by Pearl Tate
As my hands are being cuffed behind my back, I look down at the flannel pajama pants and thin shirt I’m wearing with no bra. This is fucking embarrassing as hell. What the fuck?
Tom stands at attention in front of me. “Jade Fisher. You’re being formally charged with fraudulent enlistment under article eighty-three.”
Staring at him with wide eyes, I don’t know what to say. Luckily, Teresa’s freaking the fuck out physically in front of me. Slapping Tom in the chest, she presses him against the wall. “What does that mean? What’s going on?”
Shrugging, Tom looks at the other private as he tugs me out the open door. “It means she lied on her service application. I don’t know the specifics. We’re just following orders.”
“Wait!” Teresa steps out the door, looking me up and down. Grabbing my upper arms, she leans into my face, forcing me to focus on her. “I’ll be right there. I’ll call Payak and Desin and bring clothes. Okay? Don’t worry. We’ll straighten this out.”
There’s a lump in my throat I can’t talk past. My racing heart has me wondering if I’ll make it down the stairs and out of here. Everything is happening so fast! All I do is nod, and Teresa takes off back into our apartment with a curt nod, slamming the door behind her.
As I head down the hall in my slippers, I accept the inevitable and let out a resigned sigh. I always knew this could happen. I’m in so much trouble.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
- Desin
“Are you alright!” Payak’s voice booms over our interdimensional communication system. For the first time, I can tell by the quake in his voice that he’s shaken. Everything was so fast. One moment, we’re talking, and the next—bam! In hindsight, if we hadn’t been up on the ridge we phased to, we may not have seen the weapon coming toward us.
Despite our long lives and our healing capabilities, being incinerated definitely would have killed us. We can’t heal if we can’t phase. This is probably the closest I’ve ever come to death—knowingly anyways. Even now, we can’t see anything as destruction continues around us. Trees, dirt, and debris rain down around us, creating a cloud of dust and a dark gray smoke that blocks out the sun.
“Desin!” Payak yells, and I realize I haven’t responded.
“I’m alright,” I finally pant out, shaken by the amount of destruction that doesn’t even appear to be settling down. “Are you alright, too?” I think he phased ahead of me but knowing Payak he probably waited for me.
“Yes. We were lucky we saw that coming. Even when I did see it, I didn’t realize how fast it was or that it was coming directly toward us.” I can still tell how shaken he is by the way he yells, panting out his words.
“Thank you, Payak. I’m sure you saved our lives—both by seeing that projectile and also by phasing when you yelled out.”
There’s silence for a moment while we both contemplate our close call, watching the destruction around us finally start to die down. “Once we can see better, let’s phase down and check on our contact and Lana.” Payak’s voice is subdued, and I know he’s thinking the same thing I am.
“What the hell happened?”
The question comes as a surprise because it isn’t Payak. Although I believe I recognize the voice, I can’t place it at the moment. Through the interdimensional communication I hear a yelp. No doubt whoever just arrived at our destination and is communicating with us this way must be shocked. If they just phased into Earth’s dimension, they’d realize they’re phasing into destruction. Payak and I are not going to be able to fully enter the Earth’s dimension here for a while. The air won’t be breathable and may not be for some time.
Payak responds a moment later, gasping out, “Mavin?”
Mavin? Now that’s a shocker! What are the odds?
Even though locating Mavin is the main reason we originally petitioned the Sinth Sovereignty to get access to Earth from the Ashen, locating him has really been put on hold ever since the outbreak of the Wen virus. Mavin and Trus, the other members of our squad, had been relocated to an outlying planet, Teleplay, for additional training after an early reporting incident. Basically, they failed and had to go retake some lessons. Something that is quite shameful and rare in our society.
