Cities of the Forgotten

by Rayne W Grath

  “I’ll never underestimate that woman again,” swore Aarik, as he flipped around and stalked back toward the stairwell with determination.

  “Wait! Where are you going?” Taylor called out, scrambling to exit Anna’s office without disturbing any of her carefully organized piles.

  “To get my woman back!” Aarik called over his shoulder, pulling open the stairwell door with enough force to dent the metal door handle from the impact it had with the concrete. He stopped and looked back at Taylor and said, “Hey, good luck in Mexico. I’ll try and swing by and see you when all of this is over.”

  “Like I’d let you be the sole hero of this saga,” retorted Taylor, leaning against the door while he waited for Aarik to move.

  “What about Mexico?” Aarik asked with a frown.

  “Mexico? What’s so important in Mexico? Just kidding. Even though Mexico is the chance of a lifetime, I’d never forgive myself if I wasn’t there to save your ass. Besides, when this is all over, you’ll take me back. Until then, I’ll follow you,” replied Taylor, gesturing toward the stairwell with a smile.

  “Save my ass? Ha! I think you just want to look good for Anna’s sake. Come on now tell it like it really is,” teased Aarik, as he took the stairs three at a time back down to level nine.

  “Anna had a small part to play in my decision,” admitted Taylor before he added, “but really what’s the use of going to Mexico if the whole world isn’t going to be around to learn from the riches that library has to offer.”

  “You have a good point. I’ll do my best to make sure you have an audience to share the knowledge with,” offered Aarik with a nod. He waited for Taylor to get in the terracraft before he programmed the podium and joined him. Thankful he had time to stop Kiya before she did anything stupid, Aarik inserted the medallion and welcomed the electrified air signaling the imminent terrajump.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  KIYA

  “I consider myself an adventurous woman, but please tell me you know how to fly this thing?” Kiya gasped out, as she snapped the last of the seat belt buckles into place and scanned the interior of the invisible helicopter with trepidation.

  Anna finished buckling and swiveled to face Kiya before she said, “Of course I do!” Mumbling under her breath, she flipped on several switches and as the helicopter lifted into the air she added, “In simulation.”

  “What! Holy shit! This was your bright idea for escape? What were you thinking?” blurted Kiya, as she grabbed her harness in desperation.

  Anna looked over at her and laughed. “Like that will help you. Anyone ever tell you to go loosey goosey when you’re in an accident? Tensing up like that will only cause more injuries,” Anna warned with a wink, turning her attention to the craft before she added, “Seriously. I know what I’m doing. I could do this in my sleep and probably have. How do you think they train new pilots in the military? I stole a version of their training program years ago and, trust me, I’m better than Maverick in the Top Gun movies. I should be considered among the elite and feel like I could pilot any craft ever made in history.”

  “Somehow your words don’t instill in me the confidence I think you were hoping for. Top Dog in a video game doesn’t equate in real life, Anna. Why don’t you bring us back down carefully and we’ll head to the nearest airport?” Kiya bit out nervously.

  “Honestly, your lack of faith in me is insulting. Have I done anything in the last minute to indicate you’re in any kind of danger?” questioned Anna, looking over at Kiya like a disappointed dog. Anna wiggled her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue before she laughed and said, “I promise I will get you to Washington in one piece, in less than the time it will take for you to find an Uber to take you to the closest airport. Especially considering traffic in the DC area. What do you say?”

  Kiya took in a deep breath and considered her options. Not willing to risk missing the deadline to save her grandmother, she shook her head and mumbled, “I’m placing my life in your hands and considering I’m supposed to save the world...I guess that means you as well.”

  “What do you mean save the world? Save the world from the god you woke up?” questioned Anna, tightening her fingers on the yoke as she furrowed her brows with concern.

  “I don’t believe he’s a god. Th’ael might want us to think he is, but I believe he’s from another world with powers beyond our own and somehow I’m supposed to stop him,” explained Kiya, wringing her hands together nervously.

