Sonora, and the Scroll of Alexandria

by Travis Hall

  Milly hung over the rail and looked down.

  “That is Shambhala. Most of the older city was built at the base of the cave, and then they built up from there.” Milly noticed her daughter’s intrigued expression. “It’s also the most dangerous part of the city.” Allora smiled a little more. “There is no way that you’re going down there.”

  “Come on, Mom.”

  “No way. That place is filled with criminals, killers, and gangs.”

  “What if Swan goes with us?” Allora pleaded.

  “Oh yeah, ‘cause he’s a good influence on you guys,” Milly said, rolling her eyes. Allora stuck out her lower lip, grabbing her mom’s hand. Milly paused and shook her head. “Fine, but you’re taking your two-man escort from the internal security service.”

  Allora jumped up and smiled emphatically. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  After getting dressed in jeans, a tight long-sleeve shirt, and tennis shoes, Allora made her way to the dining room, where everyone was eating breakfast. She ran her finger down the middle of her bracelet, which opened it up. A bluish screen lit up above her arm. Allora flicked her finger across the screen and found Mr. Swan’s contact. She pushed her finger on the three-dimensional image of Swan’s face. After a few seconds, Swan’s tired face popped into view, hovering above her arm.

  “Hello, Allora,” he said, wiping the gunk from his eyes.

  “You look pleasant.” Mr. Swan gave her a fake smile. “Mom said that we could go to Shambhala today but that you and a security escort need to go with us.”

  “Why would you want to go there? It’s dirty, and the people down in the slums are not exactly accommodating.”

  Milly perked up, leaning in to listen as she washed her dishes.

  “I just think that it would be great to see some of the city, especially the ancient parts,” Allora said, trying to disguise her intentions. “You never know what interesting things you might learn.”

  Mr. Swan finally caught on. “Well, there is nothing a history teacher loves more than a trip to an ancient city. I’ll be over in fifteen minutes with a transport.”

  “And two security personnel,” Milly added, popping up right next to Allora’s head with a stern look.

  “Got it,” Swan said, signing off.

  “All right, I’ve got to go to meetings all day,” Milly said, grabbing a few things from the fridge and placing them into a backpack. “I expect that you four are going to behave yourselves and somehow not get into any trouble.”

  They all nodded in what looked like an odd, coordinated ruse. Milly looked as though she was rethinking her decision.

  “What are all of these meetings for anyway?” Allora asked, strategically changing the subject.

  “Like any major decision, the guardian council needs to deliberate, and we need to present our evidence for why we should be ramping up manufacturing. It’s the only way that this planet will have any chance of survival.”

  “So you believe that Salazar has a way to keep the gateways open?” Tanner asked.

  “I believe that we need to be prepared for any eventuality. Should the rumors be true, we are far behind and way outgunned.”

  Allora went to wash her dishes, but when she set her plate down, the bottom dropped out of the sink, and the plate disappeared, along with her fork.

  “Uh, what just happened?”

  “I forgot to tell you,” Milly said, walking over to the kitchen. “Everything in here is automated. There is a built-in dishwasher that will clean and put away the dishes.”

  “Seriously?” Katie said, placing her plate into the sink. It also disappeared and then reappeared minutes later in the cabinets. “I really want to get one of these for our house. I hate doing dishes.”

  “Yeah, ‘cause that would be inconspicuous,” Dax said, placing his plate in the sink.

  After an hour the doorbell rang, and Milly went to let Mr. Swan in. There were a few words exchanged in the front entryway. After she gave her daughter a kiss good-bye, Milly left for her own transport, which took her to the acropolis.

  “All right, so why do you really want to go to Shambhala?” Swan asked as Milly’s transport took off.

  “I had a dream about it last night,” Allora said, wrapping up her hair and placing it in a tight ponytail. “I think that Ben knew someone who might be able to tell him about the cube.”