When Mavin sent Payak a message saying he was going to Earth to follow up on “Something that could change everything,” Payak didn’t hesitate to discuss the option of us all following him. We agreed that finding Mavin and keeping an eye on him would be in all of our best interests. After all, he took off without posting a Request for Approval from the Sinth Sovereignty, and that can only reflect poorly on every squad member long term. I’m sure that’s why he contacted Payak—just to give him a heads-up since he was separating from Trus, his partner on Teleplay.
“Yes, you idiot! What did you guys do? I’m glad I’ve been taking slow phases into Earth’s dimension because this air is not breathable.” Mavin’s voice is gasping, choking out the words.
“We didn’t do anything. We were investigating what the Earth-dwellers believed may be a Wen sighting—”
Payak’s explanation is cut off by Mavin’s exclamation, “A Wen! Are you kidding? That can’t be why you’re here.”
Frustration and sadness bleeds through Payak’s tone as he continues with his explanation. “Yes. Unfortunately. Originally, we came here to follow up on you, but things have gone in a dramatically different direction now.”
“Me?” Mavin says, laughter in his voice. I know that tone. We’ve been together as a squad for long enough that I know he’s being facetious. Mavin’s always been quite serious, so hearing him sound so light and carefree—despite the fact that we just told him we came to find him and probably take him back—gives me hope that he isn’t in his derlicsom, what we call the last days of someone’s life when they’ve given up on the will to live.
“Yes, you idiot. I’m hoping the surprise you referred to in your communication has nothing to do with the fact that there are now two Wen virus outbreak areas on Earth?” Payak’s voice has turned hard and sad, and we both wait to see what Mavin has to say.
There’s a silence for longer than I’d hoped or expected, but I’m relieved to see that we can almost make out the clearing below us again. In order for our interdimensional communication to work, the Sinth you’re communicating with needs to be relatively close. It isn’t a long-range way to communicate. Which is why even though our squad has been sending out messages periodically to see if any Sinth is in range—specifically Mavin—I’m impressed he’s here.
Payak’s tone is conciliatory as he finally speaks up. “I’m going to phase into Earth’s dimension. Follow me, and we can all look for Lana’s remains together.”
That’s smart. Even though Lana wasn’t Mavin’s Personal Assistant, he’ll want to know she’s alright. Although, in these circumstances there’s no way she’s alright. Her body has been incinerated, I’m sure. Although Mavin and Trus had their own Personal Assistant who was removed when they began their retraining, we’ve all lived together on and off during different assignments.
Payak’s already appeared next to me as I phase into the atmosphere. Around us the dust has settled, but it’s taking longer to settle in the valley below. It’s as if there’s a dark gray fog in the valley. Off in the distance, in the clearing where we landed, a fire rages. No doubt, it was kicked up from the helicopter fuel.
As my lungs take their first breath of the heavy, acrid air, I let my eyes skim the area, looking for Mavin. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him—
“Payak.” Behind me, I hear Mavin’s voice thick with emotion, and I turn to see Payak embracing him.
That’s a relief. He looks good. Healthy and … happy.
“Desin.” Turning from Payak, we clasp each other, pounding each other’s back in the excitement of our reunion. “I’m so glad you’re here. I know the circumstances are not good, and I feel like kicking your butt for following me. But coming here was important to me.”
Standing between u
s, Mavin turns to look into the valley, throwing his arms around our shoulders. “Lana was down there?”
Clenching my jaw, I study the clearing that’s now five times bigger than it was when we arrived. Cleared of trees, there’s a divot in the earth showing up now where the bulk of the dust has settled. A third of the area is still burning, concentrating more in the spot where the helicopter was located. The flying device itself is missing, although I think I see pieces of it scattered here and there. Nothing identifiable as far as bodies can be seen from this distance.
Payak’s voice is almost too low for me to hear when he responds to Mavin. “Yes.”
Mavin’s arm around me tightens as his head turns to me. “I’m sorry, Desin. I know how much you cared about her.”
Nodding, I only take a deep breath, saddened to see her reduced to … nothing. It’s scary how quickly it happened. It could have been all of us.
