by John O'Riley
“Let’s get you inside the station.” Jake pressed his hand against her upper back in a comforting gesture as they escorted her into the building.
“I’d like to find that crystal skull and kick it into a wall,” Alex remarked.
“Me, too,” Josephine said.
She sat down at her desk and the police officers went back to their work area while Alex and Jake remained by her side.
“Can I get you some coffee or something?” Alex asked.
“Thanks but I like it a certain way,” Josephine advised.
“I know. With plenty of cream and sugar. I think I can manage.” Alex scurried away from her before she could protest further.
“Do you think APU 81 is doing this because you stopped Yvonne and Charlotte from creating that spell?” Jake asked.
“Yes, I do,” Josephine said. “I suppose I meddled into its affairs one time too many.”
“We’ll find a way to track it down,” Jake vowed. He went back to his desk which was directly across from her. “If we could just find a way of detecting terramezic energy, we could probably find it.”
“If we managed to do that, it wouldn’t be able to launch any more surprise attacks. That would be a relief,” Josephine said.
“I’ve noticed that when it uses terramezic energy to attack, it’s only used fire,” Jake said.
“I’m starting to think it’s limited to what it can do.” Josephine mulled this over for several seconds. “Of course, it can attack with mainstream magic or dark energy but then I can sense that so there would be no way of catching me by surprise. Maggie’s been hired to work on the government facility in New Hampshire where they’re studying Ancient technology. She’s a brilliant scientist. Maybe she’ll discover how to track terramezic energy.”
Alex returned with a mug of coffee and a Long John donut with chocolate frosting.
“You have to try this! It’s from Xtreme Donuts!” Alex said.
Josephine regarded him with bemusement. “Someone went all the way to St. Petersburg for donuts?”
“There’s a new branch that opened in Sarasota,” Alex explained.
Josephine took a small bite of the donut which she discovered had salted caramel cream filling. The delicious flavor exploded on her taste buds.
“Wow! This is fantastic!” Josephine exclaimed.
It wasn’t a very nutritious breakfast but she was just attacked by an ultra powerful AI so she deserved a little clemency.
Chapter 10
Perry White was perched on his favorite spot in the living room on top of the curtain rod above the large stained glass windows. He spent most of his day like this in the form of a white dove. Because he was a light being, he required massive amounts of light energy to sustain himself. Josephine’s house not only boasted a mini vortex that spanned almost the entire length of the dwelling but it also contained a powerful white magic power center. Perry was completely charged by early morning but during the day he continued to work with the currents of energy, increasing and strengthening the flow which made it even stronger. It was a daily habit that he continued faithfully but over the last week or so he began weaving new spells.
He had cast an invisibility spell underneath the couch closest to the living room windows and hid about half a dozen various-sized rocks that he’d found outdoors in that secret storage spot he’d created. Perry had taken two of the fist-sized rocks and three of the smaller ones that were about the size of a marble and had begun shaping a variety of enchantments on them. As Perry gazed down at the room from his current vantage point, he stretched his wings out for several seconds then flapped them vigorously for a bit. He wasn’t sure why or how he’d adopted this habit except that it felt good. Perry fluffed his white feathers then launched himself from the curtain rod, sailing around the room several times before descending toward the floor. He exploded in a sparkling white mist of light energy then coalesced into his human form. He stood seven feet tall in front of the couch that contained his stones. His curly, brown hair was tousled and a few silky strands splayed across his forehead. His casual, white pants and shirt hung loose over his solid, muscular frame.
He leaned down so he could reach underneath the couch and pull the five stones out that he was weaving spells to. Perry froze when he became aware of Helen’s presence. Ever since he’d known her, he felt a subtle current of energy flow between the two of them. Perry wasn’t sure what to make of it and didn’t know if Helen could detect it but suspected she didn’t. Mark was making house calls to clients so Perry was alone in the house. The familiar excitement that always stirred his senses at Helen’s arrival drove all thoughts of weaving new spells from his mind. Perry shoved the stones back under the couch and made his way towards the front door. He was only several feet away when Helen rang the bell. Perry twisted the knob and threw open the door with a wide smile spread across his face.
“Greetings, Helen. What brings you here?”
Helen leveled a startled but pleased look at him. “How did you answer the door so quickly?”
Perry wasn’t sure why but he felt hesitant to admit the truth so he told a small white lie. “I was working on the light energy power center in the house and happened to be near the front door when you showed up.”
“I’m sorry I interrupted.”
“That’s okay.”
“I was wondering if you could help me with my white magic power center at my condo,” Helen said. “It’s okay if you’re too busy.”
“I would be delighted to help.” Perry found himself distracted as he gazed at her face and marveled at the beautiful shade of green of her eyes and how her light energy shimmered over her body like a jewel. Because he was a light being, his second sight was always active so he always saw the energy that radiated from everyone and Helen’s in particular entranced him.
“Great! I appreciate this more than I can say.”
