“That may not be true. If they have the universe’s largest known library, they may know everything about us.” Clare finally spoke up. She’d been poking around on her tablet for the last hour, searching for something.
“Good point. Either way, it’ll work. It has to.” I took a sip of coffee and swallowed the cold, bitter brew.
“What’s this about the hybrids?” Nat asked. Patty was resting on her chest, eyes closed, drool spilling onto Natalia’s shirt.
“Terrance and Leslie will know how I can get to those insectoids’ world. I need to find out how they knew where we were on our trip to find the Theos. Or Iskios. Whatever. They tried to stop us. They know where the crystal world is.” It was nearly time.
“We’ll dig through the datasticks Sarlun gave you. You take my husband with you, da?” Natalia demanded more than asked.
“What about me?” Slate asked, standing up quickly and pointing to his chest in defiance.
“Slate, you can sit this one out. You’ve been through a lot, and I can’t ask you to be there by my side all the time. You have a life too.” I glanced over at Denise, who smiled at this.
Slate wasn’t smiling at me. “Is this because she was taken? I know I failed you. And I failed Mary.” His big shoulders slumped forward, and I crossed the room to stand before him.
“Listen here. You did everything you could. Neither of us could have stopped what happened, and I don’t trust anyone to have my back more than you, but I need you here. When it comes time to take the fight to the Iskios, I want you rested and ready for it.”
He straightened at this and gave me a small grin. “Fine. But, boss?”
“Yeah?” I urged him.
“I always knew I was a more kickass sidekick than this guy over here.” He hiked a thumb toward Magnus, who frowned at Slate before barking out a loud laugh.
“This kid is all right.” Magnus wrapped a bulky arm around Slate’s shoulder and put him in a headlock.
“Then it’s settled. Magnus and I leave in the morning. You all find anything you can about the Theos, and when we get back, we’re heading to Bazarn. Got it?” I asked. Everyone shouted their understanding, and I began to fold up the papers on the table.
Symbols of the worlds we’d visited on our quest were sketched out: one for Atrron; one for the world where the Picas had taken over the Apop village; and another for the planet shrouded in darkness, where the Raanna were now free from the moth.
My friends filed out. Nick stuck a fist out, and I bumped it. Clare gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me she would find some gadgets to help us. Natalia told Magnus to grab their son Dean and to take them home. I watched him pick up the boy, who was out cold. It was late at night, well past the child’s bedtime. I was hesitant to bring Magnus with me on the trip, but Nat was adamant, and so was Magnus.
I’d already had an earful from him for ditching him to go to Shimmal alone. Still, I’d leave him behind if I knew I could handle finding the crystal world by myself. Something told me it wasn’t going to be as easy as I wanted.
“See you tomorrow.” Magnus lingered in the doorway and turned to me. “Dean, I know you’re worried, but we’ll see this through. Together.”
“I know we will.”
“And if you leave without me, I’m going to find you out there, and I’m going to make you wish you’d never met me.”
I wanted to laugh at this, but his face didn’t break into a smile. He turned and walked away.
My head was starting to pound, and I heard Maggie scratch to be let inside. She must have gotten out when Clare left.
“Dean,” a voice said from the kitchen, and I realized Leonard hadn’t left yet.
“Leonard. How’re you doing?” I asked the young man. He was looking more fit since our adventure, and his hair was cut shorter, no longer shaggy and covering his eyes. Not only that, but his artwork kept getting better and better.
“I’m okay.”
I glanced over at his drawings and saw the group of us huddled around the table. A speech bubble pointed to my mouth, reading, “We will find my wife!”
It hit home, and I sank onto one of the island stools. “You’re so good at that.”
He shrugged. “What good is it if people are in danger out there?”
“Leonard, we’re all here for different things. You have a gift and telling the Survivors stories with your comics is something the people love to read.” I couldn’t believe just how popular the issues were, especially after the rest of Earth had moved to New Spero. The kid was basically a rock star.
“I really like Mary. I want you to bring her back.” Leonard saw me looking at his stack of drawings, and I caught him tucking one away.
“Can I see it?” I asked.
He hesitated before saying yes. He passed it over to me, sliding the eight-by-ten sheet across the island. It was more detailed than his other work, done in pencil. It was a drawing of Mary embracing me, clearly right after I’d found out she hadn’t been killed by the Bhlat.
He’d captured the moment, and my emotion, so well. This wasn’t one of his over-embellished comic drawings; it was a real piece of art. I held it up, not noticing the tear falling from my eye until it splashed the bottom of the page. I missed her so much.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to be upset,” Leonard said.
“Don’t apologize. This is the best thing I’ve ever seen. Can I keep it?”
“Of course,” he stammered. “It’s yours.”
“Thanks.” I flipped it upside down for now. I couldn’t bear to see it at the moment.
“I want to help too.”
“I’m sure there’s something we can get you to work on. How about you collaborate with Nat on going over the books?”
He shook his head. “I’ve never been that kind of a nerd. I was thinking I could go out there with you.” He pointed to the ceiling.
