Though he was on the ground he appeared to be a couple of inches taller than Lister, perhaps six foot and he must have at least a hundred and fifty pounds on him. He wore a cream colored trench coat and looked like a private investigator straight out of a movie.
He lay on the ground rolling to and fro, holding his large gut and gasping for breath. They stood looking at him for a moment as he writhed. Vita had unsheathed her glowing blade and was ready to move on him if he tried anything funny. Slowly he began to regain his breath and a semblance of self.
“Who are you?” Lister asked once he felt the intruder could answer.
“Donovan… My name is Donovan.” he squeaked, grimacing at the pain in his gut.
“This is your only chance. Why did you followed us?” the threat was evident in Vita’s tone.
“I am looking for someone. An evil man who might have come through with you.”
“No one has come through but us… and now you.” Lister tried to sound as menacing as Vita and looked to her for approval. She nodded.
“I have been watching you for a couple days.”
“If you have been watching then you would know no one has been in my apartment but me.”
“And me.” Vita added for him then nodded for him to continue. Lister shook his head but did not correct himself.
“He may already be here. I have to find out.” Donovan struggled himself into a sitting position.
“Who?”
“Alton Tremont.” Donovan breathed a sigh of relief as the pained look began to leave his face and form.
“Never heard of him.” Lister said without emotion.
“If you had heard of him you probably wouldn’t be breathing right now.”
“Why would he be here?” Lister asked.
“Call it a hunch.”
“A hunch?” Vita got down to Donovan’s level the blade in line with his throat. Lister could not help but admire her bad cop.
“Yeah. A feeling. Don’t you know what a hunch is?” he kept his eyes glued to her without a hint of fear in him. Lister was sure he could see the fiery cauldrons which were her eyes but he seemed to pay no mind.
“Vita, stop.” Lister said and turned from Donovan and took ten paces from the seated intruder. A moment later Vita joined him.
“What do you think?” Vita asked.
“A whole lot more is going on here than I thought. How could he have known what we were doing?”
“Witches.” Vita replied without a second of thought.
“Oh come on. Witches? Really?” Lister was offended at the thought. He would almost expect witches here in this place of demons and singing stones but in his own world?
“What other explanation makes sense?” Vita was trying to make a logical argument.
“I don’t know but it’s not witches. There is no such thing as magic where I come from.”
“You perform magic.” Vita said as a matter of fact.
“It’s not magic Vita. It’s science.” Lister responded his tone more harsh than he intended.
“Well it’s magic here.” Vita answered.
Lister nodded absently and looked back at Donovan who had found his feet and was looking around the small clearing. He grabbed the back of his coat and looked at the tail. It had been surgically sliced by the closing of the portal and Lister could hear a whispered curse when Donovan noticed it.
“Yeah well we don’t have magic on my world.” Lister said flatly not wanting to discuss it any further.
“So what do we do with him?” Vita looked around Lister’s stomach at the man.
“I guess we take him with us.”
“Really?”
“What if he needs help?” Lister knew Vita’s weakness and he wanted to find out why this fellow had braved the unknown in order to find his quarry.
“Does he?” her tone and pursed lips made it clear she was not buying it.
“Maybe.”
“What if he’s a bandit?”
“One bandit by himself is no match for you right?”
“Yeah, right.” Vita sounded sure. She paused in thought for a moment. “We will do it your way, I trust you.” the thought of the trust he had shown her and vice versa made Lister balk. It was not something he was used to. “If he makes one false move though…” she let the threat hang in the air.
“Tell him.” Lister turned and started back to Donovan with Vita close on his heels.
“Oh I will.” Vita replied under her breath.
Vita was true to her word for as they began their trek to the village. She passed along her warning to Donovan. The man did not seem at all frightened but reacted as though he were used to receiving death threats. As they walked it became apparent the interloper was having the same trouble as Lister had when he had first arrived. Even in night though not fully dark the heat and humidity made for a vile mix. He had slung his coat over his shoulder. Sweat was coursing down his face and staining his shirt.
They entered the clearing which heralded their approach to the village. The sight of the sky had far more impact on Lister and stopped him dead in his tracks. No longer was the sky just green with the purple wisps floating through space though they were still present. Above him a large globe was suspended in space. The planet was one quarter lit by the sun and in three quarter darkness.
The light side of the planet had a red, green and blue surface which bespoke the presence of plant life and water. White clouds of varying shapes hung in the sky and looked like cotton balls spread across the amazing marble which hung so powerfully in the sky above him.
“Are you alright?” the concern in her voice was evident but he did not answer.
The dark side of the planet was what made Lister’s mind reel in a search for answers. He stared mutely at the lights twinkling on the surface. They were laid out like the cities he had seen on satellite images. Some form of civilization lived on the surface of the alien world and they were advanced enough to have lighted their planet. The implications of this grabbed Lister by the throat and did not let go.
