by Hoover, Gary
Jeff was very awkwardly seated with his limbs going in different directions. He fumbled with his bat and was able to draw it from his belt as the vehicle rocked and swayed.
He pressed the thick end of the bat against the woman’s head. “Stop and set us down!” he commanded forcefully.
He hoped she wouldn’t realize that he didn’t know what he would do if she didn’t comply.
“Stop right now!” he said more loudly. They were nearly to the end of the tunnel.
Jeff almost flew into the front seat as the vehicle decelerated suddenly and dramatically. He watched the pheerion rocket out of the tunnel and disappear from sight. He cringed at the thought that the locket would soon be in the hands of Pheerion Rex, but part of him was proud that he had made the choice with his heart rather than his brain when it came right down to it.
He looked over his shoulder as the vehicle settled to the tunnel floor. He could see his colleagues far back at the garage area. They were headed his direction, some at a run, but they had a long distance to go.
Jeff sat silently with the bat held loosely behind the woman’s head. He felt uncomfortable, and neither he nor the woman said anything. This isn’t my fight. I’m not even sure what’s going on, but if this woman kidnapped the kid…
After what seemed like an uncomfortably long time, Codi arrived. She pulled the child from his seat and clutched him tightly to her shoulder as tears streamed down her face. “Baby, sweetie, I love you SO much. I’m so happy to see you.”
Codi walked off to the right with her son, and the woman who had been driving stepped out to the left. She looked dazed and uncertain. She walked shakily back toward the garage area as the others arrived.
Jeff noticed Trina heading toward the woman and suddenly had a horrified feeling.
“NO!!” he shouted as he tried to scramble out of the vehicle, but he could only watch helplessly as Trina drew her sword and removed the woman’s head with one swift stroke.
Chapter 37:
Jeff had loaded everything he needed into the boat for their journey across the ocean, and he was waiting impatiently for the others. He looked at the computer map that showed illuminated dots to represent Pheerion Rex’s castles. Which one? How are we going to find it?
He tapped his fingers nervously on the table next to the map as he heard someone approaching and looked over his shoulder. It was Dave. He stepped up behind Jeff and rested a heavy hand on his shoulder.
“Wouldn’t it be interesting,” Dave asked, “if someone had thought to put a device on that Pheerion’s vehicle that could track it anywhere on the planet?”
It took a few moments for that to sink in. “Wait… what? Did you get a tracker on it?” Jeff asked excitedly as he turned fully to face Dave.
“Naaaah, don’t be ridiculous,” he said with a big stupid grin.
Jeff glared at him. He had a strong urge to lunge at him but held himself back. His arms twitched as he strained to hold them back. He saw Rasp lifting a heavy bag over the railing from the boarding ladder and rushed to help him with it.
“Here,” Jeff said as he pulled the bag over the railing and into the boat.
“Thank you,” Rasp replied with his unique accent that seemed to become less pronounced each day.
“Hey,” Dave protedted. “You’re not supposed to give up that easy.”
Jeff looked at him and tried to think of something appropriately rude and annoying to say but realized that no matter how impressive his powers became, he could never match Dave in that sort of battle.
Dave slid a small card into the computer console, and Jeff noticed a small, blue dot appear.
“Wait… did you?”
Dave had his biggest, stupidest grin so firmly plastered on his face that it looked like it might split open.
Jeff rushed toward the map. “Is that him?”
Dave tapped his finger on the dot. “Yep.”
The dot was three quarters of the way across the continent to their west.
“Should we go after him?”
Dave shook his head. “I think we stick to our plan and head east across the ocean. We can’t take our boat across the continent so by the time we’d reach the west coast, he’d be on a boat, and we wouldn’t have ours.”
Jeff nodded and thought for a few moments. “We can use this tracker to see him anywhere on the planet?”
Dave nodded.
“But will he take his vehicle – with tracker – on the boat?” Jeff asked.
Dave shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I think he will.” Rasp said from behind them.
Jeff and Dave turned.
“Most pheerionz would not have vehicle like you dezcribed,” Rasp continued. “Pheerion Rex hazz…” He seemed to be trying to think of the word. “Small number of such vehiclezz that he hazz captured from humanzz. He might have allowed very trusted agent use it, but he would… want back. I believe vehicle will be going straight back to Pheerion Rex with locket.”
Jeff and Dave nodded and then both looked back at the map.
“So we may have a signal that’s going to show us exactly where we need to go,” Jeff said with a smile.
Dave grinned. “See, I’m good to have around.”
“Dave!!” Nahima’s shrieking voice came from the boat cabin. “What the hell did you do to this poor toilet?!”
“Not that I’m perfect,” Dave added with a shrug.
Chapter 38:
John lifted himself on the railing and swung his feet back and forth through the gate opening. “I should probably mention,” he said, “that I sometimes scream for several hours during the night for no real reason. I hope that’s not going to be a problem on a small boat.” He smiled and Jeff couldn’t tell from the expression if John was amused because it wasn’t true… or because it was.
