“Actually, I’m not,” the Soulhag said, taking a step closer and crowding Uzochi against the rock face. Uzochi wondered if Jaime could see them but was pretty sure this was a blind spot. He was on his own. “Let’s flip a coin! Heads you call your team, tails we torture you all,” the Soulhag exclaimed.
“That’s leaving a lot to chance,” Uzochi mumbled, which earned him a punch in the jaw.
“Not so. Can you not see the future?” The Soulhag was grinning, all of his teeth on display.
Uzochi groaned and massaged his jaw in response. He was thinking about how to get out of this situation when he felt the pinprick in his leg. Soulhag toxins. Poisonous to every other species including themselves. He staggered for a moment before collapsing to his knees.
“Uzochi? Are you okay?” AX questioned on the comms. It sounded like he had been talking for a while. Uzochi was unsure if he had spaced out, which was a very likely possibility.
“Uzochi, h x xvh??” Zorica asked, hoping the Breksonese would prompt a response.
“Jaime? I think Uzochi is in trouble,” AX stated before taking off toward his last known position.
Pain.
That was the only sensation Uzochi could register as strobes of lightning streaked through his veins, hot like fire and cold as ice. Weakening him and incapacitating him. He knew his teammates were probably chattering in his ear, and he wanted to call out to them, to reassure them, but he couldn’t find the strength. He needed to use his ability to see into the future to get himself out of the situation at hand. But he was so tired. Maybe if he just closed his eyes for a moment-
“Uzochi!” AX yelled, rushing toward him.
“Don’t think I wasn’t prepared for this, Body Thief,” the Soulhag said sardonically.
Before AX could respond, he had six needles shooting in his direction. Everything felt like it was whizzing in slow motion to him, and he caught the needles with ease. But he was not anticipating a needle to be shot at him from behind. He fell to his knees, systems shutting down almost immediately.
When Zorica arrived, she was shot down on the spot. She dragged herself over to AX and Uzochi, desperately wanting to check their vitals. As the world started to tilt and fade to black for Zorica and Uzochi, the Soulhag loomed above them.
He whispered. “The coin said tails.”
∞
Jaime knew something was wrong. Alpha team had all gone dark on the comms even though he could clearly see them on his screen, doing sweeps like they had planned. He watched for a bit, eyes narrowed, still trying to raise them when he realized something. The footage was on a loop. All three members of the alpha team were performing the same actions over and over again. Which meant two things: one, that they had been hacked, and two, the alpha team was in trouble.
“Beta team report; full inventory requested,” he said into his mic. Inventory was their code word for ‘retreat and regroup’.
“Copy that alpha one,” Epone replied letting him know they had understood the message loud and clear.
“Do you have visuals on all teammates?” he asked, meaning had they heard anything.
“Beta one, two and three confirmed,” Epone said, and Jaime heaved a sigh of relief. At least one half of his squad was still alive and in sight of each other.
“Hurry back,” he could not help but say, watching the screen with Zorica dropping and rolling one more time.
∞
All four remaining members of Squad M15-F175 were out in the field, sweeping sector after sector for clues beginning with the last known positions of alpha team.
“Jordan, what are you getting from the last transmissions?” Jaime asked into his comm.
“There’s some stress in Uzochi’s voice during the last communication. I think that he was cornered and unable to convey that. He also must have thought he could handle it and/or was taken by surprise.”
“So no magic was used to silence him?”
“I can’t tell,” Jordan said.
He was perched on the roof of the destroyed subsector, long range rifle in hand, covering them from afar even as he listened to all the reports from alpha team, trying to find a lie. It was an unexpected side effect of his own inability to lie. He could always hear the lie when someone else told it. He was looking for false notes and clues in the transmissions, but so far he’d come up blank.
“Guys? West wing. There are some drag marks in the sand,” he said as his rifle swept that sector.
“Roger that. Headed that way,” Jaime said as he was the closest. He crept cautiously toward Uzochi’s last known location and as he was about to round a rock face, his foot came down on something long and sharp. He lifted his leg, looking down curiously.
He bent over and picked up the claw, staring at it incredulously.
“I think I know what attacked them,” he said into his comm. “We might be in bigger problems than anticipated.”
Ash appeared silently at his side and Jaime prided himself for not jumping three feet in the air in startlement.
“Who the fuck has them then?” Ash asked.
“Soulhags,” Jaime said, passing the claw to her. She held it gingerly between thumb and forefinger, an expression of disgust on her face.
“Its poison has been depleted,” she said, as she brought it to her face and sniffed.
They both turned and walked forward, eyes sweeping the ground for clues. Ash was the one to see it first. She bent and picked up Uzochi’s kusarigama that had been half buried in sand.
“Houston, we have a problem,” she said, holding it up.
Epone came upon them sweeping the ground for other clues. “They have been taken. It’s obvious.”
“Yes, but by whom?”
Epone gestured toward the Soulhag claw. “It is obvious.”
“No. Epone. It’s not. Soulhags have no need of Federation operatives. If they took alpha team, it was on somebody’s orders.”
