by Darren Lewis
A long, loud creak from outside made Fern wince and he jumped onto the window ledge. In the back garden the people had opened the black gate and were moving cautiously towards the large, dark house. Fern concluded that whatever was over there must be very important to these people and therefore maybe just as important to Fern.
Fern moved to the head of the stairs and became still. The voices downstairs were all gone so Fern descended and left the house for the garden. Apart from the three figures heading towards the silent house next door the remaining people were waiting patiently just beyond the gate. Fern followed their tracks into the opposite garden and listened to a strange one sided conversation.
“Copy that. Go for entry, soft and silent.”
The early morning was quiet again but Fern's exquisite hearing detected the faint sounds of cracking and creaking as the three people gained entry to the house. Several minutes went by.
“Okay, stand by.”
One of the men placed a call on his phone and Fern once again listened to an odd conversation.
“Ma'am. Infiltration team reports a strange structural anomaly in the house opposite the targets.”
“Well, a large steel blast door, ma'am.”
“I recommend a tech team onsite a.s.a.p.”
There was a long pause and Fern edged his way around the standing figures and into the neatly trimmed bushes.
“Yes, ma'am.”
The man finished speaking and flipped his phone shut.
“Okay.” He whispered to himself and he began talking on his radio again. “Infiltration team pull out, repeat pull out.” From his position in the bushes Fern could see the exasperated expression on the man's face. “We're heading to home base, pack up your gear and be ready to move in five.” As he finished the team of three returned and with a nod of acknowledgment they all left the garden, closing the black gate.
Fern was even more baffled now. Obviously this house and whatever they'd found inside meant something. With a deep trembling breath Fern turned away from the black gate and towards the dark, mysterious house.
Sloan
Sloan came bolt upright in his chair with a huge gasp of air. His hands trembled on the orb he was holding on the desk. He slowly removed his fingers and wiped the sweat from his forehead before leaning back, his eyes never wavering from the odd object sitting in front of him.
Quite a life wouldn't you agree? The orb asked him in the turmoil of his mind.
Sloan nodded. The orb had shown him Eleanor's past, her grief, her guilt and her pain as she came to terms with a life not lived with her family. How she wouldn't have survived without the companionship of the dragons. How she came to be Charlemagne's friend and saved thousands of lives. How it was taken away from her by a trusted friend.
Though a logical, practical man Sloan was having trouble resolving what he'd seen with what he knew, or thought he knew. The cool cynic inside him contemplated the fact he could be being manipulated. That the orb was showing him a fantasy, created for all Sloan knew, inside a computer or film studio. But what was really twisting Sloan's mind was the realisation that he knew he'd seen the truth. He couldn't qualify how, he just knew.
Think about what Eleanor created and how it was subverted to another cause. The orb advised.
Sloan shook his head and stared intently at the orb.
“You may have shown me what this woman has sacrificed and how she saved people from execution but I still believe they have no place in this world with normal humans.”
The orb pulsed brightly and then dimmed accompanied by a sigh.
One step at a time I guess.
Sloan cocked his eyebrow and just before he answered his computer interrupted with a chime.
“Yes.” He said, tapping a finger on the screen. An image of the operations room popped up.
“Mr Sloan, the infiltration team from the target's house have finished their reconnaissance of the house opposite and have requested a tech team onsite to breach a steel door.” The woman temporarily in charge reported.
Your team is at Eleanor's house. My Ellie that is. Her family and Rox's son are being kept safe there for now. Time to make a decision, Sloan. The orb said quietly as Sloan stared at the image on screen. Sloan scratched his jaw. In the space of five minutes his world had changed. For the better part of thirty years Sloan considered himself quite adaptable, a gift that had served him well considering his vein of work. He leaned towards the screen while tapping a finger on the orb.
Steady, Sloan. I'm not a paperweight.
Sloan carefully placed the orb on his desk.
“Tell the team to report back here immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sloan looked down at the orb and sighed. If only he'd learned all this before initiating today's events.
“Also put the quarantining of the rabbits on hold until I give the word.”
“Uh, yes, sir.” And the link went dark.
Sloan groaned and placed his head in his hands.
Be honest, isn't this much more liberating and exciting? The orb asked.
“Ha!” Sloan exclaimed. “Maybe I should put in for a trans…”
A high pitched scream emanated from the orb forcing Sloan to slap his hands against his ears. The scream continued in his mind. The pain turned Sloan's vision white and he fumbled desperately for the orb.
STOP! He screamed in agony at the orb. Sloan pushed his chair back but fell to his knees fearing his vision would be lost if the orb continued this assault on his mind. PLEASE! He called with the last of his effort. The silence came and the shock was as much a battering on Sloan's beaten mind as the orb's screech.
Sloan heard the orb mumbling over his own ragged breathing.
No. No. No. Ellie. Malachite?
*
When his vision had returned Sloan made his way as quickly as possible to where Eleanor was being kept. He'd placed her on the battered chair and held her shoulders while kneeling in front of her. The distraught look upon her face and the utter desolation in her eyes had a tremendous impact on Sloan as he'd just experienced a great part of her life with Malachite and Cole. He knew what the dragon's death meant to this woman before him.
