Babel Found

by Matthew James

  My arms, legs, and torso are all black, rippling with energy-filled blood. Not only have I turned into one of the Judges, but by the sound of Enki’s rising laughter, he truly got what he wanted.

  Hank Boyd is gone.

  All that’s left is my enraged consciousness and a body made of pure power.

  “Enki!”

  I charge and leap, easily clearing Nicole and the others. I land and take two more steps and launch at the fallen demon. I visualize what I’m going to do to him, but don’t get the chance. Lost in my bloodlust, I land on the altar and slam to a stop, once again caught in its web of energy.

  No, I think, waiting for another mental assault.

  “Not this time, Mr. Boyd,” Enki says, looking up at my rising form. “No… This time, I will make you beg.”

  He turns on the only humans in the room.

  “My faithful lieutenants,” he says, his voice echoing off the round room. “Your time has come.”

  Shaking with too many emotions to count, I watch as three living shadows appear from the corner of my vision. They race across the room, feeling no impact from the bullets being sent their way.

  Lieutenants?

  “No!” I shout, knowing who he speaks of.

  The other Judges… They’re still alive.

  One-by-one Susanoo, Phoenix, and Anu slither up to Kane, Nicole, and Ben. They each scream in pain but stop as soon as they started. All three look relaxed and at peace with being taken over by a ghostly apparition.

  “Please, God… No…” I sob. My friends are gone, becoming one with the Judges of Man. I had no inclination that they could even do such a thing, but it’s obvious that they can. It must be Enki helping them, or maybe the power of room.

  “Um,” one of the soldiers say.

  “Fall…back!” I grunt, shouting as loud as I can.

  Thankfully they adhere to my advice and begin to backpedal. Enki and the Judges don’t even give them a second glance. They know they have nothing to fear from the mortals. After all, they only carry weapons designed to kill people…not gods.

  It’s then I feel the room begin to quake. My heightened senses tell me something has gone terribly wrong in the world around the Citadel. Has my fire weakened the Kur? Is it about to collapse?

  The wall to the left of the entrance bursts and a smoking form steps through. It’s absolutely massive and charred. It’s clearly made of stone and I think I can even see parts of it—her—body glowing a molten orange, burned from my own fires.

  “Terra,” I say, seeing her for the first time in this form. She must have changed and gone into the tunnels while I was locked in combat with Enki.

  “Hank,” a female voice says in my head, “can you hear me?”

  “Yes,” I reply without speaking it.

  “Then it is true,” she says, looking up at me as she limps in. “You are one of us now.” At that moment I witness something I thought I’d never see in a stone face…sorrow. “I’m sorry, Hank.”

  42

  The Citadel

  Kane had never experienced anything like it before. His body was responding to someone else’s commands. It was like living a 3D movie, or wearing those nauseating goggles that attach directly to your phone. He was experiencing life like he normally would, except Susanoo was in charge of his body’s movements.

  “Stop you piece of shit!” he yelled, cursing his own body for listening. “He’s your friend! Don’t do this!”

  But as he expected, his body continued its casual stroll forward. His head glanced left and he saw the others. Nicole was in the center of Ben and him, walking as confidently as he did now. Her face was a hate-fueled sneer and it was most likely turning Hank’s heart to mush.

  “Damnit,” Kane grumbled. He needed to do something—and do something fast.

  But what?

  Could he even do anything?

  “I gotta try,” he decided, thinking of a plan.

  He inwardly shrugged. “When in doubt…be annoying.”

  “Hey Susan,” he said, attempting to antagonize his body snatcher. “What size bra do you need? I’m going to the mall with your boyfriend later and thought I’d look at one for you? You grow out of the junior sizes yet?”

  A zap shut his mouth. He almost bit his tongue in half as a result, tasting the blood. His plan of attack worked, but now Kane had another problem. He could still feel pain. If Hank fought the Judges—Nicole, Ben, and him—they would experience everything their bodies did.

  Hank will never forgive himself if he hurts Nicole.

  Think… What else could work?

  He remembered that these guys could communicate telepathically and since Susan caused him pain after his jeering, he was assured that the Judge could hear him.

  “What’s in it for you and your siblings?” Kane asked.

  “The world,” a hissing voiced responded.

  “The old ‘world domination ploy,’ is it?” Kane asked. “Well, I’d hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t think Enki has any interest in this rock. I think he intends to destroy it.”

  “You know nothing,” Susan said, but Kane could feel the unsureness in his voice. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure either.

  “Why don’t you ask your boss then?” Kane asked. “What’s the worse that will happen?”

  The Atlantean was silent. Kane knew he was contemplating the suggestion. Susan had apparently experienced some friction with his master. The fact he was second guessing Enki now proved as much. Would they really turn on Enki if it meant saving their own skin? Kane sure as hell would. If he was ruled by some psychotic commander, he’d do whatever possible to ensure his own survival.

  Ask him, Kane thought, trying to push the proposal into Susan’s consciousness. He wasn’t sure it was his own mental warfare against the Judge or not, but Susan did, in fact, ask.

  “Master, what is our next move here?”

  Kane watched and listened.

