by JN Chaney
She turned an awkward grin, patting his head. “I bet you are, little man.”
“If they’re headed south, we’ll have to move quickly,” said Tia.
“Priestess!” called a man’s voice from outside.
Zika turned to the cave entrance. “I told you not to disturb us! Not unless you—”
“We found something! You’ll want to come and see.”
“Oh, really?” muttered Zika. She looked at Plead. “Did you hear that?”
“I wonder what it could be,” said Tia.
The two women dragged Plead out of the cave, carrying him with ease. Even now, scared as he was, he could not help but be impressed. They brought him into the woods, following the soldier who had called for them, finally stopping at—
Oh, no.
“We found some tracks all over this spot,” said the guard, standing over the tunnel entrance, which was now open. All of the dirt had been moved to the side.
“Took a bit to find the door, but the indentation in the sand gave us a clue,” said another. “Figured it was worth a check.”
“What do you think about that?” asked Tia, looking at Plead.
“I don’t know anything about this. Smugglers used to run through these woods. It probably has to do with them.”
“The tracks are fresh. No more than a day,” said the first guard.
“It seems you’ve lied to us, little man,” said Zika, frowning.
“N-No, I didn’t,” insisted Plead.
“The tracks look like your haggins’,” said the priestess. “Look at those big feet.”
“That’s not—”
“Shall I go and get a piece from the cave to compare?”
“Let’s kill him and go after them,” suggested Tia, impatiently.
“Oh,” said Zika. She swept her fingers through the merchant’s hair. “I suppose we’re done now.”
Zika plunged her dagger into his belly, twisting it in one quick motion. She gripped him by the hair and smiled.
Plead screamed from the pain, unable to move. He opened his mouth to beg, ready to do anything to make it stop. Why didn’t he tell her the truth? Why did he have to play the hero? He was never that person. He wasn’t noble. He was a trader, a merchant, a talker. Always the man with the goods. What was he even doing here? Why didn’t he just stay home?
“Now, now,” said Zika, a kind smile on her. She stroked his head like a doll. “No need to worry anymore. We’ll take it from here.” She kissed his forehead. “The traitor and her coward husband will be with you soon.”
CHAPTER 16
Leadership Report 220392.332
Recorded 02.26.884
Subtitled: Rosenthal Analysis
GEL: Analyst reports confirm the location of a human male in grid 1121-89. We must dispatch immediately.
KAI: How certain are you of the identity?
GEL: The scans indicate a ninety-six point four percent probability, based on facial and body recognition software. It is very likely that this is the missing human we have been searching for.
KAI: You mentioned grid 1121-89, but the earlier report indicated 1121-87. Has something changed?
GEL: The individual has since migrated north of the wall. He appears to be taking refuge in one of our abandoned maintenance outposts.
KAI: If this is true, then we should proceed with the next phase. Shall we have Master Lao send a ship to retrieve him?
GEL: I’m afraid we will need something better than the aircraft. Something with true firepower.
KAI: Why is that?
GEL: The child is traveling with two associates. One appears to be a priestess, if her tattoos are any indication. You’ll recall most of these priests and priestesses have an immunity, which means they must be dealt with in force.
KAI: Are you suggesting we send the sentry units?
GEL: They’ve proven efficient in dealing with the natives on the southern wall before.
KAI: And what if the boy dies in the fight?
GEL: The priestess might be immune, but I don’t believe the human is. The sentries can subdue him with the paralyzing agent before disposing of the natives. It should go smoothly.
KAI: You’ll excuse my reservations. This human is a vital asset. I would hate to lose him.
GEL: Don’t worry, sir. The sentries can be gentle when the situation calls for it. We’ll have him in the lab by the end of the day. I assure you, the mission will succeed.
KAI: See that it does, Master Analyst, for your own sake.
End Audio File
The Tower of the Cartographers, Everlasting
February 27, 2351
John had spent the last several days meeting with various leaders in Everlasting. They all wanted a chance to talk with the aliens from Earth. He didn’t like the attention all that much, but if one of these leaders—Master of this, Master of that—could help him find his friend, he’d put up with just about anything.
Today, he was meeting with Master Gel, the head of Lena’s division. The Tower of the Cartographers, they apparently called it. A floating set of buildings above the city.
John could hardly believe it at first. The Red Door shuttled them here this morning, taking them hundreds of yards above the ground. They’d told him that the tower was on a kind of floating island, but he didn’t quite believe it. Not until he actually saw it with his own eyes, that is.
What a sight it was, too. With this kind of technology available to them, it was no wonder Everlasting ruled the world. Still, John found it a little strange that such an advanced society would ever have a reason to ask Central for help.
Yet, that was exactly the case. Mei was in the city right now, delivering information to Everlasting’s scientists on how to solve the Variant problem. Somehow or another, humanity had managed to bypass this radically advanced civilization in this single venture, despite falling behind in everything else.
Lucky us, he thought. We’re not completely worthless.
“Hey, boss, this is some view, huh?” said Track.
John had heard him coming, naturally. “Pretty fancy. What do you think?”
