by Bryan Cohen
He held his breath for a moment. "This place is huge. How many people live here?"
Erica smirked. "Depends on your definition of people."
He groaned. "Fine, how many creatures live here?"
"Let's just say that New York has nothing on this place. I lived here for centuries and I still haven't seen it all."
Before Travis could ask any more questions, they reached the guards. The two armor-clad men hadn't taken their eyes off Erica and Travis since the puking incident. They looked angry, and Erica wished she'd known at least one of the two to dispel the situation. There were a few moments of silence until Travis broke it.
"Hey, we're here to see the Wizard?"
Erica punched him hard in the shoulder
He grimaced. "Ow! I'm sorry, we just don't have time for a staring contest, okay?"
The left guard, who wore a long, red beard and an insignia designating his higher rank, grunted his acknowledgement. "Unaccompanied humans will need to be cleared by the council. Do you have your papers?"
Erica smiled and shot blue lightning between her hands.
Confusion blanketed the guard's face. "A protector. But why are you still in your human–"
Erica cut him off. "We need to see Reena and Gan. It's extremely urgent."
The bearded guard's grumpy tone had washed away to leave complete subservience in its wake. He fiddled around with a panel, and before long, the tall gate leading into the city was completely open. A hot burst of air and the sound of a thousand conversations going on at once greeted them as they walked inside.
The guard bellowed his way through a crowd of different species. "Clear a path! Official army business!"
Most of the creatures before them parted to the left or the right, though a group of blue-skinned humanoids from a dimension Erica couldn't identify needed to be told three times before they dispersed. Erica watched Travis' awe-struck face. She wasn't sure he'd even left his home state. Judging by his ever-widening eyes and slumping posture, he was completely out of his depth, and Erica couldn't help but laugh inside.
The bearded guard fumbled with his words. "I'm sorry to delay you. With the attacks and the rescue mission, protocol must be followed."
Erica nodded, but she didn't inquire further. She trusted the guard's word that something pretty major had gone down. It was unlikely he'd know anything remotely close to the truth. She'd save her questions for Reena and Gan.
Travis stayed firmly latched on Erica's arm as they pressed ahead. "Don't you lose me, LaPlante. I don't want to be some alien's lunch."
Despite the fact that the city had massive streets that were wider than a six-lane highway, Erica could understand his concerns. Some of the street's residents looked much friendlier than others. While Erica was used to seeing seven–, eight– and nine-foot tall city residents within the capital's walls, Travis was a first-timer.
Erica looked up to the sky. "According to the sun, it's past lunch. You don't have to worry about getting eaten for another few hours."
Travis' face showed he hoped her words were a joke.
As the three of them walked, Erica gave Travis the same tour Reena had given her hundreds of years ago. When Reena first led her inside, she was told the city had to be expanded to accommodate refugees from all the worlds the dark souls had attacked.
"You mean like Redican's home world?" Travis asked.
Erica nodded. She felt bad for the mind-reader's death, even though he'd once tried to kill her.
The trio reached the bottom of a large staircase by the side of a nondescript building. As per usual, the crowd had thinned out considerably by the stairs.
The guard once again had trouble finding the right words. "I assume you–I know that–you can take it from here."
Erica nodded. "Thank you. You can return to your post…" She looked at the guard's insignia. "Lieutenant."
He grinned. "Welcome home."
With that, he turned on his heels and headed back toward the front gate.
Travis looked up the staircase and the downright boring facade of the building. "The military headquarters is in here? Guess you guys don't spend much on design."
Erica pulled Travis onto the first step and gripped the railing tightly. "Hold on."
Travis gave her a strange look as the staircase dropped straight through the ground. He grabbed her arm as the plummeting elevator of a staircase continued to drop.
The wind whipped through her hair and filled her eardrums with a whooshing sound.
Travis whined and cinched his arm tighter around hers. "You could've warned me it was like a freakin' roller coaster here."
Erica smirked. "And spoil all the fun of watching you squirm?"
Travis looked like he wanted to sass her, but his face was turning a bit too green to follow through. When the staircase finally came to a stop, it was now next to a much more industrial-looking building. She tapped Travis on the shoulder. "You can let go of my arm now."
He did so hesitantly. He also wasn't quick to follow her up the stairs, but she assumed his fear of being left alone got the better of him. She tapped on a very solid-looking silver door at the top of the stairs. At first, nothing happened.
Travis let out a deep breath. "If they're not home, I'm not taking that ride again."
Erica laughed. "Don't puke on anybody. You'll ruin our reputation."
The door shot open, and Erica was surprised to see her olive-skinned commanding office Reena standing before her. Erica's friend had either been training or she'd just come from an attack, because she could still see a smudge of something under her eye. Was it debris?
Reena folded her arms. "Can I help you?"
Erica cracked a smile. "What? No love for an old friend?"
Reena focused her eyes on Erica's face and her impatience faded away. "Cora?" Reena wrapped her arms around Erica's shoulders. "Cora! I almost didn't see you in there." She pulled back to get a better look. "What a beautiful body."
"Stop, you'll make me blush. Travis Conner, Commander Reena."
