“Weird being back here,” I mutter, more for myself than anything.
“Yeah,” Kani whispers.
The last time we were here, I was making an idiot of myself. Because of that, Runa was upset and ended up racing to the Helix alone. Not my best move ever, but it worked out in the long run. Sorta.
My mind tiptoes to the area of my memory I’ve been trying to keep locked up, just in case. The kiss was something more powerful than anything I’ve ever experienced…but if she’s gone—if we can never be…
I close the doorway to that train of thought.
I need to focus on what I can affect right now. And that’s finding out more details on the Tree of Burden. If I can help Runa return, I need to be ready.
Plus, we need to know as much as possible about Videus and his vassalage. If this madman has Runa’s brother Baxten kept hostage there, or anyone else for that matter, we need to find a way in. But we need to be real damn cautious. Either way, I need to be effective—helpful. Not sit around dwelling on what was. I guess I’m taking my own advice.
We reach the end of the tunnel and Kani waves the small, circular device in front of the wall. There are no words, no goofy comments like Fenton would have done. Just silence until the wall shudders aside, the gears in the wall grinding loudly.
“Where do you want to start?” Kani asks, as we enter the main area we typically go to.
My eyes flit to the holographic screens of the mainframe we’d been at just a little over a week ago. Maybe more? I’ve begun to lose track of days. Seems like they all blend together.
“I’ll…” I wet my lips, “I’ll take the mainframe. You take the books. There has to be something here. Maybe look for anything that has to do with the colonization? Or the history of the Helix? Or why we chose Pendomus. I’ll see if I can crack in to search for information on the history of the Tree of Burden, whether or not there was any chatter about it being a portal and whatnot. Then I’ll do some recon on the vassalage. Maybe we can figure out where its located and hell, figure out a way to get in.”
Kani’s eyebrows raise, “Do you even remember how to use the mainframe?”
My lips press into a thin line. She knows me too well. Any other time, I’d be the first one to head to the books. But if I can save her from any painful memories, I’m gonna do it. It’s really the least I can do.
“Nope, not a clue, but how hard can it be?” I say.
Shaking her head, Kani walks away mumbling something about Landry.
Taking a deep breath, I make my way to the screens and take a seat. A hand written note scribbled in Fenton’s handwriting sits on the table.
Who’s Runa’s real father?
I’d forgotten all about that; what with all the death and missing persons. Once the pang of seeing a memento from Fenton’s own hand subsides, I tuck the piece of paper in my chest pocket. I flick on the mainframe the way I’d seen Fenton do a thousand times. How hard can it be to log in without being detected? My insides twist. There’s a good reason it was always Fenton’s job.
I rifle though some of the things nearby, cursing my lack of technical know-how. I’ve always relied on those more adept in that area.
“Why couldn’t he leave instructions or something, dammit?” I mutter to myself.
“He did,” Kani states, matter-of-factly a few yards away, “They aren’t in written form.”
“Well, that’s just great,” I say, halting my digging. “Don’t suppose you know what form they are in?”
“Fenton kept a holographic backup of how to log in hidden in plain sight. He said that you’d know it when we saw it, so he never felt the need to elaborate. I’m guessing he gave you more credit than you deserve,” she says, continuing to walk down the aisles of the large bookcases.
I blow out a burst of breath, “Well, that’s...swell.”
I kneel down, looking under the table, feeling around for something he would have hidden.
“In plain sight,” Kani calls out, making me jump.
“Plain sight? How the hell would I find anything in this mess? It could be anywhere,” I call back.
I pick up a few books stacked on the table near the holographic screens and shift them aside, hoping there’s a hidden compartment or something on the top of the desk. There’s nothing.
Taking a seat in front of the holographic screens, I flick through some of the commands and folders he’s set up.
It can’t be completely obvious.
If it was, anyone could activate his instructions and figure out what to do. I’m sure as hell Fenton would be more careful than that. He of all people knew we needed to tread lightly around the Helix. And around other people, too, I suppose.