“Lister, say something.” Vita had left Donovan to his own thoughts as the large man seemed hypnotized by he night sky as well. Vita stepped in front of Lister, a look of deep concern on her face.
“The lights.” he said pointing to the planet.
“Yeah, it’s the capitol.” Vita said unceremoniously. Lister slowly dropped his gaze to meet her eyes. He was worried his mind was not going to be able to take the shock and he would crumble from a stroke or a heart attack. Then he remembered who he was. With eyes wide his focus fell full on Vita.
“Can we get there?” Lister asked his eyes locked on hers. “I mean can we go there?” Vita paused looking at him, her brows furrowed and head cocked to one side.
“You can. I am not allowed.” she said in a tone which would brook no argument.
His jaw became slack and the universe seemed to open for him. The idea of other worlds should not have come as a surprise considering where he was standing but where he was standing was not a planet as he had initially thought but a moon.
“Wow.” he whispered to himself.
“Come on!” she said taking the lead in their procession with a look of true concern on her face. “We don’t have much time.”
“Yeah.” Lister said absently as he kept his eyes to the sky.
The sights he had seen made him believe this was truly the place where he belonged. His own world was just a jumping off point. With all of the wonders beyond his gateway he could live a life of true meaning and discovery.
As they continued, Lister, who was now under the spell of the infinite possibilities of this place asked many questions of Vita. They would come in rapid succession at times then others he was quiet and thoughtful seeming to be working on generating more questions. Vita did not have many answers as she had never been off world. Lister’s insistence made her frown and shake her head more than once. She told him she had never been to the capitol nor was she allowed to go but
the questions continued. Soon she stopped answering which did not stop Lister from asking even when they entered the workshop. Merrill came around the corner to meet them.
“Darling girl!” he said opening his arms to embrace her. She ran into them and they closed around her. The look on her face showed she was happy to be home.
“How do I get to the other planet?” Lister interrupted as Merrill and Vita stood locked in their embrace. Merrill was not upset by the question but he was surprised. Lister continued:
“Who lives there?”
“He has been like this since he saw the lights on Marudu.” Vita said breaking the hug.
“Marudu…” Lister made the name sound magical as he spoke with reverence. “What kind of technology do they have?” his gaze was so intense and begging for answer Merrill looked genuinely concerned for him.
“Lister,” he said as he took him by the arm. “Sit down boy before you fall down. You look horrible.” which was true. The bags under his eyes were black and his eye sockets were sunken. His pale skin looked waxy and without life. “How long has it been since you have slept?” now it was Merrill’s turn to ask the questions.
“I don’t know.” Lister admitted weakly. “How could I sleep with all of this going on? Vita, you, the stones, this place. It’s all so overwhelming.” Lister slumped into the seat with the help of Merrill.
“I haven’t seen him even lie down. I am not even sure he slept the other night in the guest room.” Vita said.
“I think he is exhausted. I have found myself in such a state from time to time.” Vita get him something to drink. Then Merrill noticed the new face in the room.
“Who is this?” Merrill straightened and looked up at him. Though shorter than he by quite a bit Merrill showed no fear of the new comer.
“Donovan. He followed us through.” Vita had retrieved a cup of water from the counter. The look in her eyes had regained their air of distrust as her swirling fire filled eyes met his again.
“Well Donovan. What could be so important as to think it a good idea to follow my grand daughter to our home?” Merrill’s eyes looked him up and down.
“I am looking for someone. A really evil fellow.”
“No shortage of such men here I am afraid.”
“Seems like a nice place to me.” Donovan said with his usual calm. The strangeness of this place was not lost upon him but his work with The Temple had prepared him for such odd occurrences. Donovan did not want to go into detail about his enemy so he attempted to change the subject.
“Lister brought something back for you.” Donovan deflected, pointing to Lister’s backpack.
Merrill stood examining Donovan’s face for a moment, his prosthetic arm absently rubbing his metal leg. Donovan could tell he was making a decision about him. He met his gaze without malice and suddenly it seemed as though Merrill had made up his mind.
“You are right. Let me see what we have here.” Lister had dropped his pack when they had entered the dining room. Merrill went to it then turned to Lister.
“Is it alright if I get the sensors out of your pack?”
Lister had laid his head on the table and waved away the question like it was not even an issue. Merrill rummaged for a moment and retrieved the sensors and a bundle of wire.
“You keep an eye on him dear,” He instructed Vita. “I have to make sure I can get these things working.” Merrill placed his human hand on Lister’s shoulder and gave a squeeze. Lister’s only response was a soft snore.
Chapter Nineteen
Lister’s sleep was dreamless and deep. A smile playing across his face as his head lay on his crossed arms. The table was surely not the most comfortable place for slumber but Lister had no choice in the matter. His body had become heavier than he could fathom and his eyelids seemed to creak and scrape as they closed over his eyeballs. The questions were gone and the quest for knowledge was put on hold for a time too short as his over stimulated mind shut down for a while.
