Dark Matter (Interchron Book 3)

by Liesel K. Hill

  If B had been willing to indulge himself, he would have snorted. The thought he sent snapped at the Cimerian like a thunderbolt. He wanted the man to feel the full weight of his wrath. She is a child. Her abilities have not matured. You took her because you wanted her. At least this time the man twitched. Minutely.

  A pause followed, silent seconds ticking by. I did, my lord.

  B stood a little straighter. At least he’d garnered that admission. The man still knew who his master was.

  And because she created the opaque vortex.

  B became utterly still. He slid his eyes toward the girl. He kept his expression and emotions tightly controlled. This is the girl who helped the young boy escape? She is his sibling?

  She is, my lord.

  B’s thoughts spiraled. He couldn’t begin to explore the implications. Why did the Opaque Vortex not kill her? It always kills, he thought.

  Unhindered, yes, the Vanished One thought back.

  B silently berated himself. He hadn’t meant to send that last thought.

  I intervened, the Vanished One continued, kept enough of her life force out of the vortex to keep her alive. Her individuality, such as it was, is gone.

  B moderated the energy of his thoughts. That was something, at least. Will she help you in your work?

  She will, my lord.

  Very well. You may keep her. She is my gift, he added haughtily, turning to ascend the steps again. There were other matters to discuss. He settled himself on his throne just in time to see the Vanished One sweep in front of the girl again. She simply wasn’t there any longer. Very well. Let the man play his parlor tricks. They didn’t impress B.

  It’s nearly time to activate the Dark Matter. B made sure no hint of question slipped into the thought.

  The Vanished One inclined his head. The sleeper cell is already in place among the Separatists. Ready to activate at your command, Sire.

  B nodded, the motion more for himself than for the man whose eyes were sewn shut. My subjects are now housed in only two massive Unions. Three of my Council preside over each. With the aligned energy of the eclipse, we will coalesce them. A true Merging. Then, we will be invincible.

  Then the rebels will have no way to touch you.

  That smarted. B felt sure the Vanished One meant it to. Somehow, the thing had worked out not only how vulnerable B was to the separatists, but also B’s absolute abhorrence of it. Even now, he felt the energy of smugness emanating from the Vanished One. The remark was the creature’s subtle way of reminding B he knew all of B’s weaknesses and most of his secrets. B needed this thing’s abilities for the present. Once he’d obtained all of his objectives, he would dispose of the Vanished One cheerfully. If he could only find a way to absorb the man’s abilities first….

  A problem for another time.

  In the meantime, the rebels continue to be a nuisance, B thought to the darkness. One of our…trainees—the one being honed to suit the Traveler—has gone over to the individuals.

  B felt affirmation from the shade. Yes. The Instigator left her for dead and the rebels revived her. I would suggest you kill the Instigator for his mistake, if he wasn’t already dead.

  B told himself once again to remain calm. How did the Vanished One learn so much? The man had skills, to be sure, and B didn’t like that he always understood more than B realized. Not that he represented a true threat to B’s power. Of course not. B would rest easier after the Merging, when he could rid himself of the shade. He would finally control the world, and his backward brothers along with it.

  His investigators still didn’t know exactly what happened in that canyon. All they could say with certainty was that dual signatures existed for the Executioner at the site where the canyon formed. A strange neurochemical connection they couldn’t identify now existed between past, present, and future.

  Strange. B had never seen nor heard of anything like it. What on earth had Johann been playing at? His brother was at the core of whatever happened. Of that, B felt bitterly certain.

  No matter. Now that he’d found a way to break the Binding, Johann would not be a problem for much longer. How many years had it taken B to figure it out? He didn’t care to count them. Soon, the only remnants of the Binding would be the pain he was in. That pain was the only reason he held less control than usual. It would pass, and soon.