“We’ll see.” I didn’t want to bring any danger to the kid, but I knew I’d let him help if we needed it. The more people around that cared about Mary, the higher the chance I got her home. At the same time, I didn’t want to get his hopes up.
“Thanks for watching over me.”
“Leonard, you helped me so much back then. You never have to thank me for anything. We’re family now.” I got up and lightly clapped him on the back, nodding to the comic strip. “And we will get my wife back.”
“I know you will. If I’ve learned anything since the Event, it’s this: Dean Parker wins. Every damn time.” He grinned, and I couldn’t help but smile alongside him.
Leonard gathered his drawings up and went home, leaving me alone with Maggie in the house. It felt empty without Mary.
When I turned the lights off in bed, a flash of Leonard’s words hit the back of my eyelids in Comic Sans font. Dean Parker wins.
Three
The portal room on the hybrids’ world had changed. Since it was now being utilized, Leslie had installed a camera system to alert them when someone was arriving or departing. They also kept security nearby, ready to warn of an attack if necessary. The portals were still a secret way of travel, and few knew of their existence. The people we’d transported from Giza to New Spero via the portal system were told that it was the only one in existence, and that it was destroyed afterwards. Most had seemed to buy it.
The portal by Terran Five was under lockdown, and they’d caught several people trying to sneak into it. The Gatekeepers had done a wonderful job keeping the secret of their vast network of worlds, but as with anything, the more minds that knew about them, the higher the chance that word would spread.
Kareem’s body was gone, but a gravestone marked his place of passing. I knelt by it and silently thanked him for all his help. “I wish you were here to help me figure this one out, Kareem.” I said the words quietly, and Magnus left me to it, staying on the opposite side of the room.
Magnus waved at the cameras, giving a big toothy smile. “They can’t hear me, can they?”
; I shook my head. At least, I didn’t think they could.
“Good. I sure hope they aren’t going to cover up for their buddies.” He cracked his knuckles.
“Mag, this isn’t going to come to that. You know how much the hybrids have dealt with. Leslie and Terrance are on our side after all we’ve been through. They’ll help us.” Inside, I knew Magnus was right. We’d pry the information from them if we had to. All that mattered was getting Mary back.
“Sure.” He didn’t sound convinced.
We exited to the outdoors. It was nighttime there, insects chirping their mating songs throughout the swampy landscape. Thin clouds blocked some of the starlight, but otherwise, it was a fresh evening. The smell of a recent rain hung in the air. I’d been through some crazy things on this planet, and coming back here always sent me through a flurry of memories.
Mae saving me from the swamp creature, her head resting on my shoulder in a familiar gesture, one I hadn’t picked up on until it was too late. Meeting Kareem for the first time and eventually gaining his trust and help in our effort to beat the Bhlat. Bringing the hybrids to their new home and allowing them a new life. Seeing Kareem die in the portal room, hearing his final words to me: Change the universe.
“You okay, Dean?”
I looked up at Magnus, seeing worry crease his forehead. “Yeah. Just remembering how we got here.”
Before he could reply, the sound of a lander’s thrusters carried to us, and soon we spotted the lights flying toward us from the north.
“Looks like someone was watching the cameras.” Magnus stepped forward, and that was when I noticed the landing pad. That was new. They were really becoming more of a colony than a hiding place for outcasts.
The small lander set down on the concrete surface, its bright lights nearly blinding us before they dimmed. I covered my eyes with a hand stuck straight out, fingers spread just enough apart to see a form jogging toward us.
“Dean! Magnus! It is you.” Terrance was in front of us, the lights behind him casting a long shadow on the grass.
“Terrance. What are you doing making these trips?” I asked.
He smiled at the question. “We all take turns. Not many people come through the portals, so when the alert came I had them check the camera. I didn’t believe them when they said it was you two.”
He gestured toward the lander with his right hand and turned, Magnus and I flanking him as we headed to the transport vehicle. It was shaped much like ours, only a little wider, and it was walled with a heavy-duty black metallic material instead of our lightweight thin outer shells.
“It’s good to see you. We need some help,” Magnus said.
“You guys know we’ll help if we can.”
Terrance got in first, and Magnus gave me a look telling me he was ready for action if it should arise. It was funny knowing a friend so well that the smallest eye contact could tell a story. It was good that he wasn’t trusting; he had a lot to worry about. Not only was he New Spero’s highest commanding officer these days, he was also a husband and father to two children. I had to make sure no harm came to the man beside me.
He entered before me, blocking my way for a few seconds before turning his head and nodding. Terrance hopped into the pilot’s seat, and we took the back bench.
“Where’s Slate and Mary?” The question was so innocent, but it hit me right in the gut.
“That’s why we’re here. Mary’s gone.” The words came out of my mouth stilted.
We were in the air, already flying for their village, and the lander jolted as Terrance jumped in his seat. “What do you mean, ‘gone’?”
“She’s not dead. She’s been taken,” I said.
“Then we have to get her back. Who has her?” He was craning his head around, trying to see us and fly at the same time.
“The Iskios.” I said the name with distaste in my mouth, and a gnawing at the pit of my stomach. For a second, I felt like I was going to be sick.
