Against the Fallen

by Devin Lee Carlson

  Somehow Athorsis, all-seeing and knowing, never saw this coming: the second bomb or me traveling back in time. Certain of his threat to destroy me, I doubted others, higher-ups, would approve. This endeavor promised anything but smooth sailing. Certainly not mission accomplished. Nowhere near, but then…

  Thirty-two failures so far. This was my thirty-third trial run. The movie Ground Hog Day came to mind. Saw it twice and each time it made me laugh. Could use some of that comedy right about now. Bill Murray had only one day to relive over and over again until he got it right. I had to contend with an entire lifetime, however short.

  My good pals, the time wizards, Mutt and Jeff, had joined sides to outsmart Athorsis and drop me a few hints as how to master my own destiny. Both had probably bit off more than they could chew, taking a big risk. Both desperate enough to risk all to set me straight.

  My insides seized until the tightness buckled my knees. Tim E. Traveler claimed he had come from a time that does not yet exist. If Tim was the future me, then where did he come from if neither of us had escaped Athorsis’s reset loops?

  Aye, time was on my side. Or not. A race against time. And I’m still behind the times. All in good time while caught in a time warp. I laughed until the two opposite, unalike sides of my brain zig-zagged until I saw double. Time travel brain freeze iced my mind into a mushy jelly donut. Unlike the thirty-two failures, if trial thirty-three was victorious, would I remember everything after traveling back instead of Athorsis hitting the reset button to reboot my life? Would I escape his sick time warp? “Damn, I need a drink.”

  My heart skipped a beat. By going back, would I remember all thirty-three trials at once? My head ached at the thought. Then, who was to say I never recalled a few flashbacks from the thirty-two do-overs already. The repeated memories, thirty-three multiplied by five years, my entire lifespan, would explain the insanity I dealt with in my younger years. It also explained Ariane’s strange premonitions, each one turning out different. A sudden bout of rage boiled my insides. “Manipulated? A puppet?” My fist slammed through the wall. Hopelessness washed over me for the umpteenth time today. Or thirty-third. Who knew anymore.

  Duncan’s stash called louder than ever. “Aye, why not.” Barring no more interruptions, I made a beeline down the basement stairs. I’d show Mutt and Jeff that I wasn’t the dark horse.

  52

  IT’S DARK INSIDE MY SOUL

  S abree tried to busy himself while he waited for Brian to return to the Guardian Network lab. Helplessness and grief consumed the dismal thoughts that crept into his mind, over and over again. He lost so much in three years’ time. Bit by bit, his relationship with Ariane continued to decline since the day she threatened Brian and his son. Forgiveness never came easy. She had to earn it.

  Forgiveness for neglecting Zoeree’s well-being would never come. Ariane could not afford the exorbitant price. However, none of this mattered as long as pieces of him continued to decay day by day. Brian made the mistake of the century by bringing him back from the dead. His insides withered like the corpse of an Egyptian mummy—gradually fading away like wisps of smoke.

  Sabree scooted the office chair closer. His eyes crossed when he tried to focus on the curved monitor. The image on the screen fragmented until it blurred. Static tickled his ears. Pixilated blobs replaced the high-definition networking diagram. He squinted and rubbed his eyes. A digitized version of a female face stared back.

  “Help me, father,” a voice hissed from the static. At first, the sound quality crackled. When she asked for help again, the plea came from his daughter’s voice.

  “Zoeree? Is that you?” Sabree’s slapped his hands against the screen. How did his little girl get inside a monitor? Ariane claimed it was impossible for her or any of the Fallen to morph into or inside inanimate objects. That meant only one thing—the A-factor. If Zoeree inherited some, then maybe she could leave a dead body using her spiritual self. But could she merge inside objects like this screen?

  “Help me,” the voice repeated.

  “How?” Sabree asked. His fingers traced the edges of the frame to see if he could set her free. Hopes that the physical contact would bring her closer to him failed. Perhaps Ariane spoke the truth. Maybe their daughter did escape from the dead cardinal.

  “How what?” Brian asked. He walked up and leaned in to study the screen. “Are those your fingerprints all over the glass?”

