Rivals

by Derek Alan Siddoway

  “How much farther did you say this was again?” Kay asked.

  Jackson had graciously given her the window seat and her head hung out, red hair flapping in the breeze as the old truck somehow sputtered and struggled down the highway. For Jackson, it was a new adventure. Whenever he’d left Tyle, it was always by the monorail. The highway took a different path, winding and curving through farmlands and woods.

  “A solid fifteen hours, probably,” Briggs said. “How about you put some of that energy to use and check the map?”

  Jackson started tapping on his watch, but Briggs shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Service is pretty spotty out here, kid. I’ve got a real map in the glovebox. Take that out and have a go.”

  Kay found the map they’d looked at back in the warehouse office, but this time one of the highways from Tyle to the preserve had been highlighted.

  “According to this map, there doesn’t seem to be any rest areas or stores or…anything along the way,” Kay said in a flat voice. “What happens when we have to go to the bathroom?”

  “Now, if I recall, there’s maybe one restroom along the way,” Briggs said.

  “Fine. One,” Kay said. “One over the course of fifteen hours.”

  Briggs shrugged. “We’ll pull off and you can find a tree to go behind.”

  “At least tell me you have toilet paper.”

  “Leaves ain’t good enough for you?”

  Jackson could almost feel the anger radiating off of Kay and decided it was a great time to change the subject.

  “So…what kind of Djinn are we looking for, exactly?” His mind flashed with images of all sorts of rare and powerful Djinn that would wow and impress the competition at training camp.

  “What you need is something that complements Asena’s Elements,” Briggs said. They hit a bump in the road and Kay moaned. “She’s both a Fire and Earth-Elemental, so ideally, we’re looking for a Wind or Water-Elemental — something that offsets Asena’s Fire and Earth move set that she’ll be expanding as she gets stronger.”

  Now he had a direction in mind, Jackson pulled up his Djinncyclopedia, which was downloaded to his holo-watch and didn’t need a net connection to work. He began a search, filtering every known Djinn in his system that wasn’t a Water or a Wind-Elemental.

  “What kinds of Water and Wind-Elemental Djinn are there in Rocky Point?” he asked his mentor.

  “Oh there’s Marimots, Wolverends, Wapitelks, Moostags, Ribbitoads, Scorbbles, and a whole lot more,” Briggs said. “There’s a few that I’ve got in mind — mostly Water-Elementals. Wind-Elemental Djinn are great and all, but they’re damn difficult to capture at your skill level — unless you want something low-key like a Magglecaw. With Water-Elementals, it’s easier to capture something at this stage that’ll turn into something more special down the line. With Wind-Elementals, they usually have to be pretty amazing Djinn from the get-go in order to be worth your while.”

  Jackson continued flipping through a number of Djinn. Briggs glanced sideways at the projections as they appeared in revolving 3D images on his dashboard. He checked most of them off the list, either because they weren’t that rare or couldn’t be found in the Rocky Point preserve.

  “There,” Briggs said, stopping Jackson on a particular Water-Elemental Djinn. The thing had a long, skinny body with triangular ridges along its back and tail. Its reptilian figure ended in a long, pointed nose with gaping teeth and short, stubby legs. Jackson pulled up the Djinn’s info:

  Djinn: Groggle

  Element: Water

  Groggle is a Basic-Form, Water-Elemental Djinn. Groggles were once on the verge of extinction before being saved and bred in captivity circa one hundred years ago. They were then released in Rocky Point National Preserve where 100% of the population currently resides. Groggles are exceptionally aggressive Djinn who usually travel in packs alongside rivers or lakes. While they are easy enough to sneak up on thanks to their poor hearing and vision, once they latch on to a Djinn as their prey, there is little that will deter them from taking down said prey.

  “That thing looks like Asena could swallow it in one bite,” Jackson scoffed. He doubted the reptile’s short legs allowed it to move very fast on the ground, and environmental arenas that would work to a Water-Elemental’s advantage were a rarity.

  “Don’t be so sure, kid,” Briggs said. “Groggles have a killer defense because of that scaled hide. They also have a ton of hit points and can really pack a wallop — it’s the perfect tank to pair with your faster, Fire-Elemental Lyote.”

