Approaching Storm (Alternate Worlds Book 2)

by Taylor Leigh

  Darius glowered, not at all appreciating being referred to as “useless”. ‘Being with you is exactly where she does not belong and you know it! If they’re looking for her than she shouldn’t be with the one man trying to stop them.’

  Tollin avoided his gaze. ‘I know,’ he grumbled. ‘I’m just…wishing, I suppose.’

  Sam glowered at him. ‘Wishing I wasn’t with you?’

  He made a face. ‘Wishing I could keep you safe.’

  Darius swore. ‘You’re actually going to try to break into their base to see what they’re up to and you’re really thinking about taking Sam with you?’

  ‘Oh,’ Tollin said with a heavy shrug, ‘not exactly.’ He flashed them both a coy smile. ‘Who said anything about breaking in?’

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sam was walking with Tollin through the Druid city of Wounded Horse the next day. After several frustrating hours of going over schematics and plans, Sam finally suggested they get out of the manor and have some fresh air.

  Tollin was quiet, brooding. Sam could tell he wasn’t at all happy with the situation they were in, and even more displeased with how slowly things were moving. She had a feeling that he wasn’t used to this pace of things. She wondered what he would be doing if he weren’t stuck with her.

  ‘Must be hard for you, just staying here,’ she said after what had been a long silence.

  Tollin blinked, jerked back from wherever his thoughts had strayed off. ‘What?’

  Sam shrugged. ‘Staying here, this must all seem very dull for you.’

  ‘Oh, yes,’ he sighed. ‘I am accustomed to things being a trifle more…exciting.’

  Sam turned her eyes up to him thoughtfully, running her tongue over her teeth, a nervous habit she couldn’t break. ‘We could go somewhere.’

  Tollin’s left brow rose impressively high. ‘Oh?’

  Sam sauntered around to look him square on. ‘Well, you’re a Realm Jumper, right? Can’t you just whisk us away for a few hours?’

  Tollin stuck his hands into his pockets and peered up at the sky. He let out a shaky laugh. ‘Oh, Sam, you…I have to admit, that is tempting. Very tempting, but I’m going to have to say no.’ He smirked.

  Sam scowled, disappointed. She thought for a brief moment he’d almost considered. ‘Why not? All of those places, all those thousands of Realms in your head, can’t I just see one?’

  ‘Look, as much as I’d like to, I just can’t,’ Tollin said patiently. ‘Well, I can’t take you with me, anyway.’

  Sam let her scowl deepen. ‘You must have taken people with you before.’

  He nodded. ‘Oh sure, loads of times. But not someone playing host to several Daemons. I’d like to keep the problem localised to this Realm as much as possible’

  Sam’s shoulders slumped. ‘I suppose that makes sense. You have to know, though, it’s been agonising, knowing that you’ve got all of this wonder right at the tip of your fingers, stuff I saw glimpses of before you shut it out of my head…and I can’t even see for myself.’

  His smile turned slightly wistful, distant. ‘Perhaps someday.’

  Sam watched his countenance, felt his detached thoughts. ‘It’s just so odd now, you know? Knowing it’s all out there.’

  Tollin turned his gaze from the shop windows to glance back at her. ‘Other worlds, you mean.’

  Sam nodded. ‘I just feel…so small now. I dunno, it’s like, I’ve always had this one view of the world and the way it’s supposed to be, and now that’s been shattered. Now I know that we’re just one tiny little dimension in a whole soup of other dimensions, all with their own universes and people and technology. How can you not feel insignificant once you understand that? It’s like, what could I possibly do that would matter? I’m just one little speck in an entire universe of other specks.’

  Tollin scratched his head. ‘My, we’re cheery this morning, aren’t we? Look, Sam, if you go about thinking that way you’ll go mad. Don’t think about how insignificant you are in the great scheme of things, think about just how much is out there to discover! There are so many opportunities, so many things to see. It’s not something to be depressed about; it’s something to be excited about!

  ‘You are one small piece of a big universe, yes, but small people can make a big difference. You don’t have to change the entire Realm. Sometimes it’s just looking around you.’ He gestured to the crowded street. ‘Seeing how you can make a difference to those close to you. That’s what matters most.’

