Into the Forest Shadows

by J. A. Marlow

  Vistus turned away, the tip of his tail twitching. "I cannot help."

  "Can't or won't?" Kate asked.

  Vistus exhaled sharply. "The forests are in turmoil. Some of our memories are held by them. They have taken away some of the memories."

  "They are protecting the Ancients," Kate whispered. "That explains why Diasis has not led Captain Straos to the Ancient's city."

  "Did we just lose all hope?" Ayden demanded.

  Kate grinned, feeling better about their chances than ever before, "No. Not if one has the help of the trees themselves."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  "You had no right! I've been working on these deals for months, and you just cancelled them?"

  Mary wanted to run. She didn't like raised voices, yelling or accusations, but somehow she found the strength to keep her feet planted on the floor. "Good business is not ignoring previous contracts in favor of new lower-paying contracts."

  Travis stopped his pacing in front of the window, nearly knocking off one of the plants clinging to the window as if trying to get outside to the forest. "This is the gratitude you show me after I went out myself in search of Kate? I searched the shuttle crash site and your mother's cottage. I come back to find this?"

  "Actually I did it before you left," Mary said. She froze, not believing she'd said the words out loud.

  "Before? Mary, you have gone over the line!" Travis's face contorted. He slammed an e-pad on the desk, "I will spend the rest of the day fixing the problems you have caused. I forgive you on account of your worry over your daughter. We'll discuss this over dinner tonight."

  Gone was the handsome man who could turn the head of almost any woman. Well, except her daughter. Mary silently apologized to Kate. It appeared Kate had seen a part of him that Mary had never seen.

  Time to follow Kate's example.

  Mary stepped forward and leaned over the desk, making herself look him straight in the eyes. "There will be no dinner tonight, there will be no date, and there will be no contracts. All contracts and exports will go through me for approval. When Mother and Kate are safely home then we will have a conference about the future of this company. I suggest you watch your step until then."

  Mary swiftly walked to the door ignoring the demand to come back. The door to the office slid shut behind her. She didn't even mind the stares of the office workers.

  She felt giddy with the sensation of freedom. She'd stood up to him, and she'd won.

  She narrowed her eyes at the distribution board.

  So far she had won. If Travis was anything like his departed brother he wouldn't give up so easily.

  Mary walked to a desk at the back of the room. The head of distributions looked up at her with wide eyes. "I have need of your computer."

  "Uh, I don't think Mr. O'Hanson will like that," The woman stuttered.

  Mary frowned, not liking the answer at all. Travis seemed to illicit complete trust in his employees. So, why should the woman do as Mary asked? Hadn't she always done what she was told? Hadn't it always been Mary to back down?

  "Who owns this company? Mr. O'Hanson, or the Blackstone family?" Mary demanded.

  The woman swallowed. She grabbed her cup of coffee and vacated the chair. Mary slid into it.

  As she suspected, Travis immediately started making changes to the next schedule. Changes that she didn't allow to remain. Not only did she lock out all the higher functions, but she set up for all new requests to go through her. By the time she finished she had to work hard to keep from grinning.

  Mary stood and glared at the closed office door. She purposely turned her back on it, walking out of the office with her head held high.

  She found herself home in the small apartment she shared with Kate. Touches of Kate lay scattered across the living area. The multiple bright colors of the small pillows on the couch and chairs. The intense colors of a sunset playing on the digital frame on the wall. The gayly colored woven fake flowers around a polished candlestick in the middle of the dining room table.

  For the first time since the shuttle crash Mary stepped inside Kate's room. The typical mess greeted her. Clothes of bright garish colors covered the chair at the desk as well as the foot of the bed. A few stuffed animals lay scattered about. Shoes and a storage box with the lid askew sat on the floor next to the closet. She picked up a bright red hair ribbon.

  And suddenly the gray and soft brown dress she wore felt like sandpaper against her skin.