  “Yeah, but —”

  “But what?” Briggs asked, irritated. “You want to do this right, you’ve got to trust me, remember? I’m telling you — a Groggle is the Djinn for you.”

  The longer Jackson looked at the revolving image of the Water-Elemental Djinn, the more it seemed to grow on him. By the time they pulled into the parking lot, and Kay made a mad dash for the restroom (the only one on their long journey), Jackson promised himself he wouldn’t settle for anything less than a Groggle of his own.

  CHAPTER 8

  “Oh, thank goodness, we’re here,” Kay let out with a relieved sigh as they pulled into the parking lot of the Rocky Point Visitor’s Center. “I thought I was gonna hurl.”

  “Get the first aid kit out of the backseat, will you?” Briggs asked Kay, bringing the truck to a stop.

  “No, that’s okay. It was just those last 30 minutes of twists and turns,” Kay said. “I feel much better now that we stopped.”

  Briggs shot her a puzzled look. “What? No, it’s not for you.”

  Kay frowned and reached into the backseat of the cab for a large chest with a cross on it, which she then shoved into the older man’s arms. “Here!”

  “What good would a first aid kit do for carsickness?” Briggs said, but Kay didn’t even answer.

  He opened the lid of the first aid kit and licked his lips. A moment later, he produced a cold bottle of beer, damp from the condensation inside of what Jackson realized wasn’t a first aid kit at all, but a cooler. Briggs gave them both a wink before popping the top and taking a long swig.

  “Has that been there the whole time?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Do you have any more food in there?”

  “Sorry, only the essentials.” Briggs patted the cooler. “I’d say I earned it.” He took another healthy swig before turning to Kay, Jackson, and Asena. “So you all wait out here while I go inside and get our passes and the rest.”

  For being a world famous Djinn preserve, Rocky Point didn’t look like all that much. A large, circular parking lot and small visitor’s center were the only things in sight. While Briggs was inside filling out his permit forms, Jackson, Kay, Sunshine, and Asena got out and stretched their legs, glad for the space and cool, fresh air. It was a nice relief from the cramped quarters of the rusted, exhaust-filled pickup.

  A road beyond the visitor’s center was framed in an archway with the words “Welcome to Rocky Point National Preserve” overhead. From a number of informational signs outside the center, Jackson gathered the preserve was also a tourist destination in addition to being a place for tamers to capture new Djinn. As Briggs had explained on the way up, they’d be trekking off the beaten path, far away from the scenic view tourists enjoyed on the main road.

  “The best Djinn stay way back in the wilds, away from humans,” Briggs had told them. “You better be ready to rough it.”

  “Hey, Kay, did you see this?” Jackson pointed to a monitor on the outside of the log visitor’s center. It showed a very large and fancy lodge that looked more like a luxury hotel than a cabin set inside a Djinn preserve.

  “Red Pine Outfitters.” Kay read the scrolling advertisement below the name. “It looks like some kind of Djinn taming company. You hire their guides and they take you out into the field to help you find rare, trophy Djinn. Maybe this is the connection Briggs has?”

  “Man, I hope so,” Jackson said. He pictured them s
itting inside the fancy lodge with a big meal spread out before them. Afterward, he could see them sitting by a roaring fire to ward off the mountain chill and then settling into a big, soft bed before going out on another taming expedition. Briggs had a habit of making things sound a lot worse than they actually were. Jackson had hoped this was one of those times and that all the talk about roughing it was just that.

  The sound of tires crunching on the asphalt caused Jackson, Asena, and Kay to turn. A large, white SUV pulled into a parking stall next to Briggs’s truck. Even without being in a comparative distance to the rust bucket of a pickup they’d ridden in, it was easy to see the value of the new vehicle rivaled that of a thousand green trucks.

  Jackson wondered who would drive such an expensive vehicle onto a Djinn preserve. The windows were tinted, so he couldn’t see inside, but a moment later, the driver’s side door opened and closed. When the driver of the expensive SUV came into sight, Jackson felt his heart skip and a rush of adrenaline hammer him.

  “No way!” Jackson whispered under his breath.

  “I’m guessing that’s some famous Djinn something or other that I don’t know,” Kay said. She’d become used to these encounters over the past year of Jackson’s taming career.

