Prisoners of Paradise

by Brandon Lars Erikson

  “For my ‘Ohana.”

  Ailana

  Vol. 1 Prisoners of Paradise

  Brandon Lars Erikson

  iUniverse, Inc.

  Bloomington

  Ailana

  Vol. 1 Prisoners of Paradise

  Copyright © 2012 by Brandon Lars Erikson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

  iUniverse

  1663 Liberty Drive

  Bloomington, IN 47403

  www.iuniverse.com

  1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677)

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

  Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

  Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

  ISBN: 978-1-4620-5030-7 (sc)

  ISBN: 978-1-4620-5031-4 (e)

  Printed in the United States of America

  iUniverse rev. date: 1/10/2012

  Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CHAPTER 32

  CHAPTER 33

  CHAPTER 34

  EPILOGUE

  Prologue

  “Desperate times…call for desperate measures…”

  The acidic smell of cigarette smoke filled the air as the white haired man’s thoughts became like a torrential storm, “What I am about to do to this planet, and its people, is completely justifiable…since it is the only way to save Ailana… from the inevitable destruction that is coming.”

  The world outside was dark. The first rays of dawn were still many hours away as James Van Dien gazed out the hovercar’s window, watching the dark clouds go by. Lightning flashed and the window became like a mirror. Van Dien caught a glimpse of his white hair and the lines that the stressful years had put on his face. His heart beat faster as he saw the lighting flashing in the distant clouds and he started grinding his teeth while he contemplated what to do next.

  “Remain calm…” He relaxed his jaw and took a drag from his cigarette. As the nicotine surged through his bloodstream the angry thoughts subsided. He sighed and made himself more comfortable in the back of his long, black limousine that was racing through the planet’s turbulent atmosphere at well over two hundred kilometers per hour.

  “Ailana is a world in great danger…and despite the fact some people do not agree with my methods…my plan is the only logical course of action. When it is all said and done, those who write the history of the galaxy will show that my actions protected this planet from those who wish to destroy it…but who are they to judge me? After what I have done for these people, I shouldn’t have to concern myself with such trivial things.”

  Van Dien inhaled smoke as he turned on his robotic monitor, which was floating just a few centimeters above the limousine’s finely carpeted floor. He wanted to watch the local news in order to get some important information and perspective. The first channel had a handsome, human newscaster speaking in a monotone voice, “Leaders from the Allied planets of Earth, Aurora and Ailana all met today to renew a treaty that bans humanoid cloning. The treaty also makes it illegal to conduct research that would lead to any kind of genetic or cyborg modification of any human, Aurorian or Ailanian person without their consent or knowledge…”

  “If they only knew the truth…about what is really happening on Ailana…” He groaned as he flipped through the channels and soon found something of great interest to him. His face become devoid of emotion as he watched the news coverage of a large protest rally that was taking place in Polynea, Ailana’s Capital city. His eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the faces of the protestors, while they shouted and lofted crudely made signs. All the races of Ailana were represented in the news story. The native Ailanian people looked quite modern and very human save for the colors of their skin and their distinguishing facial features.

  “Terrorists,” Van Dien thought as his heart began to register the potential adrenaline rush of his next thought, “My job is to find those goddamned terrorists before they put their evil plot in motion. What was once a radical idea of a mad man, is about to become an even more radical act of death and destruction on this planet unless I do something to stop them very soon.”

  Van Dien continued his stoic gaze as he saw a few green-skinned, Hokupi people raising their fists in unison. His face turned sour as he saw a group of tan, wide-faced, Bontune people all waving Ailanian flags and holding hands with a group of large, brown-skinned, Balguran people. Behind them stood a group of dark-skinned, Kupano people, their hair black as night and shiny like ebony.

  “The terrorists could be anyone of these people…and I must find out what they are planning very soon.”

  Van Dien exhaled a cloud of smoke as he saw a group of Ailanian born humans in the crowd, also chanting and cheering. “These people are the descendants of the first colonizers from Earth. I love how they blend into the mixed race crowd so very well since humans and Native Ailanians have lived together in harmony since the very beginning of Ailana’s modern era.”

  Van Dien made a fist and slammed it into his armrest as he thought, “You people don’t even realize that I helped make this planet a paradise where humans and Ailanians are now living in peace and harmony. There was a time on Ailana, not so long ago, when everyone was motivated by a common goal…all of that is in jeopardy…and I must act fast…or everything could be lost.”

