The Mystic Saga Omnibus (Books 1 - 5)

by Scott McElhaney

  I quickly made the connection between Diana’s communication devices back home and this device here. The only problem was that I doubted this society had any such technology as the machine before me. I also questioned the fact that the dish was mounted at an angle and fashioned in a way so that it couldn’t be adjusted. This meant that Evelyn was communicating with a particular receiver somewhere beyond this planet.

  I decided at that moment that I would be questioning this woman before I killed her. I dropped my rolled blanket onto the roof and decided to settle in for the remainder of the predawn as I awaited her arrival. That moment would come at 9:30.

  CtynMech

  Orion arm

  TRANSMITTAL TO ALL CTYNMECH:

  Ripples in the quantum foam surrounding Biologic I indicate the beginnings of a convergence of such a magnitude that a Rion Incident could be imminent. Reviews of the scans extending back to when it was first discovered reveal them to ripple outward from specific locations on the planet. An unknown spacecraft and a large satellite are currently in orbit above the planet at this time.

  CtynMech suspects that the craft and the quantum disruptions are directly related to Biologic III. These suspicions are based on the following:

  1. A biological scan of the spacecraft indicates the presence of a being from Biologic III.

  2. A biological scan of the areas where quantum disturbances originated indicate the existence of one of the mixed/half-breed biologics that have been discovered on Biologic III.

  3. An anomalous creature containing more than 90% advanced robotics and computer intelligence systems is also present in the same region as the half-breed biologic. This technology is not present anywhere else on the planet.

  4. The spacecraft and the satellite contain technologies not yet in existence anywhere else on the planet.

  CtynMech is requesting a larger CtynMech presence in both the Biologic I and Biologic III star systems.

  MULTIPLE REPLIES:

  Acknowledged and will comply

  Cyan

  “What do you think our chances of marrying Evelyn are now that there’s an enormous hole in the side of the New York City Police Headquarters?” Drexil asked.

  “Can we talk about something else right now?” I asked aloud as I shuffled quickly through the midnight congestion that still littered the streets of New York City.

  “Drexil has a point, though,” Rewan said, “We can’t go to her house.”

  “She’s probably not there anyway,” I replied.

  “But the police will be,” Rewan said.

  “Rather than spending your time trying to break my heart, I’d rather you come up with some ideas,” I said, “We’re outlaws now that we destroyed a prison cell.”

  “It was your idea to break out,” Drexil said.

  “We all agreed that we couldn’t stay there until the government officials arrived. One X-ray would be enough to tell them we aren’t human,” I said, dodging around more pedestrians.

  “I can change our face,” Rewan said.

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Of course! I’m the one who repaired the bullet damage. I could mold our flesh to show a different bone structure and essentially give us a whole new identity,” she said, “I just can’t change our hair.”

  “That’s perfect!” I replied.

  “But what about Evelyn,” Drexil asked.

  I stopped next to the entrance of an all-night magazine shop that also specialized in a variety of tobacco products. I looked through the window and mindlessly watched an older gentleman who was studying two tins of pipe tobacco.

  “The ‘Cyan’ that I was may have lost her already and I blame the Mystic for that,” I said.

  “True. So, what face are we going to use?” Rewan asked.

  “The magazine on that rack in the corner,” I nodded through the window, “The guy on the cover wearing a hat. His face looks like it would blend in here.”

  “Let’s go inside so I can get a better look,” Rewan said.

  I slipped into the miniature store and was immediately overcome by the musky scent of incense, cologne, and dried leaves. The scent alone made me want to take up smoking like half the current population, but I knew the scent was misleading. Burning the tobacco emitted an aroma that was far less pleasant.

  “What if we bought a pipe and filled it with unlit tobacco?” Drexil asked, apparently reading my previous thoughts, “Just a prop to help us fit in.”

  I ignored his question and approached the magazine rack. I lifted the magazine I’d noticed earlier and examined the cover. The actor’s name was printed small beneath the photo, promising an interview inside.

  “Robert Mitchum? You think we’d ‘blend in’ better if we looked like Robert Mitchum?” Rewan asked.

  “It’s just a suggestion. He looks different from Cyan,” I said, “And he’d look good with a pipe full of unlit tobacco.”

  “I think that face will work,” Drexil added.

  Without a response from Rewan, I felt the flesh changing on my face. It took less than a minute for the feeling to pass.

  “There, we could pass for Mitchum himself if we grew our hair out,” Rewan said, “Which isn’t possible, by the way.”

  I turned and located a tin of tobacco that was shiny enough on the bottom to act as a mirror. I glanced at my reflection and laughed when I saw the face looking back at me. Rewan even remembered the little dimple on Mitchum’s chin.

  “Perfect! I think I even look a few years older,” I said.

  “The police will never know what happened to the escapee known as Cyan Judge,” Drexil laughed.

  “I take it you appreciate my work,” Rewan said.

  “Of course!” I replied.

