Edge of Time

by Susan M. MacDonald

  “They have already. It’s no big deal.” Riley got up from the table and stretched. There were several other Potentials, mostly from Canada and a few from Ireland and Europe, all in pairs and all working on orb exercises. The four Guardians supervising the lesson stood side-by-side, staring impassively at the group and waiting to deal with an outburst of frayed nerves. Dean, as always, watched her. He raised his eyebrows in question.

  “I need to stretch my legs,” Riley replied to his unspoken query. “Twenty minutes, okay?”

  Dean gave a curt nod and came over to take her seat. Jacob wiped his nose on his sleeve and scowled. “How come she gets a break?” he muttered.

  “Riley understands the consequences for disobedience and has agreed to refrain from further disruptive behaviour,” Dean said as he pulled his own orb from his pocket and held it up in front of his face. “Focus on your assigned task, Jacob.”

  Riley headed out of the study area and past Food Dispersal at a brisk pace, eager to have a reprieve from the constant lessons and prying eyes. It was so rare to have a moment to herself.

  She marched around the outermost part of the station, letting the rhythm of her steps cool her irritation. In the week she’d been held prisoner, most of her energy had gone into reacting negatively. It had taken her several days to control her temper enough to avoid punishment. Pretending to acclimatize to her situation increased her chance of successful escape, she reasoned. It was really just like high school. The more you acted like you hated it, the worse everyone treated you.

  The Tyon Base functioned like a highly protected military unit, with each individual having a specific function. This could be a weakness, she mused. The Tyons were mostly from two planets and, despite looking similar, each group had traits that the other disliked. This too could be an advantage, if she could only come up with a way to exploit it. The technology they had was more advanced than anything she’d ever even dreamed of and she still had little understanding of how to use it, despite asking a lot of questions. Using her orb for anything other than picking up a vague notion of someone else’s emotions was a bust. That was definitely a problem. Unless she magically learned how to use it in the next couple of days, she was going to have to either convince some Tyon to help her or get Darius to do it.

  Darius was a bigger problem. She hadn’t spoken a word to him since she arrived, and from what she gleaned from overheard conversations and the dark looks Dean gave her when she brought the topic up, Darius was persona non grata within the entire Tyon fold. He was being watched more closely than she was. How would she get close enough to convince him to abandon his Tyon training, throw in his lot with her and get them both out, despite constant surveillance?

  Alec was the biggest problem. He was still being held in seclusion and as far as she knew, no one but Anna was allowed to have any contact with him. The rumours about him were rampant: Alec had killed two guards; Anna was using such strong control Alec couldn’t even feed himself any longer; Alec had enough power to destroy the world. Riley had heard them all.

  Whatever she was going to do, it had to be soon. The Tyons’ daily reports of increasing violence coupled with the real-time transmissions of events unfolding the world over, playing constantly on the surrounding screens, were deeply disturbing.

  As if her subconscious had led her there, Riley realized she was right in front of Alec’s private section. The lights were low in his partitioned area but she could still make out his dark hair on the pillow of the upper bunk. He was facing the wall and had pulled the blanket up to his ears.

  Anna sat at the table reading a glowing handheld screen and holding in her fist something attached to the ever-present chain around her neck. She glanced up.

  “Is he all right?” Riley asked.

  Anna let go of a long, glowing rectangular crystal and dropped it and its chain underneath her collar. She didn’t reply.

  “When’s he allowed out with the rest of us?” Riley forged ahead. “I mean, you can’t keep him locked up forever.”

  “Can’t I?” Anna’s expression didn’t change.

  “He’ll go crazy. That’s what solitary does to you. I studied that in psych.” Riley bit her tongue. Swearing at Anna would get her back in confinement and that was the last thing she needed.

  “Then I hope that Alec will learn to obey us soon. Time is running out.”

  “If you keep trying to force the guy, he’ll only fight you harder. Don’t you know anything about human behaviour?”

  “He is challenging.”

  “More challenging than Darius was?” Riley smiled coolly. “Dean told me you trained him, too.”