“Only the general knew we were coming here,” Ash pointed out. Jaime gave her a sharp look.
“Are you accusing him of something?” he asked.
Ash just shrugged.
“We waste time. If they have been hit with the demon poison, they will be in the maze. We must enter it too and find out where they have been taken.”
Jaime straightened up. “That is not only dangerous but life threatening too. And we do not have Uzochi or AX with us.”
Epone’s third eye looked away and Jaime stiffened. “Epone?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Can you do this magic? Can you go in the maze?”
Epone sighed. “My magic is destructive. It does not seek. It cannot hone. Not like the Seer and the AI. I might find her but then again, I may destroy her.”
Ash spoke up much to everyone’s surprise. “We could go together. I could tamp down your destruction with my healing. Once Zorica knows we are there, she can come to us.”
“How would she know that?” Jaime asked.
“We will cast out psychic flares and hope she hears us.”
“This is all highly experimental,” Jordan chimed in.
“Indeed it is…” Epone said. “Or we could sit here and wait for a clue.”
There was a pregnant pause at which they all exchanged glances. Jaime shrugged. “Let’s try this,” he said.
“What about the mission?” Ash asked.
“Well clearly, whoever took alpha team did not want us finding anything. Therefore, us finding out who they are is the mission.”
Ash nodded, satisfied.
“Let’s do this then.”
“Here?” Epone asked in surprise.
“Does it matter?” Jaime asked.
“Well…this place probably has Zorica’s strongest energy signature. But while we search, we are vulnerable.”
“Jordan?” Jaime said into his earpiece. “You got us covered?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Let’s do this
then.”
Ash and Epone linked hands.
“When I say, give us your energy,” Epone said to Jaime. The captain nodded, bracing himself.
Epone and Ash linked foreheads, eyes closed, and began to hum, swaying slowly from side to side. An eerie red light seemed to pulse as it expanded in size, seeming to separate from Epone and Ash’s skin before solidifying in color, as it beat as if in concert with their hearts. Epone’s third eyes swiveled to Jaime and he nodded. Jaime pushed out his energy.
Chapter Eleven: In the Maze
They were standing in front of a brick wall, veined with flames and pulsing with black light. It was blocking their way. Epone was surprised at how fast they’d gotten here. This wasn’t her first attempt at entering the maze. She and Zorica had been practicing together long before the new commander came on the scene. They had deduced that combining their collective skill set might just help them achieve their goals faster. Epone knew Zorica wanted out. She had never come out and said so, but it was in every gesture and look. Every question, every attempt to learn something new that would be ‘useful’ she said.
Epone just wanted to expand her skill set. She needed to prove herself. To whom, she wasn’t sure. But she would not let the legend stand, that she was fool enough to be caught doing something as basic as tampering with infernal magic. Not when it was just the tip of a much larger iceberg.
She reached out, closing her eyes and fisting her hand where a compressed ice shard appeared.
“Interesting,” she thought.
It was usually a lot more difficult to manifest her magic in non-corporeal form. This must be an effect of Jaime’s enhancing abilities. The potential was…exciting.
“Focus,” Ash said next to her, and Epone turned eyebrows lifted.
“I didn’t know reading minds was part of your abilities,” she said.
“We are nothing but mind here. How did you think we would communicate?”
Epone turned back to face the wall. She was embarrassed to realize that she hadn’t given it a thought. She would have to be more careful with what she let show. Ash was an enigma. Who knew what she would do with any information she gleaned?
“I am not your enemy,” Ash said, and Epone clamped down even tighter on her mind, perturbed to know that Ash could still discern her thoughts. She raised her hand, thrusting the ice shard into the heated brick. A maze of cracks appeared from the epicenter of the thrust outward in all directions. She cupped her hands, willing rock balls to appear, and then flung them hard against the brick wall. It shattered like glass, scattering all over the path in sharp shards, still glowing with fire.
“Careful now,” she said to Ash, stepping forward cautiously. Ash followed obediently behind, hands raised defensively as Epone made more ice shards appear in her hand. She had a feeling this wasn’t the last obstacle they would encounter.
∞
‘What shall we do with them?’
Jaime shook his head as if that would clear the voices. He had to concentrate on Epone and Ash lest he leave them hanging in the maze, alone and defenseless. He couldn’t focus on sending them his energy and eavesdrop on random possibly irrelevant conversations.
‘We must find out what they know. I have a feeling they’re not telling me all.’
‘But is this the best way to do that?’
‘You question me?’
‘No sir. Of course not. I just don’t want to risk tipping your hand before we are ready.’
‘Everything is fine. They suspect nothing.’
“Sir? Are you okay?” the voice of Jordan in his ear brought him out of his reverie.
“Uh…I’m okay,” Jaime said, squatting on the ground and putting his hand on Epone’s shoulder. It was more urgent than ever that they find the others and bring them out. Something way way above his pay grade was going on and he was at a loss for how to deal with it. Rescuing his team though? That he could do.
