The Last Horizon

by Anthony Hartig

  Then he saw it, Charon’s villa. A white, two story structure cut into the eastern face of the valley surrounded by towering trees covered with thick moss. There were wide marble steps that descended to a circular driveway on the south end of the property where a large fountain was centered. He shouldered the Trinity as he dropped to a knee, took out a range finder, and scanned parts of the villa to get his distance established.

  This was a good vantage point; it was slightly elevated from the villa and the vegetation was lush and impenetrable with the naked eye. From his position, Scott could clearly see the master bedroom on the second level and most of the courtyard that led to the driveway. The main entryway was obscured by the thick ivy that grew on the east walls and draped over the lower patios. He was a little over two thousand meters away.

  About forty yards in front of him was a sheer drop of sixty meters into the jagged banks of a wide river that flowed between the mountain ridges. Scott went prone in the bushes where he could see the villa between the trunks of two Allura pines and over the tops of the trees in the valley below.

  It was getting dark and he was tired. Scott unfolded a bi-pod with spiked feet and attached it to the barrel of the Trinity before positioning it on the hard ground in front of him. He removed the lens covers for the scope and began making his adjustments on the kill zone. He planned on taking the shot tomorrow morning, but first, he had to wait for him to arrive.

  The weather forecast for tomorrow was clear and sunny, and there was an eight mile an hour wind from the north. The temperature was supposed to be eleven degrees Celsius as the low, so he would allow for that as a minor variable to be worked into the equation for bullet-drop and flight time in the distance between him and Charon.

  Scott turned a small knob on the side of the scope to fine-tune the windage, but final changes would have to be done in the morning.

  Charon was a creature of habit like many people. He was predictable and his routines were easy to memorize. Scott spent weeks studying him, and even knew about his preference for certain brands of wine and the days he like to drink them. He knew that Charon considered the villa his real home as opposed to his apartment in the city, and he always came here midweek to roost and to get away from the crowds of Fluture. But he always returned to the casino on Saturday night when things were in full swing.

  The valley began to quiet down as darkness slowly set in. It was 1900 hours and Scott could see the silhouette of the ridge against the night sky. The stars filled the heavens but he peered through the scope at the villa observing the staff moving about the property.

  There was one security guard, a cook, and the maid. A decorative wroth iron gate covered with cat’s claw vines ran around the property’s perimeter, and most of the lights in the mansion were on. They were expecting Charon tonight.

  He scanned the second floor and noted the wide terrace for the master bedroom. There was a bistro set on the balcony and ivy clung stubbornly on the stone handrails. He noted two sliding glass doors that led to the master suite, and the vertical blinds were left open for the evening. He could see the round king size bed positioned close to the north wall of the room, and the door that led to the bathroom.

  Scott’s breathing was quiet as he put the crosshairs on the bodyguard’s head. Two thousand and three meters. He clicked the variable magnification function on the Trinity’s scope to thirty times and traced the guard’s movement in the garden. He was heading toward the driveway.

  Three black cars pulled up in a line to the steps and stopped; the center car was a limousine, and the lead and last cars were sedans. Charon stepped out of the limo with a young brunette wearing a black evening gown, and two well-dressed body guards stepped out of each sedan. Scott could tell from the slight bulge in the men’s jackets that they were all armed, possibly with compact automatic weapons.

  Charon put his arm around the girl as they ascended into the villa while his security team stayed in the courtyard. He had a hell of an entourage, counting his drivers, there were eight men on his security team.

  Scott took a deep breath and continued to study the strike point. Charon’s lifestyle was one of excess and was funded by mercilessly victimizing anyone that crossed his path.

  Tomorrow it would end. Tomorrow he would die…

  I opened my eyes and found myself back in my room in Cybelle. My whole body hurt and I was disoriented as I turned my head and looked around trying to focus.

  “Jase, she’s awake!” I heard a female voice call excitedly and felt a cold wash cloth placed on my forehead as a shadow loomed over me.

