Gateway to Astria - Part 1

by Isaiah Gray

Chapter 2

  I awoke with my face in a bowl of cereal.

  Slowly raising my head up, I felt the slight tingle of the cold numbing the left side of my face. “What the?”

  I felt my face, it was wet. Rubbing some more I felt something solid, or somewhat solid. I was sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal in front of me. Some milk was splattered on the table along with chunks of the cereal itself. I tried to remember why or how I had ended up asleep, but I found it difficult. Blurry images filled my mind. Shaken, I sat for a few moments to allow them to decide themselves, but nothing really changed. Taking a moment to shake my head vigorously, with hopes of clearing the fog in my head, my hopes were answered and the misty obstruction slowly made way to the images.

  It was a flashback, back to when I first met Resh. They happen at sometimes the worst moments, and mine are not like others. I slowly collapse at random times only to wake and find myself as a bystander to watch my history replay itself all over again. It’s horrible.

  I got up and found some paper towels, licking my lips to get some of the milk on my face. I must not have been out that long, as it was still cold. I found a dish towel and wiped my face down. As I did so memories of where I went when I flashed back started to flood back piece by piece. The first time I met Resh, when he crash landed in my field, the dream I had that night, the images I experienced, all of it was there. What puzzled me was that after two years, I still never found out what that second vision was from.

  I threw away the paper towels and walked over to the wall – which was basically a window. I no longer lived in my parent’s old home in Minnesota. I moved after the incident a few weeks after I met Resh. I brought Resh, to protect him. He stays in the guest room where I live now.

  For some reason, Resh and I grew close to each other. Somehow, someway, we just got along – most of the time – like we had known each other all our lives. He put up with me and my “rough” attitude. I’m still not sure why to be honest. The one thing I know is that he is better family to me than either of the two living family members I have now.

  First there is my uncle from my father’s side. He owns the entire franchise of Hotels called the “Coastline Cali”. The best hotels in all of California, all of them overlook the perfect blue waves of the ocean. Sure, it can get a bit spendy, they are the most luxurious hotels in the world, but that’s California for you. All of his hotels are a hundred stories high with a large sphere resting on top. It isn’t exactly a sphere though. it’s more like a dodecahedron. Twenty sided, all the sides are pentagons. Put simply, a soccer ball. Every story from floor fifty and up had at least one entire wall made of a material stronger than metal, but as clear as glass. I forget the name, as it was a relatively new discovery and that’s not really something I pay attention too.

  The only thing that wasn’t see-through was the floor. And the walls had some sort of glaze on the outside. They were mirrors on the outside and see-through on the inside. It also made it so the sun is diffused. That way, I can look straight at the sun through the wall and it won’t hurt my eyes.

  I live in the soccer ball that rests atop the very first – and most well-known – Coastline Cali, which is located in San Francisco, California.

  Then, there is my grandfather. He owns a small Italian Restaurant. He was born in Italy, and – thankfully – immigrated here with my mom before the massacre that led to Europe’s empire failing. He doesn’t speak English, only Italian, but makes the most amazing food I’ve ever tasted. I learned a good deal of Italian to be able to communicate with him. My mom taught me, at least enough to get me started. Since the downfall of Europe, no languages that were major there are taught in schools. There are only a select few that carry on the knowledge of their languages.

  Ever since I moved here to California I’ve visited my grandfather near every other day. I’m also the only one he has left. Mom was his only child. I still remember his expression when I had to tell him mom died. The hard part is I didn’t even know why and neither did dad. She just got very, very sick. Then one day never woke up.

  I remember kneeling down besides my mother’s limp body, my grandfather next to me muttering a prayer. I was too shaken to listen or understand what he said, but I remember him wrapping his gentle arms around me while my tears soaked his shirt. He gentle muttered Italian into my ear as he hushed me. “Everything happens for a reason,” he reassured me.

  It’s hard for a nine year old to believe that when she just lost her dearest friend.

  I just couldn’t understand what he was talking about, how could my mom passing away have any sort of benefit? But he instilled a curiosity. A curiosity to find what good it created. So far I’ve seen nothing besides this curiosity. Which I suppose is a good within itself. So now I wait. Wait for the good thing to come and take me away from the chaos.

  With a deep sigh I looked out over the ocean view and watched the tide slowly lap itself onto the beaches. The view used to be better, you used to be able to see the endless stretch of water, the sun rising slowly over the edge. Now it was impossible to see. Two years after I met Resh, the earth shook. Nobody could explain why. To this day, we don't know what caused it – we only know what it became. We thought it was harmless at the time, at least compared to the degree of destruction it caused later on. A worldwide earthquake sent buildings crashing, the soft ground gave way to large crevices. Countless lives were lost.