Dave was loading bags into a storage area below the bridge that was on a raised deck above the interior deck. He paused and looked at John. “Yeah, I heard you screaming last night… no, wait… that was your mother while I was stroinging her.” he added with a grin.
John did one last swing and launched himself into the boat. “That’s funny,” he replied as he pulled out his vibrating blade and began fiddling with it absent-mindedly. “My mother hasn’t screamed much since I killed her.”
Jeff had gotten used to such odd comments from John. He had learned to brush them off as just being part of John’s twisted sense of humor, though he never felt as sure as he wanted to be.
Nahima threw a heavy canvas bag at Dave. He wasn’t quite ready for it. The impact knocked him off balance, but he didn’t drop it.
“I’d imagine you make a lot of women scream,” Nahima said to Dave. “But not for the reasons you might imagine.”
“You really like playing with that little thing, don’t you?” Dave asked John while ignoring Nahima. He nodded toward John’s vibro-blade as he placed the last bag. He put his hand on the grip of an enormous knife that was sheathed on his belt and pulled the twenty-inch blade halfway out. “Mine’s bigger,” he said with a wink.
“It’s not the size, it’s what you do with it,” John retorted with a flourish of his blade that sliced the air into many small pieces.
What’s wrong with these people? Do they just not get it? This isn’t a joy-ride. This is deadly serious and dangerous, and if we fail, their world will face an enemy they won’t be able to stop. They’ll be completely defeated and subjugated by a savage king.
How can they act as if things are normal? How can they tease and joke with one another? Is there something wrong with them… or is there something wrong with me?
Benji was the last to board, and he took a spot on the front deck Dave had reserved for him. Dave insisted Benji wouldn’t be allowed in the cramped lower area – which Jeff thought would be a near impossibility anyway.
“Are we ready?” Dave asked.
Jeff and the others nodded as Dave climbed the ladder to the bridge area.
“Last chan
ce,” Jeff called over the railing to Baldwin as the boat lifted off the ground and hovered.
“I’m okay here,” Baldwin replied. He walked beside the levitating boat as it approached the large bay-doors, which were open.
There were several people on the street, and all of them stopped and watched as the flying boat emerged.
We must be an odd sight. Majestic… but sort of goofy… like a Thanksgiving parade balloon.
“I don’t know if I’ll see you again,” Jeff said to Baldwin.
Baldwin nodded and waved. “Good luck.”
I have a feeling this can only end one of two ways. I’m going to either go home… or end up dead.
At least I hope so.
Chapter 39:
Dave brought the boat to the river’s edge and maneuvered it so it was parallel to it.
There were several other boats in the water, and nearly all their occupants were staring. Flying vehicles were common but flying boats weren’t. It presented an odd but not shocking sight.
Dave eased the craft out until they were nearly in the center of the river and then brought them down. The boat rocked gently as Dave switched from levitation to water mode. There was a rumbling and gurgling as the propellers began spinning, then Dave accelerated to a healthy cruising speed.
As they made their way toward the barrier that shielded the city, the other boats became more and more sparse.
The people of Caesurmia weren’t adventurous, ocean-going folks. Few ventured out of the protective shield, and nobody had any interest in travelling to the hostile continent on the other side of the ocean. Nobody but us.
There were only two people in the group who had ever traversed an ocean. Jeff was one, and he had only done it on his home planet in an airplane.
Jeff looked at the other, General Rasp, who was doing what he typically did – sitting quietly by himself.
They were nearing the immense, blue energy field. Beyond it, the river widened to a bay surrounded by rocky shores, and beyond that, Jeff could see open ocean.
Dave slowed the boat and pushed a button on his control panel. The section of the barrier that crossed the river flickered and then disappeared. They drifted slowly between the poles on either side of the river and when they were well clear, the transparent blue wall reappeared.
Jeff saw some movement to his right. As he focused on the source, he saw a group of six or seven pheerions emerge from a stand of trees and march purposefully toward the energy barrier.
Jeff jumped up, and his hand went to his gun. “Hey!” he exclaimed.
Nahima put a hand on his lower arm to prevent him from drawing the gun. “No.” She pointed to an armored vehicle – one of several that the city’s security forces had hastily assembled. It was farther away than the pheerions but on the same side of the barrier and on an intercept course. “We’ve got our job, and they’ve got theirs,” she said.
Jeff nodded. “We’re after the head of the snake.”
It was an expression Jeff suspected to be foreign to Nahima, but she nodded. “That’s a good way to put it.”
Despite her calm, logical sense of purpose, Jeff knew she had concerns he couldn’t even imagine. He was, hopefully, headed on a course that would lead him home. Nahima was leaving her home behind with her people, including her brother, under attack.
Jeff paced nervously for a bit then walked across the open area in the center of the boat toward Rasp. While they didn’t interact much, Jeff had grown very fond of Rasp who, despite his frightening appearance, impressive strength and military experience was a calm, gentle and even shy individual. Jeff felt the pheerions weren’t the frightful villains that the Caesurmians viewed them to be, but rather they were the victims of a ruthless, despotic ruler.
