by Brad Carr
Enzo and his guards began to mock and tease Kansas with laughter. “You have no authority to promise such a thing. What do you really want? And don’t be vague about it.”
“I need my army to secretly reside in your real estate locations to keep ourselves hidden until the time comes.”
“I could easily turn you in right now and squash your rebellion, or just kill you.”
“That would be a mistake. This will happen with or without you. With or without your permission, I will be using your buildings for my uses.”
“You will not make it out of this room you arrogant mother fucker! Boys, cut him down!”
“Suit yourself,” Kansas remarked, giving a gestured signal by raising two fingers.
Blood exploded from silent laser shots to the guards in the room. Taking them by surprise, they couldn’t even reach for their guns in time. Plopping dead onto the floor, pools of crimson goo slowly expanded against the tiles; filling in the grout with blood filled grids.
Mysteriously, the assailants were invisible. Clear bodies lined up next to Kansas. Their outlines, were difficult to view unless a keen eye observed them. Two of Sparks’ soldiers reappeared in white uniforms made of a stretchy material. They removed their hooded masks to reveal their faces. One of these cloaked killers, was Scarla.
“Cloaking is a great invention wouldn't you agree Enzo?”
Surprised and now worried, Enzo asked, “Cloaks?”
“Yeah, it is an invention of the ancient civilization. Only five are known to exist, you should be honored to witness these wonderful instruments of stealth.”
“Wait, maybe I was too hasty! Look, we can still work out a deal?”
“Oh I am truly sorry Mister Albert. That time has passed. A portion of my troops are now making sure your staff cannot be witnesses to the authorities. In other words, they are now as good as dead because you refused me.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“I don’t trust you Enzo.” Looking over to Scarla, he said, “Make sure his wife and son are dead. No need to have another enemy to grow up and seek revenge.”
“Yes, Mr. Sparks,” she confirmed, but hesitantly.
“No! Please! I’ll do whatever you want!” Enzo pleaded.
“Scarla, my sword?”
“Yessir,” Scarla obeyed, handing him a polished katana with a blue hilt.
Stalking closer to Enzo, the sword glimmered off the lights in the room. Enzo fell to his knees and began to grovel at Kansas’ feet. With one down stroke, Enzo’s head rolled to the floor a meter away from his body. The decapitated head blinked his eyes twice, twitching his lips. After a few seconds, the blank unmoving expression of death remained.
Kansas removed a cloth from his pocket. Wiping his blade, he called to Scarla,“One more thing. Send word to the rest of the troops to arrive at this building for sanctuary.”
“But sir we only have five cloak suits. How do we sneak them into the city?”
“Raid all of Enzo’s properties for clothing or money. Purchase more attire if needed. They’ll need to look like the locals. Bring in the weapons. Small shipments at a time, we don’t want to raise awareness of Enzo’s demise. Assign Jack to that task. You still have to find that tunnel. Before you leave, bring in Adrian LeFleur. We need his assistance to help run Enzo’s businesses until the time is right. We’ll need a puppet, and he’ll be ours. Release his carriage driver as a sign of good faith.”
“Don’t you think he’ll turn against us?”
“No, he knows better now. We easily killed his boss. Remind him that our soldiers are hidden all across the district. Plus, Adrian will be next in the line of succession once we kill Enzo’s family.”
***
Electric fences surrounded the Albert Mansion. Two gunmen stood near the interior of the gate. Enzo Albert wasn’t going to come home tonight, but his family and employees didn’t have that information yet. Scarla, along with another assassin named Freddie, waited behind a row of snow covered bushes. Beams of moonlight reflected off of their suits of invisibility ever so slightly. Although seeing them was difficult, it wasn’t impossible. A minor glint outlined their bodies when sections of light beams didn't rotate around the curves of human shape. But Enzo’s guards wouldn’t be looking for such a thing, it wasn’t common knowledge that cloaked suits exist.
