“It’s empty?” Jonas asks rather dumbfounded.
Brand continues. “I keep asking myself how could they load that much stuff in so short of a time?
I say, “I guess that’s what the trucks were for, Brand.”
“Yeah, we figured that too.”
Jonas says, “I traced the address in Norway you gave me and was able to hack into the traffic grid there. Guess who my facial recognition program spotted—Max Corvus.”
“So that’s where the coward is hiding,” Brand says.
Maetha says, “We need to get to Norway before they clear that facility too. I’ll connect with the Bearers and find out who is closest and observe Max until more of us can arrive.”
Crimson’s voice enters my mine. She says, You and I will go now.
Now? Oh, no. Are we going to fly?
Of course.
I let out a whine like a toddler. “I really don’t like flying.”
Brand angles his head. “Huh? Do you have a better idea?”
“Sorry Brand, I was talking to Crimson. She and I are going to leave for Norway. Hopefully some other Bearers will be able to arrive as soon as they can.”
Chapter Ten - Norway
We arrive after soaring through the skies over the Atlantic Ocean. Crimson did the “let go of the earth’s gravity and let the world spin” thing, allowing us to travel remarkably fast. I was better prepared for the reentry jar to the system. We arrive near the building where Max was last seen. Large trucks are backed up to the docks, being loaded. Other trucks are waiting nearby.
I speak mentally. They’re already packing up. By the time anyone else gets here, there won’t be anything left.
Yes, but the difference is we can follow them and instruct the Bearers where to go.
Look, there’s Max. I point. Should we go grab him?
No. We’re outnumbered. Plus, we don’t know what other kinds of weapons they might have. We’ll observe and plan an attack once we are better prepared.
We pass the next few hours watching trucks being loaded with equipment and boxes. When the trucks begin to depart, Crimson says, Let’s follow them. Remain invisible. She wraps her arms around me and together we rise into the sky, hovering above the slow moving caravan as it travels down the road.
I try to imagine I’m on a glass-bottomed boat or bridge to try to quell my fear of heights. Up ahead, the convoy turns right at an intersection. However, the last half of the trucks turns left—Max’s truck included.
Uh oh, I send my concern to Crimson. What do we do now?
The ground begins to rise to our feet, or at least it feels that way because I didn’t get a “falling” sensation. Crimson says, You follow Max, I’ll follow the lead truck. Remain invisible and use your running power. If you’re spotted, get away. Don’t risk your neck over this.
Okay.
My feet connect with the ground after our forward movement stops. The convoy of trucks zooms away from our stationary position. Crimson doesn’t waste a second. She launches back into the air in pursuit of the lead trucks. I launch forward, running at full speed to catch up with the Max’s truck. In no time at all, I’m positioned behind him.
I communicate with Jonas. Jonas, can you hear me?
Yeah, Calli.
Can you run a license plate from Norway? Do you have access to their system?
I’ll do my best.
I give him the numbers and letters from the plate.
As I run behind Max’s truck, I can’t help but feel uncertain about being away from Crimson, mainly because the last time I saw Max, he shot me. Also, because I’ve never been in Norway before. What if I lose her? I don’t have a passport, identification, money . . . nothing. I’m not even wearing appropriate clothing for the weather. I force myself to think about how to deal with each of those issues. I can keep my body warm with the healing power. I can control minds to avoid arrest or entanglements. I’m not stranded by any means.
Having boosted my mind with confidence, I feel better.
Max’s truck arrives at a large warehouse in an industrial complex and drives inside the garage door. The other trucks are already inside.
Crimson, they’ve stopped.
Let the others know where you are. The trucks I’m following are still traveling.
Okay. I keep my distance from the building and decide not to enter, even though I could invisibly and with my superspeed running. I don’t know if they have hidden obsidian in the building or security cameras and I don’t want to risk my neck, as Crimson said.
The entrance door opens and a woman about thirty years old walks out holding a cell phone out in front of her. She pans slowly from left to right, her eyes focused on the screen in front of her. Dread weighs down my stomach as I know exactly what she’s doing. She’s looking for me or someone like me—someone only a camera can see. I hurry and hide behind a dumpster and peek over the top. She yells something in her native tongue and the door opens again. I see several others come out holding small boxes. The woman continues to pan slowly with her camera. The boxes are placed in a semi circle with five feet or so between boxes, enclosing the garage door and entrance door. Another person tosses what looks like confetti beyond the boxes.
The camera woman yells something else and I duck my head behind the dumpster. I can hear everyone communicating but can’t tell what they’re saying. I carefully move to the other edge of the dumpster to peek around. The woman is holding a different type of device, pointing it my direction.
Jonas speaks to my mind. Calli, you need to run. They’re going to find you.
I don’t wait to be told twice. I pour on all my running speed and run to the side of the nearest building to get out of sight. Then I keep running the way we came through the maze of roads in the industrial district. After several minutes, I stop and regroup my thoughts. I call for Jonas.
His voice sounds in my head. Calli.
How did you know I needed to run?
I connected with your diamond and viewed what you were seeing through your eyes. The second device was an infrared reader. They were looking for heat signatures.
