by Brinda Berry
Regulus and I sat with Arizona and Em across from us. Austin was missing. Cassie and Corona each sat at opposite ends of our table.
Where was Austin?
Corona began the meeting by placing his palms up on the table in front of him. I watched Regulus and Arizona do the same. Finally, Cassie offered her hands in the same position.
Regulus looked at me and nodded to his hands. I shook my head in a tiny ‘no’ gesture, furrowed my eyebrows, aggravated at being asked to play along.
Arizona stared at me with pleading eyes. Cassie’s mouth tightened in a grim line. Her pleasant, golden mood turned brown as dead leaves. Everyone waited for me to join the ritual.
I took one look at Em’s tired face and lay my hands, palm up on the table. I hoped it didn’t mean that I surrendered to them in any way.
“We want your help,” Corona said.
The surprise on my face must have been evident. Corona laughed and removed his hands from the table. I was relieved to put my hands in my lap.
“We also want information.” Cassie looked at Regulus, refusing to make eye contact with me or Arizona.
“First, I need to know if Austin is OK,” I said.
“He is,” Corona said. Again the smile and the light, easy manner.
So much for an explanation. I couldn’t imagine why Cassie was so uptight in contrast to Corona. I glanced over at Em’s strained little smile.
“If Carina isn’t chipped, how do they know she is here?” So, the niceties were over. I liked Corona and his straight attitude.
“Perhaps they are guessing,” Regulus said. “How are you masking Arizona and me?”
“Interference is easy,” Corona replied. “We aren’t primitive here.”
“Ah.” Regulus nodded. “Good. I know you are compromising your people by having us here.”
Corona nodded. “I think they know Mia Carina is in the Garden.” He turned to ask me the next question. “Any recent injections? Surgeries? Medications?”
I shook my head.
“Perhaps her personal belongings have been tagged,” Corona suggested.
“I don’t think…” Regulus turned at me. “You didn’t bring the cell phone with you.” He stated it, unsure of my answer.
“I lost it after I got here.” I was going to tell him that Arizona had thrown it in my bag.
“Yes. She is being monitored. I installed tracking in a weapon. The tracking was for me,” Regulus said.
I stiffened at this little tidbit. My new cell phone monitored me. Regulus needed a lesson about boundaries.
Regulus appeared to be very unhappy. He turned to me. “We can talk about it later. I knew you were in danger. I’m sorry. I should have asked you.”
Underneath the table, he placed a hand on my knee. I reached down and lightly squeezed his fingers.
Corona looked from Regulus to me. “Yes. Thank you for the explanation. This explains how the Makers know she is here.”
“Our sources tell us that Mia Carina is a portal locator. We need to get a prisoner through a portal, away from the IIA and the Makers. We need your help. If you help us, we’ll help you escape and take Mia Carina to safety.”
“Where is this prisoner?” asked Arizona.
He’d been suspiciously quiet throughout the entire exchange. Since he was usually the talker in our group, I wondered what could be going through his head.
His engagement sparked Cassie’s attention. “Magnum Opus,” she said. “The prisoner, Vega, is in Magnum Opus.”
“And why is Vega being held?” I asked.
“The Makers have secrets within Magnum Opus. They think they’ve created a perfect human. We believe she should be freed.” Cassie’s chin rose and her eyes challenged me to judge.
“This is political?” I asked Corona.
Corona looked me, sadness creeping into his face. “Mia, our entire lives here are not about politics but about living with the right to exist and be happy. To be respected as individuals.” He looked at Arizona. “She recently escaped and you returned her to the Makers.”
Arizona’s forehead creased. “The girl on the horse?”
“Yes,” Corona said.
“Arizona told Cassie that you were already going to Magnum Opus.” Corona leaned forward making eye contact with Regulus. “We have a way to enter but your way may be easier."
“I don’t know that I have access. I intended to intercept someone on his way there,” Regulus answered.
“Who is this someone?” Corona asked.
“He is called Eli Bleeker. He’s wanted by the IIA,” Regulus said. “And I think he was headed to Magnum Opus.”
“We’ve seen the warning call and know of Eli,” Cassie said.
Cassie was really quite pretty when she wasn’t scowling. Her short, blue-black hair stuck up at odd angles over her head. A blue metal sword stuck through the cartilage of her upper ear. She looked dangerous and powerful. I hoped she didn’t discover that Em had dated Arizona. It would put that ugly look right back on her face.
“We can help you find Eli and you will help us take Vega to safety,” Corona said.
“We have more to lose. What do you risk? Nothing.” A muscle ticked in Regulus’s jaw.
“We’ll send Cassie with you.” Corona leaned in and put his palms face up on the table again. “You know it’s the only way you will make it out. We know the coordinates within Magnum Opus. The portal location inside the complex changes.”
I couldn’t wait to ask questions about that place.
“When we leave you, we’ll be tracked.” Regulus stared at the wall over Em’s head. For the first time, I noticed the appearance of a projected map.
“You won’t be tracked while underground with us. We can get you to the entrance,” Corona said. “If you agree, let us discuss logistics and plan. You and I.”