The mansion was exquisite. Two stories high, its square area covered enough land to house twenty families. Ivory colored pillars lined up the hexastyle portico. Whitened walls were constructed from brick. Tall bulletproof glass windows reached both floors. Golden chandeliers lit up the foyer area and could be viewed from the outside.
Scarla picked up a rock, hurling it to the fence. Buzzing when it struck, it alerted the two guards. Pulling their weapons from their holsters, one of the guards walked toward the sound to investigate. Switching off the gate door electricity, he stepped outside the fence. The stone that caused the distraction created a disturbed hole in the otherwise unmolested snow drift.
“Someone threw that! Roger! I’m coming back in, defensive positions! Someone is here!” The guard exclaimed, while sprinting back to his post and switching the electricity back on.
But what the two gunmen didn’t realize, was that Scarla and Freddie snuck inside the gate already. Pointing their guns in the direction of the interior, the gunmen were taken by surprise. Scarla and Freddie creeped behind them, twisting their heads, and breaking the vertebrae of their neck.
Hiding the bodies inside the guard pavilion, the assassins walked openly up an asphalt driveway without the fear of being noticed. Removing Enzo’s eye from a plastic baggie in her breast pocket, she displayed it to the security panel of the front door. The steel door unlocked.
Stepping onto the foyer stairs, they investigated most of the twenty rooms until they found Enzo’s wife sleeping. Her brunette hair swept over her face. The wife’s hands looked soft against the pillow, like expensive silk. Removing their hoods, the suits reappeared. Slumbering deeply, she slept on her side without the notion of intruders in her home.
Scarla felt her stomach ache. Regret entered her mind. She wished to be anywhere else but here. Killing soldiers or criminals could be justified to her conscience, but not this. “An innocent woman and a child, what am I thinking? This isn’t right!” Freddie stood over Enzo’s wife, he was about to plunge his knife into her skull. Whack! Scarla struck him in the back of the head with an iron rod she picked up near the crackling fireplace.
Enzo’s wife immediately woke to see Freddie drop to the floor. Screaming, she staggered to escape the bed. Scarla plunged forward. Grabbing the wife, she firmly placed her hand over mouth.
Scarla yelled at a whisper volume, “I’m not going to hurt you! Calm down. I am here to save you. If I let go, will you lower your voice?”
The woman trembled with fear, but hesitantly nodded her head in agreement. “What’s going on?” She asked in a hushed tone.
“I don’t have time to explain. You and your son are in danger.”
“Damn it, I told Enzo he was putting us in danger.”
“What is your name?” Scarla asked attempting to create a sense of ease by conversation.
“It’s Lisa.”
“Lisa, there are people who want you dead. What is your son’s name?”
“It’s Pierre.”
“Lisa, I need you to gather Pierre and come with me. I have a place to take you for safety. Do you have a carriage?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“There is a stable in the back. The hybrids aren’t feral, they are quite tame.”
“Good, that helps out tremendously. Meet me at your carriage, I will drive you to a safe place.”
“Wait! Where is Enzo?”
Thinking of a quick fib, Scarla replied, “He’s in hiding with his men. But they couldn’t get to you in time. That’s what I was sent for. To protect you.”
***
“Kansas.”
“Wha
t is it Freddie? I am busy,” Kansas replied, not bothering to look up.
“It’s about Scarla.”
Hearing the worry in Freddie’s voice, Kansas stood up from Enzo’s desk chair. Freddie was gripping the back of his head. Dried coagulated blood cracked around his fingers. “What happened to you?”
“Scarla did this. She took off with Enzo’s wife and son.”
***
In the basement of The Respite, barrels and containers were stacked containing pure spiker. Scarla attempted to push open a sliver of space behind the heavy steel cabinet. Lisa assisted her, grunting to slide it away from the wall. Pierre gazed at the barrels. He was nearly seven years old, dark complexion, brown wavy hair, and slightly overweight near his stomach. In their haste, he still wore two piece red pajamas, with brown boots.