  The screen returned to normal as the network diagram sharpened. Sabree refused to look at Brian. Instead, his gaze penetrated the screen, his teeth grinding. Brian must have scared her away. He answered mechanically, “It’s nothing. Just a bug.” Ariane came to mind and he imagined squashing her insect body with his thumb. The buggy daydream scurried away before he cursed himself for conjuring such a wicked notion. Sabree asked, “Have you seen Zoeree anywhere?” He meant to ask in any device like a phone or monitor.

  “Not since I took the cardinal back to the mansion.” No way was I going to refer to the bird as his daughter. “Why?”

  “She’s not dead. I saw her.” His fingers spread wide to cover the middle of the screen. Her recent cry for help in the monitor unnerved him. Or had he already lost his mind? “In here.”

  Brian glanced at Sabree and then at the screen. “Here?” He poked Sabree’s hand.

  Moisture clouded Sabree’s vision. The proof, sharper than a steel blade, had pierced his chest and sliced a chunk out of one of his hearts. His throat tightened. He glanced again at the screen when he caught Brian studying his face, his pupils darting back and forth.

  “What’s going on?” Brian asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. When Sabree pulled away, just as quickly, Brian backed off and shoved both hands in his pockets.

  A welcomed numbness clouded his thoughts, allowing him to speak freely without remorse. “I get it. Zoeree might be dead. She morphed into a bird—a brilliant cardinal.” His fingers dug into the edge of the desk. Why red? The standout color drew attention to his daughter. Made her an easy target. Behind him, Brian muttered something unintelligible, so Sabree continued to explain in a way he hoped would make sense. “Her body died as a bird.” He stared at the monitor as it shimmered again. “Could her soul or spirit break away from the dead bird and morph inside the computer network?”

  “Anything’s possible, especially if the A-factor is involved. Ariane claimed her ghostlike body floated away. Maybe she connected with the network. Computers work much like our brains.”

  At this point, his friend would admit anything to settle his nerves. Sabree’s eyes glistened with tears that refused to shed. The urge to flee quelled his resurgence of grief. “I’ll be back.” He backed out of the room. “I have to find Ariane.” He glanced again at the monitor. “She’ll know what to do.”

  “Wait,” Brian called to him. He zipped by Sabree and appeared in front of him.

  Sabree shoved him away and marched down the hall. No reason to mist home, not when he sensed someone else nearby. Someone he meant to confront. The opportunity arose and he barreled on, making sure he stayed ahead of Brian. He barely made it down the hall leading to the main lobby before he skidded to a halt. Brian almost slammed into him.

  Abyss, Liz, and a bandaged guard huddled in a tight circle. Sabree slipped behind the corner and shoved his arm back to slam Brian against the wall. His eyes narrowing, he raised a finger to his lips. Sabree peered around the corner and listened.

  “I shot the bird like you asked. A pretty cardinal.”

  “Are you sure?” Abyss waited. “Where is it? What happened to your skull?”

  “Some guy, Fallen I bet, slammed into me, stole the bird, and tossed me over the perimeter fence like I was a piece of garbage. He moved so fast, I never saw him coming.”

  Abyss brushed him off with a dismissive wave. “Leave us.”

  Liz stepped into the guard’s spot. “So, the human-turned-bird was one of the Fallen? That strange girl, I bet.”

  “Yes. I know her father. He will no
t take this news lightly.” She grabbed Liz by the arm and squeezed until the human yelped. “I’m pretty sure the foolish child came here to help Azrian. I doubt Sabree would send his daughter to spy for him. He’s a lot of distasteful things, but no coward.”

  “All of the Fallen are despicable cowards.”

  Abyss’s hand released Liz’s arm and throttled her by the neck. “Are we really?”

  Crack.

  Sabree leaned against the wall and whispered a curse. He turned to Brian. “Abyss snapped Liz’s neck. Just like that, without hesitation, without remorse.”

  “Sounds like Abyss is on one of her killing sprees.”

  “Is that so,” Abyss said and then gasped when Brian turned her surprise attack in their favor by bodily slamming her against the wall. “Brian? What have you done to yourself?” She winced instead of cracking her typical thin-lipped smile. “You’re hurting me.”

