I felt similar flickers of surprise from the other members of my pod.
Their light felt less immediate to me now, given the effects of the denser construct that now completely strangled my aleimi, but they still felt closer to me than ordinary seers. Of course, that same construct tied me to my pod as strongly as before, as well as to the light of everyone working inside the building and on this side of the work camp walls.
Now that I had adjusted to existing inside that construct, I found the structures there utterly beautiful... at the least, fascinatingly complex. The new construct felt strangely more open and more closed than any I had ever experienced; I had never felt one so skillfully or so subtly woven before, either. That openness created spaces for vision that I could not help wanting to explore, even now, in the middle of a military debriefing.
At the same time, I could feel layers of access above my own, cutting me off from this and that level of intel and connection... even as the openness meant I could feel every single being inside the construct itself, down to the blades of grass growing out in the fields of the open areas of the work camp, and the insects crawling inside the walls.
But this news of possible Adhipan involvement jerked me out of my obsession with Terian’s construct, if only for a few minutes.
I had not heard rumors of Adhipan sightings since the last great war.
In the period directly following World War II, Adhipan rumors and supposed sightings grew almost ubiquitous among Org agents out in the field.
More myth than reality up until that point, at least for younger seers, the Adhipan were seen as the “holy warriors” of the orthodox seers out of Asia––an elite squad of infiltrators hand-picked at birth by the Seer Council itself.
None of the old timers seemed to doubt the Adhipan’s existence, but they also seemed the most close-mouthed about who and what the Adhipan really were.
Many in the Adhipan were rumored to have been born with off-the-charts potential and actual sight ranks, along with the seer equivalent of IQ and emotional-empathic scoring. The Adhipan plucked these wunderkind of theirs from among the most isolated seer mountain stations, and then they trained them to the highest possible actuals. They also taught their recruits to conceal themselves as per Code, to become warriors for the Ancestors, for the truth and the light... or whatever other religious nonsense with which they chose to fill their young heads.
The Adhipan were supposed to be the traditional seers’ answer to the CIA, the FBI, the Secret Service and the Human Protection Act agencies, all rolled into one.
From what I knew, they were a hell of a lot more pious about it, though, with their adherence to Seer Code and their sworn allegiance to the head kneelers in the seer monasteries and the rest of that bullshit caste system around the old clans.
They fought for the race, like I did... but like most kneelers, they cared more for some mythical afterlife and the purity of means than they did about beating back their human oppressors now, in the present. I had no patience for that crap, nor for kneelers who would only work with certain Barrier presences, scorning help from anything they considered “impure,” even if it could effect a real difference in the war on the ground.
The seer race was fighting for its damned survival.
So was I.
I was too much of a pragmatist to have anything but scorn for that kind of finger-wagging. According to myth, the Adhipan still believed in the doctrine of non-interference with the humans. So essentially, they lived by a code that preached the polar opposite stance as the Org, at least when it came to anything important.
Still, the stories about those famed warriors could be pretty fantastical.
Not that I had ever actually met anyone from the Adhipan.
I’d known seers who claimed they had, sure... and even a few who claimed they had been members of the Adhipan themselves, once. Normally those claims only aroused derision in me and my friends. The only rumor I’d ever truly believed had been the one about Varlan himself, and Varlan had always staunchly denied it. Then again, they said, “birthed Adhipan, died Adhipan”...so maybe, in his own way, Varlan continued to hold to that code of silence, too.
The most oft-cited rumor about the Adhipan, of course, surrounded their supposed role in taking down Syrimne at the end of World War I.
Syrimne––himself not a myth––was the one and only officially documented telekinetic seer, at least in the past six or seven centuries. And yes, Syrimne had indeed been taken down by someone during that period, although few seers believed the official story, which credited his demise to a human, of all things, a Serb with the unlikely name of Hraben Novotny. The most common alternate story was that Balidor himself, the Adhipan’s infamous and mysterious leader, had been the one to finally bring down the telekinetic seer.
The other rumor was that Galaith himself had done it.
To me, that Syrimne had been brought down at all was still more than a small mystery, no matter who claimed to have done it.
Glow eye.
The pejorative predated Syrimne, but remained part of his legacy, too.
“...So, yes,” Terian said, giving me a faint smile as he raised the bottle back to his lips. Drinking, he let out a light gasp. “We have verified that much, and no more...”
Out of nowhere, heat flooded my light, catching me off guard.
The influx caused me to shift my weight, and to wince in reflex from the pain that briefly worsened from the other man’s attentions.
Terian winked at me when I glanced his way.
Then he shifted his amber eyes to encompass the rest of the room.
It occurred to me only then that they’d continued to talk, that Varlan and Terian had been speaking the whole time that my mind was elsewhere.
It also occurred to me that I might have missed something important.
