Cracks in Reality (Seams in Reality Book 2)

by Siegel, Alex

  "The stuff was here?" Tonya said.

  "392 physical containment units," General Ross said. "25 tons of material. Gone."

  "Nobody saw what happened?"

  "Some of our soldiers were in the silo," Fernandez said, "but they vanished with the PCUs. Nobody heard a sound."

  Andrew climbed down a flight of stairs to reach the floor of the silo. Except for a few drops of blood, it was perfectly clean. He looked at the curved walls with a feeling of bewilderment. A concrete lid covered the top of the silo. The narrow tunnel appeared to be the only way in or out. Nice trick, he thought.

  Charley joined him.

  "It's a magic box," she whispered.

  He furrowed his brow at her. "What do you mean?"

  "Like the kind magicians use to make stuff disappear. There must be a secret panel or something."

  Andrew walked over to a wall and pounded it with his fist. "This is solid concrete! They built this silo to survive an atomic bomb."

  "That's what Blake wants you to think," Charley said. "Remember, he spent millions of dollars here, and I bet it wasn't just to scrub the walls."

  He looked at the walls again. It didn't seem likely, but it was possible there was a hidden mechanism.

  Tonya and Tungsten joined the apprentices on the floor.

  Charley turned to Tonya. "I'll find the secret door with the Raven, but we need to clear the room."

  Tonya faced the soldiers. "Get out, all of you. We have to do some work here."

  "We can't just go." General Ross said. "This is our operation."

  "If you stay, there will be significant consequences personally and professionally. You may find out what's in the boxes."

  Ross took a long look at the three sorcerers.

  "I can't go," he said eventually. "I'm ultimately responsible for the success of this mission, but it will just be me. Major Fernandez, get our people out of here, and make sure they stay out."

  "Sir?" Fernandez said.

  "You heard the order."

  "Yes, sir."

  Fernandez led the other soldiers out of the silo. A moment later, Andrew heard a blast door close with a heavy clang.

  "Now it's just us," Ross said.

  Tonya nodded to Charley. "Begin."

  Andrew gave the Raven to Charley. She walked over to a wall, put her hand against the concrete, and began to use her magic.

  * * *

  Blake detected another spell in progress, and it was closer than the last one.

  He looked over at the surveillance monitors. Tonya, Andrew, and Charley were in the silo, and the latter was obviously scanning the wall with physical sorcery. He was surprised she had that skill. Learning such a sophisticated and difficult spell usually happened late in an apprentice's training if at all. Tonya watched with an approving smile.

  "We're running out of time," Phillip said. "If we don't leave soon, we'll have to fight them."

  "I know!" Blake said.

  The sorcerers had General Ross with them, and clearly, they had released him from mind-control. A very large, very muscular BPI agent was also part of the group. He looked like a serious fighter. Two other less impressive BPI agents stood off to the side.

  Blake still had his six assassins with him in the secret chamber, so he wasn't helpless if a gunfight broke out. Simply shooting his enemies wasn't part of his plan though. Any idiot could kill with a bullet. Blake wanted to capture Andrew and Charley alive and force them to join him. Blake also wanted Tonya to feel the pain of their loss when she realized what he had done.

  Blake sighed. "OK. We'll go. I'll snatch the apprentices later."

  He and Phillip went to the back of the domed chamber where a steep staircase led to the surface. The narrow passage had a low roof, forcing Blake to duck. A string of bare bulbs provided light. Some sand had fallen in, making the steps a little slippery.

  The two sorcerers emerged onto the dark desert above. A hill blocked their view of the missile silo complex, but Blake could see some extra light in that direction.

  Three MK23 cargo trucks were parked on the dirt with engines running. The six wheels on each vehicle had extra-wide tires designed for traversing soft sand. The headlights appeared to be off, but the bulbs actually emitted infrared light suitable for night vision goggles.

  The middle truck held the treasure, and Blake detected eight tiny seams radiating black energy. Mounds of documents filled most of the cargo space. The emptied PCUs had been left behind. A hard shell enclosed the back of the truck so nothing would blow out in the wind.