“Dammit,” I curse to myself.
I push back, kicking my feet up on the table and shrouding my eyes with my hands. The pounding in my temples worsens, but I know I can’t let it get to me.
If I were Fenton, what would I do?
Dammit, this sucks. Why couldn’t he’ve just told me to begin with where the hell he was going to leave instructions? It’s just so like him to do something important and forget to follow through—
My foot sends a stack of books flying to the floor.
“Great. Just great,” I mutter through gritted teeth as I kneel down to pick the five books up off the floor.
This is not helping my head.
I fling them, one at a time back up on the table, my mind more entrenched with Fenton than anything else. On top of it, I’m irritated at myself for being irritated at him. Such a stellar combination.
Standing up, I lean against the table, staring at the mess in front of me. All the books were ones on the Helix, or Earth. All of them except one: Across the Multiverse. My favorite book of all time. The one title I could not be without, even when I was considering leaving Fenton and Kani and going with Ash for an indefinite amount of time. He knew how much it meant to me.
My eyebrows furrow and I pick up the book. Oddly enough, it looks almost brand new. The blue hardcover binding isn’t tattered and frayed like mine is. I’ve carried the book with me, felt it in my hand so many times, I’ve unintentionally memorized its weight. This, however, feels far too light.
I flip open the cover of the book, to see it’s been hollowed out inside. My first reaction is horror—why would anyone vandalize the book this way. But my eyes are drawn to scribbled writing. Drawn on the inside cover is an inscription:
Traeton, just read me.
Confused, I stare at the words. What in the hell is that supposed to mean?
Of course I’ve read the damn book. Everyone knows I’ve read it. Hell, even Runa probably knows.
I close the book, flipping it over in my hands. With the exception of the inside being carved out, the book looks perfectly normal. There’s no buttons or wires. Nothing.
“C’mon, Fenton. What in the hell am I supposed to do?” I say, flipping the cover open again, “I didn’t just read this. It’s been...months at least.”
I stare at the words with absolutely no clue what I’m supposed to be doing. How’s this supposed to be obvious?
I stare at those words, parsing their various meanings.
“Wait a minute. Read me?” I say, sitting up straighter, “Read what? Read the book? The title?”
I scratch my head.
Nah…can’t be that simple.
“Across the Multiverse,” I say.
I stare at the book, half expecting it to grow horns or something. But nothing happens.
“Traeton just read me.” I mutter out loud, rolling my eyes, “Why can’t it be— ”
A holographic image of Fenton pops out of the book.
“If yer able ta see me, tha’ means yer Trae and ya figured ou’ me masterful beauty of a password,” holographic Fenton says.
My jaw drops and I blink at the large replica face of my deceased friend. The surreality is not lost on me. Not one little bit.
“I uh…”
“Before ya start
tryin’ ta talk an’ all tha’ bus’ness, stop. Yes, I know ya were trying’ ta talk ta my hologram,” Fenton rolls his eyes and pushes up his yellow glasses, “Don’t bother. Until I fully integrate, I can’t understand you - a’ least no’ in tha conversational way. It’ll take a few minutes ta be fully operational. Now, then. Let’s get busy. Yer tryin’ ta ge’ inta tha mainframe fer tha Helix witout me. Am I righ’?”
I open my mouth to respond.
A large holographic palm materializes in front of his torso, “Don’ answer tha’.”
“Ugh. Here we go. Can’t even give normal holographic instructions, can you Fenton?” I laugh. He never was one for the straight basics. Always had to throw in a bit of himself.
“Now then, I’ve se’ up parameters ta allow ya easier access than anyone else, Trae. Even easier than Kani, but don’tcha tell ‘er I said so. Tha firs’ thin’ ya gotta do is plug the voice recognition software inta tha system.”
“Ah…?” I look around, trying to figure out what he means by voice recognition software.
“Before ya ge’ all busy wonderin’ wha’ tha ’ell I’m talkin’ about, le’ me make it simple. I’m it. Or shall I say, tha book is it.”