“The Iskios? I’ve never heard of them. Where are they from?” he asked.
I wasn’t surprised he’d never heard of them. I hadn’t either, until they ruthlessly took Mary. “They’re from a long time ago. We’d better wait to tell the story to Leslie too. I don’t have it in me to tell it twice.”
“Sure. We’ll be there soon.” The lander was already lowering, making quick work of the distance. It was much faster than the time Mary and I had cruised the ground on hover scooters.
Before we knew it, we were on the ground. I hadn’t been there for over a year, but I was amazed at how much the small village had grown. Even in the night, I saw streetlights going for a few blocks, as well as countless buildings with well-lit windows.
“Things have changed around here,” Magnus said, nodding his approval.
“No kidding. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point. We have a couple thousand residents now. A mix of many races, even some humans.” We touched down on the ground, and Terrance led the way out of the lander.
I’d heard that a couple hundred of us had asked to see the hybrids’ world. At first, Terrance had balked at the idea, but he’d warmed up to it when we offered supplies and assistance at making some improvements to their world.
“What are you calling it here anyways? I’m sick of not having a name for it,” I said.
We were on the ground now, and I spotted a few sentries in towers near the small outdoor landing pad. A dozen various ships were parked there, and I squinted, trying to see if an insectoid ship was there. I didn’t see one.
“Haven,” he said, his chest rising slightly.
“Haven.” I let it roll off my tongue. “I like it. The town or the planet?” That there was a whole world with only one small village tucked away on it was mindboggling, but after all the empty or dying planets I’d now visited, seeing one start from scratch was exciting. It was much like our own race’s journey with New Spero.
“All of it, and our village. Easier that way.” Terrance led us past the large complex where we’d first met Kareem when we’d followed him and Leslie there from Earth. It felt so long ago, and it was strange to think it had been much longer for Magnus, since he hadn’t skipped over seven Earth years on that trip.
Even in the dark, we could see how much had changed. Where there had been nothing but empty ground and trees, there now stood an entire town. Houses were close enough together to feel like part of the community, but not right on each other like the old developments on Earth. Large lots spread the neighborhood out, and we passed what looked to be a main street on the right, where businesses were erected.
A faint light could be seen inside one of the buildings, and I curiously stopped to peer inside the window. A group of human men and women were playing some sort of a game with a hybrid and a few other aliens I’d never seen before. Everyone was laughing and having fun; a portable translator was perched in the middle of the table.
My heart leapt at seeing how far we’d all come. They’d truly built a haven here, and I was humbled.
“Mary would absolutely love to see this,” I whispered to no one.
“What’s that?” Terrance asked, not hearing my low speech.
“Nothing. This is just great to see. Everyone together, having fun. It gives us hope for the future,” I said. If the Unwinding was really happening, I needed to stop it, to keep life like this going. Selfishly, my first priority was Mary, but if I got her, I knew we could stop the Iskios. She was their vessel, and without my wife and child, they couldn’t accomplish anything.
We kept walking, and eventually we got to the last house. It was made of huge white logs; a front porch much like my own jutted out, and an inviting walkway led to the front door. Smoke poured from a chimney, the smell of burning wood making me long for more peaceful nights like that at my own home.
“Is this your house?” Magnus asked him.
Terrance nodded, and for the first time, I wondered what period of the night it really was. Had we woken them? He opened the do
or, and Leslie was standing there in sweat pants and a t-shirt. It was always hard to see her. With her hair cut short, she didn’t look exactly like Janine or Mae, but it was unmistakable that they were cut from the same mould. Either way, Mae was dead, and so was the second Janine. Neither of them had really been married to me, and the only woman that mattered was Mary.
“Magnus.” She hugged him before hugging me as well. We’d had a tumultuous relationship over the years, but we’d come to a mutual appreciation and respect for one another. Terrance had been the one with the hardest shell to crack, but tonight he seemed like a new man.
“What’s the matter?” Leslie asked me, her chilled hands resting on my arms. She could see the pain in my eyes.
“Mary.” I wanted to be strong but seeing Janine’s face brought back the heartache of losing Mary – not that it had gone far over the last couple of days. It kept a permanent home in my chest and liked to remind me of its presence during the quiet times, when I couldn’t distract myself any further.
“Let’s sit,” Terrance said, and he led us into the living room, where custom-made furniture sat in a comfortable pattern. “I’ll get some coffee.”
I changed the subject. “The town’s really coming together. You both must be so proud.”
Leslie looked ready to ask something, but she bit her tongue, feeling the room. “We are.”
“How’s everyone doing? The ones we found at the prison?” Magnus asked.
“They’re thriving these days. They were pretty sick, malnourished, but you’d never know the amount of abuse they took, not anymore.” She paused. “At least, not physically. They still have some tough days mentally, but that’s to be expected.”
I couldn’t imagine having to go through what they had. I was glad to hear they were all healthy, and as happy as they could be.
Magnus perched on a wooden chair, with Leslie beside me on a couch, the cushions hand-sewn and filled with something soft. Terrance set cups down in front of us on the wide coffee table and poured us each a serving of steaming hot coffee.
The Survivors Box Set Page 87