4 Terramezic Energy

by John O'Riley

  “This is the most advanced hacking enchantment ever conceived. What would you prefer to do? Do you think YOU could do any better?” Arthur sneered as his eyes remained glued to the computer.

  Josephine crossed her arms over her chest. “I probably could.”

  More red lettering appeared on the console. Josephine motioned her friends to fall back. They retreated to the bottom of the stone steps. When the masculine voice of the computer spoke in the musical language of the Ancients, a stern and warning tone tinged its words. A hidden door at the top of the stairs slid shut and sealed everyone inside.

  Josephine swiveled to face Mark. “Can you shield us? I think we’ll need it.”

  “You won’t be able to use your magic outside the shield,” he reminded her.

  “I know.” Josephine offered a tight smile.

  Arthur threw them a condescending look as he continued to hold his wand at the console. “I’m sure I’ll gain access to this system any second. There’s no need to panic.”

  A telekinetic wave threw him, Clarence, and the guards backward. Mark’s shield snapped into existence, blazing bright with the familiar white luminescence to encompass Josephine’s team. Arthur sat up and searched for his obsidian wand which was broken due to the impact against the wall. From farther down the hall, a layer of red smoke crept along the compact dirt floor.

  “It’s a knockout spell,” Josephine warned them.

  Arthur, Clarence, and the guards retreated from the cloud as they pulled out power wands. The red smoke continued to approach them, occasionally lit with small sparks of light. It halted as it reached an invisible dampening field that the guards had created to hold it off. Josephine knew this wouldn’t last for very long. Arthur tucked his wand away and pulled out another black obsidian mini wand which he pointed at the console. The red smoke filled the other side of the corridor behind the dampening field, steadily rising towards the ceiling.

  “This corridor is air-tight. We’re going to suffocate if we don’t leave soon,” Josephine said.

  “Don’t you think I don’t already know that?” Arthur snapped.

  “You never said anything,” Josephine pointed out. “I’m not a mind-reader.”

  Arthur grunted with annoyance as he focused on the console which continued to display all messages in red.

  “It’s an alien language, I don’t think you’ll be able to decrypt it,” Maggie said.

  “Activate your protection spells,” Arthur ordered.

  He, Clarence, and the guards brought up their personal shields.

  “That won’t protect you from the knockout spell. Only white magic or a dampening field can block it,” Josephine warned him.

  Arthur ignored her completely as he studied the crimson lettering on the console. The telekinetic wave struck him and the guards, temporarily lighting up their shields with gold luminescence. None of them were knocked off their feet this time. The guards and Clarence had to switch to new power wands as the old ones fizzled out. Another telekinetic wave lashed out at the group, slamming against their personal protection. The computer system attacked more and more quickly. Josephine clenched her jaw with anxiety as she watched Arthur, Clarence, and the guards work. She hoped they would survive this encounter with APU 81. Movement at the end of the corridor caught her attention as well as that of the guards. An instant later, eleven daggers shot out from the red smoke and smashed into the shields of the nearest guards which deflected the attack. A small red ruby encrusted in the handle of the weapons glinted in the light and contained the deadly enchantment that propelled them.

  “How did they get past the dampening field?” one of the guards asked.

  “The enchantment activates for just a couple seconds to target and propel the knives. The momentum carried them through. If you slide them into the dampening field, they’ll stay dormant,” Josephine said.

  Clarence and the others kicked the daggers into the field. A telekinetic wave lashed out from the computer console but this time, it continued to pummel them.

  Arthur drew his wand back with a look of disgust. “I can’t believe it didn’t work.” He took a step back from the console as it continued to strike them with telekinetic waves. “Everyone fall back.”

  They retreated to the confines of Mark’s shield. The dampening field swiftly disintegrated without the constant effort of the guards and the red smoke rushed forward as if eager to attack its victims. It couldn’t penetrate the white magic protection that encompassed the group but it effectively obscured their vision. The daggers pounded against the shield, startling them with the unexpected movement and violence. The daggers disappeared as they were thrown back into the mist.

  “Can we break out of here?” Arthur asked.

  “The door is sealed shut. We could use telekinesis but as long as we’re surrounded by white magic, we won’t be able to touch it,” Josephine advised.

  “You can’t push against it and force it open?” Arthur fixed his attention on Mark.

  “If I tried to do that, the protection would fail,” he said.

  “I hate white magic,” Alice grumbled.

  “We’d all be unconscious without it,” Josephine pointed out.

  Alice shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “We don’t have any choice but to move forward and see if we can find the skull.” Arthur’s lips formed a dour frown.

  They made their way down the narrow corridor with care. The knives periodically struck Mark’s protection but his shield showed no sign of instability yet. Nevertheless, Josephine’s heart raced as fear prodded her. There was often very little warning before white magic failed. The red smoke continued to swirl outside the confines of their shield, waiting for the opportunity to smother them. Josephine continued to scan the perimeter for more traps or signs of the crystal skull.

  She almost gasped with surprise when she finally sensed their target. “There’s a door up ahead sealed shut blocking a room with the crystal skull. I recognize the energy signature. It’s attached to a device that must be a generator for terramezic energy.”

