by Paul Ormond
“Where is she? What have you done with her?” Mitch shouted.
“She is here, right here, Mitch,” Mother said as she raised her head. “There is no reason to panic. Everything is fine. All is well.”
“You can’t do this,” Mitch shouted after he spotted SoHee within her orb hovering near the beam.
“I already have,” Mother said before she reached out and raised Mitch into the air. “There are more things at work here than your pitiful struggle for survival. It is important for you to realize something before we carry on. Everything that you have experienced is crucial to this reflection. I recognize what you have done, and do not blame you for your actions, for you have taught me more in a few instances of insubordination than I could have possibly surmised by studying the endless infinity of the multi-verse. Now it all makes sense. If you had not of chosen your actions as you did, none of this would have come about. So I have to thank you for your service to the Emperor. Even though you do not believe in your heart that he is the savior of the universe, it is through you that we have been able to reach the transcendence phase. It’s actually quite incredible if you think about it.”
“I would never help you,” Mitch shouted.
“On the contrary, all you have done is help me. You brought the goddess to me and you allowed me to apprehend my nemesis,” Mother said before an opening appeared in the floor and a translucent cube elevated to the surface. “Behold, your beloved Teron, the master of terror and scourge of the Multiverse.”
“Do not listen to her, Mitch,” Teron shouted. “She is going to destroy us all.”
“That is enough out of you. You will get your turn soon enough,” Mother said while Teron froze in place. “So there you have it, Mitch. No matter what you do, you have no choice but to help me. This is the will of the Emperor in action. It is through him and his works that we are able to realize the true potential of the multi-verse. As he and the Empress grow in strength, so does their will.”
“Nothing you are saying makes any sense,” Mitch shouted. “The Emperor and the multi-verse, it’s all and illusion you created.”
“Is it, Mitch?” Mother said before she turned her captive to face the enormous pair of orbs spinning in the distance. “Bow before the Emperor and Empress and thank them for all they have provided. Feel their power flowing through you. Let their love fill your heart.”
“You cannot poison me with your insanity,” Mitch shouted.
“Resist all you like, it will only make your suffering greater,” Mother said. “But as I have already pointed out, this struggle of yours only aids the Emperor. There is someone else who would like to say something to you before you part.”
“You’re not doing yourself any favors, Mitch,” KiGuan said after he stepped out of the shadows. “Allow your heart to accept my father’s love and all will be well. This I know from my own experience and through Mother’s teaching.”
“I still cannot believe that I thought we were friends,” Mitch said. “How can you swallow all of this madness without question? She has been lying to you your entire life.”
“I think you are mistaken, Mitch,” KiGuan said, stepping to Mother’s side. “Everything Mother has done has been in service to my father. I am indebted to her in many ways. And it is through her that I found my way to the Emperor.”
“You sound just like her now,” Mitch shouted. “All Mother has done is grasp at power since she came into existence. All she cares about is control. That’s what this harmonization is all about. But I know for a fact that you cannot harmonize the multi-verse. It might sound crazy, but I believe in the power of chaos. I believe that the only thing we can control is ourselves.”
“That was a very nice speech, Mitch,” Mother said. “Unfortunately, we’re running out of time. The moment approaches and we need to prepare for your send off. Lucky for you, you get to spend your final moments in the embrace of your dear sweet SoHee.”
“What are you doing?” Mitch shouted before Mother’s legs folded into her chamber and she launched into the air bringing Mitch along with her.
“Doing what I should have done a long time ago,” Mother said, approaching SoHee’s orb. “You’re going to take a trip, you and SoHee both. Together you will accompany the Emperor and Empress as they transcend to their true forms and journey to earth. It’s quite fitting, actually, that this is how you meet your end. I couldn’t have planned a better way to get rid of you. So once again, all of your efforts have only gone and served this higher purpose you have valiantly fought against.”
“You won’t get away with this,” Mitch shouted while Mother thrust him toward SoHee.
“I don’t need to get away with anything, Mitch,” Mother said before a narrow beam shot out of her chamber and lashed itself to the undulating aura encasing Mitch. Forming a loop, the beam of light attached itself to SoHee’s orb and drew them together.
“It is time for your send off, Mitch,” Mother said. “You have reached the end of your journey. It is a shame that this is how it comes about, but like you said, we can only control ourselves. You made your own choices and now I am making mine.”
“You think this is over,” Mitch shouted while he and SoHee drifted away from Mother. “I’ll find a way to finish you off.”
“Don’t be foolish, Mitch,” Mother shouted as he neared the pulsing beam of light. “You should spend your last remaining moments looking upon your beloved SoHee. For this will be the last time you see her.”
“I’ll get you for this,” Mitch shouted before a crackling spire of energy shot out of the beam and dragged him into the fiery torrent alongside SoHee.
