“Oh, did she also train?”
“What, Azara? No way. She’s regal and doesn’t much like getting her hands dirty. Don’t get me wrong-she’s as smart as they come. She’s great with negotiating peace treaties. But toughness and her don’t exactly go together. Her dad is the General there.”
“You two look so happy,” her words were meant to sound supportive, but saying them made her sad. Sitting on the edge of the bed she asked, “Were you happy in training?”
“Happy? Sometimes. I found freedom in learning. They ran things a lot different than they do at this facility.”
“Oh?” Lena said.
“It’s a very strict school. At first, everyone fought to be the best, to be the leader. By the time we all graduated, we knew how to blend everyone’s strengths for optimal performance in all situations.” Gideon paused and smiled. “Sorry, I’m blabbing.”
“No really, I love to hear about it. I always wondered how you were. Tell me more.”
Shrugging he continued. “The school was interesting. Students of all planets converged in one location. We learned all of the planets’ military and governing systems, how to make the systems on our own planets run as best as possible.”
“Our planet is interesting, in that science made it,” Gideon said. “The founders, a group of scientist, took what they thought was the best of all planets and literally built this one. They placed it in the universe for optimal use between all other planets.”
Lena nodded, remembering her own lessons about the founding of the planet.
“The founders didn’t anticipate the jealousy that sprouted from our neighboring planets. They despised the ‘Perfect Planet’ of Mir. Fueled by ill-conceived information, many planets intended to destroy Mir. So early on in Mir’s history, treaties were formed, Mir promising not to encroach on them and vice versa.”
Lena hadn’t heard this about the other planets, and she hungered to hear more. “And the Priestess sent you there?” he stiffened at the question but continued.
“Yes. The treaties are due to expire next year. The Priestess knows this and is setting herself up to be in a position of even greater power.”
“She’s using you?” Lena asked.
“She uses everyone,” Gideon stated.
A chime sounded at Gideon’s door. He looked toward Lena with wide eyes. “Hide!” he said. Putting the ring on his finger, he looked towards the door.
“What, now you don’t want people to know you have a mistress?” Her words caused a sarcastic glare from Gideon. As she stood from the bed, the corner of her arm caught the photo. Falling to the ground it shattered. Lena grabbed the frame and most of the shattered glass from the floor. Gideon grabbed her, shoving her in the bathroom. He signaled Lena to stay put and to stay quiet.
“Captain, your attention is needed in Control,” Ameena’s voice hailed. Lena heard the door slide closed, then everything went silent.
Lena lowered her eyes to the broken mess in her hands. The corner of a hidden photo peeked from behind the glass. Clearing the glass away from the frame, she carefully pulled it out.
It was her young face that shined from its worn and cracked surface. Gideon stood by her side. The Everleighan lake glistened in the background. They both looked so carefree and so happy. The thought that Gideon carried it with him to training, and had kept it all those years, left a twang in Lena’s heart. She wondered how long it took him to replace it with the striking beauty of Azara. Suddenly, she didn’t want to give the photo back. Gideon filled so much of her memories, and looking at the photo, Lena wanted more than just her memories of him. She wanted something tangible she could take with her, to wherever she ended up. Without another thought, she slipped it into her jacket pocket. The clock showed that the time for class drew near. As Lena slipped from the room, a voice sounded from the facility’s speakers.
“Attention Recruits. There has been a change to your schedules. Please report to your assigned areas.”
Holograms sprang to life on the wall. Lena found her name. She’d been assigned to the Control room. “What is going on?” she whispered to herself.
***
“What am I suppose to do with this!” the distinct voice of Lucius yelled through the servant’s hall.
Lena jerked to a stop. What was Lucius doing in these halls?
“It’s all I could find,” Turly answered, unable to hide the shakiness in his voice. “She’s wearing it, this is just the symbol I drew on paper.”
Lena crept towards the voices, the curves of the hall keeping her just out of view.
“This is worthless. How is this supposed to help me out?”