  “That’s Lei Kaleo!” Jackson whispered back, his voice high and giddy. “He’s one of the best tamers in the Gold League right now!”

  Lei approached the sidewalk outside of the visitor’s center and then frowned and headed back toward his SUV. He opened the door and a much younger version of the famous tamer sat in the passenger seat, fiddling around with the holo-screen of his watch. Jackson didn’t hear what passed between them, but the younger one — obviously Lei Kaleo’s son, based on how similar he looked — got out of the car with a roll of his eyes and followed his father toward them and the lodge.

  Jackson couldn’t decide if he should say hello or pretend like he didn’t recognize the man. He didn’t need to worry. Lei’s eyes glazed over them, but the tamer stopped when he spotted Asena sitting at Jackson’s feet.

  “That’s a good looking Lyote you’ve got there,” Lei said. “Wow, I haven’t seen one of these in years.”

  “Hey, g-good to meet you too — I mean, uh, you’re welcome!” Jackson felt his face redden. The younger Kaleo smirked. “I mean, thanks!”

  Lei pretended not to notice Jackson’s blunder but didn’t carry the conversation further. He nodded at them politely and then headed for the door. Jackson watched him go, his whole head on fire with embarrassment. The younger Kaleo smirked again and followed his father, without a word to them. The pair had just reached the door to the visitor’s center when they ran into Cassius Briggs.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Lei Kaleo said. He sounded more surprised than excited. “Cassius Briggs. What are you doing up here at Rocky Point? I figured you would have sold off your taming license to the preserve years ago.”

  “Lei,” Briggs gave a nod of his head. He kept a cool expression on his face that showed no joy from running into an acquaintance.

  If Lei was bothered that Briggs didn’t answer his question, he didn’t show it. “How long has it been? I can still remember the day you announced your retirement — came as quite a shock to all of us. But then again, I didn’t much like getting hammered by McAllister left and right either. I guess after so long, calling it quits sounded better than losing all the time, eh?”

  “Something like that,” Briggs said in a gruff voice. He tried to shoulder past the Kaleos, but Lei was having none of it.

  “Ha! Sorry, Briggs, just a joke. Are you really heading into the preserve to go taming? I can’t believe it! That’s quite the coincidence, you know. I’m just taking Akamu out to get his first secondary. He was accepted into Bronze League Training Camp this year for the Granite Region.”

  “That’s great to hear,” Briggs said. “I didn’t realize you were from the Granite Region.”

  “Well, I’m not,” Lei said. “But Akamu mostly grew up in Shale, and it really helps that the competition there is pretty damn sparse.”

  Jackson thought Briggs would have punched Lei in the face, but the other tamer finally moved aside. However, he still wasn’t done.

  “We’ve booked out Red Pine Outfitters for the entire week,” Lei continued. “The whole lodge — I didn’t want anyone in the area competing with Akamu.”

  “Fantastic,” Briggs muttered. “Be seeing you now.”

  “Be seeing you, too, Briggs!” Lei called after him. “Maybe out in the wilds this week, eh? I see you’ve still got a ring on — I wouldn’t mind knocking some of the rust off for you!”

  Briggs ignored the jab and continued limping toward Kay, Jackson, and Asena. He scowled at the monitor displaying the ad for the Red Pine behind them and motioned for the trio to follow without so much as a gruff word.

  “Good luck, kid!” Lei called out to Jackson. “You’re going out with one of the greats, you know!”

  Jackson couldn’t tell for sure, but he thought he detected a mocking tone in the elder Kaleo’s voice. Hunching his shoulders, he, Kay, and Asena followed Briggs to the truck. Apparently, Lei and his son hadn’t gone inside, though, because when Lei saw Briggs open the rusted door of his pickup, he called out to them again.

  “Is that what you’re driving these days, Briggs?” Lei asked. “Surely the cost of beer can’t be so much that you can’t afford a new ride?”

  “Hey!” Jackson wasn’t going to take anymore. He stared down the Kaleos with clenched fists, not caring that the older one was a famous Gold League tamer. “Lay off him, all right, dude?”

