by JN Chaney
John felt himself sit up. “Do you have something about Mei?”
“I do,” said Gel. “Or rather, I have our next course of action.”
Thank God, thought John. “Where is she? What do you know?”
“I’ve received confirmation that the doctor is behind held somewhere in a Garden facility. My contact assures me that she is safe and unharmed. However, I do not know how long this will last.”
“Where?” John demanded to know. “Tell me where they are. We have to get her back before anything happens.”
“Please, Sergeant Finn. We must act with precision if we are to secure her safe release. I do not believe her life to be in any immediate danger. Should we act too soon, however, this could change.”
John nodded. He couldn’t be stupid right now. No rash decisions. “Okay, right. What do we do?”
“It would seem Doctor Curie’s location is known only to a select few within Garden’s ranks. This is most likely done in order to prevent such sensitive information from leaking out of their organization. This, of course, makes the task of finding her all the more difficult.”
“Then you don’t know where she is?” asked John.
“Not yet, but—”
“Why am I here if you don’t know anything?” He was beginning to get annoyed.
“Because I believe I know a way to find out,” said Master Gel. “But I will require your assistance.”
His help? What could Gel be talking about? “Go on.”
“One of Garden’s top agents has left the city and is attempting to procure a specific resource to use against our forces. I believe this to be a metal known as orinchalium. If secured, Garden could use it to bolster their offensive capabilities, potentially crippling Everlasting’s defenses.”
“That’s awful,” said John, taken back by the scope of what Gel had suggested.
“Indeed, Sergeant Finn. But more to the point, this official is also one of the few personnel with intimate knowledge of Doctor Curie’s location.”
“Then we need to find this person,” said John.
“Indeed, and before she returns. Otherwise, she may very well disappear into the underground.”
“So, what are you asking me to do?”
“I would like you to accompany a squad of our soldiers on a mission to capture Jinel Din. You have proven yourself to be most adept at combating Garden’s forces. With you there to assist us, I believe we may be able to capture her alive.”
John considered his offer. He wasn’t in a hurry to leave the city, since Mei was currently being held somewhere beneath it, but if this meant finding and bringing her home, he didn’t have much of a choice. “Alright. I can do that.”
“There are a few caveats,” said Gel. “First, Garden is heavily armed and working with a group of natives. We do not know the extent of this partnership, but it remains a danger nonetheless. Be cautious, as many of the warriors and priests have shown exceptional skills in battle. They may not fall easily. Second, and this is critical, you must not kill Jinel Din. We need her alive if we are to ascertain the whereabouts of Doctor Curie. You are also not to keep her conscious. She has access to a communications device which will transmit a direct video feed to Garden personnel. If this happens, Doctor Curie’s safety will be compromised.”
“How am I supposed to knock her out?” asked John.
“We will give you access to our nerve agent, compound AX-12009-B3. You’ll recall our forces used it against your—”
“I remember,” said John.
“Very good. You are to use the toxin on Jinel Din, then remove the rest of her team as quickly as possible.”
“You want me to kill them?” asked John.
“If the prospect bothers you, use the compound,” said Gel. “Regardless, the task before you is the same. Secure the target and return her so that we can determine Curie’s location and extract her safely. Are you comfortable with what I am asking of you, Sergeant? Do you understand?”
John thumbed the butt of his rifle. “If it means we get her back. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Very good,” said the Master Analyst once more. “Very good, indeed.”
CHAPTER 9
Ortego Outpost File Logs
Play Audio File 1560
Recorded: March 27, 2351
MITCHELL: After the delivery of the sample, I have found myself utterly consumed. Upon my initial analysis, I could see nothing exceptional about the sequences in the native population’s DNA, but after initial sequencing, it seems I was incorrect.
The expressed traits of the sequence operate in much the same way as Doctor Curie and Sergeant Finn’s, creating a kind of hybrid. Unlike theirs, however, which retain a mix of human and Variant DNA, the native sample appears to be a blend of Variant and the citizens of Everlasting. By this I mean, simply, that the natives living outside the city are as different as Doctor Curie is to myself. The natives are indeed hybrids, as we first surmised, but there is something else.
The DNA of the natives, while related to the Everlastians, is also similar to Earth’s hybrids—the children created under Doctor Archer’s experiments and research. This is more than I expected to find, but considering the similarities between our two planets’ animal populations, it isn’t entirely surprising.
I would need to examine a living specimen to see what effects this has had to be completely certain, but I would hypothesize that some, if not all, of the natives possess added physical abilities. While Sergeant Finn and Doctor Curie have enhanced senses and a higher white blood cell count, these individuals may retain other traits of which we are unaware. It would be most fascinating to examine or interview them to learn if any exist, but for now I must focus on the task before me.
The DNA appears to have multiple unique molecules within itself, each of which could very well hold the key to long term adaptability. Whether this proves to be a triumph or a fool’s errand remains to be seen, but I shall continue down this path…to whatever end it brings.