∞
Zorica struggled against the psychic bonds holding her in place. She could feel the poison spreading in her body even as the link between spirit and body weakened. If she wasn’t careful, she would become completely untethered, leaving her body vulnerable and open to whatever wanted to possess it. She struggled again, weakly, trying to call out to her imps, not really sure what they could do for her now, in the state she was in. She hadn’t reckoned on Soulhag poison. Of all the ways she had visualized going out, this one had not occurred to her. She had no idea where she was, in which realm, or even which galaxy. All she had was her mind and her will.
“Zo…ri…ca?”
It was faint, almost unintelligible, but someone else was close. She remembered that Uzochi and AX were taken along with her. Maybe they were the ones calling. She wasn’t aware that Soulhag poison caused people to share headspace. This was new.
“Who is there?” she called as loudly as she could. Even if it was some enemy, she would rather face them head-on while she had some strength.
“Zor..ica?” the voice was closer, louder yet more uncertain.
“Show yourself,” she called as loudly as she could.
“I see nothing but the dark. Where are you?”
She knew that voice, very well. “Epone?” she breathed in disbelief.
“Zorica. It is I.”
“How?” Zorica did not trust that she wasn’t being tricked.
“The captain,” Epone said, and Zorica understood she didn’t want to give too much away in case she was speaking to an enemy. She smirked. They were in the exact same boat.
“What…do you know where I am? Are we together?” she asked instead.
“No. We had hoped you knew where you are.”
“I woke up in here.” Zorica could hear the wailing of damned souls growing in volume. It was like the awareness of her surroundings was increasing as she spoke to Epone.
“Describe your surroundings,” Epone asked, and for the first time Zorica had an awareness of her environment. Wherever she was, it was hot and close, dank and dark. The air was oppressive as if humid, but instead of moisture, the heaviness was caused by evil. Drawing a breath was difficult. Zorica knew she was not in corporeal form, but she still felt suffocated. She tried to describe the scents of malevolence that surrounded her, the bitter taste of ozone on her non-existent tongue, the abrasive feel of the atmosphere on her skin. This place was designed to foster discomfort to the nth degree.
“They’re throwing obstacles between us Zorica. I need you to meet me halfway.”
Zorica looked about her desperately, not knowing how she was going to get ‘halfway’ when she was surrounded by cold dark walls.
“I don’t think I can get out of here.”
She felt the sigh Epone gave rather than heard it. She knew the feel of her friend’s frustration; it tasted like salt in her mouth. It occurred to her that they were going about this all wrong. The distance between them could not be covered by closing it physically. They had to power up the psychic link.
“Reach out for me, and I will reach out for you,” she said.
“I already am!”
“Reach harder,” Zorica said, closing her eyes metaphorically and reaching out herself, searching for Epone’s essence.
“I feel you!” Epone said.
“Come to me then!” Zorica snapped.
Epone gave another sigh and then Zorica felt not so much the presence of another as the fading away of ozone as if to make space for a new essence; strong, forceful, dark and powerful yet familiar.
“Epone…your essence is badass,” Zorica said, impressed.
Epone snorted. “How do I get to your physical body?”
“You must become one with me, possess me, open my eyes and see.”
Epone made a startled sound. “I have never done that before.”
“You have seen it done. Now, use the captain’s enhancement, focus your power and do it.”
There was a sound of grunting, of e
ffort and then she felt like she was rushing like the wind down a cold passage, a presence at her side. The presence pulled ahead of her and then she could feel pain; her body’s physical pain. Restrained to something in a vertical position. She tried not to fidget but it was hard with every muscle in her body overstretched. What were these beings doing to her?
“Where am I?”
“On a ship. A scavenger ship. AX and Uzochi are here too. You are all tied up. Can you identify the ship?”
There was a long silence. Zorica felt her head move from side to side as if she was straining to see around corners.
“Zorica, you can send your spirit outward, search the ship.”
“I don’t-“
“You can! Take my strength!”
Suddenly Epone was all around her, boxing her in tight, pushing energy into her. “Take it and go.”
Before she could think, her spirit was reacting to command and she was on the roof of the ship, looking down at her imprisoned body, arms, and feet shackled as if on a cross. She turned, seeing AX similarly tied, mind shut down as if he was nothing but a computer and Uzochi, shaking on a table, blindfolded and seemingly helpless. Nevertheless, he turned his head toward her as if he could feel her there, looking down at him.
She made her way to the cockpit, noting exits and weaponry, number of personnel. Finally, the cockpit, a human pilot steering toward specific coordinates no name on the ship anywhere. How was the rest of the team to find them in time?
She went back to Epone, settling into her body and taking possession of it.
“We are headed towards Planet Nine. The ship has no name. You must hurry, go to the captain and follow us as fast as possible. Uzochi is aware, I think. We will try to leave a sign for you to follow.”
Epone disappeared without a word. There was no time to waste on goodbyes.
∞
“I saw the exact coordinates they were headed for. They are on a scavenger ship which is older than ours, and slower. We must try to get there first. Prepare,” Epone told the rest of the team, once they were back on their ship.
“We don’t know what we’re walking into,” Jaime replied. “We must be cautious.”
Mage Marine Misfits: Book 01 Page 9