Shadow Zone

by Pam Uphoff

  It was a bit of a scramble in the morning to get into his suit, and across to the HQ building.

  His young analysts were with Paer, stuck in a back corner at the third table with other low level staff who had a need to know.

  Director of External Relations, Ajki Withione Black Point, took a side chair at the main table. It looked like the Subdirector of Intel was reporting to him. And everyone who might be needed for questions was here as well. The Subdirector of Action and Exploration was present as well, which was unusual.

  I wonder what's up? Hopefully not something else they can blame on Comet Fall.

  Ajha's immediate boss pinned him with a sour look and summoned him with a crook of his finger. "Sit. You'll probably be asking as many questions as you'll be answering. Just at a guess. I've had a thirty second briefing that just scared the hell out of me."

  He sat, blinked in surprise as the Presidential Director walked in.

  What the One Hell happened?

  More people hustled in to fill the second table, then Ebko, the Action and Exploration Subdirector rose.

  "Team Forty-eight was providing security for a science project underway on a dinosaur world." He nodded toward the second table. "As well as personnel from Disco, there to open a permanent gate."

  Ajha looked over his shoulder and blinked as he recognized the two young men. Ra'd and Ebsa. Did they actually have competent people in the right place? A very serious young woman in a charcoal grey Disco uniform was sitting beside them

  "They encountered some Helios troops and tracked them back to an extensive base, and feeling familiar Oner type mental glows, infiltrated and retrieved twenty-five young college students who had been kidnapped over the last week."

  Subdirector Ebko cross his arms and nodded. "From the One World. They raided two separate locations. They know where we are."

  Ajha sat back, shocked. Raided? They raided us?

  The Intel Subdirector took over. "We knew they had gate travel. Now we know that they've got them working after the disaster two years ago. And unfortunately, they have found us, and apparently can open gates to at least two locations. Caracas and Cairo."

  Half the world apart, and Cairo—the home of the largest Oner Clan? They could walk in there and grab a dozen college kids? Ajha felt cold. No one felt their alienness? Read their evil intentions? I know they're hard to read . . . I had to adjust . . . Oh. One. Hell.

  "We have had eight days to collect information and move assets." Director Ajki addressed the whole room. "Urfa threw some Blackhorse troops into the mess within an hour of being notified." He glanced at Ajha.

  Ajha took the hint. "This is the first I've heard about it. Is this the same Dinosaur World that was eliminated as the next target—or victim—of the upcoming merge just a few weeks ago?" Nods. "The One World was, barely, within the zone of potential merge targets, but that has been ruled out . . ."

  Director Ajki scowled. "I can see that they might want to scout ahead, but why prisoners? If for information, why college students?"

  Intel fielded that one. "They were picking up some healthy young people to merge with. Probably planning to pre-position them for merging with the first people out onto the target world. They . . . taunted the kids with details of their immanent deaths."

  Ajha's stomach clenched. "Our surveillance of the Helaos shows them in a major rebuilding mode. They slow-merged enough infrastructure that they kept the lights on. And now they're working on repairs to other major installations. I'm delighted to say they seem to have abandoned the magnetics centers. They're using material from them, electronics and so forth, even stripping out wiring. We were planning to scout this week, to make sure they aren't using material from some to repair the rest. It sounds like a strong possibility now. We'll go and find out."

  Intel Subdirector Omsi nodded and looked to Urfa. "We've got their offices and meeting rooms bugged. People with unnoticeable spells got them as close as possible to the leaders. So far they have only talked about raiding the other worlds for supplies. Which is why we suspected they had their gates working."

  Director Urfa nodded. "Given their treatment of people on the one merge we've seen, I suppose it was naïve to hope they will settle for stealing livestock and manufactured goods." He shrugged. "All for the short term. They must know they'll have to do it all over again . . . any time now."

  He gave a razor thin smile. "The President hasn't made an announcement yet, but we hit their gate early this morning, it's been thoroughly destroyed."

  A stir, feral smiles all through the room.

  I wonder what Disco had to say about that . . . if they know yet!

  Intel Subdirector Omsi nodded to his Action and Exploration counterpart.

