by Debbie Behan
She grinned. ‘Okay, as I said to Axon, I promise to try and that’s all I can do.’
‘I’m your boss, not Axon. I and the team like you just the way you are Cait. Come back with us and let us take care of you at home. This is no place for you to live. It’s far too stuffy. It will destroy who you are. You can be yourself around us, it’s only up here you’re expected to slap on airs and graces. You must know that wherever I am, that is your home and I always want you in it.’
‘I want to, Rory, more than anything, but have this fear that rips through me every time I imagine that place. I don’t know what it is.’
‘If something at home is freaking you out, I will remove it. You get strong vibes at times and I trust your intuition, but you belong with us. Give me a chance to work through it with you, and whatever it is I promise to fix it when we get back to Earth.’
She smiled and nodded.
He grinned back. ‘You’ll consider it seriously for me, won’t you Red? I mean we even dragged Shargan up here for you, so don’t make us go home without you.’
She stood up. ‘I will sort this out before you leave as I have every intention of contacting Woody about my power issues and will discuss with him this fear I’m sensing. When I feel better and my magic stops crippling me, I’m all yours.’
‘Have you contacted Kayden and asked to see Woody?’
‘No, but I will.’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Do you want me to?’
She put out her hand to help him up. ‘I have to start doing things for myself, Rory. I’m a big girl and you have too much on your plate already.’
Rory shook his head and hugged her. ‘If you want to be all grown up I’ll stop coddling you, but I’m serious, you’re part of our team, no matter what, okay.’ Then he grinned. ‘Oh, and don’t tell Bree I gave you a hug. She is not as forgiving as you.’
Chapter Thirteen
Safe in the Home World
(Ara)
Back at the Alpha site, Axon and Zoren discussed how to break the news to Caitlin that Rory and the team were dead. They had searched the route they usually took and watched all the footage. However, the team did not emerge from the opening portal connected. With heavy hearts, they both transported out to Axon’s Home World, Ara.
* * * *
Zeke practically dropped the freshly brewed coffee pot when Axon and Zoren appeared. ‘Cripes, can’t you two knock or something?’ he scolded them as he put the pot on the table and licked his burnt fingers.
Axon punched the air before he crunched knuckles with Zoren and turned round to Zeke. His arms wrapped around him and lifted him off the ground in a tight squeeze. As he let go, his face released the tension. ‘Sorry buddy, thought the lot of you were dead! Man, it’s great to see you.’ He ruffled his hair and turn to shake the hand of each team member. Caitlin, he lifted and spun around with her, excited. ‘As for you! I could hug you to bits. If it hadn’t been for your little performance, they would still be down there.’ He stopped suddenly and faced Zoren. ‘Sorry, got a bit carried away; everyone this is Zoren – Zoren, you’ve met Rory.’ He pointed to each team member. ‘This is, Nathen, Zeke, Lisha, Bree and this little redhead that saved them, with her incredible intuition, is Caitlin.’ He released his hold as her words finally broke through.
‘What’s going on… saved who, how?’ Caitlin was rattled by his comment.
‘Yes, exactly Axon, what’s this all about?’ Rory straightened his back, his face taut.
Zoren wasted no time and with a wave of his hand and a click of his fingers, a vision appeared from nowhere with a news report of the event. Rory and his team sat with mouths open as they watched for themselves.
‘Those malicious thugs!’ Rory stood up so quickly his chair shot back behind him, crashing hard against the wall.
‘You gotta be kidding me!’ Nathen thumped the table.
‘Hell! The horses!’ Zeke joined Rory, too ticked off to sit.
‘Our new home! Gone!’ Bree sobbed on Lisha’s shoulder.
‘What I want to know is how did you guys get here? We searched the route you take but saw nothing, yet here you all sit. I’m stunned yet darned pleased at the same time,’ said Axon.
