by M. G. Herron
I didn’t have to see the smile on her face to hear it in her voice. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“If this is a simulation, I can’t really get hurt, can I?”
“Oh, but you can.”
The Pharsei rolled toward me, spinning its body like it was caught in a washing machine. I lifted my left elbow and drew my gun with my right hand. Pushing it forward, I racked the slide, and squeezed the trigger.
My finger froze mid-pull.
I squeezed harder, but couldn’t take the shot. The trigger seemed to be stuck.
“Stop,” Dyna said.
The twirling forward momentum of the Pharsei froze in mid-tumble, only a few feet in front of me.
I cursed.
“Take a deep breath—this is how you learn. You did nothing wrong.”
“I couldn’t pull the trigger though, could I?”
“Look up.”
At this proximity, The Pharsei’s dark limbs were close enough to see that they were covered with tiny scales, like a snake. The pink-edged mouth was lined with vicious, ripping teeth, and the leaf-shaped terminus of each tentacle was razor-sharp.
“The first lesson I wish to teach you is how to be more aware of your surroundings. Although you are yet several feet from the creature, its psychic limbs have already reached you.”
Dyna was right. One of the ghostly tentacles arched from the backside of the Pharsei to the top of my head, where the grabby end—like an elephant’s trunk—opened and closed inches from my skull
“Mother of God,” I said as a shiver raced down my spine. Instinctively, I leaned away, but as I tried to move, the familiar stabbing pain lanced through my temple.
“Hey! That hurts!”
“Do you recognize the sensation from before?”
I forced the words out through my teeth. “Yes, of course.”
“Make it stop.”
“What?”
“Make it stop,” she repeated.
The stabbing slowly increased in pressure and I felt my gun falling down to my side as it had at the power plant. Focusing my concentration, I took three deep breaths and tried to lift my hand by sheer force of will.
“You will never beat Elekatch in a shoving match. Don’t try.”
“So, what do I do?” I asked.
“For the immediate future, you will be successful if you can create a barrier that deflects his initial attack—you only need a small window to fire your weapon. You got lucky the other night. We’ll be successful if you can take several well-aimed shots.”
I blinked and the Pharsei drifted back to its original position.
“For the purposes of our training, the simulation will visualize your thoughts. This makes it easier to learn to control them,” Dyna’s voice said. “Now, I want you to imagine that the area inside of your skull is like an impenetrable fortress.”
I clenched my teeth. Nothing happened.
“Relax, Gunn. Do not squeeze so hard—find your center. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and try again.”
Exhaling noisily, I pictured Dyna and Kilos when they were meditating. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a fortress. The sound of bricks slamming together caused me to open my eyes again. In between me and the monster, a half-constructed, crooked brick wall stood.
“Good,” Dyna’s voice breathed quietly, as if she were whispering into my ear. “Now remove it.”
I did, and the half-wall disappeared.
“Now!” she yelled, startling me.
The Pharsei came at me for the third time. I raised my arms, so they were straight out in front of me holding the gun, and at the same time slammed my brick wall down—leaving a square aperture to aim through.
The Pharsei screamed at a deafening pitch when its ghost tentacle slammed into the rough exterior of my brick wall.
I squeezed the trigger and was rewarded with a deafening crack as a .45 caliber round roared out of the chamber and embedded itself directly into the Pharsei’s scaly hide.
“Get some!” I screamed, emptying the rest of the magazine, nine more shots in bursts of three. They all hit their target.
The Pharsei stumbled back, wrapping both its ghost and regular tentacles around itself until it collapsed.
“That,” Dyna’s voice said, “was well done.”
I released the mental image and the brick wall disappeared.
“Is that all I needed to know?” I said to Dyna. “Just build a brick wall in my mind and Elekatch won’t be able to mess with me? Why the hell did you have to stab me in the arm to teach me that?”