  Subdirector Ebko grinned. "Glad to hear that. In any case, on the dinosaur world, the end result of a very wild encounter was eighteen Helios prisoners, many of them officers, and the capture of one of their beacons." Ebko waved a dismissive hand. "And various other equipment and weapons, rather the worse for wear after close encounters with dinosaurs, most of which the Team . . . expedited."

  Director Ajki leaned back. "Do you mean to say the Helios got eaten by dinosaurs?"

  Ebsa cleared his throat. Ajki's gaze swung his way, with raised eyebrows.

  "Trampled, mostly. Sir."

  "I see." Ajki turned his attention back to the subdirectors.

  Omsi took over. "Questioning the prisoners has proven difficult. The linguists are up to speed on the language, which is based on something distantly related to Greek, with four thousand years of a very different history changing it. But the prisoners are very stubborn, very strong minded. Despite having no shields and no magic, they cannot be read, and won't say anything other than curses and insults." The subdirector looked a bit wistful. "Pity torture is illegal. But we've only had them for two days, and most of that was spent patching them up. So we'll get somewhere eventually."

  He tapped his comp and brought up pictures. The beacon they'd taken, the analysis, the weapons captured, the range and speed of the vehicles . . .

  "We fail to understand their motives. No one in their right mind would want to go there. Their officers have been uncommunicative." The Intel subdirector looked over at Ebsa and Ra'd. "And since we've . . . neutralized their beacon, there've been no other connections to it."

  The Action and Exploration subdirector gave the boys a dubious look. "I've evacuated the scientists and placed two Action teams on site. If there's no further activity, I'll think about pulling them back, and just leaving it to the military. The scientists can study dinosaurs on some other world."

  They batted it around a bit, brought up a few other things. Ajha begged—with dignity—for cooking facilities and personnel. By the time he'd gotten loose from the senior bureaucrats the youngsters had all disappeared.

  Drat. I'd have loved to hear what that team did with the Helaos and the dinosaurs.

  Chapter Three

  21 Muharram, 1405 yp

  Gate City, One World

  Paer slipped out of the crowd as they left the HQ building and they all migrated back to the old warehouse. Paer's guard and Nighthawk's escort both frowning around in disapproval.

  "I know, I know. It's old." Ebsa shrugged. "All the new warehouses are closer to the permanent gate area, and this is what science and exploration projects get."

  "It just needs a bit of paint." Paer grinned. "I like it. It's scruffy like you." She ruffled his hair, grinning.

  "I didn't have time to get it cut, this morning." Ebsa squirmed.

  "I like it. You look artistic. But without the suit, I suppose it might be more like unkempt."

  Ra'd snorted and started tapping at his comp. "These old warehouse have living facilities for teams. Beats the hell out of barracks. Even ones this decrepit. But if we're going to have to stick around here for days, we might as well paint the place. I'll order an air compressor, pressure washer, and paint sprayer."

  Nighthawk peered over his shoulder a
nd started grinning. "That's how you paint?"

  Ebsa looked at Nighthawk. "Paer may think I look Artsy, but Ra'd is genuinely artistic."

  Snort. "I am going to paint the warehouse, not a picture. Although some tasteful graffiti might liven the place up."

  "Gra what?" Nighthawk wrinkled her nose.

  Ra'd looked down his nose. "You don't have, umm, vandalism by mural painters?"

  Ebsa and Paer looked at each other.

  "It must be one of those Secret Conspiracy To Take Over The World things." Ebsa said.

  Paer punched his arm. "It's just . . . oh, man. I can't talk about it."

  Ra'd snorted again. "He guessed it, not that I confirmed anything. But no, we officially can't talk about it." He met Nighthawk's gaze for a long moment.

  She shrugged. "I'm not allowed to wander around without a keeper, so I'd better go back and report to Disco, not that there was any new ground covered in the meeting."

  Ebsa flipped a mental coin and won his bet, as they kissed passionately in full view of the official minder, who would no doubt report this suspicious activity to the subdirector.