  Sam smiled, mystified. Tollin was so alive. The way he talked about the world, it was as if each day was the most exciting adventure there was. His words, the way his eyes shone when he spoke, set a fire alive in her blood. There was so much out there, like he’d said. Oh, what would it be like to actually see it all?

  She caught his arm and turned him to face her. ‘D’you really mean it, Tollin, about someday taking me to see it all?’

  His gaze shifted, turned distant, almost imperceptibly. ‘I would love for you to, Sam.’

  She studied his face. Something was wrong. Something she had said had put a distance between them. ‘That wasn’t an answer.’

  Tollin looked down at her, a surprisingly human expression written across his features. He looked about to say more, but just then his handheld went off. He answered it. Sam heard Marus’s voice coming through: ‘Oi! Quit mucking about with whatever you’re doing and get your arses back here!’

  Tollin gave Sam a lopsided grin. ‘Shall we?’

  Sam took his elbow, desperate to not let her disappointment at the turn of their conversation show. ‘Let’s not keep the dragon waiting!’

  Marus swivelled his chair round to look at them. ‘It took some work, if I wasn’t so clever, and, frankly, if Arkron didn’t have such a good system here, I would have said it was impossible, but I have found a way into the Myrmidon centre for you.’

  Tollin looked surprised. ‘Really? Brilliant!’

  Marus flashed one of his charming grins. ‘I know.’

  He pulled up a page on the screen in front of him. Sam saw what looked like an identity profile for someone named Captain Davies. The list of information sounded similar to Tollin.

  ‘This one is yours,’ Marus directed to his brother. ‘I’ll need to take an image of you so think of a disguise.’

  ‘Ah!’ Tollin pulled his wire rim glasses out of his pocket and put them on, squinting.

  Marus studied him for a moment, frowning. ‘Not the best you’ve come up with, but your face is still pretty unknown. I can work with that.’

  A moment later Tollin’s face was on the identity profile and he was holding a card in his hand.

  ‘Now it’s your turn,’ Marus said to Sam.

  ‘She’s the problem. We’ll have to alter everything about her if there is to be any hope of this working,’ Tollin mused. ‘Sam, can you change your accent at all?’

  Sam bit her bottom lip. ‘Well, my mates and I used to mess about. I can do a pretty good northern Scottorr accent.’

  Tollin smiled. ‘I’ll try to not be offended. Let’s hear it.’

  ‘Oh, shut up.’ Sam gave him a sample.

  Marus nodded thoughtfully. ‘Not bad!’ He pulled up her page.

  Sam read over it, and frowned. ‘Hang on, this says here I have…short…brown hair?’

  Marus shrugged. ‘You don’t have the luxury Tollin has of a forgettable face. You’ve got yours plastered on just about every news outlet on either planet, wanted as either missing or a possible murderer, so getting you into the building unnoticed is going to be tough. Mind you, I think it’s mental that you’re going any way, but I’ve given up trying to argue points like that.’

  Sam swallowed. ‘So I’ve got to cut my hair, then?’

  ‘It’s either that or stay here and have tea with me.’

  She nodded. Making a fuss about cutting her hair was, in the long run, hardly worth it. Going with Tollin to the headquarters was much more important to her. She flashed them
both a smile. ‘Right. We’d have better get to work.’

  Sam stared up at the imposing black building of the Myrmidon headquarters and swallowed hard. Marus gave them both a cocky smile before shutting the door to his vehicle and pulling back down the drive. He’d be a safe distance away, in the nearest Druid town, monitoring them. Sam couldn’t help but wish he’d decided to come with them. A dragon, even human, would have been a comfort.

  Even with the security badges Marus had mocked up, it was still proving difficult to pass through security—even opening the gates. Their identities were fairly straight forward. They were part of the Druid Environmental Conservation Agency, doing a routine check into the Tartan Timber Company. It made sense. Even if the Myrmidons were only using the logging front as a ruse, they’d still need to put up with inspections.

  Tollin looked down at her, brown eyes searching her from behind his glasses. ‘You ready for this?’ he asked softly.

