by Martin, CJ
“We have learned something, Mr. President,” said Marcus, continuing. “And I’m afraid it is unsettling. Kaileen has a complete list of the Temporal. As you know, we believe she means to turn or kill us all. I think you know the evil that just one turning could unleash. Now it is even more important to either find and stop her or else gather all of the Temporal together for a more effective defense.”
“I see,” said the president as he walked back around his desk. He stood there, leaning on the back of the chair. Facing the group, he met each of their eyes and said, “I must say, having only learned of your existence a few weeks ago, I am still trying to get a grip on it all. However new and amazing your gifts may be to me, I do know that we cannot let these gifts fall into the hands of a terrorist.” President Gardner pounded the table in emphasis. “We cannot allow that to happen.”
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Marcus said, nodding. “It seems only a few have been able to arrange for travel. And undoubtedly most used their real—or current—names. This could make them vulnerable to attack. I was hoping your offer of military escorts would still be extended.”
“Yes, indeed. I understand your concern and need for keeping the list secret—even from me. I’ll give you authority to determine all the details. The Joint Chiefs have been instructed to coordinate transportation according to your needs. One moment.”
The president held up a finger indicating patience while his other hand pressed a series of buttons on a keypad that seemed to be a part of the desk itself.
After a beep, the president said, “Get me Bill.” He turned back to Marcus and the group of Temporal. “What else can I give you? What do you need?”
“Just a few transports in the air to pick up the scattered Temporal. In the meantime, I will continue to try to contact those I wasn’t able to reach earlier.”
“Wouldn’t it be a good idea to ask our allies to send local police to protect these people—especially the ones you can’t contact?”
Sam couldn’t read the President’s thoughts, but he did sense genuine and deep concern. His gifts were constantly surprising him. Just when he thought he understood his limits, he would discover something new that he couldn’t do the day before.
Marcus shook his head. “I want to keep this as low key as possible. They may not provide much protection and it would certainly add more attention. If at all possible, I would like our existence to be kept a secret.”
“I understand. As soon as Bill…”
They were interrupted by a voice coming through the speaker on his desk. “Mr. President, Dr. Bracker is here.”
After the president told his secretary to let Dr. Bracker in, a fairly short man entered. He had thinning gray hair neatly combed into a side part. As if to make up for his lack in height, it seemed the man packed every inch with importance, from his stern and neatly kept appearance to his suit. He wore a silk twill tie that shook when he bowed slightly in respect to the president. Sam wasn’t sure if that was his style or if he was trying to impress Suteko. Either way, it made Sam slightly dislike the man. It was undeniable, however, that Dr. Bracker did everything he could to cast a heavy shadow as he passed the president’s guests and glided to his boss.
Ian looked up and was impressed. He surmised the bespoke suit Dr. Bracker was wearing could only have been made by one of Savile Row’s finest. Made of vicuna wool, one of the rarest of fine wools, the suit was perfectly cut and fitted, making the slightly rotund man quite handsome.
“I would like for you all to meet Dr. William Bracker. He will take you to a session with the Joint Chiefs. I have a meeting with a dignitary from the Republic of the Congo. It is President Sassou Nguesso’s nephew and my not showing up may be seen as a slight. But I assure you, going with you would be—oh—so much more exciting. Bill will see to it that you have everything you need.”
“If you will all follow me.”
“Actually,” said Marcus, turning everyone’s attention back to the president, “If you don’t mind, sir, I’d prefer to share this with as few people as possible. Would it be acceptable, Mr. President, for you to select three or four of your most trusted men who have both the authority and connections to accommodate us?”
“There will naturally have to be more people involved in coordinating the planes and at the on-ground rallying points.”
“Naturally. However, I would like as few people as possible knowing the full picture and the nature of what it is that we are picking up.”
“Understood. You’ll have a small party waiting for you then.”
Marcus turned to Dr. Bracker who then headed for the door. The others followed.
Ian moved passed Marcus to the front of the group to be next to Dr. Bracker. “Nice threads.” Ian appraised the man as they walked through a set of double doors. “Must have cost a pretty penny.”
Dr. Bracker just nodded. He didn’t bother to try to make the half-smile look sincere.
“A nice job you must have, yes? Taxpayer-funded style. I’d like a piece of that. Nice work if you can get it, and all that.”
“I am not wholly a public servant. I am a consultant for a few Fortune 500 companies. My services to the president are of a more philanthropic nature than out of financial need. I assure you, my taxpayer-funded salary alone would not warrant the luxury of even this tie.”
“No worries,” Ian said with a wink as he leaned into Dr. Bracker, “I’m not an American.”
They exited the building to two idling limousines. The drivers quickly opened the rear doors allowing for the group to seat themselves.
Dr. Bracker made another smileless bow and told the group he would meet them there.
Ian sat next to Marcus in one of the limousines. “I’m not sure who I like less: you or him.”
Marcus smiled and said, “I’m sure, dear Ian, that would be me.”
