Each ruler’s eyes met the other wondering, which would speak on their behalf. Lord Hoovii Omni chose to take one for the team.
“Yes, Lord Horus …they are …quite lovely.”
“Thank you, and now let us dispatch with the small talk and come to the heart of the matter. Have you all made your decision on where you stand?”
“I’m pretty sure you know what our answer is,” Grand Kan Fatra Kumzi gruffed.
“That we do,” Horus nodded. “But verbal clarification assures that all cards are upon the table.”
As Fatra Kumzi’s trunk began pulsating from the air being blown out of it, Regent Maleen took over speaking on behalf of herself and the other rulers, minus Vbzarma and Togar.
“We agree to your terms, Lord Horus.”
“Thank you, Regent,” Horus said with a sly head tilt. “But, I would prefer to hear it from the lips of Lord Hoovii and the Grand Kan.”
Horus’s request caused Hoovii to shift uncomfortably in his seat, while Fatra narrowed his eyes in vexation.
“I agree to your terms,” Lord Hoovii said with a lump in his throat. “The Nowaru nation will support your war campaign.”
“I also agree to terms,” Grand Kan Fatra gruffed. “The Tinra Oa empire will fight alongside you.”
“Of course, you will,” Horus smiled. “On behalf of my family, I welcome you all into our fold.”
“So now that our ‘alliance’ is confirmed …,” Grand Kan Fatra scoffed.
“The next steps for all of you is to prepare your forces for imminent war,” Horus ordered. “And then wait to be summoned. For now, rejoice amongst yourselves for the future spoils of victory to come.”
Horus’s words of conquest did nothing to change the universal warlords' unpleasant expressions now under his thumb. His visage revealed that he did not care.
“Good day to you all, except for our newly appointed Grand Emperor Togar. Please stay a while so that we may have words.”
As the other screens swiftly cut to black, Togar’s own expanded to full view. The Grand Emperor sat straighter upon his throne, waiting to receive instruction from Horus.
“Grand Emperor Togar, I will be sending my daughter Mekhit to your homeworld. Upon her arrival, she will take control of half of your warships and troops.”
“Children from your blood are also my and my people’s gods, Lord Horus and Lady Sekhmet,” Togar answered. “She shall be worshipped and obeyed.”
“And you child shall be rewarded for your obedience and fidelity with a long reign, endless wealth, and a strong bloodline that will last longer than the stars,” Sekhmet smiled. “Long after your body has turned back to dust, and you are welcomed into the House of Horus.”
As she spoke, her eyes emitted a brighter white glow.
On the opposite side of the screen, Togar’s eyes widened, filling with tears. He fell once again to his knees with his head hung low, weeping.
“Thank you, my beautiful goddess, …thank you …I swear … to thee …that I shall not fail you.”
“What did you show him?” Horus mentally whispered to her.
“My words made images in his mind,” she coyly whispered back.
With a wave of Horus’s hand, Togar’s screen went black, ending the conference.
“Mother, father, may I speak?”
Both parents turned to a vocal Apedemak, curious about what the clone who had been awake for a day had to say. The ominous death glare never left his face as he folded his arms.
“Speak, child,” Sekhmet gestured. “What is on your mind?”
“Why are we debasing ourselves by enlisting mortals?”
Horus gave Sekhmet a side-eye look that told her Apedemak was definitely her offspring despite being a clone.
“We are the children of the god of sky and goddess of war,” he continued. “Surely, the four of us can bring the Dominion Council to heel by ourselves.”
“It is because we are gods, my son,” Horus answered. “Our profession is to command and rule mortals. Theirs is to serve, obey, and, if need be, perish on our behalf. As a god of war like your mother, you must learn to inspire legions to topple empires in your name. That is the true power of a god.”
“Yes, father,” Apedemak said with a respectful nod.
A smile grew on Horus’s lips as he walked over, placing a reassuring hand on Apedemak’s shoulder.
“But now and then, we must show the mortals why they must tremble before us.”
A sinister grin formed on Apedemak’s lips as Horus strolled up to his daughter, who stood proudly gazing into his eyes.
“When do I depart, father?”
He placed a fatherly hand on her shoulder.
“Shortly, you shall also be our eyes and ears on Gregor, weed out any threats to our pawn publicly and with extreme prejudice. The people must know that Togar has the power of the gods behind him.”
“It shall be done, father.”
“Good child,” Horus said while rubbing her shoulder with a smile.
Horus then turned his attention to his heralds within the room.
“Return to your positions, continue to build your following until the time you are summoned again.”
They all bowed and answered in unison.
“We shall obey, lord Horus.”
“Use the portals Meskhenet shall prepare for you to leave this base,” Horus instructed. “Ken Shiro, stay awhile.”
“Please follow the illuminating lights strips outside on the floor to the transport room,” Meskhenet instructed.
The five Vitruvian Absolute members nervously glanced at each other, wondering why they were not leaving the same way they came: Ken Shiro’s private helicopter. They then bowed, paying their respects to Sekhmet and the new children of Horus before departing.
Ken Shiro confidently approached Horus waiting for instruction. With a finger and a mentally projected thought, Horus instructed Graves to come out of his corner.