  “I wouldn’t go with that brand of tobacco,” a deep voice muttered over my shoulder, “It burns the throat.”

  I turned quickly and recognized the man who was shopping for tobacco earlier. I smiled, then set the tin back on the shelf.

  “What smells the best?” I asked, “I just care about the aroma of it when it’s unburned.”

  “That’s how you choose your pipe tobacco?” he asked, his wrinkled forehead creasing even further in disapproval.

  I nodded. He shooed me away with his hand, then shook his head and shuffled away.

  “Wow, no tolerance for those who favor the olfactory senses,” Drexil said.

  I browsed the pipe racks and found one that looked like something this new identity would use. I bit the tip between my teeth, then approached the counter to pay for the pipe.

  “Find one you like?” the elderly clerk asked.

  “Yes sir,” I replied, “Also, I was wondering if you can recommend a sweet smelling tobacco.”

  “Definitely,” the clerk said, immediately placing a small tin on the counter, “One of my favorites.”

  “I’ll trust you on that and take it,” I said.

  He rung up my purchases, which I paid for with the money from the wallet I was currently carrying. He nodded at the badge pinned inside the billfold before I had a chance to hide it.

  “You’re a cop?” he asked.

  “NYPD,” I nodded.

  “It’s nice to know you still come to the neighborhood. It feels like we never see you guys around anymore,” he said.

  “We’re trying to change that, sir,” I said, “You’ll probably notice more of a presence here in the coming days.”

  “You idiot!” Drexil laughed.

  “See, there they are now,” I pointed out the door with the tip of my pipe.

  Two officers rushed past the store, followed by another officer who was definitely a bit less harried. This third officer leaned against the window and peered inside at us. I waved to him and smiled, then turned to the clerk. I could already hear the snickers in my head coming from both Rewan and Drexil.

  “Well, it looks like they might need my help,” I said, “Thanks for the tobacco suggestion.”

  “No problem,” he said, “Come bac
k and tell me what you thought of it.”

  “Will do!” I said.

  . . .

  I had no problem making my way through the commotion outside. Being only four blocks from the police station, it wasn’t any surprise that the streets and sidewalks were now littered with a multitude of police officers. I could see in those random glances that they had already discovered the hole I knocked into the wall beneath my small jail bed. These men were looking for Cyan and they surprisingly looked pretty confident in their search methods.

  “Where are we going?” Drexil asked.

  “We’re going to stop by the old neighborhood and keep an eye on Evelyn’s house,” I said.

  “The cops will definitely be watching that house,” Rewan said, “I don’t think it would be wise for us to hang out there.”

  “In the last twenty four hours, three different people from our planet showed an interest in her. I don’t think it would be wise not to hang out there,” I said, “I’d say that we have no choice in the matter.”

  I flagged down a taxi and requested a ride to the elementary school just two blocks from Evelyn’s home. The driver was polite enough not to question why a man would want to be dropped off at a school at three in the morning. When we arrived at the school parking lot, I paid the driver and tipped him an extra dollar. He promptly pulled out of the lot and left me to my own ghosts. The city was quiet in this part of town at this time of the evening.

  “How are we going to watch over her without getting spotted?” Rewan asked.

  “I was thinking that maybe I could pay her a visit,” I said, leaving the parking lot and heading down the sidewalk toward her home, “I could be anything – a neighbor or a friend of the family. I’ll think of it when the time comes.”

  “A friend of her father?” Rewan asked.

  “No, I don’t want to go down that road again,” I replied, chewing on the end of my pipe.

  “You’re probably right,” Rewan said, “We don’t want this body to be tied to New Mexico also.”

  Braxton

  I needed to get on with my life here on this crazy planet and I was fairly certain that my future would not be based in New York. The only way to get on with my life would be to take care of the problem in the building beneath me. I climbed over the side of the roof and landed a little too loudly on the metal ladder-unit. I paused for a moment to see if I had alerted anyone. I was satisfied after a moment of silence.

  I quietly made my way down the ladder until I reached a window that looked in to what I presumed to be her upstairs hallway. I wondered for a moment if she had a boarder living on the third floor. That would be the only thing that could explain the need of any ugly back exit made of welded metal. Otherwise, the back door down below should be a sufficient rear exit for the whole building. I filed that thought away as a warning to continue cautiously even when inside her home.

  I attempted to open the window, but it was understandably locked. I examined the window for a moment. The frame was made of wood and I was fairly certain that one of my wrist cables could tear through the wood without shattering the glass. I’d much prefer the sound of a thump to that of an explosion of shattering glass. I held my fist up to the wood and launched the cable. It tore through the wood and shattered the window anyway.

  “Rats!” I growled.

  I retracted the cable and pulled myself quickly through the window frame, avoiding the sharp edges where glass fangs remained. When I gathered my bearings, I found a confused Evelyn already standing in the hallway after I had interrupted what was probably the start of a bath. She screamed and ran toward the stairs.