  “Why do you think you’re supposed to stop him? Is that the reason he tried to have you kidnapped? Did you do something to piss him off? I mean, I thought Aarik was the one with super powers? Do you have them too?” Anna asked with rapid fire succession, barely pausing for breath.

  “Woah, hold on there. I don’t have any superpowers that I know of, but my ancestor played a part in Th’ael’s demise and somehow communicated to me through a dream that I needed to stop him. I know it sounds crazy, but my grandmother sort of confirmed it when I told her about it and passed on a message my ancestor left for me thousands of years ago,” Kiya spoke with conviction.

  “A message? What message?” Anna asked with a gasp.

  “My Grams thought it was a prophecy, but I’m not so sure. I’ll try and recite it for you.

  'Upon your death you will pass me on. Mother–to-daughter over the millennium. Keep it safe, keep it hidden. To speak of it is forbidden. Shrouded in secrecy it denies escape. He’ll come for the origin make no mistake. Break the cycle when you gleam, you’re visited by me in a dream. Um...Find the descendant from the royal race. He’ll be the one who makes chase. Together you have a chance at the final stand. Without him, you will lose; I’ve seen it firsthand.’” When Anna continued to stare ahead, Kiya added, “That’s it.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat, as memories of her grandmother floated through her mind, to say, “Cat got your tongue?”

  “Not at all. Sorry, I was trying to solve the rhyme. I like to work those things out in my mind. Would you repeat it one more time?” asked Anna, continuing to stare ahead.

  Kiya repeated herself and didn’t have to wait long before Anna said matter-of-factly, “Well it’s obvious to me that Aarik is the descendant, but what I don’t understand is why you think you can face this being without him by your side?”

  “I know, but my grandmother’s life is in jeopardy and we weren’t exactly on speaking terms when I got the call. In fact, I seem to remember he was off with Taylor discovering new things in Mexico or something like that. Help me come up with a plan that doesn’t involve risking her life and I’d be willing to compromise,” Kiya answered with determination.

  “So does this Th’ael know you’re supposed to stop him somehow and that’s why he wants you?” questioned Anna, as she gestured for Kiya to move forward in her explanation with a circular hand motion and a nod of her head.

  “I’m pretty sure it has everything to do with this,” admitted Kiya, as she pulled the crystal from her shirt and swung it like a pendulum.

  “What’s that? An amulet? What kind of powers does it have? Did you take it from him before you woke him?” spouted Anna with excitement, like she was on the verge of unlocking Kiya’s secrets.

  “This was from the ancient ancestor I told you about. My grandmother gave it to me after my dream, along with the prophecy. Anyway, I only have my suspicions, but I think Th’ael needs it to fix a Portal of some kind,” explained Kiya, tucking the crystal back under her shirt before she added, “Anyway, this is what he’s really after, for the most part anyway.”

  “For the most part? Elaborate, please,” pushed Anna firmly.

  “I might have pissed him off a bit,” admitted Kiya, with a slight smile.

  “That doesn’t surprise me. I sometimes don’t know when to shut up either,” added Anna, with a light chuckle before she asked, “Do you think we could find some weapons at your grandma’s house? I’d feel a bit more comfortable if we were armed for this crazy mission.”

  �
��My grandpa had a few shotguns he used for duck hunting that should still be around. Let’s head there. We’ll hide the crystal, make a plan and get some sleep before we head over to the digsite in the morning. Showing up early may be our only element of surprise,” offered Kiya in a sing-song voice, with as much of a positive flare as she could manage, hoping her companion wouldn’t comment on how fake she sounded before they landed.

  “That’s a start,” Anna replied softly, as she nodded her head in agreement and punched in the GPS coordinates to Kiya’s childhood home. Changing the subject with stealth-like precision she added, “Gotta love the newest technology the government has to offer. We should be arriving in less than five minutes.”

  “Perhaps we should circle the property first. They might not have left yet and could still be there holding my Grams prisoner in her own home,” Kiya said on a shaky breath, as the reality of the situation crept in.