“Is this sugar?” he asked innocently. Scarla and Lisa continued their struggle to move the cabinet without answering the boy. “Miss Scarla? Is this sugar?”
“No! Please don’t eat that or go anywhere near it Pierre. It is poison, okay?”
“Why would someone keep poison in a basement? Is it those big rats?”
Lisa and Scarla didn’t answer the boy again. Scarla let out a sigh of relief once the cabinet was moved out far enough to fit their bodies behind. She gripped and pulled a metal handle on the wooden basement wall. The door slid between the frame, revealing a cave opening.
“This is it. Now, let’s get going.”
“In there? It’s dark and creepy,” Pierre said.
“Take Pierre with you. I will stay behind,” Lisa suggested.
“What? Why?”
“If we split up, they will have a hard time tracking us.”
“I don’t know the first thing about taking care of children Lisa.”
“Momma, no, come with me,” Pierre interrupted, beginning to weep.
Kneeling down to Pierre’s height, she embraced him. “Pierre, I will meet you at the Tyra District. You’ll be safer with Scarla. It’ll be like a vacation. We’ll do some fun things when we meet up there.” Releasing the boy she asked, “Pierre, could you grab some canned food and bottled water on the shelves over there? It may take you many days to make it to the Tyra District.”
“Yes Mama,” he reluctantly obeyed.
While the boy wondered off, Lisa turned to Scarla and said, “I will hide the carriage. It is best they don’t know where you are. Whomever is chasing us, will probably be spying the trains to the other districts. I may distract them, assuming they think we are all together.”
“Lisa, if they catch you, they’ll kill you. Take my cloaking suit.”
Scarla undressed out of the cloaking suit, revealing her clothes underneath. She quickly instructed Lisa on how to use the invisibility option.
“I will be as careful as possible. Thank you Scarla. I will send word to Enzo once I arrive. I have enough credits to bribe my way to the Tyra District if need be. If I don’t make it, please make sure my boy is raised by good people.”
Lisa’s eyes became glassy, almost shedding tears. Scarla knew Lisa’s plan wasn’t bad, but it may backfire. However she agreed, “Okay, I will take of the boy.”
Lisa hugged Scarla, whispering to her, “Thank you. I will find a way to push this cabinet back over the entrance when you leave to slow them down. Good luck to you.”
“You too.”
Chapter 15
Fixed in the starry skies of the early morning, the full moon remained visible. Recruits stood in the frigid temperatures, shivering as AG Vol was about to give them instructions for their final months of training. All of the teams huddled close in their collective groups, to compress body heat.
Angus’ body squirmed from the icy pangs, caused by the harsh gusts of inhospitable wind. Although his torso was minimally warmed by his long fur coat, his hands, although gloved, ached with a stiff grinding motion. Reeves stood next to Angus’ right side. To his left, Neda appeared irritable and frustrated.
Facing them, a small basic stage was placed. It was clearly limited to one or two people to stand on. Constructed with a few metal barrels and wooden planks, torches lit an orange tint near the corners. A single speaker cabinet was positioned next to the stage on a rack.
Brakion arrived, saddled on his war pig, Bantam. He stepped off and climbed onto the stage so the recruits could see him. The weather didn’t seem to bother AG Vol. Wearing a light coat made of brown rabbit fur, the ends reached just below his waist. Without a head covering, his long white hair swirled and flowed at the angles of the wind directions. Loft handed him a wired microphone.