Rory breathed out with a sigh. Everything was gone yet work came first and put his grievances aside. ‘The damnedest thing happened. We were tossed into a cirrus radiatus cloud. It thrust us parallel and entirely off route. The portal we came out of was on the opposite side of the horizon. This was the reason we were so late arriving; I had to jump us through a cirrus uncinus cloud. I used the hook at the end to catapult us back to where we needed to be. Now this has happened, I understand why. We must have been thrown off course by the force field and speed of the weapon used to target and destroy our farm, and us.’
‘Lucky Rory was in a hurry to come pick up Caitlin, and we had left early. ’ Lisha grinned at her brother. ‘And I’m so proud of him for knowing how to get us here to Ara safe and sound. All that extra study on cloud formations, hey bro?’
He gave her a wink but turned his attention back to the team member he had come to collect. The farm he could do nothing about at this point, but his friend he could. ‘Are you okay, Caitlin?’
She was stunned and sat motionless, only managing a slight nod to Rory as thoughts continued to consume her. She’d seemed to know a disaster was coming, but how? This was getting too weird. Axon was right; she knew something was going down, but this… Yet as she watched the camera swing around their now destroyed property, she already knew what she would see. Did I know?
Zoren noticed as Rory had that she was staring and deep in thought. Her thoughts were confused and he took her hand. ‘Great work Caitlin, you must feel relieved you had such insight.’
‘I don’t think she has any idea what we are talking about.’ Axon turned her to him. ‘You with us now, Cait?’ He snapped his fingers in front of her eyes, which made her blink and smile. ‘That’s my girl.’ He spoke to Zoren. ‘Her eyes have been glazed over since last night, but now look.’ He held her face and tilted her towards Zoren. ‘Suddenly, they have cleared and I can feel she is her happy self again.’
‘Ah.’ Zoren grinned and spoke in a language Caitlin had never heard before.
‘What did he say?’ she asked Axon, who nodded and agreed.
‘He thinks you channel the Congress of the heavens, who are caretakers of many universes. This is why he believes you to be a goddess that has not reached your full potential yet. As a child, you were ill-treated, and it was the Congress who gave you strength.’
Caitlin tilted her head, unsure. ‘My childhood is vague, but ill-treated seems harsh.’
Zoren once again spoke to Axon in the odd dialect.
‘Yes, Caitlin has asked for a consultation with Woody, but you have had him rather busy.’
Zoren shrugged. ‘And now after this attack, he will be even more in demand.’
Axon breathed out. ‘I know, but if you are right and she does channel the Congress of the heavens and its wisdom…’
Zoren finished his words. ‘…she will need more experience and although you are my best warrior, I’m not sure your team or you, Axon, can provide this level of teaching. She may have to walk this path alone. This will force Caitlin to use her divine gifts and thus sharpen her craft naturally.’
‘Then she must see him soon to be in top form for what lies ahead. If he can’t come to us, then we will go to him. You said yourself that Caitlin’s confused state is affecting her equal. Cassie suffers too, so it needs to be sorted.’
‘Yes!’ He nodded. ‘But let’s not panic, for now, your team is safe, and I must make mine safe too.’
‘What will you do?’
‘It’s what – we will do.’ He glanced at Rory and back to Axon. ‘You two I need with me. The rest of your team are on full alert until you return. Show them ho
w to put your monitors on stand-alone mode, so you’re not hacked. The rest is similar to what they already use on Earth. If they have any trouble, they can call.’
‘I guess, with your transporting skills it’s not as if we can’t get back here within seconds if anything does go wrong.’ Rory was more convincing the team than himself on how quickly they could return.
‘True.’ Zoren stood to leave. His impatience to get going and meet up with the Cloud Riders was apparent in his quick movement and edgy stance. ‘And don’t forget, your team have magic equal to Kayden’s team. They only need to call on their special abilities, gifted by the Cloud Riders, and they will find an answer if anything does go down while you’re not here.’
Axon fidgeted, not wanting to leave Caitlin. In a short period, he had become protective of his new friend. He smiled down at her. ‘If Rory and I both go will you be all right here or do you want to come with us?’
