by Teya Tapler
He sat next to her. His hand caressed her burgundy colored pixie haircut and rested on her shoulder. Zander hugged her closer and lowered his head to touch hers. They stood silently for a moment just like that night on her parent’s driveway. That time there were no stars and no owl in the woods. There were no windows lighting up in her parents’ house. Her family was far away in time but their friends were still there and the two of them had each other. Unlike that last time when they were soon to be separated, now they were together.
“Yes,” Evan finally answered,” now I am okay.”
Chapter 20
“Pardon the interruption,” Emil stood at the bathroom door. “Alexander, we’ve some time sensitive work to do.”
Evan and Zander looked at him simultaneously. Zander helped her get up slowly
“Why did he call you Alexander?” Evan stood in her place.
“Because, that’s my name.” Zander said.
“But-” Evan was confused.
“Yeah, everyone calls me Zander to distinguish me from my father Alexander Woodsworth II when he was still part of our team. Then it just stuck,” he smiled.
“I like it.” Evan smiled back and the two of them headed to join the rest of the team in the living room.
Mary and Peter were still sitting on the sofa. Mary had changed into her favorite cargo pants and a green t-shirt, obviously feeling better. She tried smiling at them rubbing the white streaks the tears had left on her cheeks. Evan smiled back, hugged Mary warmly and sat next to her. They were slowly becoming best friends. Not the kind of best friends that only like each other during good times and when in trouble gossip with the rest of the school. Mary and Evan were becoming the kind of best friends that support each other during hard times, sharing each other’s happy moments and lending a helpful hand when needed.
Everyone gathered around the coffee table and looked at the holographic screens on the wall. Emil, Peter and Mary had been busy analyzing the situation and planning their next move. A building’s blueprint was laid out. The schematic was of the basement levels of a large municipal building. Based on the various security measures noted that must have been the place were a lot of valuables were kept.
“This is the Galactic Committee Building vault, where the pearls have been kept since we brought them back from the 21st century.” Peter said pointing at the monitor. “They were locked in the same vault after the unsuccessful attempt to destroy them, when Evan was transcasted.”
“The group that destroyed our team base,” Mary said not yet feeling strong enough to pronounce the real name of the Inquisitor’s gang, “were planning to head there and pick up the pearls, after they captured Zander.”
“How much time do we have?” Zander asked.
“None. If we leave now and use any normal way of transportation we won’t get there in two hours. It is mid peak traffic time. There are countless busses and moveseats on the road. This new invention is not expensive enough and more and more are appearing each day. We’ll be late. We have to transcast back in time.” Emil said.
“How far back?” Zander asked.
“Not far enough to be completely safe, just three hours back.” Emil said.
“It should be okay. Three hours ago we were nowhere near that place.” Peter said nodding towards the screen.
“Where were we three hours ago?” Evan asked.
“The three of us were here,” Emil looked at Peter and Evan. “You’re right. Three hours back is not far enough. When did they trash our home base? Zander how many hours ago did that happen?”
“Yeah, Mary’s awake for about 90 minutes or so,” Zander started counting the time backwards. “Before that she slept for two hours. This makes it that the two of us came here about three and half hours ago. I transcasted us from the street but I went there on foot so there goes another hour and a half.“
“To be safe we might have to aim going back six hours. That way we won’t bump into any of us.” Emil said. “At that time, the Inquisitors would be either arriving at our team base, or preparing their attack.”
“Seems like a good timing,” Mary said.
“Should be right,” Peter said.
“I think so too,” Zander said.
“We’ll travel light. Here’s a gun for everyone.” Emil said emptying the content of a box on the coffee table in front of them.
Evan looked at the five guns and shivered. Zander picked up one of the weapons and checked that there were ammunitions in it. When he opened the magazine Evan saw the blue thick life savers lined up one above the other. She instinctively touched her neck where she wore such a bead for a few years. That was all in the past. Now she was with Zander, she was joining him on a mission, her first real assignment that would involve time travel. She swallowed hard and looked at him as he handed her the gun.
“It’s preset so you don’t have to do anything. Just point at the enemy and shoot.” Zander said then seeing her hesitation he added. “Whatever you shoot will go to our dumpster location. It’s safe for humans so don’t be afraid if you hit anyone of us by accident. We’ll change the settings when it’s time to return don’t worry about that. You’ll be able to aim and shoot when needed, right?”
“Sure,” Evan hid the transcaster gun in the back of her jeans the way she had seen everyone else do. It didn’t feel comfortable. She thought that it might fall and slid down the legs of her jeans. To test her theory she wiggled in one place just to find out that the gun has stuck to her lower back and wasn’t going anywhere. The transcaster gun stood in place. Evan smiled, she even had the right tools for that first assignment.
“One more thing,” Emil looked at Evan.” Put this on your wrist and try not to lose it. It’s an external locator chip. We’re violating 37 rules and multiple direct orders by giving you that bracelet but that is the only way we’ll be able to find you if something happens. In case of an accident don’t worry. You’ll be all right. We always find each other wherever we’ve been sent. Remember during a fight simply point at the enemy and shoot. Just like Zander told you.”
