Seki consulted his HUD and saw the breach outlined, indicating where the enemy ship was. He toggled through the settings to try to locate any of Chiyo’s team who were waiting to ambush them. Not seeing anything outside the ship, he dropped to the floor and cautiously peered around the corner. Seeing it was clear, he stood and motioned for Mita to follow.
When he was halfway to his goal, his world was rocked by a sharp pain in his back, followed by another to his chest. His HUD started flashing yellow, indicating he had taken a serious but not deadly injury. He dropped to the floor in an attempt to make himself a smaller target as he fired his blaster blindly down the corridor. He didn’t have a target but hoped to at least make whoever was shooting him pause long enough for him to escape the kill zone.
He was crawling backward, still firing at the opening at the end of the corridor when his body was wracked with pain in three different locations. His uninjured leg, his lower back, and then his head all were hit seconds apart. His HUD flashed red twice, and everything went black.
Seki dropped out of the simulation with a shriek. When he opened his eyes, he was back in the gray game room. He grabbed his head with both hands, moaning. The other players were looking at him like he had lost his mind.
“When you get done wallowing on the floor, come and congratulate the victors, loser,” Chiyo snarked to the laughter of his team.
“What the hell? Don’t any of you still feel the injuries from the game?” Seki complained as he stood rubbing his head.
Chiyo scoffed. “What are you talking about? All you should be feeling now is the utter humiliation of being caught exposed to a three-way crossfire. Noob move if I ever saw one, Seki.”
“I’m serious, guys!” Seki exclaimed. “I still feel where I was hit, and my leg still hurts from the first hit.”
“Maybe it’s your conscience bothering you,” Eve offered from the back of the room.
Seki spun in surprise. “Huh? I…uh, what do you mean, Eve?”
“Perhaps it is your subconscious making you feel what you’re imagining,” she told him, her face devoid of feeling. “You know, for standing Asai up to play tonight.”
Eve turned to Chiyo with a smile. “Congratulations, Chiyo. That was a masterful ambush you set up. I was wondering why you had your defenders outside the ship. Well done, creating hides in the ceiling and walls of the station.”
Chio bowed to Eve. “Thank you, Eve-san. It was a treat to make Seki eat his words. That he whines like a child about still feeling pain appears to be his weak attempt to garner sympathy for his monumental defeat at the hands of the better commander.”
The whole room erupted with laughter as Seki stood opening and closing his mouth at a complete loss for words.
The door to the room slid open, admitting Koda, Asai, and Horst.
“Hi, Seki, how was your game?” Koda asked, continuing before he could answer. “I was just telling Asai about the meal we had. Thanks for blowing off your date with her to play tonight. Horst and I really enjoyed ourselves.”
Horst looked at Koda with narrowed eyes, certain he was missing something but not sure what.
Asai walked up to Seki, both hands on her hips. “Koda was telling me how good the food and service was, and how the staff there are fans of the Palace and rolled out the red carpet for them. I hope you at least won.”
Seki’s eyes darted between Asai, Koda, and Eve. He looked like he didn’t know whether to run or try to salvage what little dignity he had left.
“Wait a minute.” He turned to the other players. “None of you are feeling any lasting effects? Seriously?”
“Give it a rest, Seki,” Eiko snapped, her eyes blazing. “What is this about you standing Asai up to play tonight? I should kick you! No, Asai should kick you for being such a twit. No wonder you’re acting like this.”
“I’m serious,” Seki insisted. “I still feel every shot I took in the game. Eve, something must be wrong with the interface.”
“Guilty conscience,” Eve repeated as she narrowed her eyes.
“Serves him right,” Koda added.
Horst shook his head at the three women and chuckled as he muttered, “Absolutely evil.”
Seki watched open-mouthed as the three walked out, leaving him to deal with an obviously angry Asai.
“I swear, Asai,” he started but thought better of it when her eyes narrowed. “I mean, I’m sorry I forgot our date. Is there any way I can make it up to you?”
“You get on your knees and beg, idiot,” Chiyo offered.
“That’s a start, but I think he needs to make serious atonement for this,” Eiko added.
“Do you mind?” Seki yelled, eliciting another round of laughter from the teams.
“Asai, can we discuss this like adults?” He swept his arm around the room, taking in the others. “Away from the children.”
“I don’t know,” Asai mused. “It seems to me that the children are giving you good advice.”
“Please, Asai! I know I messed up. I’m sorry, and I promise it won’t happen again.”
“I assure you that it won’t be a problem in the future,” Takumi’s voice announced from the overhead speakers. “I have set a subroutine to monitor Asai’s calendar, and you will not be allowed in any gaming area in the future when she has plans for you.”
“Oh, busted by the overlord.” Eiko laughed. “Better get busy, brother, before Takumi puts you on the naughty list.”
Seki looked at Asai pleadingly. “Can we please go somewhere to talk?”
Her lips turned up in a slight quirk. “Certainly, Seki, we can discuss your penance now. Know that it includes dinner at the Emperor’s Retreat in three days. Koda secured the reservation for us. Your treat.”