Perry and Helen walked down to the driveway where her silver, four-door sedan was parked. As Helen reached the driver’s side door, she realized that Perry had remained standing about a dozen feet away with his head cocked to the side examining the vehicle with an inscrutable expression.
“Is there something wrong?” Helen asked.
“I’ve never been in a car without Dad before,” Perry said.
“I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.” Helen regarded him with sympathy and guilt. “I should have known better. I’ll wait for Mark to come back home and see if he can join us.”
“I don’t know when he’ll be back.” Perry tamped down on his apprehension as he continued to observe the parked sedan. Mark had advised him he should learn to get over his fears. Perry had already ventured outdoors on numerous occasions away from the safety of the white magic power center that encompassed Josephine’s house and her enchanted garden in the back yard. He decided he should continue to expand his limits. After all, he was starting to grow restless with the routine of his daily life and wanted to experience more. Perry met Helen’s gaze and offered a warm smile. “I will ride with you now.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Helen asked.
“Yes.”
Perry strode over to the passenger side door, ignoring the pangs of anxiety that flared inside him. Instead, he focused on the faint current of power that flowed between himself and Helen. It was a pleasant sensation that he enjoyed quite immensely. He noticed it caused his breath to quicken and his heart rate to accelerate just a bit but rather than as a reflection of anxiety, it was a strange sort of excitement that he couldn’t understand. He supposed that this was what adventure-seekers or adrenaline junkies experienced and could see why people found it addictive. As Helen drove the short distance from Josephine’s house to her condo, she glanced periodically at Perry.
“This must be quite an adventure for you,” Helen surmised.
“Yes, it is.” Perry flashed a grin at her. “Thank you for taking me on one.”
“I appreciate your help. I’m worried about my powe
r center.” Helen threw him another warm smile before she turned into the parking lot for her condo.
The two of them made their way to her condo which was protected by light energy wards. Perry fell deeper into his other sight to get a better view of the composition of the white magic power center. Beautiful streams of white, purple, and blue energy wafted throughout the rooms. The house plants weren’t faring well and had failed to anchor the power center; however, it was still managing to hang on due to the large quartz clusters Helen had scattered against the walls. She had strategically placed most of them behind furniture so they wouldn’t show.
“The plants aren’t holding the power center at all but the crystals are working as anchors,” Perry observed.
“That’s what I thought. I didn’t realize that was even possible.” Helen regarded him with curiosity.
“It’s possible to use natural stones as anchors instead of plants. It depends entirely on the individual White Knight. It looks like your natural talent lies with the stones rather than plant life.”
“I’d never heard of that.”
“Humans know very little about the properties of light energy. I believe that’s because very few White Knights keep their abilities for more than a year or two. I hope you’ll be one of those rare exceptions. I feel the secret to keeping your abilities stable is to sleep in a power center and to be part of a magical link with other White Knights.”
“I’m looking forward to helping you link with our group tonight. That will make four of us altogether. I wonder if we can draw Alice in.” Helen’s expression was contemplative.
“I hadn’t thought about that before. She’s mainstream but so is Josephine. Although Josephine and Mark are an exception because of their true love and the special connection they already shared.”
“It was like they were meant to be together,” Helen remarked.
“Yes, I agree.” Perry’s gaze swept over the room. “I think the reason your power center is having problems is because you’ve been focusing your efforts on tying it down to the house plants. What does your intuition say?”
“To tell you the truth, I’ve been so worried about the plants, I hadn’t felt any intuitive insight on an alternative. I sort of had a silly notion to spend a bit of time on the rocks to help serve as an anchor to give me more time to fix the situation with the plants.”
“That was your intuition,” Perry advised. “It gave you that idea but your concern about the original planned layout got in the way. Listening to your quiet, inner voice of wisdom is one of the most challenging skills to learn.”
Helen arched a brow in bemusement. “It certainly is.”
“I can definitely help. We should alternate between strengthening the flow of the currents and setting anchors on the stones,” Perry said.
Helen and Perry held their hands out and began directing light energy through the living room. A sense of deep tranquility settled over them as they continued to work and lost track of time. They transitioned from room to room and entered Helen’s bedroom last. Helen not only had six quartz clusters positioned at the edges of the room but she also had a circle of these stones spanning about twelve feet in diameter in the very center.
Perry leveled a puzzled gaze at her. “What is this?”
“It’s a different spell that I felt like doing.”
Perry scanned the intricate patterns of energy weaved together between the stones and within the center of the ring.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life!” he exclaimed which wasn’t saying much since he was only about several months old. He stepped closer to the mysterious enchantment which drew his attention like a beacon. One of the properties of the spell was that it intensified the light energy of its surroundings like a magnifying lens. “This is truly remarkable! This enchantment has the potential to serve as a huge storage facility.”
“Is that what I’ve created then? Is it like a battery?” Helen asked.