“Cadets, soon you will be given the title of Cap Explorers. I congratulate your success so far. But your training is not over. First you must prove that you can survive new territories. Our veteran explorers have set up beacons in the forest, or as some of you prefer to call it, the jungle. The map locations have been downloaded into your neural links. Each team will be spending the remainder of training time at the locations of these beacons.” Brakion paused to look at the audience of recruits, then continued his speech. “You will be instrumental in forming these beacons into a future outpost. Even this outpost, now the Tyra District, was once a series of miniature plots of land. Later, it formed together to become something great. This will not be an easy task. These unexplored territories are full of danger. All of the creatures you learned about during the training thus far, are out there, with more to be discovered. Your job is to build shelters, set up defenses, and survive everyday life. You will be armed with weapons according to your specialty. You will only be provided with a week of rations! After that you will have to hunt or gather to eat. I encourage you to form a greenhouse as quickly as possible. Build your defenses as strong as the surrounding land can provide. Construction tools are located in the crates of your beacon locations.” Finishing his commands, AG Vol ended his speech with a few words of encouragement. “I am proud to call you my brothers and sisters of the Capital Kingdom of Mitton! I am encouraged to see a fine group of potential explorers in front of me. This is for our future, for our children’s future, and for the future of humanity. Make sure that the sacrifices others have made before you are not taken in vain! You have one hour to pack your necessities. May the Creator be with you!”
Bantam waited patiently for Brakion. Hoisting up into his saddle on the monstrous pig’s back, the animal grunted. Galloping away, he gave Angus a small nod. Pushing down the fear for Angus’ safety, he didn’t look back.
***
Emerald Team Three patiently marched out of the gates of the Tyra District walls. The rear gates were barely used, as was made apparent by the tall brown grass blocking their paths. Packs of their gear loaded down upon their spines. Other teams marched out in different directions to their beacon locations. James Cash stood at the front of his team. Since he was the chosen leader of the group, Cash was promoted to the rank of corporal. The district doors creaked loudly, closing behind them.
Facing the team, Cash gave his first official commands, “Halt!” Stopping in their tracks, they gave him their full attention. “We march two by two to our location. I want the two snipers in staggered positions of our march. Reeves you will be on the last row, Grail you are with me in front.”
“Yessir,” they both confirmed.
“Quarry, you are to stay in the middle of our pack. You’re the only field doctor we have. Neda I want you to protect her with your life. Without Doc, we may not survive any possible injuries. Is that understood?”
“Because I’m the best. I see why you want me to protect her,” Neda boasted.
Cash was not in the mood to start a debate with her. Neda would slow down their progress to dispute her over confidence, Cash simply said, “Of course Neda.”
“Meishen, I want you to stay behind me. If I need you to scout out an area, I will need you close by.” Mei nodded to his instruction. “The rest of you, line up beside each other in whatever way you wish, just keep your eyes and ears on alert.”
“Yessir,” the rest of the team verified.
Angus remained solemn during the next hour. Deep inside his own psyche he dwelled while following Doyle in front of him. Memories of his son pressed against the walls of his mind. Angus knew Fraser was grown, and following his own path; but it was difficult to let go. Raising Fraser, was his greatest sense of pride. Now that his son is a man, Angus was forced to adjust to his new life. Although he felt alone at times, he had a new family now, his fellow soldiers. But nothing could replace a relationship between father and son.
Unknown elements of survival would be harsh in this untamed land. He couldn’t put his trust in Bittersmith’s prophecy to him. After all, how could she tell the future? She is alien, that fact alone doesn’t create a sense of trust. What if she just told him what he wanted to hear so he would be more motivated?
Snow crunched below his ankle. It was a good sign that the snowfall didn’t accumulate any further. It meant the next day would be warm, yet muddy. Steam pumped out of his breath with every few steps. At times, it would block his vision. Catching Angus’ sight, was a movement on the open plains.
“Check it out!” exclaimed Doyle, pointing his finger north.
Thirteen cows formed a herd. Cows were considered extinct since the Exodus Coalition attack so long ago. But grazing on the tall grass stood the majestic animals. They were clearly much more massive than was last recorded by biologists; standing nearly at the height of the extinct African elephants. Physical characteristics of the illustrious cow resembled images portrayed in obsolescent science tablets. The primary difference of comparison was their long matted brown fur and misshapen horns. Calcium hardened horns stabbed the soil when they chewed on grass, making it difficult to reach shorter stems.