by RF Hurteau
The man offered him a wicked grin. “Better than what you’ve got,” he replied.
“True enough,” Terrance agreed.
All around them, people stopped to watch as they passed. Some stole furtive looks, while others just stared, slack-jawed. Apparently, they didn’t get many visitors. Their hosts led them through to a room where they stopped. The leader punched something into a keypad and the ground beneath Terrance shook. He threw his arms out to steady himself, and several of the guards raised their pipes as if expecting an attack. The room rose slowly upward, and they exited through another door where more of the strange machines lined the walls of a long, dim chamber.
“More walking,” Terrance mumbled under his breath. “Great.”
They marched through corridors and down long passageways up into a heavily populated lobby where yet more people stopped whatever they were doing to gawk at them. Terrance did not enjoy all the extra scrutiny, which made him uncomfortable. All this exertion had caused quite a bit of perspiration beneath the heavy parka, but he left it on. If he took it off, he’d have to carry it, and he didn’t really feel like carrying it.
When at last their journey came to an end, Terrance found himself in a small room, completely barren except for a rather unimpressive model of Antiquity’s Gate which leaned cockeyed against the far wall. As they stepped inside, the door whooshed closed behind them. Terrance walked over to the wall and sat down, resting his back against it. “Ah, that’s better,” he said, almost cheerfully. The rest of his team stared at him incredulously. “What?” he said. “At least it’s warmer than the drill, right?”
The guards stood dutifully in front of the door, saying nothing, until at last it whooshed open again, and several people stepped inside. A tall man with neat, sandy blond hair surveyed the room, followed by a petite woman with chestnut curls and a slightly shorter man who strutted in a way that reminded Terrance of how the royalty back home walked. Like he owned the place. This man looked over the group of strangers with wary, appraising eyes. The sandy-haired man spoke first. “This is all of them, Denton?”
“Yeah,” said the leader.
“My name is Edwin Smalls,” the man said, reaching out to Dante, who shrank back from his hand as though he had just been offered a venomous snake. Edwin frowned, and Terrance gave a guffaw. With some difficulty, he heaved himself up from the floor and strode forward.
“For crying out loud, Dante, it’s a handshake. I thought you were supposed to be a politician.” He grasped Edwin’s hand firmly in both of his own. “The name’s Terrance. Terrance Wallace of Her Majesty’s great nation of Culei. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Edwin looked down at their clasped hands with a flustered frown.
“Why are you here?” the shorter man demanded, stepping forward. “And what’s that thing you showed up in?”
“This is Nelson,” said Edwin, gesturing. “Please excuse his brashness. But I have to admit, I’m eager to hear the answers to those questions myself.”
Terrance nodded. “Makes sense. I’ve got some questions of my own, actually. Like what are you doing here? We were told Sanctuary was no longer habitable.”
Nelson scowled. “Not that it’s any of your business, but the unfortunate rumors of our demise are inaccurate. Not only is New Sanctuary fully functional—”
Edwin cleared his throat, and Nelson’s mouth snapped shut, his face a mask of indignance. “You’ll answer our questions first,” he said firmly. “Then, we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Emboldened by Terrance’s lack of fear, Leon managed to find his voice. “So, are we…prisoners, or something?”
Edwin looked from Leon, to Dante, to Rupert, and back to Terrance. He shook his head. “For now, we will consider you our guests. But that standing is wholly contingent on the information you provide. I’ll have some food brought down, and you will remain here for the time being. I’m going to assemble the Council, and then I’ll have someone come and collect you.” He looked to Denton. “You stay here. I don’t want them leaving this room.”
Edwin turned, and Nelson did likewise, strutting back out of the room behind him. Denton moved in front of the door, pipe in hand.
“Feels a bit unfriendly,” said Terrance. “I thought we were guests, not prisoners?”
“You’re guests,” Denton said with a wicked grin, “but if you try anything, you won’t find our hospitality to your liking.”
“The only thing I’m going to try,” said Terrance, looking around again as if expecting something to have appeared, “is to find a chair.”
