by Siegel, Alex
Min Ho waved his arms and ran over. "Hey! We're here to rent the car."
The men had dubious expressions, and Jia couldn't blame them. The Spears still had the clothes they had slept in plus a few things they had pulled out of the luggage. Jia was wearing a green sweater over a purple nightgown. Imelda had pajamas on top and jeans on the bottom. Corrie was wearing a leather jacket over a long-sleeve shirt over a camisole. Min Ho didn't even have a shirt, but he was wearing a green business jacket. All the clothes were either damp, wet, or dripping with salt water.
"Really?" one of the men in blue said.
"I have my identification and a credit card," Min Ho said. "My money is good. Let's do this."
They exchanged cards and paperwork. Min Ho was renting a green SUV which looked perfect for getting high in the mountains. It had big tires, a steel grill in front, and an electric winch on the rear bumper.
The men in blue called their office to verify the credit card and driver's license. They were still suspicious, but a deal was a deal. Eventually, the Spears put their luggage in the back of the SUV and climbed in.
Min Ho took the driver's seat. "Where to?"
"Boulder Creek," Olivia said. "It's in the middle of the mountains."
He nodded and drove off.
"Why did you rent a car instead of getting another one from a car thief?" Corrie said.
"I don't like to use the same trick twice during a mission," Min Ho said. "Maybe the thief is what got us into trouble last time."
* * *
Iris opened her eyes. "They landed at the Sure-ment Company. It's a big factory right near the shore. They're in a green SUV headed south on the highway. We're going the right way."
"Where did they get the car, ma'am?" Laurence said.
"It appears they rented it."
"Did you see the license plate?"
"Not this time," she said.
He furrowed his brow. "A shame."
They were in the black McLaren on the same highway as the Society, but the enemy was at least ten miles ahead. Laurence was driving fast to close the gap.
As the morning sun burned off the fog, the view was rapidly improving. The Pacific Ocean was on Iris's right, and sunlight reflected from the waves. The foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains were on her left. Yellow grass and low shrubs covered the rolling landscape. Tiny flowers provided needed points of color and interest.
"You'd better go back in, ma'am," Laurence said. "Watch what they're doing."
Iris nodded and sighed. She closed her eyes.
Chapter Eighteen
"What's that for?" Marina said.
She was studying a device the size and shape of a coffin standing on end. The polished, silvery surface reflected the light in a surreal way. A complicated control panel included abstract symbols she had never seen before. Cables as thick as her leg snaked away from the base.
"The ignition source," Bethany replied. The artificial nature of her voice still annoyed Marina.
"What will it ignite?"
"The aperture. It will take a lot of energy to kick-start the event."
Marina scratched her neck. "How much energy are we talking about?"
"Approximately six million megatons equivalent, but that's just the spark. Once space begins to rupture and positive feedback is achieved, the power levels will grow asymptotically."
"I'm guessing bad things will happen if it fails."
Bethany's black crystalline eyes stared at Marina. "Earth will no longer exist."
"Ah."
"If you don't mind, ma'am, I'd like to get back to work. I'm quite busy."
"Of course." Marina walked off.
Her phone rang. The caller ID showed Jia's code number, and Marina eagerly answered. She had been waiting for this call.
"What's going on?" she said more loudly than she intended. "Are you OK?"
"We're fine, ma'am," Jia said. "We were attacked this morning, but we got away."
"Attacked how?"
"Soldiers with rockets, grenades, and a mortar."
Marina frowned and stepped away from the crowd around the aperture. "How did they find you?"
"We don't know. It couldn't have been a tracking device on the car. We left headquarters in our own vehicle, and we switched right away. The security system would've detected a bug on our clothes."
"But you're OK now? Olivia, too?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jia said.
"Where are you headed?"
"Olivia is showing us the way to the witch, Rachiel."
Marina raised her eyebrows. "That's a great idea. Nobody will find you there. It's completely isolated. Rachiel doesn't even have electricity."
"No computers," Jia said wistfully.
"Of course. I presume our headquarters was destroyed."
"Yes, ma'am. It self-destructed."
Marina didn't put much value in material possessions, and the loss of her headquarters was more of an annoyance than a source of grief. The one thing she regretted losing was her knife collection. It had taken years to put that collection together, and some of the knives were priceless, historic artifacts.
"OK," Marina said. "Stay safe. Call me if anything else happens."
"Yes, ma'am. Bye."
She closed her phone.
Wesley came over. He was still wearing his pretty white suit and looked adorable.
"They survived," Marina said, "as you foretold."
He nodded. "Where are they going now?"
"You don't know?"
"I can't foresee everything."
"The witch in the mountains," she said.
He smiled. "That's perfect. She'll be able to help Jia."
"What's wrong with Jia?"
He walked off. She wanted to grab him by the collar and shake the truth out of him, but she restrained herself. Even the Lady of the Society couldn't physically assault the Voice of Truth.
Marina decided to call Aaron instead. He was probably very busy, but she couldn't hold back any longer. She had to know what was happening outside of her little Chinatown bubble.