  “What…”

  “Shhh, Nikki, take it easy, you’re safe now.” The voice said reassuringly as she dabbed by face with the wash cloth.

  I was able to make out the face hovering over me as my vision cleared. It was Summer. “Summer? What are you doing here? How did I get here?”

  “Jase brought us both here.” She smiled shyly.

  “Hello Ms. Wells.” Jase said calmly as he walked over and stood next to Summer. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve had better days.” I grimaced as I sat up and put a hand over my stomach. “Damn that hurts! I remember now,” I frowned, “thanks for your help, Jase.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner, Ms. Wells,” Jase said apologetically, “I didn’t know until the last minute that those two had taken you into custody.”

  “Don’t worry about it. How long have I been out?”

  “Two hours.” Jase said as he draped a blanket on my shoulders.

  “What time is it?”

  “Quarter to five.”

  “I need to start packing.”

  “We already took care of that for you.” Summer nodded. “You need to rest.”

  “She’s right Ms. Wells,” Jase cleared his throat, “yesterday was a long day for you. You need to rest up for your trip home.”

  “You still haven’t answered my question Summer, what are you doing here?” I pressed.

  “Ms. Wells,” Jase interrupted, “we need a huge favor,” he paused, “I need you to take Summer back to Earth with you when you leave today.”

  I squinted at Summer, and her expression looked worried. I turned and looked at Jase. “Is my ship ready?”

  “It will be fueled in a few hours. I think Doolie and his men did a great job on the repairs. They managed to get the Zephyr space worthy a day ahead of schedule.”

  “Why are you helping me?” I asked suspiciously. “One thing I’ve learned over the years in my line of work is that everyone has an angle--everyone’s got a story. Tell me why you’re so willing to help. Aren’t you Charon’s right-hand man?

  This evening I saw you execute two men without flinching, and now you just expect me to take you at your word? I don’t believe good samaritans exist, Jase. What’s your angle? What’s in it for you?”

  “I don’t expect you to trust me, Ms. Wells,” Jase sighed, “but I have my reasons.”

  Summer reached over and tenderly took Jase’s hand into her own. Her eyes were welling with tears. Jase paused for a few seconds and looked at her. He nodded as he patted her hand the way a father would comfort his own child.

  “I’m not a Terran like you and Summer, I’m half Serenian and my father was Tyberian. Do you know what that means, Ms. Wells?” Jase looked at me distantly.

  “Enlighten me, Jase.” I crossed my arms.

  “My lifespan is roughly half of yours, Ms. Wells. I’m forty-nine years old; I’ve got one year left and that will be my end.”

  Jase let go of Summer’s hand and sat down next to me. “I’ve seen and done a lot of terrible things over the years,” Jase reflected, “I have many regrets. Maybe I just want to do one good thing before I’m done…perhaps making a difference in someone’s life can offset some of the dreadful things I’ve done.

  Summer is a good person, Ms. Wells. She deserves more than what Nexus has to offer. If I can make a difference in her life, then maybe my own hasn’t been a t
otal waste and something good came from my existence. If I never do anything right again, at least I’ll have done this.” Jase looked at me pleadingly, “Please Ms. Wells, I beg of you, take Summer with you.”

  “Please Nikki,” Summer said softly, “I won’t be any trouble. I just have to get out of Fluture. Jase did save you and he’s the reason your ship was repaired so quickly.”

  “What about my partner Scotty?” I asked. “You know I’m not leaving until he gets back here.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about him, Ms. Wells, as far as Charon is concerned, you and Mr. Scott are about to become his new pipeline from Earth. Can you get him back here this morning?”

  “We’ve already made arrangements.”

  “So you’ll bring Summer?”

  “How soon can you have my ship online?”

  “I can promise you’ll be sitting in the flight deck by 0900 hours.”

  “Then you’ve got a deal.” I reached out my hand and Jase smiled as he shook it. “Please tell Doolie I want to start my preflight in three hours.”

  “I am in your debt, Ms. Wells.”