“You needed to experience it yourself. To see it with your own eyes. Those are the basics. You construct mental bulwarks and strengthen them against the inevitable attack. It’s rudimentary, and not suitable for larger groups of Pharsei, but for our purposes it will work as long as you are strong enough to maintain the image and resist distraction.”
I felt something prodding at my mind, and realized it was Dyna testing me—with no warning this time. I slammed my mental bricks into place, shoving them together tightly, straining so much I thought I could feel the rough edges of the bricks cutting into my flesh.
The prodding sensation vanished.
“Not bad. Your reaction time could be improved, but it will do. This will be more difficult to do in the real world, where we do not have the visuals aids provided by the simulation. There will also be more distractions.”
“I’ll keep practicing.”
“Good.”
The starscape blurred and the darkness faded to white. I felt myself fall back into my body. I had control of my own eyes and hands again. Something was stuck to my forearm—it pulled away with a sharp, sudden pain, and was replaced by a dull throbbing over the next few seconds.
I scratched at it, opening my eyes in time to see the door to my office swing wide. Kilos squeezed his bulky shoulders through the door. “Ah,” he said, pushing a stray blond dreadlock back over his shoulder. “The baby Peacekeeper has begun the initial stages of training. Maybe we’ll find a use for him now. As bait.”
“I’m not becoming a Peacekeeper, fluffy,” I said. “And if you try to use me as bait, I’ll set your ugly blond mane on fire.”
“Enough, the both of you,” Dyna said. “Gunn, keep practicing what I just showed you. And stop scratching at your arm.”
I forced my hand to my side and settled back into my seat.
Dyna stood and guided Kilos back outside. “Tell me what you found.”
I took a deep breath and checked the clock—thirty minutes had passed since I stepped through the door with breakfast in hand. My coffee cup was still lukewarm.
I sat down cross-legged on the floor with my back against the desk and placed the paper coffee cup beside me. Taking a deep breath, I envisioned the black emptiness and my brick wall, and started stacking bricks, one after the other, in excruciating, imagined detail.
19
“Anderson! Are you meditating?”
I blinked and glanced up at Anna, who stood over me with her hands on her hips.
My stiff back muscles trembled. It was still daytime, but the light had a brighter, whiter quality it hadn’t possessed early this morning. The heaviness in my eyes was gone, however, and I felt surprisingly sharp and well-rested. With a flush of shame, I realized that I had fallen asleep while practicing, yet somehow remained seated. My eyes flitted around the room, a bout of terror striking me at the thought of Anna running into my new offworlder friends.
But Dyna and Kilos hadn’t returned.
“What if I am?” I asked, releasing the breath I’d been holding. I rolled my neck and uncrossed my legs to release some of the tension in my back.
She put her purse down on the desk and held out a hand. I couldn’t help noticing the long, smooth legs that climbed up to the bottom of Anna’s polka-dotted white and blue sun dress. I took her hand and let her pull me to my feet.
Once I was standing, she cocked a hip to one side and crossed her arms. �
��I thought you hated that woo-woo crap, as you so elegantly put it when Alek told you I started taking yoga classes.”
I laughed. It only just then occurred to me how ridiculous a sight I must have been. “So, he told you about that, huh?”
I shrugged and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Just because she was right didn’t mean I had to admit it. Circumstances had changed—looking a little goofy was worth it if it would keep Elekatch out of my head and prevent me from freezing up again when it mattered.
Her eyes traveled around the room, noting the empty coffee cups lined up against the wall under the window at the far end of my desktop. The blanket from my truck we’d brought in with Dyna last night was piled in a corner. It was fortunate the Peacekeepers hadn’t left any other alien accessories lying around. “Working late? That’s a lot of coffee.”
My mind raced. “I had some, uh, new clients stop by.”
I had no clue when Anna had come in, or how long she’d been standing there watching me. On the other hand, I didn’t know where Dyna and Kilos were either. Did Anna meet them out front? Did they pass each other in the hallway? Was it weird that I wasn’t asking her? No, what was weird was me standing here introspecting instead of making conversation.
