by Auri Blest
Ray paused, “Oh crap!” He sprinted towards the back door.
“Bro, what’s up?” Guy yelled after him.
“Make sure you check out our perimeter protections. The electrical fence should have its own generator. Keep everyone inside. No one on the grounds tonight. Put all Stabilizer units on alert,” Ray yelled behind him.
A voice from her earpiece, “Director, there is an update on Lieutenant Adams.”
“Go ahead.”
“He has circled back around to a few miles south of the original location. He may be lost in the city. Shall we send-”
“No. It’s too late for that. There is no way that we can reach him before we go black.”
She realized that she needed to cover her tracks. She didn’t want it being said that she had no concern for her men. “We will send in a rescue team in the morning. He is well trained. He should have no trouble finding shelter and bedding down for the night.”
17
Seth opened his eyes to the sound of metal clanging against metal and then four quick pops. Darryl stood over him. He had caught the axe with his rifle and then pushed the axe in the opposite direction, slamming the guy against the wall. Darryl then hit him with the butt of his rifle. He slumped to the ground unconscious. The young soldier was a sharpshooter. Each of the assailants fell from one shot to the head.
Darryl pulled Seth up on his feet.
“For the second time today, I’ve never been happier to see you, big guy. What are you doing here?”
“You know I’m your right-hand man. I couldn’t let you go wandering off alone. I jumped off the truck.” He pointed at the young soldier. “And, this guy followed me. I guess we are attached at the hip.”
Seth held out his hand to the young soldier. “Thank you.”
“A life for a life,” the young soldier said as he smiled and shook Seths hand. He nodded toward Darryl, “Thank him for trusting me with a pistol.”
Darryl shrugged. “What could I do? He promised not to shoot me in the back with it.”
You would never know by looking at Daryl that he was such a gentle giant, Seth thought.
He pointed at Seth’s wrist. “Is it broken?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so,” Seth replied.
“Grab that piece of wood. We can make a splint just in case,” said the soldier.
Darryl watched as the soldier tied the strip of wood to Seth’s arm with a bandana that he tore in half. “So, what’s up? Why are we back here in the trenches instead of riding off to safety with the others?” he asked.
“We have to find Jade. She didn’t board the trucks with us.”
Darryl shook his head. “That girl!”
Seth held up the earring that he had found and pointed to her jacket on the ground. “She came this way, but I don’t know why or where she’s headed.”
“Well we cannot stay out in the open like this. The IMO may be making their rounds and I know that someone heard the gunfire. Let’s keep moving,” said Darryl.
Seth grabbed Jade’s jacket.
General Cain stood listening to the conversation between Dr. Voight and the Director. He pointed at a chair in front of her desk. “May I?”
“Yes, of course.”
She continued her conversation with Dr. Voight. “Is it possible that her power comes from the virus, and that she is not alone, but that a percentage of the population is a carrier?”
It wasn’t like Cain to interject. He usually listened and then filed everything away in his mental database to be retrieved at a later date. Now, seeing that his database could be manipulated by others, wiped clean, or blocked at any time, he chose to immediately offer his opinion.
“Director, this is absurd. How can a virus give you the power to walk through a wall? It’s just not rational.”
“Open your mind. Forget what you already know or what seems to be ‘rational’ to you. We are learning that the universe is very unpredictable,” the Director responded.
The universe? Where have I heard that before, he thought. “I see where you’re going with this—quantum physics. Let me stop you there. I didn’t understand it in college and I don’t understand it now.”
Ignoramus, thought Dr. Voight. “Director, perhaps quantum tunneling is the answer here. She would have to be able to control the quantum state of every particle of her body.”
“And her clothes?” asked Cain.
Dr. Voight directed his gaze at Cain, surprised that he had figured that out.
Cain laughed. “She would come through the wall naked. This just doesn’t make sense,” Cain’s voice trailed off.
“Does Legion X make sense?” Dr. Voight asked. “Have you seen what they can do?”
“Touché,” Cain replied. He decided not to press the issue.
After listening to their theories for a couple of minutes, General Cain leaned forward in his seat toward the Director. “Why am I suddenly privy to this classified information?”
The Director eyed him. “You heard the whole conversation that I had with her and you saw the fortress. Don’t deny it. It’s better this way. You will carry out my orders and know what’s behind it all.”
The Director averted her eyes from Cain. General Cain was an asset to the IMO and had served her well. When the time came, she would make sure that his demise was quick and painless.
Within her ear, her earpiece vibrated. She touched it to answer the call.
Cain listened while watching Dr. Voight study a page of a file on the desk.
While on the call, the Director, for the most part, gave one word answers in an effort to keep the subject of the matter and the identity of her caller hidden.
“Director, I must say that what you’ve been telling me seems a little far-fetched. I’m afraid that I will need physical evidence,” said the caller.
“Yes, I understand,” said the Director.