  He took another drag from his cigarette as his angry thoughts swirled in his mind. “Maybe our grand experiment here worked too well. It seems as if all the people in this crowd have something in common. They were all born here and they love living here. And now, they are angry and passionate about their cause because they don’t want to see this planet remain just another one of Earth’s colonies.” He could feel his teeth grinding again as he looked into their eyes. He could see how these people wanted to make sure the dream of sovereignty would be realized someday soon. He grimaced at the thought of how their protest m
ovement was gaining a lot of support and followers.

  “Ingrates,” Van Dien whispered under his breath as he saw the angry faces on the monitor. His fingers dug into the upholstery as he thought, “And after what I’ve done to protect you people from all the terrifying things in this universe that you cannot even imagine. How dare you call this paradise I have made for you a prison.”

  A few moments later, a pinging sound could be heard over the limousine’s intercom system. A deep voice said, “Sir…we have made contact with those two archeologists you have been looking for.”

  “Excellent,” Van Dien said. “Set a course that gets us there quickly. We have a fire to put out.”

  Van Dien relaxed his grip on the armrest and became stoic as he thought, “These men, who we are about to visit, are not the terrorists I am looking for, but I must go and deal with them immediately. They, like so many other people on this planet, must be shown how the hand that protects and feeds them can quickly be turned into the fist that punishes them for the error of their ways. I have sworn to protect many different people on many different planets…and in order to do that I must protect the secrets of Ailana…especially from those who dare to defy me. There are things about this world that must be kept secret at all costs…and these fools, who we are about to visit, are about to pay a high price for their disobedience…as will many others before it is all said and done. My plan is the only way to save Ailana and its good people from a terrifying horror that lays silent, waiting to destroy what I have sworn to protect.”

  A malicious grin crossed Van Den’s lips as he thought, “And there is no point in apologizing for what I am about to do to those who stand in my way.

  Chapter 1

  Location: Dig Site Alpha…The HauulaDesert on the planet of Ailana.

  Ailanian Standard Time: 0730 hours.

  Darren McCalister rubbed the course sand out of his scruffy beard while he stared into the computer monitor, which had been set up next to the large, brown tent. He felt his brain burning with anticipation as he glanced at his research partner and said, “Now this is where the signal starts getting weird.”

  “I see it,” Rodd Templeton said as he nervously bit the end of his dirty thumb. “It’s almost as if there is no rock there to slow it down.”

  Darren licked his dry lips and said, “Which means we have to wonder if we are actually dealing with a fossil. I bet we could get the digging droid down there by sixteen hundred.”

  “Yeah, we could confirm our theory right before it’s time to head to town and get a beer.”

  “I’d prefer to uncover the truth about what’s really down there…and then go to town for a shower. We’ve been out here in this sand and dust for too long…and you, my friend, stink like hell…”

  Darren sensed a sharp pain in his ears from what he thought was a thunderclap on the horizon.

  “What was that?”

  He looked away from the monitor. Anxiety began to fill his eyes with a heightened sense of wonderment as he stared at the yellow streak of desert landscape, which stretched out for kilometers before him. His eyes strained and met up with the brilliant, blue sky ahead. He gasped, and his mind froze momentarily when he saw the long, black hovercar screaming towards them as it kicked up a huge cloud of dust that soon blocked out the sun.

  “What the hell is that thing doing all the way out here?” Rodd said with suspicion.

  The ominous vehicle seemed to grow larger as it raced towards them.

  The dust-covered men held their breath as the hovercar come to a gliding stop in front of their tent. Two of the hovercar’s shiny, black doors flew open. Darren and Rodd felt their hearts racing with fear when they saw the wide-shouldered men, who were dressed in black business suits; emerge from the hovercar like rabid attack dogs.

  “Hey! What’s going on?” Rodd yelled as he looked down the barrel of a gun.

  No one had time to blink as the blue bolts streaked from the gun barrels.

  Rodd and Darren felt a painful electric shock contort their bodies as they fell to the sandy ground.

  A few hours later, the dirty archeologists awoke feeling hot and short of breath. They struggled to move when they heard a deep voice calling out from the bright haze, “Hello, boys…what exactly did you think you were going to find out here in the desert?”

  “Who are you?” Darren said as his burning eyes darted around, desperately looking for the source of the mysterious voice.