“Lister…” the voice seemed to reach out to him from the empty spaces between thoughts. He did not want to answer the call.
“Lister…” the voice was more insistent this time but Lister could hear kindness in the tone. “We need your help.”
He opened his eyes slowly and found himself staring directly into two pools of fire slowly rotating and undulating around an inky black epicenter. The swirling eddies circled and cavorted as though alive and dancing, they lived a moment then died of their own accord. The movement seemed as though it were random but he knew Vita’s eyes held an intelligence and courage he had come to admire.
“Yes Vita?” he spoke but did not lift his head from his arms. In the moment he was not sure if he could.
“The sensors are not working.”
In the background he began to hear it. A high pitched wailing which echoed through the workshop. It was constant, piercing and seemed to go right to the center of his being making him cringe.
The two of them went into the workshop proper. Morning light was coming in through the skylights and cast everything in a comforting orange glow. The deep shadows played upon the machinery in the workshop and caused the individual objects to lose form. He could not see where one machine ended and the other began as they made their way to the awful sound.
They went to the back of the shop, a place Lister had only glimpsed during his last visit. The siren was loud here and Lister cringed a bit at the sound as they walked by the speaker. He was sure everyone in the village could hear the noise and were grumbling as they rolled from their beds.
The staircase, like everything in the shop was constructed of metal, very sturdy and well built. They ascended the stairs and reached the roof. They went out onto a widow’s walk where Merrill and Donovan were looking confounded at one of the sensors which hung on the exterior wall. The siren sounding from below was still loud but Lister had gotten over his initial ill feeling about it as he approached the two men.
“It seems I hooked this one up wrong.” Merrill had his fists propped on his hips.
Lister smiled at the ancient inventor his doubts firmly entrenched in his mind. If there was one thing Merrill was, it was process oriented. The thought he had crossed a wire or not made a correct connection was not a thought Lister entertained.
“Well, let’s take a look.”
Lister began his examination. He followed the wires from the the sensor down along the wall. The two were black and white and appeared to be hooked up to the appropriate corresponding terminals. Lister followed them all the way down the steps and to the control terminal. He examined it as well and from what he could see all was in order with the wiring. He also checked the device controlling the set of sensors Merrill had hooked up. The old man had followed him down curious as to what he might have done wrong.
“You used a Singing Stone in the implementation?” Lister asked.
“Yeah, I primed it perfectly. As a matter of fact it is one of the best jobs I have ever done.” Lister did not doubt it and all of the signs pointed to a flawless application of the technology. Though Lister had fallen asleep Merrill had done a great job hooking everything up without him.
“What do you think the range of the sensors is?”
“Over a mile I’m sure.” Merrill said with no small amount of pride in his voice.
“They are directional?”
“Yep. The other ones I set up seem to be functioning fine. It is the one facing south which seems to be causing the problem. It should be working. As a matter of fact it should be working too well.”
“Too well…” Lister parroted absently.
Lister’s eyes went wide. He ran to the dining room and to his backpack. After digging around for a moment retrieved his spyglass. They had not followed him to the dining room but they were on his heels as he ran past them and up the stairs three at a time. If what he thought was happening was truly the case then there was no time to lose.
Once out on the widow’s walk he put the spyglass to
his eye. It was worse than he had thought, much worse. A vehicle not unlike the ATV Lister and Vita had driven to the caves, though not as rugged looking was blazing across the plains heading directly to the village. Over the last of the hills, behind the ATV was a vast swarm of the giant insects they had barely escaped just a few hour ago. Some were the dog sized beetle variety but others were apparently warriors of the nest for they were larger and far more fearsome looking.
Lister held the spyglass to his chest and looked without assistance. He could not quite see the swarm but a light dust cloud in the distance heralded the coming horror. Lister looked at the others and saw their confusion.
“The sensors are working just fine. We are about to have some company.” Lister locked eyes with Vita and she could read the danger in his expression.
“We have to evacuate the village.” Vita said not waiting for a response. She took to the stairs barely touching them as she descended.
“I will go help her.” Donovan said and Lister could sense he had become a part of their little group as Merrill clapped him on the arm as he left.
“Do you trust him?” Lister asked after he had taken to the stairs.
“I do. He seems more than a little conflicted but he has a good heart, I can sense it.”
Such praise was good enough for Lister as he raised the glass back up to his eye and focused on the vehicle screaming toward him across the plains.
It was Karak in the vehicle. One of his henchmen was driving as he rode along holding up what appeared to be a large egg. Lister had never been very good at biology but from what he did know Lister assumed it was the egg of a new queen they carried. What else would cause such a stampede? With such a payload the swarm would not give up the chase until they got it back. He looked at Merrill:
“Get what you need. We have to go.”
Lister was helping Merrill grab his most prized possessions but it was no quick task. Many things did not belong to him as he had been contracted to repair items for other villages in the area. Those were the objects Merrill cared more about for their loss would reflect poorly on him.
Lister Crowe Page 11