AWOL

by Traci Harding

  The best way to ensure the alarm was not raised during a jailbreak was to take out the guards monitoring the security systems in the psychic containment wing of the prison. The AMIE rescue team could not just teleport themselves into the said area, however, as none of them knew what it looked like or knew anyone who might be therein. Fortunately, Vadik had been detained by the Phemorians before being recruited to run the mission that Taren and Mythric had thwarted many years ago, by making Vadik a better offer. Vadik had not been taken inside the security station, but had been marched past the door.

  Once at the desired location, Taren used her PK to get past the security coded door and they all entered the room silently.

  There were three guards therein, seated watching the monitors, and they all looked to the door bemused when no one entered and the door again closed. One of the occupants got up to investigate.

  ‘Ouch!’ A Valourean who was still seated grabbed the top of her arm, as did the guard seated beside her, and they both passed out.

  Taren startled the roving guard when she appeared before her dressed as a Valourean. Placing a hand on her target’s forehead she demanded that she ‘blackout’.

  Vadik let go of Trance, Mythric let go of Ringbalin, and they all appeared before her.

  Vadik tossed aside the syringe in his hand and pulled the sleeping Valourean off her chair, planting Trance in it instead. ‘Get on it!’

  ‘Okay!’ Trance landed with a thud, hands raised in submission. ‘Just give me a second to contact my guy.’ He closed his eyes.

  ‘There she is!’ Ringbalin spotted Ayliscia on one of the screens. ‘I mean, there they are.’ He noted Kassa in the cell with her, and pointed to the image in question. ‘Where is this?’

  Trance breathed deeply, gave a nod, looked to the system keyboard and held his hands above it. System files about their comrades presented on screen. ‘Locating matches detained within this psychic containment block,’ Trance advised, in a distinctly different voice, which startled them all a little. ‘Five matches.’

  The files of Fari, Ayliscia, Kassa, Kalayna and Amie appeared alongside one another.

  ‘They are being held in PC block 3, cells four, five and six.’

  ‘Where is Jazmay?’ Taren queried. ‘Where are the men?’

  Mythric opened his mouth to advise, but Trance’s spirit buddy beat him to it.

  ‘Jazmay Cardea and the men of your crew are being held in the seeding stables, block 5.’

  ‘The what?’ Taren gasped on the query, looking to Mythric. ‘They actually exist!’

  Mythric nodded to confirm. ‘You didn’t believe that old “the Phemorians self-seed” myth, did you?’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Taren held her gut; the very notion made her sick and furious at once.

  ‘Because I knew it would make you panic,’ Mythric proffered, ‘and we need you —’

  ‘We should get them out first,’ Taren decided, in a panic as predicted.

  Mythric grabbed her arm to calm her down. ‘We are here now, the coast is clear, and there is far less chance of us creating a big stir here. Once we break the men out of the seeding stable, this entire complex will be on full alert. Stick to the plan.’

  Taren nodded, seeing the sound reasoning in that, but her gut was still churning. ‘How many other prisoners are in PC cell block 3?’ She looked back to their possessed cohort, wondering how many witnesses they needed to deal with.

  ‘The system is registering five life forms in PC cell block 3,’ Trance, in a trance, replied.

  ‘Excellent.’ Taren was pleased they only had guards to contend with, and leaned over Trance’s shoulder to observe the screen in front of him. ‘Show me how we get in there?’

  As she presented as a Valourean, Taren had no problem striding around to the cell block in question, and Mythric and Vadik flanked her, invisible to sight. She was wearing a head mic with an earpiece like the ones all the Valoureans wore, and via this Trance was directing her to their destination.

  ‘Turn right, and you’re there,’ he said.

  The corridor that led into this high security psychic containment block was not governed by the same power-deadening technology as the cell block it led to, as such a measure would also disable the psychic aptitude of the Valoureans who guarded the several sets of doors that led to the prison. Taren had seen inside the cell block and could have teleported herself inside, but then she could not teleport herself or anyone else out — she had to get clear of the psychic containment block first. So rather than have to fight their way out with a psychically handicapped crew, Taren felt it better to fight their way in and ensure a clear escape route.