Seki’s face paled as Asai’s words sank in. It was going to cost him big, and not just the cost of the meal if he wasn’t careful. His mind raced for a suitable response, then inspiration struck. He smiled and bowed with a flourish, one hand behind his back and the other outstretched. “As you wish.”
Asai’s eyes crinkled, and her lips twitched until a laugh burst out. “No fair using a line from my favorite movie, you cad. Don’t you know I’m still mad at you?” she mock-scolded Seki as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
Seki winced. “Ow, ow, I still think there is something wrong with that game. I still feel it.”
“I can assure you, Seki Yamagoto, the game was operating within established limits,” Takumi paused before adding coldly, “For all players.”
“What? Oh, never mind,” Seki rolled his eyes, realizing he had lost more than once today but was still a winner as he took Asai’s hand and led her toward the door.
“Koda, you really shouldn’t mess with the game settings,” Eve told her as they walked down the hall.
“I’m sorry, Eve,” Koda apologized. “I was just so mad at him, and I wanted him to pay a little for hurting Asai’s feelings.”
“I fully understand that.” Eve looked at her and winked. “You just don’t know how high you should set them to get the desired outcome is all.”
Horst snickered. “All of you, absolutely evil.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
TQB Base, Tokyo, Japan
Akio was in his quarters, reviewing the plans for the base that Eve and Horst had designed. Eve had secured the old temple and museum grounds they had been using to land the Pods close to the Palace. The plans called for them to use the spot where the museum once stood for the base. That building had been damaged beyond repair when the earthquakes hit shortly after WWDE. The government had removed all the artifacts that could be salvaged and condemned the site shortly afterward.
The temple had also been destroyed. There had been calls to rebuild it, but the powers that be had determined it was too costly. Eve had negotiated an agreement where TQB assets would be transferred to cover repairs and upgrades to several other properties in exchange for ownership of the land.
The new base design called for a reinforc
ed two-story structure above ground and three levels below. A retractable roof was to be installed that would allow them to land their Pods and the cargo containers inside the structure. The lowest level would have a ten-foot steel reinforced wall and a foundation that sat on shock absorbers to minimize the possibility of damage from any future quakes.
Eve had informed him it was a design that was used by the American military at a place called Cheyenne Mountain. That facility, built deep within the earth, was designed to survive not only earthquakes, but also a sustained nuclear attack.
They now owned the entire area and there would be no innocent people around if they were attacked. The over-engineered building designed by Eve and made comfortable by Horst’s additions was exactly what Akio’d had in mind when he’d suggested they relocate.
The addition of the hangar for the Pods, as well as an Etheric power supply, ensured he would be capable of a quick response. That they were not dependent on outside power for their defenses allowed Eve to add a shield similar to the one used at the Australia base where the space station design had been tested.
The defenses Eve had designed were more over-engineered than the base. No one would be able to get close without being covered by several layers of security, ranging from non-lethal to unsurvivable.
“Missile defense pucks, remote-operated rail guns, plus a full array of dual-purpose surveillance and assault drones,” Akio mumbled as he shook his head in wonder. “Looks like she is expecting a full-scale invasion in the heart of Tokyo.”
“Akio?” Abel called over his implant.
“Yes?” he responded.
“I have been monitoring some unusual radio traffic in China,” Abel reported. “There are indications that it concerns the person you have been searching for.”
Akio clenched his hands. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
“What is it, Abel?” he called twenty seconds later as he came through the command center door.
“I have been detecting odd radio signals in several areas throughout China for over a week,” Abel informed him. “I was able to get a carrier near one that has been stationary and have isolated the frequency.”
“Why do you think it is related to my search?
“The transmissions seem to be following a route that leads away from Acheng.”
The screen lit up with a map of China. Acheng was marked with a yellow pin. Akio watched as moving red dots appeared, heading in a southwesterly direction.
“This shows the progression of the remote signals as they were detected,” Abel explained. “I determined that these signals originated from low-power mobile units, but I was unable to get a drone to one before it moved. They move in unpredictable ways.” A blue dot appeared outside Shenyang. “This is the location of the signal that has not moved. I have managed to seed the area with enough drones to capture the transmissions as they were broadcast.”
“And?” Akio pressed.
“I intercepted a transmission about a dead team and an injured Forsaken,” Abel continued. “The transmission also mentioned two more deaths east of their location the day before.
“Another drone discovered this yesterday. I believe these are the two they were talking about.”
The camera zoomed in on one of the severed heads. The skin was rough and torn, not like it had been cut but had been ripped off with brute force.
“Whatever did this is enhanced,” Akio stated.
The map appeared again. A flashing white dot appeared, followed by a red one to the west of it.
“The white marker indicates where the bodies were located. The red marker is the remote unit’s location. Based on this information, there is a ninety-five-point-six-percent probability that the Forsaken they are searching for is the one you are seeking.”