“Sorry I ran out on you the other night,” I said.
She shrugged with one shoulder. Was that a practiced nonchalance I saw? “I get it. Duty calls. Did you catch him?”
“Not yet.”
Anna opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t have a chance to say anything before the door swung open. Dyna walked in holding two more large cups of coffee. She had clearly developed a taste for the stuff since our so-called training session this morning.
“I tried to use that plastic contraption,” Dyna said without preamble, “to produce your coffee drink, but when I couldn’t get it to work, I decided to locate a nearby purveyor of the burned bean juice instead.”
“Roasted bean juice.” I released a series of low, panicked chuckles. “You couldn’t figure out a coffee machine? You’re an intelligent a—” Remembering Anna was in the room, I cleared my throat. “You’re an intelligent Austinite and couldn’t figure out how to work the coffee maker?”
A glimmer of suspicion washed over Anna’s face. “Who’s this?” she asked in a voice that suddenly oozed with southern honey.
“Oh,” I rushed to say. “Anna, this is my... new client, Dyna. Dyna, Annabelle Summers.”
Shit. You couldn’t even think of a fake name? Moron.
“Nice to meet you, Dyna,” Anna said, holding out her hand.
Dyna just stared at her hand. “I did not purchase three coffees.”
“It’s okay,” Anna said. “I won’t be sticking around.”
“Wait,” I said. “You must have stopped by for a reason. What’s up?”
“Well…” She looked around the room at everything except Dyna. “I was wondering about that raincheck.”
I stared at her for a second, confused. She fidgeted nervously. “You said you knew a great pizza place...”
The first thing that popped into my mind was that I didn’t want to miss Elekatch. Like a perfect dork, I turned to look at Dyna.
“Oh,” Anna said, her face turning bright red this time, “are you two…”
“No!” I said—a little too loudly.
“Are we what?” Dyna said, her brow wrinkling.
“We were waiting for her friend,” I said.
“You seem…” Anna began.
“Not like that. I swear, Anna. We were just waiting for her friend to return. He has some information I need. For a contract.”
“Kilos won’t be back again for some time,” Dyna said.
I let out a sigh of relief and turned my focus back to Anna. The blush was fading, but it left her cheeks rosy. Her sundress was cut low down the front, exposing smoothly tanned curves. A long blonde braid hung over her left shoulder. She looked amazing. And she had clearly dressed for the occasion. How had I missed that?
“Pizza sounds great,” I said.
Anna smiled broadly. I held out my arm and she took it. As we made our way outside, my lagging thoughts had a chance to catch up. I’d take her to Moretti’s like I told her I would. The way I saw it, that would kill two birds with one stone. Not only did my heart pound at the thought of sharing a meal with Anna, but this would also give me a chance to ask Vinny more about the Peacekeepers and the Tetrad beacon.
Outside, Anna adjusted her purse on her shoulder and smiled up at me. “Which way?”
I turned to my right and began to walk. “Sorry if I seem distracted. Got a lot on my mind right now.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Glancing down at her heels, I said, “Should we drive?”
“These are comfortable. I wouldn’t mind walking. Is it very far?”
“About half a mile.”
We crossed under the highway on fifth, moving slowly in the heat and sticking to the shady, tree-lined side of the street. The brackish smell of the creek wafted toward us, mixed with the delicious scent of freshly baked bread as we passed by a local bakery. It was midday now, and they were preparing dinner orders for all the local restaurants they served. I made small-talk about Anna’s work and the weather and the stores we passed. It all felt very forced, and Anna worried the straps of her purse with both hands to fill the silence. I think we were both relieved when we finally stepped into Moretti’s Pizza. We slid into a plastic booth in the back corner. The smell of yeast and wood-smoke hung in the air.
“What was all that about, with your client? You’re usually paranoid about keeping that place locked up. I find it a little odd that you’d just leave her there without supervision.”