“I will have my assistant get back to you with my itinerary,” said the caller.
“I look forward to your visit,” she responded.
The Director disconnected the call. “Now what was I saying?”
Dr. Voight responded, “If a percentage of the population is a carrier like she is you could have a whole society of—”
“Super soldiers!” The Director exclaimed with delight.
“If you need her, why are we going black tonight?” asked Cain.
“We are going to use Legion X to our advantage. We are not after her. We are after those that she protects.”
“You’re saying that you know where they are then?”
“One of our soldiers is being tracked. He is the lone survivor of the attack and is traveling in a vehicle that is not one of ours. We believe that he is being held captive.”
“Shouldn’t you be conferring with the Imperial World Council or the Emperor on this?” The Imperial World Council consisted of each director of the seven continents.
“We are carrying out a surreptitious mission under the Emperor’s direct orders,” she said. “The Emperor will be advised when we have tangible evidence.”
Cain watched her. He knew her well. He searched for just a hint of something on her face that would give away the fact that she wasn’t being forthright. He found nothing. Humph. She could be quite deceptive.
“Legion X will draw them out. They will run, and we will be waiting. We will be their savior, and that will bring her to us,” she exclaimed with a smug grin.
“Legion X is more active in darkness then?”
The Director nodded.
Cain was silent.
“Is there a problem, General?”
It wasn’t her question, but the way she asked it, that gave Cain pause. It was as if she wasn’t sure that she could trust him now that he knew so much. That made them even, because he didn’t trust her any more than she trusted him.
Cain scratched his head. He thought the plan was a bit juvenile. It was hard to hide the smirk on his face. He wanted to tell her that the pl
an was ridiculous but he knew that he needed to choose his words carefully.
“It’s a good plan. However-”
“However?” the Director asked.
“However, she seems to be a step ahead of us. We need to take it a step further.”
The expression on the Director’s face showed that she was pleased. “What do you suggest, General?”
Seth, Darryl, and the young soldier jogged several blocks and stopped in their tracks. They could hear them. They’re coming. The sound of their approach was indescribable. It was a combination of shrieking, yelling and crying mixed with the sound of a subway train screeching to a halt.
Seth could see fear creeping up on the young soldier’s face. He grabbed his arm.
“Calm yourself. Breathe.”
The soldier nodded and took a deep breath. He had not been with them long enough to be trained in their way, which was the style of combat that Dawn had taught them. He could be a hindrance when the time came.
The sound was getting closer. They looked around. They were in an open area near the city park. This section around the park entrance had once been littered with hot dog carts, smoothie stands, and street vendors. Now the area was decrepit. An abandoned food truck sat at the corner and a six-foot-tall chain link fence surrounded a building behind them. There was nowhere to run or hide without being seen.
Something dropped down behind them.
“Dawn!” Seth and Darryl both yelled, ecstatic at the sight of her.
“Wow,” said the young soldier. “Who is—”
Dawn did not respond to them. Seth didn’t like her expression. She was more serious than usual and not at all happy. As the screeching drew nearer, Dawn moved with lightning speed and reached for the soldier with her knife drawn.
“Dawn! No!”
Seth and Darryl yelled and waved in protest, but they were too late. The soldier screamed out as Dawn stabbed him. Then she did something they could not see, and stepped away from the soldier. He stood hunched over, holding his arm. Dawn held something in the air and looked at it. She then dropped it and smashed it under her foot.
Seth and Darryl stood with mouths open as Dawn walked up to them.
“It was an implant. The IMO is tracking him.”
They looked back and forth at each other. The young soldier stood staring at the implant. His mind raced. How? Why? When did they do this to me? Did all the soldiers have one?
Everyone, except Dawn, turned back at the sound of screeching tires. She was still looking straight ahead. She could see them.
An IMO military truck sped up the street and screeched to a halt behind them. Raymond stuck his head out of the driver’s side window but he wasn’t looking at them. He looked past them in the direction that Dawn was looking.
Seth, Darryl, and the young soldier turned away from the truck. They drew their rifles. It was too late to run. In the distance, it looked like a dust storm was heading for them. There were so many of them traveling across the park at such a great speed that it caused the dust to rise. Ray grabbed a rifle and jumped down out of the truck.
The four of them lined up in a row behind Dawn and dropped to one knee. Their combat style always began with dropping down to take out the legs of the enemy. The pain of Seth’s sprained wrist was muted by what he saw. He looked over at the soldier who had watched their actions and followed suit.
Dawn stood before them, but they no longer saw her. Each of them focused on what the next fifteen seconds would bring. They would die fighting.
Facing the enemy, Dawn turned each arm in large alternate circles. They began to sweat as the air around them instantly became warm and humid. The sky became overcast. She caused the air to become unstable as they began to hear a rushing wind. She pulled bent arms back, then pushed her hands out forward as if she were pushing a force out of her body. She released a force of wind strong enough to have been a tornado. It caught them and sent them flying miles in the opposite direction.