  That wasn't the end, we were just starting to return to our normal way of life, when a astrologist spotted something. A star, a blue star that every day, got closer. It didn't take us long before we realized the star was not a star, but a planet. It was a planet, humming with blue light that was stuck in our rotation around the sun. The only difference between earth and the mysterious planet, was that we were moving in opposite directions. The so called “Spacequake” had supernaturally thrown this planet into our orbit.

  It didn't take long before we collided. Nobody knew how it happened, not even the smartest minds can explain what sort of forces made it happen, or kept us alive. Somehow, we're still here.

  So that is what I see, I no longer see the bright light first thing in the morning. As maybe a mile off the coast now rest the border of Astria: Resh's home planet. The water bends up and merges Astria's oceans, which is a awe-inspiring phenomena, but no matter how unique the new is, there is something about the old that makes you feel wonderful. I miss the sun. I miss it's warmth, and I miss it's beauty.

  I heard a soft clunk, like a door close. I turned around to see Resh sheepishly walking out towards the kitchen. His bed head hair didn’t look much different than his normal day to day style. It was just a bit more… disorganized than usual.

  “Morning sleepyhead.” I said, giving a nod hello.

  He gave a short wave back while he yawned.

  I chuckled and sat down at the table while Resh poured himself a cup of coffee. He downed nearly the entire cup in less than a minute, his wings flapping gently with energy with every gulp.

  I heard a chime from my phone in the other room. I got up and walked over to my bedroom and grabbed the small device on the small white floating disc-shaped end table that hovered next to my bed. That’s pretty much how everything is themed in this place, solid smooth white with a thin glowing blue edge.

  I looked down at it. My gaze met with bright blue letters labeled “CBI” plastered onto the clear screen on the front. It was the California Bureau of Investigation. I wonder what they want. “Answer.” I said. My voice activation pulled up a floating video screen which was projected in front of me. On the screen was a man, maybe in his fifties, gray hair, more of a square face, dressed in a blue tuxedo, red tie, and an attitude. He didn’t look happy. “What do you want?”

  “Where are you and your friend?”

  “Here” I responded.

  “Where’s here?”

  “Home.”

  “Not funny.”

  “Kay boss, what’s up?” I sassed
back.

  “Where have you two been? I’ve been trying to reach you all morning!?”

  All morning? I shot a glance over to the clock. 1:42 PM.

  “Phone was jacked up this morning. Couldn’t get it working, something with our provider.”

  “Is it fixed?”

  “No, it isn't… obviously.”

  “Don’t get smart with me Natalia! You have your job because people up high think you're worth it. You wouldn’t be anywhere near this if it were up to me.”

  “Fine by me.” I said with an over exaggerated smile.

  My boss mumbled something incoherently, and then finally looked at me again. “Just turn on the TV… And get down there as soon as you can.”

  “Got it, Ciao.” I mumbled goodbye in Italian.

  “Bye Natalia, and H-”He was cut off as I ended the call.

  Resh shook his head. “You never handle him well do you?”

  I shrugged. “I never liked him. And like he said, He’s forced to keep me on. So I don’t really care.”

  Resh looked like he didn’t agree, more like disgust honestly. “What if the ‘higher powers’ decide you’re expendable?” He asked.

  “They won’t.” I just shrugged it off and walked over to the television.

  “TV. On.”

  From the small dome that sat on the small platform it projected a large screen which a channel, which I didn’t bother to check which one, started to whir on the 80 inch projection. I picked up a small curved remote sitting on the end table next to me and started flipping through the channels, and much to my amazement they were all the same.

  My gaze was fixed on the screen as the remote fell from my hand and clunked on the ground. My hand clasped over my mouth on shock. On the screen was a reporter, well dressed. But not anything like what was behind him. It was the California capitol building, or at least it was. All it was now is a pile of rubble with lingering flames in spots around the wreckage. People were crowding around in shock as the camera’s view panned around.

  I was stunned, mainly on how this could happen. It had the tightest security inside, and California has the best security system for anything coming from the outside. They could have defended from planes, missiles, anything that could have caused that sort of destruction. The rubble was being zoomed in on by the reporters. A large flag stood on a pole in the middle, a gigantic flag at that. It was colored deep blood red with a gold emblem sewn into it. A triangle within a circle, inside a possessed looking face that had sound rays exhibiting from its mouth.

  “Resh. Come look at this.”

  The stained flag lashed violently back and forth over the rubble. Resh walked over. “What’s up?”

  I motioned to the TV.

  He halted in his tracks when he saw the flag whipping in the wind on the screen. A grim look of dread crossed his face. I walked over and grabbed my jacket off the hanger and put it on. “You wanna go check it out?”

  Resh had his gaze focused on the television.

