by PJ Hoover
“You guys are a downer,” Lulu said. “I seriously went there to help you?”
Benjamin looked at Jack. “Well, normally I’d have asked Jack. But seeing as how we already saw you there, the natural conclusion—”
Lulu put up her small hand. “Spare me your natural conclusions.”
“The future does not sound promising,” Helios said. “But it also does not sound hopeless. After all, we do have Atlantis. And Lemuria.”
“Yeah, and they have the rest of the world,” Joey said.
“Have they done anything yet?” Heidi asked. “I mean, what’s happening with the world out there?”
“Yeah,” Benjamin said. “Do the humans know anything’s changed?”
“Aside from the two giant continents that popped out of the ocean?” Lulu said. “The Lemurian emergency response teams have actually managed to keep the cataclysms to a minimum.”
Joey let out a hollow laugh. “If by a minimum you mean ten earthquakes, six tsunamis, and four volcanic eruptions—all from extinct volcanoes.”
Benjamin’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding, right?”
Lulu shook her little head. “Not kidding.”
“And you call that a minimum?” Benjamin asked.
A dark cloud moved onto Joey’s face; Benjamin never would have believed Joey could be so serious. “Think about it, Benjamin. Two continents bigger than Africa have just surfaced—one in the Atlantic Ocean and one in the Pacific Ocean. The sheer force of those continents catapulting to the surface could have literally destroyed all life on earth. What did you learn about when the continents were sunk in the first place?”
Benjamin shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “They were pushed down to the bottom of the ocean.”
“Right,” Joey said. “And every culture on Earth has a story to tell about it.”
Benjamin shook his head. “No they don’t. They didn’t even know about Atlantis and Lemuria.”
“Wrong,” Joey said. “Think Noah and the Ark. Think Gilgamesh and his flood. Those stories recount innumerable human deaths. Populations had to be rebuilt from the ground up.”
“And that was all due to the sinking of Lemuria and Atlantis?” Heidi asked.
Joey nodded. “It’s not something we actually broadcast, and believe it or not, even back then, human death was kept to a minimum.” He sighed. “All I’m trying to say is that anything of this proportion will have consequences. People will die. Humans and telegens alike.”
“Then why did Lemuria sink the continents in the first place?” Benjamin asked, directing the question to Helios.
“I suppose the rulers at the time weighed the positives against the negatives, and decided the earth could be spared more suffering if the continents were sunk,” Helios said. “I’m not pretending to understand their exact reasoning. I’m not even pretending to agree with it. All I’m saying is that I’m sure they gave it serious thought.”
Benjamin shook his head. “So here we are—twenty natural disasters later. Now what?”
Helios looked at Selene and Joey. “Now we try to rebuild and protect what we can. We maintain control of the government here in Atlantis. We strengthen our hold of the government in Lemuria. And then we send out emissaries. Joey stays here in Atlantis with Selene, and I’ll keep control in Lemuria.”
“And me?” Cory asked.
“Your place is with Benjamin now,” Helios said. “It is imperative for the two of you to stay together.”
“And do what?” Benjamin asked.
“For now, nothing,” Helios said. “Whatever you do, don’t leave the continent and go off trying to kill Caelus and Gaea yourselves.” His eyes bore into Benjamin, and Benjamin felt his mind bock slipping away. “Just be patient,” Helios continued. “We need to prepare, and once we’re prepared, Caelus and Gaea will get what they deserve.”
Benjamin knew enough to keep his mouth shut; he forced his mind block back in place. He’d stay in Atlantis for the time being, but he wasn’t going to let the future get away from him. Caelus and Gaea had to die, and he was going to be the one to deliver their fatal blow.
They left the Ruling hall and headed out into the cold. Jack hovered in the air above Heidi’s head and then rested on her hair until it sizzled. He flew off, taking his normal spot on Benjamin’s shoulder.
Heidi brushed at her hair like she was trying to get any remnants of Jack out of it.
