The Kota

by Sunshine Somerville

  Tigris pulled out of Malik’s mind and brushed a tear from her own eye.

  This poor kid, she thought. If ever memories needed to be erased…

  “Thank you, Malik,” she told him with a smile.

  Andrya adjusted him on her lap. “Could we go now? I know how important this is, and I want to help, but he’s just a boy. He needs sleep.”

  “Of course.” Tigris looked up at Miller. “I’m going to report to my team what we’ve learned. Come find us if you need anything.”

  Miller nodded and motioned for Andrya and Malik to follow him out. Tigris stood from the desk, closed her eyes, and teleported outside where she’d left the others.

  She opened her eyes, now standing next to the Warriors’ hummer. It was late morning, but the sky was overcast. Tigris scanned the abandoned school grounds and didn’t see any danger, but she was glad for the Underground soldiers standing guard around the perimeter.

  Whitewolf sat atop the hummer, a gun aimed down the empty road leading to the school. He turned when he saw her appear. “How’d it go?”

  Tigris let out a breath. “They’re cleared. Miller will take them into protective custody, I think.”

  “Good job, sis.” He saluted her.

  Rave and Bullseye appeared from around the hummer.

  “But something’s weird.” Tigris told them about the prisoners’ blocked memories and about the discovery of this telepath named Counterstrike.

  Bullseye’s exposed brow scowled. “A Dominion telepath who can block memories?”

  “Know him?” asked Tigris.

  “No, but that probably means we’ve met.” Bullseye turned to Rave. “Remember how my childhood memories suddenly returned when I met Trok? Before that, it was always like…”

  Rave crossed his arms. “You think this guy is responsible?”

  “It fits.” Bullseye looked back to Tigris. “You said this boy is the only one who remembers, so this Counterstrike guy might have a harder time with kids, for whatever reason. I always remembered some things about my mother…” She shook this off. “If Cruelthor is blocking the un-factors’ memories, this must be important.”

  Tigris agreed. “I think the Dominion knows the Magi are a huge threat against the DRK. They went through a lot of trouble to hide whatever these people know.”

  “And Cruelthor won’t let them go so easily.” Rave looked at his sister. “These un-factors might not even be safe at Undertown. If the Dominion thinks they hold secrets about the DRK…”

  “I know.”

  “But where else would they be safe?” asked Whitewolf from atop the hummer. “We can’t take them, can we?”

  “No.” Bullseye adjusted her sling. “But more than ever, it sounds like these people might hold answers about the DRK treatment. They’re invaluable. Cagod absolutely has to take them.”

  Just then, Miller emerged from the schoolhouse. He walked over to join the Warriors, a frown on his face. “I just spoke with Commander Cagod. He thanks you for your assistance.” This was to Tigris.

  “And?” she asked.

  Miller was reluctant but seemed to suspect the Warriors saw this coming. “Cagod won’t risk bringing these people to Undertown.”

  Whitewolf cursed. “So now what? They’re more important than ever, and he’s just going to abandon them?”

  Miller wavered. “I might have an idea.” He raised an eyebrow. “I will deny everything I’m about to say, of course.”

  Tigris exchanged a look with Bullseye.

  Miller shuffled his feet, knowing he was crossing some rebel line. “There’s a… We have a facility that was once a DRK research station, but the Underground gave up on that kind of thing when Free Labs assimilated. That’s the Underground’s official stance, anyway, since Cagod has other priorities.”

  “No shit,” muttered Rave.

  Miller half-smiled at this. “But, you should know that many commanders at Undertown agree with you about focusing on the DRK. They – we – reopened the research facility, without Cagod’s permission or knowledge. We’ve been secretly doing what we can to restart rebel DRK research.”

  Rave snorted in surprise. “Okay. So where’s the facility? Could you take these un-factors there and have scientists study them for the treatment?”

  “And,” added Tigris, “are you sure it’s safe?”

  “Oh, I’m sure,” Miller said with a smirk. “But I can’t tell you where it is. I’m sorry, but there are some things we can’t risk exposing.”

  Fair enough, thought Tigris. If these people will be safe, that’s all I need to know.

  Bullseye paused. “Miller, have you been in contact with Commander Denito recently? A while back, we gave him… Well, I’m wondering if he might-”

  Miller chuckled with a nod. “Denito is with us. When you gave him the password-lock device, he had me encode a transmitter for his Free Labs double agents. That way, the agents can call for extraction the second they find the treatment information we’re looking for.”

  “So no luck so far?” asked Bullseye.

  “Not yet, but Denito says his agents are in deep.”

  Bullseye sighed in disappointment but pushed ahead. “Okay, so you can take these un-factors to your secret facility?”

  “Yes.” Miller turned his head to locate a group of his men near the perimeter. “I’ll have them transported at once. We’ll make something up to tell Cagod. But I promise you, I’ll get these people to safety.”

  Tigris felt tears of appreciation rising.

  Bullseye stepped forward and shook Miller’s hand. “I’m glad Mat was right about you.”

  “I’m glad he was right about you.” Miller smiled.

  “Let us know if there’s anything we can do.”

  Miller nodded, then turned to reenter the school.