“...So yes, it is somewhat inconclusive at this point, but that is the main evidence we have of their involvement at this time,” Terian added, aiming his words at Varlan once more. “Galaith seems to think it is enough to warrant caution... and a full-scale attempt to gather imprints on every seer we isolate as a part of this extraction group. That it is why we require your help with this operation, my brother. We thought you might have an interest in this hunt... despite the relative insignificance of the current threat. The Adhipan constitute a rival we would do well to know better. All of us. So to collect as much tracking data as possible would be wise, even if we end up being wrong about specific elements of our quarry.”
“Indeed,” Varlan said, giving me a bare glance, as well.
“So they are not a myth, then?” Gregor said, also glancing at me.
I felt some relief to note that, clearly, the rest of my pod was still as stuck on the Adhipan question as I was.
“No, my brothers and sister,” Terian smiled. His eyes followed the others to me, razor sharp once more, appraising. “...The Adhipan are most assuredly not a myth.”
I felt excitement tremble the lights of the other seers in the room.
I felt it in my own light, too, despite my discomfort.
“Pardon me, sir,” I ventured.
I spoke almost before I knew I intended to.
I felt another flush of heat off Terian’s aleimi when the higher-tier seer turned to face me. Swallowing thickly, I pushed past it to continue speaking.
“...Is it true that Dehgoies is among the targets, sir?” I finished haltingly.
Terian’s smile grew lazy.
Even so, I felt something there, what might have been an emotional flinch of some kind. It struck me, only then, that Dehgoies and Terian had been friends before the former’s defection, that their friendship had been somewhat infamous, as well.
It also struck me, in those same few seconds, that my question might have been horribly impolitic as a result, and for more than one reason.
It was too late to retract it, though, so I could only brace myself as I stood there, waiting, feeling tension snake and s
park through the living light of the room.
Terian smiled then, raising the now half-emptied bottle to his lips and taking another long drink. As he lowered it, he cleared his throat, his amber eyes still on mine.
“It is possible, yes, brother,” he said, surprising me.
The words surprised me enough that I asked another question, again without thinking.
“Is he...” Realizing where my words were headed, I hesitated, feeling myself flush. “I mean, is it the opinion of the Sweeps, sir, that Dehgoies himself could be––”
“Are you wondering if Revi’ is now in the Adhipan?” Terian said, cocking an eyebrow at me.
The silence grew even more dense.
Terian shrugged, lowering the bottle, his eyes still fixed on my face.
“That is not the prevailing theory at this time, my good brother, no,” he said, his voice pleasant once more, holding that subtler charm. “We certainly have no intel to that effect, and it is not the current thinking of the infiltration teams we’ve had watching the extraction group. But it remains a possibility, of course. At this point, we are ruling nothing out.”
I made a respectful gesture with one hand, what served as a deferential type of thank you coupled with an acknowledgement of Terian’s words.
“I understand, sir,” I said. “...Thank you for clarifying, sir.”
I may have to punish you for that, Terian whispered abruptly in my mind.
I flinched, feeling fear rise from a deeper level of my gut.
Sir... I stammered into that space. I apologize profusely, sir... sincerely.
That is exceedingly good to hear, brother, Terian replied, sending another flicker of heat in my direction, tugging at my light in the areas of my abdomen and chest. Sickness roiled through my light, intense enough that I barely heard his next words. ... Sincerity is always a valuable trait in an officer of Seer Containment, Terian added. One I may have to explore at greater length to ascertain its limits... perhaps once this briefing is finished, brother?
I felt my separation pain spike higher. I fought to keep it out of the forward part of my light, even as I struggled with my accompanying physical reactions.
When I answered, my thoughts came through more charged, however.
Whatever you require, sir, I sent.
Whatever I require? Really? Indeed... that is promising.
I averted my gaze, feeling the seers around us looking at me surreptitiously once more.
Gaos... what the hell was I doing? Was I seriously flirting with one of the highest ranked seers in the Org?
How fucking stupid was I?
I began to wonder if I perhaps had more of a death wish than I realized.
Or perhaps I’d simply let my own separation pain go on for far too long with the back-to-back assignments of the past six to eight months. I tried to remember the last time I’d gotten laid, then pushed that from my mind, too, realizing that not only would Terian likely hear me thinking about it, but that remembering specifics would only make the pain worse.
It wasn’t the first time Terian addressed me directly in the space since we’d come inside the brick building.
The higher-tier seer had prodded me a few times already, perhaps looking for specific reactions, or perhaps simply trying to learn more about my light. I felt a fair bit of that teasing, game-playing flavor to the other seer’s jabs, along with a more humorous form of sexual innuendo, but I felt something more serious underlying his attentions, too.
Whatever this was, Terian didn’t seem to be only joking.
At least, not entirely.
I could feel the others thinking the same, meaning the other seers of my pod, including Varlan himself. I fought to ignore the stares I could feel myself getting from them, even as I realized for the first time that at least half of those stares held more than a little envy, and not solely due to Terian’s rank. Clearly, a number of them would have been happily singled out in the way I had been... and for more than one reason.
Clearing my throat, I pushed that from my mind, too.
Shifting my weight between my feet, I folded my hands at the small of my back in an unconscious imitation of Varlan.
