Earthshaker

by Robert T. Jeschonek

  "Actually, I think I do." Duke held up Millicent's note. Turning it over, he read the flip side and tapped numbered buttons on the keypad.

  "She gave you the code." I nodded and smiled. "Knew I liked her."

  After a moment, we heard a humming sound from the elevator door. Felt a slight vibration underfoot.

  "Damn." Duke shook his head. "She told me that was her cell phone number." He stuffed the note in his pants pocket. "I knew it didn't look right, all the numbers run together like that."

  I patted him on the back. "You did great, Duke. This puts us one step closer to finding Aggie."

  Me and my big mouth. Mentioning Aggie killed everyone's mood on the spot. When the elevator arrived, and the door slid open, the three of us boarded silently. Didn't say anything on the ride down, either.

  *****

  The ride didn't last long, so I knew we weren't too far underground when the elevator car stopped moving. The door opened, and we stepped out into a vast, glittering ballroom.

  Even considering the circumstances, considering what we were there for, I was still blown away when I saw it. Had to force myself not to stare. The place was amazing; all the more so because it was hidden underground, the true secret of Secret Valley.

  It looked like something out of a high tech royal palace. The floor was a checkerboard of gleaming squares, alternating between rose and black marble. The mirrored ceiling dripped with great chandeliers of gold and multi-colored crystal or gems. The four walls were covered with flat panel video screens, programmed in such a way that they broadcast a single, continuous image all the way around the room. When we first got out of the elevator, a panoramic scene of snow-covered mountain peaks surrounded us; as I watched, the view changed to an underwater vista, all deep blue sea flashing with dolphins and swooping schools of fish.

  The scene in the middle of the ballroom interested me most, though. The nude girl floating in midair above a crowd of applauding, tuxedoed men.

  Duke leaned over and whispered in my ear. "I think we've come to the right place, earth angel."

  I nodded. I knew the floating girl, or should I say nymph. Her name was Phaola, and she was one of the Hyades. I'd arranged a trip to Argentina once for her and her sister, Ambrosia.

  "You need to be extraordinarily careful," said Duke. "These men might have some power over your kind."

  "I hear you." I knew it was good advice. All I wanted to do at that moment was go ballistic, rip the place apart till I found Aggie. But I knew it was smarter to watch and wait. Let Duke be the front man, as planned, and keep a low profile. It wouldn't be easy; other than Phaola, I was the only woman in the place.

  In the center of the room, Phaola rose higher, turning slowly as low, throbbing music played. Her long blonde hair with its ice-blue highlights hung down like a curtain, gleaming in the light from the chandeliers.

  As I watched, Phaola rolled over and swung upward. Hair flowing around her, she reached up toward the ceiling and wove her slender arms overhead. Rocked her hips sensuously from side to side in time with the music.

  She began to spin—slowly at first, then picking up speed. Always twining and swirling her arms, flickering her delicate fingers in patterns of increasing complexity. And she started to glow. A sparkling golden halo flowed around her body, growing and brightening with each fresh pulse of light.

  The men below were mesmerized, hundreds of them craning their necks to watch every sinuous movement. Their mouths were open, every last one, and their faces were bathed in Phaola's golden glow.

  When her dance reached its peak, Phaola was weaving and gyrating and spinning like a dervish. Suddenly, she stopped and cried out; she flung her arms back and held them there for an instant...then swept them overhead and clapped them together once.

  Which was exactly when the rain started to fall.

  A shower of glittering droplets rushed down from above, from somewhere below the mirrored ceiling. Cascading all around Phaola, all through the ballroom—but never touching the floor. The downpour ended just short of our heads, miraculously disappearing into thin air before a single drop could touch any of us.

  The ballroom exploded with cheers and applause. What Phaola had done was a true spectacle, true magic. And the whole time, she'd never once stopped smiling.

  The thing was, from where I was standing, I couldn't tell if the smile was real or forced.

  "Wow." Briar was shaking his head and gazing at Phaola. "She's almost as good as you are."