  What’s done is done, B thought stiffly. It is too late to change the plan or the date at which it is to be executed. But in case the Trainee volunteers the plan to the rebels, certain precautions must be put in place. You will be one of those precautions. Your…manipulations can sow chaos, disorient them, keep them from seeing what I do not wish them to see.

  The man bowed his head in acquiescence. As my lord commands.

  And if the Trainee comes within your reach at any point, you will fetch her for me. Of course, that goes for the Executioner and any member of her team as well.

  Again the bow of the head. No words.

  We will activate the Dark Matter at the same time we merge the two Unions, B went on. You will await my command, but keep all in readiness. This part of the struggle should not be overly difficult.

  Our struggle is eternal. The Vanished One answered. It began before you were and will reach beyond what you will become.

  Foregoing telepathy entirely, B didn’t bother to keep the scorn out of his voice. “Don’t chant your people’s creed at me, Vanished One,” he spat. “Of their own choice they live in darkness at the edge of the world.”

  The Vanished One raised his head, and B got the feeling he could see out of his eye slits, despite the silken thread. Chills slithered down B’s spine.

  And you think that means we have no power?

  “I think you have no idea what to do with your power. Nor do you care to learn. And that amounts to the same thing.”

  B gathered minute strands of energy to his fingertips. Offensive energy, tipped with red barbs. He swirled them carefully around the creature’s head, and it straightened its spine. It didn’t have the abilities to see the energy B used, but it could feel it.

  “Do not forget, Cimerian, that I can dispense with you at any time and recruit one of your brethren to do your work.” He sent the barbs lunging forward and they bit into the Vanished One’s neck. The creature winced, but made no cry. But then, he had no voice box. Though the energy was invisible to the naked eye, tiny rivulets of blood flowed from a dozen places around the shade’s neck, attesting to the energy’s existence.

  Other than the initial wince, the Vanished One made no movement, sent no thoughts. B took it as compliance. You may go.

  Another minuscule hesitation. Then the Vanished One bowed his head again, before getting to his feet and striding from the throne room. The auburn-haired girl was nowhere to be seen.

  B sat back on his throne, thoughts simmering. He must send someone to the Dark Lands to investigate the Cimerians further. And another to figure out how to harness their powers, whether that be through absorption, or just mind control. Something must be done. They were too valuable a resource not to snap up.

  Once he’d done that—and the two Unions had become one, of course—B would use the Vanished One’s powers to suck the abilities from the Executioner and her ragtag gang of rebels. Then, he would be truly omnipotent.

  A small shard of fear dug at his stomach with the thought. He suppressed it. Despite his frustrations, and everything that still needed doing, things were going quite well. B kept reminding himself of that. He would bide his time, lay his careful plans, and the rebels would come to him. Once the Executioner perished, he would rule the world. King over a graveyard of individualism, peopled with mindless minions that would jump to do his bidding.

  He would enjoy that very much.

  Chapter 7: Particle Interactions

  4 Days to Eclipse

  Karl paced in Tenessa’s room, while she watched him calmly. He’d been considering how to get her to talk all morning. He still wasn’t sure what the b
est approach would be. She could probably tell he warred with himself about the issue. He didn’t mind. Let her see he’d put a lot of thought into their talks. He needed her to understand the importance of current events.

  “The Council of Six,” he perched on the edge of the stool he always used when visiting her. “I imagine you know a lot about them. We’ve only recently learned of their existence. We’re ravenous to learn more.”

  Her face might have been carved from stone, yet a dry amusement twinkled in her eyes. She somehow managed to look toward the floor while keeping her chin jutted out. Ah, the universal sign of her stubbornness.

  “I know you won’t give up what you know easily,” Karl said. “Maybe I can persuade you somehow.”

  She gazed back at him, the amusement in her eyes stronger. “The Separatist is very confident.”

  He grinned. “Why yes, I am.” The grin slid off his face as she glared at him. “Well, maybe there’s something I can give you. Something you want?”

  “I want nothing from the Separatist,” she spat.