  Ra'd watched her walk away, then looked around the warehouse. "I'll go collect everything we need. I'll power wash the building this afternoon, and start painting in the morning." He walked out, leaving them staring after him.

  "I know he's artistic, but painting buildings? He's ruining the reputation of . . . things I'm too afraid to ask for confirmation of." Ebsa grimaced. "I'm having trouble with the whole idea. But then Ra'd the Good Father blew me away too."

  "Ra'd the what!"

  "Oh, right, you weren't there when Nighthawk pulled their baby daughter out of a no time bubble, and Oak Nightdaut twisted her daddy around her little finger in two seconds flat."

  "Whoa. When did this all happen!"

  "About two weeks ago. Oh, you mean the, umm, well two and a half years ago, after we cleared Nighthawk, she apparently came back for some goodbye nookie."

  "And then she kept the baby in a bubble?"

  "After three months, she said. She said she wanted Oak to know her excellent daddy from the start, not meet him when she was five years old."

  Paer blinked, thinking, or maybe imagining. "You know, I would have paid to see that. Did Ra'd get upset . . . or go all gooey?"

  "Oh yeah, I could sell vids, if I had any, which unfortunately I don't. It was precious. Don't tell him I said that. He has proposed marriage four times since, that I know of."

  Paer giggled. "Oh, I have got to see this!" She sobered then and eyed him. "Have you ever tried to find your child, or children or whatever?"

  He shook his head. "I wouldn't know where to even start. It was . . ."

  She snickered. "An orgy."

  "A wild party that lapped out into the street and went for hours. Any children would be, umm, born real late in the year . . . so they're coming up on seven years old. I . . . really can't run around Low Town—that's a really bad, crime ridden area of Maldonado—touching kids to see if I get any zap."

  "Hmm, yeah. That could be misinterpreted."

  Being confined to the gate area limited the entertainment potential, but there was a movie theatre and several nice restaurants.

  And friends of Paer's who spotted them and walked over. Including, unfortunately, the Lying Moron. Off-something-or-other. Paer's guard, who had been dawdling behind, closed up, her lips moving slightly. Subvocalizing to another guard?

  They all stared down their noses at Ebsa as introductions circled.

  "Clostuone? Really Paer!" That was Tayc, the strikingly gorgeous professional blonde. The way she pronounced it sounded awfully close to Take.

  "Hey, let's all have dinner at Francisco's." Hioz, the fluffy blonde, was probably brighter than she looked. "We can make Pause pay."

  Pause—Wpxa—glowered at her.

  "Pause lost a bet, last night." Paer glowered at the Moron.

  Amsi rolled his eyes. "We'll let him pay off at a cheaper place. Hey Closey, you know any cheap places around here?"

  Ebsa tried to look thoughtful. "I dunno. I've been across for a while. If you guys are short of ready cash there's always the main cafeteria."

  They sputtered at the very idea of eating for free at the employee's cafeteria. Paer giggled into his shoulder.

  "No? Well . . . " Ebsa pulled out his comp. "Let's see if this Franciscos can handle seven of us just dropping by . . . no, all booked up. How about Lucian's? Very upscale Italian? They say they can have a table for us in thirty minutes."

  Various glowers, then nods. They all started moving toward the nearest tunnel access.

  "I see you aren't too out of touch." Moron eyed him with distaste.

  Ebsa smiled back. "So, are most of you analysts?"

  "Indeed." Tayc's nose was still well up in the air. "And you are a, umm, field agent."

  "Yes. I have both exploration and info training and a strong science background." Ebsa spoke over his shoulder as he trotted down the stairs. "Whatever it takes to get across. I enjoy being out there on a new world."

  Tayc made a little moue of dislike. "We're all 'across' just now, in the most horrible crawlers imaginable."

  "Aw, at least the new one's clean and someone made an effort at decorating it." Hioz batted her eyelashes at Amsi. "Such a pity that it's all female."

  Paer nodded. "A ten bunker. Not bad."

  Ebsa blinked. Bet I know where that one's been.

  "Not bad!" Tayc rolled her eyes. "That . . . Fean woman makes it bad all by herself."