‘My friends need me, and I want to stay and help them. And anyway, I know the grounds inside and out so I know where to look if there is an attack. If I come with you, I’ll be in the way. Just show us what to do up in the NAVtower and we’ll be fine.’ Her eyes flickered with tiny sparks and seeing this wonder made him believe all would be well. Those eyes were the key, and in the future, he would not take them for granted. For the time being, if there was something else going to happen, he was sure she wouldn’t be acting so chipper, and she wouldn’t be dazzling him with that charm.
‘Well, come on.’ She pulled at his arm, and he blinked away the daze of how well he could already read her.
‘Okay, okay!’ He tutted at her impatience and, turning towards Zoren, shrugged his shoulders. ‘We’ll be there shortly.’
With a flick of Zoren’s arm, the image of what was being reported on Earth vanished and so did he with his smile wide. He knew enough about his boy, Axon, to see that the little one they called Red had significant control over him already.
* * * *
On the way up the stairs, Caitlin listened as Bree and Lisha raved about Zoren’s electric blue eyes that changed with his different moods. ‘How pale blue and sexy were they when he left and did you catch that smile?’ Lisha gushed.
‘And that flawless complexion and yes, those to die for eyes hidden behind them long blond lashes. Ohmygod he is so adorable,’ Bree agreed.
‘And sexy!’ Lisha added.
‘Okay you two,’ Rory disciplined. ‘Mind on the job, and Bree!’
‘Yes honey.’
‘You like me better, right.’
‘Yes sir!’ She giggled and raced Lisha to the top.
‘Caitlin, this is your fault, teaching my beauty to ogle other men.’
Caitlin raised an eyebrow. ‘Rory!’ She gave him the birdie, laughed and ran up after her friends.
‘See Axon, I tell you, girls can be so disrespectful; you’re so smart living without one.’
‘You love it Rory, and you’ve missed her, haven’t you?’ said Axon.
‘When she’s not with us, we hate it. I was going to take her home tomorrow, and now all this!’ He shook his head, ‘I’m gutted. What can I offer Cait now, in fact, give to any of the team?’
‘Material possessions can be replaced, but you, we cannot. We will rebuild, stronger, better. As for the way we both feel about Caitlin, I think we both better brace ourselves. Does she belong to any of us?’
‘I know. I heard what Zoren said about the Congress of the heavens, and her. I guess only time will determine the future, but I’m not letting go, ever.’ Rory’s jaw set firm.
Me either!
Chapter Fourteen
Observatory Tower
Caitlin passed by and pushed Nathen. Once he got his balance, he took two steps at a time to catch up to her. The race up the stairs was a bit more than Caitlin had envisaged. Her heart felt it would burst out of her chest as it beat so fast. She was glad when Axon was there to catch her. ‘Where did you come from?’ She smiled at him.
He had predicted her current state of frailty and shot up after her, making it in time to catch her as she stumbled through the open door. He steadied her. ‘Cait, careful! You’re still not over the worst of it.’ He glanced at Rory. ‘Her rate of healing has been slow and has me stumped. I’m glad Woody is coming today. If Kayden agrees, I’m going to suggest swapping a team member for a couple of days. Keep him around a little longer.’
‘I’ll go.’ Lisha put her hand up. ‘Conor! Mmm.’
‘Really!’ Bree eyed her.
‘Done!’ Rory said. ‘Maybe if you go spend some time with him you’ll get over the crush and shut up about him.’
‘What did I miss? I didn’t know she had the hots for Conor.’ Nathen raised his brow waiting for the gossip.
Rory coughed, as he hadn’t realised it was a secret. With a wave of his hand to stop the chatter, he changed the subject. ‘Not the time buddy, button it, we’re holding Axon up.’
‘Sorry man.’ Nathen folded his arms to listen to what needed to be said. Caitlin eyed him. As usual, he didn’t back chat or show any sign of irritation toward Rory shutting him down. His loyalty to him was incredibly bonded. He was now Rory’s right-hand man, with powers equal to Woody’s. Caitlin couldn’t have been happier with Kayden’s decision to put him in that position. Rory needed the best by his side, and Nathen was that man.