  “R-Resh?” I repeated walking back over to him. I looked at his eyes; they were still fixated on the TV. I waved my hand in front of him. “Hello in there? Earth to Resh! Come in!” I teased. I hadn’t gotten to do that to anyone for years. It made me chuckle.

  I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes and he came back to his senses. “Hmm wha?” He muttered. “Common, let’s go check it out.” I readjusted my coat and walked out the door. The TV voice died and Resh came out. We walked down and to the elevator, joining me. He had on a brown trench coat, made of Astrian cloth to conceal his wings. “How does your jacket do that?” I asked.

  “Hide my wings?”

  “Yes...”

  “Magic!” He chuckled.

  He did this every time, I've asked him fourteen times and I've still never gotten a straight answer. Shaking my head in dismay as I stepped into the elevator, I glanced over all the buttons. Four rows of twenty five. I ran my fingers down the second column counting each one, just lightly rubbing my finger over each one. “Twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, and… Twenty-six. My finger had found its resting place on the empty space below the final button in the column. Then the place under my finger started to glow blue, it was scanning it. When it finished, I pulled my finger away and the elevator started to move down.

  It took us roughly two minutes to finally make it down where it stopped. The doors slid opened and my car, sleek convertible sports car, white with a light blue stripe up the center. Walking forward, I approached the driver’s side and slipped onto the white leather seats. The seats were comfortable, even more than any I could find in my house. After getting situated, I snapped my fingers and the car started to hum. Slowly it began to rise from the ground as the wheels folded under to face downwards. The rims were glowing as it started to float. Resh dashed over and hopped in. I held my hands a bit above my sides and a blue light shot from the bottom of the seat and folded itself up to my hands where it engulfed them.

  Gently I moved my fingers and the car rocked a bit. I clenched them into the fist, pulled back with my right hand and unclenched. Moving it back to position, I moved my foot down; the light followed, creating pedals beneath my feet. The red garage barrier faded to blue and let the car pass through.

  As the wind whipped through my hair I heard a roll of thunder. I glanced up at the sky quick enough to see deep, blood red and dark gray clouds floating through the sky towards us.

  “That is definitely not normal.” Resh piped in.

  I nodded in agreement and sped up a bit as I flew through a back road.

  After getting through roadblocks and security checks, I finally arrived at the scene of the devastation. Resh hopped out of the car before I could even put it in park. Squatting down, he fingered the dust of the rubble, drawing something by the looks of it.

  “Bout’ time you got here.” A rough scratchy voice said from behind me. It was my boss. I turned around to greet him. “Hey. Well… The city was in a bit of chaos, roadblocks didn’t help.

  He grumbled and continued. “Our guys have searched everywhere. We couldn't find anything worth going on, you’ve always seem to find things they’ve missed, so get to work.”

  “Pssh… please… Don’t rush me…” I waved a hand at him and walked off.

  Glancing over to see Resh, who was crouched low, following something, I continued to walk around, taking in the scene around me. I tried to process what I could see, the crowd, the crew, the wreckage itself, and whatever was still intact. I tried to process what I couldn't see: running scenarios of what might of happened.. My thoughts came to a sudden halt when I noticed the men taking down the banner that hung in triumph over the remains of the building. Something urged me to see it, so I walked over to them.

  “Lemme see that.” I demanded as I set a hand on it.

  “Uh we need to return this to Evid-“

  “I’ll do it.”

  “A-Alright.” One of the young men stuttered back. Handing it over, hesitantly at that, he nodded and turned and walked away. I fingered the flag in my hands. It wasn't anything special: Red colored nylon with golden embroidery. Unsatisfied, I started to press it, feeling around for anything that may be different. Though it got me nowhere, I still thought there might be something.

  Finally I gave up. I walked to find Resh and found him sitting examining what was left of a wall while drinking a bottle of water. I bunched up the flag and tossed it to him. Catching him off guard he flinched enough to spill a bit of water on the flag. “Darn it…” Resh mumbled to himself.

  “What is it with you and always tampering with the evidence?” I mocked.

  “Hardy har.” Resh responded sarcastically. I was totally right though, he actually did have a habit of it.

  I grinned as Resh looked it over. He held it up and examined it thoroughly. Then it caught my eye. A tiny golden glint shimmered in the corner of the flag. “Resh, other side.” I grabbed it from him and flipped it around and held it up to him. When
I grabbed it, the part that glowed was wet. Thankfully Resh knew what I was thinking as I sat there rubbing the spot. He grabbed his bottle of water and poured it over the rest of it. Slowly the flag darkened, golden words were faintly inscribed into the fabric came to light. Two words slowly wrote themselves out on the fabric.

  Leave Us

  Resh and I stood silent. He turned it over to see if there were more. There was nothing, nothing at all.

