by T. C. Edge
“I thought you were dead,” she says. “I thought you were all dead.”
From the side of the room, Cyra looks upon us, now so different to the mother I’ve known all my life. She stands taller, her eyes firmer, her words strong and assertive and unyielding.
“Search your visions,” she says. “Don’t let what you’ve seen become reality.”
And then, with a nod to us all, she steps into the Grid herself. Returning once more to the place she hates the most.
12
Suspicions Rising
I barely see Ajax for several days as he continues to be consumed by his own self-doubt. He comes to dinner each evening but barely says a word, not even opening up to Vesuvia as she attempts to bring him out of his stupor.
He doesn’t sleep in the room with me, clearly taking whatever rest he can over in the hospital with his dad. One morning, I wake to find him resting on a sofa in one of the large sitting rooms, his eyes flickering as he sleeps. I wonder if, with everything going on in his head, he’s seen anything more of the vision I discovered the other night.
My attention, however, cannot be on Ajax right now. I spend my waking hours training, and my sleeping hours attempting to do what my mother has been teaching me. Each time I drop off, my body exhausted from the day’s exertions, I think of the deaths of those I care about, of the burning city and the thousands murdered, of the chaos that will ensue if we cannot halt this threat.
And each night, I see more flashes of the attack, the flames and screams and sight of blood becoming clearer in my mind. The girls, too, begin to see flashes of the same, although none of us are able to pinpoint a time or a place, or even see the face of a perpetrator.
Cyra herself appears to be regaining her powers, telling of the same things that we’ve seen. Soon, we’re all able to piece things together, the growing clarity of the attack making it clear that it’s growing closer by the day.
“How long do you think?” asks Vesuvia nervously over breakfast one morning.
“Until we know for sure, I can’t say,” says Cyra. “But it feels close. Weeks. Maybe less…”
As the days pass, I begin to wonder what progress Professor Lane is making with the file. Jackson, who is liaising with her, tells me she’s yet to decode anything of note. So far, nothing interesting has come up, something that only serves to heighten my frustration.
We do hear word, however, that the Senate will be voting in a few days time on Drake’s successor. Jackson comes to us during dinner, delivering the news.
“Drake has officially been out of contact for over ten days now,” he says, his eyes creased into an ever-deepening frown. “The Senate have decided that a new leader needs to be voted in during this time of crisis. The two candidates are as expected: Senator Alber, and Senator Doryen.”
Once more, Leeta cannot contain her displeasure at the first name.
“Who’s the front-runner?” I ask.
“It’s a tight race,” says Jackson. “But Alber is looking good from what I hear. Being the head of the Defence Council, it seems appropriate at a time like this that he step up to the top office.”
I don’t say much else, or even bring my concerns about him to the table. Frankly, over the last few days, the man set to rise to the summit of the city hasn’t been on my mind.
The bigger concern for all of us is the fate of Drake. This is just another reminder of his disappearance, and with a new President being sworn in, his absence is once more pushed to the forefront of our minds. The rest of the dinner is a quiet affair, as we all reflect, none of us wishing to put words to our thoughts.
I know how dark they all must be.
When dinner ends, I find my mind returning to Senator Alber once more. As I aid Leeta in clearing the table, I ask her a question that’s been lingering in my mind for a little while.
“Leeta,” I say, drawing her eyes.
She looks up at me through her plump face. “Yes, young Theo. You have a request of me?”
“Just a question, really. About Senator Alber.”
Her ample cheeks draw in as her mouth screws up. “Go ahead,” she grunts, the name having a visible impact on her.
“Well, I was just wondering…was he in the Senate years ago, when the Watcher program was abolished?”
She thinks for a moment before answering.
“I believe he was, yes. He will have been fairly young, but as far as I remember, he was quick to establish himself under the new regime.”
“Right. And do you know how he voted?”
“I’d have to check for you,” she says. “That’s something I don’t know, Theo.”
“OK, well could you find out and let me know?”
“Of course, I’ll do so as soon as possible.”
Once the kitchen has been cleared and Leeta has departed on her mission, Velia comes to me.
“What was that about? With Leeta,” she asks suspiciously.
“Oh, just asking her something.”
“What?”
“Just…something about Senator Alber.”
“Alber? Are you still on that?”
“Well, there’s no harm in being wary of the guy is there? If he’s gonna be our next President I wanna know a few things about him.”
“OK. And what did you want to know in this case?” she questions.
“Just his stance on us Watchers. I asked Leeta how he voted when the program was shut down.”
“And?”
“She didn’t know. Says she’ll find out for me.”
“Surely he’ll have voted in favour of keeping it, right? I mean, he’s the head of Defence…”
“Exactly,” I say. “You’d think he’d want the strongest people possible at his disposal. Although…he wasn’t head of Defence back then. But still, his stance shouldn’t have changed.”
“But you reckon he’s voted against it, don’t you? I can see how you’re thinking, Theo.”