  Telling himself to be patient, Karl swept his gaze around the room. “Well, nothing material, I’m sure. We’ve already provided everything you need, and you collectivists aren’t exactly known for your gluttony.”

  “You admit Separatists are gluttonous.”

  Oh, the woman’s comebacks were definitely improving. “I admitted no such thing. Don’t put words in my mouth.” It came out more sharply than he’d intended.

  Tenessa didn’t seem bothered. If anything, she looked triumphant. “Gluttony is a choice like anything else,” Karl muttered, knowing he should drop the argument and stay on point. The next words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Do you find me gluttonous?”

  Some of the amusement went out of her eyes as she considered him seriously. “The Separatist gluts himself on amusement.”

  Karl barked a laugh and her eyes hardened. He cleared his throat. “You know, I might just cop to that one. Amusement makes people healthier, so I’m going to argue my sense of humor and my survival instinct are synonymous.”

  Tenessa snorted. He didn’t know where she’d picked up the mannerism—certainly not from him, and he’d spent more time with her the past few days than everyone else in Interchron combined—but she’d done it twice in under an hour, now. It felt so…human. He concealed another smile and forced himself back to persuading her to talk.

  “What about information?” He wasn’t truly asking. Only brainstorming out loud. “Heaven knows if I were a prisoner in the collective, I’d try to find out everything I could about them. Perhaps you’re curious about me or our technology or how Interchron runs—”

  Her shrewd gaze snapped up to him and he cut off in surprise. He’d been fishing, not truly expecting her to bite. So, she did want information. He didn’t plan to give her anything sensitive—no matter how closely they guarded her, the possibility of her betraying them remained potent—but he could tell her things of little consequence.

  He leaned back in his chair—difficult, as it only reached his lower back—and laced his fingers behind his head. “What do you want to know?”

  She looked down, but not with stubbornness. Her eyes moved back and forth as she studied the ground furiously, thinking hard. When she raised her green eyes again, he was struck by the intelligence there. Tenessa’s brain should be drastically under-developed because she’d lived so long in the collective. Parts of it were. If she embraced individualism, and reading, and, you know, chess, she’d be a formidable opponent indeed. Other parts were far too highly developed for a collectivist.

  “The Separatist wants us to betray information, so he can accomplish his aims. We want the same. Anything we learn, we can share with the Union, and they will let us back in because we’ve brought such value.”

  Karl snorted. This, too, had become a daily occurrence. When he thought he might be getting through to her, she dashed all his hopes. “So, we’ll be mutual enemies, then, helping one another accomplish our respective evil schemes?”

  She gave the barest inclination of her head for response. Bitter resignation filled Karl. He pushed it down. It was a start. Tenessa revealed more through body language than she did through words, and he’d begun to be able to interpret it. Even if he couldn’t get anything ground-breaking out of her, he might still learn a great deal. If the collectives had learned to assimilate by thought, the team needed the information locked in her head now more than ever.

  “All right,” he said with false cheerfulness. “Let’s do it. Quid pro quo-style.”

  She frowned in confusion.

  “It means first I tell you something, then you tell me something. We go back and forth and try to learn all we can, without giving the game away.”

  Her face softened, and she nodded, coming to sit on a ladder-backed chair directly across from him.

  “But Tenessa, this must be equal. First, I give you information, then you give me some. No half-truths or deceptions.”

  She hesitated half an instant before nodding. Karl might be able to read a lot of her body language, but not all of it. Was the softening of her face from relief, or confidence? One meant he held the upper hand. The other, that she did. Or at least might.

  Karl thought of Tenessa as a stubborn student. He intended to teach her something if it was the last thing he did. She might just be the biggest challenge of his life.

  “We ask first,” Tenessa said, jaw tight.

  Karl inclined his head. He should have known. No reason to let her see the irritation that flared in his chest.

  Tenessa’s eyes wandered the cavern while she thought. Karl watched her. He’d have thought she’d have her questions all picked out. Days ago. Was this for show, or was she truly unsure what to ask?