Travis took her hand and held it a few seconds too long. "Speaking of a beautiful body...."
Erica glared at him until he released Reena's hand. When he did so, she placed her hand on Reena's shoulder. "I know I'm supposed to stay on Earth, but we need to find–"
"He's here, Cora. He's safe."
Erica felt it all wash away. The stress of the previous weeks. The pictures in her mind of Sheriff Norris, Kelly and Redican beyond saving. For a solitary moment, she felt peace.
Erica covered her eyes. "Oh my God. Thank you."
Travis cleared his throat. "What about Natalie?"
Reena raised her chin. "The answer to that question is a little more complicated."
Travis took a step toward her. "What do you mean, more complicated?"
Erica pushed him back. "Give her a chance to explain."
Reena nodded. "I'll do you one better. I'll let Ted fill you in."
Of course Erica wanted to learn more about the Natalie situation, but her body tingled at the thought of seeing Ted again. She ached for him, and she couldn't wait a second longer.
As Reena led them toward him, Erica could feel Travis' demeanor darken. She placed her hand on his back. "Don't worry. If she was dead, Reena would've said so."
Travis turned his head toward her. "If she's alive, then why is it 'complicated'?"
Erica didn't have an answer, but she hoped Ted would. The door led down a long, white corridor. Erica's heart seemed to beat faster with each corner they turned. They stopped in front of a small meeting room and Reena waved her hand by the lock. It opened with ease, and Erica stepped forward to see Ted standing with his back toward her in the mostly-white room. He turned around, and she tried to take him all in. Erica could tell he was a little worse for the wear, but there was nothing in the way of permanent damage. She marveled at the fact that they were in the same room again, and part of her felt like she was going to burst.
As she stepp
ed into the room, she caught Ted's eyes. She pictured him running over to her and sweeping her up in his arms. She didn't even care if they full-on made out in the middle of a military base. But that's not what happened.
Ted's eyes widened and a smile began to form before his face contorted into more of a pained expression. He seemed to hesitate before taking his first step. Erica was confused.
What happened to him? Why isn't he over here already?
Erica did her best to stay composed as Ted finally came toward her. She could tell he was nursing a few injuries from the way he walked. Erica's compassion for his pain was overcome by the feeling that something was very wrong. Before he could get close enough for her to touch him, he stopped in his tracks. The moment of silence that followed seemed to last an eternity.
There was something in his face that she couldn't read. "Hi."
Erica furrowed her brow. "Hey."
Ted looked like he wanted to step forward, but something held him back. He looked down, sighed and then caught her eye again. "Why didn't you ever tell me about William?"
PART FOUR
Chapter 31
Natalie's ears were ringing. She'd escaped the explosion without any burns or eye injuries, but her ears needed a few minutes of recovery. She shook her head as she watched the planes fly away. A few smaller crafts gave pursuit, and she watched them pass by as well. When the haze left her, Natalie realized that if her ears were ringing and she could watch the sky, then she was in fact alive.
She felt for the ground beneath her and found soft linen instead of dirt or rock. A look to the left and right confirmed it. She'd landed in the equivalent of a giant laundry basket.
Efforts to roll to one side or the other proved painful. The dull ache in her back told her she'd have one heck of a bruise the following day. She pulled at one of the sheets beneath her, and her arm went right through a hole. A closer inspection showed her she was lying on a pile of extremely oversized shirts and pants. The clothing that had saved her life was attached to shop kind of shop.
She tugged at a brick-red shirt beneath her to get some leverage. "Now that's what I call extra large."
When she pulled herself out, she saw that the pile of clothes she'd landed on was the size of a backyard swimming pool. After she got her bearings, she realized that there were stores all around her as part of a city market. The shops had seen better days, with some owners putting out fires or gathering inventory in the wake of the aerial firefight.
Who's the bad guy, again?
Natalie looked skyward once again. She had a feeling that Ted was still alive. Something deep within her mind told her that much. But that didn't mean he was anywhere nearby. In fact, there was a very good chance the light souls had him on one of those planes and they were headed to the other side of the planet.
"Bus fare to the other side of the world has to be pretty killer."
When all her senses had returned, she heard children crying and parents cursing in anger. She saw a family like Razellia's coping with a series of burns and contusions. Part of her wanted to help, but she had a feeling that if they caught her, the dark soul city council would skip the whole trial thing and go straight to the execution. Until she could get back in touch with Ted or find a way back to Earth, she'd need to lie low.
Behind the extremely big and tall shop, she found some clothing that fit her. She was grateful to shed the clothes of the last few days for something fresh. While Natalie figured she didn't exactly fit in, nobody seemed to pay her much attention. They had bigger fish to fry, like property and personal damage. Pointing out the gangly human was unlikely to make their priority list.
When she and Ted had arrived from above, the military complex looked massive and imposing. From this ground-level view, the city below wasn't much to speak of. It reminded her of the overcrowded international streets and apartments that she'd seen in movies. Looking in a few windows proved that over a dozen kids could fit into a tiny space, if needed. She hoped to find an abandoned building or a tiny shack she could squat in when the day came to an end. Every possible inch of building seemed to be occupied with dark souls or makeshift stores. When Natalie passed by a rundown restaurant, the sight of patrons eating roasted meat made her realize just how hungry and thirsty she was. Her body wasn't happy.
