by Troy Dukart
They landed swiftly onto the carrier. There were ten of them and had weapons drawn. We drew ours as well, and our Whiteclouds began to bark and growl. The leader of the group stepped forward. To our surprise, it wasn't the Russians. Instead, it was that guy from Tibet, Captain Parker. His helmet retracted into his space-suit.
“Strafe Rocknus. You are wanted by the U.S. government for colluding with terrorists. Surrender now or prepare to be taken down,” he threatened.
“What the hell? So now our troops are flying in Russian airspace?! Do you have ANY idea what you're doing?” I exclaimed.
Off in the distance, the shine of another Space Suit closed in on us. Another Angel landed on the deck.
“Stay away from him!” a woman warned.
Parker looked confused for a moment before stepping towards her, “STAND DOWN! That's an order!”
“Go to hell you bastard,” she scolded, “You're a Federation mole!”
“Angels, ATTACK!” he ordered his troops.
With no hesitation, they flew at us. Two of them went after Sergei and tried to capture him in a net but Zixin pulled him out of the way. My eye stayed glued on Parker. I jumped on Goliath and rode toward him. Pistol in hand, I fired a few shots, but he deflected them with his armor and knocked me off with a punch to my chest. Goliath crashed into a wall, which dazed him.
He got out an electric blade and tried to strike me down, but I kept deflecting his attacks until I got to my feet. The renegade Angel fought with other Spacemen. She took them down with ease.
I stomped my foot on the hull, “You have no idea what's happening. Tiras unleashed this! He will kill us all!”
“Nothing will stop the prophecy, especially not trash like you,” Parker ignored.
He shot me in the stomach with an electric bolt from his wrist which stunned and paralyzed me. I fell to my knees. Just before he could strike me down, Zixin came from behind and punched him across the deck.
Goliath and Pup came running and they cornered Parker. Esper stayed near the rogue Angel.
“What happened in Tibet, you orchestrated that, didn't you?” I realized while pulling out the electric bolt from my skin.
“Think fast,” he smirked.
One of the other Angels had pinned down Esper in a net and another was fighting that rogue Angel. She was knocked backward from a punch and slammed to the ground. Her helmet retracted to reveal the pilot.
“Yessa!?” I said in surprise.
They picked her up and slashed her across the chest with an electrified bladed weapon that extended from the forearm. They then threw her off the edge of the carrier.
The effects of the electric bolt Parker shot me with had worn off, partially due to my adrenaline. I ran toward our Whiteclouds and struck down the Angel that tossed her overboard with the God Blade. Zixin punched the other and dented his helmet to knock him out. He freed Esper as well.
“What do we do?!” Sergei cried.
The aircraft began climbing higher into the sky.
Pointing to our Whiteclouds I said, “Jump on a wolf!”
We jumped off to deck riding the wolves to escape and save Yessa. She had been free-falling unconsciously. Lucky for us, the Whiteclouds could glide on the air just like their father.
“Come on Esper! Let's go!” I yelled.
The wind was cold at this altitude but we nosedived to catch up to her. Yessa fell fast. It didn't look like I would reach her before she hit the ground. I hadn't used the Tongwa in a while but knew I had no choice in order to save her.
Rising to my feet, I jumped up off Esper and spread my arms. The Tongwa were the insects gifted to me on Eternia with the ability to glide across the winds. They lived in my forearms, connected to my bones. On my command, they would poke their long, transparent wings through my wrists. With a little discomfort, they broke through my skin and I flew after her.
I re-entered the nosedive and managed to pick up some speed by flapping the wings. I was getting closer to Yessa, but we were less than two thousand feet above the ground now.
Stretching my arms to the point of hyperextension, I finally reached her. With one wing, I slowed our descent to allow Esper to catch up. With ease, she maneuvered us onto her back and glided to the ground. We landed in a field with the sun setting in the distance. Zixin and Sergei rode down on Pup and Goliath. The Tongwa retracted into my arms and began to heal the scar with gel they excreted.
