“That was the strangest sensation,” Tenzing said as he jumped off James and began licking himself furiously. “Ugh, my fur tastes awful! What was that stuff?”
“I feel fully charged from all that energy.”
Falling Star looked over at James. “You’re glowing.”
“What?”
“Look at yourself.”
James examined the backs and palms of his hands. It was true: they were giving off a faint fuchsia glow. “Weird. I usually glow green. I wonder what kind of energy was in the dome?”
“It looks like you’ve absorbed a lot of it,” Tenzing said, as he glanced up from his tongue bath.
“I’m at full power now, so we don’t have to worry about anyone trying to stop us.”
“Oh yeah?” said a voice to their far right.
James looked over and saw Paul standing by himself at the corner of a tool shed.
“Paul?” James asked. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m the Welcome Wagon,” Paul said and slowly approached. “Elizabeth asked me to make sure you have everything you need now that you’ve come back to Project Jedi.”
“We’re not staying,” James said sharply. “I came back to get Keira and Lumen.”
“That’s going to be more difficult that you imagine,” Paul said with a nasty grin.
“No, it’s not,” James snapped at him. “I’m fully charged, I don’t have those stupid cuffs on, and I have a seven-foot friend who’s strong as an ox to help me get them.”
Falling Star flexed his muscles and scowled at Paul.
“That may be true,” Paul said as he circled in front of the trio. “But Keira is with her mother now, and Lumen is back together with Cedric, her first boyfriend. They’re both very happy here. I don’t think either of them will want to leave with you and your new pet.”
Falling Star growled.
“Easy there, big boy,” Paul said and then turned to face James. “You need to get a muzzle for your mutt.”
James ignored Paul’s comment. “I don’t believe you. Keira and Lumen will come with me. I’m sure they can’t wait to get out of here.”
Paul laughed. “Oh, I don’t think so.”
“We’re going to go find them right now, and you can’t stop us.”
“I don’t want to stop you,” Paul said, a little shocked. “Please, be my guest. Go find Keira and Lumen. That’s just what Elizabeth wants. When you’re all together again, we begin the next phase of the project.”
“What project?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
Tenzing crawled out from behind Falling Star’s legs and looked up at Paul. “I always knew you were no good.”
Paul stared at Tenzing and then at James. “What did he say?”
“You heard him: He said you were no good,” James said and paused. “Wait. Couldn’t you understand him?”
Paul’s grin began to fade. “Of course, I can. I just can’t believe he’d say something like that to me.”
“Really?” James asked. “Tenzing, say something else.”
“Okay,” Tenzing said and then thought about it. “You are a real narcissist too.”
Paul looked blankly at James.
“What did he say, Paul?”
“Who cares! It doesn’t mean anything,” Paul shouted. “Tenzing is a parasite anyway, murdering animals and people and stealing their bodies.”
“That’s not how his power works and you know it.”
“He killed that cat and took over its body.”
“You’re dodging my question,” James said. “You lost your ability to understand animals, didn’t you?”
Paul was silent.
“You did.”
“So what? It was just a stupid trick anyway,” Paul replied quickly. “What are you looking at, Monkey-Face?”
Falling Star snarled at him.
“Are you really dating this loser, James? Have you fallen that far down the evolutionary ladder that you’d go out with an ape?”
Falling Star tensed up like a spring about to uncoil. Then he lunged forward and tried to grab Paul, but James stopped him.
“Don’t take the bait,” James said calmly. “That’s what he wants.”
“But he’s insulting us.”
“Ignore him.”
Tenzing arched his back and hissed. Paul responded with a swift kick that sent Tenzing flying into the air.
“Paul!” James screamed. “You asshole!”
“You hurt Little Cat!” Falling Star shouted and fell upon Paul in a blur of pounding fists.
“Stop fighting!” James pulled Falling Star and Paul apart. They both pushed him onto his backside and continued to tussle. James got up and brushed himself off. He shot a brilliant bolt of lightning over their heads. They both stopped, midpunch, and looked over at James.
“Now that I have your attention,” he said. “I told you: stop fighting.”
“I can’t believe you’d choose this half-breed over me,” Paul said suddenly as he backed away a few steps.
“What are you talking about?” James asked, stunned. “You broke up with me.”
“Only because you wouldn’t work with Project Jedi.”
“Come on, Paul! You knew I wouldn’t.”
“But really, James? This was the best you could do?”
Falling Star took a quick swing at Paul, who ducked and barely missed being hit in the face.
“Stop it, now!”
Tenzing came limping back to the group.
“Oh my God, Tenzing!” James said and reached down to pick up his injured friend. “Falling Star, you have to help him!”
Falling Star glared at Paul, who returned the look. “Of course, I will,” he said. “I only use my powers for good.” Falling Star took Tenzing gently in his strong arms, and his new orange energy began to flow strongly. The cat wiggled a little as his cracked ribs healed and his punctured lung resealed itself. Tenzing let out a deep sigh of relief.