  Normally, I wouldn't have let that comment slide. "She and her sister Hyades are 'the bringers of rain.'" I was too busy trying to grasp the insane situation. Was Phaola a prisoner or an employee? How had she gotten mixed up in this? And what was Aggie's connection?

  "We need to talk to her," I said, watching as Phaola drifted to the floor. "We need to get her alone."

  "Good luck with that," said Briar.

  I guessed there were between two hundred and fifty and three hundred men in that ballroom. As Phaola descended, they all mobbed her, touching and chattering. Phaola grinned and giggled, letting them kiss her hands and jostle for her attention.

  Just then, a wall video panel opened inward, and a tall man emerged from behind the scenes. He wore a white top hat and tails and charged straight into the mob. The men parted for him as if he were brandishing a gun instead of a red satin robe.

  As the man in the white top hat drew up to Phaola and helped her into the red robe, I saw he was wearing a mask. It was a full-face, flesh-colored mask, the weird kind that looks see-through but isn't. It kept me from getting a look at his features.

  "Now that's who I want to talk to," said Briar. "I'll bet he knows everything."

  "I'll bet you're right," said Duke.

  As Phaola pulled the robe tight and tied the sash, the masked man spoke to the mob. "Gentlemen!" His voice was amplified, but I couldn't see the microphone. "Just imagine. Just imagine what else she can do. For you."

  "So much for the innocent dating service theory," said Briar.

  "And she is only the beginning." The masked man spread his arms wide; he was wearing black gloves. "We have all the colors of the rainbow to choose from. All the flavors of the candy shop. Every one of them with different talents and powers that will make your wildest fantasy a reality."

  The men cheered and clapped and whistled with abandon. One of them grabbed the masked man's shoulder, and he shrugged him right off.

  "Where else can you find women like these?" said the masked man. "Goddesses, literally, like these?" He snapped his gloved fingers, and video wall panels swung open all around the ballroom. Beautiful women strolled out through the openings; I counted two dozen of them. Every last one of them was smiling and scantily clad. "Nowhere but here! Only at Divinities!"

  As the women mingled with the crowd of men, a chill shot through my body. "I know them." I stepped back and edged behind Duke. "I know all of them."

  "They're all nymphs?" said Briar.

  "Nymphs and minor goddesses. They've all been through Cruel World at one time or another."

  "Of course." Duke nodded as he looked around at the crowd. "I recognize them, too. There's one of the Pleiades, and that crazy naiad, Kleodora. Is that one of the muses over there?"

  "But no Aggie," said Briar.

  "She's here, all right." She had to be, I knew it. No special abilities needed to read the writing on that wall. "I need to talk to Phaola."

  "Ask and ye shall receive." Duke gathered himself up and straightened the collar of his black silk shirt. "Now just follow my lead, you two."

  With that, Duke strolled into the crowd, and Briar and I followed.

  *****

  Chapter 7

  Clusters of high rollers surrounded each of the two dozen women, jockeying for their attention. Duke glided past each group without giving any of those women a second look. He led us straight across the ballroom toward our target without hesitation or delay.

  My heart pounded as we passed the familia
r faces. Any one of those women could have called me out on the spot, instantly ending our charade. Luckily, they were too preoccupied with their big shot suitors to glance my way.

  When we reached the cluster surrounding Phaola, Duke paused, sizing up the situation. There were at least twenty men packed tightly around her, leaving no room for Duke to squeeze through.

  But he had it covered, like always. He stood there a moment, smiling and fishing in his pockets. When he brought out his hands, they were filled with gold coins.

  Briar's eyes bugged at the sight. He met my gaze, and I just shrugged; I had my talents, and Duke had his. I'd seen him do this before, many times...and I knew the big secret behind the trick.

  There were no pockets in his pants.

  Duke nudged one of the men nearby with his elbow and held up the fistfuls of gold in front of him. "Friend," said Duke. "Would you say this looks like real gold? Solid gold?"

  The silver-haired man frowned at the coins. "I suppose."

  "Go ahead, take one," said Duke. "Give it a good, close once-over. Tell me what you think."