  “Already planning on it. I’ll also do a thermal scan of the area just to make sure,” offered Anna with a wink.

  “Good idea,” Kiya said with a smile. With her heart in her throat, she panicked when the scanner picked up a heat signature in the barn, knowing full well the barn was void of any livestock. “Shit. Looks like they’re waiting for us,” Kiya spat in frustration, wondering what their next step should be.

  “Not so fast. It appears we are dealing with a sole perp. Between the two of us, we should be able to sneak up on him and take him out,” replied Anna firmly.

  “I love your enthusiasm, but maybe we should reconsider where we land? If you’ll recall the last time I was up against one of their men, I didn’t fare so well,” suggested Kiya, frustrated at the memory.

  “Let me remind you, there were two of them AND they attacked you from behind. This time will be different because there are two of us and we’ll have our guard up...expecting the unexpected. Who knows...maybe this guy will have his back to us and we’ll catch HIM by surprise,” replied Anna in a stern voice.

  “Okay, you have a point. Fine take us down behind the barn and we’ll sneak in from the back. From the looks of it, he’s waiting next to the front door for us to arrive,” Kiya relented with a sigh.

  “Alright. I think you’ll find something we can use as a weapon underneath the back seat,” offered Anna, as she maneuvered the silent craft to a clearing behind the barn.

  Unbuckling her seatbelt, Kiya crawled into the backseat and searched for anything resembling a weapon as the craft settled on the ground with ease. Standing on shaky legs, Kiya apologized before they headed towards the barn and their possible deaths, “Sorry if I doubted your abilities as a pilot, but I just wanted to say, thank you and nice flying, Maverick.”

  “I think you should save your thanks until after we’ve taken out the bad guy,” relented Anna, as she held out her hand for Kiya’s choice of weapons.

  “I found a big Maglite and a flare gun. Take your pick,” Kiya said with a shrug, trying hard to hide how scared she was with her nonchalant attitude.

  “You any good with a gun?” Anna asked with a frown, as she considered her options.

  “I’m not a bad shot,” Kiya admitted reluctantly.

  “I’ve never shot one before...so I think you should take the gun. I’ll take my chances with the heavy flashlight,” Anna replied grabbing the flashlight with a death grip, finally showing Kiya a crack in her armor.

  “I’ll go first. There’s a doggie door we can use to the right, that we’ll need to crawl through, but I’ll wait for you on the other side before we attack,” Kiya said quietly.

  “Got it. I’ll be right behind you. Wait! How small? I’m not exactly what you would consider small,” whispered Anna, as she tiptoed toward Kiya.

  “You’ll fit. I promise,” Kiya replied, trying not to laugh at Anna’s technique to keep her heels from sticking into the ground. Turning toward the barn, she crept forward slowly on her tiptoes while holding out her arms for balance. Snorting loudly, Kiya covered her mouth abruptly in surprise, when she realized what they both looked like as they snuck toward the barn ungracefully. Shaking her head and focusing on the task at hand, she knelt down and opened the door slowly, cringing when the old joints of the door creaked loudly, drawing out the announcement of their arrival unexpectedly.

  Holding open the doggie door, both Anna and Kiya waited on bated breath for any indication they were heard. When nothing happened, Kiya rolled her eyes and mouthed, “Follow me.”

  Squinting her eyes against the dark interior, she breathed a small sigh of relief when no one was waiting on the other side. Turning around, she shuffled to her feet when she noticed Anna, waiting impatiently for her to move, behind her. Helping Anna to her feet, Kiya held her finger to her mouth as she pointed to the exit of the stall in the direction of the door. Using her fingers, Kiya walked them slowly across her palm and then mimicked bonking someone on the head with her fist to pass on her crazy idea. When Anna nodded her acceptance of the plan, Kiya walked towards the stall door and as she was about to peek around the corner to get a look at who they would be up against, she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard, “Quit your playing around in there and come help me up off this pile of hay.”