  "Tayc insulted Ajha." Paer put in a loud aside to Ebsa. "The Fiend is holding a grudge."

  "She's just a secretary! To a Clostuone. I shouldn't have to put up with her insinuations."

  "Fean is a very experienced field agent. Very well trained in magic, very powerful." Paer smirked. "And she did two years at the Princess School before she transferred to the Directorate School. So she's an expert at social snobbery and underhanded methods of dealing with people she dislikes. Tayc . . . is having difficulties."

  Ebsa nodded receipt of the information. It sounds like Ajha is in Intel, watching the Helios. Perhaps from an Empty World. Which is excellent. Someone with brains and street smarts on site. Although I pity him having to deal with idiot petty bureaucrat-wannabes. And apparently this lot and Paer as well. "You're lucky to have a clean crawler. I've had to clean some before we could use them, and what an Action Team can do to a bunkhouse in just a few weeks is nauseating." Not that I've seen that many that bad . . . and I need to not say things that make me sound like the janitor around this bunch. They don't understand a team all diving in to do what is needed. Indeed the noses were rising again. He stepped onto the roller. The center of the gate area was crisscrossed by the tunnels and their moving "walks."

  "At least we aren't in tents like the Army." Paer shrugged, and walked along beside him. "They rotated a lot of officers through. Not very many soldiers stationed there permanently."

  Moron sniggered behind them. "I guess all this chatter, with no mention of what or where must be irritating, right Closey?"

  Ebsa looked over his shoulder. "Nope. I'm sworn to secrecy too."

  "What, about what you've cleaned, and where?" Take looked him up and down. "I'll bet that's the only suit you own."

  "Yep." Ebsa grinned, since he couldn't spit in her face. I didn't see them at the meeting. I think they were back in a corner somewhere, no doubt with Paer. And they didn't see me. Too bad, I might get some respect . . .

  "It's out of style. And the tie is positively antique."

  No, only about twenty years. Ditto the very nice custom made suit. Inherited from my murdered dad, so shut up. The stuff that was out at the cleaners when his house was torched is all I have of a man I never knew. Ebsa turned abruptly and stepped off the roller. I'll walk the last three blocks, before I do something I'll regret.

  Paer was on his heels and tucked her hand into the elbow he offered.

  The uniformed guard stepped off behin
d them; a woman in casual civilian garb stepped off in front of them. Well, at least they're mostly subtle. Poor Paer, even inside the secured gate area she has minders.

  Paer trotted up the steps to the surface sidewalk. "I have been so used. They didn't act like this . . . "

  "Until I showed up?"

  "Until their potential stepping stone started getting away from them. I love my dad, and hate being the president's daughter."

  "What was it like, before then? When your dad was just a minor party councilman?"

  "Oh, I was nine years old when he jumped from the regional council to the Imperial Council. I remember being scared of living in a strange place, but he brought my pony with us, when we moved to Paris. He hired this nice lady to drive me everywhere . . . well, that's what I thought. I suppose she was more of a nanny than a chauffeur. Then Qayg showed up, and I thought she was grand . . . After a couple of years I started taking proper riding lessons . . . show jumping. Dad splurged and bought Crystal and I started showing seriously, earned a spot in Madam Chin's school."

  "Even I've heard of her."

  Paer giggled, then grimaced as she spotted the others down the block, waiting for them. "It was a bit of a shock, when Daddy decided to run for President. I mean, since he wasn't allowed to also run for reelection to the Council, he was basically committing career suicide."

  "Oh, yeah. If I'd been noticing politics at that age, even I could have seen that."

  "Hey, you were thirteen too."

  "Ah, but I was an obnoxious thirteen. Really resentful at being uprooted and my mom having to either put me in boarding school or live in an employers house in the enclave."

  "She must have hated it."

  "Yeah, well, she always put a good face on it. 'This is how I learned all my cooking, when I was younger.' and so forth. I hated leaving my friends and I had trouble making new ones. So . . . obnoxious is probably an understatement. By fifteen I was trying to prove I was big enough and bad enough to join a gang. That's when I got sent to give a message to Rael."