“You need to control that hair of yours,” Jack said. “You could kill someone with it.”
“You shouldn’t sit on people’s heads,” Heidi said. She closed her eyes, and Benjamin felt her reaching out telepathically, trying to locate their friends. After a moment, she smiled.
“I found Iva and Andy at The Silver Touch.” She sighed. “I can’t wait to see Iva. After all that back in New Delphi—”
Benjamin tried to push the images they’d seen out of his mind. “I know.”
“Why was New Delphi in the middle of a desert anyway?” Cory asked.
“New Delphi?” Jack said. “It got built near Las Vegas, sort of around the ‘test-your-fortune’ mentality. Like a new Fortune City.”
“How is it that you know so much about the future world?” Cory asked.
Jack scowled. “Lulu skips around in time. She’s addicted to it, I swear.”
“Kind of like you and teleporting,” Benjamin said.
“Speaking of which, do we have to walk?” Jack said. “Can’t we just teleport?”
Both Morpheus and Mantis Midas were with Iva and Andy at The Silver Touch. And so was Walker Pan. And Magic Pan. Benjamin stopped dead in his tracks when they walked through the door.
Walker and Morpheus sat hunched over the chess board deep in thought, neither one looking up when they walked in. Benjamin was just about to ask what was going on when Iva saw him and rushed over. She hugged him first, which surprised Benjamin. Normally she would’ve hugged Heidi first. But then she hugged Heidi, and Andy walked over to join them.
“Dude, where have you been?” Andy asked, and one of those awkward moments passed when Benjamin felt like hugging Andy and was pretty sure Andy felt like hugging him, too. But needless to say they didn’t. Instead Andy punched him on the shoulder. And Benjamin punched him back.
Benjamin looked over to Walker, and then back to Andy and Iva.
“What’s going on?” he asked. “Why are they here?”
Andy looked over to where Benjamin’s eyes directed him. “Oh, you mean Walker and Magic?” Andy asked.
Benjamin nodded.
“I think they’re kind of on our side,” Andy said. “It’s a long story, but all the teleporter stuff and menu stuff was planned, and for the benefit of the whole government takeover thing.”
“Making me eat liver helped them take over the Atlantis government?” Benjamin figured Andy had teleported one too many times and left some brains behind.
“That was sort of to build concern,” Andy said. “Anyway, you can trust them. Helios does, and I guess I do too now. It took me a while, but I have to admit—they have some great espionage skills.”
Benjamin made a mental note to still be careful around Magic and Walker. Andy’s judgment might be skewed.
“So where have you been?” Andy asked.
Benjamin sighed and looked over at Heidi. “Talk about a long story. I’ll give you the short version, and we can save the long version for once we hook up with Gary.” He looked around. “Where is Gary by the way?”
Iva rolled her eyes. “Where else? The Genetic Engineering Research Campus. He and Aurora have practically moved in there.”
“Yeah,” Andy said. “We only see them at bedtime, and I think that’s only because they don’t have anything to sleep on over there.”
“The Genetic Engineering Research Campus?” Heidi said. “What’s so interesting about it?”
“I wish I knew,” Andy said. “No, scratch that. I don’t really wish I knew.”
Iva shot Andy a cool glance.<
br />
“What?” Andy asked. “Just because those two can’t get enough on DNA doesn’t mean the rest of us want to eat, breathe, and sleep it.”
“It’s not that bad, Andy,” Iva said.
“It is that bad, Iva,” Andy said. “But anyway, let’s hear the story.”
Benjamin still didn’t feel comfortable going into too much detail around Magic and Walker. “Maybe we can go get something to eat,” he suggested, “and I can tell you over lunch.”
Andy shrugged. “Fine by me.”
“Oh, wait,” Benjamin said. “I just wanted to ask Morpheus one thing.” He walked over to the chess board followed by his friends. He figured if there was anyone who might know the answer to his question, it would be Morpheus Midas. Or Mantis Midas for that matter.
Benjamin pulled the disk Phoebe had given him out of his pocket and held it out flat in his palm.