Chapter Six
The act of kindness had left them puzzled. The Temporal discovered the true purpose for the raid, but they had not pressed for all the information they could have received. They were simply released. No condition was placed on them, even though it was within the man’s right to do so. They all understood that, but none of them dared to voice any semblance of gratitude. It wasn’t safe. One of the other two would eagerly repeat what had been said in front of the High Lady.
They left without having seen the younger, mean man again and that suited them just fine. The three were free from the Temporal and were busily deciding on the next course of action.
“Weee must stay a-way from Shee,” said one of them as they hastily fled the compound in desperate search of black soil. The faces of the other two Nephloc were pained at the mentioning of Kaileen.
“Sheee will kill usss,” said another.
“Where will weee go—that Sheee cannot find?” asked the third.
The second Nephloc, the one that had spoken to the Temporal, stopped the other two and said, “To stay a-way is to go to Shee. Sheee will find usss.”
“Yeeesss. Perhaps some good awaits usss with Shee. Weee see enemy. We see tiings Sheee does not,” said the third as it motioned for the circle to begin.
Two of the three Nephloc touched each other and began the process of sinking into the ground. Under their long, black cloaks, toes granulated and disappeared like the falling sand slipping down the neck of an hourglass. While whispering dark words, the bones of their knees were soon touching ground level, all the while becoming less solid.
The first Nephloc pulled at the necks of the other two, stopping their actions. “No! Weee feel the burning of Heer anger even now.”
The other two stopped and rose to their former height.
“Wee must go,” said another. “Shee calls.”
“Yess, wee must,” said the other.
The reluctant Nephloc knelt down and, with a bony hand, felt the earth. It scooped up a handful of dirt and grass. After a long examination, it nodded in agreement and joined the circle.
Moments later the feet o
f the three Nephloc began to turn earth color. A gnawing, gritty dirt texture crept up and over their legs, engulfing their tunics as well as the little bits of skin and bone that were exposed. Once again, skin and bone and cloth granulated until it was indistinguishable from the soil around them.
Just as it was prior to being captured, their height and overall size was not constant; it was as if they were sinking, but instead of burrowing into the ground, parts of their bodies fed the soil around them like water spilling into parched earth. Their flesh and bone spread wide and deep. The earth was calling; as their feet, legs, thighs, chest, and heads answered the call, they dissipated into the miles and miles of soil around them. Soon, nothing of the Nephloc remained above ground.
“And what of the others?”
Kaileen paced impatiently with eyes that bored deep into the single shaking Nephloc before her. She had sent out four; it had returned alone. It alone had escaped. The creature quickly fell down, bowing before her feet. It was wishing her judgment could be directed elsewhere—or if it must come to it, that the judgment would come swiftly. Instead of returning with the accursed woman Temporal, it appeared they all had failed.
“Weee’s escaped,” said the single trembling Nephloc. “Others were captured. Others surrendered.”
She hated the imprecise language of the Nephloc. But it was part of the process of removing the self out of the former human. They were now little more than dumb animals, whatever their potential for growth.
The woman’s hands folded tightly into fists. Its appearance changed momentarily. The skin over her hands was laced with a series of flakey scales; it became larger than what seemed natural on her thin, pale wrists. A second later, the hands returned to their former shape and color.
“The others were captured. Only you escaped?”
“Yeesss.”
The cowering Nephloc had its face deep into the floor. It was concrete, not earth. There would be no escape. But even if it were the richest of soil with healthy traces of water, to where would it flee? Where could it go that she would not find it? It thought about rushing out the door, but nasty Perazim guards blocked the way. It had noticed a patch of earth only a few meters above a large underground river. The living stream would facilitate a quick escape. It knew it was fast, but it also knew that she was faster...
“What did they tell the Temporal?”
The creature’s attention returned to the woman. It kept its head respectfully low and to the ground. Its eyes darted to the left and right, seeing only scattered bits of dirt on the floor. It was dirt; tiny specks of dirt that mocked it. The specks of dirt invited it to attempt an escape that would not be possible.
“My lady, wee’s do not know. Wee’s escaped.”
In a fit of anger, her foot launched into the Nephloc’s side, sending it flying into a wall. It was a pure waste; she had dispatched the group of four Nephloc with her strength, making each of them twice as large and many times as powerful as their natural forms. She felt disgust at the thought how easily these Nephloc had been distracted. That merely at the sight of a Temporal, the Nephloc she had given so much had thoughtlessly thrown it all away.
“Disgusting.” She shook her head, walked toward it, and then shouted, “Why did you not stay? Why didn’t you fight? I gave you strength. I gave you my strength. You had more than enough power to overcome that woman.”
“Theey were waiting. The woman was not alone.”
“They knew?”
Her intelligence had indicated that the woman, Suteko, would be alone. The realization that the Temporal knew she was coming for Suteko caused Kaileen to burn her anger brightly against the creature before her.
But it hadn’t been simply an intelligence failure. It had been a trap.
“Yesss, High Lady. Theey kneew.”