  The front truck held supplies such as food, weapons, armor, spare clothes, and camping gear. Blake intended to spend the next few weeks living in the desert, camping during the day and driving at night. The vast empty stretches were the perfect place to hide. Camouflage netting would cover the trucks when the sun was out. He would eventually end up in Mexico, but he needed to find a safe way across the border first.

  The truck at the back of the convoy was mostly a spare in case one of the others broke down, but some bulky overflow items were stored in the cargo area. Blake was pretty sure the sleeping bags, folding chairs, and air mattresses were there.

  The six assassins were busy preparing the trucks for travel. They were all veteran soldiers with wilderness survival skills. Blake and Phillip were in expert hands.

  Blake remembered he needed to make a call. "Get me the satellite phone," he said. "Somebody dig it out."

  After a minute, an assassin delivered the satellite phone to Blake. The phone was much heavier than a regular cell phone, and it had a long, thick antenna sticking out the top.

  Blake took a sheet of paper out of his pocket. He looked up the number for Max, the accountant who worked in BPI headquarters. Even though weeks had passed, Blake still had control over Max.

  After several rings, Max answered in a sleepy voice, "Yes?"

  "This is the friend who came to your house," Blake said. "Do you remember me?"

  Max paused. "Yes."

  "I want to know all about BPI credit card transactions in and around Tucson, Arizona. Stay on your computer and watch for new transactions starting right now. If any go through, call with the information. Here is a number where you can leave a message. I'll check for new messages often." Blake read a number from the paper. "Understand?"

  "Yes."

  "Good bye." Blake ended the call.

  Phillip came over, but it was hard to see the boy in the darkness.

  "I still think you're being foolish," he said. "What happened to your vision of a new era for all sorcerers? You're endangering it with greed."

  "With Andrew and Charley at my side, that vision will be much easier to achieve."

  "We should be fleeing."

  "I'd say you're welcome to your opinion," Blake said, "but that's not true. You're allowed to have my opinions only. We shall capture the apprentices, add them to the team, and then we will flee."

  * * *

  "What is she doing?" General Ross said.

  "Searching for a secret door," Tonya said.

  Charley was moving slowly along the wall of the silo with her right hand against the surface. Her left hand clutched the Raven against her chest. Andrew sensed her energy surging and shifting as she probed the concrete. He was very proud of her.

  "What kind of nonsense is this?" Ross said. "Why does she have that little stone statue?"

  "You wanted to see the secret," Tonya said.

  "I don't see anything except a girl wiping a wall with her hand!"

  Tungsten, Agent Garcia, and Agent Floyd were standing on the far side of the room with uneasy expressions.

  Ross turned to them and said, "You look like respectable federal agents. Maybe you can explain."

  "I don't think I'm allowed, sir," Tungsten said.

  "There is something familiar about you."

  "I'm Tungsten."

  "Oh." Ross's eyes widened. "You made quite a reputation for yourself on the base."

  "Thank you, si
r."

  "Now you're working for the BPI. Good. You can give me a soldier's perspective. What am I looking at?"

  Tungsten grimaced. "Umm."

  "General!" Tonya said. "Please, be quiet. Charley needs to concentrate."

  "On what?" Ross said angrily.

  She walked over to Charley and put her hand on the Raven. Tonya suddenly appeared to be twenty feet tall, and sheets of flame covered her body.

  "On sorcery, damn it," Tonya said in a booming voice. "The dark arts. Meta-physical magic. Get it? Now shut up."

  Ross backed up, and his face turned white. He looked like he might crap his pants. Andrew smirked.

  Tonya stepped away from the Raven, and her appearance returned to normal.

  Charley continued to work as if nothing had happened. After a few minutes, she stopped and concentrated on one spot.

  "There is a split here," she said. "The concrete on one side isn't as dense as the other."

  Andrew hurried over for a close look. He saw a vertical crack in the wall so straight and thin it was almost invisible. It clearly wasn't part of the original construction.