Morpheus looked up front the chess board and sucked in his breath. “Whoa, what is that?”
Benjamin sighed. “That’s what I was hoping you could tell me.”
Morpheus reached out with his hand. “Do you mind if I hold it?”
Benjamin shook his head, though he actually did mind very much. Phoebe had given him this disk, and he didn’t want to just hand it over. Right now, it was the only connection he actually had with her. Even though it was from ten years in the future.
Morpheus took the disk and studied it.
“Where did you get it?” Mantis asked, standing over Morpheus’ shoulder.
Benjamin felt himself tense up and hoped nobody noticed. He didn’t have to spell out the truth for everyone. “I got it in Egypt.” Which was true. Phoebe had given it to him in Egypt. Just future Egypt. Was it even called Egypt in the future? Some name like Doom and Gloom seemed a better option.
“It doesn’t look like any Egyptian coin I’ve ever seen,” Morpheus said, handing the disk to Mantis.
“It looks too big to be a coin,” Mantis said, taking the disk.
Benjamin’s fingers itched as he watched it. He wanted to snatch it back and put it in his pocket. He never should have taken it out in the first place.
“And look at the strange engravings,” Mantis said, turning the disk over and running his thumb on it. “They’re similar to ancient Lemurian, but have some more modern elements to them.”
“Do you mind if I take a look?” Walker asked, taking the disk from Mantis Midas. He studied it and held it to the point Benjamin thought Walker planned to keep it.
“Well?” Benjamin asked.
“I’ve seen something like this before,” Walker said, handing the disk to Magic Pan.
Was everyone going to hold the disk? Benjamin started to think he should just put it on display and charge admission.
“What do you make of it, Magic?” Walker asked.
Magic smiled. “Your suspicions are dead-on, Dad.”
“What suspicions?” Benjamin asked. He was starting to feel left out of a conversation which should very much include him.
“This is a life force disk,” Walker replied, taking the disk back from Magic.
“I know that much,” Benjamin said.
“What’s a life force disk?” Heidi asked.
“An ancient kind of technology,” Walker said, fingering the disk as he spoke.
Benjamin reached out and took it from Walker’s hands.
Walker went on. “I haven’t seen a life force disk in use since before Atlantis was sunk.”
“You were around before Atlantis was sunk?” Heidi asked.
“I travel around quite a bit,” Walker said. “But that’s not important. What is important is where you got this. Egypt you said?”
Benjamin nodded. “That’s right.”
“Life force disks are one of the main reasons for the sinking of Atlantis,” Walker said.
“Why?” Heidi sat down on the edge of the chess board. Gary would have cringed if he’d seen her. Morpheus only grimaced but didn’t ask her to move.
“Well, it was after the sinking of Lemuria. Kind of a peaceful time in world history,” Walker said. “Lemuria set up the Ring of Fire to watch over the Atlantis rulers while the humans continued to advance. Thousands of years went by. And sure, humans advanced, but so did telegens. Which meant if telegens turned evil, humans wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“And telegens turned evil,” Benjamin said.
Walker nodded. “The false gods and goddesses were born. Gaea and Caelus. You’re familiar with them.”
“Unfortunately,” Benjamin said.
“They were power hungry, and they were smart which is a horrible combination,” Walker said. “From the laboratories of Caelus came the life force disk. He slaved over its development for hundreds of years until it had been perfected. Innumerable humans died in its research and creation. But for Caelus, this was a glorious price to pay.”
“He killed humans to invent the disk?” Iva’s eyes were huge, and Benjamin noticed them flicker over to the disk in his hand. He felt like dropping it.
“That was the whole point of the disk,” Walker said. “Don’t you see? For each human Caelus killed while wearing the life force disk around his neck, the telenergetic force of the disk would be increased. And with it the life force of Caelus himself.”
“You mean to tell me this disk got stronger and stronger each time a human died?” Andy asked.
Walker nodded. “And Caelus’ life was extended.”