  They jumped into the next transport, which Brutus and Grunt were occupying. The ship took off, dropping down off the landing pad and descending around the walkways below. Allora looked out the window at the residents, who were walking to some sort of normalcy that this city tried to maintain, even in the chaos that seemed so close to exploding. Allora’s ears popped, and she tried to yawn to normalize the pressure that was building in her head. After a few jaw movements, the pressure ceased, and the transport set down onto the rocky landing at the base of the city. As soon as they exited the transport, a flurry of people stormed the area, trying to sell their trinkets, treats, and services. The guards quickly jumped in front as a wave of people tried to get to the new arrivals.

  Once they saw the two guards reach for their pistols, the crowd collectively stepped backward. The sudden fear on their faces changed to anger. Allora noticed that the people in the crowd were dressed in torn garments and worn shoes, and their faces were covered in dirt. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for those around her. Brutus and Grunt remained in front as they pushed through the crowd. Allora pulled out a few coins that she had received upon getting to Shangri-La. At the edge of the crowd was a girl who wasn’t too much younger than Allora. Her jeans were ripped on the knees, her shirt was dirty, and her head hung down low. A little boy peered around from behind her, staring with bright, beautiful blue eyes at Allora. The girl grabbed the little boy’s hand and led him down the dirt ramp.

  “Hey, wait,” Allora said, running after the girl and boy. She caught up and smiled at the obviously scared pair. “What’s your name?”

  “None of your business,” the girl said, placing the boy behind her and clenching her fist.

  “I’m just trying to get some help while we are down here,” Allora said, trying to give her some reassurance with her body language. “Please, I mean you no harm.”

  “Kalama, but people usually just call me Kali,” she said hesitantly.

  “What about this guy?”

  The little boy peered around her leg. “This is my little brother,” Kali said, stroking the brown hair back from his eyes. “His name is Jakar.”

  “Where are your parents?” Allora asked as the guards started running down the ramp, yelling at Allora to stay put.

  “Ma’am, we have very specific instructions not to allow you to take off while you’re down here,” Brutus said.

  Seeing the fear that suddenly overtook the brother and sister, Allora addressed the two guards. “I can’t have you scaring every single person that I speak with,” she said, staring up at the two large men, her hands on her hips. “So, while you’re down here, just keep behind me, and don’t get in my way. Got it?”

  Allora spun around and smiled at the two scared kids, who weren’t sure whether to be scared of the guards or the strange confident girl.

  “She really is her mother’s daughter,” Brutus whispered, which initiated a grunt for a response.

  Allora turned her head and glared. “I heard that.”

  “They were killed in the Rebel Wars,” Kali said, putting her head down. “Our entire town was destroyed, and we had nowhere to go but here.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “There is an orphanage on the far side of Shambhala. We’ve been living there for about seven years now.” Allora could see a strength in her eyes that could have only been gained through a painful past. It was obvious from her stance and the scar along her chin that Kali was tough and very protective of her brother. Her body was skinny, but her muscles were lean and strong. “Now what do you want?”

  “I need help finding this,�
�� Allora said, pulling the drawing she made the previous night from her pocket. It was the strange eye symbol that she had seen in her dream. “I’ll pay you for the information.”

  She unfolded the paper and showed the girl. Kali’s eyes recognized it and went wide. Her mouth opened and froze. She yanked her brother’s arm and took off down the dirt ramp and into the crowded walkways below. Allora took off after her, followed by the guards, her friends, and Mr. Swan.

  “Wait!” Allora yelled, weaving in between the mass of people.

  All around them were strange creatures: warlocks, elves, gnomes, dwarfs, and men. The walkway led to a large, round opening that was filled with people and surrounded by old marble and rock buildings. Allora spun around and jumped above the crowd, searching in vain for the brother and sister. The guards caught up, unhappy with Allora’s sudden departure.

  “Ms. Sona, I can’t tell you how dangerous it is here,” Brutus said. “You can’t just take off like that. Our mission is to keep you safe.”

  She suddenly noticed the eyes that watched them. They were outsiders, and from the looks of the faces, they weren’t welcome.

  “How about we keep moving,” Mr. Swan said, uncomfortable with how exposed they were.