I wonder if they saw me. I also wonder what the boxes were all about.
My guess is it’s a security system. The sprinkles they tossed out are probably activators or alerting mechanisms of some kind. What’s unfortunate is now that you’re gone we don’t know what else they’re setting up as defenses.
Crimson connects with my mind and gives me instructions to stay put until she finds out where the other trucks are stopping. I warn her about the infrared detectors and hopes she has better luck than I did.
* * *
Several hours pass. I communicate with different Bearers, including Chris, about the situation. Jonas, Kookju, Jie Wen, and Chuang are almost to Norway via Maetha’s plane. As luck would have it, no other Bearers are in Europe at the moment.
Crimson finds me after she’s finished and together we go to an abandoned building to wait for the others.
I ask, “Where did the other trucks go?”
“They split up and went in a couple different directions. I wasn’t able to follow each one. Most seemed to be headed to other countries in Europe. Unfortunately, I don’t know for sure what was on the trucks, but I have a feeling the prize we’re after is with Max.”
Prize? “Perhaps Jonas can track the other trucks with his computer wizardry.”
“Perhaps.”
Once the others arrive, Crimson leads the discussion.
“Calli will take us to where Max and his trucks are parked. If we’re able, we’ll capture Max and collect any and all information from the location. I cannot see the outcome of this task, so be on guard.”
And I thought it was unsettling to hear Maetha express uncertainty. Hearing Crimson say it is much worse.
I lead the group of Bearers to what I think is the location of Max and his trucks. But I can’t seem to find the building. Maybe it’s the lighting, or the fact that all the buildings
look the same and dumpsters are located all over the place that makes it difficult to find the exact one.
“I know it’s here somewhere.”
Jonas tries to comfort me. “Maybe you’re just con-fused. You were under a lot of stress and probably afraid.”
“Yeah, but you saw the building through my eyes, Jonas. Don’t you recognize anything?”
“No.”
Chuang offers, “Maybe they changed the exterior of the building to throw you off.”
I’m embarrassed and frustrated and the other Bearers can tell.
Kookju says, “Why don’t you show us your memory of the building. Perhaps that will help.”
I nod and close my eyes, trying to recall the memory of running behind the caravan and watching the trucks enter the building. But I can’t. I open my eyes. “Maybe one of you should extract the memory. I can’t seem to pull it up.”
Crimson says, “I’ve already tried. Your memory shows a different building than what’s in this vicinity. The longer we’re here, we risk being spotted. Let’s go back to the building to discuss this.”
After arriving back at the abandoned warehouse, I plop down on the cement floor and rub my head. Jonas comes over and sits by me.
“Don’t beat yourself up over this, Calli. You’re in a foreign country—”
“I know you’re trying to make me feel better, and I appreciate it, but please don’t.” I know there isn’t anything else I could have done, but I still feel like I let everyone down.
He bumps his shoulder against mine. “Just trying to help a friend.”
I let out a short breath then take in a slower one. “I know. Thanks.”
Jie Wen says, “I think a war is coming our way.”
I ask, “From who? Max Corvus or Vorherrschaft?”
“Does it matter? They are connected. They are our common enemy.”
Jonas says, “We investigated their company’s address and found nothing. It’s a shell company.”
Kookju chimes in. “Or is it?”
“What do you mean?” Jonas turns his head to Kookju.
“The contact information may lead nowhere, but the money has to go somewhere. Follow the money trail, the breadcrumbs.”
I ask, “Jonas, were you able to run that license plate?”
“The results showed a rental company.”
Kookju smiles and nods. “There you go. Someone rented it. Who? How did they pay? Is there surveillance footage?”
Jonas eyes Kookju curiously. “You’re a regular detective, now aren’t you? I didn’t know that about you. How about you help me with this?”
Crimson says, “I don’t think there’s anything more we can do here. We don’t know which building to watch and it would be wasting resources to try to watch multiple locations. We’ll just have to wait until Max surfaces again.”
* * *
Before we left Norway, Jonas and Kookju tracked down the renter of the truck and found the credit card used was stolen. The rental company didn’t have surveillance cameras, so there was no video to view for a face. Another dead end.
Kookju, Chuang, and Jie Wen choose not to go back to Maetha’s island. They’re returning to China. A couple natural disasters are coming that need to be prepared for—meaning someone of importance needs to be protected.
My mind is focused on the reason why I couldn’t find Max’s building. I don’t have an answer. I became more confused the longer I tried to search for the spot, almost a physically sick feeling.
Crimson had me fly in Maetha’s plane with Jonas back to the island. The difference of several hours flight-time verses the speed at which Crimson was able to cover the distance is pretty remarkable, really. As much as I hate flying with her, I find myself dreading being stuck in an airplane for six hours. It seems like such a waste of time.
Once Jonas and I are on the transport boat headed to the island, Chris bi-locates to us.
Chris smiles broadly when his eyes meet mine. “Good to see you, Calli.”
I smile back.
Jonas clears his throat. Chris turns and recognizes him. “Jonas.”
“Yeah, good to see you too, Chris. What’s up?”
Chris looks back at me. “Max called me.”
“What?” Jonas and I exclaim together.