  He searched for a similar crack somewhere else, and he found one on the other side of the silo.

  "Now how do we open it?" he said.

  "Like this," Charley said.

  She put her palm against the wall, and her energy level spiked. Andrew didn't know what spell she was doing, but it was obviously very difficult. She scooped out a chunk of concrete with her hand, and it crumbled into dust.

  "Cool," Andrew said. "I wish I could do that."

  The BPI agents murmured nervously. General Ross stayed back with them.

  It was slow, hard work, but Charley managed to create an opening. A dark, empty space was on the other side of the wall.

  "We need flashlights," Tonya said.

  "I'll get them." Ross ran up the stairs.

  Charley continued to widen the opening. It looked like she was pulling out scoops of wet sand. Chunks of rebar broke off as easily as the concrete.

  Ross returned after a few minutes with his arms full of assault rifles. Tactical flashlights were mounted on the rifles. He handed out the weapons, but he didn't have quite enough, so Tonya made do with a pistol which Tungsten gave her.

  Andrew shined his flashlight through the opening. "It's a tunnel," he said, "a big one."

  "Impossible," Ross said.

  "Take a look."

  Ross peered through the hole and frowned. "Blake did that?"

  "He had a whole construction crew here for weeks," Tonya said.

  Charley eventually widened the hole enough for everybody to squeeze through.

  "I'll go first," Tungsten said. "Andrew, you're my wing man."

  "Me?" Andrew responded with surprise.

  "You'll tell me if you detect any sorcery."

  Andrew swallowed nervously. "OK."

  Tungsten took a long look through the hole. Then with some deep grunts, he forced his huge body through the opening.

  "Your turn," he told Andrew.

  Andrew had much less trouble wriggling through. He emerged into a tunnel exactly as wide as the silo. The tunnel had rough walls, but a layer of cement covered the floor, creating a smooth surface. He shined his flashlight upwards at a huge steel mechanism which could swing the secret door out of the way. The hinges were as thick as his leg.

  "Blake doesn't think small," Tungsten whispered.

  "Yes," Andrew said. "We keep underestimating him."

  "You sense anything?"

  Andrew used his inner sight. "Just Charley and Tonya. Wait, there is something ahead."

  "Another sorcerer?"

  "No. It might be some small seams, but they're far away."

  Tungsten crept down the tunnel in a crouch. His footsteps were silent, and Andrew tried to emulate his example, but it was harder than it looked.

  Andrew glanced back. The others were coming through the hole, but Tungsten wasn't waiting for them.

  The tunnel curved a little. After walking several hundred yards, Andrew saw light ahead. Tungsten ducked down and listened.

  "Check your radar," Tungsten whispered.

  "I'm definitely picking up seams ahead," Andrew whispered. "I count seven, but they're weak. No other sorcerers. Blake knows how to hide his energy though."

  "You'll know if he attacks me."

  "Yes, definitely, and if he gets that close, he's mine."

  Walking at a cautious, patient pace, they eventually reached a domed chamber. Heavy steel boxes were stacked high on a giant transport platform with rubber wheels. The boxes had electronic locks. The Vault treasure, Andrew thought.

  The chamber contained many tools, some impressively large. The collection included everything from manual hacksaws to electric circular saws with blades a yard across. One machine had a robot arm with some kind of jet nozzle at the end. Another had laser radiation warning signs.

  The obvious purpose of the equipment was cutting open boxes. The chopped up remnants of boxes formed another pile almost as large as the one on the platform. Andrew guessed at least a hundred had been plundered.

  He detected seven seams still safely locked up, but they were so weak, they were almost useless. He guessed Blake had taken the strongest seams.

  Some loose paper had been left behind. Andrew picked up a sheet covered with equations, and a date at the top read, "Nov 25, 1966."

  Tonya plucked the sheet out of Andrew's hand. "We're not here to browse."

  He sighed.

  "Looks like about a third of the boxes were opened," Ross said. "How bad is that?"

  "Very," Tonya said.