  “Creepy. Any idea what this is, Resh?” I asked, but quickly realize nobody probably would. “Never mind. How could y-“

  “I do…” Resh cut me off.

  “W-what?”

  “I know exactly what it means.”

  “Well? What then?” I prodded.

  Resh sat down on a large broken pillar, the remains of what was a treasured part the area's society.

  “The emblem on the flag… They’re a group of radical cultists that is organized all over the universe. Each planet has its own division. They are made up of the native inhabitants of the planet. So for earth, they are humans. They follow patterns. Their terrorist attacks are meant to cripple a nation, a planet, a society. Their attempts that go as planned, entire species are wiped out without notice.”

  “What’s their name?” I asked.

  Resh paused for a moment. “The Golden Voice, The messengers sent by God to cleanse each planet to a state of racial purity. For them that'd be getting rid of Astrians”

  “Hah!” I laughed. “That’s crazy, they know that?”

  “Well that’s what they believe…”

  “So how do they do the go about accomplishing this?”

  “Rumor has it…” Resh continued. “That they have some sort of army that they rely on once they’ve got their government controlled or crippled. But nobody has lived long to find out what they are. Though there is one fact we know. Most think it’s something of a battle horn or something. A blood-curdling sound is unleashed. Who, or what makes it, nobody knows. But it can be heard universes away. There are stories of it being so powerful that it shatters glass on the other side of the planet.”

  “Wouldn’t that kill the people?” I asked.

  “Nobody knows. Nobody lives. After that sound, it isn’t long before the whole planet goes dark – figuratively and literally.”

  “But even we don’t have the technology to generate anything that powerful!”

  Resh looked me in the eyes; a strange sense of dread wandered its way from his eyes to mine. “Who said it was technology?”

  We both sat in silence for a few seconds. Then, out of the blue, both of our phones rang at the same time.

  “We tapped our earpieces. “Hello?” Our voices rung in unison.

  “Hello Natalia, Resh…”

  “Who is this?” Resh asked.

  “Are you alone?” The man on the phone asked.

  “Who’s asking?” I sassed.

  “Someone asking for your help, we know of what happened today and made the same discovery as you. But we know more.”

  “How much more?” Resh chimed in.

  “Not the exact location, but the area where The Golden Voice meet.”

  “And why are you calling us?”

  “Because you two have had dealings with this group in the past and we think you two are the most capable.”

  “We have?” I looked at Resh and he just nodded back. If I recall correctly, I never had any run ins with terroristic, religious cultists..

  “How come?” Resh asked.

  “Your skill sets and background?”

  “Background?” I questioned.

  “I was speaking of your dealings with their kind and their cause.”

  “Their cause?”

  “Yes? You’re not familiar with it?” The man responded.

  “Yea… I am.” Trying to remember what Resh just told me, I mumbled and glanced over at Resh.

  Okay, So! Mister – What did you say your name was?” Resh said.

  “My name is Kent.”

  “Okay then, Kent. What are we supposed to do?”

  “Well.” Their organization is under the jurisdiction of one leader. From what we’ve gathered, each planet or Nation has their own head of their specific cult. But the organization as a whole is run under a council, and that council is headed by one individual.”

  “What are you planning to do about it?” I chimed in. To be honest, I didn’t really want to know any more about what he planned to do – I have no plan of helping. I just wanted to know what he was talking about when he said I’ve had “past” dealings with them, unless he meant the recent event that had just unfolded.

  “I’m doing it right now. This individual, according to our inside man will be paying a visit for a speech here on earth within the month. Ms. Earhart, Resh, I am requesting your services to run an operation to make an example of the leader of this terrorist cult.”

  I blinked a few times before glancing at Resh. Then he looked at me. His expression was requesting my opinion. “What’s involved?” I asked, not taking my eyes off Resh examining his reactions.

  “Locate and get inside the cult’s sanctuary and attempting to assassinate their head leader during his speech to them. I’ll leave the details up to you, so as long as it gets done.”

  I took a glance over at Resh, trying to read what he was thinking. Any sort of emotion would be nice, but he was just thinking, thinking hardly at that.

  I could tell Resh was questioning it; I was against it. We never have done anything like it, I’ve kept my hands out of anything involved with the Astrians since they got here. Was it really worth the risk? If we misstep, there won’t be any promises we’ll have anything to fall back on, and it could end badly. Very badly.

  “What’s in it for us?” I asked. Everything has its price; I’m curious to see how much he has to spare.

  Resh raised his hand to say something, probably to stop me. I motioned for him to give me a second.

  “Doesn’t knowing your country is safe from an interplanetary war good enough of a reward?” He responded. To be honest, I couldn’t tell if he was kidding or serious.

  “This country hasn’t exactly been the best to me, and I’m not from the U.S. anyway.” I half lied. Technically my family heritage was not from the States, but I was.