  “What is happening to us?” Rodd felt his heart beating into overdrive. His mind began to flood with panic as he realized they were both in grave danger and had no idea as to who was speaking to them.

  Darren looked around and saw that both of them had been stripped of their clothes. His eardrums became inflamed with Rodd’s screaming. His wrists and ankles felt like they were being crushed from the pressure of some very strong hands.

  “Oh my gods!” Darren shouted in terror, “What are you doing to us?”

  Darren and Rodd gasped and moaned as they realized that the men in black were shackling them to a couple of wooden stretchers. The archeologists struggled against their assailants, but to no avail. The men in black soon had them bound tightly. Moments later, when they were lying on their backs and unable to move, the two men began to panic.

  “Why are you doing this to us?!” They shouted, “What do you want?!”

  The deep, mysterious voice returned, “We’ll be back sometime later gentlemen, when you feel like being more…cooperative. I imagine the sun is going to be quite bright today. It’s too bad you guys are so pale skinned and…unprotected.”

  The naked archeologists felt the sweat pouring out of their burning skin. The scorching sun forced them to squint, but for the first time, they could see who was speaking to them. Darren and Rodd both gasped in fear as they saw a slim, middle-aged man step in front of the sun that had been burning their eyes. When their vision adjusted to the brightness, they saw that the man was wearing a flawless, black business suit, with a finely pressed, white collared shirt and black tie. Despite his sharp clothes, the man looked almost ordinary. His most distinguishing feature was his hair, which was white as snow and perfectly arranged.

  “Holy shit! It’s really him!” Rodd Templeton gazed in terror at the white haired man for a few moments before choking on the hot air, “Who are you?!”

  “Come on now boys, someone must have warned you about me,” Van Dien said as he gave the helpless, naked men a cold look. “I am the warning that you did not heed. I am the advice that you did not listen to. I am the monster in your closet…and the nightmare that you tried to ignore. And now…I am…in charge. Stay cool, gentlemen. We’ll see you later.”

  Van Dien and his muscle-bound assistants stepped into the long, black hovercar and drove off with the engine roaring. The blazing sun began to creep up to its high noon position.

  The abandoned men wailed as their skin turned red and began to blister.

  Within a span of just a few minutes, the long, black hovercar was far away from the place where the two men had been left wondering what happened to them. Van Dien did not seem the least bit concerned, it was almost as if the incident had never happened.

  A few moments later, a pinging sound could be heard over the limousine’s intercom system, and a deep voice said, “Sir…we may have found that other person you have been looking for.”

  “Excellent,” Van Dien said as he reached into his jacket’s inner breast pocket and took out a small communications unit. Without even looking at it, he pressed a button on the com, and slowly placed it against his ear. “Good morning,” he said in a deep and very composed voice. “We have not formally met and I suppose you are wondering who I am. Well, let me get right to the point…I am the law.”

  Van Dien took a drag from his cigarette as he noticed the silence on the other end of the com. It was the kind of silence expressed by som
eone who knew they had been caught red handed and had no idea what to say in their defense.

  Soft, white smoke danced around the darkened limousine as the white haired man said, “You should know that I just got done enforcing one of Ailana’s unwritten rules, which are meant to protect a highly classified operation that is taking place on this planet. It is a secret plan with great risk, which involves the highest levels of authority within The Alliance. I have been charged with a grave task…and believe me…I take my work very seriously. Let me assure you…anyone who comes to Ailana and tries to circumvent the rules that I enforce…has to deal with some very harsh consequences. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and ask the two men I just spoke to…they might agree that some of my methods are a bit, extreme.”

  The person on the other end of the com, started to breathe nervously for a few moments before they found the courage to say, “What do you want?”

  “First, I want you to realize that I am in charge here,” Van Dien said firmly. “Second, I want you to realize that we’ve been tracking your money transfers, which have led me to believe that you have plans to carry out a highly illegal operation on Ailana to make yourself rich and powerful beyond your wildest dreams.”

  The silence was deafening and implicating. Van Dien smiled and flicked his cigarette ashes as he realized he had his newest adversary right where he wanted them, “And I want you to realize, that your plans will never materialize into anything…without my help. So, I suggest we skip any more formalities and get right to the point. Normally, I make sure that people such as you, disappear and are never heard from again. However, it has become apparent to me, that your little plan…could help me out tremendously…and I am just here to say, that I will scratch your back…if you scratch mine. Do we have a deal?”