“Wow,” said Tina with a sense of ambiguous wonder hinting of fear. “It’s beautiful.”
“It looks like a midlevel story tale castle” said Mercedes.
“It looks like trouble.” Said James as he opened his eyes and took control of the wheel bringing the van around the long stretch of road looming to the side of the building. The van drove up the side of the castle.
Meanwhile, Drax drove his stolen police transport across the grassy lawns and knolls nearby and he spotted the castle and recognized it. “Magnitude fortress” he uttered angrily under his breath as he approached the narrowing brick road towards the castle entranceway and around the back way. He retrieved the time stone and knew now that he needed to get in there as the top secret projects and technologies would be kept there and he needed to get a hold of them to get out of town and leave the machinations of his former employer once and for all. They froze his bank accounts and credit cards and dried up his assets as was customary for their standard procedure as he was familiar with them. He stopped the van after pulling around the corner and saw another van pulling up near the side of the structure and stopping suddenly. “How odd?” He wondered as he figured there weren’t any deliveries at this time of day. “Who could that be?” He uttered to himself. He saw the front side passenger door open and a young woman exit the car, long dark brown flowing hair and a radiant smile of innocence that hid a more ominous composure. He saw another young woman exit from the side door also, tan complexion and knotted black hair, she pushed up her rolled up sleeves higher and held her right hand to her eyes as a visor looking around in the intense heat. The driver side door opened and a young man with tattered clothing exited the car. He looked around and joined his companions. He drove up a little closer to discern their facial expressions and identities. He stopped the van as his jaw dropped. “I can’t believe this!” He parked the van and exited. He walked towards them with his hands in his jumpsuit pocket casually. He noticed the trio began to circle into the structure and were knocking on the big metal door on the side of the building. He followed them up the curving pathway near a courtyard keeping his distance to avoid detection. He saw them turn away from the door then and without warning a number of men in dark suits appeared from all sides and drew their weapons on the trio forcing them to raise their hands above their heads and lower themselves to their knees. The men in dark suits wore dark sunglasses and held long cylindrical silvery shining metallic tubes with small openings on the end and with a protruding handle resembling that of a gun. The trio did not recognize it but knew it was a weapon and submitted to their captors. The men in dark suits gathered around them, one leader approaching and starting to pat them down when suddenly shots fired toward their direction and the men scattered. The trio rose to their feet and hid behind the van meters away.
The shots continued and the men in dark suits looked around trying to find the source but it seemed the shots came from all sides and the leader yelled out “it’s an ambush… let’s get out of here.” None of the men in dark suits were struck but they scattered about the streets. The trio came out of their hiding spaces after seeing the last dark suited man run off into the distance.
“What the hell was that?” Said James.
“Shots fired” said Tina.
“Are you a cop?” Asked Mercedes with a curious grin.
“Ha” laughed Tina. “We should get out of here before whoever fired those shots comes back.”
“It’s too late.” Drax emerged from his vantage point across the courtyard. “It wouldn’t be safe to run off alone in these parts, now knowing that you are wanted man and women.” Said Drax.
“Who are you?” Asked James.
“Consider me your benefactor. Drax walked forward nonchalantly with his arms hanging by his sides, sleeves pushed up to his elbows and he stopped before them with a grin.
“What?” Asked Tina.
“Milton Drax, attorney at law. I noticed you guys from over there. I couldn’t believe it was you.”
“Huh?” James gasped as the three of them looked perplexing at Drax.
“I recognized you guys from the Intel reports. We get them periodically on our handheld GREETS RD.”
“GREETS RD?” Asked James curiously. “Standard issue Generator Remote Electromagnetic Energy Telecommunications Scanning Radar Detectors,” he held up his wrist revealing a square device with a screen and knobs and buttons. “But this one doesn’t work as I have been officially disconnected from the network.” He said ashamed. “But I know things that can help you and have connections inside and know how things operate. I noticed you guys were part of our Project Relic even though you never knew about that. I know things about you your own mothers do not know.”
“What are you?” Asked Tina.
“I am one of them …or I was.” Drax said.
“Why do you need us?” Asked Tina.
“Because I admit my chances of taking them down are better with help, a small army rather than solo. Also I know about your powers James as the legendary Holder of Stones.”
“That’s what Broad called you, the Holder.” Said Tina. “And the Awondel tribe in Brazil called you that too.”
“What do you know about that?” Asked James.
“Not much but what I do know I will share with you in time. We must go.” Drax said.
“And what do you mean you were one of them?” Asked James.
“I was one of them. The men in dark suits you have been running from and just encountered. They are a very ominous organization with ties to the high echelons of government and private corporations known as the Machination. Everything about them is classified top secret and they vanish as quickly as they appear leaving no evidence of their existence. Anyone who encounters them and talks ends up looking crazy because of the lack of proof.” Drax said.
“They are part of the government?” Asked Tina.
“They are an ancient order and brotherhood who banded together long ago to preserve the best kept secret in all of history and know more and more as each time progresses.” Drax said.