  Mary retreated to her room, ripping the dress off. She found an old pair of blue pants with splotches of topaz blue paint on the front from when she'd repainted Kate's room to its current color. A bright pink top and her most ratty and comfortable pair of shoes finished the outfit. Around the prim bun at the top of her head she wrapped Kate's red hair ribbon.

  Not only did she appear different, she felt new. As if she had shed off the crusty old skin, and with it came a sense of bravery and energy.

  Her mobile phone on the kitchen table started chiming. Mary froze in the act of clearing her closet of all the old clothes she no longer wanted to see, much less wear. Her ears didn't want to believe the ring tone.

  She rushed out the room, stubbing her toe on the doorjamb.

  Mary grabbed the phone, flipping it open. "Kate? Kate, where are you!"

  "A message from Katherine O'Hanson," a pleasant computer voice said.

  Mary's heart leapt when she heard the first few words, "Mom! I'm still alive..."

  But from there it went downhill fast. The first time she couldn't believe what she heard. It took replaying the message several times before it sunk in.

  Her hands shook as she flipped down the cover. Kate was alive, but she in danger. All of them were in danger if the Shadow Creatures intended to attack the city.

  Her first instinct was to race back up to the office and confront Travis, but that might endanger Kate. She needed to find out more and she knew just where to search. Somewhere today, a shuttle had been close enough to Kate to pick up a message from her phone. Travis, by his own admission, left the city earlier in the day. She needed to find out where he'd really been.

  She slipped the mobile into her pocket and rushed down to the spaceport. The illegal ship still crawled with Rangers. She ignored the work surrounding it, heading instead for the Blackstone hangar.

  Inside the locked hangar sat two shuttles ready to fly along with one in the rear in the process of having its engines rebuilt. The one in front was a standard design that could be seen all over the Alliance. A newer model of the one she'd learned to fly in. Beside it sat a shuttle designed for freight transport.

  She couldn't imagine Travis taking the bulky freight shuttle. He would prefer the sleeker model. She found the shuttle locked. Mary frowned. Why would it be locked? It was already in a locked hangar.

  Mary dug down into her pockets, pulling out a master keycard. The door popped open. She slipped inside, finding the interior smelling like trees. At least that confirmed Travis had been somewhere out in the forest. But where?

  Secured canisters lined the interior walls. Some labels she recognized, but three near the rear used acronyms she'd never seen before.

  Mary felt uneasy. There were only certain byproducts the Gatherers could get out of the trees. So, where did these strange substances come from? She didn't recall Mother saying she'd come up with any new processes for the mobile factories the Gatherers used.

  Her mind flashed on the bodies on the tarmac and then to part of Kate's message about the clear-cutting.

  Humans had killed the trees. Now the trees were taking their fury out on the humans.

  Mary didn't believe in those kinds of coincidences.

  And it sounded like Kate had found out the truth. She wouldn't put it past her inquisitive daughter. It put an ominous spin to Travis's actions, as it would be a good reason to ensure Kate never came home.

  Mary moved past the canisters towards the cockpit. She sat down in the pilot's chair, bringing up the main naviga
tion computer, running through the activity for the day. She superimposed the flight paths over a map of the area.

  And caught her breath in horror. The path showed the shuttle flew out of the human zone and across the mountains to the other side. Way past the furthest point allowed to the humans. Forbidden by the Watcher.

  A Watcher Kate said was now dead.

  How she wished for that last hug before the shuttle door closed.

  Mary sat back in the pilot chair. As the working government for the humans on Oburos, the Directory needed to know what was going on even if it meant her company might be shut down. She would worry about an income for herself and Kate later. Maybe live with Mom at her cottage in the forest for a while? Mary didn't like the idea of living in the midst of the forest, but she could do it, if necessary.

  That was, if humans were allowed to remain on the planet.

  Mary copied the flight path onto a data disk along with the other sensor histories. She left the shuttle and ran out of the hangar, only to stop outside the door. Two sleek autopilot shuttles came to a landing in the middle of the spaceport. The doors opened and Gatherers poured out, each with two or more bags with them.

