Control

by J. F. Jenkins

  “There’s a lot to explain,” he began and pulled out the Wimosiphyer, the device he had shown Cadence, JD, and Orlando almost a month ago. It was similar to a portable DVD player. On it was something like a movie, one that played in the mind, that contained all of the information about the war on Altura and how it impacted Earth.

  At least Alan claimed it had everything they’d need to know on it. The first time JD watched it he’d gotten a brief overview of what Altura looked like. He also saw all of the ways it was similar to Earth. The second time he saw some of the devastation on the planet, which he assumed was caused by the war. What he did understand of the conflict was that multiple nations were warring against one another and that war was spilling over to Earth. That was the part that scared him the most. What kind of people found it okay to fight their personal battles on a land that didn’t belong to them?

  The small orb making up the Wimosiphyer began to glow brightly, and this time JD turned away from it. He didn’t want to watch again. Once the light faded, he returned his gaze to Dale, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

  “I’m not being punked, am I?” Dale asked quietly.

  “No,” JD said, and held up a hand to keep Alan quiet. “I’ll explain what that means later man. Not now.”

  Dale shifted his weight from foot to foot. “So the party...”

  “Was the bad guys trying to make soldiers out of you.”

  “And how do I know you’re not the bad guys?” Dale’s dark eyes met JD’s, and there was something strong and dangerous behind the gaze.

  “The other tribes would not treat you as an equal. You would not be given options. You’d be forced to swear allegiance to the cause and if you refused they would either kill you or alter you in some other way to make you forget,” Alan said.

  With a nod, Dale shoved his hands into his pockets. “I see. And if I refuse you? What are you going to do? Just let me go?”

  “Essentially. It wouldn’t be what I would consider a wise decision, but it would be one I would have to respect. Who would you tell? Those who don’t know wouldn’t believe you. If you show off your abilities, you’ll be taken for study. Anyone involved with the war will try to force you to join them, or hurt you. You walking away with knowledge is of no concern to me, outside of your safety I mean.”

  “Can I think about this?”

  “Yes, of course. May I offer one piece of advice?” Alan put the Wimosiphyer away again.

  Dale nodded.

  Alan moved so he was standing over the guy, and JD wasn’t sure if that was a good move to make. Such an intimidating stance could be seen as a threat, but maybe it was because Alan wanted to stress the point he was about to make.

  “Your girlfriend may proposition you to come with her to meet someone, or just to go with her somewhere. Do not do it. She is in allegiance with the blue tribe. I do not recommend getting involved with them, and especially not because of her. Not unless you’re positive she’s worth it.”

  The last sentence explained so much about Alan’s relationship with his ex-fiancée. Was he the one who didn’t think she was worth the risk, or had it been the other way around? Then JD thought about Cadence. What would he give up for her? Anything, he realized. It was time for him to get off his lazy butt and make a move already because she wasn’t going to do it. In fact, he was positive she had no clue whatsoever he even had feelings for her that were more than friendly.

  Dale ran a hand over his face and then checked the time on his phone. JD did the same and saw that it was ten-thirty already. “I’ll keep it in mind. I...I have a lot to think about. If I didn’t have this stuff...” He pulled his arm out in front of him, shaking, and opened the palm of his hand to reveal a small ball of black goo. It bobbed up and down on his hand as if it were alive.

  “Yeah, I had a hard time believing it too man,” JD said.

  “How will I contact you?”

  “I’ll find you,” Alan said. “Perhaps I can arrange for something else in a few days’ time? Would that be acceptable? Or would you prefer more time?”

  “Th-three days sh-should be enough,” Dale said.

  “Then I will return to you at this time in three days.”

  None of them said goodbye. Without one word, Dale walked away, heading down the sidewalk. JD glanced over at Alan before looking at Cadence.

  “So what do you think?” he asked. “Do you think he’ll come back?”