  “Darius was much younger when he began his training, and despite his penchant for humour and an irreverent attitude towards work, he did comply eventually.”

  “Alec’s a different kettle of fish,” Riley advised. “You need a carrot, not a whip, with him.”

  “I already provide nourishment.”

  Riley snorted. “I wasn’t being literal.”

  Anna sat back in her chair. Then she nodded. “Kindness.”

  “Just a thought.” Riley shoved her hands into the jumpsuit pocket and fingered her orb. “Depends on how badly you want success.”

  Anna picked up the screen and began reading. Obviously the conversation was over.

  Only supreme effort prevented Riley from giving Anna the finger. Muttering under her breath, she marched back down the hall eager to put as much distance between herself and the insufferable Tyon as possible. Hopefully she had prodded Anna in a different direction. The faster the restrictions around Alec lifted, the faster she could escape with him. She rounded a corner so quickly she nearly walked right into Dean.

  “Feel better?” he asked, falling in beside her as she charged through the rec area.

  “No,” Riley grumbled. “I want to go home.”

  “I’ve told you, this is your home. I realize that you miss the life you had before and your family of origin, but it is best if you forget them.”

  Riley stopped and gripped her hips. “You want me to forget my entire life before I met you guys? That I have parents? A sister? Well, I suppose I can forget Deborah, she’s a bit of a tool, but not my dad. Or mom. Did you?”

  “Tholans are raised communally. We have little ties to blood relatives. I suppose that makes things easier if we are selected for Tyon training,” Dean conceded.

  “Yeah. Just a tad.” Riley couldn’t help fuming. These Tyons were so high-handed. “I love my parents. I’m worried sick about what might happen to them. My dad’s probably having an aneurysm right now, with me missing.”

  Dean started walking again and Riley found herself keeping pace with him. He looked thoughtful.

  “What?” she asked.

  “You know that we’re going to have to leave this planet, don’t you, Riley? That the issues we’ve spoken of are greater than the concerns of just one person?”

  Riley crossed her arms and stared straight ahead. “With the Others?” she answered reluctantly.

  “Yes. You’re aware we’re constantly monitoring the situation. Should the threat be considered insurmountable, we’ll evacuate earlier.”

  “What’s insurmountable?”

  “Global war. Nuclear weapons.”

  “Cripes,” Riley breathed.

  “They manipulate the population through the rips. Like puppeteers. They seem to feed off the negative energy created by manipulation. They’ve started wars on the three planets we know they invaded and likely many more we’re not certain of yet. We know so very little about them.”

  “But that doesn’t make sense. What life forms have their food source destroy themselves?”

  “Bacteria?” Dean said. “Or us? Humans are notorious for killing their own planets and destroying their sources of food and water. It’s even happening on this planet.”

  “Did you guys destroy your planet?” she asked.

  “Tholos is not destroyed. Nor is the Orion homeworld.”<
br />
  “So, if Logan and Anna’s world is fine, why do they give a toss about mine?”

  “Terra is important. Its inhabitants are important.” Dean replied.

  “But you guys didn’t want Darius, did you?” Riley jibed.

  Dean didn’t bother to deny it. “Finn was picked up during our initial scouting stage. He was a spontaneous mutation. And remarkably strong. Our leader felt he could be useful as an Operative with local knowledge, if the time ever came to infiltrate. Turns out it was a wise decision. The Others arrived just as Finn was completing his training.”

  So Darius hadn’t had a choice either. The Tyon Collective had made another one of their high-handed decisions and used him.

  “You must return to your lessons,” Dean said. The companionable tone of voice was gone. “There is much to learn and time is running out.”

  Riley quietly followed as he led the way back to the study area. Her brain was buzzing. If the Others got the upper hand, she and the rest of the Potentials would be waving goodbye out the stern-side window of a spaceship. Dean was right. Time was running out. She had to escape, and soon.