Track wrinkled his nose. “Eh, it’s a little too much for me. I’ll take the ground.”
“Speak for yourself,” said Short. “This place is out of this world!”
“So are we, technically,” remarked Hughes, quite proud of himself.
“Funny guy, you are,” said Short.
“How do you figure they get this place to float so high?” asked Track.
John couldn’t begin to guess, so he said nothing. Everlasting’s technology was so far advanced that it sometimes looked like magic. A floating tower in the sky. An invisible shield around their city.
Sure, why the hell not? He didn’t have to understand how they worked or why. He only had to know how to survive them. The world could fill with unicorns and dragons, but he’d still manage to keep going and protect the ones he loved. At the end of the day, none of this other nonsense mattered.
Let someone else worry about the wonders of the universe.
“Is everyone ready?” asked one of the attendants. “Master Gel is ready to see you.”
John hooked his thumbs into his vest. “Let’s do it.”
“Good thing, too. I think Mickey’s getting sick,” said Short.
Mickey was sitting beneath the Red Door, leaning against the wheel, rubbing the side of his neck.
“Come on, Mick,” said Hughes, helping him to his feet.
The attendant took them inside, through several hallways and around a series of offices. John spotted one room which had several rows of people sitting in slanted chairs, staring at nothing, with empty expressions. Based on what he knew about the implants they had inside their heads, he could only imagine that they were seeing something he wasn’t. Some kind of invisible display.
After a short elevator ride, they found themselves on the administration floor. Master Gel’s secretary stood to welcome them, dismissing the atten
dant who’d led them here. “I’m afraid the Master Analyst’s office isn’t large enough for everyone. Sergeant Finn, do you mind if your team waits here for you?”
“Well, boys?” asked John.
“Have fun, boss,” said Short, snickering. “We’ll let you handle all the politics.”
John gave her a look. “Don’t make me promote you,” he said.
“Please don’t,” she answered, raising her hands defensively. “I like being a grunt. It’s easy work.”
“This way, sir. If you’ll follow me.”
“Right,” said John.
The secretary led him to the nearby office. Master Gel sat behind the desk, sorting through a small box, but stopped when he noticed John. “Welcome,” said Gel.
John stepped inside and took a seat across from him. “Thanks for seeing me.”
“I understand you wanted to inquire on the status of our search,” said Master Gel. “The one involving your associate, Terry.”
“My friend,” corrected John.
“Right, yes. I apologize.”
“Do you have anything yet?” asked John.
“As you’re aware, we’ve placed several teams of analysts on this in an effort to expedite the process. However, we have yet to find anything definitive. The world is quite large. Rest assured, Sergeant Finn, we are doing everything in our power to find him.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” said John.
“And we are glad to have you with us,” said Master Gel. “I believe this alliance will prove most beneficial to both sides, and finding your associate…your friend…is part of it.”
“Is it possible to see what you guys are doing? Maybe someone could show us around. Is Lena nearby? It’s been a few days since any of us saw her. Is she doing alright?” asked John.
“Analyst Sol is preoccupied with another matter at the moment, I’m afraid, but I’d be happy to escort you through the facility, personally. You can see exactly what we’re doing and how everything works.”
“Is Lena on another project?” asked John.
“Indeed,” said Gel. “You likely won’t encounter her for some time. I hope it’s not an inconvenience.”
“I guess not.”
“You might be happy to hear that she’ll be receiving a promotion soon, due largely to her work in forming this treaty between our two people. A different liaison will be assigned to assist you in her stead, but I assure you they will be highly qualified. Handpicked by Analyst Sol herself.”
“That’s good. She deserves the promotion. Lena’s done a great job.”
Gel smiled. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
******
The Border
February 27, 2351
On the third day, Terry and his friends left their temporary home beneath the dirt, ready to return to the other side of the great wall. The sky was clear at dawn, but brought some overcast by the time they departed, gray clouds moving with heavy wind behind them.
They hurried to the east, keeping by the wall to mind their place. Thunder snapped along the horizon, giving them pause. Terry could already hear the falling rain a kilometer away, moving toward them.
For a moment, he thought he heard another noise, somewhere far off, but he couldn’t be certain. Whatever it was—it didn’t matter. They’d soon be out of here and on their way to the cabin. They’d meet Plead, and he’d tell them how uneventful the last three days had been for him. How nothing bad had happened. How everything was going to be okay.
Thankfully, Ysa had regained a bit of her strength during the three-day rest. She seemed to have less trouble with the pain. Perhaps another day or two and she’d be back to normal.
They’d left behind their bags, having used most of the supplies Plead had given them. There was no point in lugging around useless apparel, especially in the rain, not to mention the mud and filth that would come during their tunnel crawl.
Another thunderclap sounded in the sky above, heralding the storm that would soon be upon them. “Let us hurry,” suggested Ludo.
As they neared the tunnel entrance, Terry heard the noise again, this time with a little more clarity. It was something resembling a voice, light and melodic, like someone humming. “Hold on,” he barked, calling to the others. “Listen for a second. Do you hear that?”