“You’re going home,” Jeff said as he took a seat next to Rasp.
Rasp turned and looked at him. “Home?” He fidgeted absentmindedly with a large buckle on his belt. “I don’t know if I have one… anymore.”
Jeff felt a wave of sadness and shame wash over him, so intense that it seemed a physical sensation. I’ve been so focused on getting home myself that I haven’t really thought of Rasp, who has no family and is considered a traitor to his friends… and it’s my fault.
“Well… I uh… maybe we can try to help you some way.” Jeff cringed and regretted saying it as soon as it had come out of his mouth. How can I help him? “Well since you’re the only one of us who has crossed an ocean by boat, do you have any comments or advice to help us on our way?”
“I hope,” Rasp replied, “this boat is big enough and we don’t have any problemz with ocean… ocean… ” He seemed to be searching for a word. “Ocean monsterz.”
Jeff wished it had been a different word.
Chapter 40:
“Ocean monsters, huh?” Jeff gritted his teeth and scratched his head. Not sure why I didn’t think of that. I was picturing the water as a protective shield from all the land monsters. I never even stopped to think there would be sea monsters.
He thought he should learn more about the ocean monsters but had another concern he wanted to address before he piled too many more on.
“The pheerions… you’ve said they have some problems with Pheerion Rex?”
Rasp nodded. “They don’t love Pheerion Rex… they fear him.”
“Do you think we can get the pheerions to help us?”
“Yes,” Rasp answered with some certainty. “The villagerzz have a tradition. They will ask you to pass three challengezz. If you can pass them… ” Rasp paused and looked Jeff up and down. “And I am confident you will… they will accept you as one of them, and they will help you in your quest. I know the pheerionzzz well enough that I am sure of it.”
“Woooaah, slow down. I’ve got enough challenges to deal with. I don’t need to add more right now.”
The two sat silently for several moments.
“If you pass challengezzz, I would be accepted back as your friend. I would have a home.”
Not fair, Jeff thought.
Chapter 41:
Jeff watched as John fished in a bait container for one of the black leach-like creatures he was using for bait. He threaded a hook through it and dropped his line over the edge. “I’ll never catch anything at this speed, but it’s fun to try,” he said with a wink, then reached back into the bait-bucket, extracted another leach and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it with a toothy grin.
Nahima shook her head and looked at Jeff. “What is it about him that I don’t like?”
It seemed like a casual, off-the-cuff question, but Jeff knew there was more behind it. He avoided her eyes and focused on his book, but he found it hard to concentrate as she continued to stare at him.
Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Nahima, at times, seemed to have a unique perception and ability to read his mind. As he tried to clear it, he soon remembered that one of the hardest things to do was not think about something. In his mind’s eye, he saw Nahima’s mother tumbling sickeningly lifeless down the stairs with the shadowy figure of John watching from above.
He glanced very quickly in Nahima’s direction and could see a look of vague distress before he broke eye contact and looked back down at his book.
Does she know?
Nahima got up and quietly walked away.
Jeff continued translating. It was the first chance he had to finish the special passage his father had written directly to him since he had stumbled on it back in his room. There was a lot of very interesting information, but Jeff was only catching bits and pieces. He concentrated on getting it all translated so he could go back and read it all at once, but as he went, he couldn’t resist noticing some things that told him it would be very revealing when complete.
John had his line in the water but wasn’t catching anything. He pulled a cigar – about half the length and diameter of the cigars Jeff knew – from a pocket and then pulled his mouthpiece from another. Jeff had seen him smoking with that mouthpiece before.
It had a slight S-shaped curve so that when John was smoking, his cigar protruded from an angle below his mouth.
John screwed the cigar into the mouthpiece, which was metal with intricate carvings. It was threaded so that when he twisted a cigar into it, it locked on and held it firmly. John lit up and threw his head back as he enjoyed his smoke.
“Those things are disgusting,” Nahima said with a sour expression. “I don’t know how anyone could enjoy them.”
“I’m not like most people,” John said with a smile.
Jeff shook his head and went back to his book.
Jeff,
You know the basic facts of what has happened to me, but I have a strong feeling (and my feelings have been eerily accurate) that you’ll find this, so I’d like to bring you up to speed.
When I fell through the portal, my experience was much like what yours must have been, but when I landed, the environment was much different.
I landed on a barren landscape. It’s difficult to describe, but there was nothing. A nothingness that was so foreign to anything you or I have experienced that I don’t know if I can fully convey it, but I’ll do as well as I can with my limited verbal skills.
The sun was shining, the sky was blue, but the ground was nothing but a white expanse. It stretched in all directions with absolutely no detail. It was like a huge blank page.
At first, I was confused, distressed and had no idea what to do. I could see the black portal opening suspended above me, but there was no way I could reach it and nothing I could use to build a climbing platform. I assumed the portal would close within the twenty-minute window I had created with the automatic shut-off. I suspected there would be a time differential between this dimension and home, but I also suspected the portal openings on each end would follow the time rules of each side (a suspicion that turned out to be correct).