  23

  Alec paced. Six long strides one way, six back. Anna sat at the table, as usual. She’d said nothing to him as she handed him his breakfast, nor did she speak as she cleaned up the mess when he threw the bowl across the room. Other than a distinct tightening of her jaw, there was no expression.

  Alec told himself he didn’t care. He focused on staying angry. It wasn’t too difficult. He was miserable here, separated from the only people he knew and forced to try and study something he didn’t want to, day after day after day. The confinement was driving him crazy. He hadn’t been able to go for a run in ages. On top of that, his mom would be frantic and his dad would be ballistic by now. He’d missed all his exams and that would mean repeating a grade. His summer on the provincial team was over before it had even started, and that was the only thing he’d been looking forward to in ages. Someone was going to pay for this.

  He was concentrating so intently on his internal fury that he didn’t hear Logan’s footsteps. He nearly paced right into him. He scrambled away as fast as he could.

  “Alec, remember June thirteenth.” The Commander gave no greeting.

  “Huh?” Alec’s heart lodged in his throat. “Why?”

  “Obey me,” Logan demanded. He stepped closer.

  The edge of the table hit the back of Alec’s thighs. He glanced for help at Anna, but she was staring rigidly straight ahead. “I don’t remember,” he croaked.

  “You do.” Logan stopped an arm’s length away. He pulled out his own orb and held it out, palm upward. The light within was slightly yellow and pulsing. “Don’t move,” he instructed.

  Anna took a breath, as if she were about to disagree, but didn’t actually speak. Alec tensed. He wasn’t going to just stand here and let that …

  Logan reached out with his free hand. Alec faked left, then turned right, ducking under the Commander’s hand. He wasn’t fast enough. Logan lashed out and grabbed Alec’s wrist, twisting it cruelly up behind his back. Alec couldn’t stop the cry that tore from his lips as his shoulder was nearly dislocated. He dropped to his knees.

  “Disobey me and you are punished, Alec. Learn this well.”

  Tears welled up in his eyes. It was only the barest of touches, but Logan’s fingers burned. Alec started to jerk his head away. Anna slipped behind him quickly and her hands gripped his shoulders. She was tremendously strong. He couldn’t move.

  The power probed and scorched as it moved through Alec’s temple and into his mind. If he was screaming, he couldn’t hear it. As quickly as the invasion started, it was over. Logan removed his hand. Alec would have collapsed if Anna hadn’t been holding him.

  “Instinctive. Spontaneous,” Logan said to Anna. He seemed interested as well as angry, but Alec was still reeling and heard the words without comprehension.

  “Is it certain?” Anna asked.

  “Appears that way. Triggered by extreme anger. It’s all there. Beyond extraordinary.” Logan stepped towards the doorway. “He did it without an orb, Anna. There may be power we cannot detect. He’s too dangerous to keep.”

  “Inside he’s shielded. He will not cause any further damage.”

  “We cannot be sure of this. It is prudent to negate danger once identified. You grow sentimental for this race.”

  “I only wish to explore his potential. Should he be able to harness this, the possibilities are endless,” Anna replied in an even tone.

  “Your argument was similar about Finn.”

  “And Darius has completed all levels of his training. His evaluations were exemplary. Despite your personal feelings, Logan, he surpassed any expectations we had of a Terran. Alec may do the same.”

  Logan said nothing. He turned and left, his footfalls almost silent. Anna let go of Alec’s shoulders and took her place at the table. When the nausea had passed and he was finally able to look up, he saw she held her head in her hands.

  “Are you ready to begin your lesson?” she asked quietly.

  Alec gave her the finger. A woozy, shaky retort, but all he was capable of.

  “We will continue with the concentration exercises and emotional control. It is vital.”

  Alec climbed to his feet and staggered across to his bed. He collapsed onto the lower bunk and stared with unseeing eyes at the underside of his bunk.

  “I do not wish to use physical force, Alec.”

  He didn’t respond, other than to clench his fists. Sure she didn’t. Who held him down – Santa Claus?