“It’s the symbol of the Angel and the Warrior,” Turly whispered.
Lena grabbed her necklace, pulling it from under her shirt. She stared at the image then clasped it tightly in her hand.
“This is a symbol of nothing!” Lucius screamed back.
“No, sir,” Turly’s voice shuddered, “The Angel and the Warrior. There was an old lady looking for the girl who wore this symbol. She promised my mom money if we could find her. The medallion is the same one that Lena wears. I swear it.”
“If you don’t start making sense soon, I’m going to kill you and your whole family.”
“Okay. Just listen. I’m from a town called Monmark. It’s in the valley next to the Citadel of Everleigh. After the attack, lots of survivors of Everleigh came to Monmark,” Turly rambled. “A few days after the attack on Everleigh, my mom came home rambling about the Angel and the Warrior. She hadn’t eaten in a while and was already pretty sick…”
“I don’t care about your poor little mom, so get on with it or else…,”
“She said to watch for the girl bearing this symbol, that a reward was promised to anyone who could find this girl. Lena is wearing this symbol.”
“Was Lena in the attack on Everleigh?” Lucius questioned, more to himself than to Turly.
“I don’t know sir, but my mom thought if we could find her, we’d be given food.”
“Why would anyone offer a reward for Lena?” Lucius replied.
“I don’t know, Sir. My family, Sir, you promised.”
But Lucius had already exited the corridor. Lena breathed again. Lucius hadn’t pieced it together. Not yet, but she knew it wouldn’t be long.
Chapter Thirty-One
Commotion bounced around the Control room as Lena arrived. The Captain stood across the room, Wetsel by his side. Lena stopped just inside the doorway, wondering where she needed to be.
“You’re late Recruit,” Wetsel said with a sneer.
“I had an unexpected delay,” Lena answered. Her eyes flicked to Gideon’s. She needed to tell him what she’d heard.
“Captain, if she can’t be courteous enough to be on time, she shouldn’t be here at all.”
“This is your assignment, Wetsel, so I will let you decide. However, you must hold the whole class to the same standard.” As he said it, Lucius walked through the door.
Wetsel cleared his throat. “Find a seat, Recruit.” Lena hid a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, Captain, it seems one of our real recruits has a question.”
Wetsel walked to Lucius and the two of them exited into the hallway. With a glance of an eye and the small raise of a finger, Gideon beckoned Lena over to him. He still wore the ring.
“Captain,” Lena said. “What’s happening?” The commotion of the room faded as recruits strained to hear her and the Captain’s conversation.
“Recruit Lena,” Gideon said. “An explosion occurred at an electronic storage facility this morning, killing or injuring everyone inside.” Her stomach jumped at his words. “We’ve invited the recruits to watch the security footage of the day, to isolate any information leading up to the explosion that might be of use. We will then send it to our defense specialists to analyze.” He paused and scanned her face. Lines of concern formed around his eyes. “You’re worried about something?”
“Yes, Captain,” she
replied. She looked around the room. It was nearly silent now. Nervous glances flickered between the recruits, and Lena and the Captain. “I’ll just find a seat,” Lena said. She hoped Gideon knew they needed to talk privately. Searching for an open seat, she recognized that most of the faces there belonged in Leadership Training, Birdee among them.
The room started buzzing again with activity. Walking through the holograms, she saw everyone looking over the same four rooms of footage. Sitting next to Birdee, she turned to her own copy of the explosion.
“Are you okay?” Birdee asked. “You’re pale.”
“I’ll tell you later. Care to fill me in on what we have?” Lena whispered to Birdee over the hum of the room.
“Don’ know much yet,” Birdee responded. “Looks like just another morning at work, then boom.”
Lena played the footage for each room, speeding up the morning to get through it all faster. Birdee spoke correctly. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance. But then again, if you are the person attacking a Defense Storage facility, you’d make sure not to stand out.