  They left the area and went down a declining walkway to an area below that was lined with old shops. The signs above the doors were worn and dirty. After about twenty minutes of searching, they made it to the bottom of the walkway, which wrapped around into a series of tightly packed buildings.

  “Swan, we are not in an ideal spot,” Brutus said, scanning the window openings above. Grunt made a sound, seemingly to agree with the statement. The light was shallow, and the air smelled of mildew. The air was getting colder, causing the hair to rise on Allora’s arms. Up ahead a shadow passed across the narrow passageway, followed by another. The guard placed his hand in front, stopping them. They froze and watched the shadows ahead. “We need to get out of here now.”

  They backed up, turned, and ran. Above, the shadows jumped across the buildings, following their every move. Allora turned into another alleyway, passing the sudden closing of doors. Windows shuddered, and the sudden departure of the crowds was eerie. They kept sprinting among the maze of rock and marble, searching for an escape from the shadows that gained on them. This was the shadows’ turf, and they knew every passageway. A bolt of light exploded ahead, knocking rock from the buildings. The guards pulled their pistols out and shot toward the direction of the light. A barrage of explosions followed as Allora took a right, heading back into the darkness of the building maze.

  A shadow leapt from the roof, landing in front of them. The guard was taken off his feet from the bolt of light that collided with his chest. Allora jumped forward and swung her forearm onto the shadow’s hand, knocking the black pistol from its grip. She spun her left leg around, knocking the shadow’s knees, causing it to lose its footing and fall. Allora punched down on the shadow’s head, knocking it out cold. The punch shattered part of the black plastic helmet inside of the shadow’s hood. It caused the black smoke surrounding the creature to dissipate, leaving a teenage boy lying unconscious on the ground.

  Mr. Swan checked the smoking area on Grunt’s chest where the blast had hit. He was stunned, but the battle suit had taken most of the blast. Above, the shadows danced along the roof, congregating closer to their location.

  “Damn shadow gangs,” Brutus said, pointing his pistol toward the sky. “We’re surrounded. Alpha Bird, come in. Come in, Alpha Bird.” He tapped his ear, trying to contact the security headquarters. “All I’m getting is static. Our signals are being jammed.”

  Panic set in as the number of shadows increased. With the hadron inhibitors, they were stuck without any chance of using their powers. The shadows increased in number, quickly coming at them from all sides. They prepared themselves for a fight as the attackers bore down on their small force.

  chapter

  TWELVE

  Shambhala

  Allora searched the area for an exit without any luck. Packed into the narrow alleyway, they stood back to back, waiting anxiously as the shadow gang closed in, dropping down from above. As the shadows closed in, the rock wall next to them miraculously opened, and a girl appeared. It was Kali.

  “Come on!” she said, waving her arms.

  Mr. Swan helped Grunt to his feet, and they moved into the wall quickly as the shadows ran toward them from both directions. Kali closed the wall somehow, and they went into the blackness. A light came on at the base of a narrow tunnel. In front was Jakar, swinging his arm for them to follow. He got on all fours and disappeared into an even narrower tunnel.

  “You really want us to follow him?” Dax asked.

  “Do you want to live?” Kali asked. “The shadow gang will figure out where we went, and they will head into these tunnels from another entry point. It will only be minutes until they will be on us. We need to go now.”

  “That sounds like a pretty good reason to me,” Katie said, slapping her brother on the back and kneeling down to push through the dirt tunnel.

  They all followed the little boy, coughing from the churned-up dust that filled the air. After five minutes of crawling through the dirt, they ended up in a stone room. Jakar pushed a rock that jutted out from the wall, and a slab swung open, leading them into a rock canyon. Allora stared up at the lights of Shangri-La twinkling in the cavern above. Kali closed the rock slab and led them through the canyon.

  “How did they make that smoke?” Tanner asked Brutus as they kept walking through the canyon.

  “It’s made from dead ice,” Brutus replied. “It’s ice that doesn’t melt with heat. Really strange stuff. You’ll see these large dead ice pillars in the desert on Sonora. Those hoods that they wear are lined with a mechanism that changes the dead ice to a gas, which allows them to see but inhibits anyone from identifying individuals.”