Dawn lowered her arms and turned back to Seth. They stood, mouths agape, still looking in the direction that they had been blown. Seth marveled at Dawn. She was far more powerful than he knew.
“Get in the truck and head north to Titanpointe. You should be able to get there without interruption. The IMO has evacuated their stations in the city. We don’t have much time. The city is going black in a few minutes. It’s going to be total chaos out here.”
“Titanpointe?! Oh snap! Are you serious? That place is a virtual fortress,” Darryl exclaimed.
“Let’s hope so,” replied Dawn. “Maybe it can buy us some time.”
“We can’t leave without Jade.” said Seth.
“There’s more of them coming. What you just saw was the welcoming committee.”
Seth began to speak again but Dawn cut him off.
“I’ll find Jade.” She grabbed Seth’s arm and tore the splint off. She clasped her hand around his wrist. He gasped as he felt an electric jolt through his arm. She released him.
“Go.”
Seth rubbed his wrist. The pain was gone. There were no signs of a sprain or breakage. They all ran and jumped into the truck. Ray pulled off and Darryl directed him to Titanpointe.
“Make a right turn here,” said Darryl.
“What’s Titanpointe?” Ray asked.
Darryl stared at him. “Whoaaaaa, are you…”
Ray sighed, “Yes. Now what’s Titanpointe?”
“Titanpointe is a 550-foot concrete tower. It’s a code name, not the name of the actual building. If you mention it to someone with my background, they will know the location.” Darryl was a former FBI special agent and Titanpointe was right near his old headquarters. He knew it well.
In the back of the truck, Seth helped the young soldier tie a piece of cloth around his arm.
“That was quite an introduction,” said the soldier. “Are there many superheroes among you guys?”
18
Eight guards now escorted the Director everywhere she went. She walked into her quarters, dismissing them at the door. Her assistant had already been notified of her arrival and stood in the center of the room waiting to remove the Director’s jacket. The Director glanced over at her bed, realizing how exhausted she was. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a full night’s rest. There would be no time for a nap with all the excitement that was about to start.
On cue, her assistant walked over to the kitchenette area and pushed a button on the computerized coffee station for a cup of French pressed coffee.
“That will be all, Eva.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Eva hesitated before leaving the room. “Uh, Director?”
“Not now, Eva.”
“Bu—
The Director shot her a look that said, Leave now or there will be repercussions.
“Yes, ma’am.” Eva turned to leave the room. “Fine,” she mumbled to herself as she exited turning down the hall to the right. “I was just trying to warn you that your phone lines may be tapped, cranky butt.”
Eva had answered a call earlier that day, and noticed high-pitched humming in the background during the call. It wasn’t loud but it was there. The same thing happened on the next call.
As Eva left the room, the Director sat down with her cup of black coffee. The smell invigorated her. She contemplated General Cain’s suggestion:
“To be a step ahead, we have to anticipate our adversary’s next move. The best way to do that would be to incorporate the CIA tactics of old.”
She had to admit, it was a good plan; send someone in undercover to get close to them. She didn’t expect Cain to suggest that it should be him. Against better judgement, she decided on trusting him to get the job done.
She tapped on a small screen that rested on her lap and spoke to it. “How did it go?”
“We successfully hacked into his system.”
“Show me.”
The Emperors research filled the screen. He was trying to find and decipher a hundred year old p
rophecy. He only had bits and pieces of it.
“He has figured out that two things are supposed to happen. I don’t understand how, but he is searching for those two things. Well, well, well.”
“What is it?” The Director asked.
“He’s been emailing someone named Osiris. It looks like they think the prophecy is about two people they need to find—”
There where gurgles and a gasping sound and her screen went black. Someone had cut the feed. She jumped up from her seat. They know, she thought.
“There!” Darryl pointed.
By the time they arrived at Titanpointe, the city was already black. Raymond stopped the truck in the middle of the street, and everyone jumped out. He pulled out a flashlight, and the guys followed him up the front steps. A pillar separated the set of front doors.
“Which door do we take?” asked Seth.
“One will be booby-trapped,” Darryl advised.
Ray lifted the light above the door on the left. “It’s this one.”
“How do you know?” asked Seth.
“There’s the carving. A half-circle with rays around it.”
Seth pushed the intercom button for the door on the left.
“State your business.”
“People of the Prophecy.”
The young soldier looked at Darryl. “People of the what?”
“I’ll explain later.”
There was no response from the intercom. Darryl and the young soldier turned, pointing their rifles out toward the street. It was impossible to see anything in the darkness. A minute later the door opened, and they rushed in.
“Welcome brother.” One of the men said to Seth as he entered. They sealed the door behind them. “I’m Ryan.”
“You guys have electricity,” said Seth.
“This building is pretty much self-sustained. It can run a few weeks without electricity from the outside, and has its own water source.”