She walked to the far corner of the room so she could have privacy. Her footsteps clicked on the metallic tiles which covered the floor. Bright lights reflected off the many shiny surfaces to produce a dazzling effect.
She dialed his number.
Aaron answered enthusiastically, "Yes? How are things in Chinatown?"
"Good. We put the project back together. The twins and the scientists are hard at work on it. The rest of us don't have much to do but stand around and watch. I'm thinking about sending a team out to get Chinese food. What about you?"
"We had some battles last night and this morning. Thousands of soldiers died, but our casualties have been light so far. That could change. The war is going to get a lot uglier before the day is out. We learned some interesting things, though. The guy running the military is General Sandy Walker. He's in hiding, but we'll find him. Senator Bedford Forrest is the mastermind behind the kidnapping of the President."
"Any luck finding him?" Marina said.
"Not yet, but Ethel has the scent. She discovered Forrest is a Pythagorean."
"What's that?"
"Sort of an anti-Society," Aaron said. "It's a loose organization run by God's enemies, and some of them even have gifts. It wouldn't be surprising if a Pythagorean is behind your problems in California."
"Why hasn't the Society destroyed them already?"
"We have, several times. They keep coming back. God's enemies can always find more greedy men willing to do anything for power. But this time, it will be different. After we're done with the aperture, and the new firewall is operational, we're going to put down the Pythagoreans for good."
"That's great. It sounds like you're making a lot of progress." She glanced to either side. "Wesley spilled the big secret last night. I wasn't sure if I should tell you or let him do it at the right time."
"How big a secret is it?"
"Huge. Enormous. I really need to
discuss it with you. I've decided I'm just going to blurt it out and accept the consequences."
Marina heard Aaron walking to a quieter location.
"Go ahead and blurt."
"Both of us are going through the aperture," she said quickly. "So are most of the legionnaires with me. The people who go through will become the new Society. The old Gray Spear Society is about to disappear."
He paused. "OK. What will that thing do to us?"
"Give us eternal life and incredible powers. We'll be like warrior angels. We'll never sleep, eat, or get bored. We can take any form we choose. We can go anywhere. You and I will be the supreme rulers of the whole bunch."
"You're kidding."
"No," she said emphatically.
He was silent.
"And that's not the craziest part," Marina added.
"It gets crazier?" Aaron sounded incredulous.
"The new Society won't just protect the Earth. We'll be responsible for the entire universe. God wants a single, final solution to the whole damn problem of keeping His creation safe. He wants the celestial war to end on every planet."
She waited patiently for him to respond.
"That's completely insane," he said finally.
"We don't have to do it. I talked to Wesley. We're allowed to back out and give the job to somebody else. We can become normal people again."
"That's not really a solution. We'll be bored out of our minds. Our blood runs dark with God's rage. We live for battle like all legionnaires. A normal life would be a slow, painful death for us. It seems like we have to do this."
"Is that your decision?" Marina said. "Are you ready to be chief cop of the entire universe? Are you ready to command a group of extremely powerful, immortal beings?"
"Can I think about this?"
"You have until tonight. The aperture will open exactly once and only for a few minutes. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye." The call ended.
She put away her phone. She felt better now that Aaron knew everything. She couldn't keep secrets from him.
She looked around for something useful to do. She hadn't lied to him about her lack of activity. The final assembly of the aperture had entered a delicate, highly technical stage. Bethany had flat-out told Marina to keep her hands off. Aside from the twins and the scientists, only Nancy was allowed to touch the hardware.
Marina noticed Smythe and Odelia holding hands by themselves and talking quietly. Marina knew it was rude to interrupt their private conversation, but good manners had never been her strong point. She walked over.
"Hi!" Marina said. "Wesley told me you might not go through the aperture."
The lovers looked at her, and they made a great couple. He was as handsome as a Hollywood movie star, and her beauty was almost inhuman. Marina didn't even mind Odelia's blood-red eyes.
"That's right, ma'am," Smythe said, "but we still haven't decided."
"Aaron and I could really use you. You both have a tremendous amount of talent. You're great healers now. Think about what you could accomplish with the gifts the aperture will give you."
"But will we have the freedom to use those gifts? Or will we just be slaves doomed to an eternity of meticulously following orders? I have a feeling you and Aaron will run a very tight ship."
Marina furrowed her brow. "Hmm."
"This could be the last time we ever make a decision for ourselves. If we don't back out now, we'll never have the option again."
"But you'll become ordinary humans." She made a face. "You'll get old and die."
"People have been doing that for a very long time, ma'am. It's considered normal. We're also talking about having kids."
She found his attitude difficult to comprehend. There was no honor or glory in getting old. Any idiot could have children, and idiots often did. Becoming a member of the new Society was a privilege granted to an elite few. Having to follow orders didn't seem like too high a price to pay.
"Think about it," Marina said. "Be sure you're making the right decision."
"Yes, ma'am," Smythe said.
She walked off, still with nothing to do.
* * *
Iris frowned.
"Which way, ma'am?" Laurence said.