  “I think you’re the one who’d better lay off…dude.” It was the first time that Akamu had spoken to them. His voice matched his sneering attitude. Jackson also noticed the younger Kaleo’s size for the first time. He was built like a brick — a couple inches taller than Jackson with plenty of muscle packed onto his frame.

  Even so, Jackson never backed down from a fight, and he wasn’t about to back down from this one. Asena growled at Jackson’s side, the hair on the nape of her neck bristling.

  “Looks like that Lyote of yours wants a beating too,” Akamu said.

  He raised his hand and Jackson saw a Djinn ring on his forefinger. Before he could summon his Djinn, however, his father caught his wrist and pushed it down.

  “Hold on, there’s no need for everybody to get excited,” Lei said after releasing his son’s wrist. “Briggs and I go way back — it’s just a little joking between friends. I’m sorry if I took it too far.”

  Jackson didn’t think Lei’s apology sounded all that sincere, but Briggs grunted and tipped his head. “No big thing, Lei.” He waved his hand for Jackson, Kay, and Asena to get in the truck. “Be seeing you.”

  Jackson hesitated. The last thing he wanted to do was back down in front of Lei and his son. Asena was still growling and baring her teeth at his side, ready for a fight.

  “Jackson!”

  Briggs’s voice was firm and Jackson knew he’d be in big trouble if he didn’t go. He gave Akamu a once over, scowled, and then headed for the rusted pickup.

  “Don’t worry!” Akamu shouted after him. “I’m sure you’ll get the chance for me to kick your ass sometime soon!”

  Jackson’s face reddened once more, but this time it wasn’t from embarrassment. Kay shot Akamu a scathing look and then gently took Jackson’s arm. “C’mon, Jack. He’s trying to get you riled up because he knows it bothers you.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Pulling his arm away, Jackson hopped into the truck. The rest of the trip passed in silence. Jackson could tell Briggs was almost as pissed as he was, and Kay seemed to know better than to try and smother their anger in small talk.

  After another thirty minutes of driving, Briggs veered off from the main thoroughfare that tourists took through the preserve onto a smaller, two-lane gravel road. The flickering yellow lights of the green pickup showed a winding path flanked on both sides by trees of all kind. Once or twice, Jackson thou
ght he spotted pairs of glowing eyes staring at them from the darkness off the side of the road.

  Another hour passed and the sun went down completely. The road turned into a single dirt path through the forest with plenty of ruts and rocks to make it the bumpiest ride Jackson had ever been on. At last, Briggs stopped in an opening. When the truck’s rabid engine dropped into a whine, and then sputtered to a stop, Jackson could hear the steady sound of water running nearby.

  The surroundings melted away the rest of Jackson’s anger and the fatigue from the long drive. He looked around the clearing and sucked in a deep breath that smelled like new grass and fresh growth.

  “Wow,” Kay said in a hushed tone. “I thought we had good stars in Tyle, but they’re nothing compared to these!”

  Jackson looked overhead at the millions of tiny silver lights flickering in the night sky. He had to admit the scenery alone almost made the trip worth it, no matter what Djinn he might tame.

  “Yep. Sure is pretty,” Briggs said in a low, trancelike voice. He shook his head and started unpacking things from the back seat of the truck. “The two of you can sleep in the bed of the truck, I’ll take the cab.”

  “What about the tent?” Jackson asked. His inner child had been looking forward to camping — something he hadn’t done since before his mom died.

  “It’s too dark to set up,” Briggs said. “At this hour, there’s wild Djinn roaming the forest around us. We’re plenty safe, but it’s best not to tempt them — sleep in the truck tonight. We’ll do some scouting in the morning and pick a real campsite tomorrow in the daylight.”

  Too tired and drained to argue, Kay and Jackson unrolled their sleeping bags and foam pads in the bed of the pickup. The night was chilly but with Asena squeezing into the bag with him, he was plenty warm.

  Long after the others were asleep, Jackson continued to stare up at the night sky. A whirlwind of emotions made it impossible for his mind to relax.

  He kept thinking about all the different Djinn he might find and tame in the morning and how good it would feel to use them and Asena to wallop Akamu. Although it had lessened since leaving the visitor’s center, Jackson could still feel the sting of Akamu’s words. He promised himself he’d make the young Kaleo regret them.