  Finally, she focused on him again. “There is a female in the Separatist’s medical cavern who is round with child. She sits beside a man whose brain is non-functional. Why?”

  The question took Karl completely by surprise. She wanted to know about Kara and Clay? He supposed perhaps she felt this a safe first question. It had nothing to do with the collectives or Interchron or the eclipse. Tenessa merely wanted to satisfy her own curiosity.

  Even after months, the pain in Karl’s chest over Clay still felt surprisingly raw. “The woman is Kara. The man she sits by is her husband, Clay. He was killed on an island in the Pacific several months ago. His body remains, though we couldn’t save his brain. She’s nearly ready to deliver their child.”

  “If the individual no longer functions or contributes to the Separatist’s community, why not rid the community of him?”

  Karl sighed. “I know that’s what the collectives do. He isn’t dead yet, and we can’t let go so easily. His body will give out when it’s ready. When it does, we will bury him. For now, his wife finds it comforting to be by his side.”

  Tenessa frowned.

  “Why do you ask?” Karl said, aware this would count as his question for this round.

  “We…merely seek to understand Separatist behavior. A Union woman would never sit idle near another defective member.”

  “I’m sure she wouldn’t,” Karl said dryly. “But then she’d never felt for him what Kara felt for Clay either.”

  Tenessa’s eyes studied the ground. Karl could almost feel her absorbing the information. He wished he knew what conclusions she drew from it. Finally, she raised her eyes to his again.

  “What is the nature of the particle interaction between the Executioner and your friend, the Healer?”

  Karl blinked. “What, what now?”

  She cocked her head to the side. “The Executioner and the Healer have a particle bond. We can see it but don’t understand its nature.”

  It was all Karl could do not to gape at her. “You can see Maggie and Marcus’s bond?” Immediately the energy of the room changed.

  Tenessa frowned, leaning back in her chair. Her uncertainty felt palpable.

  “Can you see…all part
icle interactions between people?”

  Tenessa relaxed her shoulders and lifted her chin. “The Separatist has not answered my question.”

  It took Karl several seconds to process what she’d said. Quid pro quo. “Fine,” he muttered, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not sure what the nature of their bond is. Even they aren’t. My theory is that they are quantumly entangled.”

  Tenessa’s frown deepened. “It is possible for two people to experience quantum entanglement?” she asked. “It should not happen on such a…macroscopic level.”

  Karl rubbed his jaw, studying Tenessa, adjusting his opinion of her. Did she know how much she gave away about herself?

  She didn’t notice his scrutiny, though. She stared at the ground, obviously turning what he’d said over in her mind.

  When she glanced up, he spoke quickly to cover how deeply he’d been studying her. “There’s not much precedent for it, is there? But it’s the only thing that makes sense to me.”

  She met his eyes directly—a rarity for her, but then they spoke of science now, not human emotion—and he saw genuine curiosity there. “Why? What brought the Separatist to this conclusion?”

  “The two of them have been through a lot. This bond has transcended things it shouldn’t have: emotional turmoil, memory loss. And it doesn’t seem to take time into account.”

  Tenessa’s expression turned scornful. “The Separatist demonstrates his naïveté. All things take time into account.”

  Karl stared at Tennessa again, not bothering to hide it this time. After a few moments, she dropped her eyes to the floor. She glanced up and down several times, as though she couldn’t hold his gaze. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she’d grown self-conscious.

  She didn’t show it like most people did. Her jaw tightened, as though she clenched her teeth. The next moment, the arrogance returned. She raised her chin. “What does the Separatist find to stare at?”

  He could have found a joke to make—probably should have. “I know all things take time into account, Tenessa,” he said quietly. “I said so because it’s the easiest way to explain things to people who don’t have a tangible grasp of time. I simply meant that time is not a disruptive force in their bond. But you understand, don’t you, Tenessa? You speak of time and quantum physics as others might the weather.”