“Terrance,” Rupert murmured, moving beside him. “How can you be so blasé about this? We’ve been captured by the enemy!”
Terrance waved a hand dismissively. “They aren’t the enemy, you idiot. They’re just people.” He sat back down on the floor. “Just people.”
“And when they find out…” Rupert said quietly, shooting a look at Denton, who was speaking to one of the other guards, “why we’re here?”
Terrance shrugged. “What are you suggesting, Rupert? Look around. This is our reality right now. Even if we could get out of this room without being beaten to within an inch of our lives by this thug and his cronies, how would we get back to the drill, eh? You think you can find your way back through this place? Without being stopped?”
Rupert looked crestfallen.
“Yeah,” said Terrance. “That’s what I thought. We can’t do anything, so just sit tight. Let’s hear them out. We’ll explain the situation, apologize for conspiring with the Therans, who tried to wipe them off the map, and I’m sure they’ll send us on our merry way.”
The others just stared at him with open mouths, and Terrance closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall. “Looks like we may have backed the wrong horse, gentlemen,” he said. “I don’t want to say I told you so, but…I told you so.”
nine
The Sea Rose Up to Meet Them
Look, I know we look alike and all, but I don’t think that’s going to work,” protested Felix. “I don’t know anything about him. I don’t know anything about this place, or the Council, or Imradia. I’m not going to be able to fake everything.”
“You don’t need to fake everything. Laevus said he was coming to get me. So, I can be right by your side. I’ll coach you. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to get in, sabotage the talks, and get out.”
“Without dying,” added Gavin.
Felix was still shaking his head. “I may be a little impulsive, but this plan sounds like a special kind of crazy. No one will believe I’m Laevus.”
“But no one is going to be looking for an imposter,” his mother said, speaking in a quick, excited voice. “So, no one will be scrutinizing your every move. You played a pretty convincing part back in Solara.”
Felix glanced at Gavin, who nodded. “You certainly had me fooled,” he said, unsmiling.
“I was just trying to act like the Elves in Sanctuary!” Felix moaned, “You know, pompous, arrogant—that sort of thing. It was luck.”
“Well, then, let’s hope it holds out,” Onyx said firmly. “Gavin, get those Envicti out of their cloaks. We’re going to need them.”
Laevus watched in silent fascination as they stripped the dead guards. Gavin wore the hooded cloak well, standing straight and tall. Tobias also put one on, though the effect was somewhat lacking.
“A little short for an Envicti, aren’t you?” quipped Laevus.
“It’s not great,” said Onyx with a frown, “but it will have to do. Besides, your job is simple—stay with the Floater.”
“What about the third one?” Ambrose asked nervously. “Shouldn’t you be returning with the same number of guards he showed up with?”
“Penelope will have to do it,” Onyx confirmed. “She fits the profile better than you do.” She looked at him apologetically. “No offense.”
Laevus was chuckling now. They continued to ignore him.
“But I’m a girl,” Penelope pointed out.
“You don’t have to speak,” Gavin told her. “The Envicti rarely speak.”
No one, except perhaps Onyx, seemed particularly happy with the way events were unfolding. But she seemed so confident, so determined. Felix found her manner both inspiring and unsettling, but he didn’t have time to ponder the source of her enthusiasm. Soon, he was wearing Laevus’ tunic and pants, and his brother was once again tied to the tree, this time in only his undergarments.
“All right, then, everyone ready?” Onyx asked, walking around Felix to inspect his disguise.
Penelope hugged Ambrose. “Be careful,” he told her, then looked at the rest of them. “All of you.”
“We’ll take good care of her,” Felix assured him. “You just stay here and keep Laevus out of trouble.”
“Trouble?” asked Laevus innocently. “Why would I cause Tubby any trouble? I’m sure we’ll have a splendid time together.”
“Watch yourself,” Felix said, giving Ambrose a pat on the shoulder. “I don’t think he’s all there.”