  “Too bad,” Sabree said. If he had his druthers, he’d cheer Brian on if he shoved the she-devil through the wall into the next dimension. “So, you ordered the guard to shoot my daughter?” His spittle sprayed her face. “You murdered my Zoeree?”

  “The Guardians do not tolerate spies. I’ll order the same guard to shoot you.” She cried out when Brian’s nails dug into her neck.

  “How could you, of all old friends? Death would be too kind a gift to bestow on your malevolent soul.” Sabree glanced at Brian and sneered. “You know a quaint little planet.” He choked on a sudden rush of emotions, hatred leading the rest.

  “You don’t scare me.”

  Glaring at the woman he no longer knew, Sabree stiffened when guards approached from the lobby. He pulled Brian’s hand away and grasped Abyss by the neck, squeezing harder, tighter, so she couldn’t escape by misting. While in his grasp, he could mist along with her.

  “Let’s toss this piece of trash into the Blood Sea.” Sabree choked when Brian’s eyebrows climbed beneath his mussed-up bangs. Without releasing her neck, he said, “This bitch ordered Zoeree’s death.” He snorted back the tears threatening to flow. “Unlike Serine, Abyss deserves the Blood Sea planet.” In all fairness, she deserved much worse.

  “Say no more,” Brian said. “I will do this if you make amends with Ariane.”

  A white lie guaranteed an eternal hell in the blood bath for Abyss. Now haunted by his daughter’s ghost, Sabree didn’t care if he condemned this vile creature to a prison worse than death. None of it mattered anymore. He kept drifting apart piece by piece. “Agreed, but won’t this add another notch to your naughty list?”

  “Too late. It’s dark inside my soul, and I’ll be damned if the light at the end of the tunnel ever reveals itself.”

  A strong arm grabbed Sabree by the waist, and everything went from black emptiness to a radiant wormhole to a gloomy tree-filled horizon. The complex disappeared, replaced by the raging sea of thick crimson death below. Sabree yelped, terrified he would fall if not for Brian’s grasp. His hand still encircled Abyss’s neck, holding her at arm’s length as though her nearness would contaminate them.

  “Give the word,” Brian said. “This is on you, not me.”

  The image of his daughter calling him for help resolved his decision. “Good-bye, Abyss,” Sabree said in answer. Guilt wouldn’t weigh too heavy on his soul, not if she used her noggin and misted into the tallest trees. She had plenty to feed on. He released his hold on her.

  For the briefest of moments, her screams tore at his heart as she fell into the sea below. Before her body made a splash, Brian and he flew out of the wormhole, through the universes back to Earth. They materialized inside the hotel room. Sabree journeyed from one hellish torment to another. “Not this, not now.”

  “Ariane should know.”

  “Wait, Zoeree may not be dead,” Sabree said. He pointed at the dresser mirror wondering if she could morph into any inanimate object. “She called me for help.”

  “Tell Ariane. She has a right to know. It’s her daughter too.” His amber eyes burned bright. “You promised.”

  “I have to find Zoeree.” Sabree misted from the room, leaving Brian and his frustration behind. Minutes later, his mist reassembled inside the Greek temple he visited every year to honor his first and only human love, Zoe. He never brought anyone here, his privacy guaranteed.

  Falling to his knees before a small stone altar of votive candles, Sabree struck a match and held it to the one he always lit for Zoe first. Then he lit one for Zoeree, another for Abyss, and the next candle for love lost. Ariane. The final candle he lit for himself, for the bits of him that had fallen apart and for the bits that were still decaying. He hung his head and whispered a prayer; he whispered words he knew would be ignored.

  The candle lit for Zoeree flickered until the flame blew out. “Do not grieve for me,” her soft voice whispered in the wind. “You’ll all be dead soon.”

  “How?” Tears streamed down his face. Trapped, his daughter drifted from one place to another, always near yet cast aside. Were they linked in some strange way, or had the hallucinations consumed his mind? Oui, hallucinations. Sabree now understood why he had seen her inside the neutralizer—a forewarning. His hands cradled his face as he wept in silence.

