by Settle Myer
“If it is urgent enough to interrupt the sentencing of my brother, then you can tell the entire court.”
The commander looks around the gallery. Sweat lines his eyebrow. “Sir, the portal has been destroyed.”
Panic washes over me, and my lungs burn as if I'm drowning. I don’t know what it’s like to drown, but this certainly is it. I’m struggling for air as I wasn’t expecting this development. My shields weren’t strong enough. The hysteria is coming from every person in my vicinity.
People start piling out of the room, and my father rushes past me to confront the commander.
“Rebels?”
“Long live, Hyde!” a female voice says, slicing through the frenzy.
It came from Hyde himself. But that’s not what my uncle sounds like. His voice is deep and rough. The voice that just spilled from the man in cuffs was high-pitched and feminine.
Every single body in the room freezes and turns to the stranger amongst us. The face that once was Hyde begins to morph. The bones crunching and blood sloshing echo throughout the room and make me queasy. I swallow hard to hold back the bile at the back of my throat. Within less than a minute, Hyde has been replaced with a stocky blonde woman sporting the ugliest scar across her eye. Her skin glows with sweat. She’s near the same size as Hyde, which made her deception even greater.
“A doppelgänger,” Chad whispers next to my ear.
“Hyde will return to Angor once he’s finished with Earth, mark my word,” the woman yells. Suddenly, her hands are no longer in cuffs. She reaches for a handgun in the holster of the guard standing next to her. She holds the barrel to her temple and fires, blowing a bullet in her brain. Blood and brain matter splatter all over the lawyer and extend at least three rows behind. My ears ring, and I hold my hands over them.
A few of the remaining people in the room scream in horror, others scramble to escape through the doors. I saw at least two people lose their breakfast. Chanel wraps her arm around my waist. Reed is on my other side. Chad leads us out. More soldiers march in, flying past us as we exit the courtroom into the hallway. People are running around, some on their cell phones panicking, others are crouching in corners, crying.
We stand in the hallway, the team huddled around me acting as a wall of protection. The chaos remains high as my father exits the court with his phone in his hands. He walks slowly, watching something on the screen. He reaches our group, regarding us with horror and concern.
“She was right. The portal has been destroyed,” the King says numbly.
“And Hyde?”
My father holds up the cell phone. A video is queued up. He presses play.
“Elijah! Brother! You think it would be that easy to take me down? Did you really think there was no backup plan?”
Hyde is at the portal. The floor is littered with the dead bodies of portal security workers, transport attendants, pilots, and even what looks to be a few innocent passengers just trying to make their way home or perhaps on their way to Earth for a visit.
“That doppelgänger switched places with me last night. And the guard who you thought was injecting me with the virtue suppresser was one of my rebels. We couldn’t have the doppelgänger’s virtue disappear and ruin my escape! Good luck catching up to me now,” Hyde says. “Oh, and Trinity... I didn’t forget about Memphis.”
A rebel appears from off-screen, leading a man in handcuffs with a bag over his head. He guides him to Hyde, who then rips off the covering.
“No!” I scream.
Hyde has captured Julian.
“Oh, yes, my dear niece, your precious anima mate. The virtue suppression serum meant for me has been given to Julian. All those lovely virtues you passed on to him, now gone. Your ability to sense his location through the anima mate, gone.” Hyde chuckles then throws Julian into a portal transport pod, which resembles one of those two-seater mini cars. One of Hyde’s minions buckles Julian in.
“Will I keep him alive? I guess the only way to find out is to return to Earth once Angor’s scientists locate another portal. That will take at least a couple of years.” Hyde heaves with evil laughter and slaps his knee as if he’s the funniest man in the entire universe. I only wished my virtues could work through videos so I could snap his neck.
Hyde sits in the portal transport pod next to Julian. The rebels close the glass to lock them in, and a bright light fills the screen. I cover my eyes, and upon opening them, the pod is gone.
The person behind the camera then backs up several feet. Seconds later, an explosion. The camera is knocked to the ground, but we can see the equipment used to keep the portal running destroyed and up in flames.
“Julian,” I whisper.
EPILOGUE – 3 YEARS LATER
A pair of black work boots sit on top of a folded blanket and pillow placed at the end of a twin bed. Next to the shoes, a pair of green short shorts and a black long-sleeved t-shirt. I stand at the mirror, hanging on the back of the door and stare at the woman in front of me. She's older now. Stronger, more mature. My normally pale skin is now kissed with sun from the past few weeks training outside underneath the bright clear skies.
I sigh and brush the tangles out of my wet hair. After blow-drying it, I braid the locks starting at the nape of my neck, making sure there are no pesky flyaways. I let the long strands hang over my shoulder. Once done, I take off the pink robe Chanel bought me before my departure to the Royal Guard training camp. She said it would be my reminder that I'm a badass woman who’s also a powerful princess. I hang the robe on a hook in the closet and get dressed. I complete my outfit with my only black buckle. Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, eat your heart out.