Evan put on the bracelet. It had a classic and simple design and was about two inches wide and an inch thick. It felt nice on her wrist. It was deep black color yet it was reflecting the surrounding lights with light gray even white sparkles. It was exactly like the bracelet Alex gave her for her 21st birthday. Her thoughts stopped. Alex wasn’t the one who had sent her that bracelet.
It was Zander.
He wanted to know how to find her.
***
When the blue haze disappeared the Anaconda team landed in the Galactic Committee Building vaults entrance area. A large round foyer was separating the vaults’ area in front of them from the elevators behind them. Four Corinthian style pillars at each side were surrounded the room, standing several feet away from the walls which were covered with a mural depicting the Milky Way Galaxy. From a distance the mural looked like a painting. The fine grains of the individual pieces were not visible from a distance for it was made out of sand. Uncountable grains of sand, colored in blue, yellow, magenta, white, purple, black and red to match the design have been carefully glued to the wall over several years. The pattern on the floor was following the color scheme of the mural representing the logo of the Galactic Committee, showing to the visitors that the area was under their authority.
The team looked around evaluating their surroundings. The security cameras on the ceiling were running, recording their every movement. Nestled among the elaborately crafted ceiling decoration those cameras were performing a 360 degree three dimensional recording of the events in that room every minute of every day. It was a 24/7 full color monitoring system with enhanced sound capabilities that would detect even the mouse steps on the marble floor.
The thermal sensors above the elevator flashed red indicating their presence. Once all that was over they would have to do a lot of explanation about their unauthorized and unannounced visit. It was against all current protocols to transca
st inside any of the municipal buildings without prior authorization and it was strictly prohibited to transcast in the present time.
The team headed to the area with the vaults in a single file. Emil first, followed by Peter, Mary, Zander and Evan. Emil stood in front of the vault area entrance and looked at Mary.
“D’you hear them saying the safe number?” he asked.
“Kind of, “Mary moved closer to him.” It might help if I see what-”
She couldn’t finish. A bright yellow force field surrounded her, Peter and Zander leaving Emil and Evan outside. Mary cried and stepped back bumping into Peter. He wobbled and was about to fell into the force field when Zander pulled both of them back closer to the center of the area. The three of them sat down and faced Evan and Emil.
At the same time a set of red rays scanned carefully everyone in the room. As the rays went over Emil and Evan their 906 tattoos lit up and the rays disappear. When the rays went over Peter, Mary and Zander they carefully scanned them for a few seconds longer than it seemed necessary then after not sensing a 906 tattoo on any of them the rays turned towards the bright light force field and thickened it turning it orange.
That was unexpected.
Evan turned to Zander and said the only thing that came to her mind, “Are you okay?”
“Yes, you just look blurred” Zander said before Peter gave him a nudge to stop.
“Nothing like that’s happening here,” Evan said then looked at Emil and continued talking without talking a breath. “D’you see any switches out there? How did that happen? We must let them out.”
“First, we have to finish what we came here for.” Emil said.
Considering him uncooperative Evan turned her back to Emil and approached the thick force field stretching her hand towards Zander.
“Don’t touch it!” Zander yelled from behind the force field. “We don’t know enough about it. It may be set to kill on contact.”
“I want to do something and help you,” Evan yelled back.
“Just do as Emil says. Finish what we came here for.” Zander said.
“This will not help you get out,” she said.
While Evan and Zander were talking Emil walked around and explored the foyer.
“There’s nothing that could be used to switch that thing off. I cannot see the ceiling very well. How does it look from the inside?” Emil said.
“It has more than one power source and seems to be connected to the room’s thermostat and air control system right above us.” Peter said.
“Nothing like a multi-source force field,” Emil muttered and headed towards the vault area.
“You’re not going to leave them like that, are you?” Evan ran after him and stood on his way looking him angrily in the eye.
“Let’s finish what we came here for.” Emil pushed her aside and entered the vault area.
“So, you’re going to leave them like that then? Why?” her last word echoed in the foyer.
He stopped and turned toward her. His face was worried and his eyes were sad. That was how he looked when Mort asked him to appoint their second target.
“I don’t like that either, but if we take the pearls and then look for help we have a better chance of saving our friends than if we spend our time trying to undo something that had been designed not to be easily undone.” Emil said. ”This was set up by Mort and Ranshen to trap any unwanted visitors. We were spared because of our tattoos. Now come with me.”
“Why are you saying this?” Tears blurred Evan’s eyes.
“Evan, I’ve seen how strong you are. I’ve seen you stand up to Mort more than once. Please use that strength of yours now and let’s finish first what we came here for. I want to save Peter, Mary and Zander too, but we have a more important work to do. We cannot risk million more lives to save just three.” Emil said.
“Is this what you think of them? You consider them a collateral damage, right?” Evan turned her back to Emi and ran close to the force field, “Stand further back, I’m going to get rid of this thing.”