  The first set of guards were knocked out easily by her invisible flanks, and Taren quickly imagined the pair standing back on guard, as they had been, causing them to rise back to standing with their eyes open.

  Unconscious and eyes wide, these Valoureans didn’t appear any different to when they were on full alert. They had been trained to maintain an unflinching stance, which worked very much to their rescue party’s favour in this instance. Taren suppressed a satisfied smile as she triggered the security door to open with her PK and entered the next checkpoint.

  Upon sighting Taren, one of the Valoureans pulled her weapon. ‘Intruders,’ she advised her fellow guard, who also pulled her pulse-laser weapon to fire at them — this Valourean was obviously clairvoyant, as clearly she saw Mythric and Vadik despite their invisibility.

  ‘Mine,’ Taren commanded the weapons to fly into her awaiting hands, which made both Valoureans gasp. ‘Attention,’ she commanded them to resume their guard, which they did, before they froze like statues. ‘Here.’ Taren cast the weapons to either side of her, and they vanished as they were caught by Mythric and Vadik respectively.

  ‘You have a problem,’ Trance whispered in Taren’s ear, just as she was about to open the last set of security doors.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’ve just discovered there are security monitors inside this checkpoint monitoring the first two.’

  ‘They know I am here,’ Taren concluded quietly, and advised her company at once.

  ‘And so would the rest of the complex if I hadn’t blocked the alert they sent out.’

  ‘Thanks for the heads-up.’ Even if they were clairvoyant, they could not perceive any psychic message that the equipment they were viewing did not pick up on. And, just in case they had psychic sight and they spotted Mythric and Vadik, Taren triggered the door lock and then teleported herself to the far door therein.

  The doors parted and the Valoureans opened fire; obviously they were not clairvoyant and could not see the men as they stopped firing to search for an intruder.

  ‘Looking for someone?’ Taren queried, and startled them to an about-face. The men knocked them unconscious, and Taren directed the door they had just come through to close.

  ‘Inconvenient.’ Vadik motioned to the monitors that had betrayed them.

  ‘Keep watch,’ Taren instructed, removing the guard’s code key from her belt, knowing she wouldn’t be able to use her PK to open the doors inside this cell block. ‘We’ll be right back.’

  As Taren inserted the key into the lock, Mythric lifted up the unconscious Valourean and parted her right eyelid wide for the retinal scanner. They were granted access.

  In the cells at the end of this small block, they found their missing crew, and they were all very relieved to see them.

  ‘We need to move quickly.’ Taren ushered them out of the cells and into the corridor before noting something amiss. ‘Where is Kalayna?’

  ‘General Prochazka took her,’ Amie said. ‘We don’t know where. I have tried to look for her remotely, but all I’m getting is darkness.’

  ‘That’s not good.’ But Taren was puzzled by something else. ‘The scan of this block said five life forms?’ She left the group to go and check the vacant cells back up towards the door. The first two were empty, but in the third one lay the acting prime min
ister, Jalila Lamas.

  ‘Jalila?’ Taren called to her, and although her eyes flickered open, they closed again and she did not look well.

  It was only after Taren unlocked and entered the cell that she noticed the large bump on her head. ‘I feared you’d been sent to join your sister.’ That she hadn’t was a blessing indeed, provided she didn’t die on them.

  ‘What you got?’ Mythric entered behind her.

  ‘She’s concussed, I think.’

  Kassa Madri came around Mythric, and Taren moved out of the way so that the doctor could check her over.

  ‘She needs specialised medical attention,’ Kassa agreed.

  ‘We have something better.’ Taren turned to Mythric. ‘Bring her with us.’

  Mythric scooped Jalila up into his arms and followed Taren, along with those they’d freed, out into the first security checkpoint, where Vadik was waiting.

  ‘All clear, boss,’ he reported, smiling at the ladies and winking at young Fari.

  ‘Whoa, you’re huge!’ Fari observed, sounding very impressed. ‘But, once I get this band off, I bet I’m stronger!’