  Maggie activated the wand clutched in her right hand then nodded in agreement.

  “Yes, there’s a steady flow of terramezic energy being fed into the skull,” she said.

  “How will we get past the door?” Arthur asked.

  “There’s another control console just outside the door,” Josephine said.

  “That’s just terrific.” Arthur shot her a sarcastic look. “And how do you propose we hack into it?”

  Josephine pinned him with a frosty stare. “Your method proved completely ineffective so I think we’ll use white magic.”

  Arthur snorted with derision.

  “I could try to channel light energy through the control panel and see if that will disrupt the terramezic energy,” Mark said.

  “Maybe you can use your white magic to tap into the computer,” Josephine suggested.

  Mark nodded in acknowledgement. “I’ll try.”

  They made their way to the door then Mark aimed his palm at the console, issuing a mist-like flow of source energy. The crimson-lit lettering on the screen blinked then shifted to display different messages for several seconds at a time as they changed from red to yellow. Josephine watched her boyfriend work with tense expectation and fervent hope. Mark’s face conveyed his deep concentration. The console chirped and beeped warnings and the lettering shifted back to red. Telekinetic waves slammed into his shield. The knives made another appearance, slashing violently at the white magic protection before landing on the ground with faint thuds. The display turned green and the stone door slid open with an audible scraping sound.

  “You did it!” Josephine gave Mark a quick, enthusiastic hug and kiss on the cheek.

  “My hero.” Arthur shot Mark a sardonic sneer.

  “You’re such an ass,” Josephine snapped.

  “And you’re an old has-been,” Arthur retorted.

  They stepped into the room which was free of further trap
s. The red smoke billowed into the room from the open doorway. The crystal skull lay on a stone pedestal with glowing Ancient symbols etched along its surface. Arthur reached for it. The white shield wouldn’t extend enough to allow him to grasp it though. His hands pressed against the firm barrier of the light energy and he threw Mark an exasperated look.

  “How do we get that damned thing now?” he demanded.

  “We probably won’t be able to because we intend on destroying it,” Mark said.

  “What kind of namby pamby nonsense is this?” Alice asked.

  “You know that’s how white magic works,” Josephine reminded her.

  “How do you propose we proceed with our mission under these circumstances?” Arthur demanded.

  Josephine leveled a smug grin at him. “You’ll have to learn patience and wait for the knockout spell to fizzle out. Once that happens, we can just grab the skull and be on our way.”

  “This is ridiculous! What if Mark’s shield wears off before the knockout spell?” Arthur regarded her with exasperation.

  “Relax, Gattager. This will be an important lesson in patience for you.” Josephine’s lips formed a condescending smile.

  “The name is Captain Gallagher,” he snarled.

  “Whatever.” Josephine’s eyes flashed with mirth as she turned her back on him to face Alice, Mark, and Maggie.

  They waited in stony silence until the red smoke dissipated. Maggie had her wand aimed and ready to fire.

  “Maggie gets to destroy the skull. I promised her and this is technically my assignment,” Josephine said.

  Arthur narrowed his eyes at her with undisguised hostility. “It’s our mission and I’m the senior leader here.”

  “It was made clear that I’m the leader for this expedition,” Josephine said. “Mark will keep us confined in here until you stand down, Gallagher.”

  “Just get on with it.” Arthur gestured at the skull.

  Josephine nodded at Mark who lowered the white magic protection. Maggie unleashed a powerful burst of telekinesis that hurtled the skull against the wall with tremendous force, cracking it but leaving it in one piece. She had to continue beating the crystal skull against the wall half a dozen times before it broke into several pieces.

  “Let me make sure this was APU 81.” Josephine picked up one of the large chunks of crystal and allowed the whispers of psychic impressions to flow to her mind. She nodded her head with acknowledgement and her shoulders went limp with relief. “Yes, this is it.”

  Josephine noticed Maggie’s eyes misted with unshed tears.

  She patted her on the shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” Maggie’s gaze met hers. “I’m so glad this is finally over. I don’t have to worry about APU 81 hunting me down and killing me or stealing my body ever again.”

  Surprise and compassion danced across Arthur’s face for a split second before he adopted a no-nonsense, business-like demeanor. “Let’s get this thing contained.”

  They placed each piece of the skull in separate cloth satchels and left the underground shelter.

  Chapter 38

  Perry, Helen, Maggie, Virginia, and Josephine stood around the enchanted circle of stones in Helen’s bedroom waiting for the portal to activate. Helen’s eyes were shut as she concentrated and channeled light energy into the stones. The familiar silvery sphere flashed into existence, swirling slowly clockwise.

  Helen opened her eyes. “I’ve got us connected to Adamas.”

  “All right, Perry. Touch base with Hermina,” Josephine instructed.

  Perry adopted a distant expression on his face and they waited in silence.

  “Hello, my friends,” Hermina’s voice drifted into their minds.

  “It’s been about a week since we left Adamas. How are things going? Will it be safe to turn on our Interplanetary Transit Center?” Josephine asked.