“No, Evan, don’t,” Zander shouted but Evan had already pressed the trigger of her transcaster gun. The blue haze quickly engulfed the orange force field and then… dispersed as Evan watched with amazement that nothing changed after her intervention. Emil rushed in and pulled the gun of her hands.
“You’re coming with me, whether you want to or not,” he pulled her towards the vault area.
“Wait, what’s happening to them?” Evan noticed that Zander’s face became pale and he rubbed his bare arms as if he was getting cold.
“It’s getting cold in here,” Zander’s voice came muffled.
“And the quality of the air’s changing,” Mary added between two coughs.
“I don’t see them anymore, the force field had thickened,” Peter’s quiet voice came to them.
“The shot activated the force field defense system. It’s hiding the outside world for anyone inside and from here we’ll barely see them. The environmental conditions will gradually deteriorate. We don’t have much time. Let’s get the pearls.” Emil pushed her into the vault area.
Chapter 21
It was another round room with the Galactic Committee logo on the floor and intricate ceiling decoration surrounding the security cameras. The walls were covered with countless safes from various sizes, the room had no Corinthian columns or a lovely mural. The safes were lined up inside the walls in neat rows organized by size. One row had small safes with a door as big as a shoebox; another row had safe doors the size of a dining room table and so on.
“The safe numbers seemed to have been randomly sprinkled after the safe doors were closed.” Emil sat on the floor back pressed at one of the walls. “How are we going to find the pearls now?” There were too many doors and not enough time. Mary didn’t tell them anything that could be even remotely used like a clue. He needed to think.
“There’re so many of them.” Evan whistled expressing her admiration. The Archeological Museum vault she had seen years ago was big but compared to that one it looked insignificant.
“Any ideas, smarty-pants?” Emil asked her.
After her foolish act a few minutes ago she deserved that nickname. Evan lowered her head. Not knowing what to do, she joined Emil on the floor. As she knelt Evan touched one of the safe doors to steady herself. The cold and smooth surface reminded her of something else with similar feel. She had forgotten that feeling. It wasn’t that long ago that she had touched a comparable surface - the pearls. They were smooth and cold every time when she first touched them then they lit up and heated until she removed her hands from them when they cooled down instantly.
Evan stood up, “Maybe…I could try something,” then she returned to the entrance intending to use it as her staring point. Evan put her hand on the door of the first safe in the lowest row to her left, closed her eyes and focused. After waiting for something to change she opened her eyes and moved to touch the next door on the same line. She closed her eyes and waited for a while. One after another she touched every door on the lowest row, every time closing her eyes and focusing for a while waiting for something, known only to her, to change. Emil watched without understanding what was going on and pulled in his legs as she passed by him.
“What are you doing?” he asked when she moved towards door number seven.
“D’you remember how the pearls glowed …and lit when I touched them?” Evan said without stopping or turning to see if Emil is even listening to her. ”I think that… when I touch the door of the safe they are in,” Evan skipped the row with the shoebox sized safe doors and moved to the upper one,” they’ll lit again…Here this must be it.” She said after touching the fifth door on that row. She stopped and pointed to safe number 1096. Seeing the four digits arranged in that particular sequence made her twitch. Her stomach churned. Every time she was in contact with that number something drastically changed in her life. Hoping the incoming change to be positive and bring her and Zander togethe
r for more than just a few hours she put both of her hands on the door.
“What are you doing?” Emil’s eyes widened as the safe door slowly started to glow.
“The pearls are in here,” Evan said. ”Come and help me open the door.”
“Here stand aside.” Emil pulled a bunch of crooked tools on a ring out of his pocket. Evan wasn’t able to see what he did but in a few seconds the turned to her and smiled. The door was unlocked and opened. He quickly pulled it aside and in there Evan saw - one of the pearls.
“Oh, why only one,” she cried. ”Where would the other four be? There are too many doors to touch and not enough time.”
“Could we focus only on the 906 doors? See there is door 609. Let’s see what is inside.” Emil started working on safe number 609. “Two for two. Where to next?” He put the second pearl on the floor to the first one.
They guessed correctly and found pearl number three behind door 1069 and pearl number four in safe 960. From the two thousand safes there were six more possible doors to open and only one pearl to find.
Emil headed to door 906, “That is their number, the last pearl should be here,” he started opening the door.
Evan stood close by, curious to see what the lock-picking process was in the 25th century. Holding her breath she watched Emil’s experienced hands move quickly. His stern face was hiding well his thoughts. He knew that the time for Zander, Mary and Peter was slowly running out. He had seen firsthand how quickly things could go wrong when someone was trapped in a multi-source force field. The person in their team, before Zander, had died in a similar trap.
As Emil worked on the lock Evan heard a hiss, “Is this supposed to happen?” she asked.
“No,” Emil quickly pulled the instrument out and pushed both of them to the ground as the door exploded above them. Concrete and marble crumbles covered their bodies, their hair turned white from the dust. Emil and Evan brushed the debris off and got up. Inside the safe was a smoldering white wig, a long ultramarine robe with burnt sleeves, a box with white powder and a mirror.