“That explains quite a bit,” Cory said. “It explains how Caelus and Gaea managed to live so long and remain so powerful.”
“Right,” Walker said. “Caelus shared his invention with all those craving power over humans. All the false god and goddesses willing to sacrifice humans for their own gain.”
“Is that how human sacrifice started?” Heidi asked.
“In theory,” Walker said. “Slaughter humans to increase the life and power of the telegens.”
“No wonder humans feared their gods,” Heidi said. “But some of the gods seem nice—like Apollo.”
“True,” Walker said. “Not all of them used human sacrifice. Some used the worship of the humans and the sacrificing of things like grain or iron to increase the telenergy in their life force disks.”
“So if all these life force disks were floating around back then before the sinking, why are you so surprised to see this one here now?” Cory asked.
“Because when Atlantis was sunk deep into the ocean,” Walker said, “all life force disks were destroyed.” He looked over at the disk in Benjamin’s hand. “Or so it was believed until I saw this disk here now. Did you tell Helios about this?”
Benjamin shouldn’t have been surprised that Walker knew he’d already seen Helios, but he was. “No, I didn’t think about it.”
“A major oversight,” Walker said. “Why don’t you go over where and how you found this one more time?” He sighed. “And why don’t you make it the truth this time.”
Benjamin decided to throw caution to the wind and let it all out. And let it all out he did. He and Heidi and Cory relayed everything. And when they finished, just as he knew they would, the questions began. But oddly enough, Iva sat silent. Benjamin didn’t stop to think about it at the time. He should have probably noticed, but he didn’t.
“You snagged this from the ruler of the future,” Magic said.
Benjamin nodded.
“There may be hope for you yet,” Magic said.
“Which brings up the question of how he got it in the first place,” Walker said. “If in fact all of them were destroyed ten thousand years ago.”
“They weren’t all destroyed ten thousand years ago,” Andy said.
“That is how history records it,” Walker said.
“History is one thing,” Andy said. “But history books can’t be trusted any farther than they can be thrown. The question is—what really happened to the life force disks, and how many of them survived?”
“Could Caelus have traveled back in ti
me to get his life force disk?” Cory suggested. “That way, he would have it in the future.”
Walker felt his chin as he thought. “It’s as good a theory as any.”
“So what happens if we just destroy the disk right now?” Benjamin asked. “Will Caelus die?” For the first time, he felt hope. Hope that they might actually be able to destroy Gaea and Caelus.
But Walker shook his head. “Destroying a life force disk doesn’t kill the telegen.”
Benjamin’s heart sank. It had seemed plausible. “But if it’s not tied to the life of the telegen, then how does it extend his life at all?”
Walker let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, it is tied to the life of the telegen,” he said. “Just not in a destroy-the-disk-and-be-done-with-it kind of way. But the disks were powerful, and this one you have now is probably the most powerful one I’ve ever encountered. Hundreds of thousands of humans have been killed for its creation.”
Benjamin looked at the disk and felt sick. The thought of humans being slaughtered by the thousands to create it made him want to throw it across the room. Or better yet, smash it under his feet. But Phoebe had risked her life, probably sealed her fate, to give him this thing—even if it was a monstrosity. Walker said destroying it couldn’t kill Caelus, but Benjamin knew it had to have some power over the false god. Otherwise, why would Caelus have been so protective of it? He just had to figure out what.
CHAPTER 25
Things in Jars
Andy and Iva led them to the Genetic Engineering Research Campus. They stopped in front of a sphere made of glass.
“Well, here we are,” Andy said.
“This is it?” Benjamin asked.
Andy nodded.
“But it’s a sphere,” Benjamin said, stating the obvious.
“A big sphere,” Heidi agreed.
“I can’t tell you how awesome this place is,” Jack said. He kept teleporting from Benjamin’s shoulder to the door and back again.
Andy didn’t move.
“So what are we waiting for?” Cory moved to the door and placed his palm on the pad. It didn’t open.