  After closing the security door to the cell block behind them, Mythric vanished with Jalila. Those who remained linked hands, and between Taren and Vadik, everyone managed to teleport back to the security station.

  When they appeared in the area they’d previously secured, Ringbalin stood awaiting them. ‘Thank heavens you are all all right!’ His welcoming smile was aimed at Ayliscia, who returned his affectionate gaze and took a step towards him.

  ‘Ringbalin.’ Mythric sat the semi-conscious prime minister in a chair.

  ‘Oh dear.’ The healer’s attention was diverted to Jalila, and he moved to kneel before her. ‘What happened?’

  ‘Princess … Satomi …’ she mumbled and cringed, attempting to hold her head, which clearly ailed her.

  ‘Shhh … Never mind.’ Ringbalin rested his hands on either side of her face, and her eyes closed as he focused on healing her injury.

  The palms of Ringbalin’s hands filled with light, and as the healing force was absorbed into Jalila’s being, her painful expression melted into one of pure bliss. The swelling of the bump on her head reduced before their eyes and then vanished altogether.

  ‘How is that now?’ Ringbalin went to remove his hands, but Jalila was quick to place her hands over his and hold them where they were.

  ‘Sensational.’ Jalila opened her large, almond-shaped eyes and smiled at him. ‘You are a wonder, Mr Malachi.’

  Taren chanced a glance in Ayliscia’s direction, and found the Phemorian marine biologist with arms folded and appearing none too happy.

  ‘Have you found the others?’ Amie grabbed Taren’s arm to query her husband’s whereabouts. Kassa and Fari were also eager to hear how the rest of the crew fared.

  ‘We are going after them now,’ Taren said.

  ‘I’m coming with you,’ Amie insisted.

  ‘You’re still restrained —’ Taren began to point out.

  ‘No,’ Amie cut her off. ‘Kalayna reversed the function on some of our devices. So, either I’m coming with you, or I’m screwing with your intention and coming anyway.’

  ‘I’m also fully operational,’ Ayliscia informed.

  ‘You are familiar with the seeding stables here?’ Taren queried.

  Ayliscia noted all eyes upon her, including Ringbalin’s, and her response was to the point. ‘Anyone working for the Phemorian Secret Service or the Valoureans knows of it, but I was not a patron.’

  ‘I know it, very well,’ Jalila stood to advise. ‘Allow me to guide you.’

  ‘Why should we trust you?’ Ayliscia objected.

  ‘Because I am indebted to you on many levels.’ Jalila looked to Taren to appeal. ‘I believe our cause is still aligned and that we can help each other.’

  Taren nodded to agree. ‘Trance, is there anything on that database that advises of the acting prime minister’s arrest?’ Taren suspected that the Qusay and her general had not made this public knowledge.

  After a quick scan, Trance replied, ‘No data report. The cell in which you found her is listed as unoccupied.’

  Taren really didn’t want to make this call, but taking both Ayliscia and Jalila on this mission could prove problematic. ‘Vadik, take Kassa, Fari, Trance and Ayliscia back to AMIE.’

  Vadik nodded to agree, but Ayliscia was pissed. ‘No, you need me.’

  ‘Follow our movements from AMIE,’ Taren instructed her. ‘And let Vadik know if we get into any trouble.’

  ‘I thought the ship was destroyed?’ Fari queried.

  ‘Not any more,’ Taren assured him, ahead of envisioning Amie dressed in the same red leather Valourean uniform that she was.

  Amie gasped at her own transformation.

  ‘I gather they are being held in psychic containment cells?’ Taren posed, and both Jalila and Mythric nodded in accord.

  ‘Unless they are in the pleasure house itself,’ Jalila said.

  ‘In that case …’ Taren looked to Mythric and Ringbalin who suddenly found themselves in handcuffs. ‘I guess we are going in the front door.’

  ‘Back door, for stock,’ Jalila corrected, getting the drift of Taren’s plan. ‘Only clients come in the front door.’

  ‘Stock?’ Ringbalin didn’t like the sound of that at all.