“Oh, he’s all there, all right,” said Onyx gravely. “Don’t let your guard down.”
Gavin climbed into the Floater and took the driver’s seat, reaching down to help Tobias and Penelope scramble up. Onyx boarded gracefully, and Felix managed to get in with a modicum of dignity. “These things should float lower to the ground,” he muttered.
Gavin turned the craft around and spoke over his shoulder to Onyx. “The Evenmire?”
“Yes,” she confirmed.
“What’s the Evenmire?” asked Penelope.
“It’s the Theran name for what you call Antiquity’s Gate,” Onyx replied. “That’s where Laevus was heading.”
“How can you be sure?” asked Tobias, worried. “Couldn’t he have been planning to bring you back to Imradia first?”
As if in response to his question, the Floater’s comm came to life. “Vanguard One, come in.” There was a short pause, then the voice came again. “Vanguard One, come in.”
Onyx and Gavin exchanged glances. “I think that’s us,” she said.
Gavin flicked a small toggle on the Floater’s console. “Vanguard One,” he replied.
“We are on route to the Evenmire. The Ambassador is due to arrive at sundown. Have you collected your package?”
Gavin looked sideways at Onyx. “Collection complete. See you at the rendezvous.”
He hit the toggle again, and indicated that it was safe for the others to speak once more.
Penelope leaned forward. “Nice job,” she told Gavin. “They didn’t even question you. Almost seemed like you’d done this before.”
“I have,” said Gavin, his face grim.
“Oh,” replied Penelope, when no further explanation seemed to be forthcoming.
“You know,” said Tobias thoughtfully, “this might all be for naught. There might not be any talks to sabotage.”
“What do you mean?” Felix said sharply. “Why wouldn’t there be?”
“Well,” Tobias continued, “if Sanctuary tried to destroy us on our way through the Gate, there’s no reason to assume they wouldn’t do the same to the Culeian Ambassador and his retinue.”
Penelope nodded. “You’re right. I wonder how they even planned to get to the Gate at all? I mean, Pravacordians live to fly. But Culeians? There’s no way they could construct an air-worthy vessel that could make it all the way down to Antiquity Island. And it’s not like they can just swim right up to it, it’s miles from shore. And after the shore, there’s the ice shelf.”
Felix shrugged. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe our job’s taken care of itself. Maybe we can all just go home.” He gave a scornful laugh. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Onyx looked tense. “They’ll get through,” she said solemnly. “Evil always finds a way.”
They spent the rest of the trip discussing their strategy. Felix practiced his impression of Laevus, and Onyx pointed out his mannerisms, correcting them.
“No,” she’d say patiently, “you’ve got to smile. He’s condescending and wicked, but he always does it with a smile.”
Or, “No, no, no, Laevus would never hesitate to make eye contact. He thinks everyone is beneath him.”
After a dozen more corrections, Felix threw his hands up in frustration. “You know what?” he said at last, “I’m just going to wing it. Besides, the Culeian Ambassador doesn’t know anything about Laevus, so we won’t have to do much to fool him.”
“No,” said Onyx, “but there’s the Council. You’ll need to interact with them, too.”
Felix shrugged. “Listen, our plan is weak, our preparation is beyond rushed, and we’re about to dive into the belly of the beast. I think a little improvisation isn’t going to make or break us.”
“You should take this more seriously, Felix,” scolded Penelope. “All of our lives are on the line here.”
Felix’s smile turned to a scowl. “You think I don’t know that?” he said, his tone bitter. “You think I want to die here, and leave Willow, leave my children, alone in Pravacordia? No one wants them there. They’re an inconvenience to the Ministry. They’re ‘unfinished business.’ I refuse to fail this mission. If I don’t come back, who knows what will become of them? What the Ministry might see fit to do?” He sat back in his seat. “We aren’t going to die here, Penelope,” he said firmly. “I promise.”
They were all quiet then. It seemed a long while before Gavin broke the silence. “Almost there,” he said. “Get ready.”