  The man looked suspicious. Phaola giggled at the heart of the group, and he got distracted...but the coins quickly brought his attention back. "All right." He teased one coin from between Duke's fingers and held it up to his eyes. Turned it around, held it closer, then farther away. Put it in the palm of his hand and judged the weight. Then, he nodded. "Looks authentic to me." He tried to hand it back over to Duke.

  But Duke shook his head. "It's yours. Just do me one favor. Tell me again, sir..." Duke raised his voice so the crowd around Phaola could hear him. "Would you say this is genuine solid gold?"

  The silver-haired man shrugged and nodded. He looked annoyed but may have felt a little indebted, because he raised his voice, too. "Yes, I'd say this is solid gold."

  "Thank you." Duke winked. Then, he spun and hurled both fistfuls of gold coins in the air. "Come and get it, boys! The gold rush is on!"

  High rollers they might have been, but Phaola's suitors didn't turn their noses up at the offer of free gold. By the time Duke had pulled out and thrown his third double handful, only two of the men remained with Phaola.

  "What the hell?" said Briar. "Some kind of illusion?"

  I shook my head and smiled. "All real." It was true. It was also true that the secret of the trick was that there were no pockets in Duke's pants. He reached straight through to the substance of his legs and pulled out the coins. Pulled them through, was more accurate. Pulled them from somewhere far away, from deep in the Earth itself, and pulled them through his own body. His body, which was uniquely attuned to the Earth. Uniquely attuned because it was made from the Earth.

  As the men rushed after the coins, Duke sashayed up to Phaola. "Hello, my dear." He elbowed the two remaining suitors aside and reached for Phaola's hand. "Enchanté."

  Phaola recognized him instantly. Her honey-gold eyes flecked with green flashed at me, and I could tell she knew me, too...but she didn't blow our cover. "Hello." Her smile wasn't as big as before, she was wondering what the game was, but she gave him her hand.

  Duke kissed it. "Sir Reginald Strayhorn, at your service. May I have a few moments of your time?"

  Sir Reginald? I would've laughed, if the situation hadn't been so tense.

  "That depends, Sir Strayhorn!" Suddenly, the man in the white tux, top hat, and mask leaped between Duke and Phaola. "Lovely Phaola prefers to spend time exclusively with those who support her favorite charity."

  "Perhaps you're in luck, then." Duke made it a point to talk over the masked man's shoulder, bypassing him for Phaola. "Maybe I'm already a supporter. What charity is it, pray tell?"

  "Groundswell, of course," said the masked man. "And I'm quite certain you're not currently a supporter."

  Groundswell. I'd never heard of it, and I guessed Duke hadn't, either...but he covered it well. My hero, as always.

  "I've been meaning to make a contribution." Duke nodded with deep sincerity, still directing his words at Phaola. "In fact, I've come prepared." He reached into the opening of what should have been his right pocket and fished around for a moment. When he finally drew out his hand, a gleaming gold ingot came with it. "How's this for a start?"

  The masked man accepted the ingot and turned it over in his hands. Held it up for close inspection. Stroked it like a loved one. "You are a shining example of commitment to our cause," he said.

  "I expect he'll want to test it," Duke said to Phaola. "In the meantime, might I bend your ear for a few moments, my dear?"

  "If, as you say, this is only a downpayment..." The masked man juggled the gold ingot. "Perhaps a brief chat would be in order. Please begin."

  Duke pulled out another ingot and held it out. Pulled it away when the masked man reached for it. "Two conditions. One: the conversation must be private. No Divinities chaperone. And two: my bodyguards will accompany us."

  The masked man looked at Briar, then me...and stopped there. Cocked his head and stared at me with eyes narrowed suspiciously. "She's a bodyguard?"

  "The best in the business." Duke waved the ingot in front of the masked man. "Trust me on that one."

  "She's quite a specimen." The masked man snatched the ingot from Duke's hand. "You're sure you don't have more than talking in mind? Because a foursome would cost you a good deal more."

  "No, no." Duke laughed. "Only a conversation, if you please."

