We spread out a blanket and have a small picnic, then lay back and stare at the endless blue sky. Not much time goes by before I see Crimson enter through the forcefield high above. I can tell she’s using her invisibility to shield her arrival, which is probably a good idea because of all the non-powered people on the island. Seeing a flying human dangling in the sky doesn’t fit into our normal range. I don’t know why she entered from the top instead of coming in from the side like the boat. I draw the conclusion there must be an entrance at that exact point. Perhaps the boat knew the exact coordinates where to enter the force field.
I decide not to tell Chris what I’ve just seen. I make this decision to prevent distracting us from enjoying our time together.
“Chris, what’s you biggest dream in life?”
He turns on his side, facing me. “Where’s that question coming from?”
“I don’t know. I just wondered, that’s all.”
“I’ll have to think about it. What’s yours?”
“I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I can remember. I like helping people feel better. Like with Chuang. I’ve seen my parent’s patients after they’ve found relief from their pain or illnesses and I want to be able to help people feel that way. Now with my powers, I can do that and more.”
“But . . . ”
“But what?”
“Only up to a certain point. Otherwise you’re going against nature’s will.”
“True, but I’ll still be able to help many people. What about you?”
“I envy you being so sure of what you want. I haven’t thought about it too much other than I want to make sure my mom is well taken care of.”
“You’re a great son.”
“No. Any son would do the same.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Chris reaches his hand out and traces my hairline with a feather touch. “There’s only one thing I’m sure about and that’s how I feel about you.” He leans forward and brings his lips to mine, his hand travels down my neck and shoulder, pulling my body toward his.
Our intimate exchange deepens and reaches new levels. However, I can’t help but feel uncomfortable knowing anyone could stumble upon us. I feel exposed and vulnerable, then panic sets in. I gently push Chris away.
“What is it?” he asks.
“We should get back.” I don’t feel like telling him about my panic attack.
“No one will be missing us. Besides, they can call us if they need.” He taps his temple with his finger.
“That’s the problem. We’re never completely alone, you and I. We have no real privacy. Doesn’t that bother you?” I ask.
“Well, do you constantly peek into other Bearers’ minds to see what they’re doing?”
“No.”
“I don’t think they do either.”
“They don’t have a Blue shard like I do.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, that’s a little different. I doubt she looks into your mind often.”
“She doesn’t have to. When Jonas and I shared the diamond, I always knew what he was doing. Crimson has the same connection with me. That’s why I don’t feel comfortable.”
Chris sighs, but gives me a reassuring smile. “All right, let’s head back.”
* * *
When we arrive back at the main house, I find Crimson and ask, “May I have a word with you privately?”
“Of course.”
I lead her up to the room with the machine pieces. Don sees her enter and becomes all flustered, then blushes with his fumblings. I wonder if he knows how long Crimson has been alive and that she doesn’t share the same attraction to him.
“Don,” I ask, “may we have privacy please?”
He nods and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
I launch right in. “Didn’t you hear me earlier? I tried calling for you.”
“I told you I’m pulling back from you and your decisions. I have other things I’m dealing with right now. What did you need?”
“Are you trying to build a T19 machine?”
“Excuse me?”
“Are you having Don build a T19 machine?” I go to the table and pick up the schematic and show her, as if I need to. I hardly think she doesn’t know already.
“When Brand and the other Repeaters surfaced, a new technology we weren’t aware of was revealed. T19 is the name of the combination of settings and ingredients that results in Repeaters. There are other names of projects, but we don’t know what power they create, if any at all. To stay competitive with the opposing forces, we must match if not exceed their knowledge.” She takes the schematics and lays them back down on the table.
“So, that’s a yes.” I look all around the room at the disarray of parts and pieces lying everywhere. “We’re behind, aren’t we?”
“No. Right now they’re trying to stay caught up with us. Maetha has already figured out how to heal DNA, like with Jonas, minus a bulky machine. She’s worked on your family line’s DNA resulting in your transformation and ability to withstand and recover quickly from injury. You healed faster than the others after being shot in China.”
“Oh, I thought that was the greater healing power at work.”
“That’s part of it, and something the others don’t have. The bigger and more important aspect is that your physical alterations make you able to capture the Elemental blast. That alone is what will bring success for humanity.”
“Is that why I’m able to use telekinesis when no one else can? Or is it part of the Blue Diamond?”
“Not the Blue’s power. Your alteration that Maetha brought about, coupled with the Sanguine Diamond’s healing power is the reason. If you think about it, Healers manipulate cells and organs with their minds, moving and fixing them. You moved Chuang’s mass right out of his body. That is a step beyond what Diamond Bearers can do.”
“So, I’m Maetha’s Brand. She created me by changing my DNA.”
“Yes, you could look at it that way. If you do, consider then that she didn’t have to build a machine to do it.”
I pause, letting her words sink in. “What about Vorherrschaft? Do you know who or what that is?”
“No.”
“Are there other Repeaters?”