  “Your anger controls you, Alec. It dictates your actions. You realize this as well as I. Once you let go of it and immerse yourself in the training, you will be much more at peace. When you attain a certain level of control, I will lift the restrictions you live under. You will be able to socialize with your peers.”

  Alec refused to look at her. He wasn’t that naïve.

  “I wish you didn’t make this so difficult,” she said, so quietly he almost couldn’t hear her. “Why are Terran males so implacable? My experience is limited to two, but both of you are a study in frustration. There must be something in the water here that limits your ability to surrender to imposed instruction.”

  Alec still didn’t say anything.

  “It took less time to convince him, but he still dug his heels in at every new concept,” Anna murmured. “It was a wonder he ever finished the training. But now, he’s one of the best we have. You could be like that.” She paused for a moment. “Do you understand what Logan was saying?”

  Alec turned his head to the wall.

  “Alec, you’re anything but stupid, but what you fail to understand is that time is running out. The violence is worsening hourly. We’ve done our calculations. The genetic resistance is far too low to protect your planet. Unless we intervene, your society will destroy itself. Once North America dissolves into chaos, the rest of the world will follow.

  “Logan is convinced that your uncontrolled power constitutes too great a risk. If you don’t comply and learn to harness your emotions, he will have no choice.”

  The silence stretched on for several uncomfortable minutes. Then Anna surprised him. She got up out of her chair and skirted the edge of the table. She looked over her shoulder as she sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. She leaned over and whispered. “Alec, he’ll have your mind erased. For the sake of your own life, please, stop fighting me.”

  Alec sat bolt upright. Without question, he knew she wasn’t lying. He took a deep breath to calm the wild beating of his heart and stared at the opening of this tiny cell. Could you live with a blank mind?

  “No,” Anna said, leaning over and speaking closely to his ear.

  A cold sweat drenched his body.

  “Start your training in earnest. He’ll leave you alone if you seem to be no danger.”

  Alec didn’t want to give in, but being brain-dead wasn’t much of an option. Could he trust
Anna? Could he trust any of them? Was he a coward or being sensible? “What’s he looking for, in my head?” Alec croaked.

  Anna looked away. “Alec, I–”

  “I have to know. It’s my mind he’s messing around with.”

  Anna stood up abruptly. She walked over to the opening in the dividers and stared out at the Bunker. The lights were low in the main section. It was rest period and most of the occupants were sleeping. Finally, she turned around. “Logan is convinced that the Tyon power you unleashed last June caused the initial rip in the fabric of time and space. It was that rip which allowed the Others to gain access to your world. He fears your power may open the rips even further.”

  If Alec hadn’t already been sitting, he might have fallen over. How in the world had he done something so, so unbelievable?

  “I d-didn’t,” he stuttered.

  “You did. The confrontation with your father was the catalyst. Can you remember it?”

  Alec turned his face away. Sure, he could remember. It was damn hard to forget. But force an opening between this dimension and another? No way. Wouldn’t he have noticed?

  “You were angry, Alec. Remember?”

  Alec’s fingers clawed into the blanket around him. “I had good reason.”

  “Tell me.”

  Alec’s jaw clamped shut. It was still so raw, so painful, that even thoughts of that evening, when everything had fallen apart, caused him to break out in a sweat.

  “Alec, I need to know what triggered that sort of hatred. If I don’t, I can’t protect you or teach you how to avoid it again. Logan will consider you unreachable. He won’t hesitate to remove any threat.”

  Alec flung himself off the bed and started to pace.

  “What did your father do to provoke such anger? What did he say to you?”

  “He didn’t say anything,” Alec ground out.

  “But you engaged in a physical altercation. I saw it in your thoughts. You tried to kill him.”

  The words triggered the memory, as bitter and heartbreaking as it had been the night it happened.

  “Stop making excuses for him,” Alec’s father yelled. Red-faced, he swung around to face them. Alec’s mother stood framed in the doorway of the kitchen, still clutching the principal’s letter, and Alec cowered in the dim light from the bathroom halfway down the hall.