  Sam took a deep breath and nodded, pushing a short strand of her now brown hair behind her ear. ‘Yeah! Yeah, I’ll…be fine.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I can do this. Promise.’

  Since it was more unique and desired than Sam herself, her ring had been disguised after a bit of ingenuity on Tollin’s part. He’d tarnished the golden band and painted the stone blue. It didn’t look that special now, just like any other piece of jewellery.

  He reached down and briefly grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘You’ll be fine, just follow my lead.’

  They strode into the building with heads held high and walked purposefully through the lobby. It was close to empty. Several people in black suits and tech devices marched about on missions, talking, listening to the overhead speakers, watching the huge monitors. No-one paid them the least bit of mind. At least until they reached the security check-in point. Tollin flashed Sam a smile and gave her what she understood to be an “I hope this works!” look.

  A man with a handheld glanced up from whatever he was working on just as they slipped through the first scanning machine without being accosted. ‘Ah, excuse me, sir, where do you think you’re going?’

  Sam watched, trying to keep her face expression-free, as Tollin swung round to face the man. He offered the dark-haired man a smile. ‘Ah! I assume you’re with security?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ the man said hesitantly. ‘And I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you a few questions. Would you mind telling me—’

  Tollin looked hard at the man. ‘I’m Captain Davies and this is my lovely assistant Miss Phillipa, we’re here with Druid Environmental Conservation, here to check on your goings on here with your timber operations. You did get the memo about us arriving today, did you not?’ He fixed the man with a hard stare over his glasses.

  ‘Uh.’ The employee flashed through several screens on his handheld, looking increasingly more nervous.

  Tollin leaned in towards Sam. ‘He didn’t get the memo,’ he tsked, disapprovingly.

  Sam clicked her tongue, but her heart was thudding. Marus had reassured them he’d be able to insert a mention into their system, but she was beginning to doubt it now, as long as it was taking to find.

  ‘Ah!’ The man exhaled, clearly relieved. ‘Here you are! Captain Davies! Here to talk to someone about production and replanting.’

  ‘Yes!’ Tollin cried happily. ‘That’s me! Brilliant!’ He grinned widely at Sam. His clear relief over the officer finding them scheduled was more than a little discomforting. ‘Isn’t that brilliant?’

  ‘Glad they actually got it right for once, sir,’ Sam said, raising her brows ever so slightly. The last thing they needed was Tollin’s glee becoming a security tipoff. She was mildly surprised they’d gotten as far as they had. It appeared Marus actually had come through after all.

  ‘We do our best to please,’ the man said in a constrained voice. ‘Now, if you’ll just follow me, sir—’

  Tollin waved his hand. ‘Oh, that won’t be necessary! I’d rather walk meself; have a little looksee, if you know what I mean. Like to get a feel for the place.’

  The man swallowed, going uncomfortable. ‘Well…of course sir. You’ll be meeting with Cassandra, she’s the last door on the left.’

  ‘Good man!’ Tollin cried.

  ‘Don’t overdo it,’ Sam warned through clenched teeth.

  Tollin spun on his heel and struck off down the hall.

  Sam glanced at the frosted glass doors as they went. Most were labelled with signs that certainly sounded like they belonged in a timber company. There were glossy pictures of forests and dull slogans that hung on the walls and equally boring offices with fake plants and uncomfortable looking chairs. She began to doubt that this place could actually be anything other than what it appeared. It certainly didn’t look like an evil cult working hard to tear a hole in the Realms.

  ‘They’ve certainly done a bang up job making this place look normal, haven’t they?’ she whispered to Tollin once no-one was in sight.

  ‘Yes,’ Tollin said, clearly impressed. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if most of these offices are only filled with cheap furniture and empty drawers. They certainly don’t have anyone working in them, all the lights are out.’ He strode up to one door and gave the handle a quick jiggle. ‘Door’s locked.’

  Sam puckered her lips. ‘Well, what then? D’you think the information we’re looking for is locked in one of these fake rooms? These people here, they have to work somewhere, right?’