  Bullseye walked to the hummer. “Let’s go.”

  “Holy sand,” muttered Rave. “These guys aren’t worthless after all.”

  Whitewolf slid off the roof and opened the driver’s door. Rave joined him in the front. Tigris climbed into the back after Bullseye.

  “I can’t believe this,” said Rave from the passenger seat. “We have more support in the Underground than I thought. This’ll definitely help us figure out how to stop that factor base. And… flush Cagod!”

  Bullseye chuckled.

  Whitewolf started the engine, and the boys continued their own conversation.

  More quietly in the back seat, Bullseye turned to Tigris. “Are those people going to be okay? I can’t imagine…”

  “I can.” Tigris made a face. “That boy, Malik… He’s the only one who remembers being captured. It was so horrible, what I saw in his memories.”

  “Well, maybe now we’ll find a way to stop all this.”

  Bullseye looked out her window as Whitewolf drove down the road away from the school. Tigris looked into their Leader’s mind and found she was already planning their next mission – destroying the Continent’s transport station that shipped factors to the Mainland-Euro DuoPort.

  Part V

  The Great War Prophecy

  __________

  25

  “More than one kind of explosion”

  Outside time

  Bullseye, Tigris, Rave, and Whitewolf had now been together for a year. I doubted any of them would remember the exact date, but I celebrated on my own. Since the Warriors’ meeting, everything had taken off far faster than I’d anticipated. They’d gained more and more recognition from other rebel groups, and the Dominion wasn’t happy about it. Bullseye was right that Cruelthor regretted ever letting her live.

  The Kota prophecies had spread like wildfire across the planet, and the rebels jumped on the opportunity to join in on the action. Until that time, the rebels had simply been hoping to hold back the oppressive Dominion forces. With the Warriors came the promise to defeat Cruelthor. The fame went little to their heads, but the attention did bring with it added heat from the Dominion. Fortunately, most of the ti
me they called on experience and put the danger out of mind.

  Always, the Warriors’ work focused on the Dominion’s use of the DRK virus. They’d destroyed the transport station that sent factors to the Mainland-Euro. They’d rescued scores of un-factors from prisons and concentration camps. The DRK treatment stations around the globe were impenetrable even from the Warriors, or else they could’ve stolen the treatment for the rebels’ secret lab. However, the treatment transport trucks were not impenetrable from Rave’s rocket launcher. Thusly, the Warriors had destroyed several shipments of the DRK treatment. The Dominion and even some rebel camps were shocked anyone would do such a thing. But, without the treatment, spoiled Dominion supporters began to rail against their Elite and demand protection. This caused even more tension within the tyranny’s ranks.

  And today, I thought. Today…

  The current window of future time showed the events of the present afternoon. I was excited, and the way things were going made me eager to see the next future.

  Real time

  Sand, thought Rave.

  Of the four black-suited Warriors descending the ropes, Whitewolf swayed the most. This wasn’t unexpected, considering the big man had the most bulk to control, but the pack he wore carried sensitive cargo. Rave was within reach, so he agilely swung over to his partner and steadied him. Whitewolf nodded in silent thanks and strained to hold his position.

  The ancient Capitol House was now a type of prison, complete with cement floors and barred windows. The plans obtained through the martyred informant’s password-lock device had shown the joint taskforce of rebels where to breach the base. The Warriors had moments ago slipped in through a skylight in the base’s central-most room, which was least guarded. They’d lowered ropes to enter and were now descending to the floor while the base’s drones patrolled other rooms.

  It was the middle of the day. At any moment on a stage outside, Cruelthor himself would arrive to announce the completion of the factor base. Crowds of citizens had gathered by the stage, and the masses were subject to tight security. But, a week before, Tigris had posed as a Free Labs assistant and attended a dinner party in the gardens behind the base. This had allowed the Warriors to teleport right next to the Capitol House’s roof access, where an Underground double agent had earlier stashed the pack for Whitewolf.

  So far, thought Rave, our months of planning are paying off. But there’s still plenty of room for screw-ups.

  As they descended to the ground floor, Rave saw they’d be sitting ducks if any drone should reenter the room. Fortunately the Warriors moved with stealth, due partially to training and partially to the suits he’d designed.

  Rave, descending headfirst, was the lowest of the four, and he arched his torso to see the others above him. Bullseye signaled that he was to drop and check for danger. When he had his orders, Rave lowered himself a meter more before unclasping the rope from his belt. Falling, he spun around to land on his padded boots, and he barely made a sound as he hit the concrete. Rave remained crouched as he looked toward the exits and listened for any drones. The burning, tingling sensation once again swept through his body as he used his mutate-genes to scan for trouble. He sniffed the air.

  A few sweaty soldiers are guarding outside, he thought, but none are inside. There’s a patrolling drone up the main hall… A few more in the rooms behind us… Sure, we’re fine.

  Rave stood and motioned for the others to drop.

  Bullseye unclamped herself, and Tigris dropped right after her. Whitewolf lowered himself and the pack more carefully. When they were on the ground, each Warrior lit their ropes. The ropes sizzled and burned away from here to where they were secured outside the skylight.