  Gasping in shock, she looked around the corner and was ecstatic to find her grandmother crawling out of the hay, looking no worse for the wear, minus a few hairs out of place, with the addition of a few pieces of straw. “Grams. How did you get away?” Kiya cried, as she ran towards the woman who had raised her, helping her off the ground as quickly as possible.

  “They never had me, child. I saw them coming and hid in here while I waited for you to come get me,” Grams said, as she patted her hair back into place and brushed off her apron before she said, “What took you so long?”

  “I should have known it wasn’t you on the phone, but I wasn’t in my right mind when that little prick called and tricked me. And what do you mean what took me so long? I’ll have you know we were on the east coast less than an hour ago. Not to mention we had to steal a secret invisible helicopter from the government just to get here when we did. Besides, even if I was still upstate it would have taken me longer by car to get here, if you count the fact that part of the drive would have been at a snail’s pace, with the rough dirt road before the highway,” Kiya rambled in relief, as she pulled her into a tight, grateful, hug, and frowned when she encountered something hard. Pulling back she noticed the handgun in her apron pocket and said, “When did you get a gun?”

  “After your grandpa died, it made me feel safer. Those shotguns he kept for hunting have too much of a kick for me, I would have ended up hurting myself. But that’s not what we should be discussing at the moment. Now it’s time for you to fill me in on what you have planned,” Grams replied, patting Kiya on the back as she pulled away with a slight smile. Cupping her face tenderly she said, “Let’s start with who your new friend is? And then maybe you could tell me where your new beau is?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Dr. Annalee Rais, this is Tashina Brown, my grandmother,” Kiya muttered, wiping her eyes in an effort to hide her tears of joy.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” replied Anna, with a small curtsey.

  “Well, aren’t you precious? The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure. Let’s go inside and I’ll make some tea. You’ll have to forgive me for not having it ready when you got here, but I didn’t want to chance being caught, in case I was having a senior moment and my gift decided to take an early vacation. Kiya can fill me in while the water is boiling,” Grams said with a wink, before she turned to head inside and added, “You still haven’t told me where Aarik is.”

  “Probably because I’m not sure where he is,” Kiya admitted, hanging her head in disappointment as she followed behind Anna and Grams. The two linked arms and put their heads together and they chatted quietly, like old friends, as they entered the house.

  “Well, it’s a good thing your friend Anna here was smart enough to leave a message,” Grams re
plied, as she filled the tea kettle with water from the sink. Drying her hands on the tea towel, she turned on the gas stove and set the kettle on to boil. Turning around, she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms as she waited impatiently for Kiya to respond.

  “Look. I overreacted. I know that now,” admitted Kiya hesitantly, slumping into a kitchen chair with flair.

  “On which part?” Anna asked with a smile, sitting across from her at the table.

  “Both, you meddling snotrag,” Kiya lobbed back with a laugh as she shook her head in defeat.

  “Kiya. Watch your mouth,” Grandma Tashina warned, shaking her finger for emphasis.

  “I was watching my mouth, Grams. I was going to call her a bitch, meant to be an endearment among friends of course, but remembered my company,” Kiya shot back with a smirk, and laughed when her grandma gave her the stink eye, broadcasting her disapproval loudly.

  “I deserve that look, but I just want you to know, the fact that you are here to give me the stink eye is a blessing and I’ll never take our relationship for granted. I love you, Grams. I don’t tell you that enough. I plan to change that,” Kiya croaked over the lump in her throat.

  “I know, dear heart. I love you, too. Why don’t you give Aarik a call? I have a feeling he is looking for you,” replied Grams in a soothing voice, easily replacing her frown with a smile.

  “I’ll try, but in the meantime, I want you to pack a bag. We’re taking you back with us until the threat of Th’ael has been abolished,” Kiya warned, fishing out her phone in the process. Scrolling through her contacts for his number she looked up and said in desperation, “Anna could you grab the big suitcase out of the hall closet to the left over there to get her started. We need to get moving. There’s no time to waste. In fact, they’ll probably end up imprisoning us for theft and treason, if we don’t get back soon.”