  “You’re not? Where are you from then?”

  “Io sono da Italia” I said, the words just rolled from my mouth naturally.

  “Italy. I see.”

  Italy. Hesitantly I slipped a faint smile. Saying those few words reminded me of my childhood with my parents. But, both were gone now. Soon the painful memories whirred back, making my head foggy. I could just see the images fold themselves into points and try and pierce through the mental barrier I try so hard to maintain. Just one image while I’m unguarded could make me collapse. Shaking my head violently to scramble those thoughts, I focused on the conversation with the man on the phone.

  “Ah. Well, I guess some payment should be in order. If you complete the mission, and if you return alive, we will discuss it.”

  I took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. Sighing heavily, I took a glance over at Resh. He was thinking, pondering if it was worth it or not.

  “No.”

  “But-“

  I hung up before he could continue.

  “Natalia!” Resh snapped. “Why did you do that?”

  “Because we need to talk about it.”

  “You could have just put him on hold.”

  “I hate doing that.”

  “Why?” Resh raised an eyebrow.

  “I dunno. When I was little I thought that “holding” them would make their phone grow an arm and hold them by the neck. Guess I just made a habit of it.”

  Resh wanted to argue, but he couldn’t find the words. He’s never been able to answer to my random pet peeves.

  He started pacing back and forth. Despite our different outlooks on the situation, we probably had near the same train of thought. Is it r
eally worth it?

  Both of us remained silent, keeping our thoughts to ourselves. Neither of us said a thing for a good few minutes before I finally piped up. “What do you think, Resh?”

  Resh pursed his lips and glanced behind him at the men who were sealing the stained riddle flag into a plastic bag. Sighing heavily he glanced back at me. “They know about me Natalia… They've came after me before.”

  “Who?”

  “The Golden Voice. Their emblem, it makes me shaky. About every rumor possible about them has been moving around. All of them don’t end very well for me and other Astrian’s. What If this is a way to try and pull me out again?”

  “And what if it isn’t?” I agreed with Resh, but one thing I’ve learned is that you never make a decision until you fight both sides.

  “I could be walking right into their hands!”

  Approaching the fact that he didn’t really sound like government at all, did he really have the power to do that? I glanced at Resh. “Does heseem to care even have authority to sign off on an assignment like this?”

  Resh shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  I got up and started to walk aimlessly, but by the way Resh only had to turn around to keep his eyes fixed on mine, I guess I was walking in a circle. “Well?” I finally piped up.

  “Who says we need to give an answer right now? We can just think about it as we get everything wrapped up here.”

  I nodded. I guess that sounded better than going crazy over trying to figure out what to do right at this moment.

  Both of us nodded simultaneously to each other and walked off without a word and in separate directions. I looked around for my boss, he was nowhere in sight. I would have liked to call and ask about this person who contacted us. Just as I was about to do so, something told me not too.

  I bid my time as I walked around, taking the accounts of a few of the people around nearby, and the bystanders watching the scene before them unfold. Most of them said they barely saw anything. A few tips here and there, but nothing my boss would be able to use. There were a few people who thought their opinions might help. One young man spent about twenty minutes and five pieces of scratch paper attempting to figure out the exact time of the bombing. Going over his notes, it looked like a bunch of gibberish which finally ended in a Sudoku puzzle on the last page. He tried to tell me the time; I didn’t want to crush his confidence when I realized the time he gave us was three hours in the future. I wasn’t going to say anything, but that changed when he became bold enough to ask me to dinner on Friday. I shook my head, told him to redo his numbers, and he slunk away with a face as red as cherries.

  I turned around to see an older woman running up to me.

  “Miss! You there!” She exclaimed.

  An officer stepped in her way, stopping her from reaching me. I walked up to him as the woman tried to go around and even under him. “It's okay, thanks” I waved off the officer. “What's the matter?”

  “Oh! It was horrible! I was sitting down, just about to have my afternoon tea when my lucy, precious lucy started barking again! You know how she is: lively girl.”

  “Ma'am?”

  “Hmm?” She innocently responded.

  “Who is Lucy?” I had no idea what she was talking about.

  “Oh! She's my dog, a border collie. Beautiful dog she is. Always barking though. Yes, always barking.”

  “And why does this matter?”

  “Well she was barking! Barking and barking and barking she was until...” She looked at me and slowly got very close to my face. Then she erupted with fanaticism. “Boom!!! A huge explosion! Ha! You think brave, sweet Lucy would keep barking but no! She hid herself behind the couch with me.”

  “Wait. You were sitting behind a couch?”

  “Yes? Quite a relaxing place that is....”

  I shook my head. “Keep going.”

  “Ah yes, anyway... Where was I?”