  “I’m not sure. A lot of it is dependent on how he feels for his girlfriend. I worry he is desperate to keep her since he made such a foolish decision,” Alan said in a hushed voice. He led the way to where JD had parked.

  JD unlocked the car and got in. Alan sat in the backseat while Cadence sat up front once again. Taking that as a sign that Alan would be traveling with them, at least for part of the trip, he started up the car so he could take Cadence back home.

  She gazed out the window, her fingers running through her dark hair. “In a way it’s sweet, but yeah, dumb. He didn’t sound too sure about the longevity of their relationship when he spoke about it. I could sense the hesitation there. Desperate, but he’s questioning her now. When he said she was changing...” She looked at JD.

  He sighed. “We’ll find out tomorrow if he shows up. We’re still planning on spying right?”

  “Yes,” Alan said.

  “Cool, then there you go.” JD nodded, feeling confident for the first time in a while. Being a part of the team was a roller-coaster ride. Some days everything felt up and great, like nothing could go wrong. Other days it was as if nothing could go right. When he briefly glanced Cadence’s way, he noticed her frowning.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Something he said tonight has me curious, but...I don’t know...”

  “Well, if you share, maybe I can help you figure it out?”

  She shook her head again. “No. It’s nothing.”

  His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter and he clenched his teeth together. “Okay.”

  I know she’s mad, but she doesn’t need to keep things from me too. As much as he wanted to trust her judgment, he was having a hard time with it. She could have been keeping it from him out of spite. Cadence could be vindictive when she wanted to be, but he’d never been on the receiving end of it before.

  “If it’s important, please do share,” Alan said.

  “So what did your superiors say about having him join the team?” JD asked, switching gears on the conversation.

  “They said he would either be placed with us, or with one of my comrades. He’s a friend of mine actually, and he has expressed interest in working with us more closely. A partnership of sorts. As we start to come into our own, we’ll be placed on more complex missions. His skills and charges will be of great assistance to those.”

  “Cool!”

  “Yes, I suppose you could say that.”

  JD smiled a little, but that faded when he noticed Cadence was still staring at him. “What?”

  “I get it,” she said quietly. “That thing from earlier. I get it now. I hope you do too.”

  Chapter Ten

  “I have a message for you,” one of Alan’s shipmates said the moment he arrived back on board. Raising an eyebrow, Alan took the envelope of paper from his comrade and opened it. Paper was only used for top secret, or otherwise important, messages. Everything else was sent via electronics.

  “Come up to my room A.S.A.P.

  -T”

  That was all the note said. He wasn’t sure what was so important about it, but he was curious. Why would Sir Tuliy want Alan to join him? Impromptu meeting to talk logistics? Or maybe Sir Oriol was involved as well. Given the nature of Alan’s commands, he needed to keep things on the down-low. Too many trips to his commander’s office might look suspicious.

  What Alan wanted to do was go back to his room and shower, or at the very least change into something more appropriate for a meeting with his superior officers. When
a note from a higher up said to come as soon as possible though, that was not to be ignored. Sir Tuliy wasn’t over Alan necessarily in terms of rank, but his reputation gave him a different kind of esteem. Alan had to respect it.

  He rode the elevator to the upper floors and knocked on the door to Tuliy’s room. His friend answered the door with a big grin.

  “You’re back! Wonderful! Come in, I have something to show you.”

  Alan stepped into the room and then stopped immediately where he stood. “Why is my stuff here?” He couldn’t help but stare at the collection of things he’d placed into storage, because the small quarters he’d been given before couldn’t hold even the most standard of items brought from home. Those things were in Sir Tuliy’s room on the floor.

  “I found it shameful that you were rooming with women. I told you I would put in a word. They of course tried to tell me there was no room for you anywhere else. Obviously that is false. My quarters are designed to house four individuals, primarily with families in mind of course, but I do not have a family with me on the ship. No one does. It seems like a waste of space, and to be honest, I don’t like living on my own.” Tuliy briefly glanced at Alan before going into the kitchen to get some water for each of them. He handed a bottle to Alan, and then opened his own before continuing. “Don’t tell anyone I said that. I wouldn’t want the others to think less of me. They might think it’s because I’m afraid when in all actuality I’m just lonesome. Who better to live with me than my friend, yes?”