Penelope and Tobias pulled their hoods up, obscuring their faces. Felix tried to relax, forcing his body to portray the casual indifference that Laevus had exuded. Onyx sat stiffly, staring straight ahead.
The Evenmire came into view, and Felix heard Penelope let out a little gasp. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, awestruck.
Though the opening of the Gate was barely larger than Pluto, perhaps eight feet wide and twelve feet tall, the structure itself was much larger. It rose from the ground in a delicate, organic fashion, two massive, gleaming columns of lavender crystal, all smooth sides and sharp edges. They met in a peak above the opening which rose another six feet into the air. The arch gave the appearance of two waves crashing against each other. The whole structure seemed almost to glow, as if it were absorbing the sun’s rays into its depths and radiating them back out again, throbbing with an inner light. The effect made it seem almost alive.
“On Earth,” whispered Tobias, “they tried to dig down, to see if they could move the Gate to a more hospitable location to study it. But the Gate extends deep into the ground. So deep, in fact, that they were unable to ascertain just how far down it actually goes.”
“Whoa,” commented Penelope.
“Whoa, indeed,” agreed Tobias.
They stopped talking as Gavin brought the Floater to a halt. The sun was low in the sky now, but there were no other vehicles in sight.
“They’ll be here soon,” Gavin said. “Keep up appearances, and keep your mouths shut.” He turned to Felix. “Except you, of course.”
Felix swallowed hard, an anxious feeling growing in his stomach. He nodded. “Right,” he said. “I’m ready.”
They exited the Floater and stood quietly. Penelope and Tobias stayed behind. “Stop fidgeting,” Onyx snapped at Tobias, who was bouncing slightly in his seat.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.
The sun had only just kissed the horizon as they heard the sound of more Floaters approaching. Felix looked toward the noise and saw three of the vehicles coming over the crest of a hill. The Floaters came to a stop, and a tall, menacing looking Elf was the first to disembark. He walked toward Felix, who studied him closely. Thin, severe eyebrows crowned icy blue eyes. A sinister, hungry smile was accentuated by sharp cheekbones, and a pointed chin jutted out from his thin face. Felix felt his mother tense beside him, and knew who this Elf must be before she said it.
“Pike,” she s
aid coldly, by way of greeting.
“Onyx, my dear. How lovely to see you again. I assume you know why we’ve brought you here?”
“I’m aware, yes.”
“Good, good.” He nodded, looking her up and down in a way that made Felix feel as though she were a rabbit, and Pike were a wolf. Then Pike shifted his attention to Felix, who had to force himself to offer a nod of acknowledgement.
“I do hope the Ambassador is prompt,” said Pike. “It would be best to get this over with quickly.”
Felix wasn’t sure how to answer, so he nodded, saying nothing.
“I mean, we certainly don’t want him sticking around any longer than necessary,” Pike went on. “Honestly, I’m not sure why the Council didn’t simply just agree to the terms and be done with it. All this pomp and circumstance seems ridiculous.”
Felix could tell by the way Pike was looking at him that he was expecting a response. He made a small, disdainful sound and nodded. “Ridiculous,” he agreed. He wanted Pike to stop talking, but the Elf seemed unable to help himself.
“There’s really no need for him to come at all. We could agree to whatever they want. It’s not like we’re going to stick to it anyway. All we need is their assistance establishing a transportation system to the mainland. Now that we have CEDAR up and running, it’s simply a matter of getting there, isn’t it?”
Onyx looked up sharply, eyes wide. “CEDAR is fully functional? But I thought it was abandoned when Sanctuary was destroyed.”
Pike frowned at her. “Don’t be a fool. We’d been working simultaneously with Nero all along. We couldn’t trust him and his incompetent team to be the only ones working on it. But you needn’t worry about that. You are here to make the Human comfortable. Give him whatever he needs. Get him to trust you.”
She straightened her shoulders, staring at Pike defiantly. “Why should I do anything to help you?” she growled. Felix could sense that her feelings toward Pike were clouding her better judgement. He had to act, and fast.