She looked left and right at a fork in the road. The choice wasn't obvious.
The Pythagorean and her assistant were stopped on a narrow road high in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was rugged, hilly land. Tall, closely spaced trees blocked the sun and left only a strip of sky visible. Vines and bushes covered the ground, and everything was a lush green.
"I don't know," she said. "The Chinese woman was looking down when they made this turn. Damn it. I just don't know!"
"Then we have to guess."
Iris looked around one last time. There was a telephone pole and a mailbox next to the road, but they didn't help her.
"Go right," she said.
Laurence drove onwards. She looked at the lush scenery and tried to decide if any of it was familiar. The enemy had driven through this area just ten minutes earlier, but all the trees looked the same. Small, wooden houses were tucked away in the forest, but even they were generic. There were no road signs to help her. The people who lived up here apparently didn't need to be told where to go.
"Stop," she said. "Turn around and try the other way."
He frowned. "Yes, ma'am."
He made a U-turn on the narrow road and headed back.
* * *
Min Ho parked the car in front of a blue house almost buried under trees. It looked like a regular home, but a sign on the door read, "Rugged Rags Clothing Co." Before the team began its long hike through the mountains, they needed appropriate attire.
Everybody got out. Jia stretched her back and rolled her neck. It had been a tiresome drive up narrow, windy roads, and her muscles were stiff.
She looked up at the redwood trees which reached impossibly high into the sky. Lesser trees fought for land and light beneath the canopy. The air was cool, fresh, and scented with pine. The fog had burned off, and the weather had returned to its usual Bay Area perfection. Sometimes, she grew bored with every day being the same. She wanted to travel, but being an assistant in the Society made that impossible.
Min Ho, Corrie, Imelda, Jia, and Olivia went into the clothing store. The place was obviously a converted living room, and it was small. There was hardly enough room to move around. Clothing was stacked on shelves in a seemingly random fashion.
"Let's shop quickly," Imelda said. "We need to keep moving."
Jia found some boots and jeans in her size. The pants had white butterfly patches sewn on the butt. It took a little more work to find a shirt she wanted to wear.
She turned her attention to Olivia who was still wearing the pink, fuzzy pajamas she had slept in. There wasn't much of a selection for young girls, but Jia eventually found a jumper that fit Olivia.
The team took their new clothes to the register, but nobody was there to take their money. Imelda pounded on a bell until eventually, a woman in a colorful outfit came from another room. Her dress featured plenty of peace symbols and flowers.
"Sorry," the shopkeeper said. "I was eating breakfast."
"Interesting place you got here," Imelda said. "Very out of the way."
"People who know fine clothes always find me."
Jia didn't think the clothes were anything special, but she kept quiet.
"We're actually looking for a witch named Rachiel," Imelda said. "Does she still live around here?"
The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "I don't really know. I hear stories about her, but I've never seen her in person. I think she's up near Crest Ranch. She's supposed to have spooky powers."
"Thanks. How much do we owe you?"
The team paid for their clothes and went back outside. They took turns changing behind the SUV. Finally, everybody was dressed for a hike, and they sat in the car.
"You're sure you know where to go?" Min Ho said. "We don't want to get lost up h
ere."
Olivia nodded. "Keep driving down this road."
* * *
Iris opened her eyes. "Rugged Rags Clothing Company. Where is that?"
Laurence had parked the black McLaren on the narrow shoulder of the road. There was no point in driving when they didn't know where to go.
He used the browser in his phone to look up the information. He was obviously having trouble, and he banged the phone a few times.
"Problems?" Iris said.
"Crappy signal, ma'am. We're in a dead zone up here. Oh, I got it." His face settled into a frown. "It's miles away. We must've made a wrong turn pretty far back."
She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Just go. If they get too far away, I'll lose them, and that would be a disaster."
Laurence started the car and drove off.
* * *
Min Ho pulled off the road and parked among the tall trees.
"This is it?" Jia said incredulously.
Olivia nodded. "Yes. Let's go."
Everybody got out of the car and grabbed the luggage. A dirt path wound through the forest, but it was in poor condition, and a passerby could've easily missed it. There wasn't even a sign.
"Come on!" Olivia said eagerly.
She hurried down the path, and the adults scrambled to catch up to her.
As they went deeper into the forest, Jia's doubts about this adventure grew. Fallen trees blocked their way in spots. In other areas, vegetation had grown over the trail, forcing the team to search for where it started again.
She also wasn't in good enough physical condition for such an arduous hike. Sweat started dripping into her eyes and her legs grew heavy. The suitcase in her hand felt like it was full of bricks.
"We'd better not get lost," Jia said irritably.
"You don't trust me?" Olivia said.
"Of course I do. I just don't like the wilderness. There aren't enough computers."
Min Ho nodded vigorously in agreement.
They trudged onwards. Olivia seemed to know the way even though the trail was almost invisible in spots. The sounds of animals and birds in the forest made Jia nervous. She had heard stories about people getting lost in the mountains and dying, and she had no interest in testing her survival skills.