  “Behind the couch.”

  “Good girl! Thank you. Yes. Now, Lucy had been acting weird all week... I think it was because of this smell. I have an extra keen sense of smell. The air was off every day. Each day my super-nose kept sniffing this... stench. It kept getting stronger and I am pretty sure it wasn't my sense of smell getting even better.

  “Ma'am...”

  “But it helps, you know! Thanks to my super-nose, I haven’t burnt anything in years! I can always smell when it's-”

  “Ma'am!” I snapped.

  The woman looked at me and nodded. “Yes, sorry. What do you need?”

  “What did it smell like?”

  “Smell like?” She responded. “Oh! Yes! Gas! It smelled like Gas. Yep, gas.”

  “Well, we haven't found anything pointing to gas being used...”

  “Well look! My sense of smell is never wrong! Just look, we could all be in danger!”

  “Alright, I'll get someone to check for gas.”

  “Oh thank you miss! Thank you bunches! Bless you.”

  With that, she turned and skipped off. Her energy was that not to be expected from an eighty year old woman. Though, I think she may have had a few issues in her noggin she needed sorting out instead.

  Finally, I found Resh again, hoping he found anything to go off of more substantial than my intrepid little adventure.

  “You find anything?” Resh asked, walking up to me.

  I shook my head. “Nothing besides a few unlikely tips. I don’t know if we have any opportunity to catch these guys.”

  “Besides the obvious you mean.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “You mean Mr. 'Gold'?”

  “Since when did he get a last name?”

  I shrugged. “I just made it up, seemed appropriate. Plus, it’s better than just saying 'Kent!' over and over again. Kinda bland.”

  Resh nodded back. I was unsure if he agreed, but it didn't look liked he cared, and that was enough.

  “So I take it that you want to do it for him?” I continued.

  “No. I don’t, there isn’t much that he could do to convince me.” Resh replied.

  “You’re starting to sound like me.” I said with a slight smirk.

  “So you agree?”

  “Yup. So can we just go home?”

  Resh nodded. “I suppose so.”

  My phone rang again. I tapped my ear out as we got into the car – Resh in the driver seat. It had to be Mr. Gold calling back, only made sense.

  “We already said no! Leave us alone.” I sassed.

  “What?” The voice over the phone asked, confused.

  “Oops…” I mumbled. “Sorry boss.” I apologized, which I did not think I’d ever do to him.

  “What was that all about?”

  “Nothing , just a stupid salesman.” I lied.

  “Well then, are you still at the capitol?”

  “We’re about leave, just wrapped up.”

  “Good, come back to headquarters. We may have found something.”

  “Fine. Be there in five.”

  Resh nodded, He probably guessed where we were supposed to go and was already headed in the right direction to get there. Not thirty seconds after I closed my phone I felt a sudden lift under the car. Slowly we rose into the air. I glanced at Resh. His hand set on a handle he had pulled back. Before I could do anything else, a rising whir was heard as the car sped faster. Looking in the mirrors I saw the wheels had folded under us again, a faint sky blue light emitting from the rim.

  I grinned widely. I love this thing. It was one of the best ones out there. My uncle got it for me. That was at least one thing he did right.

  Soon we landed on the roof of the office building I knew as the CTU headquarters. Getting out, I headed to the door to the main level, glancing behind me to see if Resh following. To my surprise, he wasn’t. He was standing at the edge. I called for him back.

  He turned hesitantly and trotted over. “What’s up?”

  “N-nothing.” Resh said. “I just thought I heard something.”

 
Something wasn’t right, Resh’s senses are toned so well. He never “hears things”. Only if he didn’t want to tell me.

  We slowly made our way down the stairs, all the while Resh continued to look distraught. Stopping, turning around and facing him, I stared him in the eyes for a few seconds.

  “What?” Resh asked.

  “Something isn’t right.”

  Surprisingly, Resh nodded back. “Yea, something is wrong.”

  “What is it then?”

  “Keep walking.”

  “Har har.” I sassed. “I’m not moving until you tell me what's up.”

  “No! Seriously. Keep walking.”

  Raising a single eyebrow, I hesitantly turned around to face the door which stood at the end of the hallway. The hallway was dark; a single light flickered on and off steadily. The door at the end creaked as the wind pushed it.

  Wait… We’re inside.

  I ran down to the end of the hallway and swung the door open. The sight before me made my stomach drop.

  Bodies. Hundreds of bloody bodies lay limp all over the room. Some were on the floor, others sat in their chairs with blood from their head seeping out onto their keyboards. The glass walls were shattered, the pillars were destroyed. My mind was tricking me into thinking the ceiling itself was bending as it’s creaks and groans echoed in my ears.