I pick up my mother’s necklace from the dresser, put it on, and then tuck the black box away underneath my t-shirt. After tying up my boots, I grab my duffle bag and leave. The hallway to the dorm is quiet, which makes sense since it’s barely three in the morning. The white cement walls are devoid of decorations. Only plain grey doors pop up every two-to-three feet.
I exit the dorm outside and follow a trail down to a dimly lit parking lot. I'm the first to arrive, so I sit on a long piece of wood used as a car stopper, listening to crickets singing in the dark overnight hours. In the distance, a perfectly harmonious series of howls from wolves and coyotes.
“Happy Birthday, Trinity,” a familiar voice sings out next to my ear. I smile mischievously and reach over my shoulder, finding the muscular arm of my friend. I latch on, then toss the stocky man to the ground.
He humphs upon landing on his back as his breath temporarily leaves his lungs.
“Shiloh, didn’t I tell you not to walk up on me like that, or I’ll drop-kick you?”
“Yeah, you said that when you were a scrawny high school nobody,” he huffs.
“Yeah, but now she's a warrior princess with a slew of virtues! Dumbass!” Reed bellows as he walks up to where we stand.
I give Reed a high-five then help Shiloh up from the ground. My friend pats me on the back and winks, letting me know there are no hard feelings for bruising his ego.
“Where’s the party? We’ve got a twenty-one-year-old on our hands, folks. Anyone bring the beers?” Chad chirps as he saunters to the parking area with his arms wide open. “You can finally legally drink on Earth. We should hit up a bar. I know a place. Used to go to this fun bar in New York on the East Side, called Cornerstone Tavern.”
“If it’s still standing,” I say morosely.
The group exchange wide-eyed glances. It appears I’ve turned into my own Moody Julian. At least, that’s what they’re thinking. I smile at the irony.
“Okay, there’s that Trinity smile I’ve come to miss!” Chad says, pointing both fingers at me.
A white transport van barrels down the gravel roadway and parks where we stand. Chanel emerges from the driver’s seat, standing on the door frame.
“We ready for this?” She calls out, slapping the top of the van’s roof.
“Wait! I’m here! Sorry I’m late!” Skyler
yells, running up to the group with his backpack flopping all around.
I hadn’t seen Skyler since sentencing day. He's really filled out. He'd always been in shape, but now he’s riddled with muscles. I assume Shiloh trained him. Skyler skids to a stop next to Shiloh, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Trinity!” Skyler sings. He rushes over to me and scoops me into a hug, whirling me around a few times. He sets me down, giving me a wink before returning to Shiloh’s side.
I scan the group before me. “The fab five, part two,” I mutter, already moving past my moment of joy from my reunion with Skyler. “I’m ready when you all are.”
We pile into the van. I get in front with Chanel, and the rest fill up the three other rows of seats. Chanel peels off, the wheels skimming over the gravel before catching traction. She giggles like she’s a race car driver taking the lead.
“How long until we get to the new portal?” I ask.
“An hour,” Chanel answers. “I can’t believe your father let you come.”
“Yeah, well, he wasn’t happy about it.”
“What do you think we’re going to find down there?” Chad asks, leaning through the front and passenger seats, inches from mine and Chanel’s faces.
I take my index finger and grind it into his forehead, pushing him back to his seat. He slaps it away.
“I’m serious!”
“I bet we’ll get down there, and everything is just as we left it three years ago,” Skyler claims optimistically.
I shake my head. “There’s no way. Hyde has had full control of Earth all this time. He's probably grown his army and killed all the humans.”
Skyler frowns at my optimistic, squashing response. He sits back and leans his head on Shiloh’s shoulder. It takes all of one minute for the boy to start snoozing and snoring like a chainsaw.
I lean my head on my palm and stare out the window. If only there was rain on Angor to complete my emo-tastic breakdown. I learned that, despite there never being rain on Angor, clouds form in the mountains to dump snow across the tops. Ideal for those who want to experience a winter wonderland or go skiing down the slopes. The plants and trees throughout this mysterious world have a self-sustained water system fed by the rivers and lakes. I also learned that, while nature never makes rain on Angor, environmental manipulators can create downpours for those who want to play in puddles or have a jog in a fresh morning shower. They can also paint clouds in the sky for a gorgeous backdrop to anyone’s photoshoot or a day of cloud-gazing.
The group doesn’t know how to respond to my mood swings. I can’t help it. I've been so depressed since Hyde kidnapped my Julian. I've focused my anger and depression on training with the Royal Guard. It's fueled my drive over the past three years and helped me rise to the top of my class every year. I guess it didn’t hurt that I have so many virtues. Good news, I no longer pass out!