“Notify me of any further transmissions involving the Forsaken,” Akio instructed. “I will be taking a Pod to the area for a closer look.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
TQB Base, Tokyo, Japan
Akio spent two days traversing the area, with no sign of Kenjii. Abel had maintained surveillance on the base radio and had determined that the signals he had detected were all related to the search. Akio had given up for the moment and was back at the base, waiting for Abel to get any information on a location. A Pod was kept ready in low orbit above the base, ready to transport him when word came in.
His memories of Kenjii continued to torment him. Whenever he wasn’t occupied with his duties, the thoughts crept in unbidden. He was currently sitting cross-legged on the floor in his dimly-lit quarters, meditating to try to still his thoughts. Try as he might, he could not stop the memories from coming.
Chiba, Japan, November 1956
They sat on the couch in Kenjii’s apartment. Each held a small cup filled with the aromatic tea Kenjii had prepared. Akio held himself stiffly, still unsure of his actions, not knowing why he couldn’t resist the power that drew him here.
Kenjii was beside him in a relaxed pose, but Akio heard his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He had again offered both cups after he brewed the tea. Akio thought it was an interesting gesture but chose not to inquire why he’d done it yet. He knew he shouldn’t be here, that it was dangerous for both of them, but he couldn’t stay away. He wanted to understand why he couldn’t resist the desire.
Kenjii shifted on the couch to face him, pulling his bare legs under him as he did. “Akio, what troubles you so?”
“I…I don’t understand what is happening to me,” he answered a few heartbeats later.
“What do you mean?” Kenjii hesitated briefly. “Two friends, enjoying tea and each other’s company?”
Akio turned to face him, noting his quirked lips and how the light caused his eyes to sparkle. “I am much older than I seem. I should have more self-control than I have shown when it comes to you. I shouldn’t be here with you since it is not safe for either of us. If what I’ve done is discovered, we could both die.”
Kenjii’s eyes widened at that revelation, shock evident on his face. “Why would we be in danger? You mentioned it the first time, but I don’t understand.”
Akio closed his eyes. “The strictures forbid me to allow a human to know what I am. I should not have revealed myself to you that night, and after I did, I should have ensured you couldn’t tell anyone. The penalty is death when it is found out.”
“What are these strictures?” Kenjii inquired. “Part of a religious order?”
“They are the laws handed down by the first of us, a powerful being who kills those who break them without mercy. For many years, he and his family have…governed, I believe is the best word, my kind. It is a hands-off style until someone crosses a line. Then, it is a swift death for the offender, and more often than not, others as well. Not allowing humans to know about us is the first and most frequently enforced rule.”
“Then we will not let them know.” Kenjii shuddered. “I have told no one about you. I wouldn’t do anything you wished me not to. I will do whatever you ask of me.”
Akio raised an eyebrow at what he said as well as the implied meaning. He frowned. “You don’t understand. There is always someone watching and listening.”
“I’ve already told you that I have not and will not speak of this, and as much as it pains me not to come to you, I will not seek you out.”
Akio shook his head, frustration evident on his face. “Speaking is not the only way we could be found out. Your thoughts or mine could reveal us to some. They have abilities you know nothing about. A thought at the wrong time could be all some need to discover what I’ve done.”
Kenjii sat silently for a moment, digesting the information. His eyes shot wide in horror as his face flushed red. “Oh, ancestors! So, you’re telling me that you can read my mind?” He placed both hands over his face, the flush spreading down his neck to the bare skin on his chest.
One corner of Akio’s mouth curved up in a hint of a smile. “Oh, I can tell your thoughts—some of them, anyway—wi
thout needing to be a mind reader.”
Kenjii spread the fingers on one hand, peeking out at him between them. “But you can’t read my every thought?” he pressed, his voice holding a note of hope.
“No, that power is not strong in me. I can pick up on some emotions, as well as detect changes in your heartbeat and breathing. I can also cloud a person’s mind to some extent—it’s called compulsion—but my abilities there are limited as well.”
Relief flooded Kenjii’s features. He pulled his hands away and stared hard into Akio’s eyes as another thought came to him. “You can’t, ah…” He hesitated before saying the rest in a rush. “Make me forget about you, can you?”
“No. If I could, this would be much easier in one way.” Akio paused. “And much harder in another.”
Kenjii nodded and shifted on the couch, moving a little closer to Akio’s stiff form. He scrutinized the other man’s face, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Just how much older than you appear are you? I recognize the hairstyle you wear. It is an old one, not seen often in this age.” He reached out hesitantly as one would do with a skittish horse, and lightly touched the rawhide strip that bound Akio’s hair into a high, flowing tail atop his head.
Akio watched, fighting the urge to move away. To bolt from the apartment and far from this man he felt drawn to before he was lost.
Kenjii’s hand shook and his heartbeat raced as he slowly ran his hand down the thick mane of black hair that ended below Akio’s shoulders. “So soft,” he whispered, his eyes half-closed as he continued to stroke its length.
Akio’s eyes closed as the sensations overwhelmed him. It was the first time in many centuries he’d been touched in such a manner, and his body reacted to it like a man dying of thirst coming upon a cool, clear lake. He relaxed, sinking deeper into the couch until his back rested against the cushions.
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