“Why did they want to harm us and you as one of them also?” Asked Mercedes.
“It is hard to explain but it was just a job for me. I had no choice. Orders come and go and had to be followed. It is pretty militaristic in there, even for civilian personnel. I was saddened by the necessary evil that I was involved in.” Drax replied.
“And you know us?” Asked Tina.
“I know more about your lives than your own mothers do. For example,” he turns to each one and addresses them without expecting a response. “James Timewalker, born and raised in Chronix Bay, high school flunkout, unemployed and unemployable most of your adult life, single, no children, homeless as of recently, and fugitive from justice as of the same. I happen to know the charges against you are bogus and you were meant to be set up to accommodate a bigger cover-up that the Machination wants to employ.”
“No way” said Tina and Drax turned to her.
“His partner in crime, Tina Mildred Prescott, college flunkout, rap sheet a mile long mostly for prostitution and petty larceny, some drug offenses, also single, no children, unemployable, and fugitive from justice. Ditto on the charges against you too as you both were meant to be patsies for the Machination.”
“That is incredible.” Said Mercedes.
“Actually incredible literally means not credible so I beg to differ but while we’re on the subject, Mercedes Alma Gonzalez, born and in raised in Palo Alto, California and resided in Chronix Bay for a while then went back home, worked for a pharmaceutical company named Mercan-Tech as a lab aide and recently deported south of the border to Juarez City, Mexico but you are a natural born United States Citizen. Ever wonder how that little mix-up occurred?” Drax questioned them with a smirk.
“The Machination!” Said Mercedes confidently.
“Exactly. They can be your best friend or your worst enemy if you let them and the latter is pure hell as they control t
he resources of this country’s economy, politics, and social welfare so they can make people, things, even places disappear or suffer all at their whim. They want to make someone disappear and it’s done. They can make happen whatever they want. They answer to no one yet somehow are accountable to everyone. They are them, it, they, the powers that be. They are beyond good and evil, above the law, and powerful beyond all in the cores of everyday affairs and one hundred percent untouchable. They are the unstoppable ones.” Drax said.
“And you used to work for them?” Asked James.
“We all have our drawbacks in life, don’t we?” “That is amazing how you know so much about us and never met us before.” Said Mercedes.
“It is unexplainable!” Exclaimed Tina.
“Nothing is beyond explanation … or doubt.” Drax said. “Just like when you used your powers to get out of jail, right James?”
“Wow how did you know that?” Asked James.
“I told you… I know more than your own mothers know about you including the fact that you each had encounters with beasts.” Drax finished his sentence at the sight of the trio’s shocked faces.
“Who are they?” Asked Mercedes.
“I wish I knew. I am not privy to everything they do.” Drax said rolling his eyes.
“You knew about that though?” Asked James.
“It was no accident. They were all planned by a common foe you all have who appeared to you and continues to threaten your livelihood and your lives, Broad Staffnight.”
“How do you know him?” Asked Tina.
“I knew him for a long time. We were classmates together and recruited by the resurgence group that precedes the Machination’s legitimate corporate face, Temporo Inc.” Broad said.
“What do they want with us now?” James asked almost knowing the answer.
“You found something, a small crystalline device that fits in the palm of your hand, a green pentagonal emerald that shines in the sunlight and has five orbs glistening within it in circular formation. It is the secret of the ages and power infinitely beyond measure, a source of great turmoil that has been battled for by forces on both sides of the good-evil controversy and historically a treasure of the infiniteness and power of the universe. It is more valuable than anything. It is the Time Stone!” Drax said.
“Time Stone? Is that what they want?” Asked Tina clutching her handbag with a perplexing look.
“We do not have a lot of time. Bottom line is that if you want to live and clear your names, you have to trust me.” Drax said.
“Why should we trust one of them and why would you help us know?” Asked James.
“Call it destiny, kid. I don’t know but it was somehow meant for me to meet you at this point or we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I just gave you a lot of information. Consider it a gesture of good faith. You have to trust me.” Drax pleaded.
“Do we?” Tina asked with a curious gaze.
“Look… Broad Staffnight ruined each of your lives and he did the same to me. There is an old saying that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ We have a common enemy people so let’s work together. I have resources you don’t and can get you inside their operation.” Drax said.
“We have to trust him” said James.
“Look” yelled Tina pointing at the skyline and seeing the group of men in dark suits returning in a group of all-terrain vehicles running at them.
“Let’s move” yelled Drax and the quartet ran into his waiting van a few meters away and haled inside. Drax and James crawled into the front driver and passenger seats respectively and Tina and Mercedes opened up the rear sliding door and jumped in as the van pulled away.
“We need to get out of here” yelled Tina.
“I know exactly where were going.” Said Drax. He drove the van up the knolls and brick quarry leading up to the complex they saw before.
“What is that?” Asked Mercedes.