Damn. Annabelle was perceptive.
“They, ah, needed a place to sit tight for a while. Besides, what is there to steal? An old coffee maker? Some IKEA furniture? Hell, I should ask them if they’ll take over the lease. Maybe I’d be better off if they took the place off my hands.”
Anna reached across the table and placed a hand over mine. I stopped fidgeting and looked up. As our eyes connected, a ray of sunshine blossomed in my gut, and I couldn’t keep from thinking about what bad timing this all was.
“It’ll all work out,” she said. “I know it will. You’re good at your job, and we’ll get you caught up, so you don’t lose the office. If I call to arrange a payment plan with the bank, maybe they’ll give you some extra time. It shows that you want to make it right if you have someone with a few letters after their name reach out.”
I gave her a lopsided smile. I couldn’t help but feel lightheaded around her.
“Is that why you were meditating?” Anna asked. “The stress?”
I rolled my neck, then cupped the back of my head and squeezed. “It’s nothing. I’ve been getting headaches, and Dyna showed me a few things that had worked for her in the past.”
“And did it?”
“A little bit. This skip is… complicated.”
“Hey, Gunn! Back so soon?” Vinny called from the kitchen as he pulled a pizza out of the oven.
I turned toward him.
“Whaddya havin’?” he asked.
“Your call,” I said to Anna in a lower voice.
“Hawaiian!” she called out. “With jalapeños!”
“Adventurous type, huh?” Vinny replied as she shuffled another pizza out of the oven. “You bet. Comin’ right up!”
I caught Vinny’s eyes before he turned around. He wiggled his eyebrows as if to say, “Does she know?” I shook my head, and he seemed to catch the point.
“Your mind really is drifting,” Anna pointed out.
“I can’t deny it.” I heaved a deep sigh and slouched lower in the slippery-smooth booth. “Can’t stop thinking about this contract.”
“You can talk to me, Anderson.”
I pursed my lips and looked her over. She twisted her cell phone in her hand. It was protected by a garishly-colored turquoise and pink case with sequins on it.
There were several stickers, too. Strangely enough, one of them was a green alien—the cartoon kind with big eyes and a bulbous head.
“Have you ever been into something way over your head? And you don’t know what to do to get out of it? Or who to trust?”
I didn’t actually expect her to have a strong opinion on the subject. No matter how overwhelming the job of a CPA could be, how could she understand the strange situation I’d stumbled into? In that moment, I’ll admit it, the dark shadow of doubt overcame me. I finally thought I understood what my old man was doing down at the coast with his drinking. Trying to block out the weary world and all the weight it foisted upon a person.
It was Anna who pulled me out. To my surprise, she nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, yes. All the time.”
I blinked. “Well, what do you do when that happens?”
“Sometimes, it’s hard to navigate. But whenever I’m uncertain, I try to listen to my intuition.”
I chuckled. “Everyone knows that men have terrible intuition!”
“They don’t, though,” she insisted. “Tell me something. When you’re out in the field and you get a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen, what do you do?”
Ignore the feeling and chase a murderous alien fugitive onto a rooftop? Instead of recounting that lovely experience, I said, “Well, I try to listen to it, but…”
“Exactly,” she said, jabbing the table with a pointer finger. “Men don’t have terrible intuition; they just choose not to listen to what their gut is trying to tell them.”
Nodding slowly, I stared at the table. Maybe she was right. Had I been ignoring my instincts?
Anna leaned in. “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”
My eyebrows twitched and panic seized my heart. I couldn’t talk about the alien thing yet. I wasn’t ready to be laughed at. Especially not by Anna. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to buy time.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about your finances, and something feels off to me. I feel like I need to understand why you got into this particular situation so we can set up systems to prevent it from happening in the future.”
Oh yeah, that. I exhaled slowly. It was way better than talking about the alien super-soldiers in my office. But not by much. I took a moment to gather my thoughts.