“What the hell are you American's eating these days? HA! I want wings!” Sergei belly-laughed.
Goliath walked with a limp. Something happened to his front foot. I would make sure to check on him once we took care of Yessa.
She was unconscious but unharmed. The suit was badly damaged, but the emergency system kept her oxygen flowing during her fall. There was a vitals reader on her wrist. I pushed the button and a display along her forearm showed her heartbeat, blood pressure, and other useful information.
“She's fine, just knocked out,” I said.
Esper had stood by next to her, patiently waiting for her to wake up.
“Strafe,” Zixin called, “Goliath isn't doing too well.”
“What?!” my heart skipped as I turned to him.
“Don't worry comrade, I watch her while you go,” Sergei said.
Setting Yessa down, I ran over to check on him. He laid on the ground licking his leg, whining in pain. His blood dotted the grass.
“What's wrong Goly?” I asked.
I pulled his head up to see the wound; he'd been shot. To avoid infection, we had to deal with this soon. Plus, we needed to escape in case the Angels decided to chase after us.
“Strafe! Here!” Zixin hollered as he ran from Yessa.
She had a first-aid kit embedded in her suit that he carried with him.
“Sergei, bring her over here for me, will ya?” I asked him.
Esper monitored Sergei diligently as he carried Yessa next to Goliath and set her down so we could tend to the both of them.
“We need to remove the space-suit from her so we aren't tracked.”
“Got it!” he said.
A black cloud formed over Moscow. The aircraft hovered above the city, raining down the black ooze to infect the citizens.
“God help us,” I trembled.
CHAPTER 21
Strafe
What the hell just happened? Something about Tiras changed. Similar resemblance, but I just didn't buy it. Maybe a clone of some sort?
Goliath was hesitant to let us touch his wound. He'd never been hurt like this before. Pup and Esper paced anxiously.
“Listen my brave one, I'm going to need to pull that bullet out and patch you up,” I assuaged while patting his side.
I caressed his face and he licked my hand. These wolves carried after their father. Although they couldn't speak like Brutus, they understood many words. He looked me in my eyes and calmly nodded. With the God Blade in my hand, I was ready to extract the bullet.
Through the orb, I saw it hadn't hit bone but was deep in his flesh. It wouldn't be easy to retrieve.
“Alright Goly, I promise to be as quick as I can.”
As smoothly and gently as possible, I reached around and I yanked it out with two fingers.
“Yiiiiipeee,” Goliath whined.
“It's okay,” Zixin soothed him.
In the kit was a laser to seal the flesh. After re-disinfecting his leg, I closed the opening in his skin.
“You did good my puppy,” I said while hugging him.
Zixin nudged my side, “Strafe, she's waking up!”
Yessa pushing herself off the ground and rubbed her head. She blinked a few times before recognizing us next to her.
“You guys made it,” she grinned.
“That was one hell of an entrance!” I ribbed.
“Parker is a Federation operative. They've infiltrated the government deep already. We're going to be hunted now.”
“Than
ks for coming to help us,” I said.
Yessa hugged me with one arm. Esper walked up and she held her in an embrace, “I’m glad to be back.”
“Yessa, this is Sergei, he's a friend of ours,” I said.
“Nice to meet you my lovely,” he bowed.
“Guys, we've gotta get going. No telling what that ooze is. I've got a headache from looking at it...” Zixin pressed. He massaged his head and winced his eyes, then, he froze. Trying to wake him up, I touched his shoulder but he snarled at me.
“What are you doing bro?!” I jumped back.
He shook his head a few times. Confusion ran over his face, “What, just happened?”
“I don't know, but that shit might've triggered you. Could be traveling through the air.”
“Guys, I hear a voice!” Sergei pointed out.
We all gathered around the small radio he held. The voice went in and out until he got it on the right channel.