I scrunch up my face and roll my hand in the air, “C’mon, Fenton. Get on with it.”
“Okay, okay… Now ya gotta bring tha book within a short distance of tha holographic mainframe. Then you—and only you—need ta say tha connection password. Yer gonna love this,” holographic Fenton wiggles his eyebrows up and down, “Tha voice recognition password is ‘Gettin’ it on wit’ Runa’. Just changed it from ‘Gonna be a virgin ferever’, so stop makin’ tha face and be grateful.”
Fenton’s smile is large and toothy and he bobs and weaves his head in a weird dance, his shoulders shimmying.
“Oh, for the love…” I groan.
“I just though’ of it while ya ran off ta chase her down at tha Helix. Hmmm…wonder if you’d do it there?”
He shakes his head dismissively, as if trying to get rid of visuals he just conjured.
“Anyway, password time.”
“I am not saying that,” I tell the hologram and crossing my arms over my chest.
As if reading my mind, Fenton says, “There’s no other way around it, either, tough guy. Ya want inta tha Helix’s mainframe, ya gotta say the password. Then, in my humble opinion, ya should also go an’ do it.”
You have got to be kidding me.
What if Runa had been here when I needed to do all this?
Knowing Fenton, he’d love the thought of me having to explain what all this means to her. My cheeks burn. Talk about horrifying.
I shudder, more grateful Runa’s not here than I’ve been in days.
“Fine. Whatever,” I say, picking up the book and dropping it beside the holographic screens with a little less care than I should.
“Eh-eh. Don’t forget ta say tha password,” Fenton tick-tocks a finger back and forth.
I scratch the top of my head and lean in close to the hologram.
“Getting it on with Runa,” I whisper through clenched teeth.
“Wha’ was tha’? I can’t hear ya,” Fenton says, placing a hand to his ear, “Tha voice recognition needs ta recognize yer voice. It’s no’ a damn breathalyzer.”
Geezus, this guy thought of everything. I don’t know if I like the level of knowledge he had with the inner workings of my mind. It’s almost scary. He knows me better than I know myself.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth, “Getting it on with Runa.”
“What did you just say?” Kani calls out from a few aisles away.
“None of your damn business,” I say back, feeling the burn in my face scorching.
“Really? Because I thought you just said—”
“Do not finish that sentence if you know what’s good for you,” I warn, holding a hand up toward her direction.
As if this wasn’t humiliating enough.
“Ta-da! Magic password ‘Gettin’ it on wit Runa’ accepted,” holographic Fenton says, winking.
I run my fingertips over my eyebrows and take a deep breath. If he wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him myself.
Dammit, even in death, he loves to embarrass the hell outta me.
Staring at the holographic screen, it automates itself, running through some parameters and eventually entering the main database screen.
The ethereal Fenton hovers, watching me in a creepy, voyeuristic way as I try to ignore his presence. Instead, I hunt for the search function, but nothing is evident.
Grumbling, I lean back and run a hand through my hair.
“Okay, Fenton, why couldn’t you leave instructions on searching through this thing?” I say.
“Took ya long enough. One thousand, three hundred an’ twenty-four seconds, ta be exact. Though’ ya’d figure ou’ sooner I’m yer interface, now. Seriously, Trae. Ge’ wit tha program. It’s why ya needed the voice recognition password,” he says, “Wha’cha searchin’ for?”
I stare at my friend. Fenton clearly didn’t mean to create this thinking he’d be dead when I need it, because frankly, I can’t shake the creeps over seeing him talking as if he’s really here.
Clearing my throat, I say, “Anything we can find on Videus.”
“Videus. Two secs,” he says, then grins, “No, not sex. Seconds. Ge’ yer mind outta tha gutter, Trae. Yeesh.”
I roll my eyes at his dumb joke. I heard him correctly the first time around. Only he thinks about sex that much. I swear it.
There’s a long pause as Fenton’s face blanks out momentarily.