“I am in agreement,” Regulus said.
“Wait. I need to know why Austin isn’t sitting here with us,” I said.
“He is uncooperative and volatile.” Cassie gave a delighted grin. “I like him.”
“He’s fine.” Em punctuated her words with a sigh. “He tried to break out too many times, so they’ve cuffed him.”
It surprised me when Regulus laughed.
“I can talk with him if you want him to stop.” Regulus said when he’d stopped laughing. “He’s an asset to us. We don’t want him to trouble you.”
“He cannot escape. We are worried about damage he may inflict upon himself,” Corona said.
“Don’t underestimate him,” Regulus said.
“I’d like to talk with Em. We’re not planning an escape or anything.” When my request was met with silence, I added, “Please.”
Corona nodded. “Later today. Cassie and I will meet with Regulus.” He ignored Arizona’s raised eyebrows.
“I should be there,” Arizona said.
“You and Cassie argue too much.” Corona scratched his chin in a thoughtful fashion.
“I should be there.” Arizona wasn’t backing down. He was also staring at Regulus for confirmation.
“He’s right,” Regulus said. “We need his creativity and impulsive nature.”
I thought I saw Arizona cringe.
“I want to be there, too.” The words galloped out of my mouth before I could corral them.
Heads turned to me. Cassie had a smile on her face. She hadn’t seemed this happy since we’d arrived.
“I say she attends.” Cassie looked from Corona to me and back.
“And I want Em and Austin there. If we are helping with this, we should all be there,” I said.
Corona didn’t answer immediately. We sat in silence and he appeared to think about my request.
“Yes.” Corona stood and Cassie got to her feet as well.
“Cassie, please make certain that Mia Carina is allowed to meet with Emily in private. Take them to the bathing rooms where they may clean up,” Corona said. “Regulus and Arizona will help with supplies. They need
the exercise.”
“I request that Austin be allowed to help. Physical activity will help tire him,” Regulus said.
Corona nodded and led the way out with Regulus and Arizona following.
Em and I followed Cassie in a different direction. After a lengthy walk, we ended at a large pocket door. Cassie opened it and said, “You don’t require a guard here. There’s only one way in and one out. I’ll be here when you finish.” She made a motion with her hand to usher us inside.
“This is worse than the girl’s locker room at school.” I nosed through a stack of towels and toiletries in shelves lining one wall. “I’m showering after we talk.” I sat on a bench. “Tell me how you got here.”
“Tiny. He told us where to go. I don’t know how he figured it out, but he said that he discovered the location while using Arizona’s computer. Em paced like she was too nervous to sit.
“How did Tiny know we’d gone anywhere?”
“Austin and Tiny were with me when we got to your house and you were gone. We came because of your, well, your…”
“Say it, Em.”
“Your mother. We wanted to be moral support.”
I took a deep gulp of air. “I’m fine, Em. More than fine.”
“Then, Tiny said he knew how to track you. And he did. He told us where to go and the rest was sort of blind luck.”
I grimaced. “You call this lucky?”
“So, Tiny stayed behind to run interference with our parents in case we were gone longer than we thought. I actually thought you might be running away from home. I wasn’t going to let you do it without talking to me and Austin.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not running away. We were going after Regulus who was going after Bleeker. Alone. Without having to worry about you.” My voice had risen and Em looked like she was torn between crying and decking me.
“I’m your best friend, and I am here to do what I have to do to keep you sane. Are you listening? You cannot push me away when times get tough. I’m here for you. Too bad if you don’t like it.” She’d balled her hands into fists.
I loved her fierce friendship.
“Calm down. No wonder you and Austin were fighting if you’ve been this tense. What was that about?”
“We were fighting about Arizona.”
20
Pete
Pete flicked his wrist skyward to examine the GPS readout on his military watch. He had permission to travel across dimensions, but it was not like Commander Evans had handed him a Rand McNally map. Checking the readout qualified as the mother-of-stupid things to do while in another dimension. His watch hadn’t worked since he’d arrived.
Even a pencil drawing on a sticky note would be preferable to the verbal directions he’d been given. He had a few choice words he’d like to give the commander on his return.
Words he would probably keep to himself.
He waited at the entrance of the Godzilla-sized building exactly as he’d been instructed. The Vault. The jagged lines reminded him of a Jenga tower created by one drunk architect. What a pretentious name. Perfectly matching the small army of pretentious looking fellas who met him at the door.
“Peter Antares Taylor.” A man eyed Pete like he’d study gum on the bottom of his shoe.
“I am.” He answered as if it were a question instead of a statement.
“Follow me.”
Pete glanced at the group escorting him. If he had doubted Mia’s whereabouts before this moment, he didn’t now. He hoped the IIA would listen to reason and negate a call for reinforcements.
He glanced at the cascading water walls as they walked to a sort of transport system. A tube, half tram and half Disney roller coaster, waited at the end of their walk. The group’s leader pointed at a seat near the front.
A nice and comfortable ride, but one imprisoned seat with a safety bar. He’d rather walk, but he didn’t know how far they were going. When the transport engaged, he blinked hard at the force. They were definitely going more than a couple of yards. He couldn’t even see what they passed in the minutes from entry to stopping.