  Both Resh and I started to wander around the room, soaking in the destruction. Papers were strewn everywhere. Computers were smashed, tables were flipped, and the glass cubicles weren't exactly in one piece.

  It wasn’t hard to find out who did it either.

  On single glass wall left standing, smeared in blood, the Golden Voice’s emblem was painted along with two words under it. The same two words we read on the flag: “Leave us.”

  “Resh” I mumbled, pointing to it. He turned just as it started to crack. Something unnatural about the crack made me take a few steps back. It didn’t jump in bursts like usual, it slowly grew, as if it was infecting the glass until the entire thing shattered.

  I shielded my eyes with my hand, but something swept around me. Resh was standing in front of me, his now bleeding wings had protected me from the flying shards.

  “Resh.” I said, gently touching his wings. The cuts slowly started to close. “Thank you.” I said turning to him. He just smiled and gave me a hug, which was something I needed. I felt confused, and Resh helped make it better.

  Crackling filled my ears, the kind of something under pressure. I looked up at the ceiling, it wasn’t my mind; the ceiling, now with blood seeping through from above, was breaking. I tackled Resh out of the way just in time to get out of the way of a large piece of metal and various other things from the ceiling, including a body, fall to the ground. I slowly got up and examined the body that lay atop the debris. My boss – all but his left hand – Lay atop the rubble.

  I glanced at Resh, and he glanced at me. “So much for a lead.”

  “No… there has to be something here. They must have found something important.” I stepped over at least three bodies to get to one of the computers. Whirring to life, only a blank blue screen showed, nothing else.

  “Resh they stripped everything. They took it all.”

  Resh winced and bit his lip as he looked around at all the other bodies.

  “Do you know what this means?”

  “They have all our databases. Control of the satellites…”

  I nodded, immediately pulling out my phone. “Call log. Latest.” My phone whirred to life

  “What are you doing? Resh asked.”

  “Calling Kent, telling him we’re in.”

  The phone started to ring; Then I heard static. “What the...?” I tapped my ear a couple times.

  “What's wrong?” Resh asked.

  “Phone just... stopped working!” I shrugged. Resh craned his head, looking at my ear. Quickly, his attention changed; A crash came from the the opposite end of the room.

  From around the corner, a figure came into view. His clothing looked as if he just went swimming in a blood swimming pool. The weapons in his hands were the large, crescent blade that extended over the knuckles of the wielder.

  I had my handgun – designed by me personally – drawn within a second; the weapon hummed to life with blue that illuminated the dark room. I aimed it at the figure and fired. Sidestepping, he started to run around the cubicles towards me. The sound of a door slam came from behind me. I whipped around and fired three times, hitting another man who appeared – dressed the same as the first man. Despite my steady hand, I only hit him once. He stumbled for a few seconds, which gave me a chance to turn back to the first man. I turned to see a blur of red in front of me, before I was knocked to the ground, also knocking my weapon away from me.

  I felt his cold blade on my neck as he pinned me to the ground. I struggled, but he as heavy, to heavy for his size. My efforts to break free of his grip were fruitless. “Resh!!!” I yelled in fear. Usually, I can counter someone pinning me, but this man's strength was unreal. Something about his strength was supernatural.

  I glanced up into my attacker's eyes during the struggle before he raised his blade. They were black, the pupils, the iris, everything. I barely registered it as he became a blur in front of my eyes. He was pulled to the side, off of me. I quickly hopped up, dazed, to see Resh standing in between me and the red-cloaked warrior. How did Resh do that? Resh stood waiting for the warrior to get up. Resh's wings were aligned with his arms as he stood, silently challenging him.

  The other warrior, whom I shot, charged from behind us with a cry of rage. Resh pushed me out of the way, sending my vision into a blur of motion. When I looked up, Resh had wrenched the warrior's strange blade out of his hand. He glided to the side and twisted his arm, forcing him to swing around into the first man. I scrambled over to my gun on the floor. Grabbing it, I aimed for the two unconscious men on the floor. Just as I was about to pull the trigger, Resh grabbed the gun out of my hand and tossed to the side. What? I looked towards him to see three more warriors converging on us.

  “No killing.” he snapped.

  “Why?”

  “Nobody dies!” He yelled as he ran towards the group of warriors. With a surge of his wings, he pushed off the wall into a flip, and brought his foot down on one of the warrior's heads – taking him out of the fight. He landed in a crouch and then pushed off towards them. The first man swung. Resh used the attacker's arm as a shield for the second man's oncoming blade. The first man, now with a burning gash in his arm, dropped to his knees, gripping screaming in agony. Burning? Resh flapped powerfully once, gliding back off the ground away from the last capable foe. He looked at Resh, then back at his ally who was writhing in pain. He slowly got down on his knees, raising his hands in the air.