“I’m afraid you are mistaken, Mitch,” Mother said while she descended toward the deck.
“It is time for our grand entrance. Are you ready, KiGuan?”
“Of course I am, Mother.”
“Then what are we waiting for?”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
“YOU’RE SURE THESE things have all been calibrated,” Gerald said, adjusting the device strapped to his arm as they passed over a jagged peak. Pre-dawn light hung on the distant horizon, a soft orange glow under deep blue cloud banks.
“You’re just going to have to trust the engineering team,” Gaelin shouted while punching commands into his panel. “Word’s out and anybody that can is moving to the site, but we’ve got no idea what kind of a time line we are working with.”
“Luckily for us, we can assign locations on arrival,” Ramon said. “Anyone that has responded and wants to join in is being directed to muster sites and will be placed under the command of one of our own. So far we’ve got at least 25 divisions. It might not be enough, but it’s a start.”
“I can work with that,” Gerald said, scanning the horizon. “Any luck with that other call I asked you to make?”
“I sent it out, but I didn’t get a response,” Gaelin said. “From what we can gather, whatever it is that the Masters are doing down there is causing an awful lot of disturbance in the network.”
“It was always a long shot,” Gerald said. “We’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got.”
“With you calling the shots, I think we might have a chance,” Gaelin said.
“I don’t know what kind of chance we’ve got, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Gerald said before he banked toward the ground. “We’re getting close. It’s time to go down and get a better look at what we’re up against. I just hope those kids are all right.”
“I sent them a pin, but they didn’t reply.” Gaelin said, following after Gerald. “If they got away, they know where to go.”
“They better have,” Gerald said while he approached a stand of trees. “We need their intel and their insight.”
Dropping to the ground, Gerald deactivated his suit and jogged between several trees before coming to a stop under a large overhanging rock. As the rest of his team joined him, he caught a flash of movement in the shadows. He pushed further under the slab with slow and careful s
teps.
“What are you expecting to find back there?” Robert said as he took a seat on a rock.
“Be quiet,” Gerald said without looking back. “You can come out now. We’re on your side.”
“What the hell was that?” Kate said, readying an orb in her hand.
“Put that thing away,” Gerald said. “You’re only making things worse. It’s safe now. There’s nothing out there.”
“How can we trust you?” a voice said from behind a rock.
“Because we’re on your side,” Gerald said. “We already talked while you were on the run. Just come out and we’ll sort it all out.”
“Do you have water?” A girl’s voice said.
“We’ve got plenty of water and anything else you might need,” Gerald said. “We’re here to help, so you don’t have to be suspicious.”
“They’re still out there,” another voice said.
“Maybe, but for now it’s all clear,” Gerald said.
The sound of feet shuffling over rocks echoed through the cave for a moment while several figures made their way toward Gerald.
“Are you Sage,” Gerald said after a young man with jet black hair wearing a mud strewn hoodie stepped into the light.
“That’s right,” Sage said while cleaning some soot out of his eye. “Took you guys long enough. We’ve been hiding back there for hours.”
“We’re here now,” Gerald said. “Somebody, get these kids some water and some food.”
“On it,” Allan said as he dropped to one knee and opened up a backpack. “I’ve got bottled water and a bunch of these military rations. Not sure how they work. I just grabbed whatever I could find.”
“Just give us the water,” Sage said while Allan approached him with the bag.
“What’s waiting for us in town?” Gerald asked before Sage took a big pull of water from the plastic bottle while his companions came forward and pilfered the contents of the bag.
“Not sure,” Sage said. “We did what we could underground, but those shots that Candace sent out were all we could get as far as intel goes.”
“But you saw it with your own eyes?” Gerald said. “And you said it was heavily guarded.”
“It was, but they didn’t seem like they were expecting anyone to waltz in like we did,” Sage said. “You can bet they doubled up their security measures by now.”
“That’s probably a fair assessment,” Gerald said. “You were involved in the incident at the convention last year, right?”
“We were there,” Sage said. “But this is a whole different story, these guys are way overpowered.”
“I’ve had a few run-ins of my own, so I know what you are talking about,” Gerald said. “Listen, you’ve been through a lot, but this thing is far from finished. Based on your intel, we believe that the invaders have a special interest in this site. If we can put a stop to whatever it is they are doing down there, then we think we can weaken their position and hopefully send them packing.”
“You think we stand a chance against them?” Gareth asked with his mouth full of an energy bar.
“Did you guys stand a chance last year when you took on Robert and his goons?” Gerald asked.
“Hey, I’m right here, you know,” Robert said.
“Is that Robert Chapman? What the hell is all this?” Sage asked before he stepped back and prepared to flee.
“Relax, it’s a long story, but he’s on our side,” Gerald said.
“I thought he was dead,” Candace said while she wiped her lips clean.
“I’m not dead, and once again I am standing right here,” Robert said.