  ‘Fear not,’ Jalila advised. ‘This is another institution that I fully intend to close down, as soon as I reclaim my position.’

  Ringbalin forced a grin, pleased to hear this.

  ‘I’m happy to stay and watch your back,’ Trance’s spirit friend said via the clairvoyant’s body. ‘I can hack into the other security stations from here.’

  ‘And what if you are found?’ Taren erred on the side of caution.

  ‘I am not worried,’ he said, sounding confident that he could protect himself. The spirit looked back to his monitor and brought up the transmission from the cameras monitoring the rear of block 5. ‘No guards out back, coast is clear.’

  ‘Go,’ Taren urged, looking to Vadik, who held out his hands.

  Those going back to AMIE joined hands with him and each other.

  ‘Be careful,’ Ayliscia urged Ringbalin, casting a distrustful glare in Jalila’s direction, before she vanished with Kassa, Fari and Vadik.

  It was a relief to see them depart, and Taren looked to those who remained. ‘Ready?’ She held out her hands, and her team formed a circle in response. ‘Please, universe, let us find them before any harm does.’

  Across from her stood Mythric, staring her gravely back, as they vanished to their target area.

  General Prochazka was in her office, filing a sham death report on Kalayna Zuri, when one of her Valoureans called in a security breach in cell block C.

  ‘Finally, Clarona’s bastard shows herself.’

  The general was at the scene in a heartbeat, but she was anything but thrilled by the apparent chaos that greeted her upon her arrival.

  All the security doors between her and the cell block were wide open as Valoureans searched the cell block, and aided the guards to wake up.

  ‘The prisoners are gone!’ The guard who had sounded the alert came striding forwards from the cell block.

  ‘Why is this the first I know of this?’ the general demanded, furious, and was startled when an alarm began sounding. ‘It’s a bit fucking late!’ she raged, just as the sprinkler system was triggered and water teemed from the ceiling, saturating them instantly.

  ‘Alert!’ a calm female voice advised through the internal intercom system. ‘Security system malfunction. All personnel be advised that all security defences are down, prisoners may be at large.’

  Prochazka wasted no time in teleporting herself to the closest security station where she intended to flatten the person responsible for allowing this breach to transpire.

  Upon landing she found three of her Valoureans unconscious, and one young man watching the chaos unfolding on the monitors with gre
at amusement.

  ‘You will pay!’ Prochazka hurled a psychic force containing all her pent-up anger at the lad, yet the strike barely made him sway in his seat.

  ‘You call that psychic force?’ The young man, slight of build, had a surprisingly deep voice. He rose from his chair and released a wave of psychic force that knocked the general clean off her feet. Prochazka hit the internal metal wall of the station and blacked out.

  At the back door of the seeding station the guards were happy to grant Jalila and her company entry.

  ‘What a little doll,’ the guard commented, eyeing Ringbalin over and playing with the fair strands of hair that were falling all over his face.

  ‘That’s what General Prochazka said,’ Jalila replied.

  The guard pouted, disappointed, and ceased toying with him. ‘She always ruins the good ones.’ She continued to gaze at him, mournfully.

  ‘I feel quite sure the general will be paying this establishment a visit later today,’ Jalila added, hoping to speed things along.

  ‘Best make haste then,’ the guard advised. ‘Let me know when he becomes available for mass consumption.’ She and her companion stepped aside to allow them to ascend the stairs to the holding area.

  Poor Ringbalin was looking rather shocked and concerned at this point, and received a slap on the arse on the way past.

  ‘I shall be seeing you,’ she said, serving him a wink and a growl.

  Mythric, already known to be the Qusay’s favourite, was not woman-handled at all.

  It was a great relief to be inside the complex, the exterior of which was rather large — it was not going to be easy to locate their four lost crew members.

  ‘I have a present for you,’ the voice of Trance’s invading entity said through Taren’s earpiece. ‘Chaos. ’

  Before she had time to ask his meaning, the alarm went off and the power went out.

  ‘Alert! Security system malfunction. All personnel be advised that all security defences are down, prisoners may be at large.’