“My power has become so much stronger,” Falling Star said. “I’ve never seen it work so fast and on so many injuries. It’s amazing! I can heal broken bones and punctures.”
“Thank you. That feels so much better. I wish James hadn’t stopped your fight so soon. I know it’s not very Buddhist of me, but I’d love to see you knock Paul out.”
“Maybe next time, Little Cat,” Falling Star said and winked at Tenzing. He continued to pet him while glaring at Paul.
James noticed that Paul was bleeding heavily from a cut over his left eye. “You better fix that,” James said and pointed.
“What?” Paul asked.
“You’re bleeding over your eye.”
“Am I? I hardly felt a thing,” Paul said with a sneer. “It was like fighting against a soft pillow.” He placed his right hand over the wound and began concentrating. Instead of the usual orange glow, Paul’s hand stayed its natural skin color. He pulled his hand away and looked at the blood on it. “What’s wrong?” He shook his head, put his hand back again, and closed his eyes. Paul concentrated harder. Nothing happened. “Why isn’t my power working?” He removed his hand once more and stared at it. “Why can’t I do it? Why can’t I heal myself?” He looked over at James pleadingly. “Why is this happening?”
“Did it just start?”
“I don’t know—maybe,” Paul replied, truly confused. “I just used my power a few days ago, last Tuesday.”
“And it worked?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe it’s temporary,” James said, trying to be reassuring.
“Wait a minute,” Paul said, remembering. “My power hasn’t worked as quickly as usual, but I didn’t think there was anything weird about it.”
“And now you can’t communicate with animals, either?”
“Do you think it’s related?”
“Could be,” James said. “Does Dr. Albion know?”
A panicked look crossed Paul’s face. He rushed to James’s side and grabbed his arm.
“Please, please, don’t tell her! She’ll throw me out or put me in the Sculpture Garden. Please, promise you won’t say anything to her! I’ll help you. I’ll help you get Keira and Lumen. I promise.” Paul fell to his knees, still holding on to James’s sleeve. “I’m begging you.”
James didn’t know what to say. He felt sorry for Paul. He looked so helpless, pleading before him, blood streaming down his face. James was thankful he stopped the fight before Falling Star had really hurt Paul, but he wasn’t ready to forgive him. Not by a long shot.
“I promise I won’t say anything to her, but you have to tell us everything that’s going on around Project Jedi,” James said.
Paul nodded silently.
“Falling Star, could you heal the cut over Paul’s eye?”
Falling Star glowered. “I don’t want to,” he said and put down Tenzing and approached Paul. “But because you asked me, I will.” Falling Star lifted his right hand up and placed it on Paul’s forehead. Paul winced. The bright orange energy radiated from Falling Star’s hand and sealed the wound as the blood evaporated. “Don’t expect me to do this again. You don’t deserve my kindness.”
“Isn’t it weird that Falling Star seems to have Paul’s powers now?” Tenzing asked.
“I did have a little healing power before, but I only could seal cuts and little things. Now it seems like I can heal anything. That is different.”
“It’s like you’ve become the Blod Heilun of the Twelve Heroes,” Tenzing said. “And Paul isn’t anymore.”
“Come to think of it,” Falling Star continued, “my energy was golden before. Not orange like it is now.”
“Paul’s energy was orange,” James said. “And now he doesn’t have that power at all, like it left his body.”
“Did it transfer somehow?” Tenzing asked. “And now it’s in Falling Star?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to ask EBE when we see him next,” James said and turned to Falling Star. “If Tenzing is right, you are now one of the Twelve Heroes like Keira, Lumen, and me.”
Falling Star smiled.
Paul said nothing and looked down at the ground then up at James. “What do you want to know about Project Jedi?”
“Start with what’s happening to the sun.”
“There’s something on a collision course with Earth, an object called Nibiru,” Paul said and stood up and pointed. “That’s what that is.”
“So it’s not a sun spot,” Tenzing said as he carefully moved around Falling Star’s legs to avoid getting near Paul.
James translated.
“They don’t know what it is,” Paul replied. “That’s where you, Keira, Lumen, and the rest of us come in.”
“Us?” James asked. “What can we do about it?”
“I don’t know exactly, but Dr. Albion does. She needs us all together and Keira’s kid brother, Alexander, too. She’s promised everyone their freedom if they cooperate.”
James stared in disbelief.
“Really, it’s the truth. And no one has to wear the cuffs anymore either.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Keira’s mother, Karen, is working on the project. It’s called Intercept, and Cedric is working on it too.”
“What’s he doing here?” James asked.
“He’s working with Dr. Albion on the project.”
James thought for a moment.
“Let’s find Keira and Lumen and get out of here,” Falling Star said gruffly. “I’m tired of dealing with this person. He’s really irritating me.”
“I’ve known James longer than you have,” Paul said. “I’m still his best friend.”
“Are you?” James asked and stared at Paul blankly.
“Sure I am. We’re friends again, right?”
“No, we’re not. This isn’t just some bad decision you made. We can’t go back now. Things will never be the same again between us.”