“He wanted money.”
“Was he demanding it?” I ask.
“No, more like begging.”
“What did you say?”
“I asked him what he needed it for. He wouldn’t tell me. I asked where he was, but he wouldn’t say.”
Jonas says, “I wish your phone was on my tracking system. I could have located Max or at least his general area.”
“Yeah, but,” I say, “that would only show us the general area we just searched, Jonas.”
Chris shakes his head. “Maybe I should just give him some, you know, to keep him calling.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I try to look to the future to see, to no avail.
“I’ll talk to Maetha and ask her opinion. I’ve got to go, Calli. But first, I’ve scheduled some time off for the last weekend in April so we can go to Portland.”
“Great! I’ll try to figure out what to say to get the officials to believe me.”
After goodbyes, Chris vanishes, leaving me with Jonas and awkward silence as our boat slices through the Pacific toward the endless sea, or what seems to be. I know the island isn’t too far now even though I can’t see it.
I’m excited to spend some quality time with Chris in two months. Eight weeks—such a long wait.
* * *
After two weeks of working closely with Jonas trying to locate Max—and getting nowhere—I figured my time may be better spent off the Island. So, with Maetha’s permission, for the last six weeks I’ve been traveling around the United States and Canada with Mary.
I was incredibly thrilled to discover Mary ditched her pastel robe for some slim fitting camouflage fatigues. Her robe made her stand out in a crowd of regular people in a way that brought unwanted attention. Nothing quite like appearing as if you’re wearing your bathrobe in public. Her fatigues, however, drew a different kind of attention: one of respect and having authority. Because we were headed to my parents’ house first, I hoped her appearance and strong presence would help allay their desire for me to have a bodyguard.
Yep, I was spot on with that assumption. No bathrobe would have had the same reaction.
After visiting my parents, Mary and I traveled to Denver. We found Anika and Beth hosting Fabian and Amenemhet who were passing through while chasing down leads related to Vorherrschaft. So far, the Bearers haven’t been able to pin down any solid information. I know I’m not the only one perplexed about the difficulty in locating anything about this mysterious company.
Another thing I work on is what I’m going to say to Portland’s officials. I can’t just say they need to evacuate a major city without good cause. But I’m not sure “a bunch of people are going to die because of cosmic rays no one can see hitting the sky” is the best route to take. I practice a few things, using Jonas or Mary as sounding boards, until I feel as confident as I can get. Even though I’m sure it’ll still sound crazy.
Yesterday I called Clara to see if she had an update about the Clan Meeting. She did. The meeting will take place late June at the Hunters’ forest.
Now today has finally arrived and I get to meet Chris and fly to Portland, Oregon. I feel so silly, but I can’t stop smiling. Even Jonas caught me humming and teased me about it. All I keep thinking about it the last time we were together, how good he felt in my bungalow, and what might happen now that we will have some time by ourselves.
The plane ride felt like days instead of hours and I’ve already unbuckled my seatbelt even before Captain Rutherfield expertly landed the plane in Washington D.C. to pick up Chris and drop off Mary.
I squint my eyes against the morning sunlight as I scour the area out the window, searching for Chris. When I finally
spot him I rush to the door waiting for the captain to open it.
Chris seems like he’s just as anxious to be with me. He’s waiting outside the plane when the stairs lower. In a single bound, he leaps up into the plane and into my arms. His hands cup my face as his lips meet mine with such intensity that I’m knocked off balance in a good way. I cling to him. He holds me steady. Good thing, too, because I’m melting against him.
Chris whispers in my ear after breaking our kiss, “I can’t believe it’s been eight weeks since we last held each other.”
“Good to see you, Mr. Harding,” Captain Rutherfield says, patting Chris on the shoulder as he walks by. “We’ll be taking off soon. Please find your seats.”
I didn’t even notice Mary deplaned and Rodger closed the door. The world kind of ceases to exist when I’m in Chris’s arms. Well, until I realize we’re putting on a display. Then I come to my senses.
We take our seats and buckle up for a non-stop seven-hour flight. This is one time I’m glad to not be flying with Crimson. I have a feeling the next several hours will sail by all too fast. But I plan to use every last second being immersed within Chris’s bubble.
* * *
“Welcome to Portland,” Captain Rutherfield says, ending our long stretch of thoroughly enjoyable personal physical contact. “I hope you brought an umbrella.”
After de-boarding and renting a car, Chris drives to our hotel, windshield wipers pushing aside the sprinkled raindrops.
I remember the last time we were here, there was a man named James at the front desk. He’s not here this time, but I recall seeing his future and discovering he will be affected by the coming blast.
After leaving our bags in our rooms, we walk the streets of downtown Portland heading toward City Hall. The rain has stopped, leaving puddles that we try to avoid as we walk. Street vendors, pan handlers, business professionals, and tourists from many ethnicities crowd the wet sidewalks. I dampen my Hunter’s senses and try not to look too many people in the eye, so I won’t hear their thoughts or see their futures. I really need to work on blocking them unless I want to look. However, I do detect some people with powers in the crowd. Nothing note-worthy, though, just interesting.
The Diamond Bearers' Rising Page 18