The hours crept by slowly. They paused for lunch, then again for dinner as night came, the footage blurring into an endless droning of sameness. Lena shook her sore arm. It still throbbed. Leaning back in a stretch, she glanced at the images on Birdee’s screen.
“Birdee, pause your screen,” Lena whispered, sliding her chair next to Birdee’s. A mix between panic and excitement filled her chest. “Can you rewind it?”
Flicking her dark curls over her shoulder, she gave Lena a quizzical look. “You got it,” Birdee said, stopping the recording.
“What footage are you looking at? This isn’t the same as mine,” Lena said.
“It’s the same footage, I’m just watching it in slow motion,” Birdee explained.
“This person,” Lena whispered, pointing to a man on the corner of the hologram. “Do you know who he is?” Lena’s heart began to race. The guy on the screen bore the same marks as the man in Thora’s footage. His scarred face left an impression so deep that she doubted she’d ever forget it. Red spider-like bumps and deep white scars encompassed his left side.
“This is the only place I see ‘im in my footage. I haven’t figured what he’s doin’ yet. He only appears in two or three frames, which is probably why you missed him. But look here,” she rewound the footage even farther. “This is a secure room, No one is comin’ or going without some serious entry codes that are all recorded. Mystery Man, I can’t seem to find his entry recorded anywhere and it seems he’s purposely eluding the cameras.”
“I would too if I were planting a bomb,” Lena replied. “If he doesn’t have an entry code, then it’s safe to think he wasn’t working alone.”
“That’s the theory I’ve been working with,” Birdee responded. “I’ve mapped everyone and their movement throughout the center, and I’m absolutely certain these two people were not in the building at the time of the explosion,” Birdee pointed to a woman and a man. “ I bet we could add mystery man as a third.”
“That’s brilliant Birdee!” Rewinding the footage, Lena watched the scene again. “Do you know who they are?” Lena questioned.
“I can find out. Captain?” Birdee shouted before Lena could stop her.
Gideon walked up behind them, a scent of fresh soap drifted from his uniform.
“Can you tell us the identity of these three soldiers?”
The captain held a hologram screen in his hand. He pulled up personnel files.
“That is Soldier Remiah,” he read, pointing to the boy, “and the girl is Soldier Dessa. Both have been at their posts for only a few months. As for the third, he is not in the personnel files.”
“I recognize the two of the names from my assignment,” Lena spoke. “Both of their parents had connections to the Resistance under General Adhara.”
Birdee proceeded to fill Gideon in on her find, pointing out Mystery Man and his supposed associations and disappearance.
Gideon grabbed his com device and relayed the information to someone unseen. “Good work Recruit,” he nodded at Birdee. “The Priestess was right in recruiting you.”
Lena scrutinized the image of the mystery man. Biting her lower lip, her mind raced with possible ways of finding him.
“Lena, what else do you know?” Gideon crossed his arms and watched her shift uncomfortably under his gaze.
Lena forced herself to look at him. “Birdee filled you in on all our discoveries Captain,” Lena answered. Her heart raced and she felt every beat in her wounded arm.
Gideon eyed her with a look of disbelief. After a moment of hesitation, he turned and walked away. Lena turned towards Birdee and whispered. “We need to find him. I think he’ll have the answers I’m looking for.”
***
The big find from Lena and Birdee caused the group to be released for the night. Walking away from the control room, Lena felt relief.
“Birdee, Lena, wait up,” Jonah’s voice sang through the halls as Lena and Birdee walked to their room.
“Don’t you ever sleep?” Lena teased.
“Or do ya spend all yur waking hours waitin’ for Lena to appear,” Birdee smiled and elbowed him in the ribs.
“I think the Captain purposely keeps us apart,” he said, grabbing Lena’s hand as they walked. “He had me monitoring airship movements and satellite imagery to see if we I could find anything useful about today’s attack. Just got released for the night.”
“Did you find anything?” Lena questioned.
“Nothing really. I mean, whoever is responsible had a pretty clean plan. They knew all the resources the Defenses had, and as far as I can tell, they covered all their bases.”