Sloan squeezed Eleanor's shoulders, though he doubted she could feel it as her eyes barely acknowledged his presence, and then rose to close the door to offer them some privacy. He turned away from the closed door and paused for a moment in an attempt to obtain a grip on his own emotions. Whatever the orb had shown him and however he now felt Sloan had to try and remain objective and not do anything based solely on his emotions.
“Eleanor listen to me. I need you here. The orb shared some of your life with me.” With those words Sloan crossed the room and took the orb from his jacket pocket. He kneeled once again in front of Eleanor and gently took one of her hands into which he placed the orb. “So I know some of what you're feeling.” He added softly his eyes boring deep into hers in an attempt to bring her round. “You can still save Cole. I've ordered my teams away from the village so your family is safe and the rabbits are being held in the East facility.” Sloan now took both of her hands. They were cold to his touch and as pale as Eleanor's face. “You have to come back.” Her face registered nothing and Sloan started to fear that Malachite's loss was too much and that she had shut down. Sloan closed his eyes.
Can you reach her? He asked the orb.
Maybe. The orb answered in grief stained tones and Sloan realised that Malachite had been a huge part of the orb's life as well. Whether she'll come back or not is another matter.
But? Sloan prompted.
But I'll try. The orb said.
*
Sweat ran down Eleanor's forehead and into her eyes. She blinked it away and squinted at the small line of light on the floor twenty feet away. She had no idea how she got here but knew she was safe, at least for the moment. She remembered being chased by something but had no clue as to what it was. Her eyes flickered left and right and she saw stacked
boxes of clothes and old board games. The attic, she thought. Yes it'll never find me here, I'm safe here.
A creak from a floorboard below stopped her breathing and caused her heart to race even faster. Eleanor closed her eyes, brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Another creak and Eleanor began rocking gently, chanting to herself. No, no, no, no!
“Ellllllie.” The singsong voice called out. Eleanor stopped rocking and whipped her head around and opened her eyes. The sliver of light that shone through the attic door was darker. It shifted and Eleanor realised she was watching someone moving on the other side of the door.
“Ready or not, here I come!” The voice began to laugh. It was so loud that Eleanor clapped her hands over her ears and whimpered. Vibrations from the noise caused dust to fall from the wooden rafters and dislodged spiders by the dozen living up in the darkness. They landed on Eleanor and she screamed as she slapped her hands on her arms, body and legs. She felt them crawling in her hair and started to claw her fingers on her scalp, pulling away massive clumps of hair.
“Ah, too easy!” The voice called and the door to the attic burst open flooding the attic with orange light. The fear of the light overrode Eleanor's fear of the spiders and she stopped her assault to find a new place to hide. Towards the end of the attic was a full length mirror. Eleanor gave the attic door a quick look and saw the light intensifying. Sobbing silently she turned and made for the mirror hoping and praying it would fool the unseen monster pursuing her.
Whatever the creature was, it entered the attic just as Eleanor moved behind the mirror. Orange light bathed the entire dark space, casting elongated shadows that Ellie couldn't help seeing as enormous fangs.
“I know you're here, Ellie, and I know you're scared.” The voice taunted her. “But you can't stay hiding in here.”
Eleanor heard yet more creaks and groans, but this time of flimsy wooden boards laid down on the attic floor.
“You have to come with me. You can trust me.” The voice promised.
In her hiding place Eleanor shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. A footstep fell on the other side of the mirror and a hand grasped the edge and pulled the mirror aside. Eleanor cried out and backed away, but there was nowhere else to run and she came to a stop at the brick wall of the house. The orange light moved closer. Eleanor looked and saw that the orange light glowed from a man's face, a face she recognised.
“I'm sorry, Ellie.” It whispered and the glow faded to reveal her Dad's face. Eleanor cried with relief and ran into his arms. “I'm so sorry.” Eleanor sobbed and grieved though she didn't understand why. “We need you. Now more than ever. Come back with me.” Eleanor shook her head against his chest.
“I don't know how!” She cried.
Dad pushed her away gently and wiped some of the tears from her cheeks.
“I'll show you.” He said with a gentle smile. He reached out and turned the mirror towards them. Eleanor looked and gasped, not at her reflection, but of the scene it was showing her. She was sat unseeing while a man crouched in front of her, talking to her. “You have to go back now.” Eleanor stepped back a pace. “Or.” Dad said and waved his arm with a flourish at the attic. “You can stay here. Which will it be?” Eleanor swallowed and stared at her father's face. The longer she stared the surer of herself she became. “It'll be painful but I know you can do it.” Dad encouraged her. Eleanor looked around the now dark attic and shuddered.
“How?” She asked quietly.
“Through the mirror. Simple as that.” Dad told her with a grin. Eleanor nodded and reached out to the mirror. Her hand passed through the surface causing ripples to glide over the image. Dad laughed at the effect and Eleanor turned to him before she pushed through.