“I don’t know. It’s difficult to locate a Repeater without the tell-tale signs of being afraid of the dark. Now that the Demons are gone, we’d have to sit and read every mind walking by us in search of a mind similar to Brand’s. Where would we start?”
“Huh. I guess that’s an unexpected consequence of eliminating the Demons’ threat. We’ll have to wait till we can identify someone who always gets their way, like Brand.”
“Exactly. My bigger concern is the other possible powers that have been created we don’t know about. Those are possibilities that could get in the way of you capturing the blast.”
“Do you think Freedom was trying to mimic what Maetha was working on?”
“Who knows for sure? I think there were many factors that went into the creation of the technology, but the continuing of it has taken on a completely different goal.” She stops for a moment, as if assessing something. “I must go now, Calli. I have pressing matters.”
We leave the machine room and I join Chris downstairs. He informs me Jonas invited us to join him, Anika, Beth, and Sarangerel at his bungalow to discuss more possible links and connections from the files and data.
* * *
Chris and I have an enjoyable evening with every-one—a nice reprieve from the stress of everything going on in the world. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to completely tune out the world, but for one evening we at least tried.
I found Sarangerel to be quite interesting to listen to. She is a great asset to the team here. Jonas and Anika acted as though nothing was amiss between them. Beth didn’t seem affected whenever Brand’s name was brought up.
As Chris walks me back to my bungalow, he says, “What do you think Brand will have to report tomorrow?”
“Hopefully he’ll have information about the obsidian manufacturing.”
“And the confusion powder?”
We arrive at my bungalow. “Yes, that too.” The breeze rustles his hair and suddenly my stomach starts to flitter. Sometimes I forget how gorgeous he is. I chew on my bottom lip, then open the door. “Do you want to come in?”
His eyes light up, glinting in the moonlight. He grins and puts his hand on my waist, following behind me. His fingers rub under the edge of my shirt and my skin tingles at his touch.
I shut the door behind him, the light of the moon illuminating the room through the window, shining across his face. My heart races. All I can think of is he is leaving tomorrow and I want to feel more of his skin on mine.
I pull close to him, pressing my lips against his. He hesitates for a moment, but then his hands are in my hair, on my back, down around my hips. I dig my fingers into his shoulders, pulling him in tighter, sliding my hands along his neck and head. He smells so good, feels even better. My whole body lights up from the inside and I know that this is our moment.
I feel a strange sensation in my heart and pull back from Chris, breathless, only a moment before Ruth appears inside the room, having bi-located to us.
“Oh!” she says. A knowing smile spreads across her face.
Chris drops his hands to his side.
Ruth continues. “Sorry...um...Brand asked that we hold a gathering in the morning with the other Bearers on the island.”
My face is flushed with embarrassment. “Of course,” I mutter. “We will bi-locate to you in the morning.”
“Okay. I’ll let the others know. Have a good night.” Ruth disappears, and with her, my mood.
I slap my hand to my forehead, then slide my fingers into my hair and grip my scalp. “I hate this sometimes. Everyone has free access to me, my brain, my location.”
“I guess I thought you were overreacting a bit before about this. I’m sorry, Calli.”
I look at him and sigh. “I’m sorry we got interrupted.”
He smiles. “One day, we won’t. One day it’ll be just you and me. I promise.” He kisses me softly, lingering for a few moments. “I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.”
* * *
After a rather sleepless night, I communicate with Chris and tell him I’ll meet him at the main house after the gathering. Chris will be leaving the island in a couple hours to head back to Washington D.C. I don’t want to see him go, but he has important work to do. Beth and Anika will be heading back to Denver at the same time. I’ve been assigned to remain here and help out with the different projects. I’m most interested in the power-removing machine, but I have a hunch Maetha is going to pair me up with Jonas instead.
I’m not too thrilled with the idea of being left on the island with Jonas. However, Chuang, Kookju and Jie Wen are also here along with Don.
I’m certainly not going to ask Chris what he thinks of the arrangement.
I sit in the lotus position on my bed and focus on Ruth’s diamond. A room with two beds, obviously a hotel room, comes into view. Brand and Ruth are seated on the edge of one of the beds. Chris has already arrived, bi-located. Soon Maetha, Jonas, Chuang, Jie Wen, and Kookju show up.
“Good to see everyone,” Brand says, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get started. We’ve found the building and searched the public records for ownership and lien holders. The building is, not surprisingly, owned by Vorherrschaft International. The contact information is a dead end. Our nearest calculation is twenty people enter the building every day, working two shifts. We haven’t been here very long, though.”
I ask, “What about access to the building?”
Brand continues. “Locked down tight, like General Harding’s compound . . . well, minus the obsidian. It has a guarded-gate entrance.”
Maetha says, “Keep watching and documenting what you find.”
Jonas adds, “Get some video of the people and license plates if you can. Maybe some faces will be recognized on my software.”
I ask, “Have you tried to enter the facility invisibly?”
“No, I figured I’d wait on that. The topaz will only last so long.”
“True.”
Ruth says, “That’s all for the report.”
I end my connection feeling a little let down. The expectation to hear better findings only led to a bigger letdown.