“What about ‘a little bit Langston?’”
“Don’t try to play that game with me,” James said, getting angry. “It’s not going to work. You forfeited your rights as my best friend when you became Dr. Albion’s little helper.”
“But James,” Paul pleaded. “I still love you. We can be together again.”
“I don’t want to be with you!” James replied finally. “Not anymore.”
“Yeah, Numb-Nuts,” Falling Star said.
“Who asked you, Dust-Mop?”
“Knock it off!” James said to both of them. “Come on, let’s go get Keira and Lumen.”
“I know where they are,” Paul answered quickly. “Let me help you.”
“We don’t need your help,” Falling Star said. “I can find them.”
“But I know what’s going on in there. I’m the only one who knows his way around. I have the badge that will let us into the Basement where Project Jedi is.”
James moved next to Falling Star and looked right at Paul. “You can come for as long as you’re useful. After that, you’re on your own. Deal?”
“What choice do I have?” Paul asked.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” James replied.
Fort Bragg, Project Jedi, Ten Years Ago, 2009
12.
KAREN DARKFEATHER felt something slippery move across her stomach. She opened her eyes and realized she was in an examination room. Panic hit her brain. Restraints held her arms and legs down as she struggled to get up. The male med tech, who had been moving a sonogram wand across her exposed belly, backed away from the exam table.
“Who are you?” Karen demanded. “Where am I?”
The tech said nothing as he calmly put the wand down and exited the room, the door closing and locking behind him.
Karen looked around. Where am I? What is happening? But before she could answer her own questions, the door opened again, and Dr. Albion entered, clipboard in hand.
“Good morning, Karen. I’m glad you’re finally awake. You’ve been unconscious almost a week now.”
“You!” Karen gasped.
“Who were you expecting?” Dr. Albion asked coyly. “Did you really think you could get away from us?”
“But… how did you find me?”
“Don’t you remember? You were trying to cross the border into Canada.”
“What happened?”
“Our agents alerted us and we came and retrieved you,” Dr. Albion explained as she looked down at her clipboard and then at Karen. “Your amnesia must be an aftereffect of the benzodiazepine gas we used on you.”
Karen glared coldly at the doctor. “What are you going to do to me?”
“Ah, it’s not what we are going to do to you,” Dr. Albion began, “but what you are going to do for us.”
A silence filled the room as Karen realized what Dr. Albion meant.
“You didn’t!”
“You managed to keep your first Zetan child hidden away from us, but this one will be all ours.”
“You can’t do this to me!” Karen said and shook her restraints. “You can’t!”
“But we already have, my dear. Think of it as paying off your debt,” Dr. Albion said as she hung the clipboard at the foot of the bed. “Now get some rest. They’ve given you a pregnancy accelerator. You’ll be at full term in about twelve weeks.”
“You’re a monster!”
“Oh, Karen, you were my best and brightest assistant. I had such high hopes for you replacing me someday,” Dr. Albion said dreamily as she stared down at her patient. “There’s always a place here at Project Jedi for you to continue your biomechanical research.”
“I’ll never work with you!”
“Never say never. You’re lucky I didn’t retire you to the Sculpture Garden like some of my previous assistants. Thank goodness for this soft heart of mine or you’d be vegetating away beneath us as we speak.”
Karen was silent.
“Just think about it, won’t you?” the doctor asked. “You really are a brilliant geneticist.”
Karen turned her head
away. “You’re not going to let me out of here alive, are you?”
“It’s really very simple,” Dr. Albion said matter-of-factly. “Work with me and all will be forgiven, or you can spend your days a drugged-up zombie in the Sculpture Garden.”
“So, I have no choice?” Karen asked as she turned back to face Dr. Albion.
“You have two choices: the right one and the wrong one,” the doctor said as she walked to the door, pushed it open, and paused there. “Just think about my offer.” She exited with a flap of her white coat.
As the door closed, Karen managed to move her hand over enough to feel her abdomen. The accelerator was working. There he is. He. I know this baby is a boy. Alexander. That’s who you are. I’m so sorry, Alexander. I’m so sorry about all of this. I’m going to get you out of here. We’ll get out of here and find Keira again. Then we’ll be a family. I promise. As soon as I can, I’ll get us out of here. If only UBE were here with us. He’d know what to do. Oh, UBE, where are you when I need you most?
Fort Bragg Military Base, CA, the Present
13.
“THE LAST phase is fairly rigorous. It’s called Sub-Orbit Training. It usually begins about three months before the launch and prepares the astronauts for their mission,” Karen said to Keira as they sat in her large laboratory beneath Fort Bragg. “But for us, it starts right now.”
“So, you really want me to do this?” Keira asked.
“Yes, we all do,” Karen said and placed a beaker of blue liquid into a centrifuge. “You’re our only hope against the object. We’re so lucky Paragon had the foresight to create you for an emergency like this.”
“But you created me, not Paragon,” Keira said, a little defiantly.
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