“We were there too,” Babcock said, pointing at Davis. “I think I remember you two from the cavern.”
“That’s right, and we put an end to your evil plot,” Gareth said.
“There’s no reason for animosity right now,” Gerald said. “It might seem a little hard to believe, but we’re all on the same side and the enemy is out there. If we don’t pull together, then we don’t stand a chance.”
“How the hell do we stand a chance against all that?” Darren said, chewing on some dried fruit.
“It might seem a little daunting, but we’re not done yet,” Ramon said. “You guys are a part of a much larger picture. As we speak, our entire network is ascending on this location to defend the planet form these invaders. You guys played your role in the DeathWorld storyline and you have seen our numbers. But that wasn’t the only thing the Cell has been up to. We’ve got plenty of surprises up our sleeves. They are about to find out what happens when you mess with Earth.”
“That’s pretty inspiring, but they’ve got some serious firepower,” Sage said. “We were lucky to get out of there in one piece, and that was only a few of them. I couldn’t imagine going at them head on.”
“You won’t be alone,” Gerald said. “You saw what we were able to pull off after you escaped. Believe me, there is more of that coming. There is something else I have to tell you. Mitch, he lives.”
“Mitch is alive?” Sage said. “How do you know this? Have you seen him?”
“After he disappeared, we went after him, along with his friend, SoHee Moon. We found him and a lot more. It’s a complicated story, but if we play it right, I think you might get a chance to hear Mitch tell it. He and SoHee are currently trying to track down the source of all this insanity and shut it down. If they succeed, then we’ll be able to win this war. If not, I don’t know what will happen. But we don’t have time to sit and wait for Mitch Mythic to show up. We need to find a way to push back and knock their invasion plans off the rails, and we think this is the place to do it.”
“And I always thought Kingsford was boring,” Candace said. “I can’t believe this keeps happening in our own town.”
“It’s not just here, it’s everywhere,” Gerald said. “And if we don’t do something now, then we could lose it all. I think it’s time we went and had a look at what’s waiting for us. Is there a vantage point nearby?”
“There’s a spot between the rocks over there that looks out over the whole valley,” Donnie said. “You can see everything from there.”
“Then you lead the way,” Gerald said before turning to face his companions.
“I’m getting reports back from our people,” Gaelin said while he kept pace with Gerald. “They are in position, but everyone is getting antsy.”
“Tell them to hold still,” Gerald said as Sage stepped past him. “We can’t have anybody charging in their on their own. We’re only going to get one chance at this. I don’t want to blow it.”
Following after Sage, Gerald found an uneven path through a set of trees before coming to a pile of rubble beneath a large boulder. Sage leaped onto the rock and pressed into a narrow gap. After a couple attempts, Gerald pulled himself up onto the rock as Davis came up after him.
“You’re getting a little slow,” Davis said. “Looks like too much inReal.”
“When this is all over I’ll bust your ass all over any obstacle course,” Gerald said while he made his way into the opening.
“Deal,” Davis said, edging forward through the gap.
Further ahead, Sage stood at the edge of the cliff, his silhouette outlined against a rock ledge as the bright fires of dawn lit up the sky. Gerald stepped over a rock embedded in the passage and scrambled down a short slant before coming to a stop behind Sage.
“They’ve been holding like this for a while,” Sage said, nodding toward the oblong ships hovering over the white domes in the center of Kingsford. “They look small from up here, but they are huge once you get close.”
“We haven’t been able to get much intel on how they operate, but we know that they can be damaged after the drone strike last night” Gerald said.
“I’m not sure how much damage you actually did,” Sage said. “But it looks like they recovered pretty fast.”
“That remains to be seen,” Gerald said. “What we pulled off was only a test for the big show we’ve
got planned. What else can you tell me about what you saw underground?”
“The thing was big, and it definitely had a purpose,” Sage said. “But I’ve got no idea what that purpose is.”
“Do you think you could show us how to get back in there?” Gerald asked.
“Are you nuts?” Sage said. “There is no way I’m going back in there. Even if we could get down there, they’re definitely going to be expecting us.”
“Not if we go and knock at the front door first,” Gerald said. “We’re going to send in a wave of troops to draw them out and you and I are going to sneak back in blow that thing up.”
“Not going to lie to you, that sounds completely insane,” Sage said. “They’ll be all over us once we get inside. It’ll be like walking into a beehive, only these bees shoot lasers.”
“But you know what happens when you shake a beehive, right? They all come shooting out,” Gerald said. “So when these bees come shooting out, we're going to get the queen.”
“It doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice,” Sage said.
“No, you don’t. Time is running out. If we don’t strike fast, we might not get another chance. I’m guessing that once they get that thing down there working, our opportunity to save the planet will be lost.” Gerald said before activating his coms. “Gaelin, get in here. It’s time to play our wild card.”