  The masked man sniffed loudly. "Well, let me know if you change your mind." He bowed and gestured with a flourish, waving us forward. "Right this way, Sir Strayhorn."

  *****

  Chapter 8

  The masked man led us to a bedroom with the same video panel walls as the ballroom. Most of the room was taken up by a huge four-poster bed with pink satin sheets and a mountain range of pillows.

  "Enjoy your private...conversation." The masked man backed toward the open door. "Call out if you need me. I answer to 'Holloway.'"

  When the door closed, we turned to Phaola. She looked nervous and sat on the edge of the bed.

  "Alone at last." Duke's expression turned grim. "Hello, Phaola."

  "Hi." She pointed at me and Briar. "Are those two going to watch?"

  "Actually," said Duke, "they're going to do the heavy lifting."

  "Okay." Phaola met my gaze. "So lift."

  I looked around the room, fully aware the place was bugged...not because I sensed it, but because it had to be. I imagined rows of cameras and microphones lined up behind the video screen walls; a panoramic aerial vista of a rain forest played on the panels around us as the hidden equipment recorded our every word and move.

  Better to minimize our exposure at the risk of making Phaola uncomfortable. Sitting beside her on the bed, I leaned close and whispered in her ear. "Good to see you again, Phaola." I dropped my hand on her knee for the benefit of the cameras. "How've you been?"

  "Fine," whispered Phaola. "What do you want, Gaia?"

  "What's happening here?" I said. "What's going on with Divinities?"

  Phaola shrugged. "It's self-explanatory, isn't it?"

  Briar joined us then, sitting on the other side of her. "What's Groundswell?" he whispered. "Holloway said it's some kind of charity...?"

  "It's a lot more than that," said Phaola. "It's going to change everything. With the money we make here, we're helping to change the world."

  "So you're working here of your own free will?" I was stunned. Especially if all two dozen women shared the same mindset.

  "We're doing our part." Phaola's eyes narrowed. "Not all of us are happy with the way of the world these days."

  I frowned. Had the feeling I was brushing up against something new for the first time. "What do you mean exactly?"

  "Man versus nature." Phaola shot Briar a pointed glare. "We're tired of staying on the sidelines."

  "How does this..." I patted the bed. "...accomplish anything?"

  "Divinities does the fundraising," said Phaola. "Our special abilities command a fortune
in the bedroom setting."

  "A fortune for Groundswell," said Briar.

  "It's an investment," said Phaola. "It'll pay off down the line, believe me. We'll get our rightful place at the table."

  "Unless Holloway's feeding you a line of shit," said Briar, "and using you to line his own pockets."

  Phaola ignored him. She stayed focused on me, cocking her head and raising her eyebrows. "You ought to get involved, Gaia. Get in on the ground floor. You could be one of the best of us."

  I felt a surge of anger. Squeezed her knee a little too hard, and she winced. "Like Aegle?" I had to fight to keep my voice to a whisper. "You want me to follow in her footsteps?"

  Phaola blinked. I'd taken some of the wind out of her sails, I could tell. "You know Aegle?"

  I squeezed her knee harder and leaned closer. Made sure she couldn't miss the dead seriousness in my eyes. "Where is she, Phaola? Where's Aegle right now?"

  Phaola shrugged. "You'll have to ask Holloway. He handles the new recruits."

  "I'll bet he does," said Briar.

  "Where do you think she might be?" I leaned in so close, we were nose to nose. No room for misunderstanding. Give the cameras a whiff of sexual tension.

  Phaola looked shaken, then offended, then shaken again. I think she realized how far I'd go to get what I wanted. "Aegle might be in Time-Out." Her voice at this point was so low, I could barely hear it. "There's been some...friction."

  "What kind of friction?" It took everything I had not to grab her by the throat and choke the answers out of her.

  "She seemed like a true believer," said Phaola. "But she started asking questions. Turns out she was doing an exposé for the TV station."

  Finally, Aggie's involvement made sense. I couldn't believe she'd hook up with a sex ring because she'd needed money or fallen for a cause like Groundswell. She wasn't the type to be coerced or suckered by a guy, either. Tough chick.