Even though we all know Lana’s entire life, and what she’s seen, experienced, and documented is still available to us from her uploads into our system, the Sinth Sovereignty ruled that Personal Assistants are not to be duplicated if they pass. It’s so rare that it’s unusual to even consider being done. But there have been a few cases where issues came up after cloning an assistant’s biological entity and importing their past life into the new body.
“She’ll be missed.” I state, thinking through the happy memories I had spent so much time dwelling on. My spare moments did revolve around her in the past.
“She will be missed,” Payak echoes me solemnly.
There are a few beats of silence while the three of us stare at the wreckage below us. “I want to get down there and look for any remnants of her, including Sinth technology she might have been carrying before the Earth military comes to investigate,” Payak says. “But Mavin …” Payak turns to t him, putting his hands on his hips. “Care to explain what you needed to come to Earth for?”
Despite the seriousness of Payak’s tone and expression, Mavin smiles. “It’d be easier to show you. Wait here.”
Payak and I don’t even have time to discuss the situation before Mavin phases back almost instantly. Looking over his shoulder at us, he smiles. “Payak … Desin, I’d like you to meet Amy.”
Stepping to the side, Mavin reveals a small, red-haired Earth female who lifts her hand to wave. “Hi!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
- Jade
“Sit there.” Tom looms above me as he points to the back seat of the golf cart. Looking at the closest edge of forest, less than five hundred feet away, I toy with the idea of making a run for it.
But why? They’d just catch me. And where would I go?
Any thoughts of taking off are sabotaged when he releases one of the cuffs and attaches it to the seat armrest rail next to me. “Don’t fall off,” he jokes.
I don’t know how he can be so nonchalant about this whole thing! This is my life! Giving him a dirty look, I slide back into the seat and look out at the morning sun just showing over some of the taller trees in the distance.
My eyes have trouble focusing as we start to move. It’s just too bright. Closing my eyes, I ignore the curious looks from others walking to their posts for the morning. This whole situation is so humiliating.
Instead of going to the main entrance as I expect, we head into the side of the mountain through one of the tunnels used as a parking garage. That worries me for a few reasons. Will Teresa even be able to get my clothes to me? How will she find out where I’ve been taken? Where exactly are they taking me?
Pulling into a parking stall next to a utility style elevator, Tom and his partner don’t say a word as they guide me over to the elevator. They pull the large, grated metal doors closed with a bang, and my stomach drops as we start to travel down. One … two … three levels before we stop and walk into a waiting room of sorts where a male receptionist sits behind a desk. A couple of chairs are stationed on the far wall next to the only other door in the room.
“This is Jade Fisher. She’s being formally charged with fraudulent enlistment under article eighty-three.” Tom releases my cuffs before pushing me toward the door on the opposite end of the room. “Sit there.” He leads me to the chairs right by the exit.
“And why is she here?” Clearly bored, the guy manning the intake station clicks away at his computer. “I don’t have anything here—wait. Here we go.” More clicking fills the ten by ten room as he notifies someone that I’ve shown up. “You can leave her here.”
Tom and the other guy walk back to the elevator without another word. The man behind the desk doesn't say anything else, so I’m left to stew, wondering how to handle this when I go in for questioning.
Do I tell the truth or play stupid? It’s been so long since I enlisted, that I thought for sure I’d never hear about this. This has to be about the disease I had when I was young—before I was taken from my mother’s home.
By the time my third grade teacher and the school system realized I was getting nothing to eat at home and reported me to social services, I’d spent most of my life existing on frozen foods my mother would occasionally purchase. Mostly corn since it was my favorite. It was easy to throw frozen peas or corn into a pan on the stove with water, and I knew how to heat them up by the time I was four.