  “Wait!” I shouted, “I just need to talk to you!”

  I ran after her, finally overtaking her at the bottom of the stairs near the sofa. I wrapped her in my arms and brought her to the floor beneath me. She continued to scream until I cupped my hand over her mouth.

  “Quiet! I just need to talk to you!” I lied through clenched teeth, “Why is there a transmitter or a receiver on your roof?”

  She twisted beneath me, which wasn’t a good thing. It was now evident to me that she was wearing only a thin robe and I doubted that this was still fastened around her.

  “Please, Evelyn? I’m confused. Why do you have a transmitter aimed at the stars? Are you contacting someone? Is someone contacting you?”

  She mumbled something beneath my hand. I slowly pulled it away.

  “What are you talking about? Why do you keep coming after me?” she asked.

  “There’s an odd device mounted to the roof of your building,” I said.

  “Maybe it has something to do with those two people who tied me up. Maybe it has something to do with your stupid blue alien,” she said.

  “You know nothing about the device?” I asked, drawing away from her to examine her face.

  “I know nothing about anything that’s happened in the past twenty-four hours! I’m tired of people asking me questions! Who are you and why are you trying to kill me?” she spat.

  I stared at her for a moment. My eyes wandered down the front of her body, which was now only partially covered. I’d never seen this much of the human body before. She followed my gaze, then harrumphed before closing her robe.

  “I… I’m not really sure of anything anymore,” I said, leaning back against the wall.

  She scooted away from me, but to her credit, she didn’t stand up and run.

  “Who were those people in my office?” she asked, wrapping herself in her arms, “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

  I held her gaze, then looked up at the painting on the wall behind her. To this woman, I imagine that painting was her little escape from reality. It presented her with the complete opposite of New York City. Their local star was set beyond a deep blue ocean with only a hint of whitecaps on the waves, indicating a calm surf. The white sand in the foreground was oddly littered with driftwood and the skeleton of an ancient broken boat. I wondered for a moment why the painter would choose to ruin such a beautiful beach.

  I dropped my gaze to her again, then shook my head. Sometimes I wish I’d have never left home.

  “Assassins,” I replied.

  “Assassins? From where? Why?” she asked.

  “Where they’re from doesn’t really matter,” I said, rising from the floor and looking around the living space, “And giving you the ‘why’ won’t really satisfy you either. Listen, I didn’t really want to be a part of this. I never really signed up for it. I just… things sort of…”

  A rapid thumping suddenly exploded from the front door. We both looked at the door, then back to each other. The person knocked again, only this time they were pounding much harder. The door literally shook under the beatings.

  “Evelyn! Evie, are you in there?” he shouted.

  “Cyan!” she screamed before I had a chance to shush her.

  The door slammed open, shattering a significant portion of the doorframe. I raised my electrified hands in threat as a sturdy man rushed into the room.

  “Stay where you are or someone will get hurt!” I insisted.

  He turned to me and stopped. Evelyn rose from the floor and offered the intruder a look of confusion.

  “Listen here, Mystic. We can end this quickly with no damage to anyone at all, but we’re going to need to work together,” he said.

  “Where do you know that title?” I asked, immediately confused since I was certain I’d never seen this person before in my life.

  “I know what you are and I know where you come from,” he offered, taking another step forward.

  “Stop!” I said.

  “Why do you sound so much like Cyan?” Evelyn asked, cautiously approaching the intruder.

  He turned to her and gestured with his hand for her to remain still. He also kept a hand toward me, either to ward off the electricity crackling in my hands, or to request that I also remain where I stand.

  “I’m Cyan’s brother. The police put him in jail; probably believing he cou
ld somehow offer information to them about what happened yesterday. They’re torturing him to the point that I don’t know if he’ll survive,” he said, “He finally got a phone call and that call was made to me. He asked me to come make sure you were okay… which now appears to me that he knew someone was following you.”

  I brought a greater surge to my hands, allowing the blue and white electricity to crackle and pop with more ferocity.

  “Is it safe to assume that you’re the one responsible for the gadget on the roof of this building?” I asked.

  “Gadget?” he asked.

  “There is a transmitter or a receiver on the top of this very building and it’s pointed toward the stars,” I said, “And let’s remember that you happen to know that I’m a Mystic and you claim to know where I’m from. This leads me to believe that you’re not from this planet either.”

  “You’d be wrong,” he said, raising his hands higher, “Now please tell me that we can end this amicably. I don’t know you and I don’t want to kill you. I hope you’ll show me the same amount of respect.”

  I laughed at his lack of fear. If he knew that I was a Mystic, surely he knew I could kill him right now. I wondered for a moment if he somehow had immunity to the power of a Mystic, which would explain his arrogance. I did, however, have an attack that other Mystics didn’t and I wondered for a moment if he knew about this tactic of mine. Rather than worry any further, I clenched my fist and launched a cable from my wrist toward the center of the intruder’s chest…

  CtynMech