End Audio File
The Waveguard
April 1, 2351
In the early dawn of the fifth day at sea, Sederin shouted from high atop the mast. “Land! Land! Land!”
The words broke through the deck and woke Terry from his restful sleep. He yawned and stretched, glancing to his left to find Lena’s bunk empty. It wasn’t surprising, as most of the people he’d encountered on this planet required so little sleep that it made him seem lazy by comparison.
The air on the deck smelled particularly fresh this morning, but with a hint of…what was it?
Something close to cinnamon, he realized, with a hint of fruit behind it. The crisp odor of baked treats riding the breeze, bringing hunger pangs. He clutched his belly in anticipation, leaning on the wooden rail toward the northern shore. There, a bustling dock with shops and traders, bakers, and sailing ships. What he found more remarkable, however, was the sheer size of such a place. Compared to Capeside or any of the other ports, this one seemed several times their size. How many people had gathered to live in this place, and why? Were there other cities in the world as large as this one? Until now, Terry thought Everlasting was the only place with such a population.
Perhaps there was more to the world than he first believed.
Beyond the little town, Terry could see a pass of cliffs ranging endlessly in the distance.
“Fair morning, Little Traveler!” came a jolly voice from behind.
A hand came down on his shoulder. Hux’s many piercings glimmered in the morning light of the clear day, making Terry squint.
“It won’t be long until you see my homeland. I hope you’re prepared! Wait until you see the Wavemaster Arena. Oh, and the Maran Statue!”
“What are those?” asked Terry.
“Both are symbols of pride. The Arena is where wavemasters compete to prove themselves. I spent my younger years training alongside many other athletes. The statue stands at the entrance, representing the strength and wi
llpower to endure such tests. Wait until you see it.”
“You were an athlete?” asked Terry, surprised to be hearing this for the first time.
“One of the best!” declared the sailor with a hearty chuckle. “I might not look it now, but in my time, I was quite the champion.”
Terry had a hard time believing Hux could be even more intimidating than he already was. The wavemaster stood nearly seven feet tall, the same as Ludo, with hefty biceps and strong legs. How much tougher could one person get?
At the same time, Terry had seen some incredible things since arriving on Kant. Priests with unbreakable skin, monstrous animals the size of a small building, and a futuristic metropolis to name a few. Would he ever get used to seeing the impossible?
He hoped to never find out.
******
“There is no need for disguises, friends,” declared Hux.
Terry, Lena, and Jinel each wore a shroud around their faces to cover themselves. They couldn’t just go walking into Tharosa looking so out of place. The breathing masks were dead giveaways. Worse still, Terry’s ears were round and small, not pointed like all the rest.
“Tharosa has many people arriving from all over Kant every single day,” said the wavemaster. “No one will notice any of you.”
“What about our gear?” asked Jinel.
Hux chuckled. “The people of Lexine wear extra eyes and machines as well, but none are given second looks. Not in Tharosa. We welcome all!”
“You don’t think I’ll stand out?” asked Terry.
“Not so, Little Traveler. Most will think nothing of you, except that you must be from far away.”
Terry still hadn’t told Hux about his true origins. Ludo and Ysa had accepted it, but only after several attempts at explanation. The concept of another world was more than a little complicated, especially since Terry barely understood it himself. Originally, he believed this to simply be another planet, rather than an entirely separate universe. Lena had explained this to him in some detail, though he still didn’t entirely understand. In time, he’d try to tell his friends the truth, but right now there were other concerns.
“It’s true,” said Lena, speaking of Terry’s appearance. “There’s a tribe on the eastern continent of Liendis who have small ears like yours. Not exactly the same, but close.”
“They’re also quite small,” added Jinel.
“Small?” asked Terry.
“A tall one might come up to your waist.”
“That’s beside the point,” insisted Lena.
Terry handed the shawl to Ludo. “If Hux says we don’t need to hide, then I believe him.”
The wavemaster smiled. “As you should, Little Traveler! Now, come! Let us leave and get our footing.”
The three of them—Ysa, Ludo, and Terry—followed Hux as he led them through the harbor and into the city.
As they passed by the various shops, Terry felt a flood of smells and odors—many pleasant, others ghastly. The streets were wider than those in Capeside, lined with carts and animals. Terry spotted several haddins and other animals pulling carts and vehicles, reminding him of Plead.
Terry wondered if the merchant had ever come here. If not, what would he say upon seeing such a place? Plead had often remarked on the complexity of this world, on the variety of people one could encounter.
“The world is so big,” Terry had told the merchant.
“Bigger than any of us could hope to guess,” Plead had answered.
I wish I could tell him he was right, thought Terry, staring at the mountains beyond the city walls. He let out a long sigh. Maybe in another life.
******
A Cold Room
April 1, 2351
Mei opened her eyes in her cell, groggy and tired. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes, trying to focus and regain her composure. The last thing she remembered, she’d been injected with something. Another drug to—
Well, she had no idea, truthfully. The doctors never told her much, nor did they speak enough to one another to give her any idea of what was going on. All she could do was scrape together bits and pieces from what she’d overheard.