“After the second event that will soon take place, you and this slave shall introduce the world to my serum. With his and your influence, politicians shall put forth legislation to recruit every capable man, woman, and, if necessary, child for the war to come. Other nations shall follow soon after that.”
“It shall be done, Lord Horus.” Ken Shiro answered with a bow.
“One more matter to discuss before you depart, Meskhenet.”
Upon Horus’s command, the screen lit up again, revealing a view of the outside Colorado Canyon riverbed. Ken Shiro’s eyes narrowed a bit, wondering what Horus wanted him to see. It brought a smile to the Ancient’s face.
“Commencing cellular imaging,” Meskhenet announced.
The screen changed to a black and green outline of the canyon and revealed a female figure's multicolor shape.
Ken Shiro’s visage never changed, even when the ancient immortal moved closer, towering over him.
“There’s a reason why I have not killed you, Ken Shiro; even before I introduced you to the serum, your mind for the science was unparalleled …for a mortal.”
Horus turned to block the screen standing his arms folded in front of Shiro. Sekhmet wearing a displeasure face, strolled over, standing by his side with her hands at her hips.
“She’s been here since your arrival attempting to gain entrance into this facility; she has also attempted to contact the Regulators. Fortunately, Meskhenet has blocked her attempts at communication and is impersonating their A.I. system. Once again, your family has become an annoyance to me. An annoyance I thought remedied when I had you deliver onto me your younger brother’s head.”
Ken Shiro’s visage still did not crack as he slowly looked up at Horus.
“Nekhbet.”
“Yes, mother.”
The fourth clone with an eerily chirpy voice walked over while flipping the pen she took from the lab technician in between her fingers.
“Go outside and deal with our little intruder with extreme prejudice. Be sure to remember to mask
your power. We’re still maintaining our anonymity for the time being.”
“Yes, mother.”
Nekhbet turned to skip away to do her mother’s bidding.
“I get to play outside! I get to play outside!”
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Outside against one of the Colorado Canyon walls, Shintobe, masked by her suit’s camouflage capabilities, crouched down while attempting to get a communication out.
“For the umpteenth time, Maxine, I don’t give a flying fuck what meeting they’re in! Fucking interrupt it, I need to speak to them ASA fucking P!”
“Apologies, Yuku Shiro, but Sergeant Rogers and Dr. Champion are in an urgent Joint Staff meeting with the President of the United States, it cannot be…”
“Fuck the President! This is bigger …”
Shintobe paused as a cold chill ran down her spine.
“That’s the third time you’ve called me by my full name. You usually call me …Ms. Shiro.”
The chill became more intense as dead silence filled the other end.
“You’re not … Maxine …are you?”
The question was never answered; Shintobe dived, evading the projectile that nearly embedded her into the canyon. She had to keep moving as chunks of stone that had not been disturbed in centuries came crashing down, breaking into extra pieces.
As the dust slowly dissipated, Shintobe was able to see that the projectile that targeted her was still moving.
“Wow…you’re pretty quick for a mortal. No matter, I’ll just put a little more effort into killing you.”
“Oh yeah, and who might you be?”
“My name is Nekhbet… a goddess of old and your executioner.”
“Interesting …never fought a goddess before.”
Nekhbet let out an insane chuckle with a long sigh.
“You believe this to be a fight? I just said I am your executioner.”
“You talk a lot of smack for someone who couldn’t touch me.” Shintobe shot back.
Her retort brought a soft smile to Nekhbet’s lips. It was the only sign she got before the super-powered clone exploded from where she stood and was on her.
“Fuck, she’s fast!”
Were Shintobe’s thoughts as she barely ducked the right flying superwoman punch meant to separate her head from her body. It was a feint for the low cutting roundhouse kick intended to break her in half.
Shintobe’s only option was to use speed to move with the kick to lessen the blow. It did not make it any less painful as she was launched across the riverbed creating small drag strips as she bounced.
After the third bounce, Shintobe rolled, getting her feet underneath her, slid, and then broke into a run as Nekhbet gave chase and landed seconds from where she stood.
“Wow, she’s really swift for a mortal.”
“Nekhbet.”
She shuddered from the authoritative stern tone of her mother within her head.
“Sorry, mother, I shall do better.”
Shintobe blocked out the pain as she ran at top speed, putting much distance between her and the white vulture goddess.
“Bitch almost broke me in half with that kick!” She thought to herself. “Got to get out of here!”
Nearly clearing the canyon, Shintobe used her speed to scale the wall for a flat out run to the West Coast within the seconds she ran.
She never made it.
Even though she heard the rattling of the multiple sonic booms, her speed and senses could not help her evade or defend against the crushing aerial sack from her blindside.
Shintobe was sure her back was shattered as she flopped around in midair, plummeting back down to the river below. Her body never hit the water as Nekhbet making a quick bank, dived and caught her in mid descent.
Shintobe weakly fought back as Nekhbet draped her up, latching onto her throat with one hand hanging her in midair like a side of beef.
“You made my mother mad at me.” Nekhbet hissed at her. “I shall remedy that by bringing her your heart!”