  “I’m afraid I don’t have good news on that front. We’ve taken Virgos and half of this continent but everything else is still under Ludovic’s control. You can’t take the risk,” Hermina informed her.

  Josephine exchanged a troubled look with Virginia. “We’ll chat again some time. I wish you luck.”

  “Thank you.”

  Josephine felt Hermina’s presence leave them.

  “Close the portal, Helen,” Josephine said.

  “Aye, Captain.” Helen flashed a mischievous grin and gestured at the silver energy sphere, causing it to wink out of existence.

  “It feels funny to think of myself as a captain,” Josephine said.

  “You’re no longer in probationary status,” Virginia announced. “As of right now, your position is permanent as leader of this team. Colonel Mills was pleased with how you concluded the mission and your success with curing Yvonne and Charlotte – not just with the mind control spell but returning their out of control powers back to normal. You’ve all done excellent and I’m so glad to have you as one of my teams.”

  “Will I still be able to hire Mark as a consultant when needed?” Josephine asked.

  “You may do so whenever you feel it is warranted.” Virginia leveled an amiable smile at her then swept her gaze over the three of them. “You no longer report to Colonel Mills anymore. It’s been decided that you are an effective team all on your own. Of course, you will still need to work with his team and others from time to time.”

  “How often do you think that will happen?” Helen asked.

  “The main reason you’ll work with other teams is because of your interplanetary portal here.” Virginia gestured at the circle of quartz clusters. “The government plans on seeking out alliances with colony worlds and developing our technology through possible bartering or exchange programs. There are a lot of details to iron out and when you take government decision-making into consideration, there will most likely be lengthy delays in these types of missions.”

  “Why does the government want to develop alliances with other worlds?” Perry regarded her with curiosity.

  Virginia’s expression sobered. “After reading your reports, it made all of us aware that there is an ongoing effort for the AI’s to conquer Earth. If we don’t develop our defensive and offensive capabilities, we’re sitting ducks.”

  “APU 81 was the last AI left on Earth after the Great Wizard Wars. We don’t have to worry about any new Interplanetary Transit Centers popping up,” Josephine said. “What am I missing?”

  “We’re concerned that there may be crystal skulls still in hiding. Most of the AI’s are not able to control people and we don’t have the technology to create androids so it’s possible one or more of them may be waiting around. Furthermore, Hermina made reference to space travel. Apparently many of these facilities are capable of teleporting through space. If they develop a Power Generation Center with sufficient energy output to reach Earth, they would no longer need to establish a connection with one of our Interplanetary Transit Centers,” Virginia explained. She paused then offered a warm, easy smile at the group. “But I don’t think any of that is going to happen any time soon. You’ve all done extremely well and I want you to take the rest of the day off! Enjoy yourselves!”

  “You are too kind. Thank you.” Helen leveled an appreciative look at her.

  “You’re welcome. You’ve earned it.” Virginia rose to her feet. “Until next time.”

  Virginia left the condo and the rest of the group lounged in the living room.

  “I think she’s my favorite boss ever,” Helen gushed.

  “Me, too,” Perry interjected.

  “Isn’t she your first and only boss?” Maggie arched a sardonic brow.

  “That’s right which means she’s my favorite.”

  “I have to say I really like her,” Josephine agreed.

  “You and Mark have a date tonight, right?” Helen asked.

  “Yes. I’m not sure why he’s referring to it as a date since we’re living together and everything. He’s always taking me out to dinner or d
oing something nice for me. I’m really grateful that we managed to cross paths,” Josephine said.

  “He’s really sweet,” Helen said. “Definitely a keeper.”

  Josephine reflexively rested her hand against her abdomen even though it wasn’t possible to feel her unborn child yet. Although it excited her to have this baby with Mark, the experience of giving birth and possible complications scared her.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Helen said.

  “You do?” Josephine was hesitant to voice her fears as it made the possibilities seem more real.

  “It’s a terrifying prospect for a woman in her eighties to have a baby.” Helen leveled a sympathetic gaze at Josephine. “But your body is still strong and healthy. Just look at you!”

  Maggie took in Josephine’s fit body, silky black hair, and smooth youthful skin. “She’s right. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Josephine felt some of the tension ease away as she acknowledged their observations. She brushed aside her concerns and decided to try and just enjoy herself. If Mark wanted to call their night out a date, so be it. Josephine went to the Siesta Key beach and tapped into the vortex as she jogged for over an hour. Power cascaded through her body, making it sing with pleasure. As she pumped her legs with superhuman strength and endurance, she reveled in the amazing sensations. She had missed this. Even though the mini vortex in her house provided a similar experience, a vortex like this one was even more potent. Josephine returned home and took a quick shower. She waited with eager anticipation for Mark. He was making house calls today with his restoration enchantments. Even though he made more than enough as a consultant for MADA, he didn’t want to give up his business and enjoyed helping people. Many of his customers had broken heirlooms that equated to priceless family history and legacies that spanned generations.

  Mark drove Josephine in his shiny black SUV that he’d restored to pristine condition but she knew in reality it was over thirty years old. He’d even managed to achieve a new car smell without adding any air fresheners. His abilities were impressive and he was developing quite a reputation in the area.