“Hey, you alright out there?” a female voice cut in and out.
“Yeah, we're fine. What about you?” I asked.
“I'm great honey, send me your location and I'll come to pick you up,” she told us.
“Who is this?” Sergei questioned.
“My name is Claire Rocknus, we have a small ship. We're coming to save you.”
“Mom!” I cheered.
Sergei inputted the coordinates, “Roger! Here you go!”
“Stay there, we're on the way!”
We hid near a few brushes until a silver Mag-Ship approached our location. It set down on the field and the back door opened up. Mom stood there in a flight jumpsuit along with Alexei. She smiled at us and waved us over.
“Let's go!” Sergei commanded as he ran forward.
Yessa and Goliath took a little time to make it over. Two other Salvators were on board to help give better care to us. Alexei sat in the pilot's seat and my mom shut the door before we took off.
The ship was fast, much faster than I thought. Alexei put it on cruise control and joined us in the small loading bay. He gave our Fearless Leader a strong Russian hug.
“Still alive comrades,” he smiled.
Sergei chuckled, “You think they can kill us so easily, comrade? You drink too much weak foreign beer and not enough vodka!”
“How's Karma?” I asked.
“Yes, she took off to headquarters after uploading the data. She will meet up when she can,” Alexei told me.
Zixin sat next to our mom for the entire trip. She comforted him. He waited his whole life to be back with her and couldn't hold back the tears.
CHAPTER 22
Yessa
My mind boggled itself with mixed emotions. All the lost time with Strafe and the Whiteclouds, guilt from betraying the Space Force, and uncertainty of what the hell was going on. At least I had the skill-set to help them now. I made the right choice, I belonged here.
After what Parker had been allowed to say and do, my belief in the government waned. My Squadron Commander, Lt Col Fabian, was a good man, but he was just one good man in a ring of lions. My actions in Russia bordered on treason in their eyes I'm sure. They wouldn't go lightly on me if apprehended.
I just hoped my old team wasn't getting shit because of me. Sometimes guilt through association was common thought with those idiots.
Strafe distanced himself from me. I couldn't blame him. I had a feeling that we wouldn't be intimate like before; time and distance can smother even the strongest of flames. I think we both got over that many years ago on our own, yet, you always keep a place in your heart for anyone you've kissed. Lovers always teach you something you didn't know before about yourself.
What grew in me for him was immense respect and admiration. He matured greatly since Eternia, he looked like a real leader now. Regardless of the status of our relationship romantically, I would never leave his side again until we finished this.
Alexei said orders came in to fly to their Egyptian hideout and wait for further instructions. My military background didn't seem to bother them.
The ride was calm. We flew at a high speed but you couldn't tell. Zixin embraced his mother, who I delighted in seeing again myself. Claire was a sweet woman, she'd always throw me a beer when I went over to her house to see Strafe in New Santa Barbara.
Esper sat with me as I started to drift asleep.
I felt, at home.
In the military, I never fit in. I wanted to cry at times because it was so frustrating being so alone. They were my comrades, but not my family. Nothing can come close to that. It'd been so long since I didn't feel like I was dying on the inside.
When I woke, we landed in Cairo. The Nile sparkled emerald blue. The air smelled of flowers. The city bustled with life. I pulled up a digital German newspaper and read that various cities across Europe reported signs of infection spreading. The black ooze turned people into Slates wherever it traveled. Whoever came in contact with it became violent and attacked all lifeforms in sight. Nations around the world initiated emergency protocols and travel stopped worldwide. Economies took a huge hit. Media called the infections the “New Black Plague.”
Our ship, disguised as Egyptian through a program, had been cleared to land as we pretended to be United Nations workers returning from an assignment in the Middle East. People who traveled to infected countries were not allowed to leave. We maneuvered onto a black platform next to a naval port. Our doors opened and people in hazard suits approached, motioning us to exit.