Adrenaline coursed through him like an electric charge. He imagined the worst. He took deep breaths and cleared his mind.
The IIA wouldn’t kill her. At worst, they’d taken her to prove a point. Which was really stupid for interdimensional relations.
He exited the transport and walked at an equal pace with his escorts. At first glance, they’d looked alike. Now he saw the differences, slight differences.
The odd thing was the male escorts’ similarity in physical build and height. He’d file that away for later.
They approached a doorway with a dim glow of lights around it. Maybe it was a sort of sensor or X-ray device.
“Welcome Peter Antares Taylor.” A female smiled at him. Her black glossy hair fell in a curtain around her shoulders and softened her. “I am called Tiania.
He walked forward. “Thank you for agreeing to speak with me.”
“Sit.”
He sat across from her in the chair she’d indicated. The escorts moved from the room. One stayed inside the door and he knew the others were outside. Waiting.
Bravery and stupidity were two different things. Or maybe they were closer than he thought because her friendly smile mocked him.
“I’ll get right to the reason for my visit,” he said.
“Yes, do. This is highly unusual.”
“My sister—”
“Mia Carina Taylor.” She inserted the name crisply. As if she thought he’d need to be sure they were talking about the correct person.
“Yes.” He controlled his emotions. Maybe she could read him. He wasn’t able to read her, and it made him want to move closer.
A non-read on someone spelled trouble for him. The tension in his shoulder blades made a slow crawl up his neck.
“What can we help you with?” She folded both hands in her lap.
Pete looked at the man guarding the door and back to her. “I believe that you may know the whereabouts of my sister. If she is here,” he said, “by mistake, I’d like to take her home.”
The woman didn’t answer.
He really wanted to take that overly helpful smile off her face. “If you’ll let me leave with her, there’ll be no harm done.”
“There’s some misunderstanding. Mia Carina Taylor is not in the Vault.”
Would she stop with the whole name thing? It had to be an evasive answer. He knew in his gut that she was here. The fact that he’d been unable to locate Regulus and Arizona solidified his hunch.
“Do you have her location?” A direct question. Yes or no. He watched her reaction closely. She sat in the chair opposite him, three feet away and angled.
She crossed her legs and leaned forward. Her skirt, already several inches above the knee, rose two more inches north.
Oh yeah. The IIA put her in charge of this meeting on purpose. They were thinking his hormones would distract him, override his judgment.
And on some days, it would. But not now. She could be naked. Because he had superhuman self-control today. He didn’t plan to lose Mia to these people.
“It is possible that we had a location.” She uncrossed her legs. Again. Did the IIA believe his mind ran on one track? Yet, he had noticed. “And now?” He stared into her eyes, a robin’s egg blue. Unusual. Had her eyes been that color when he’d entered? He couldn’t remember.
“Her location is unknown,” she said.
“But you had a possible location. Why possible?”
“The monitors detected someone without digital ID in the city. Our cameras confirmed that it was your sister. She accompanied two of our Enforcers. Enforcers here…unexpectedly. Your trip is wasted.”
“How so?”
“Our agents had traveled into the city center when the location was lost.”
“Lost?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t your agents have implanted chips?”
She sighed as if the interview
had become boring. “Yes.”
“How did you lose your agents?”
“It happens.”
He resisted raising an eyebrow and calling her a body snatching liar. “When it happens, does the tracker appear again?”
“Of course.”
“You won’t mind if I wait until your agents are located again?”
“How long are you willing to wait?”
“As long as it takes.”
She smiled, the light reflecting on her perfect teeth. “We are happy to host you. We’ll assign living quarters to make your stay comfortable while you wait.”
The phrase ‘living quarters’ slithered along his skin. He returned her smile, pushing past the warning of danger ahead. He didn’t trust himself to do more than nod.
Pete stared at her eyes again. Blue eyes that had been brown when he’d entered the room. He was certain. He always noticed a woman’s eyes.
“Follow me.” She rose from the chair.
In the hallway, they returned to the transport. He’d figured out that the circular system allowed passengers to enter at the nearest point and be taken up, down, or to the opposite side of the Vault. The black glass sides of the transport gave him the uncanny feeling of being monitored.
A minute later, they stood in front of a doorway that he presumed to be his quarters.
“Am I authorized to leave my quarters?” He needed to know what they expected and even more important, what they wouldn’t expect.
“You are not a prisoner here.”
“Good. I’d like to know the parameters of my stay. Are there authorized areas for me?”
“Of course. I will accompany you to ensure you have a pleasant stay.” She nodded at a man who’d shadowed them on the transport and stood a discreet ten feet in the background. “For your safety, Lan will be available outside your quarters. Inside your quarters, you will see a panel at the door that will allow you to communicate with me whenever necessary.”
So much for saying he wasn’t a prisoner.
“Thank you.” He turned to the door which conveniently dissipated. Inside the room, he glanced around at the sparse setup. Worse than a guy’s bachelor pad, the room had a bed, a small, separate bathroom, and a chair.