“The Tower Magnitude fortress. The secret lair headquarters of the Machination and the most heavily-guarded place on the planet!” It was a series of stonework that lit up bright in colors of the rainbow spectrum as a tall series of unitary buildings spiking up at the top individually and all coalescing towards a central structure that was large and spiraling upward into the heavens disappearing into the clouds above the pale blue skies. Above the pathway was disappearing into the air and the surrounding stonework as it was within the lights shining brightly up and into the atmosphere. All structures appeared to be interconnected by an intricacy of semi-miniature stonework pathways. The quartet in their van rode up the brick rode to the tall stone quarry at the center of the structure, the central complex.
The men in dark suits in their all-terrain vehicles approached with a strange symbol that was on their vehicle hoods and on their jackets emblazed as before, a circular pattern double loop formation that embroidered itself on them as if representing them in every way. The symbol had multiple spokes extending outward with five orbs at the center.
“We are heading deep inside the central complex. We should be prepared for the unexpected. We may have to do battle.” Said Drax.
“You could’ve explained that. Why couldn’t you do battle?” Asked James.
“I didn’t have an army before. Four heads are better than one.” Said Drax as he piloted ahead of the pack of ATVs on their tail up the stone quarry and into the heart of the central complex.
“We’re just regular folks, not soldiers” said Tina.
“You could have fooled me the way you handled those beasts. I know trained operatives who would have failed at those tasks. Trust in your instincts. There is something special about you. All of you. You accomplished a lot and now I am asking you to accomplish a whole deal more that can restore your lives and save countless others.” Drax said.
“Well…” remarked Tina. All three looked at him with sincerity in their eyes and a sense of a renewed pride.
“Let’s go!” Said James.
CHAPTER 67
The darkness of the main chamber within the central complex was illuminated with the colorful lights of the rainbow spectrum emanating from above an around in synchronism lines as the center of the room appeared to spin in the middle of the vibrating and whirling lights, as the individual solely in the center of the room, Broad Staffnight in his three piece suit staring into the flame of a lit candlestick, his dark beady eyes fixated at its core. The sound of Richard Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries playing loudly in the background as Broad stood before his desk and stood in the immense boardroom office and after several fixated moments, he bore a still gaze as his thoughts raced about in his mind about the various projects his company was involved in and he was focused on, but now the biggest project of all he sensed was coming, his thoughts manifested in a curious bold smile. “Beep” the sound of the alarm on his desk went off.
“Here” Broad responded.
“There is some disturbance on the perimeter.” Said Brent Hightower, Police Chief and Security Advisor to Temporo, Inc.
Broad smirked wider anticipating an impending arrival. “Prepare the defenses.” Said Broad.
“Yes Sir, out.” Replied Hightower as he released the communication.
Broad stood nodding into the flaming abyss. “It is time!”
In the open atrium of the central complex, a large red carpet surrounded by marble pillars and gilded seating and architecture, statues, and objects decorating the area like an expensive hotel lobby, a large-scale painting of the Sistine chapel ceiling replica raised above the heads of the many people standing in the center. Elizabeth Peters stood in the center looking up and around, surrounded by several dozen agents in uniform jackets and hats with various initials representing a half dozen federal agencies walking around with their equipment preparing for a major bust. Joseph Willibiggons approached wearing a long white shirt buttoned up to the top with no tie. He snorted as he touched his small glasses
“Ms. Peters.” He spoke in his usual meager boyish v
ernacular.
“What are we doing here, Joe? This was supposed to be over. This much heat.” She spoke anxiously.
“We are almost there. It won’t be much longer now.” He grimaced at her as she squinted back curiously holding her gun up and cocking it.
“We’ll be hopeful.” She replied. “You ready to do your transformation act when the time comes, Mark?” She said to the short man standing beside her complimented by his decorative jewel adorned wine glass.
“Always,” he smirked revealing part of his face as his brow grew larger and dark brown with bumps and hair, then quickly reverted to normal. “Always prepared!”
Outside of the central complex, the large wooden and metal-laden doors were bolted shut and remained guarded by Jeremy Esteban, a muscular man with a black T-shirt and long dreadlocks buried underneath a tightknit cap. He gritted his teeth as he cursed the air around him exhibiting a foul mouth to his comrade, a petite blonde haired local police officer named Jonathan Wilson who was young enough to be his son who was standing beside him in uniform holding a rifle.
“What the… man Jonathan, are we waiting for trouble or what?” Said the taller man. “I got an itching for a butt kicking.” He clamped his fist into his waiting empty hand.
“I suggest we wait further. Our orders were to look out for any resistors. Our whole regimen depends on it.”
“I see some serious stuff in my day, a long stretch in Viet Nam, gangbanging in Compton, stretch in San Quentin, and even worked security for Mariah Carey but nothing prepared me for the stuff they say is supposed to go down. How they get this smarts anyway?”
“I was told it is a secret source. Rumor has it there is psychic power involved. Your long list of credentials sounds impressive but if there is something otherworldly, then it will take more than brute force to prevail in the end, Mr. Esteban.”
“Whatever it may be, I am ready for it. My daddy always said it was a fool’s choice when you went into battle empty handed and I got some knuckle sandwiches right here for them psychic bitches.” Jeremy waived his fists in the air.
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