"We're trying to stay alive in a desert city with no food or money," she said to her organs. "I don't want to hear any more complaints. Got it?"
Her stomach gurgled in response as she pressed on. While she wasn't making much progress finding food or shelter, at least she was getting further and further away from the military compound. She estimated she was about two and a half miles away from her lucky landing when she took a break on a rock behind a few dilapidated buildings. She let herself relax when she didn't see any villagers for about 20 minutes.
Natalie didn't know what had kept her emotions at bay so long. It could've been the adrenaline from the explosion and the fall. Perhaps adequate sustenance had kept the mental pain at bay. Whatever it was holding her together, all of it gave way as she sat on that rock.
Natalie clenched her fists and pounded at her leg as tears welled up in her eyes. "You've lost it all." She wiped the moisture on her sleeve. "No scholarship. No basketball." She sniffled. "No Travis. No Dhiraj. No Ted."
She punched her leg several times, not caring if she left a bruise. "And you're gonna die on a rock on the next world over. Good work, Nat. You're a real winner."
She wasn't sure how she fell asleep on the sharp chair, but she awoke a few hours later to a breeze and a darkening sky. She chastised herself for sleeping out in the open like that. She knew she was lucky that nobody with bad intentions happened to walk by. Natalie's throat felt arid and her stomach ached.
She shook her head and looked herself up and down. "No more pity party." She glanced down the street in the direction she hadn't been. "I'm gonna find some damn water."
Natalie did her best to stay in the shadows as much as possible. She didn't need anybody stopping her to ask questions she wouldn't be able to answer. Natalie let her mind go blank as she focused on the solitary purpose of her movement: staying alive.
Her quest was rewarded after another hour of walking when she spied a stream in the distance. Natalie wasn't the only one who had the idea of filling up some water, but nobody seemed to question her when she scooped some into her mouth. While it sure wasn't Brita-filtered, the liquid was enough to keep her going. The anxiety that she might die on her first night alone faded away. Her lips even curled into a smile after scooping 10 to 20 handfuls into her mouth. As she glanced around the stream, she happened upon an empty jug that a previous thirsty villager had left behind. She filled it and retreated to an abandoned alley not far away.
She crouched between two buildings and drank from the jug. As long as the water wasn't contaminated and deadly, she knew she'd gotten through most of day one. Natalie considered how she'd find food on day two, when a low, rumbling growl caught her attention. In the shadows of the alley, something was alive, and it badly needed a decongestant.
The heavy, mucousy breathing stopped and something resembling speech bellowed forth. "Human."
Natalie's fight or flight kicked in. She stood up into a defensive stance, accidentally knocking over the jug as she backed away. Seeing the water spill over onto the stone and sand did not contribute positively to her mood.
The beast stepped forward and Natalie caught the full sight of it. It was at least 10 feet tall with a slimy exterior. She didn't know what the dark souls would call such a beast, but it certainly looked like a troll to her. It was wearing a red shirt.
Is that the shirt I landed on? Looks fatter.
The ugly creature sniffed at the air like its life depended on it.
Natalie considered running, figuring the beast was probably pretty slow, but she couldn't take any chances in her weakened state. She needed to give diplomacy a try first.
Natalie relaxed her posture slightly. "How'd you k
now I was human?"
The troll needed a few seconds to compute the sentence. "Smell strong." The creature lumbered forward. "Taste good?"
Natalie raised her eyebrows. "Are you asking if I taste good?" Her throat closed up. "No. No, I don't. I taste like garbage."
The troll continued ahead. "See for self."
Natalie drew a line in the ground with her mind. She deeply hoped he wouldn't cross it. But with several lumbering steps, the troll came right up to it.
Great. I'm the main frickin' course.
When the troll crossed her imaginary line, she dove underneath the creature's grasp and took off running. Her stomach remained angry, but she ignored it as best she could. She could hear the troll's massive feet slam into the ground behind her. When she checked to see how much distance she had on him, she realized she'd severely underestimated the beast's speed.
"Let's hope you have crap endurance."
Natalie picked up her pace and kept it up for the next couple of minutes. She dashed through a series of narrow alleyways, and the troll continued to fall behind. Even though her heart wanted to kill her, she felt like she was finally safe.
And then both of her calves cramped up hard at once. She didn't anticipate the pain, and her effort to plant when running caused her to fall completely on her face. When she rolled and turned around, she saw the troll had made up the distance and was now only a few feet away. She could smell the stench of his sweat. It was like rancid milk.
The troll let out what had to be its own version of a laugh. "Eat now."
The beast leaned over and opened its mouth.
Natalie growled. "I'm not food!" She sprung up off the ground and punched the troll hard underneath its chin.
The creature stumbled back and clutched at its throat. Its eyes were now laser-focused on Natalie's. If the troll didn't kill her, then her growing fear certainly would.
The troll screamed. "Eat! Now!"
Natalie reared back for another punch when something went whizzing through the air and struck the troll with full force.
