Hope (Other World Protection Agency Book 1)

by Serena Simpson

  “I see every color, but the ones most prominent are gold and silver.”

  “Good, now focus on the feel of the shield. Feel how it moves through you. Notice how when the colors change, how the feel of the shield changes. It has a subtle vibration frequency that is resonating within you. Now search outwards. Let your mind and your talents move from your body to search the surroundings. Do you feel a frequency like your shield?” Again he took the nodding head as a sign of yes. “Focus on it until you see it as plain as you see your shield. Now Paul show me the shield. Make it visible.”

  Paul stood there trying to get a lock on the shield he could now feel encircling the warehouse. It felt like quicksilver. Every time he thought he had it, it slipped away. Calming his breathing he tried again. Their plan hinged on this. Although, to be honest, this was supposed to be Charon’s part not his. He allowed himself to slip further into his mind and less into reality or thoughts of fights. He could see Tara looking beautiful in her black and the thought seemed to give him purpose and clarity. He knew just what to do.

  He ran his shield through every frequency until it matched the frequency of the shield he was looking for. He was now in sync with it, he could see it in his mind, but he could also see it with his eyes.

  “Good job, Paul. I can see the field. Now watch it. See when it thickens and when it thins. The field is like a living breathing being. Sort of like your heartbeat. It moves some and when it does energy flows through it. When we get to the school you will see that part of the shield there is weak and it will be obvious. After you are seen you will not have long to put your plan in motion. I hope it’s a good plan.”

  Paul smiled, Charon looked miffed at not knowing what the plan was.

  “Let’s get the women and leave.”

  The getting there part was easy. Charon had simply gathered them all together and then no fuss no muss they were there. There, seemed to be filled with more Demos and other creatures than earlier. It had to be their last big push before they lost the opportunity.

  Charon turned to look at them and simply waited. Tara did her best not to fidget although it was hard since essentially this was her plan.

  “Paul?”

  “Working on it baby.”

  He simply looked like he was standing still with his eyes closed. Maybe she could do that part. It really did seem easy. Next thing she knew he was taking off over a large grassy area. She followed him, hoping everyone else was keeping up. He stopped by the tennis courts. She was a little jealous her inner city schools didn’t have tennis courts. Then she saw a spark. No more time for jealousy.

  A bright ring of energy came into view. It surrounded the academy and the land as far as the eye could see. It sort of reminded her of riding the merry go round when you hang onto the pole instead of sitting on a horse. As it goes faster you lean back and let your head drop and it feels like you’re seeing a circle of color. That’s what she was seeing, a bright circle of color. One that was keeping her world safe.

  The color was thick and vibrant everywhere, but where Paul stood. That part of the shield looked sick. It was thinning out almost as if at any minute it would just disappear. Maybe it was a bad plan, but it really was the only one they had. The Demos and friends had noticed the barrier. They could see it and were heading towards it.

  “It’s now or never Tara.” Paul strode forward and stood in the weakening barrier.

  The thought had been if he was the one repairing the barrier then giving the ailing portion a direct shot of him would help to shore it up faster. Now she only had to do her part. She took off running to the thickest part of the barrier she could see. Stepping inside she began to open a portal, hoping he could hold and heal the weakest part of the barrier.

  She not only had to open a portal, hopefully to a barren world, she also had to throw a net that would catch them all pulling them through. Really she thought, searching for a world, what happened to doorway class 101? She would have settled for the doorway makes things happen class. It could have been like a cooking… she found a world and smiled. It was ugly, but it would do.

  Now all she needed was a net. Which brought her back to thinking a fishing class might have come in handy right about now. How did one make a net? She thought of Wonder Woman. Who said watching television ruined a child’s mind? She had carried a lasso on her hip. Quickly she imagined a huge gold lasso. One that she could twirl with her mind. She could do this. It wasn’t hard. She was drenched in sweat and her legs were shaking and her knees were locked which was why she was still in place. Maybe she couldn’t do it, but she had to try. She threw her lasso, watching it spread over a large area, catching Demos and other aliens alike.

  She tightened the rope and began to pull them in. It took every bit of energy she had. Turns out, she knew about energy, destructive energy. The type of energy didn’t matter she had to do this by any means necessary. She pulled in her catch, shoring herself up with the years she had tried to destroy herself. Now those emotions, feelings and sheer energy were being put to proper use. She dragged them closer to the portal. She could hear them cursing as they fought to get free. Just a little closer, until finally she dragged them in. Tears of relief slipped out and then she prepared to do it over again.

  Looking over at Paul she wondered how he was still standing. It felt like they had been doing this forever. She had lost count of the times she had thrown her lasso out and played tug of war with the loser falling into the big black hole. This should be the last time. Their appeared to be only four caught and these were the last of them. Unfortunately, one of them was smiling. He wasn’t even resisting. Did he just wink at her? She would show him. She tugged just a little bit harder wanting to end this. Just before he fell through the hole he mouthed see you soon. Everything went black.