  I walked over to Resh, my gun pointed at his conquered foe. Was he surrendering? Admitting defeat? I didn't understand it, nor did I understand their composure. Those eyes: they were haunting me.

  Finally, the man who was hit by his comrade's blade stopped screaming, and laid limp on the floor – there was nothing but silence.

  “What are we going to do with him?” I asked.

  “Let him go.”

  “What!?” I exclaimed. Was he crazy?

  “I don't kill, Natalia.” He turned and glared at me.

  I didn't dare respond. Usually Resh is pretty relaxed, and isn't so insistent.

  Resh strolled up to the kneeling warrior. “You may go.”

  The warrior got up, and started to flee towards the door.

  What is he doing? Gosh, are you insane? We could use him, letting him go won't do us anything. I've had enough of your games. Anger burned within me. I raised my gun and unloaded the rest of my bullets into the soldier, who convulsed and then collapsed.

  “Natalia!” Resh yelled.

  “What?”

  Resh turned to me, his wings spread out threateningly. “Why did you do that? I told you, we don't anyone.”

  “
You said 'I don't'. Not we! And 'sides, that one's dead anyway.” I said pointing to the man with a gash in his arm.

  “That was his friend's mistake.”

  “Like that justifies it.”

  “I took a vow.” Resh said.

  “Of what? A vow to put me and my sis-” I coughed, stopping myself from finishing that sentence. “Friend's safety below the life of a person who just attacked you?” I wanted to finish that word badly. I like to think of myself as his sister, but for some reason I feel I can't.

  Resh sighed. “I've done things, Natalia, things I'm not proud of. Since then, I've been trying to turn them around, I took a vow that blood would never be spilled by my own hand.”

  “Well when are you going to tell me?”

  “Tell you what?”'

  “About you, Resh! All you do is say: 'It's not the time', 'You'll find out soon enough', and other random remarks all meaning: 'I don't trust you, Natalia!'”

  Resh took a deep breath and stood silent for a second.

  We don't never discussed his past. That was the one thing he always avoided. He would always make up some excuse to not tell me.

  As far as I know, that was the one thing he kept from me. I'm not quite sure. I need to know; he's pushed me to my limits of waiting. Resh does so many things that go unexplained – I need answers.

  I looked at Resh expectantly, waiting for his reply.

  “Look...” Resh started. “I...”

  He looked dismayed. He gained that expression that says, “I know I hurt you, but I'm not sure what to say.” I could tell he was honestly struggling, and that it hurt him.

  “Natalia... It's not the time, you'll just have to trust me.” He said.

  There it is again.

  “I'm so sorry. Really, I am, but I can't tell you.”

  “Why not?” I snapped.

  “I just.... You need to wait, I don't think now is the time to burden you.”

  Something inside me gave me the urge to hit him. Instead, I just nodded in response – not happily though.

  Resh wrapped both his arms and wings around me. “Trust me, I will tell you when the time is right.”

  I hugged him back, squeezing him tightly. The quick hug felt good, a bit of reassurance I needed.

  Then I did something I haven’t done in years: Cry. I didn't bawl. I didn't sob. It was but a single tear that found it's way out of my eye and down my cheek. It slowly, slowly, made it's wet trail down to my chin, where it dropped onto Resh's wing. As soon as I noticed, I pulled away from Resh's arms and tried my best to hide my emotional train wreck.

  “So what do we do now?” Resh asked.

  Looking around the room, I pretended to be looking for something, when in reality I was just waiting for the red to leave my face. “I think... I think we should call Kent.”

  “I thought you were against that.”

  “I changed my mind.”

  Resh nodded. It really was the only option. Kent probably knew where these people came from. With any luck, we could find them, and stop them. Maybe then, just maybe, Resh would open up to me.

  I took a second to regain my full composure before I tapped on my ear once again. “Redial” I muttered.

  With a rising tone the call initiated.

  “Hello?” A voice mumbled.

  “Is this Kent?”

  “Ah. Good to hear you voice again. I was wondering if something happened-”

  “Zip it.” I barked at him. I listened for a brief moment – nothing but silence – before finally I continued.

  “We’re in. What do you need us to do?”

  “I want you to meet me at an abandoned factory downtown. Call me if you have any questions.”

  I tapped my ear, hanging up, and turned to Resh.

  He was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

  “What?”

  “Where are we headed?”

  “Downtown, to an old factory.”

  “Where?” Resh inquired.

  “At – Crap!” I tapped my ear again. “Redial.” I said.

  In my haste I didn’t get the address. I put the phone on speaker and waited for the dial tone.

  But it never came.

  “We’re sorry. But your call can’t be completed as dialed. The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or canceled.” A robotic female voice over the phone said. I glanced at Resh who blinked and looked back at me.

  “Well that can’t be good.”