It was then, Caitlin realised Axon still had hold of her. Moving from him she smoothed out her top that had twisted when he caught her. ‘Sorry about that, I’m fine now.’
‘Caitlin, you’re still not fully well. I have eyes, so no need to play the tough girl act with me.’
She felt her hand shake slightly as it went up to brush away hair from her face. ‘I guess you’re right. I got a bit excited.’ She moved and stood next to Rory and melted him with her sweetness that he admired and had missed.
Axon watched on, knew the juvenile sprint was to prove to the others she had recovered but she hadn’t, not yet anyway. Not even his magic was working. Whatever Woody had that he didn’t, he hoped he got there soon. With no more time to dwell on Cait, he moved back to the door.
Caitlin nudged Rory as Axon looked into a glass hexagon shape by the door. ‘What’s he up to now?’ She whispered and saw his hand wave past what could be mistaken for a light switch fitting, that was until it lit up blue and green. The thing flashed and accepted his eye scan as Axon Stanton. ‘Cool security,’ she couldn’t help saying but became silent as the lightly furnished room began to transform. A large boardroom table emerged from a trapdoor in the floor. In the middle of the table was a tower with arms that reached out, holding individual four-dimensional, touch-screen control panels.
Axon turned one on, showing they were capable of displaying a holographic image of planetary action in the centre of the table for all to view.
Wall panels rotated and converted into screens. The brightness, once they automatically switched on, made them squint.
Six sets of eyes glanced up at the sound of a motor that strained above them. With mouths open in awe, they watched the ceiling disappear and realised the glass they looked through was actually a powerful telescopic lens. The focus blurred and then cleared, which allowed them to see stars thousands of miles away, their surfaces clearly visible.
The hum of another motor starting up grabbed their attention as more desks with digital equipment far more advanced than they had ever seen, complete with chairs, ascended from trapdoors that snapped open from sections in the wall and floor. The team jumped out of the way, a stunned Nathen collected by a chair as it roughly sat him in it. Zeke laughed at him until the sofa he sat on rotated and disappeared. He only just leapt to a steady surface in time. Axon snatched Caitlin up before one next to her spun and cleverly made way for a central processing unit. Bree and Lisha were in hysterics until a workstation slid under them. Rory had caught them before they topp
led over each other.
Rory knuckle-punched Zeke and Nathen and whistled through his front teeth. ‘Wowee!’ He enjoyed every minute of it.
Bree couldn’t get the grin off her face.
Lisha put her arm around Caitlin’s shoulder; both girls were speechless. Their heads turned from monitor to screen as they observed the distinct mapping system that continued to alter repeatedly.
‘Got your attentions now haven’t I.’ Axon watched their expressions. ‘All you see is kept secret, even from the servants. Only the butler and close allies know it is here, and now you lot. When not in use this room resets and will need to be activated each time you enter. The reason for this is so the townsfolk from the city of Klaxton, just north of here, don’t guess what I really do for a living. Blowing my cover to the universe would evoke attacks from every fraction. It’s best they consider me merely an eccentric wealthy tycoon. This way if they do go snooping when I have a party, or they come to me for their requests by the council for financial assistance, they find nothing unusual to make them suspicious.’
‘Understandable,’ Rory agreed. ‘Same as us when we have friends over. A walk around the property or a sneak peek in the barn would give them no clue or reason to be suspicious as to what secrets are hidden beneath the barn floor.’
‘We all have our concealed resources, but I think this next one is something none of you expects. I have gone one step further, as you do when you are the right arm of Zoren. You see, if my home is attacked and we’re too late to divert the danger, this is what to do.’ He strode to the left wall, punched in a code on a portrait, the keys invisible to them, and the image slid up to reveal a button behind a glass case. ‘Push this and it will activate this whole section of the internal castle and plummet us all deep underground. The external building stays the same, which keeps onlookers from seeing the secrets held within the walls. If danger is successfully warded off, we surface and none is the wiser.’ He grinned at Caitlin when he noticed her look of astonishment.