“No, that’s only part of what it does. It’s like it has a built in battery to give it the power to do whatever it is going to do,” Perry said.
“And what exactly will it do?” Helen regarded him with curiosity.
“I have no idea but if you succeed, it will be a masterpiece.”
Helen leveled a concerned gaze at him. “Maybe I should stop. It could be dangerous.”
“I think you should keep going. Light energy can never be used for harm. Its basic properties heal, protect, and connect. You have nothing to fear.”
“Maybe it’s a more focused power center contained within the larger one of my condo,” Helen suggested.
Perry seriously doubted that. They resumed their work in her bedroom and when they finished, Helen was astonished to discover it was well after five. Perry’s body thrummed with the rush of power he’d been working with for so long.
“I’m so sorry! I took up your entire afternoon,” Helen apologized.
Perry leveled a reassuring look at her. “That’s all right. I’m glad I could help. In fact, I’d like to come over tomorrow.”
Helen gave Perry a brief, effusive hug. When she pulled away, he felt a sense of satisfaction and an awkward giddiness.
“I suppose I’d better be going.” Perry took a couple of clumsy steps backwards and bumped into one of her dressers. “Oops. Sorry about that.”
“You’re fine. Would you like some iced coffee or iced tea?” Helen asked.
“I don’t require food,” Perry said.
Helen threw him a playful look. “Eating can be fun. Have you ever tried coffee?”
“No.”
“I remember the time Alice gave you that onion ring. It must have been your first food.”
Perry cocked his head at her with curiosity. “How did you know that?”
“Lucky guess.” An amused grin spread across Helen’s face. “I’m going to fix you some coffee. It will be an experience you won’t forget.”
“Thank you, Helen. I’d like that.” Perry wasn’t sure what to make of her insistence that he consume a beverage but he enjoyed her company and found that he was hesitant to leave her.
Chapter 11
Excitement coursed through Maggie as she worked on the three-dimensional holographic display. An insight about the ancient technology had popped into her mind while she’d been scanning the ancient facility and studying some of the configurations of the operations systems. She currently occupied the computer station closest to the door in the central command center with her laptop computer resting on the raised platform that served as a desk. Maggie made a few more tweaks to the holographic schematic floating in front of her then saved it. She was certain she understood the basic premise for detecting terramezic energy now. The holographic door across the room slid open and Director Virginia Hamilton entered the room followed by three enforcers who took up positions a discreet distance from her. Virginia wore a sharp business suit dominated by earth tones and a large, blue opal pendant around her neck.
“Good morning, Maggie. I got your message.”
Virginia strode over to her and Maggie rose to her feet with an exuberant smile on her face.
“I’ve finished creating a blueprint for a terramezic energy detector.” Maggie reached out to the holographic schematic and made a gesture to enlarge it.
The diagram expanded to four times its original size.
Virginia’s gaze flitted over the different parts of the display. “This is extraordinary, Maggie! Does this mean you understand how terramezic energy works?”
“Not exactly but I’m certain I understand the properties well enough to detect it. If I’m right, I should be able to learn to sense it without any instruments since I’m a category six. It will take some time.”
“How did you come up with this design?” Virginia regarded her with curiosity.
“It’s kind of like I suddenly remembered information but I don’t remember ever learning it. I know it sounds strange.”
“I was hopin
g this would happen!” Virginia beamed at her. “You’ve been working with Alice for quite awhile on healing your mind but there were large quantities of computer code still in there. Even though she thought it would never be accessible to you because it was like another language, I suspected your mind would adapt and find a way to use it. After all, when your mind was occupied by APU 81, it was using your brain to store memories and process information so this gave your subconscious a blueprint to learn the language.”
“I thought it would just stay trapped in my subconscious like wasted space,” Maggie said. “I wonder if I’ll start to know more about our ancestors through APU 81’s memories.”
“What I think will happen for sure is that knowledge will start to surface in your thoughts as your mind continues to adapt to all of that computer code,” Virginia said.
“I think you’re right.”
Without warning, a blue cylinder-shaped energy field that spanned from the floor to the ceiling flickered into existence around the two women. An instant later, another field materialized around the three enforcers across the room. The doors to the command center slid open and Myles strode into the room.
“You’re not authorized to be here,” Virginia said.
“I’m in control of this facility now,” Myles said.
“You’re APU 81.” Virginia’s expression was wary.
“Very good, human.” Myles leered at her. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation earlier since I’m tapped into the computer system and listening to everything that’s happening in this facility. Maggie is the only host that has survived my occupation but I always suspected they would absorb my knowledge like a sponge. That’s why I’ve never allowed any of them to live before.” He fixed a hostile gaze upon Maggie. “And that’s why I must kill you now.”
“You must have uploaded a computer virus into this facility’s systems.” Maggie forced herself to convey a calm and collected demeanor even though facing APU 81 filled her with a sense of terror and hopelessness. She wouldn’t give it the satisfaction of knowing how she truly felt.