  Her heart dropped. Were the Shadow Creatures attacking already?

  One of the shuttles took off again and headed back into the forest. Mary spotted Ranger Tottori walking quickly towards the Gatherers. Perfect. Just what she needed.

  A big man with a well-shaped red beard stepped forward to meet the Ranger. Mary skidded to a halt next to them just as the man was saying, "The forest went crazy. Reports are coming in from all the camps of the trees themselves attacking anyone human. We don't know what's going on, but the forest is reacting to something."

  "We had a similar incidence here. How many are you evacuating?" Ranger Tottori asked.

  "Everyone. It'll take the shuttles a few more trips to evacuate the camps that are in full communication. We haven't heard from Delta Camp in a while. Can we use your communications?" the man asked in a deep voice that Mary liked despite the worry tainting it.

  "Absolutely. You know where the office is." Ranger Tottori said.

  The man turned his head towards Mary, tapping his hand at the rim of his hat in a salute, "Ma'am."

  "Wait! I need both of you!" Mary cried as both men turned away to walk away. "Which camp are you from? The one near where the shuttle went down? I'm Mary O'Hanson. My daughter Kate was on board that shuttle. "

  The man went still, turning back to her, "Henry Stewart. My nephew was on that shuttle. We tried to get to it, but it's been impossible with the way the trees have been acting. On the last transmission Ayden said they were turning towards Ms. Olivia Blackstone's cottage but no one has called us to say they arrived."

  "Olivia Blackstone is my mother and she's not answering communications, and hasn't since Kate disappeared. But I have heard from Kate."

  Henry stepped forward, "Did she say anything about Ayden? Are they safe? Did they get to a camp?"

  Mary pulled out her phone, biting her bottom lip. "She did say someone called Ayden was with her, but I don't think they are safe."

  She flipped open the phone, activated the speaker and replayed the message. The two men crowded around her.

  Ranger Tottori demanded she play the message again. After the third time he glanced at the forest. "Tonight is the twin full moons. Henry, how did the fog look when you came in?"

  "Building up in the mountains. It's sure to come down hard tonight," Henry said.

  "It would be a good cover. We need to lock down the city."

  "It gets worse." Mary nodded towards the company hangar, "The navigational records on one of the company shuttles shows that Travis O'Hanson traveled out of the human zone to the other side of the mountains."

  Ranger Tottori sucked in his breath. Henry demanded, "Is he crazy? We're barely allowed to live here as it is!"

  "Judging by the trees attacks, that might have just been denied us," Ranger Tottori said. He shouted for one of the Rangers coming out of the illegal ship. He turned back to Mary. "We're confiscating the shuttle."

  Mary nodded, "I understand and agree. It's the first shuttle when you enter the hangar. There are canisters inside that will need to be identified. I think illegal tree harvesting has been happening. As a majority shareholder of the Blackstone Corporation I give our complete support to the investigation."

  Ranger Tottori left them, joining a few Rangers before heading for the hangar.

  Henry groaned, "If true, it explains the reactions of the forest. We'll have the Watcher down on us in no time."

  "The Watcher has been murdered, remember?" Mary said.

  The forest seemed to rise higher than ever before, standing as a barrier between her and the rest of her family. But she found she couldn't hate it. The forest had been attacked, taboo trees cut down. She would leave if asked, she just hoped Kate could accompany her.

  She felt a large gentle hand on her arm. She looked up into Henry's concerned blue eyes, "She's with Ayden, and the boy is a natural in the forest. As long as she stays with him she'll be okay."

  "I wish I could believe that. Kate doesn't have enough fear. She'll walk into almost anything if she gets mad enough, and I'm afraid that's what might have happened."

  "Too much fear can be just as bad," Henry said.

  Mary visibly cringed. Fear. She'd let herself become overwhelmed with it, and it may have cost Kate her life. She should have seen Travis for who and what he was sooner. After all, wasn't he her dead husband's brother? Deceit and greed seemed to run through the family.