She turned away, reaching for an object on a table. The Nephloc dared to look up. It saw that she was pulling a kerosene lantern with one hand, and with the other, she struck a match. It had only seen the light for a moment, but even in a room well-lit by artificial incandescent bulbs, the natural flame from that match pierced the creature with bright darts of pain.
“And how did they know?” Her voice was loud and tempered only by the belief that additional information could be gained.
The woman’s actions were too much for the Nephloc. It immediately scurried to the nearest wall. Unfortunately for the Nephloc, it was the wall farthest from the door. It wouldn’t have mattered; had he lurched toward the door, several Perazim—mature Nephloc who had been given a name in addition to artificial flesh—were guarding the room’s only exit. Their heavy clothes, dark eyewear, and gloves covered their new flesh. They were sensitive to light, but not nearly as sensitive as the Nephloc. They could go out even during the day if careful. The Perazim could interact with the world. Something unthinkable for Nephloc without heavy Morphic screening, the kind only the High Lady could bestow.
It was both angry and envious of the Perazim that blocked the door and prevented its freedom. It had been promised Perazim status upon successfully bringing back the Temporal woman dead or alive. It had failed.
“Pleeease...have meeerc...” It stopped mid-sentence.
“Mercy is for the weak. Have the Temporal influenced you, corrupted you?”
She lit the lantern and adjusted the flame until it burned to the fullest. The Nephloc looked away, but even at a dozen feet away, the flame was already burning its skin. Through holes that once housed nostrils, it detected smoke and burnt flesh—its flesh. It wasn’t the light itself that was painful, although eyes spent at length in darkness stung when shown artificial light. The skin and inner being of a Nephloc reacted to the electromagnetic radiation from natural light with intense pain, with burning. Prolonged exposure of even a small measure of natural light meant death.
“Now, you will pay for your error.”
But just as she took a step toward the sobbing creature against the wall, there were knocks at the door.
Her head turned and her mouth made a slight snarl manifesting her disgust at being interrupted.
“Enter!”
She made a slight gesture with her fist. The guards took a step aside and the door opened of its own accord.
On the other side of the doorway stood three bowing Nephloc—the remainder of the four spies. They instantly recoiled at the sight of the burning lantern even as Kaileen returned it to the far table. Equally painful was the fourth spy’s presence. The three hissed and spat in its direction. They were soon goaded inside by several baton-wielding Perazim behind them.
“You? I thought you had been captured.”
She snuck a look at the cowering figure against the wall with a look of anger and suspicion.
“You and you,” she said, pointing at two of the Perazim, “search the perimeter. Make sure these fools were not followed.”
“Weee traveled far and deep. No one followed.”
“And why are you not dead?”
“It was a trap. Wee fought, but there were too many,” said the first of the three.
“Wee...is fast. Faster than Temporal,” said the second.
“It,” said the third, pointing at the cowering Nephloc in the corner, “did not fight. It abandoned uss, exposed our weakness.”
The Nephloc that had arrived first jumped from its balled position and charged toward its erstwhile partners. It had murder in its eyes and death in its outstretched arms.
Kaileen stuck her left arm out, stopping the advance of the first Nephloc even as it was six feet away. Her other arm extended directly at the three newcomers. Her fingers were parted wide, but as she slowly brought them into a fist, the three Nephloc were pulled against their will deeper into the room toward her. The pulling ended with the three Nephloc a few feet away from the woman. They immediately fell to the ground, bowing and wailing.
“You all failed me. I gave you power. I gave you a chance to enter the cocoon and change. You could have been Perazim! And what did you do?
At the first sign of danger, you reverted to your pitiful state. But more so than this. Either you,” she said pointing to the single Nephloc to her left. “Or you three are lying.” As she said the last word, her face burned red as if momentarily on fire.
The four were sobbing, but otherwise silent.
She heard the screech before anyone else. “Guards!” she said to the Perazim near the doorway. “Keep these fools here. I shall return momentarily.” She released her hold on the Nephloc and the two Perazim quickly moved in, corralling the prisoners into two groups.
Kaileen was outside and beneath a large oak with such a speed that it startled the great bird.
“You have news, spy?”
The eagle was perched on the lowest branch, some twenty feet above ground. Its eyes were focused on hers. The mode of communication was not verbal—it could not be. But the bird’s eyes spoke far more than mere words ever could.
The edges of Kaileen’s lips turned downward. “The three were released.”
The magnificent animal shifted its stance, locking its talons onto a thicker portion of the branch.
“They spoke our secrets to the Temporal.”
In a rush of fury, Kaileen flew back inside, her pace slowing to a trot when entering the room. She grabbed the lantern and immediately flung it at the three huddling together. There would be no appeal, no advocate for their lives.
Through shards of broken glass, the flame consumed as if the Nephloc had been doused with gasoline. Fire instantly covered the three screaming figures. The dark cloaks were eaten up by the flames, revealing their naked bodies. The little skin wrinkled and turned black. They fell to the ground, resembling a dying spider pulling itself into a ball. Bone, falling and failing, was no stronger against the flame than cloth or flesh.