  “Yes,” Alan said. It was the most he could manage at the moment. He was completely speechless. “Forgive me, I...thank you.”

  “There’s nothing to forgive, and you’re welcome.”

  Alan knew he should have protested more. He had made it clear he did not want pity or any kind of special treatment. At the same time, he couldn’t complain. Tuliy was right; living with women was shameful of him. He might not have deserved the upgrade in housing, but he did know how to appreciate it.

  “How can I repay you for your kindness?” Alan asked and finally moved so he could take care of his things. Leaving them in the middle of the floor didn’t seem like a good idea. He took a drink of the purified water from the bottle and smiled. Drinking that water would be an everyday occurrence for him now. It all had to be too good to be true.

  Tuliy watched him and shook his head. “I don’t want anything in return. I told you, we’re friends. It’s what we do for one another. Are you so jaded you think everyone only does things with a hidden agenda?”

  “My apologies.”

  “Again, you haven’t done anything wrong. I’d be jaded too come to think of it, especially after hearing everything you’ve told me about your father. And please don’t start treating me like one of the other boot lickers on board. It’d be disappointing.”

  “Fine,” Alan said and started to move his things out of the room, but then stopped. “Which room is mine anyway?”

  “Whichever you want. There are three left to choose from. The two on the left are nice. Both have a great view of Earth. If you’d prefer not to look out the window and be reminded of space, there is one more on the right that overlooks the garden on the fourth floor.”

  Alan decided to take the last room on the left. It was across the hall from Tuliy’s room and twice the size of his old quarters. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what he would do with all of the space. The bed had a king-sized mattress with what looked like satin black sheets. There were several large fluffy-looking pillows on top. He even had his own private bathroom.

  “I must be dreaming,” he whispered. He went to the window and pulled back the thick curtain so he could see the view. Earth in all its splendor was surrounded by a plethora of stars. Just like in the gym, he had to stop and admire it, and thought about how small he felt in comparison. Someday soon he would get a telescope and use it to gaze at the star system where Altura was. Knowing it was just a tiny sparkle in the distance made him awfully homesick. I wonder if Mother looks at the star where Earth is and thinks about us.

  Once he had his things all placed into the bedroom, he went back out to visit with Sir Tuliy. There would be plenty of time for him to put everything away and get organized. He took a seat on the couch and tried to get comfortable as if it truly were his.

  “Was everything there? I didn’t forget to grab something? Nothing was stolen while in storage?” Tuliy asked from the couch. He held an electronic tablet in his hands, no doubt reading some kind of important work-related document.

  “As far as I can tell, yes, everything is there. Anything that is of value I keep on my person, so if something isn’t there, it’s probably a pair of socks, or an equally trivial item.” Alan cracked a smile.

  “Did you just come from Earth?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thought so. I enjoy going there as often as possible too,” Tuliy said with a sigh. “The ship is a little suffocating sometimes. I don’t think I was built for enclosed spaces.”

  “Me either, but I grew up with fresh and open air,” Alan agreed. “Where on Altura are you from?”

  “Ah so you didn’t read my profile and get my life story?” Tuliy smirked.

  “No, I only listened to the gossip being spread through the ship. I had no interest in reading individual’s profiles. Seemed like a waste of time.”

  “You’re probably the only one who feels that way. I read yours.”

  Orlando had taught Alan a phrase he was tempted to repeat, but he held his tongue and only nodded. Sir Tuliy said that Alan could be frank with him, but there were lines. Channeling Orlando’s sarcasm might only prove confusing in the end. Instead he took a different approach. “That takes away some of the fun of the conversation. Not like those profiles are in-depth.”