The door opened and in walked Fentin. “Awake, are you?” he asked in his native tongue, seeing her standing with her hands against the transparent cell wall.
She said nothing.
He proceeded with his typical routine, cleaning his tools and preparing a dose of something. “You seem to sleep longer than the other one we had,” said the doctor, thinking she didn’t understand him.
What other one? Mei wondered.
Fentin placed the translator device on the table. “Do you understand my words?” he asked, this time in English.
“Yes,” she said.
“Good. You should remain seated on the bed while I open the door, unless you want me to call someone.”
She didn’t argue. Not yet. Better to play this one smart and wait for the right opportunity. This was the first time she’d awoken before Fentin’s arrival. She had to handle this the right way.
Mei remained still, placing her palms up as Fentin requested. He opened the cell door and motioned for her to come out. She did, standing and walking slowly to where he was, minding the cell walls. “Sit in your chair,” he ordered, smiling that annoying grin of his.
She glanced at the metal monstrosity Fentin called a chair, trying to hide her disdain. The seat was cold and hard, digging its edge into her thighs.
Fentin went to her side and began strapping in her wrist. He didn’t seem too concerned with her, and it was no surprise. Mei was half his size, after all, and hardly imposing. He likely assumed he could overpower her if he needed to. Probably hold her down with just his body weight.
Maybe that was true, too. Mei didn’t know. She’d never tested her strength against anyone in Everlasting, and she wasn’t the strongest of the Variant children. Not like John or Terry.
Still, she couldn’t just sit here and let this happen. Oh, no. Not by a long shot.
Right as Fentin tightened the first wrist strap, but before he could lock it into place, Mei jerked forward with her other hand, jabbing him in the throat.
Fentin fell back, gagging for air. He gasped desperately as his face turned red.
Mei untied herself with her free hand. Fentin struggled to stand before making a dash for the door. As it opened, Mei shoved him. He tumbled to the left, knocking his head into the nearby table as vials of blood were thrown into the air and shattered against the low ceiling. Dark crimson rained on them both, peppered with shards of glass twinkling in the dim light.
Fentin grabbed her, pulling her to the floor. She kicked him in the side of his throat, screaming as she tried to get away.
The doctor’s eyes dilated as Mei scurried away from him. “H-Help! Someone help!” he yelled.
Mei fled into the hall, having no idea where she was going. As she neared the end of the initial corridor, which merged with another perpendicular hall, she collided directly with a group of armed soldiers. Two of them grabbed her, but she shoved them away. They were dressed in Everlastian gear: dark blue armor with weapons meant to pacify, rather than kill. “Hey!” shouted one of them, clearly surprised.
She hesitated, uncertain of what to do. She couldn’t get through that many people on her own. She wasn’t John. She wasn’t strong enough for this.
She took a step back. Maybe there was another way out, another path to take to escape. She just—
She felt a sting in her neck, a sharp, awful pain. She felt herself, expecting blood, but found nothing.
One of the soldiers had his weapon raised at her. “Target is down!”
In seconds, all the feeling in her body faded, each appendage useless as she collapsed onto the floor.
******
Back in the cell, lying in the bed, Mei was fully conscious, totally immobilized.
She had tried to make her escape, but couldn’t even manage to get more than a few rooms down the hallway. Had she
been a fool for believing such a thing was possible?
No, she thought, pushing the idea out of her head. I can’t just submit. I can’t.
Out of the corner of her eye, beneath the transparent cell wall, she spied a vial of blood resting snug against the metal frame. She couldn’t get to it from here, even if she could move.
She waited there for hours, unable to move. Unable to speak.
But after a time, some feeling returned, and eventually she managed to open her mouth and wiggle her fingers. The effect of the drug was wearing off.
As she sat up, finally, feeling the aches in her stomach and thighs, she noticed something in the corner of the cell, glimmering.
As she drew closer, she saw it was an empty vial. Fentin must have dropped it when she attacked him earlier, then left it here during the confusion.
A small crack ran along its edge. If she could break it, maybe file it down…
She heard someone down the hall—footsteps growing louder. Mei went back to her bed, stuffing the vial beneath her pillow. Her heart raced, and she took a deep breath. Easy, now.
She waited for the door to open, expecting to see Fentin and maybe an added guard. Instead, someone else had come. A man she’d met several times before.
Gel, the Master Analyst of Everlasting, the head of the Citadel itself, stared back at the girl in the cell.
And he smiled.
CHAPTER 10
Ortego Outpost File Logs
Play Audio File 1592
Recorded: April 1, 2351
MITCHELL: After running approximately sixty-two tests of varying complexity, I have discovered what I believe to be the molecule responsible for Variant adaptability within the alien DNA. The next step is, of course, to find a way to use this to enhance the Lanrix drug without destroying or completely overwriting the present hybrid molecule we are already using.
I believe the tests should take no less than a day, which means I will know one way or the other whether I have been wasting my time or not.