“I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
Eleanor entered the mirror.
*
Eleanor's head jerked and she pulled her hands away from Sloan's grasp. Her eyes became hard in an instant and she sprang from the chair, grabbing the front of Sloan's jacket and lifting him. Her face twisted with anger as she propelled Sloan into the wall. His breath shot out and his head dropped.
“No.” He wheezed. “Listen to me.” Eleanor pushed Sloan harder against the wall, her face now a mask of fury.
“He wouldn't be dead if not for the likes of you.” Her anger making her voice low and powerful.
ELEANOR! The orb shrieked at her. Eleanor grimaced and turned her head back towards the chair. Without thinking she had dropped the orb when grabbing Sloan.
I showed him your past. He knows as much as us now.
Eleanor stepped back from Sloan and released him. Sloan caught his breath and looked at her, his eyes reflecting back her own pain. Eleanor closed her eyes and pictured her friend. The green dragon she'd known for so long.
They'll be time to grieve later. If there is one. The orb advised in a soft tone.
I know. Eleanor said quietly just to the orb. She took a long shuddering breath and took hold of the pain, forcing it down, smaller and smaller until it formed a tight knot in her chest. Another breath and she forced her clenched fists to open, leaving shallow bloody wounds where her nails had gouged crescents into her skin. Is Ellie still alive?
I don't know. If she is, then either she's still trapped in the dragon thread Malachite threw her into or… The orb trailed off. Eleanor nodded. Maybe Ellie could escape, if so she would hopefully complete her task. She sniffed and shook her head to clear it. She opened her eyes and found Sloan adjusting his jacket.
“Do you have any operatives in China near The Terracotta Army?” She asked Sloan. He shrugged wincing as he did so.
“I can check. Why?”
“We need to find out if someone is alive”
“Alright, who…” Sloan was interrupted by an alarm sounding immediately followed by a voice over the building's intercom.
“Mr Sloan please report immediately to operations, we have a major incident taking place in China.”
Sloan's eyes widened and Eleanor grinned with no hint of amusement, while wiping the remaining tears from her face.
“Well I hope that answers that question.”
*
“What the hell is going on?” Sloan asked on his immediate entry to the operations room with Eleanor following behind. The woman second in command walked over to Sloan, one of her hands still pressed against the earpiece of her headset.
“Spotters had located a massive event in Shanxii province in China then this video was streamed to the internet a few minutes later on an apparent live feed.”
“From an agent?” Sloan asked.
The woman shook her head.
“Civilian.” She turned and motioned another agent to show the video. One wall of the operations room made up of monitors showing video and multiple feeds from around the world went dark and then lit up as one gigantic screen.
The video was very shaky and Sloan assumed someone was running to or from something. Whatever it was the person sounded terrified as the sounds of fast breathing with the occasional whimper of terror could be heard. A set of glass double doors opened automatically for the person behind the camera who then turned and swiped a plastic card down a slot near the door causing a red light to appear above the door and all in operations heard the sound of the doors locking. The video steadied a little and the camera aimed back down the passageway. Walking briskly but in a way that was reminiscent to Sloan of stop motion animation was a large crowd of people moving in perfect unison. The video taker turned the phone camera on themselves. It was a man of about sixty years of age of Chinese origin, his face was a clear picture of terror at what he was showing on the video. He began to speak in his native dialect his eyes flickering from the camera to the doors he'd just locked.
“Can someone translate?” Sloan called out to the room.
“No need.” Eleanor responded quietly. “'This is Professor Liang. They're alive. They're coming for me. Send h
elp, please, send help.”' The camera view shifted once again with a squeal of fear from the professor. Whatever he was talking about was now standing on the opposite side of the glass doors. There were many gasps from around the operations room.
“Oh my god!” Sloan breathed. He turned to Eleanor. “Did you do this?” He asked.
“This is what Malachite gave his life for. An army to free Rox and her family.” She told him sadly.
“But I've rescinded the order.” Sloan reminded her. Eleanor gave Sloan a hard look as on the screen the professor had started to run again.
“Baiulus holds thousands of people captive. That army was also for them, to free them.”
Sloan swallowed and turned back to the screen, his loyalties split between his career and this woman and for once in his life he did not know what to do.
“This will happen, Sloan. With you or without you. If you want my advice, whichever option you choose, do not stand in my way.” Eleanor whispered over his shoulder.
“I'll help you to a point, but…” Sloan was interrupted as the video showed the professor turning a corner and running straight into a young girl. He heard Eleanor gasp and turned.
“She is alive.” She said.
Ellie and the Army
Ellie sprinted in the direction the terrified student had pointed. Fortunately for Ellie, and it seemed the army's intended target, the student spoke English. It had taken a few shakes and one dire warning of incredibly disastrous consequences to bring the young man back to earth from whatever horrifying orbit he was in. Eventually though he'd told Ellie he fantasised using the army against a man like his professor, a person who'd tormented him while he'd been here. With that the man had pointed in the direction the army had set off to complete their task and Ellie had set off in pursuit.