Sergei hid our weapons as they ordered us out. The suits scanned us with lasers before giving us the clear. Fortunately, none of us caught the infection. They looked at the Whiteclouds but weren't concerned. The Black Plague only affected humans.
“Well, now what do we do?” Strafe asked.
“We must make our way to Prophet and stay with him until headquarters makes a decision,” Sergei explained.
“Who's that?” I asked.
“You must wait and see darling. Patience, patience.”
It was peaceful here. The weather warmed my soul, the sun kissed my skin. I didn't need to be on my guard. Sooner or later I would have to face the Space Force, but it wouldn't be alone this time. Egypt didn't ally closely with the US, so it would've been harder for them to track me here. Alexei destroyed my borrowed Space Suit back in Russia and made sure to erase as much data as he could from it to protect Amy.
Sergei led us to a Mag-Truck while Alexei and a few others stayed behind to guard the ship. We loaded up and took off. While sitting across from me, I noticed Strafe's slight uncomfortableness with my presence. His body seemed stiff like he couldn't relax. I wanted to talk to him alone.
Working our way out of the busy city, we headed to the desert on the highway. Being in the land of pyramids was wonderful. So much history here.
After about an hour's drive, we arrived at our destination. Sergei drove us off-road and parked in front of a mountain. Some people with machine guns and rags over their faces approached us. They had been expecting company. Once he finished chatting with them, a door in the mountain cracked open and they allowed us inside.
This was definitely the hideout. Weapons, vehicles, and tech ready everywhere in very tidy order. I'd never been to one of these before.
They instructed us to park and exited. Some Salvators welcomed us with hugs and tea. I needed both at the moment.
“Come, this way,” one of them said to us.
We followed him down the hanger to a control room to meet the person-in-charge.
“Commander, these are the people from Moscow,” our guide informed her in a thick Egyptian accent.
The woman turned around. She wore sand-camouflaged clothing and a red scarf around her neck that fell to her waist. Her perfectly straight black hair was tied in a bun at the back of her head. She smiled at us before shaking her head, “What makes you so special?”
“How lucky we are,” Strafe said.
She laughed.
“Everyone, this is Commander Zein of the Egyptian Salvators,” the guide announced.
“Nice to meet you...” I reached my hand out, but she ignored it. She gave me a snub look and brushed my shoulder while passing me. Seems like they didn't fully trust me. Couldn't blame them.
“Come, we will take you to Prophet, as Ibrahim requested.”
We walked through bare Egyptian caves with small peepholes in them. Sunlight cascaded gently across the walls. I could view the entire valley from here. Despite my disappointment that we didn't get more time in the city, I understood that hiding in the desert made it harder to find. Especially with satellites that could see for miles underneath the Earth's surface.
Zixin stayed close to Claire. He was in much better condition than back on the reservation. Strafe did an incredible job of healing him.
At the end of the tunnel, we found ourselves in a large, rounded room. There were hieroglyphics everywhere and ancient Egyptian rugs on the floor. The smell of cinnamon and mint filled the room. Sitting in the center, a person in white robes meditated.
“Stay here,” Commander Zein whispered.
She took off her boots and socks and walked slowly toward the individual. On her knees, she bowed to the person and whispered to them. They nodded back. Zein rose and turned toward us. With her index finger, she pointed to Strafe and I, “He will meet you now. The others will wait outside.”
My eyes widened. Why me?
CHAPTER 23
Yessa
“Lie down child,” the man said.
There were two rugs, one blue, one salmon colored, lying next to the man. He wore the mask of the Egyptian falcon deity Horus that covered his entire head. The acoustics of the mask and the cave made me feel every word he spoke, tiny vibrations danced across my skin when he did. The face of the mask was black in color but the eyes, beak, and neck were gold. Strafe laid down on the blue rug, I on the salmon one. A faint current in the room circulated around us and kissed my skin pleasantly. The man set a soft pillow near my head, “Close your eyes,” he whispered in a rugged voice.