  “And it makes them look really creepy,” Katie added.

  “Ugh,” Grunt affirmed.

  Allora ran up to the front. “Thank you for helping us.”

  Kali jerked around, stopping the group. “Are you naïve or just plain stupid?”

  “Excuse me?” Allora said.

  “You think that you can just come down here and no one would notice?” Kali said, getting more animated as she spoke. “As soon as you got here, there was a target on your back.”

  “What do you mean?” Tanner asked.

  “They knew you were coming,” Kali said, walking ahead with her brother close behind.

  “Maybe we should get out of here,” Mr. Swan said. “If someone knows about what we’re looking for, we could be walking into a trap. I don’t like this at all.”

  “No. We have to find this symbol,” Allora said, waving the drawing in the air. “This is our only chance. As soon as my mother figures out that we are cut off, she’s going to bring the fleet down here, and we are gone.” Allora ran ahead and stopped the pair. “Please, Kali. I know you know where this symbol is. It’s imperative that we find it.”

  “No way,” Kali said, aggressively pushing Allora out of their way. “Your little group here is going to get us killed.”

  At this point Allora was pissed off. She could feel the manipulative question percolating into her mind.

  “And how do you think your parents would feel about you chickening out like this?” Allora asked, her eyebrows furrowed and her stance rigid.

  Before she could take it back, a fist came flying around, connecting with her jaw. It was quicker than anything she had been trained for, and the force behind it was surprisingly strong, considering the girl’s petite stature. Allora was knocked to the ground. She blinked emphatically, grabbing her bruised and painful jaw.

  “How dare you,” Kali said, standing over Allora with fists clenched. “You do not get to judge me or my brother. You don’t know what we have been through and what we have had to do to survive.”

  Kali kept going farther into the canyon as Katie helped Allora u
p.

  “I’m pretty sure you deserved that,” Katie said, shaking her head in disappointment.

  “Yeah, I think you’re right,” Allora said, rubbing her cheekbone. “I think I need to go apologize.”

  Allora ran ahead, stopping short of Kali and Jakar.

  “Look, I’m sorry,” Allora said, walking a safe distance behind. Kali kept looking ahead, maintaining the same walking speed. “I had no right to say that. Please, Kali, can you just stop for a minute and hear me out?”

  Jakar slowed, pulling at his sister’s hand. He stared at her with his bright-blue eyes without saying a word. She smiled slightly and then glared at Allora.

  “You’ve got one minute,” Kali said, folding her arms and raising her eyebrows.

  “OK.” Allora thought a moment and then decided to go for the truth. “My uncle died years ago, about the same time as your parents. He left me with a memory orb, which led me to this symbol. He discovered something that was crucial to defeating Salazar. Someone found out and killed him for it. I need to continue his quest. Please. I need your help.”

  Kali lowered her brow and unfolded her arms. Jakar tugged on the bottom of her shirt, pleading silently with his sister. She stroked his matted hair and stared back at Allora.

  “Fine, but you have to do exactly what I say, or you will have no chance of coming out of this alive.” Allora nodded, agreeing to Kali’s terms. “The symbol you drew is for an underground trade organization that deals in ancient artifacts on the black market.”

  “And you know of the person who would know what this is?” Tanner asked.

  “Pipmar. He’s a broker and the slimiest of elves. Personally, I think that you’d have more luck getting information from a troll than getting him to talk.”

  “Let us worry about that,” Allora said, contemplating how to extract the information. “All you gotta do is lead us there, and we’ll do the rest.”

  Kali took a deep breath and then led them through a shallow ravine a hundred feet to their left.

  “As soon as you get in there, an alarm will be sounded. Pipmar has a very complex system of alerts, and the shadow gang is his muscle. They will surround the building and cut off every exit.” Kali took them through another underground passageway and into an alley along the back of the main city square. She pushed a rock on the wall, causing the wall to slide open. “You take your first right and then your second left, and you’ll be in his back storeroom. Just remember, as soon as you enter, the alarm will be triggered. You’ll have about five minutes to get what you need, and then they will have you.”