One Last Con
Page 12
“Is that so? So you deny any involvement with the terrorists Sinza Flanagan and Galicia Hawks?”
The color drained from the Brit’s face at the mention of her sister’s name.
He called Gal a terrorist? That can’t be right. Gal hates violence. What the hell’s going on around here?
“Please do us both a courtesy and refrain from any further denials Laurina. Your face betrays you. Besides, I heard you calling for them just moments ago. The fact is that these two people from your world have attempted to destroy the Interface, and with it, our contact with the Carbon world. Things will go a lot easier for both of us if you tell me the truth.”
Laurina’s jaw dropped at this unexpected revelation.
Two people from your world? Destroying the Interface? Our contact with the Carbon world? What the hell is he talking about? And why on earth would my sister and the Major do any of this? This must be the “difficulty” that Colonel Keren spoke about.
Laurina was in a fix. Without knowing the situation, there was no clear way she could respond without endangering her sister and Major Flanagan, as well as her mission to help them all get back home.
Plus if this bloke is calling them terrorists, and he’s “responding to terrorist activity…” he’s probably the enemy. And stupid me, I had to blurt out that I was a messenger from Keren! Loose lips sink ships, you twit!
“What exactly did they do?”
Gavrael’s lips set a hard line. “That is classified information.”
Laurina rolled her eyes.
“Of course it is,” she muttered.
“Who did you say sent you?” he asked. “Karen who?”
She smiled sweetly. “That’s classified information.” Two can play this game. Frowning, the Aeternus officer grabbed her body firmly and rolled her onto her back.
“Not funny,” he said. His abrupt manner startled Laurina. The time for fooling around was over.
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on here, but there’s obviously been a misunderstanding,” she offered. “I’m not interested in causing any trouble.”
“Well, what I am interested in is the message that you are supposed to deliver to those two.”
“Just information,” she replied hastily.
After all, that is what the disk contains, right? She justified to herself.
So you are only a messenger?” Gavrael asked soberly. “Nothing more?”
“Well of course, soldier boy!” Laurina replied with a hint of agitation. “I’ve got no technical expertise, I’m not in the military, and I don’t even know what your stupid Interface is. I was sent here to New Mexico to deliver information and leave. Why the hell else would I be here?”
He looked at her soberly, puzzling a bit before answering.
“I’m not exactly sure where this New Mexico is, but I can assure you that this is not it.”
“That’s impossible,” she said. “That’s where they told me they were sending me.”
“Then it seems that you missed the mark by a wide margin.”
Panic began to swell within the heart of the trussed up redhead. It was difficult to believe with all of their technical sophistication, that Keren and the staff of his “special project” could make such an error. But it was possible.
Meanwhile Lieutenant Gavrael was baffled by the woman’s responses and explanations. She practically gave up information without a fight. A plant maybe? Judging by her manner and easy capture, that was highly unlikely. It was all but apparent that she was no operative. Not in the traditional sense anyway. Her level of naiveté regarding mission standards was astounding!
Something was very wrong here.
“You mean to tell me that you truly don’t know where you are?” he asked her.
“Well mister know-it-all, if I’m not in New Mexico, then where the hell am I?”
The man regarded her soberly.
“You are…somewhere else.”
Somewhere else? What does that mean?
“I am amazed that you Carbons are so disorganized.”
“Carbons? W-what the hell is a Carbon?” Laurina stammered. “Look, you’re not making any sense.”
“Carbons. Short for Carbonites. That is the name given to people from your world.”
“People from your wor--,” Laurina started.
Gavrael read the puzzled expression on Laurina’s face and sighed. This was going to be difficult.
“Let me see…how to best explain it…Well, the short answer is that you emerged through a gateway into another world.”
The ground suddenly seemed to shift underneath Laurina’s feet.
HAWKS EFFECT, Volume 1 “Emergence”
will continue with Episode 2: Dire Revelations
Read a preview:
Further inspection revealed an even bigger surprise, as Laurina caught sight of a young woman leisurely relaxing on a divan, sipping green liquid from a goblet. She was short in stature and wore a crimson silk jumpsuit with pleated sleeves and legs that billowed from her wrists and ankles. The frog buttons that would have normally come up to her chin, were only half fastened, revealing just enough of her slightly oversized breasts to attract attention. The woman straightened up when the door was opened and stretched her arms as if she had been sleeping. She glanced absently at the guards, then caught sight of the newcomer and smiled. It was not the condescending, benevolent smirk of Athena, but rather, a warm and genuine gesture of welcome.
“Wow! Company,” the crimson clad woman grinned as she stood from the divan. Honey colored hair poured around her shoulders as she straightened, and Laurina watched, mildly amused as she folded her outsized sleeves up on themselves while walking up to her. As she approached, the room’s occupant smiled again, wrinkling her small freckled covered nose, as she grasped the redhead’s hand like a lifeline. Satisfied that there would be no trouble between the two women, the black robed guards turned smartly on their heels and exited the room while the heavy door closed behind them of its own accord.
“Boy, it’s so nice to have a roommate after being alone for so long,” the shorter woman gushed. Laurina for her part was a bit taken aback by her overt friendliness.
“Who are you and what am I doing here?” she asked perplexed.
Her new cellmate answered her in obvious glee.
“My name is Theodora Aellas, but everyone calls me Li’l Doro. Theodora sounds too pompous for me anyways.”
This little sparkplug seems like the most open and down to earth person I’ve met since I‘ve landed in this strange place. Perhaps she can give me some answers that make sense. Considering that Gavrael has his own military ‘need to know’ agenda, and that haughty bitch Athena barely acknowledges me at all, this just might be the break I’ve been looking for.
Coming August/September 2017
Rael Wissdorf was born in western Germany and lives near the city of Ulm. He studies Classical Guitar and Jazz Guitar as well as harmony and composition. He worked later as a Substitute Redactor in Chief for a Filmmagazine and raised up a video game company in Frankfurt/M. but went into writing then. Since 1999 he published two crime novels, several fantasy and science fiction books as well as three collections of short stories.
Nicholas Hede was born in Wyoming, where he currently lives with his family. Since he was a boy he has been a voracious reader and prolific writer, having created dozens of admittedly horrible stories during his youth. He enjoys hunting and camping with his family, and appreciates the privacy him home state affords.
Frank J. Williams III was born in Pittsburgh, and was working for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center while he attended classes in creative writing. His stories recalling neighborhood experiences were cited by an instructor as being reminiscent of August Wilsons works. When not writing, Frank enjoys his life as a Shamanic practitioner. A self-proclaimed Geek, and “granola making hippie,” Frank and his wife Terry also own and manage their own organic foods business.
Rael Wissdorf, One Last Con