* * *
A whole week has passed since Chris left the island. The evening sun hangs on the horizon just above the water. The magnificent view would be better shared, but Chris is busy tonight and can’t bi-locate to me. Maetha had me work with Don, not on the machine but hauling and transporting supplies from another boat that arrived from the mainland. Don is still waiting for the arrival of a key component to move forward with the assembly.
I’ve helped with many day-to-day tasks in the last week from cleaning and yard work to inventorying food and supplies and helping with food prep. Maetha’s island is a complex organization that doesn’t operate on its own nor run magically. One could say it’s like a secret resort. I’ve gained a newfound respect for her managerial side.
Chuang is all mended and relishing in his freedom from the quartz blanket. He shows me respect, but he doesn’t go over the top in expressing gratitude. At least he’s not muttering about me anymore. Chuang, Kookju, and Jie Wen are often found strategizing what they believe the next move will be from the developers of the busted bunker. Their discussion is quite boring to me. The fact they can’t see the future concerning anything related to Vorherrschaft is distressing. Then again, neither can I.
Don has been preoccupied with the quartz blanket technology which has led to him and Tod becoming fast friends. Between the two of them they’ll have the machine operational as soon as the last of the components arrive.
Tod’s wife, Mishell, is an incredibly intelligent scientist. I overheard Jie Wen say she holds two PhDs, one in biological engineering and another in geophysics. I think she’s going to be a tremendous asset with the coming Elemental blast. I’ve tried to get to know her better but she doesn’t feel comfortable yet, mainly because of our language barrier. Sarangerel is helping her polish her language skills, though.
Yesterday, Jie Wen asked Maetha to put a Blue Mist secrecy circle around him and her so they could speak privately. When I heard him ask her, I panicked because she can’t do that anymore. I have her blue shard. Her response was, “There’s no need when we can speak telepathically.” I don’t know why Jie Wen feels the need to trick Maetha concerning the Blue shard. He already figured out, or at least he assumes, I have Maetha’s shard. Perhaps he’s trying to determine if there’s more than one shard circulating, wondering if I have one as well as Maetha? That would make sense of his behavior.
A gust of salty air swirls my hair into my eyes. I push it away and wonder how Jonas handles living on the island. Aside from the beautiful sunsets, how does he not go insane with such a small space, small square footage, close quarters and ocean all around? I’m climbing the walls. Maybe that’s the reason Maetha is keeping me so busy.
Calli, a voice sounds in my mind I identify as Ruth’s.
Yes?
Please bi-locate to my diamond to speak with Brand.
I close my eyes and focus on her stone. Brand comes in to view sitting next to Ruth in their hotel room.
“Hey Calli. I used the invisibility topaz today to get inside the plant.”
“How’d that go?”
“Just fine. I found out the employees work with many metals, rocks, and crystals. Any order arriving or being shipped with Yellowstone obsidian is handled by an armed guard. Several packages were shipped to Norway in the time I investigated.”
“Did you get an address?”
“Who do you think you’re dealing with? Of course I did. I already had Ruth give Jonas the address. He’s investigating it.”
“Okay.”
Brand continues. “One room was producing quartz prisms, like from
the machine. I think this is where they make them.”
“Were any prisms shipped while you were there?”
“No. But further surveillance will get that info. My topaz is drained though.”
“Did you get photographs?”
“I didn’t feel safe. Being invisible doesn’t make me undetectable. I’ll keep watch and gather more info. It sure would be great to get another invisibility topaz. When mine ran out today I was almost caught. Good thing Ruth was there to help me get out in a hurry before the gates closed.”
Ruth says, “The gates weren’t about to close. There were several large trucks pulling in that we had to avoid, that’s all.”
“Yeah, well, it felt like we were about to get caught. Anyway, Calli, can you ask Crimson if I can get another topaz?”
“Yes. I’ll ask. What about those trucks? Were they delivering or picking up?”
“I don’t know. We watched from the building across the road for five hours. Nothing happened other than the drivers entered the building. We’ll go down first thing in the morning.”
I say, “I don’t know how long it will take to get an invisibility topaz to you. I’ll try to communicate with Crimson, but she doesn’t always answer me, so . . . ”
“Got it. All right.”
“Good night, you two.” I open my eyes and find the sun has completely set. I get up and make my way back to my bungalow and strap a topaz to my skin and begin charging it with Mind-Control for Brand.
The next morning, after cleaning up the breakfast dishes, I climb the stairs to check on Don and his progress. Midflight, Ruth appears beside me.
“Calli, the facility is empty, cleared out!”
“What?”
“Call for the others to join you so we can discuss this. Bi-locate to my diamond.” With that, she vanishes.
I immediately send out a message to the nearest Bearers to go to Ruth. Then I sit on the step and close my eyes. When Ruth and Brand come into view, I see Jonas has already bi-located. Maetha, Jie Wen, Chuang, and Kookju arrive soon.
Brand rubs his temples. “I don’t understand. It was there yesterday. Now it’s just another abandoned warehouse.”
The Diamond Bearers' Rising Page 17