  53

  SALUTE Private GLEN FIDDICH

  T he data Azrian and I hacked together was authentic. Farian had stashed neutralizer one in a remote area somewhere in Toolele County, near the Great Salt Lake in Utah. If the hack included the location of the second bomb, I would have chewed on a bag of Colton tabs. Then appear in two places at once, grab both neutralizers, reform, and then JLS to the remote planet. No such luck. The code only revealed the exact coordinates of neutralizer one.

  On my way out, I said, “I enlightened Azrian about Farian’s suicidal plot to destroy the entire planet when I took him back to the mansion for safe keeping. He was always on Team Brian.” When Sabree muttered a curse and turned away, I responded in kind. “For fock’s sake, at least, wish me luck.” Thank the gods the code provided the latitude and longitude; otherwise, the bomb would have salted the entire planet before I found its exact location.

  “You got this,” Sabree said without turning around. Instead, he kept his gaze glued to the flat-screen TV.

  “Thanks for nothing.” An overwhelming helplessness consumed my entire being. Athorsis controlled my life every time he hit the reset button. Each hit meant I had to repeat infinite trial runs of the same do-over. Tim had sworn these resets kept me from my true destiny—Athorsis’s demise. If the time displayed anything but ten minutes, I was screwed and would have to repeat the endless loop. But if I got there in time, I’d never see my sister or Sabree again. Had he feared this, hence his aloof attitude? “Keep your fingers crossed, Sabree.”

  When he waved his crossed fingers overhead without looking my way, I shrugged and flew off, exceeding the speed of sound to purposely leave a sonic boom in his wake. JLS speed would deplete the Colton tablet reserves too quickly. Fifty feet above ground, I zigzagged in and out of rock formations until an expanse of white filled my line of sight. Circling overhead, I slowed enough to steal a glimpse at my smartphone’s compass app. A brilliant LED-green marker flashed on the screen, pinpointing the exact location.

  “Bullseye.” I continued to hover over the site. My wings flapped, their speed increasing until the salt and sand rushed away from the device as if time had reversed itself. The neutralizer glowed neon green against white powder.

  Slower and with purpose, my four wings continued to beat until my bare feet touched ground. When I lifted the capsule, my eye on the timer and choked on the bile rising up my throat. The timer flashed three seconds in LED-red. I whispered a curse and squeezed my eyes shut until they produced tears. When I opened them and could focus, relief rushed over me. Ten minutes to detonation. All sorts of what-ifs flashed through my mind. For once, good luck instead of bad blessed me with a visit.

  The portal opened, and I shot through it, wishing Farian had come along for the ride. Howeve
r, the rogue’s removal would not prevent total annihilation if the suicidal fool had already programed another bomb to go off next. It took seconds to arrive at the dead world located thousands of light-years from any inhabited planet.

  The neutralizer cradled in my arms, I touched down on the dust bowl-like world and set it on a flat rock. Minus any vegetation or animals, the device would have nothing to burn. With five minutes to go, all four wings lifted me high enough, not quite directly overhead, so I could watch the devastation from a safe zone.

  In my mind’s eye, the detonator flashed 00.00. I released a breath when the thin atmosphere encompassing the world thundered. The planet rocked violently enough to knock it off its axis. Following the detonation, the zero mark, the center of the explosion propelled a dark bullseye outward. Flames sprayed upward around the eye, missing me by a few hundred feet. The neon-green inferno swelled outward, blasting 360 degrees from the detonation point much like the tidal wave Sabree described in his vision. Ariane had also envisioned the destructive wall of flame that consumed the entire planet.

  Seconds later, planet debris shot spaceward from every angle, spraying me with pea-sized pebbles to large boulders. I ducked instinctively as everything passed through my nonphysical form. Nothing larger than house-sized boulders survived the blast. The debris spiraled into space until it sailed beyond the stars.

  Drifting cinders made my throat tighten. Unable to swallow, I choked as reality flooded my imagination that this was how Earth would meet its end. My eyes squeezed shut as the scene around me vanished. Mission accomplished, using JLS speed, I appeared inside the mansion before opening them. No time left to waste if the timer for the backup device was set to go off ten minutes later.