Unfortunately, even though I was eating—some—there are diseases from malnutrition that develop over time when you’re short on certain nutrients. That’s what happened to me. Easily curable, but still fatal if not treated. I was diagnosed with pellagra after I was removed from my mom’s custody. Having pellagra as a child is definitely not a deal breaker with the military, but I never reported it to my recruiter so that it could be reviewed and officially waived.
At the time, I didn’t feel like I could take the chance. My options were fairly limited. With my lack of finances and skills, I felt the service was the only way I’d be able to get out of there and away from Charles. It seemed like the most logical thing to do at the time—now, not so much!
I mean … I’m so settled into my life and the military. Certainly, they’ll want to let this go, right?
Trying not to let panic take over my decisions, I consider how I should handle this. In the past, I always told myself if I was questioned, I’d just play dumb. Like I didn’t know and had no idea. But that was in the first year of my service when the odds weren’t in my favor. Sure, the records were sealed from my case as a child, but they do interviews with family members and the wrong person mentioning it is all it’d take for the government to get access to that information.
Now, I’ve been serving for almost four years. I have continuing education training in nutrition, which includes information about all the diseases that a lack of nutrition could cause and how the military views and treats each one. I’ve even had new military personnel with similar diseases brought to me with their waivers and requesting special diets. I can’t play stupid. That just makes me a liar.
No, I’ll have to come clean and take whatever punishment they want to dish out. It’s a scary thought, but what else can I do?
“When was the last time you ate?” The guy manning the reception desk is staring at me pointedly. Since there’s no one else in this room, he must be talking to me.
“Um … last night? I think around seven?” I feel so discombobulated and out of my comfort zone. I’m used to being in control, and this is the furthest from in control I could be.
“Any alcohol or drug use we should be aware of?” Matter-of-factly, he stares at me over his computer monitor, waiting for my response.
Now that question is a little concerning! “Are you planning on interrogating me?”
“I have no idea what they plan to do to you. That’s above my pay grade. Now, any alcohol or drug use in the last twenty-four hours?”
“No.” Giving him a hate-filled stare, I look up at the fluorescent lights humming above our heads. How does he put up with that all day?
The light itself appears to be shimmer
ing, and I watch a halo of color flare out from the fixture, overlapping with the colored halos from the others. That’s strange. Are they malfunctioning … or am I?
When the door next to me opens and a man walks up to the receptionist’s desk, I don’t take any notice until they begin to talk about me. “Is this Jade Fisher?” That question has me glancing over, catching sight of the “man” I thought had come in. But this isn’t a man.
Instead, I come face to face—kind of—with the ugliest profile I’ve ever seen. Could it be a birth defect? I mean … it certainly must be, right?
Carefully, I watch him talking to the guy at the desk. I can only see the back of his head. But it’s greenish brown and covered in what looks like fine scales! The only part of his face I can see shows that he doesn’t appear to have an ear like us. Could he be some sort of burn victim and those are mesh designs burned into his skin?
I totally miss what they’re talking about as I study him. When he glances back at me, I can’t stop my racing heart! His mouth is wide—too wide. It wraps around his head almost from ear to ear. With nothing but holes for his nose and ears and the big eyes and super wide mouth, he looks like a cross between a snake and a turtle. He even has a receding chin—or no chin!
“Let’s go!” Watching his tongue flick out, I’m horrified by how far it extends from his face. It has to be four to five inches!
What the hell! “Jade Fisher. Get up now or I’ll drag you up.”
Realizing he’s going to touch me if I don’t comply, I stand up quickly, bringing myself much closer to this strange man than I’d ever want to be. What’s going on?
Glancing over at the receptionist, he doesn’t appear to be taken aback or giving me any kind of support. He looks like he’d like to help the man drag me down the hall. From the way he’s half-raised out of his chair, he’s planning on it. A greenish-brown, mottled looking hand reaches out and grabs my elbow, making me flinch. It’s cool and slimy on my skin, and it takes every ounce of my control not to drop to the floor thrashing and trying to get out of his grasp.