  She'd learned her lesson. No more fear. "How long before the fog descends?"

  Henry rubbed his beard, glancing over at the forest, "Several hours, at least. We should have all the camps except Delta evacuated by that time."

  Mary dropped the phone back into her pocket. She watched as several Rangers opened the company hangar. Her eyes went to the freight shuttle sitting next to the one Travis used. "Enough time to track his route?"

  Henry looked at her and then followed her gaze, "Maybe, but we can't go past the human zone."

  "Travis already has. I'm guessing Kate is on the other side of the mountains. I don't think any of us will have a home on this planet after all this. If so then I'm going to find Kate. At least we'll be together when we get kicked off." Having made up her mind Mary walked towards the hangar and the second shuttle.

  Henry yelled out after her, "We would have to find a pilot and I don't think many pilots will be willing to go out there with the trees attacking and fog coming."

  "This particular pilot is willing!" Mary yelled back. "Kate still has her phone, and that means if we can get close enough we can zero right to her position."

  Henry ran to catch up with her, "You don't understand. This is the worst wave of fog we've seen in years. Even the most shielded shuttle will be no match for it."

  "Then I'll have to fly fast."

  Ranger Tottori waved her away as she approached the hangar, "The shuttle is quarantined until the investigation is over!"

  "That's not the shuttle I want, Ranger." Mary pointed towards the other shuttle, "I'm taking that one on a rescue mission to find Kate."

  Mary approached the shuttle, her head listing what she knew about the model and wishing she'd kept up with the latest models, but there had always been a reason not to.

  No, there'd always been someone who didn't want her to do anything but be a personal slave. Mary's gut clenched on that thought. No more. She wasn't that kind of a person any longer.

  With the use of the keycard the door swung open. She stepped up into the shuttle, noting the empty cargo bay.

  "You're serious? You're going out there?" Henry asked.

  Mary turned around, surprised to find he'd followed her. She prepared to close the door. "Yes, I'm going out there. I'll do what I can to find your nephew."

  Henry stopped at the door, looking up at her. "I do appreciate what you mean to do, but this is a dangerous ti
me. Perhaps we should trust Ayden to protect them both and find a way back. There is no point in losing anyone else in this. We may already have lost an entire Gatherer camp."

  Mary's eyes narrowed. Someone else telling her what to do. She prodded him with a finger to his chest. "I'll have you know I'm a great pilot! I'm not going to leave my little girl out there with Shadow Creatures and who knows what else running around! I have a flight to make. Don't try to stop me."

  Henry smiled. Mary stepped back as he stepped up into the shuttle, his large frame making the interior of the shuttle feel noticeably smaller. "No, I won't stop you. This is your daughter and I understand your concern. I'll go with you."

  Mary stopped backing up, glaring up at him. "You think I need someone to watch over me?"

  "No ma'am. I wouldn't presume to suggest such a thing," Henry said quickly. "However, I am more familiar with the forest and I can keep an eye on the fog. If we go down, I have practical survival skills. If you insist on going, I hope you will allow me to accompany you. I want to find my nephew."

  Mary searched his face, but all she found was sincerity. She nodded. "Okay, get buckled in."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  As the shore grew close Kate could feel the trees again. Rich emotions, natural movements, no pain, contentment. A natural Oburos forest in all its glory.

  It gave her added strength to combat the spores growing increasingly insistent inside her mind and body.

  The narboa rose up out of the water. With a great thrash and a twist it pushed itself up onto the sand. The head went down, nosing the sand and small rocks.

  "This is as close as we get." Vistus jumped off, paddling a short distance before his feet reached the sandy bottom.

  Kate inched herself to the edge of the narboa's back, holding her cape in a bunch around her waist. To protect the Watcher on her back she slid down the side on her left hip. With a splash she was almost hip deep in the cold water. She waded towards shore, trying to hold all ends of the cape above the water.