  Tollin scowled and stopped for a moment in thought. Somewhere at the end of the hall there was a faint ding! His expression suddenly brightened. He broke into a quick walk and Sam was fast to follow. They stopped just in time to see a pair of doors sliding shut. Tollin cast a quick look about and then bobbed up to them.

  ‘Ah, a lift!’ His eyes sparkled. ‘Now, Samantha, what do you think the use of a lift would be in a building that’s only one floor?’

  Sam stared at the doors. ‘You think there’s a hidden floor?’

  ‘I wouldn’t be surprised. Now come on!’ He punched the button and the doors pulled open before Sam could protest. Luckily, there was no-one inside.

  Sam bit her lip as she slipped inside after him. The doors closed with a finality that made Sam’s stomach churn. ‘I’m not sure this is the best of thought-out plans.’

  Tollin nodded as he scanned the panel. Sam wasn’t entirely sure he was listening. ‘Might require a tab bit of bluffing, but I’m a fairly experienced bluffer at this point in my life. Should be able to buy us at least a few minutes We’re on the right track. Look at your finger.’

  Sam did. The ring, even through the paint, was glowing.

  ‘Shall I push the button?’ His finger hovered dramatically over the only one on the panel.

  Sam shrugged. ‘We’ve made it this far, be a shame to turn around now.’

  He flashed her a charming grin. ‘There’s a good girl!’ He stabbed the glowing button. ‘Down we go!’

  As the doors peeled open after the lift came to a stop, Sam found herself cringing, expecting armed guards to greet them. She was surprised to see a perfectly empty hallway. It was much different from the one up above. Properly sinister. Dark metal and shiny floors.

  ‘My,’ Sam said drily as they both stepped out. ‘The security in this place is overwhelming. You’d think Marus was playing it down the way he was going on about it.’

  Tollin’s lips pulled up grimly. ‘Don’t get too smug yet, Sam. They could know we’re here.’

  A Myrmidon walked by, glancing at both of them with a slight frown. Tollin nodded his head in greeting and the woman returned it, hurrying on her own path. Sam’s tight muscles loosened ever-so-slightly. Yet how long could their luck hold? How many more could they run into without causing suspicion?

  She cast a quick look to the branching passageways and put her hands on her hips. ‘Well, better hurry up, then. Which way do we take?’

  Tollin pulled a long face and rubbed a hand over his mouth. ‘Eh, let’s go straight, shal
l we?’

  They walked down the sleek hall; Sam struggled against a rising sense of triumph in her. They had made it this far with no questions. It was only a matter of finding the proper record room and securing what they needed. What had seemed such a daunting task not two hours ago now felt completely accomplishable.

  Tollin paused at another branch in the wall before glancing at her hand and picking another direction. Sam wondered uneasily to herself what logic there was to his selections. He quickened their pace.

  Up ahead, a door slid open and a tall, dark-haired woman stepped out. Immediately an inexplicable sense of unease took hold of Sam which she realised came from Tollin. She bit her lip, wondering what had set him off, but couldn’t see any signs of danger. As the woman approached, Sam felt Tollin’s unease grow worse.

  ‘Just relax,’ Tollin said quietly, through gritted teeth. Sam wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or her.

  Sam turned her attention back to the woman as casually as possible. She was thin and tall, wearing tight black like some sort of fictional super-villain. She was beautiful; yet the left side of her face was so severely scarred it took Sam several moments to decide.

  The woman’s pale grey eyes slid over to both of them and Sam moaned mentally. She saw the woman’s eyes narrow. As they reached each other, Sam caught the unmistakable flash of recognition pass over her features.

  To Sam’s surprise, it was Tollin, and not Sam that the woman made a move for. Quick as a flash, the woman lurched forward, grabbed Tollin by the shirt collar and threw him up against the wall with surprising force. ‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded in a tight hiss.

  Tollin flashed one of his incredibly charming grins. ‘Arkron! Fancy seeing you here! I thought you’d be off, you know, gallivanting with your little time travelling gang somewhere. I’m just in the market…job hunting. Figure I better stop running around everywhere and be responsible for once!’

  Arkron’s eyes turned to slits. ‘I have been here for ten years building up these peoples’ trust. If you do anything to jeopardise that, so help me I’ll turn you in myself!’