  Chapter Twelve

  This was becoming a habit she wanted to break. Once again she was lying on a hard floor with an aching head after everything had gone black. Why was she lying on a floor? This was not where she had opened her gate. This was definitely not where she had transported everyone. Cracking open an eye, she flinched from the artificial light in the room. Turning just a little, she saw Paul waking up. Had she brought him through with her?

  “You’re awake. Good.”

  Opening her other eye, she adjusted to the light before trying to seek out the voice. Lifting her head slightly, she took in the shoes. Hard black dress shoes. Definitely male. Although men’s shoes weren’t her fetish, these had to cost a lot. Slowly going up, she took in the unmistakably tailored pants. Gangsters are us much? The blue pinstripe pants weren’t something she was used to seeing unless one watched old movies. Moving up she saw a nice pressed white dress shirt over what had to be a hard chest. What she saw behind it made her breath catch.

  Spreading out from the shoulders of the gangster mafia male in front of her was a pair of black wings. He was unmistakably Demos. She was screwed. They were screwed. If Paul’s the sharp intake of breath meant anything, he had come to that same conclusion.

  “Sorry to leave you where you lay. Not a sign of a good host, but I was rather sure that if I had you moved, it would be unacceptable. Please get up and join me.”

  Pasting a smile on her face, she took Paul’s outstretched hand. He had gotten up calmly as if nothing was out of place and helped her up with a smile that seemed to say ‘Hang on. We will get out of this.’

  “Introductions are in order. I am Tayrel. I of course know who you are.”

  Now that she was standing up and the shock of seeing a Demos dressed like a gangster was over she completed her observation. He was tall, six five if she had to take a guess. His features were sharp. He had a nice chin with a point on the end and a blade for a nose. His lips were stellar if you wanted to kiss a Demos. They were slightly thick with a soft look that said come hither. The eyes were scary, although if they had been a drawing or a painting you would be attracted to them. Slightly slanted and definitely silver with black pupils. But it w
as the hair that drew everything together. It was silver, but in no way dull. In fact it glowed as if it were alive.

  This man would attract every woman he looked at. He would attract or repel them. Either you loved to live dangerously or you were a mouse who feared what went bump in the night. She took another look at the wings and became envious of the mice of the world.

  “You seem to have an unfair advantage over us. We have no idea who you are.” Paul’s voice came out sounding like he was not a bit worried about their host. Tara found herself trying to hide her smile.

  “He must work for Raimel.” There was no way he worked for someone else, but when you had no weapons you improvised.

  “Ah, Tara you jest.” His laugh came out warmly, but his eyes were cold. “Please take a seat. Can I offer you refreshments?” He poured what looked like brandy into a small sniffer before offering it to Paul.

  “No thank you. It’s much too early for a drink.” Tara nodded her head in agreement.

  Taking a seat, she looked around. She was in a room that she imagined would be in the home of a millionaire. There were Exquisite pictures on the walls, furniture made out of the finest wood, sturdy, but exceptionally well made. It was also beautiful, soft, warm and inviting. It was conceivable that you may never want to leave a room like this. It was open and bright with an airy feel to it. Tayrel definitely liked his creature comforts.

  “Why are we here?” Paul had chosen to sit on the large loveseat next to Tara and now he was subtly starting to attack.

  “I brought you here, of course. I was amused by your solution to the problem in your dimension. It was quite advanced for your level of training. Your solution brought you to my attention. I simply diverted your gateway at the last minute to bring you both here.”

  “Where is everyone else?” Tara needed to make sure her gateway worked and they were safe.

  The smile was pure evil. It sent chills down her back. Smiling back, she ignored the threat, deciding to wait and hide under her cover when she got home. If she got home.

  “At first they were on that barren rock you picked. Excellent job by the way. I am impressed you found it since it was hidden. It would have been a slaughter you know. There was no way that Demos and friends could have won. I decided to give them a fighting chance and redirected all of them to a different Earth reality. Now there can be a real fight.”

  Was he insane? A real fight? What had the last couple of years of her life been? A tutoring program for when the real trouble starts? Those kids and the staff would have been innocent casualties of a stupid war if the Demos had gotten free. There was no way they would have spared their lives. It was killed or be killed and she had decided to live, so she wanted them dead.

  “Where are we? I guess that’s the most compelling question.” She looked over at Paul after asking it. She was looking for a clue as to how he might want to proceed.

  “Yes, that is the question. Right now you’re in my house. I brought you here with hopes of ending this war before it began.”

  The smile on Paul’s face was beautiful. It was distracting her from what Tayrel was saying. How come she had never realized just how handsome he was or how he made her heart race? Hearing her name was enough to bring her back to the present.

  “Tara and I would be happy to iron out an agreement that would put an end to all of this. Why don’t we go back to considering the Earth a closed world? That way we can all live our separate lives.”

  She had to smile at that. Paul did seem to have a way of upsetting people while making his request seem perfectly legitimate.

  “We are way beyond the Earth being quarantined Paul. The birth of you and Tara, more importantly the power of your gifts, will draw every species within this galaxy to your door. Consider yourselves a beacon, broadcasting loudly, that you’re ready to play with all your galactic neighbors.”