“Okay, tha data is really obscure. I’m finding details with a 9.7% relevancy which describe Videus as tha original innovator behind tha Pendomus colonization. But fer some reason, it’s no’ overly reliant.”
I nod, “We know that already. Well, sorta. What I’m really looking for is any relevance behind Videus and the Tree of Burden. Or anything that might give me a better idea of where Runa could be. Or if she’s even safe.”
Fenton’s eyes go distant, but he starts to squint one as if he’s deep in concentration. I chuckle under my breath.
Leave it to Fenton to include facial expressions with this interface. Too bad he probably didn’t consider how he just looks constipated.
“M’kay. There’re zilch relevant results listing tha two search queries in correlation wit one another. However, there’re fourteen distinct results on the Tree of Burden.”
I sit up straighter.
“Okay. How about the Tree of Burden and Runa?” I say.
“Negative. Zero matches.”
I think for a moment, then it dawns on me. I don’t think Videus had any idea who Runa technically was. If he had, he would have taken her from her family much sooner. Hell, probably disposed of her before she could ever fully develop.
“Scratch Runa. What about…Daughter of Five?”
“Ding, ding, ding,” Fenton chimes, “Twelve of tha fourteen results cross reference this search parameter.”
Gotcha.
6
Runa
ALL KINDS OF HORRORS cross my mind. This is one of those times when I could really use Kani and her skillful, albeit creepy knife wielding. Or at the very least, the ability to do it myself. In the space of microseconds, I make a mental note to have Kani show me how she does it if I get back—when I get back.
Turning around slowly, I come face to face with the enormous spider from before. The creature’s white tusks are inches from my face and I slink back against the wall, pushing Ammon further away so I stand between the two of them. The spider didn’t harm me last time, but I’m not taking any chances with the young boy. For all I know, it’s the spider who brought him here.
“What do you want?” I ask, unsure if anything I say will matter.
The silent spider’s large leg taps my pocket where the key is held again. The same, slow mannerism from before is unnerving.
“I… I know. You want me to give it back, b
ut I can’t. At least, not yet.”
The large black eyes feel like they peer past the surface of me, going deep inside of my mind. A sudden flash of insight hits me, almost as if the creature is trying to share thoughts in images. The impressions are so similar to the way Tethys communicates, but lacks the depth of feelings, colors, or sensation. In the vision, I see a large open field full of lush green grasses. Large fruits hang from vines and trees. Animals I’ve never seen before munch lazily at the green grass and birds chirp happily. In the middle of a grove of swaying trees sits an enormous table brimming full of food.
My mouth begins to water at the thought of tasting one of the large, ripe fruits my body has already become accustomed to. It’s certainly not something I would have experienced inside the Helix where we only had RationCaps. I’m filled with a sudden urgency to get there. Wherever there is.
A basic understanding of proximity is translated, but nothing definitive. The creature doesn’t completely know herself. This is going to be a task of hunt and find.
I blink back from the images and impressions to find the spider has vanished. Again.
“What the heck was that? I heard clicking, but couldn’t fully make out what it was,” Ammon says, tilting his head to listen.
“It’s okay, I don’t think the creature wants to hurt us,” I say. “I think she was giving me information about where to find food.”
“Creature?” Ammon’s voice peels up an octave. “Wait a minute…food? What kind of food? And why are you calling it a she?”
A strange part of me is actually sad to see the spider go. There’s something quietly serene about her and she’s obviously trying to help.
“You gonna explain the food or tell me why this thing is a she instead of an it?”
“I…I don’t know,” I shrug, “I don’t like calling things it, I guess. I always sorta give them a gender, even if I’m not sure. She gave me images, sorta like the eLink—you know what that is, right?”
Ammon nods.
“I think they were directions of sort.”
“So, you don’t know if it’s a she?” he says, going back to the gender issue. He attempts to quirk his eyebrow, despite his puffy eyes.
The Complete Pendomus Chronicles Trilogy: Books 1-3 of the Pendomus Chronicles Dystopian Scifi Boxed Set Series Page 29