“Ya, but whoever did this had to have gotten in and out of the facility somehow. And if it doesn’t show on satellite imagery, then how else would they escape?”
“Easy enough. They jus’ have to pretend to be something else. Camouflage themselves somehow,” Birdee answered.
“Let’s go back,” Lena requested. She pulled both their arms to stop them. “Let’s go back and figure out where they’ve gone.”
“Lena, I’m sure they have professionals working on it. We don’t need to be doing more work.” Jonah responded. His eyes looked tired and Lena heard his stomach growl in protest.
“Tell you what, Jonah,” she tried to make her words light and fresh, “I’ll sneak us some food if you’ll help me.” The talk of food lit his face up and some of the tiredness vanished.
“Deal.”
“Yup, you can always reason with a boy through his stomach,” said Birdee laughing.
Not long after, they sat in an abandoned satellite room. A plate of various crackers, cheeses, sodas and mini sausages sat between them. Jonah sat at a large flat circular desk and pulled up the satellite file. A miniature 3D image of the compound sprang to life on the flat top. One main building stood in the center with various smaller security towers.
Birdee told Jonah of the three missing people, then Lena filled Jonah and Birdee in on Thora’s video footage.
“So that’s who you want to run to?” Jonah questioned. “To some rogue member of a terrorist group?” he said, his voice full of doubt.
“I didn’t say I’d run to them. But if we find them, maybe we can find Thora,” Lena retorted. Lena studied Jonah. He still didn’t know why Lena wanted to find Thora. He didn’t know who she was. He didn’t know the Priestess was looking for her. She wanted to tell him, but she didn’t dare. “Gideon is sending me away, Jonah. If I don’t act now, I’ll never be able to.”
“Well, maybe Gideon has the right idea. I don’t want you running to these people,” Jonah retorted. “When I told you to run, my idea was to get you away from danger. Not closer to it.”
Lena’s jaw clenched listening to Jonah’s statement. She leaned towards him. “Jonah, this is my choice, not yours or Gideon’s. You can help me, or you can get out of my way,” Lena demanded.
Jonah sat back
in his chair, looking at Lena with an amused expression. “You are so endearing when you’re determined,” Jonah replied. Turning back to the hologram, he enlarged the image. “So the explosion took place here,” Jonah said, pointing to the northwest corner of the building. Lena felt relief. She didn’t want to do this without Jonah. Jonah continued, “The satellite imagery shows everything that was happening outside the buildings.”
“Can we watch what happened?” Birdee remarked.
Jonah started a fast forward version of the morning. Birdee’s eyes moved over the imagery, sucking in every detail. As the explosion happened, the whole compound seemed engulfed in a fire so bright, Lena needed to look away.
“What do you think, Birdee?” Jonah questioned.
Brushing Jonah aside, Birdee took control of the imagery. Once again she slowed it down.
“We know three people are missing. So where are they? How did they leave? They obviously didn’t leave above ground or we’d see it. This is a tight, secure facility, so where did they exit? What exactly did they destroy or was it a decoy for something else?”
They watched the explosion, over and over again, each trying not to flinch in reaction to the blinding light. Still they saw nothing. They coordinated the times of Lena and Birdee’s footage to Jonah’s satellite images. Even Birdee, with her hawk-like vision, found nothing out of the ordinary.
Extending across the table, Lena reached for their snacks. Knocking the controls with her hip Lena found herself in the middle of a 3D explosion. The blinding light caused her to tumble, stomach first on top of the table. The flames went through her like a ghost. Jonah started laughing, Birdee joined in. Soon the three of them laughed together. It felt good to laugh with friends. Lena twisted so she sat on the hologram table, her feet hanging off as the flames died around her.
In the middle of the table, a small break in the fire was visible. “Birdee, look here,” Lena said. Pulling her legs under her, she reached for the controls and rewound the footage. “I think I found them. We just couldn’t see it from where we were sitting.”
The Angel and the Warrior (The Mir Chronicles Book 1) Page 18