“Well, if he did it would be pretty jarring wouldn’t it? I mean, I don’t know the guy at all, but this all just seems really fishy to me. Let’s wait and see what Leeta says.”
We don’t have to wait too long. By the following morning, as we prepare to depart for our day training in the Grid, she comes bustling up from the main city square. My mother sees her coming.
“Leeta, is everything OK?”
“Oh yes, Cyra my dear. I just have some information for Theo.”
My mother frowns and looks at me.
“Right, go ahead then,” she says, listening in as Leeta comes to me.
“That thing you asked,” she says. “He voted against the program.”
I look at Velia, who raises her eyebrows.
“Did he now…” I say.
“Yes, quite an odd one actually,” says Leeta. “I looked back at the record and he was quite vocal in speaking out against it. It appears he helped swing the vote away from President Stein and your grandfather.”
At this point, my mother steps in, keen to clear up what’s going on.
“What exactly is this about?” she asks firmly.
“Oh, nothing particularly exciting, dear,” says Leeta. “Theo was just interested to know how Senator Alber voted when they abolished the Watcher program.”
“Hmmm, was he,” she says, looking at me. “And you say he was actively against the program?”
“Yes. All very odd. But it’s typical of the man. He likes to cause a fuss.”
“How do you mean?” asks Velia.
“Well, he’s always poking around, being a nuisance in the Senate. Aeneas never liked him. Perhaps that’s where my own aversion to him comes from. I am rather impressionable, you know…”
I share looks with the girls and my mother as Leeta continues to rattle on for a few moments, heading off on one of her typical tangents. Eventually, it’s Cyra who calls an end to her ramblings, telling her we need to get to training, but that we’ll see her for dinner later that evening.
“Beef stew tonig
ht,” she says. “It’s one of my specialities.”
“Every one of your dishes is a speciality,” says Cyra with a smile. “Have a good day, Leeta.”
She does a little bow and waddles off, leaving us to continue on with our day. I see Cyra’s eyes dash around, checking that no one was close enough to hear the conversation. I do the same out of instinct, before we head back down towards the Grid.
Only once we’re back to the safety of Underwater 5 does my mother bring up the conversation.
She turns to us in the quiet corridor, her eyes dark.
“I don’t like what Leeta said up there,” she says. “I can see in your eyes…you all have concerns about Senator Alber, don’t you?”
The girls look to me. “Theo does,” says Vesuvia. “He was going on about it the other night.”
“Yeah, I was, and maybe I’m right. Mum, I’ve just got a bad feeling about this. It’s all too convenient. President Stein was killed, and now grandfather’s gone missing. This guy’s about to be sworn in as our new President, and he’s been actively working against Stein for some time…AND he voted against the Watcher program.”
She listens intently, her eyes without judgement. Then she speaks, nodding as she does.
“I understand your concerns. You have a naturally inquisitive and suspicious mind, Theo. You get that from me. I can see exactly where your thoughts are taking you, because mine are starting to go in the same direction…”
“You think the same? That Senator Alber is on the Baron’s side?”
“It’s one possibility, among many,” says Cyra diplomatically. “This could just be a terrible coincidence. He could just be an ambitious politician, as so many of them are. Until we have any sort of proof of affiliation, we are only working with assumptions and speculation. They won’t get us anywhere.”
“I agree,” says Vesuvia. “That’s what I told him the other night.”
“And you, Velia, what do you think?” asks Cyra.
Velia looks at me with those glossy hazel eyes.
“I guess…something does seem to be a little up. Just a feeling I’m getting. But nothing more.”
“OK,” says Cyra, her voice turning to a whisper. “All of you, keep your ears open. We need to focus on our training, and in searching this vision for the next attack. But stay vigilant, and if you hear anything suspicious about Senator Alber, come to me immediately. Understand?”
We all nod, before continuing down the corridor. Ready to begin another long day in the Grid.
It’s hard to concentrate, though, as Cyra puts us through our paces. At least, at first it is. When I step out and battle a horde of incoming soldiers, I find my mind elsewhere and am quickly overrun. When I’m set against a bunch of mid-level Watchers, manifested by Eve, I’m unable to take them out as well as I should. And it’s not because they’ve been designed to fight harder or swing faster; it’s because my focus isn’t where it should be.
Cyra, of course, is quick to notice, and reminds me that losing focus in a real fight might not just mean my own death, but the death of those I care about too.
“Right now,” she says, “you’re the strongest Watcher in this city. That’s a mantle you have to bear on your shoulders, Theo.”
“But this is only training,” I say. “In a real fight I wouldn’t lose focus.”
“Treat everything as if it’s a real fight,” she says firmly. “Isn’t that what Athena taught you?”
I nod, unable to deny it.
“Then focus. Forget everything else. Narrow your mind and do what you have to.”
I smile at the way she delivers her words.
“What’s so funny? Do you think this is a joke?”
I shake my head, but the smile remains.
“No. It’s just…you’re so different,” I say. “You sound like Athena.”