  “We are to rise and rid us of these pests,” Enki responded.

  “Humanity?” Susan asked.

  Kane carefully paid attention to Enki’s body language and his speech habits. Since joining the CIA, Kane had been taught how to read a liar.

  Enki exhibited those tells now.

  Just like playing poker, Kane thought.

  “He’s lying to you—to your family. Look at his current state. He won’t look you or the others in the eyes. He’s only paying attention to his goal. You guys are as good as dead.”

  Another wave of pain coursed its way through his mind, but Kane honestly didn’t care. He was dead either way if his internal sabotage didn’t work. He needed to keep at it until he saw an opening. Once he did he’d really push and see if he could get Susan to act rashly.

  “You can’t possibly like working for this schmuck, can you?” he asked.

  “We do what we must.”

  What?

  Kane wasn’t expecting such an honest answer. He was readying himself for more pain. But he couldn’t get past that Susan truthfully didn’t want to serve Enki.

  “You’re more like Terra then you think.”

  That got Susan’s attention as Kane was forced to scream.

  He fought the nausea and continued his barrage. “She hates Enki—despises him actually. All she wants to do is to live in peace among us scum.”

  Silence.

  “What do you want?” Kane asked.

  More silence.

  “Freedom,” Susan finally said.

  I knew it.

  “Well then…what are you waiting for?”

  “It’s not that simple,” Susan said. “Enki is stronger than us all.”

  “He’s stronger than you and the other Judges, maybe,” Kane quickly said, not wanting to lose this opportunity, “but not Hank. If you five were to set aside your differences for a couple of minutes…”

  “Anu and Phoenix won’t be so easy to sway,” Susan said.

  “They’re soldiers, right? They do as they’re orde
red, even if they don’t like what’s being asked of them. Believe me, man, I know what that’s like. I dealt with that for a long time—still do sometimes.”

  An explosion interrupted their conversation as the hulking form of Terra burst through a wall behind them. She looked to be exhausted from her brawl in the tunnels and was currently, sort of, melting. If there was anyone that could turn Susan, it would be her. Terra was a lot like her brother, in that she obeyed Enki out of fear.

  “Terra,” Susan said.

  “Don’t do this brother,” Terra said, looking straight to him. She knew he would listen to her. He may not be persuaded, but at least he’d listen.

  Kane’s head was forcibly turned back to the center of the room where he saw Hank, back at his place in the center of the golden beam. He looked to be in agony, but if Kane knew Hank—which he did—he knew it was mostly mental and not physical pain. He was an emotional guy and was probably getting torn apart from witnessing what happened to his friends.

  “Hank always put others first,” Kane said, thinking aloud.

  He felt a grumble from his captor.

  Hmmm.

  “Do you want to know why Hank succeeded against your boss? It’s because he never puts himself before those in need. He fights for others before he would ever fight for himself.”

  Kane was hoping his rah-rah speech would impact Susan into fighting for his family and not his master. Even the word master reminded Kane of subjugation. You bowed to a master. You washed his feet while you kissed his ass. If Susan did what Enki wanted, everyone, including Terra and the others, would surely die.

  “There’s another way,” Terra said. “We must help release Boyd. He’s the only one who can truly free us all.”

  Nothing. No answer from Susan at all.

  “Damnit, man!” Kane shouted. “Listen to her. I barely know her and even I can tell you she’d never lie to you.”

  Susan growled, but stepped forward, towards Enki.

  “Master?” he asked. Kane could hear the reluctance in his voice. Calling him master was like when Kane had to call certain higher ranking officers, Sir. They may have been total douches in real life, but there was a chain of command to follow. You needed to show them respect even if you didn’t want to.

  Enki turned. “What?”

  “What happens next?”

  “Freedom…”

  Kane felt his chest constrict. Susanoo was reacting in shock. Had Enki heard his plea for freedom earlier…or did Enki mean his own freedom?

  “He’s going to leave you guys high and dry,” Kane said. “Tyrants like this rarely think of those that serve them as any more than property. Easily replaceable. Once you’ve served your purpose—al-la Hank Boyd—you’ll be expendable.”

  Kane’s physical shoulders sagged just a little, but he knew what that meant. Susanoo was mulling it over.

  “What do you suggest?” Susan asked.

  “Can you get through to Anu and Phoenix?” Terra asked as she stomped her way towards them. Kane could feel her footfalls, even being trapped in his own body.

  “Possibly,” Susan said, “but you know how they are.”

  “They may be loyal to the master, but they are also free spirited and have been known to go off on their own from time to time.”

  “Very well, sister. I will try.”

  Please work, Kane thought, seeing a glimmer in Nicole and Ben’s eyes. Susanoo was trying to persuade them however he could. But would it work?

  He got his answer when he felt the reverse of what he did when his body was taken. Instead of feeling an ice-cold presence creep up his back, he felt it leave him, returning his body’s actions back to his own mind. Kane, Nicole, and Ben were themselves again and he watched as the three living shadows forcibly entered Enki.

  As Enki bellowed in both surprise and anger, Terra lowered her shoulder and sprinted for the altar. Kane, laying on the floor, but back in control of his own body, watched as the imposing stone woman collided head-on with it.