All of us had put down our guns by then, and our packs.
We stood in a haphazard circle around Terian and had since we reached the room, listening to him speak and wearing only our uniforms and armored vests. Half of those vests were open now, even with the air conditioning blasting, although Terian made it relatively clear he didn’t expect us to stand on ceremony here.
Thankfully, the room did come equipped with air conditioning, if little else in the way of amenities. A refrigerator hummed in the corner under a high bar table that ran across one end of the room. The table itself, now half-covered in a cluttered collection of full, half-full and empty alcohol bottles, seemed to form a makeshift dry bar that looked well-used by whoever normally claimed this space.
A number of overflowing ashtrays filled with hiri butts dotted the table at different points, too, I noted, and I spotted a mirror dusted with enough white powder that I had my doubts it was being used for anything remotely related to toiletries.
Do you want to do some with me, brother? Terian asked, that faint note of teasing still in his light. ... I have plenty more. Coke. Heroin. Whatever you like. I even have LSD, if you’re so inclined. We can get high and fuck in here, if you want... let the others watch, since you seem to think they’re so jealous...
I felt my skin tighten more under the other’s words, but I didn’t answer.
Gods. I love how completely transparent you are, brother...
I decided, given where we were, that it was probably safer to remain silent.
I like that you’re quiet, too, brother, Terian sent, softer.
I didn’t answer that either, but shifted my weight, fighting to control my expression.
Are you willing to yell, though, if I want you to, brother?
My pain worsened at the images that wove into Terian’s quiet words. I saw flickers of scenes, only half played out, imaginings of my face and body from Terian’s point of view. I got glimpses of the other man’s wants, too, more subtle than the rest, until it got bad enough that I avoided looking at the other seer altogether.
Gods, I like it that you’re quiet... so much. You have no idea how much, brother. And that pain coming off you... it’s maddening, brother. I might have to see how far I can push that, too. Why have you deprived yourself for so long, though, I wonder?
I closed my eyes.
Something in that long blink intensified Terian’s pain, aiming it at me with a deliberateness that forced me to focus back on him.
I looked away a second later, feeling my skin blush even as I continued to glance around the mostly-bare room, if only to distract myself from another round of stares from the seers of my pod, as well as from Terian himself.
I felt the stare of those amber irises the most, despite the fact that Terian continued his briefing to Varlan aloud, presumably for the rest of the group.
You’re not religious, are you? Terian sent to me, softer.
Not particularly, sir, no, I replied, still fighting to listen to the words being spoken aloud and mostly failing.
You getting over a relationship or something? Pining for lost love?
No, sir. Not currently.
What is it then? Tell me...
“...around sixteen of them so far,” Terian went on in that casual voice. “It’s pretty clear they know we’ve triangulated their Barrier signatures, and they’re doing their best to confuse their numbers, as well as any specifics on their extraction target. You may know we are still trying to determine whether they extracted more than one target, since the count’s still off at the camp, but the pregnancy might be confusing what we’re seeing there, too...”
Are you going to tell me, brother? Or not?
There’s nothing to tell, sir... really.
You’re just selective, then. With who you fuck. Is that it?<
br />
Perhaps, sir. I don’t know...
What is your criteria? Do you have a list you follow, brother? Or do you simply know them when you see them?
I guess the latter, sir. I never thought about it like that, honestly...
Terian glanced at me again, that predatory sheen back in his eyes briefly before he added aloud to the others,
“The shield around the pregnant female still appears to be the strongest,” he said. “I have a few ideas as to who that primary is, but they’ve been smart enough to build their own constructs outside of the encampment... two of them, we think. One outside our construct, of course... and another from inside of it, from which they conducted most of their surveillance prior to the extraction itself. So even time jumps won’t be much use, unfortunately, in terms of walking backwards with their signatures through the main op they conducted on Tuesday. The make-up and sophistication of these constructs is partly why we suspect Adhipan involvement, as they contain several markers that...”
I fought to listen, but got pulled away when Terian once more tugged at my light.
Am I boring you, brother?
No, sir... not at all.
Are you too busy wondering how serious I am? Terian said, that amused glimmer back in his light. I don’t want to say too much, because I’m rather enjoying watching you squirm... but I think you would be safer to assume I am. Serious, that is.
Sir, I don’t know what––
You know exactly what I mean, brother. I’ve all but told you in what position I want you when we’re done here. The question is, how serious do you think I am? And what are you going to do, if it turns out I am not serious? What if I drag that pretty female into my room, instead? Maybe fuck her up the ass, just to let you watch from the Barrier?
Those amber eyes settled on Karenti as Terian lowered the bottle.
She seems amenable to the idea, Terian added. ... What do you think?
I felt the sickness in my light worsen.
Gods, please... I asked him, softer, the plea bursting unthinkingly out of my light. Wait until after. Please, sir. Can we just speak of this after... I’m having trouble following both things...
Are you begging me, brother? Already?
Allie's War Early Years Page 30