The corners of her own mouth rise into a smirk. “Well, perhaps it’s Athena who sounds like me,” she says. “Remember, I trained her first…”
As it has so often, the thought enters my mind. My mother, in the training cave, teaching Athena to develop her powers all those years ago. In my quieter moments, when I have a chance to think, I’m still amazed by how fast my life has moved along, how quickly I’ve joined their ranks.
Still staring, Cyra’s voice brings me back into the room. “Now go again, Theo, and this time…focus.”
I nod. “Yes, Commander,” I say, before turning and re-entering the battlefield simulation.
By the end of the day, I’m feeling much better again, my abilities already beginning to flourish in this new training environment. Velia and Vesuvia are also making great strides, this being the first proper training they’ve ever received. It still impresses me how gifted they both are, given the lack of guidance they’ve had. Perhaps, in time, we’ll all end up as powerful as each other.
The thought once more brings Ajax into my mind. I hate the idea that he’s being left behind, that he’s not taking advantage of these new tools we get to play with. If Link is to be permanently crippled by his injuries, it’s down to his son to take his place.
I shake my head, the thought creating a swell of frustration inside me, and just as I do, a noise echoes from the main door. Three times, we hear a knock reverberate around the room, passing from one wall to the next and back again.
We look at each other and frown.
“Who could that be?” asks Vesuvia.
Cyra goes to open the door, but before she even opens it, I feel the frustration fading, and a smile building on my face once more.
I watch as the door slides open, and Ajax’s face appears before us.
“Sorry I’m late,” he says. “I think it’s time I joined the game…”
13
Back in the Game
I hang my arm around Ajax’s shoulders, a large grin across my face.
“It’s good to have you back, brother,” I say. “The place hasn’t been the same without your ugly face.”
“Hey, you wanna try me,” he says. “You’ve made a few improvements recently, but I’ll catch up quick. You know I will…”
“Yeah, sure, but I’ll always be one step ahead. You’ll never catch me!”
“Sounds like a challenge.”
We grin at each other, like little kids back in the woods again, when we’d face each other down and spar right there with only the squirrels and nesting birds for a crowd. In recent times, things have changed. But inside, there’s still that love for action. For testing each other. For competition.
It’s what’s always made us grow.
Truly, though, the reappearance of Ajax has lifted a weight off my shoulders. More and more, I was beginning to feel the burden of all this. With Link out of commission, Drake missing, Athena over on the Deadlands, and my mother still rebuilding her powers after so long in the wilderness, I’ve been suddenly shunted towards the front of the queue of powerful Watchers.
Having Ajax back is a real pressure reliever for me. And with the girls making swift advancements, I’m already feeling a whole lot better. When we return home to our quarters that night, the growing tension in the air settles for a little while, Leeta’s beef stew going down a treat.
Ellie, too, appears to be looking a little brighter, and the reason is another that gives me hope: Link’s recovery is starting to speed up.
“They’re not waking him yet,” Ellie tells us as we eat, “but he’ll be up and running again soon. His body is starting to respond to the treatment and fight back.”
“Oh that’s wonderful news, Ellie,” says Leeta. “Link was always a fighter.”
“Absolutely,” adds Jackson. “I’ll be looking forward to speaking with him about what happened. I don’t suppose they’d consider bringing him out of his coma a little earlier?”
“I don’t think it’s worth risking it, not at this stage,” says Ellie. “We want Link back, just as he was…”
“Yes, of course,” says Jackson.
I can understan
d his desire to speak to Link as soon as possible. Clearly, any information he could provide would prove useful for Athena and her hunters. I wonder if there’s word from her, and it’s my dad who I call upon for an answer.
“She’s been in contact with Markus,” he says. “He told me she’s raided a few known troublemakers in the area, looking for clues. By the sounds of it, they’re all claiming they know nothing of any of this.”
“What troublemakers?” asks Vesuvia.
“Oh, just local snitches and petty criminals that Petram keeps an eye on. A few of the Baron’s known associates, however, have upped and vanished.”
“Vanished?” I ask.
“Well, gone into hiding might be a better way to put it,” says Jackson. “It’s unclear as to whether they’ve done so to avoid questioning, or whether they’re currently affiliated with the Baron’s plans. Either way, Athena’s not having much luck.”
“Yeah, well, there’s a lot of that going around,” says Ellie. “But, let’s keep our chins up. Things can only get better.”
Her enthusiasm is welcome, and helps to prevent the conversation from becoming too morose. Yet still, I’m not quite sure I agree with her final assertion. As far as I see it, things can get a hell of a lot worse.
In fact, I’m convinced that they will.
When dinner concludes, I speak to my father alone, and once more ask him about any updates to Professor Lane’s investigation. He tells me what he told me before, leading me to curse a little too loudly. The others look over as they clear up, before returning to their chores.
“Be patient, Theo. It’ll come. But as the Professor said, don’t put too much stock on the file. It may turn out to be nothing but a red herring.”
“A red herring? We almost died getting that!”