  Quick way to wipe our tracks, thought Rave.

  Bullseye motioned for the team to advance. Rave led, weapon at the ready.

  But we shouldn’t encounter drones along the way, he thought. It’s important we make it look like we were never here. That means no bodies. If the Underground commanders are right about the patrols, we should be okay.

  As they entered a long hall with multiple closed doors, Rave glanced up at a motion sensor and security camera. A team of rebels had hacked into the surveillance and looped the video feeds along their route. The motion sensors were set to kick offline unless a drone walked by.

  He felt a tingling burn as he heightened his senses. Two patrolling drones had just crossed the hall running perpendicular to theirs. Another exited an exterior door to their right. Behind him, Rave heard anxious breathing and tiny footsteps from Tigris. Whitewolf’s boots stepped over the concrete floor. Bullseye he didn’t hear at all, which he’d trained himself not to worry about, as this usually meant she was dematerialized.

  Outside, Rave heard shouts and cheers from the crowd by the stage.

  Cruelthor’s here, he thought. Time to get moving.

  They reached a secured metal door. Bullseye indeed must’ve dematerialized and gone ahead, because the door opened from the other side, and there she stood. She motioned for them to follow.

  Getting close, thought Rave.

  Bullseye led into a windowless, wide, high-tech, sterile room. Airtight cages lined a conveyer along the right wall. At least thirty factors were in the cages, and the gray creatures of the DRK virus snarled as the Warriors hurried by. At the end of the room stood a huge sliding door.

  The Warriors ignored all this – mostly, because it was hard not to stare at the factors – and pushed into a side room. This was the main power center for the base.

  Bingo, thought Rave.

  Generators whirred around them, and the grated floor creaked as they hurried into the room. A fan up on the roof pulled out the hot air and created enough noise to cover them, Rave hoped. Two windows allowed enough light inside for at least him to see well.

  “We have eight minutes until patrols return to the factor loading room, Rave,” Tigris said in his mind. “Keep your ears tuned. The last thing we need is to be caught with Cruelthor right outside.”

  Rave walked to the nearest window. “Check this out.”

  The others gathered to see. Outside, an ascending ramp with a conveyer stretched from the base to the DuoPort. The red light of the portal illuminated the end of the ramp where it stopped just short of the swirling anomaly. The other end of the ramp met the base’s sliding door.

  Sand, thought Rave. Cruelthor’s planning to show the people at the ceremony exactly what the base is for. The factors in those cages will be sent up the ramp’s conveyer, then shot off the ramp into the portal.

  This would become a simple, cheap, and easy way for the Dominion to get rid of factors. Once Cruelthor declared this base operational, he’d cut his factoring expenditures by half. At the same time, he’d beef up his ‘Clean Up The Streets’ program, which meant more citizens would be factored for minor crimes, if any at all.

  Not if we can help it, thought Rave.

  The generators continued to whir as Tigris took the pack off her brother as best she could. But the pack was too heavy for her, and it fell to the floor harder than they would’ve liked. Tigris winced, but nothing happened. Rave knelt to help her as Bullseye took a post at the door and Whitewolf at the window. Rave and Tigris unloaded the pack’s necessary contents, pulling out mechanisms and laying them on the floor. When he had everything he needed, Rave began to piece together the elaborate explosive device.

  “You’re sure this will work?” asked Tigris.

  Rave finished and stood with his creation. “I’m nearly positive.”

  From the window, Whitewolf reminded them, “We need to hurry. Those patrols…” He looked at the door by Bullseye. “Besides, even if those cages are airtight, I don’t want to be around factors any longer than I have to be.”

  “Amen to that,” said Rave.

  “Enough chit-chat.” Bullseye took the remote detonator Tigris handed her from the pack. “Rave, get to it.”

  He nodded and gingerly carried the explosive device to the back of the
generators. He stepped around the massive machines, disappearing deeper into their shadows. Near the center, he found the perfect place to leave his load. After attaching the device right where he wanted it, he made sure it was functional before backing out of the tight space. A moment later, he reemerged from the generators and walked to the others, empty-handed.

  “Good,” Bullseye gripped the detonator and looked at Tigris. “Teleport the boys out of here. I’ll dematerialize and handle myself. Get going.”

  With a nod, Tigris reached for Whitewolf’s hand. She flashed away with Whitewolf in tow.

  Rave shuffled on his feet. “Typical that she’d take Whitey first.”

  Bullseye rolled her eyes at him and clutched the detonator. “I’ll see you out there.” With that, she too vanished.

  Rave sighed. “Also typical.” Then he stood by the door to listen for drones until Tigris came back for him.

  After his sister teleported him to the tinted backseat of his luxury hover car, Whitewolf was left by himself to change. He grabbed his stored bag and dumped out citizen clothes. It was awkward to change in the backseat, but he managed. Dressed now in casual pants and a T-shirt, he slipped on athletic shoes and sunglasses before reaching into the bag again for a small case. This he opened to peel off one of Rave’s former ID tags. Now, this tag had been reconfigured to link with a different fake account. With this secured to his palm, Whitewolf opened his door, stepped out, and locked the car behind him.