  I looked at Summer. “Have you ever done space travel, Summer?”

  “No, this is a first for me.” She replied meekly.

  “You’re packed? You have everything you need?”

  “Yes. I believe so.”

  “I’ve taken the liberty of getting you an Inter-port identification pass.” Jase said softly to Summer as he handed her the passport card.

  “She’ll need a flight suit.” I said as I stood up and checked my personal things.

  “Done. I’ll talk to Doolie about getting one for her.” Jase stated. “If you two will excuse me, I have other matters to tend to before your departure.” Jase said grimly as he stood up and walked out.

  I sat quietly for a few seconds. “Can he be trusted, Summer?”

  “He’s the only real friend I have in Fluture.”

  Chapter 12

  Axium and Allure, Nexus’ two moons, were full and cast their pale light over the landscape, silvering the trees and charging the darkness with life. They seemed to call out to the inhabitants of the forest and bring out the savageness of the alien night.

  Scott lay motionless as he listened to the sound of predator footsteps around him, he could hear the baying of Northern Tavara Böri packs that echoed through the valley followed by the shrieks of animals that fell prey to them.

  He found a peculiar comfort in his environment, it was as if he belonged here; deep in the forest amidst the sweet aroma of genesis and decay, the bloom of Icra orchids, and the cold dampness of the thick moss--alone and as gray as the creatures that roamed the woods.

  He felt at one with the darkness--the host that embraced him and revealed its eerie secrets; the ghostly silhouettes that moved silently in the chill, the whisper of featherless wings flapping in the gloom, and the Icarus birches and pines that towered around him. Guardians that kept silent time of unseen change.

  The hours waned as Scott watched the moons trek across the valley. Eventually, the thin blue line of dawn appeared on the horizon, faint and wintery. First light slowly reached for the heavens and shaded the land as a light fog drifted lifelessly over the moist ground and a surreal stillness filled the morning air.

  The valley had turned blue, a dreamlike hue in the mists. During the night, thousands of Didius butterflies had descended into the area. They were everywhere, Didius covered everything and their wings opened and closed slowly like blooming flowers as they clung to every tree and leaf in the valley. It was a breathtaking sight, and Scott was astonished by their numbers and exquisiteness as he stared at the mountainside--spellbound by the beauty of the event.

  He snapped out of his gaze and peered through the Trinity’s scope at the villa. In the minutes he allowed himself to be distracted, someone had drawn open the blinds for the sliding glass doors of Charon’s bedroom, and he could see the young girl curled in a heap of silk sheets, but Charon was nowhere in sight. Three bodyguards were in the driveway loitering around the limo, but he couldn’t see anyone else in the estate.

  Then he appeared. Wearing a plush white bathrobe, Charon stepped out onto the terrace holding a cup of coffee. He moved casually toward the bistro set, put his mug on the table, and stretched his arms over his head and yawned as he leaned on the rail and looked at the butterflies in the valley.

  Scott put the crosshairs between Charon’s eyes; his breathing was slow and shallow as he wrapped his index finger around the trigger. He turned a small, horizontal knob on the scope to adjust the windage one more time.

  Scott checked his range. Two thousand and ten meters. He turned a vertical knob on the scope slowly, and put the crosshairs just to the left and slightly higher than Charon’s head…

  Scott blinked slowly and brought his breathing under control as he watched Charon taking in the magnificence of daybreak…

  …I am become death…

  …he exhaled and squeezed the trigger smoothly. The Trinity bumped his shoulder lightly as a muffled pop broke the silence and the casing ejected…

  He watched through the scope as Charon’s head blew apart in a cloud of blood, his fractured body violently twisted clockwise and fell onto the patio…

  Scott could see the deck darken with blood as Charon twitched involuntarily. He saw the girl sit up on the bed and turn her head toward the balcony, her mouth was open in a scream as she put her hands to her face in terror.