Nekhbet made her free hand into the shape of a knife. There was no hesitation as she struck to pierce Shintobe’s chest plate.
“Nekhbet, hold!” Sekhmet whispered her command.
She did as instructed, stopping her impaling blow inches from Shintobe’s chest. Shiro groaned nonetheless as she felt the wind pressure generated by her movement, which vibrated her sternum.
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Inside the base, Sekhmet and Horus looked upon Ken Shiro, who showed frostbite emotion as he watched his youngest sister savagely attacked and battered by Nekhbet. His eyes never closed, nor did he turn away as she prepared to run Yuku through with her bare hand.
“Care you not for your sister, who is about to die by my child’s hand?” Horus inquired. “Nor for your only niece who will be orphaned by this act?”
“God over country and family every time. I care only for the glory of the House of Horus,” Ken Shiro said with a consistent tone. “I shall also ensure that my niece is cared for should you allow me to live.”
Shiro fell to a knee with his head bowed.
“My life is always in your hand, my lord.”
Sekhmet and Horus turned to one another, nodding with approval.
“Nekhbet, bring the intruder in and restrain her,” Horus commanded his daughter.
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There was a slight pout on the clone’s face before she answered.
“As you command, father.”
She glared at Shintobe, who began to choke as she increased her grip on her throat.
“Thank my father that he has need of you.”
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Horus turned his attention back to Ken Shiro, still down on one knee.
“I am deeply interested in bringing the demi-gods of this world to heel and to our cause without needed bloodshed,” Horus deduced. “I shall take your sister as one of our test subjects.”
“As you command, my lord.”
“Rise and take your leave until I have need of you.”
Shiro did as commanded.
“My Lord, Goddess Sekhmet, Children of Horus.”
“One more thing,” Horus commanded as Ken Shiro turned. “Say farewell to your sister before you go.”
It was the only time Ken Shiro paused.
“As you command, my lord.”
As he finally departed, Horus pointed a finger in his direction.
“Take note, my children, men of faith like Shiro is who you want in your staple.”
“But you knew that already, father,” Montu rebuffed with a sly tone. “So why test him?”
“Because he’s still a mortal, my son,” Sekhmet answered on Horus’s behalf. “Still capable of breaking, so now and then those with the greatest of faith must also be tested.”
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Ken Shiro made sure to keep his stride heading for the elevator that would take him to a concealed helicopter hanger built within the canyon hiding his private chopper.
Coming down the opposite side of the hallway toward him was Nekhbet following a staff member pushing a modified gurney housed with thick metallic restraints for the arms, legs, waist, and neck capable of holding an EVO.
On it was his sister Yuku minus her high-tech mask. The daze and pain she felt from the damage done to her by the bio-engineered goddess went away thanks to her regenerative healing.
“Hold slave, father wants the two loving siblings to say their farewells.”
The staff member did as he was instructed. Ken Shiro looked down at his baby sister, who looked back at him with a sardonic smile and a trembling lower lip.
“Hey, big bro …I’d be spitting in your fucking face right now, but I can’t angle my head to
get a good shot.”
“Why did you follow me here, Yuku?” Shiro asked in Japanese.
“Why the fuck are you here, brother?” Yuku shot back. “What the fuck have you done? Who the fuck are these people?”
“These ‘people’ are the true gods of this world returned, my dear sister. And what I have done is for their glory and the benefit of the human species.”
“What type of gods need a fucking military research facility, Ken?”
“The type that know that science and the supernatural go hand in hand, my dear sister,” Ken Shiro fiercely answered back. “The type that I can believe in and stand behind.”
“Now I can answer your question, with a question,” Yuku said with a quivering tone. “What happened to Jagi, Ken. What did you do to our brother?”
Her question put a lump in Shiro’s throat, preventing him from answering.
“I’ve been searching for him everywhere, ever since he sent that bullshit text saying he needed time away to figure some shit out,” Yuku said with a shaky mousey voice. “He wouldn’t just leave without talking to his baby sister; he would never do that. And you with limitless resources weren’t too concerned with finding him…so what the fuck happened to him?”
Shiro leaned in, giving his sister his answer.
“Jagi was always weak, you knew that. The women, the drinking, the drugs, the scandals that never ended. That I had to clean up. Even when I bestowed upon him the power of the gods, …it was only a matter of time.”
Yuku found her target as she shot a wad of saliva into his face. She did not need to hear anymore. She knew from his eyes the rest of the story, what he had done.
“Oooooh! Grossy gross!” Nekhbet said from the sidelines.
Shiro removed a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket to wipe his face.
“Your fate is now in the hands of the gods little sister. Do as they command, and you might just survive to see the better new world they are creating. In the meantime, I shall fulfill your duties and take care of Sakura.”
His word ignited rage within Yuku as she fought to use her enhanced strength to break through her bonds.
“Fuck you, Ken! Stay away from my daughter! You piece of shit mother fucker! Stay the fuck away from my daughter!”
“Goodbye, Yuku.”
Ken Shiro turned, walking away with a new focus in his eyes as his little sister howled and scream, cursing him in their native tongue while struggling to get free.
War of Mortal Gods Page 22