  “They aren’t, no, especially when someone gives half-hearted answers.” Tuliy looked pointedly at Alan, who shrugged.

  “I don’t do well answering questions on the spot. Why does anyone want to know about my favorite thing to do back home anyway? Or what food I enjoy most? It seems like a waste of time.”

  “It’s a way for us to relate to one another, I suppose.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question.” Alan stared at Tuliy.

  He laughed. “I’m from Xut. I lived outside of the city. Out west by the ocean. My father operates the lighthouse and repairs boats. My mother keeps the home and cares for my two younger sisters and one infant brother whom I have yet to meet. In her free time she quilts and makes jams. I would be what some would refer to on Earth as a country bumpkin. Joining the military was something that just sort of happened. Word of my powers got out, as well as my superior grades, and the government sought me out to be trained. It was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. The money has helped my family in so many ways. Plus I like my work even if I do miss home. In less than a year I have built up a substantial amount of leave time.”

  “Xut, so you grew up over a thousand miles away from me,” Alan said with a laugh. “I have never seen the ocean. I grew up in the flatlands by Ondoran. Not quite in the country, but on the outskirts of it. My father has been in the military for as long as I can remember actually, and he makes a significant amount of money. While we had the option of traveling with him, my mother didn’t like that so Father would go away and the rest of the family would stay put. We lived on a spacious ranch. Lots of animals, and I lived next to a forest. Plenty to explore, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

  “Sounds like it,” Tuliy said. “That’s what I love most about home. Exploring all of the caves on the cliffs was always a treat. Naturally when I’m on Earth, I do as much exploring as I can in my limited window of opportunity.”

  “Must be too bad, being restricted by the rules of the ship to come see the planet.” Alan paused. “And what is it you can do exactly? I haven’t heard much about your abilities.”

  “They’re a bit complicated to describe. Your betrothed—”

  “Ex-betrothed. Given a few of the th
ings that have happened between us, I don’t think we can consider ourselves a couple any longer, but that’s a story for another time,” Alan said stiffly. He wasn’t quite ready to share everything that had happened between him and Alona. No on the ship knew about the encounters he had with her on Earth. He wanted to keep it that way for the time being. It was hard to predict how anyone would take the news. Would he be branded a traitor? There was a lot to think about.

  Tuliy nodded. “Ex-betrothed, my apologies. I hadn’t realized you had broken up. The ship gossip must not be up-to-date.”

  “I like to keep on the down-low, as it’s referred to on Earth,” Alan mumbled.

  “Don’t we all?”

  Alan sighed and waved for his new roommate to continue. “Anyway, you were explaining your abilities? I’m not sure what they have to do with my ex, but I’m intrigued at how you’re going to connect this.”

  “From what I understand, she takes abilities away through touch, yes?” Tuliy finished his bottle of water and tossed it into a recycling bin located along the wall of the den that was shared with the kitchen.

  Alan nodded slowly. “Yes.”

  “Mine is the opposite of hers. Rather than take abilities away, I act as a boost of power, an enhancer. To go along with that, when the touch is prolonged or intense, I start to imprint the ability as one of my own.”

  “So if you touched me, you’d gain my powers? All of them?” Alan raised an eyebrow.

  “How many do you have?”

  “Three that are my own without enhancements. I thought you read my profile?”

  “Impressive, and I did, but I don’t like to read about the abilities. They’re tempting you see. But yes, I would gain all of them,” Tuliy said with a small shrug, as if it weren’t a big deal. To Alan it was a huge deal. If Tuliy had the ability to copy those of others, then maybe his motivations for living with Alan were not completely pure.

  For a couple of minutes, Alan sipped on his bottle of water thinking that over. It wouldn’t be bad if that were true necessarily. Sharing what I can do would be useful. Sir Tuliy would have more use for them than I, I’m sure. But it stung. He had actually believed briefly they were friends without an agenda.