I must have dozed off because one minute I'm counting trees along the roadway, and the next, the van comes to a violent stop. I gasp for air after getting nearly thrown into the floorboard. Good thing I was wearing a seat belt, though I'll surely have a bruise from it digging into my chest following Chanel’s sudden abuse of the van’s brakes. I look out the front windshield, and in a field several yards away is a decrepit wooden shed the size of a small Manhattan studio.
“That’s it?” Reed asks from the back, a bit shocked.
“That’s it,” Chanel answers.
I’m the first to get out. I grab my duffle bag from the floorboard and swing it over my shoulder. I don’t wait for the rest of the group to make my way across the plush green grass. I'm just a few feet away from the shed’s door when it opens. My father walks out. He's wearing black cargo pants and a tight black t-shirt that really shows off how fit he is for an older man. I stop in my tracks. Was he here to stop me? I thought we’d talked about this. There's no way he’s going to stop me. I will do anything to find Julian, even kicking my father where it counts to distract him while I escape through the portal.
The King covers his groin with his hands. “Trinity, don’t be so vulgar!”
I cringe and start walking towards him. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Everything okay?”
“I’m going with you.”
“What? No, dad.”
“He’s my brother. I should have been there to take him down the first time, not you.”
The rest of the team join us at the door to the shed. They're all just as surprised to see the King.
“Your Majesty,” Chanel says, followed by murmurs from the rest of the group.
“He’s coming with us,” I say begrudgingly, then walk past my father into the shed.
Two people in white lab coats stand at two short rows of computers and equipment. Next to the setup are three transport pods, two with double seats and one with three seats. I wave to the workers, and they smile and nod. The rest of the protectors pile in to the now cramped space.
My father steps out and turns to face the group.
“We are all set up to depart. The portal has not yet been tested with humans. However, Doctor Mikah Cohen and Doctor Cheryln Sawyer here have successfully sent plants and rabbits down to Earth and brought them back. We are confident the transport will have no issues with us.”
“And how will we return? Do we not need all this equipment there?” I ask.
My father holds up a finger. Doctor Cohen hands him a box, and he pulls out a bracelet. “This bracelet will be our way back. It talks to the transport pod. Until we can secure the portal location and get equipment down there to run trips, we will have to rely on the portable versions.”
The King hands each one of us a bracelet, and we put them on. They're tiny like a Fitbit or Apple watch. The team breaks apart to select the portal pod to take them down to Earth. Chanel and Reed pair up, Shiloh and Skyler pick their pod. Which means I’m stuck with Chad and my father. Great. My relationship with my father was not what I hoped it would be. I grew up dreaming about meeting my biological parents. Then I do and find out my father is possibly evil with his plan to kill Julian’s mother. I tried to forgive him. I spent time with him. Let him take me out for father-daughter bonding to movies or shopping. We ate dinner every Sunday night together. Yet, it all felt forced. It made me miss the Parks. I only hope they were taken somewhere safe from Hyde’s reign over Earth.
I sigh and stuff my duffle bag in the storage compartment.
“All right, travel buddies!” Chad smiles, holding up his hand, waiting for a high five from me. I roll my eyes and climb in, sitting in the single seat in the back. I latch the shoulder harness buckle and pull any excess material to secure myself in.
Chad stands with his hand in the air. His face gives me a puppy dog pout until my father walks up and slaps Chad’s hand. Chad then beams ear to ear and bobs his head approvingly.
“Thank you, King Elijah. Some people understand the true importance of never leaving someone hanging.”
Chad stuffs his backpack away in the storage bin then gets in the pod. My father, who has a duffle bag similar to mine, squeezes it in next to Chad’s belongings. It barely fits, but he finally manages to close the door on the side to lock our bags inside.
Once everyone is buckled in and settled into their pod, the scientists instruct us to push a button to close the glass. We do, and the lids close. The driver of each pod is then in charge of entering coordinates to activate the light waves which send us to our destination.
“Where will we land?” I ask my father.
“Somewhere near New York City.”
He pushes a few buttons then speaks into a walkie-talkie. “All right, everyone. Are your coordinates set?”
“Roger.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“On my count... three, two... one.”
This is it. My return to Earth. And my only mission: Find Julian.
To Be Continued
* * *
About The Author
Settle Myer
&nbs
p; Settle Myer lives in New York City with her two cats, Zombie & Michonne. She’s a TV news producer who hopes to one day leave a life of reporting deadly fires, mass shootings and wild politics to create wonderful worlds with crazy characters and plenty of adventures. She loves all things zombies, karaoke, cats and tattoos. But not in that order.
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