The wind was blowing hard, kicking their clothes. “Is something wrong?” asked Ludo.
Terry pointed at his ear. “Do you hear it?”
Ysa closed her eyes, presumably to listen. She had better hearing than either of them when she was healthy. Right now, she might not have the range, but it would still be pretty good. Ludo looked across the fields in every direction, darting his eyes around. “What do you hear?” asked Ludo to his wife.
She shook her head. “There is something faint, but I cannot make it out.”
“Terry, is someone nearby?” he asked.
“I don’t know. It’s—”
A roar of thunder boomed, quieting him, and then a drop of water hit him on the forehead. He felt it slide across his nose, cold and fresh. A second later, the rain came down at last, showering them at once.
“We must get to the tunnel!” yelled Ludo.
The wind picked up and slammed the falling drops into them like little stones, pricking Terry’s face and chest. They ran through the field, hitting puddles and soft earth. By the time they found the tunnel entrance, Terry’s boots were caked in mud and grime, and his clothes were heavy with rain.
Ludo grabbed the hatch and lifted it, casting it against the wind. It slammed into the ground, splashing mud and water all around.
Terry stared into the pit as the rain began to fill it. “Are you ready?” he asked his friends.
“Plead will be waiting,” said Ludo. “We must hurry.”
“Stop!” snapped Ysa, grabbing her husband’s wrist. She grew still and quiet with distant eyes, with a look that suggested she heard something.
Terry tried to listen, too, and at last he heard it clearly. A woman’s laughter. It was coming from nearby.
“You hear it?” Ysa asked him.
He nodded. “What is it?”
“A familiar voice,” she said. “Prepare yourselves.”
Movement in the distance. The sound of splashing boots and grunting men, marching in the rain. They appeared from beyond a set of trees and piled stones. A dozen temple guards with swords and guns…two priestesses in their midst. “At last, we have found you!” cried one of them. “The lost sister. The traitor herself.”
“Zika,” muttered Ysa.
Ludo looked at Terry. “We must protect Ysa. She is not yet well enough to—”
“Who is that with you?” asked Zika.
“Her husband, it seems,” said the other priestess.
“Tia, I know that. I meant the little one.”
“Their son, maybe?”
“What an ugly thing. Look at his tiny ears.”
“Is it so, Ysa? Is that your child? He seems deformed,” said Tia.
“What should we expect from someone like her?”
“Quiet!” snapped Ysa. “You would do well not to speak ill of my family.”
“So, it is true,” said Zika, laughing. “How perfect. A hideous child for a hideous traitor.”
Ysa didn’t bother correcting them. “You will pay for your words.”
Ludo leaned over to Terry. “Be ready. The fight will be difficult.”
“Are they as strong as Gast?” asked Terry.
Ludo shook his head.
“Then it’ll be easy.”
The priestesses walked closer, about ten yards away. They stood there, staring, waiting. Each of them wore a dagger on their hip—the same type as the sword Plead had given Terry. The same one that had pierced Gast Maldeen’s chest and ripped his soul out. Sacred vessels, Ludo had called them.
Whatever the case, Terry couldn’t let his guard down…not for a second. He might be able to handle guns and regular swords, but these things were
another issue altogether. He’d have to stay on his toes, because one wrong move and—
“I’ll tell you what, Ysa,” shouted Zika. “If you turn yourself in, we promise not to kill you. You can go right back to your cell. What do you think?”
Tia chuckled. “We’ll even put your family in the cells next to yours!”
Ludo threw his arm in front of his wife, shielding her. He stepped forward. “Run, Ysa. Get away from here, quickly.”
Terry grabbed him by the wrist. “Don’t be ridiculous! You can’t take them all on by yourself.”
“Terry is right,” said Ysa, touching her husband’s arm. “We must do this together…or not at all.”
“No! If you go into battle, you may die. Your wounds are not yet—”
She smiled, her kind eyes staring into his. “It has been many years since we first escaped our fates together, husband, but I have not forgotten my purpose. I was made to fight the Guardians, to shed blood upon this very field. Don’t you see, my sweet Ludo?” Ysa leaned over and kissed him. “I was born for this.”
She turned from him and leapt forward, exploding into a wild sprint.
Terry watched as Ysa became a blur, a distorted mess of color flying through the rain.
Zika raised her arms to shield herself, but wasn’t fast enough. Ysa plowed into her, breaking the area with a cackle as loud as thunder.
The collision sent Zika careening backward, flying into a set of trees, breaking them apart like twigs.
The guards ran at Ysa, their swords raised, but before they could touch her, she was already gone, headed after Zika, a fading blur in the distance.
Tia screamed, then charged at Terry and Ludo, raising her spear high above her head. Her eyes were filled with complete and utter rage. The temple guards followed her, setting their sights on the two men.
“I’ll take the loud one. You handle the guards,” suggested Terry.
“We must hurry. Ysa will not last long on her own,” said Ludo. He reached for a handful of throwing daggers. He let the blades loose in a fluid set of gestures, hitting one man in the neck, between his armor, while disabling another in the eye. Before the group had made it to them, four were already dead.