Chapter 22
Treyson felt no different which he thought he would after crossing through the portal, but there was a change in smell. There was an odor of burnt plastic. Though it wasn’t overbearing it would take some getting used to. The hallway they were in was dimly lit by a wisp of light coming from the corner above a door at the end. Ye Min opened her palm allowing her reflector to light the area surprising Esther as she stared unbelieving at her. Treyson took the remote and pushed the green C.I.D. button. A tall figured shimmered for a second then appeared, looking exactly like the Cid back on Earth. Cid gave them a strange look the said, “who are you and how did you get here?”
“I am Treyson, this is Esther (pointing at her) and this is Ye Min (pointing towards her). En Charles sent us back through the portal to save my wife held by your government then escape through the portal they are creating. I just saw you on the other side.”
Cid had a look of disgust, “Has EnCharles gone mad that’s an impossible task. We don’t have the resources or the manpower to accomplish that. (Looking at Treyson) I will access my memory.” Cid’s eyes turned white as it had before on Earth for just a few moments, and then looking at them he spoke, “Treyson, all you have is that sword, do you have any idea the firepower we will need. EnCharles must have gone crazy to send you on a fool’s errand,” he mumbled at the last.
“It wasn’t his idea, it was mine. I’m not going to just leave Sara here. I’m going with or without you, Cid,” Treyson spoke boldly straightening his posture. “Oh and EnCharles said to shut down this portal.”
A lit panel appeared in Cid’s hand and after pressing a few buttons the hum of the portal ceased, “Ok, come with me we have to hurry they will certainly have found the power signature the portal emitted by now and be tracing it.”
Treyson turned towards the portal seeing it was gone and only machinery in its place, “I guess there is no going back,” he said.
Cid opened the door and the others followed him out into the cool night air. They sky was lit by a ball that looked to be the size of Earth’s moon yet a little brighter. Cid explained that that was their sun which was a long ways off close enough for some light and some heat yet to far for anything else. He told them they have a closer sun, but it has been dead for many millennia.
“So this is daylight,” Ye Min asked with a look of confusion?
“Yes, this is as bright as it gets,” he answered.
“What’s that burnt smell,” Esther asked?
“I can’t smell,” Cid said laughing, “But what you smell is refined air, without plants the air cannot replenish itself so the government does it with chemicals.”
“Yuck,” Esther cried, “I should have stayed back.”
“Think of it as an adventure,” Ye Min said smiling.
“Hurry, follow me,” Cid said, “They are coming.”
They saw bright lights on the horizon both in the sky and on the ground as Cid led them across a short dirt plain and onto a round concrete platform. A lit panel appeared in Cid’s hand as he was touching the screen and telling it to hurry. An explosion shook the ground just before they felt the platform start to sink into the ground and watched the sky disappear as they descended deeper into the ground
“What was that,” Elisabeth asked?
“We cannot allow them the chance to steal our portal technology and they would try, so we destroyed both sides,” Cid responded.
“Aren’t they already are opening a portal in Nevada,” Treyson asked?
“And if they got their hands on our technology they could open theirs sooner,” Cid answered. “The En family skill in the portal technology surpasses any other and the government has some of the En’s working for him by force.”
They became silent listening to the hum of the elevator as it slowly took them deep underground.
“Where are we going now,” Treyson inquired when it seemed the decent would be endless?
“Through the unskilled and homeless camps to get them off our trail, then we will head for our tech hideaway in the main city. The portal you seek is being opened on the island of Quaysire, it’s a highly guarded government resort,” Cid replied.
“Where are they keeping Sara,” Treyson asked?
“I suppose the same place. That’s where the Zon family lives,” Cid said.
“It sounds impossible to penetrate,” Esther spoke.
“Normally it would be, but with all the troops there getting ready to slip through the portal we may have an in,” Cid said with a chuckle.
The Renewal Page 22