt on their lives.
Chapter Fourteen
The siren hunters enter another period of waiting. While Ellen and El Anciano attend to Laura’s childbirth preparations, Sorcerer and Alexei plan a strategy for entering the pyramid and dealing with scenarios where the cartel or the sirens catch them in the act. Clive works his magic with the computers and satellite feeds to assist them. Paul performs his meditations, using his gift of remote viewing to project his mind into the pyramid and help construct a detailed interior map. He locates and describes the central chamber above the vertical base of the pyramid where the Atlantean lab lives. Paul confirms the lab contains the technology and power source required for the sirens’ genetic transformation.
The siren-funded pyramid excavation continues. Heavy machinery moves tons of earth to expose the base of the pyramid and the north-facing main entrance. On the island, the seven sisters lead the potentials through a series of disciplines designed to prepare their humanity for the Sirenian gene activation. They realize Leucosia’s wish. A clear separation of the devoted emerges, as those who are there to a party or to live out their fantasy of becoming a mermaid struggle to keep up. Jiao and El Jefazo keep an inventory of who’s in and who’s out. Cartel Nuevo Ciglo keeps the fallouts well fed with drugs and alcohol to obfuscate their ultimate fate as sex slaves.
Leucosia continues her discipline of meditating on her spot overlooking the ocean, learning the interior of the pyramid with the same detail as Paul. Given their individual time choices for meditations, their minds do not encounter each other. Haunted by the holograph of the surviving siren gossip and their mysterious island home, she reaches out to them across the mental plane every day, never receiving a response. She questions if the holograph represents something from the past that is no longer true. Her rational part-human mind tells her it’s impossible they could have survived millennia of human dominance. But her knowing persists and her Sirenian heart calls her to action. She spends most of her waking hours analyzing her meditations, trying to reconstruct a logical path to finding the lost gossip from her memories of their migrations and the information provided in the pyramid gallery. Leucosia accepts she must enter the pyramid in p
hysical form to see if she can learn more about the survivors’ location.
Paul and Clive finish a long post-sunset run on the beach. After a week of confinement in the underground bunker, deprived of their shared love of the party lifestyle, they are ready to let loose. By the time they arrive at the tequila y mota bar, it has closed down for the day. They can’t risk trying to hit the clubs, as cartel members will be there.
Clive scopes out the options in all directions. “What to do mate?” Paul points to the start of a beach bonfire. They head back onto the beach, toward a group of college kids and locals hanging out around the fire, playing techno music and partying.
Warren presides over the gathering with a king-like presence; he’s the alpha male of the group. Narmaya hides behind the young women so Paul doesn’t see her. “Hey, mind if we join you?” Paul asks.
“Cuidado,” one of the local kids says to Warren.
Warren separates from the group to engage Paul and Clive. “¿Policia?”
Clive laughs. “No, mate. We’re just travelers. He’s a sailor. I’m an archaeologist. Our go to spot is closed, you know, and we’re jonesing! We’d be truly grateful if you’d allow us to join your party.”
Paul whips out a stack of hundred peso bills. “We’ll buy the next round. This should take care of everybody.” He hands the money to Warren. Warren counts out the cash and then sizes up Paul and Clive. After a silent exchange with the local kid, he introduces himself with a handshake. “Warren.”
“Paul.” He shakes Warren’s hand. “This is Clive.”
Warren hands the cash to the local kid. “Hector will hook us up. Welcome to our beach party. Booze is over there.” He leads them to a stack of six packs and a few bottles of pedestrian tequila stacked on a portable folding table.