  “Sounds like we will have to turn those beacons off.” She gave a slight smile with that statement. How the hell could they get out of here? Exactly where was here? “If you do not work for Raimel, why are we here?”

  “Raimel has a grudge against you, with you being hope and all. His murderous feelings towards you will end with your death. How dreary to let a perfectly good feeling of hatred drop with a single death. He is simply a convenient worker in a system I created. Think of him as a gangster and myself as the Godfather.”

  She wasn’t sure if she was choking or laughing at that last statement. Here she thought she was certifiable. “Exactly what do you know about the Godfather?”

  “We have watched how you chronical your history, your wars and the way your people act and react. Hours upon hours of Earth time have we watched those which you so diligently put on what you call television.”

  Paul and Tara looked at each other and shrugged. God save them from aliens that watched television.

  “So you’re the Godfather, directing all the actions of the others?”

  “Yes I am in charge.”

  “Go ahead and say it.” Tara smiled at him while she waited.

  “Say what?”

  “You know what I am talking about. You’re dying to say it.”

  He seemed to ignore her as he looked down at the desk in front of him.

  “You may never get another chance to say it.” She taunted him, knowing it was never a good thing, but needing to anyway. She needed to find a crack that she could manipulate later.

  “Amazing that you’re still alive with an attitude like that.”

  “Just trying to give you a chance, but your right it’s such a cheesy statement. I wouldn’t say it either. So are we your prisoners or are we free to leave?”

  “You’re my guests and as such I am sure you’re not ready to leave yet. You just got here. Before you ask, you will be free to leave as soon as your army is eliminated. They will get no more help from you.”

  “Why don’t you just kill us?” He was tired of playing games and wanted some real answers.

  “If you die right now all the pieces on the board reset.” He hit a button on the desk and the door opened. Two Demos came in and waited, standing at military attention. “Escort my guests to their room.”

  Standing up, they followed the guards to the door.

  “Tara.” She stopped and turned to look at Tayrel. “I would have made you an offer you couldn’t refuse.” With a smile on her face she turned and followed the guards out the door.

  They were led out of the room and through a nice hallway until they reached a beautiful staircase. Scarlet O’Hara anyone? On the second floor they were led to a beautiful room that felt like a gilded cage. There was a sitting room that led into a bedroom with a bathroom off one wall.

  “It’s beautiful.” Tara said looking around.

  “I would trade it for the warehouse in a heartbeat.”

  Smiling Tara nodded. “So would I, but at least it’s not a dark cell or a basement lined with cuffs that we will soon be attached too.”

  “Ok that’s a good point. How do we get out of here?” Paul paused for a minute before adding “What was the goading about downstairs. Do you think we are being listened too?”

  “I don’t think they were big on bugging rooms when the Godfather was made. I doubt we are being listened too. Although I am sure that the galaxy as a whole has more things than we can imagine, so a listening device is really low on the list of things to be worried about. Next, if he thinks he’s the Godfather then there has to be a list of lines he has picked up from watching television that he wants to use. Who else in the galaxy will understand him besides us?”

  Paul, sank down onto the couch next to Tara in the sitting room. “Ok, but how did you guess that and why that line.”

  “Come on. Think about it. How many great lines have you heard? If you could slip them into normal conversation, wouldn’t you? Then you would just sit back and grin as you watched the people around you react to the line.”

  “Point taken. I can think of a few nice ones. Why that one?
Was it the one you were expecting?”

  “It was. It’s just so polite and yet almost evil. More importantly when he said it, he showed a crack, a small insignificant one. Maybe with time we will be able to widen it and use it against him.”

  “Now what?”

  “Now we find a way out of here.”

  “Right this way.” They walked over to a window and drew back the curtains. The window was made out of something that they had never seen before. It was unbreakable and it would not open. Although from the view below breaking it would have been a death sentence.

  They were in their city or what looked like their city. Demos walked up and down the streets while others had stopped to chat. Some had children who were walking behind them or flying in the air, but the truly frightening sight was the humans. They were being treated like chattel, hauling packages and running to do whatever they were told.

  Those who did not move fast enough were being punished on the spot. No one reacted to the punishments and no one lifted a hand to help those in trouble.

  “Where are we?” She could hear the horror in his voice as he checked the location.

  “Pittsburgh?” She was grateful she had missed dinner. The nausea she felt from the sight below her would have never been contained otherwise. How could this be Earth?

  “No way. Last I looked we were not slaves.”

  “Paul can you let me into your shield?”

  “Yes.” Closing his eyes he let out a sigh. “You’re in. It was much easier this time.”

  She reached for the door to their home. “The door home is blocked. It looks like it has been sealed shut. In fact the doors to all the other planets I know have been locked. What do we do now?”

  “Let’s just think. We came up with something earlier.”

  “Where are we? This is definitely not Earth.” Tara hated when her voice started to sound thin and reedy. She could hear it going in that direction. She took a deep breath not wanting to panic.

  “What if it is Earth? Ok just follow me for a moment. If it looks like Earth and it quacks like Earth then it must be Earth. Right?” The smile he cast her fell flat leaving her to take deeper breaths.