  Ross picked up some other papers and skimmed them. "These are scientific notes."

  "The forbidden secrets of sorcery. Most of the boxes were full of documents."

  "We've been guarding a library this whole time?"

  "Exactly," Tonya said, "along with some special artifacts."

  Tungsten pointed at a doorway at the far end of the chamber. "Let's keep going."

  He and Andrew proceeded cautiously. The doorway led to a staircase going up through the bedrock. A low ceiling, rough walls, and steep steps made the climb a little challenging.

  Tungsten swiveled his gun back and forth, shining his flashlight on every step. He clearly expected a trap. His nervousness rubbed off on Andrew.

  They emerged into open air. Andrew found himself in the middle of the desert, but it was almost too dark to see. Bright lights in the distance showed the location of the silo complex, but a hill blocked his direct view.

  Tungsten pointed his flashlight at the sand. "Tire tracks, extra-wide. I'm guessing trucks with off-road wheels."

  Andrew didn't hear any engines, and he couldn't detect any new energy sources. "They're long gone."

  "You're probably right."

  The rest of the group came out of the ground. They collectively expressed disgust and frustration with the situation.

  "We need a plan," Tonya said. "Our first priority is to secure what's left of the Vault. General Ross, I assume you had another destination for your convoy originally?"

  "Yes, ma'am," Ross said.

  "Don't tell me what it is. Just pack up and go there."

  "The men are exhausted, and I'm sure some are injured. We still have prisoners to deal with. It will be at least six hours before we can leave."

  "Try to hurry the process along," Tonya said. "We'll stick around for a while and make sure Blake isn't controlling anybody else."

  "I'll call the Pentagon," Ross said. "They can dispatch drones to search the desert from the air."

  "But it's so dark," Andrew said.

  "The drones have light amplifying cameras, but the chances of success still aren't great. It's a very big desert, and the enemy had a head start. We don't even know what we're looking for exactly. Trucks come in many shapes and sizes."

  Andrew yawned.

  Tonya looked at him. "You're exhausted."

  "We've been running on f
umes for days," he said.

  "I can clean up the mess here without you. You and Charley should find the nearest motel and get some sleep."

  "But we're supposed to stick together. What if Blake comes back?"

  "Why would he?" Tonya said. "He has what he came for. He'll settle down in some remote location so he can read and experiment in peace."

  "For the rest of his life?"

  She shrugged. "It's hard to say what his long-term plans are. He might intend to become emperor of the world or something even crazier, but that won't happen tomorrow. He has a lot of studying to do first. Let me have that." She pointed at the Raven.

  Charley handed over the figurine. "OK," she said. "I can't say no to sleep. Just be careful."

  "I have the Army here to keep me safe."

  "I'll go with the apprentices," Tungsten said. "They still need protection, just in case."

  Tonya nodded. "Sure. Take the car. I'll find my own ride when I'm ready to go."

  The group went back down the stairs.

  * * *

  Tungsten parked the blue minivan in front of a two-story motel with walls made of sandstone. Andrew had expected to sleep in a dump, but the motel was at least two notches better than that, a pleasant surprise. All the second-floor rooms had small, private balconies. Red Spanish tile covered the roof.

  Andrew yawned again. He didn't know what time it was, and he didn't want to know. His goal was simply reaching a bed before he dropped from exhaustion.

  He, Tungsten, and Charley got out and retrieved their luggage from the back of the minivan. Even in his debilitated condition, Andrew was enjoying the weather. He expected Arizona was miserably hot in the summer, but at the moment, the climate was ideal compared to everywhere else he had visited during the mission.

  They went into a small lobby. Tungsten rang a bell repeatedly until an elderly woman came out of a back room. She was wearing a nightgown, but she booked her guests as if nothing were unusual. Tungsten asked for two adjoining rooms, one for Charley and the other for the men. Tungsten paid with his BPI credit card.

  The team shuffled up to their rooms which were on the second floor. Andrew muttered "night" to Charley before she disappeared into her own room.