  “Hot damn.”

  43

  The Citadel

  I’m really, really sick of being underground and now I’m really done with crying. I feel like I’ve been doing it every day for three months. My body feels like pins and needles and my brain feels like I just chugged a 1.75-liter bottle of cheap tequila. Basically, I’m woozy and I can’t feel my face. Or the rest of my body. I could be pissing my pants right now and not know it.

  I can see my hands, though, and I shudder hard when I see the blackened skin and blood vessels glowing underneath it. It reminds me of Nannot’s obsidian colored skin and it fills me with revolt.

  If I ever get out of here…

  The anger is boiling over and I scold myself for feeling so vengeful. I was free of this prison only moments ago, but my emotions got the better of me. I attacked with little regard for myself and got trapped again.

  I glance up and see the strangest thing yet. The three shadows leave my team’s bodies and bolt straight for Enki. His back is to them as he watches my slow demise.

  As soon as they touch him he flinches. Then, they enter. Instantly, his body bursts into flames while a whirlwind plucks him off the ground. Anu and Phoenix are trying to defeat him from within. I’m not quite sure what Susan can do since his power is over water. Last I checked there wasn’t much around us.

  The Judges turning on Enki wasn’t the only thing that transpired, though. Terra also happened. It was perfectly timed. As soon as her siblings attacked Enki, she broke out into a sprint and rammed the altar stone underneath me. It wasn’t enough of a blow to completely destroy the connection between it and the Source Stone above, but it did weaken it enough to release me from its hold.

  I fall to the ground, temporarily out of the fray. But like before, I can already feel my power strengthening again. It won’t be long until I can get back in the fight, but first…

  “Terra?” I say, calling out to her.

  “Here…”

  Her voice is weak and fading.

  I round the altar and find her in her human form. She’s splayed across the Citadel’s floor and she looks to be in terrible shape.

  “What happened?” I ask, kneeling next to her. Shouts fill the room around us as the other Judges continue to do battle with Enki.

  “It was the Source. It almost drained me of my abilities, but instead it took my stronger form. If I had been in this,” she motions to her body, “I’d have been lost forever.”

  “How do we destroy this place?”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t know. It would take an overloading of the stone, but I’m not sure where we’d find such power.”

  My eyes go wide. “If we could disable it, could you sink it?”

  She bites her lip. “I’m not sure. The scale of this place is much larger than anything I’ve ever tried. I’d have to reach out beyond the Kur.”

  Yikes, I think. That’s a huge area to ask her to move.

  “What about under just the Citadel?” I ask. “Is there anything under it besides earth, any sign of the Kur’s tunnels?”

  She closes her eyes and puts a hand on the floor. A few seconds later she opens them and shakes her head, but instead of looking woeful, she actually smiles.

  “No, there is nothing below it. The lowest levels of the Kur run parallel with its base.” She stands. “It’s still very big, but I might be able to sink it further.”

  “Try,” I say, “but tell me first. We need to clear everyone out of here before you do it.”

  She nods and places both hands on the ground, placing her forehead down too. If I didn’t know any better, she could have been praying towards Mecca with the way she’s positioned herself.

  “Hank!” a voice yells, turning me around.

  Nicole comes running towards me but stops. Her hands go to her mouth as she begins to sob. But she must see something in me that she recognizes because she fights back the tears and walks right up to me.

  “What—what happene
d?”

  The room shakes as I try to formulate an answer that she will understand. But I come up with nothing. The only thing I can think of is telling her what she already knows.

  “It was the Source Stone,” I say, pointing up. “It increased my power within, turning me into a monster.”

  Her hand goes to me face, and to my surprise, she has to reach higher than normal. I’ve grown even taller now since my transformation into the fifth Judge.

  No, I think. I’m not one of them.

  But I’m not Hank anymore either.

  I go to kiss her hand, but can’t. I have no mouth to do so. It, like the others, doesn’t exist. Now it’s my turn to shed tears. Even if we all survive this, I’ll never know the feeling of her lips on mine again.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, now realizing I’m communicating with my mind and not my words.

  She shakes her head. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Hank.”

  Hank.

  She still sees me as me.

  “Hank,” Terra says from behind. “It’s ready. All it needs is a final shove and we’ll be done with this nightmare forever.”

  I nod and look up at the Source. Its beam is gone, as in, I can’t see it anymore, but it’s no doubt still active. Like I’ve experienced before, just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

  Which reminds me…

  “How does Enki freely enter and leave the stone’s energy?”

  Terra shrugs, looking very…relaxed. Weird. “He chooses to do so. Just like your abilities, you have a choice in the matter. He doesn’t fight it, so it doesn’t fight him in return.”

  “You act like it’s alive or something,” Nicole says, glancing back up.

  “It essentially is,” I say, thinking as I speak. “The Source is like an AI computer server. We have to remember that it was built by other hands, with different technologies. The principal is the same, though. It wouldn’t surprise me if it had a rudimentary form of intelligence.”

  “Like Siri?” Nicole asks.

  I nod. “More or less. Our phones use a type of AI to search for things. The Citadel uses one to power itself.”