  The double doors for the master suite suddenly slammed open as two guards rushed into room with their weapons drawn to see what was going on…

  Scott squinted and squeezed the trigger of the M341 twice. The first man into he bedroom took the round in the face; the back of his head blew open and his body was thrown backwards from the impact as the round traveled through and splintered the door they just came through.

  The second guard fell to his knees as he clutched his throat and blood gushed between his fingers. He staggered on his hands and knees for a few seconds before he fell face down on the floor. The girl jumped out of the bed and wrapped a sheet around herself as she continued to scream hysterically at the bodies that surrounded her.

  The men in the driveway turned their heads toward the commotion in the villa and pulled out their firearms…

  Scott aimed at the limo’s engine block and fired another round. The car exploded in a ball of fire that engulfed the men as they were thrown to the ground by the blast. The limo smoldered in flames as black smoke rose into the air. The dead guards were sprawled on the pavers among the smoking debris, and one of them was on fire.

  The explosion resonated through the valley and the butterflies erupted into flight and filled the sky. The sound of birds flared up as the mountainside came to life with the chatter of animals.

  One of the drivers ran out to driveway and saw the chaos, he quickly turned around and ran back into the villa in a panic. Scott could see the mayhem and confusion in the mansion as the staff stumbled around in the living room. He figured Charon’s drivers were trained security professionals like the guards, but Scott could tell by their reaction that they weren’t. They were just as confused and frightened as the maid and cook.

  Still, he couldn’t afford to take any chances. He fired two more shots and the sedans blew up and sent twisted panels cartwheeling across the driveway. He watched the people in the villa jump from the sound of the explosions and take cover behind the furniture. He had put the fear in them and was satisfied that they would be paralyzed by it.

  He got up and folded the bipod of the rifle. Scott knew he was on borrowed time and had to make it back to Cybelle as fast as possible. It was now 0630 hours and he didn’t have much time. He shouldered the Trinity and started to run through the woods back to the Avarno.

  He knew calls would be made and tried to anticipate how the dynamics of his situation would be changed. He would adopt and improvise. He was on pure instinct now.

  His breathing was steady as he zigzagged
through the trees and ducked low branches. The ground was soft and spongy from the bed of pine needles and leaves, and with every step he ran, butterflies took flight from their resting place and insects leapt from the forest floor.

  After the blasts, Scott figured he had fifteen minutes--twenty tops, before law enforcement arrived at the scene and began throwing up roadblocks for at least a twenty-mile radius. He was also anticipating aerial drones to swarm the valley in a sweep. He had to move fast. He only had a half mile run to the car, but getting back to Cybelle undetected was another obstacle to overcome. He hoped Nikki and the Zephyr would be ready.

  He heard barking and howling as he jumped over a rotted log covered with black moss. He glanced to his right and saw the blur of black stripes and gray fur of four Tavara Böri chasing him as he sprinted through the woods. He was being hunted like an animal by the mammals. Tavara were fast and very aggressive pack hunters; they were sleek, weighed in at eighty to ninety pounds, and had six legs. There was no way he was going to out run them.

  Scott pulled out the Raven, slowed his pace, and squeezed off two rounds. One of the Tavara yelped as it fell to the ground, and the other three scattered into the bushes. He started running again when he heard the brush in front of him part as one of the creatures leapt in the air and hit him hard enough to send him flying backwards.

  He slammed onto the ground and his pistol was knocked out of his hand as the Tavara got on top and bared its fangs with a growl. Scott instinctively grabbed it by the throat with his left hand to keep its snapping jaws away from his face. The beast was strong and he could feel its full weight on him as it lunged forward. He struggled wildly and could feel the Tavara’s claws digging painfully into his abdomen. He saw the Raven on the ground a few feet away to his right, but it was out of reach.

  The Tavara broke loose from his grip and managed to sink its teeth into his left forearm and shake it’s head. He screamed in agony from the pressure of the bite as its fangs gouged deep lacerations into his flesh. His only saving grace was that it was his bio-mech arm, otherwise the Tavara would have broken it.