by Alex Siegel
Fortunately, I-290 had no traffic to get in his way. Cannibals were still a problem in Chicago, and the city was locked down. The long battle at the hotel had almost allowed Aaron to forget that the previous crisis still hadn't been resolved. He would deal with it when there was time. He already had a long list of issues to address after he became immortal. The Pythagoreans were high on that list.
He saw headlights directly ahead.
"Fuck!" he said. "It's a road block!"
He spun the truck around. The tires squealed in protest. He gunned the engine and drove the wrong way down the highway.
More headlights were coming from the other direction. He was trapped. He slammed on the brakes.
Aaron looked around for a way out. This part of the highway was sunken, and there were high walls on either side.
"Get out," he said. "We'll climb the walls."
He and Charles got out of the truck. They ran to the nearest wall and jumped to grab the edge. While Aaron was still scrambling to get up, two police cars arrived. Guns pointed out the windows.
"Freeze!" a cop said.
Aaron dropped back down. Humvees were closing fast from both directions. He ran across the highway hoping for better luck on the other side.
He ran into somebody standing in the road. The person hadn't been there an instant before. He bounced off as if the obstacle was made of solid steel. He staggered back and looked at who he had run into.
It was Marina, but she had become an abstraction. Her skin was as smooth, shiny, and flawless as porcelain. Her strawberry-blonde hair had merged into a single block of gelatinous material which flowed over her shoulders. She was wearing gray robes, but they seemed made of mist instead of cloth. The green in her eyes was as pure as a laser. Her eyebrows were just black lines, and her cute freckles were gone.
"Hello, Marina," Aaron said cautiously. "You look different."
She winked at him. "The name is Nails now." Her voice was inhumanly pure.
She held up her hand. Her black fingernails had grown longer, and the tips were needle sharp. She pointed her hands at the approaching vehicles. A stream of black nails shot out like machine gun bullets. They struck the oncoming cars and exploded with the power of grenades. The concussions rattled and stunned Aaron. There was nothing left but scraps of burning wreckage.
"Take my hand," Marina said. "Both of you."
Aaron grabbed her right hand, and Charles grabbed her left.
Aaron's stomach did a backflip. There was a sense of movement, and the next instant, he was somewhere else.
He realized he was in the basement under the Chinatown building. The aperture had been assembled and activated. Some parts were glowing so brightly, he couldn't look directly at them. The floor seemed tilted at an odd angle.
"Go!" Marina said.
She pointed at a film of green energy which occupied the hole in the center of the machine.
"What about me?" Charles said.
"Just Aaron. Hurry!"
Aaron ran across the room. He climbed a stepladder, but he hesitated before diving in. He had no idea what was on the other side.
"It's about to close!" Marina yelled.
He summoned his courage and jumped.
For a moment, he was nowhere. There was no sensation at all. He seemed to be in a place where nothing could actually exist. His consciousness floated free, detached from any physical manifestation. There wasn't even empty space. His simple, human mind rebelled at the notion.
Aaron realized this was where God lived. There was no golden throne, no majestic gates, and no puffy clouds. Before the Lord had created the universe, there was only a void. His greatest miracle was making something real where nothing could be real. 13.8 billion years later, His enemies were still envious.
A room began to form around Aaron, but he knew it wasn't physical. It was just a transient construct meant to provide a little comfort and familiarity. It was less than a dream.
The room was the kitchen of the first apartment that he and Marina had shared. A lot of happy memories were attached to that place. They had trained together as fellow legionnaires during the day, and they had made passionate love at night. The world had been full of possibilities and excitement.
The cheap, white kitchen counters were like old friends. The door of one of the yellow cabinets was askew. Aaron had always intended to fix it. Some dried breadcrumbs were on the black and white, tiled floor. Marina had never been much of a housekeeper. Bright sunlight poured in through dusty windows and made the room warm.
Marina opened a door and entered with a smile. "You look good, dear."
Aaron looked at his hands. The skin was hard, smooth, and white. He touched the back of his hand, and it felt like stone.
She handed him a mirror, and he saw his own face. His brown hair had become a solid block of brown material. His eyes were just black circles against a white background. His chin had straight lines and sharp corners. He looked like a cartoon drawn by a lazy artist.
"Is this my new body?" he said.
"It's a mental projection, a dream made real. You are what you imagine yourself to be. You can change form at will, and you'll do it often. There are many alien civilizations in the universe. When we meet them, it would be best if we looked like them."
Just for fun, he changed his head to the form of a lion. It was as effortless as changing his mind.
The door opened again. Bethany, Leanna, and Norbert entered, and he was holding the hands of both girls. Their robot heads had been replaced with normal, human heads. The twins had become cute, pretty women again. They were smiling happily. Diamond studded clips held their long, black hair.
"I prefer you this way," Aaron said.
"Thank you," Bethany said. Her voice had also become human again. "Was the journey here difficult?"
"Not at all. Just a little unsettling."
"It was very hard for us, but we were the first."
The kitchen door opened again, and Jack walked in. Aaron was startled to see his dead security chief. Jack was medium height with pale skin and blue eyes. A black cowboy hat sat on top of his shiny, bald head. He was wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots.
"What are you doing here?" Aaron said. "Did you come down from Heaven or something?"
Jack shook his head. "I'm not who you think. I'm the universal firewall, but I carry Jack's noble spirit with me."
"You're a computer program?"
"In a way. The twins made me." Jack smiled at Bethany and Leanna. "We will be working closely together. I'll tell you where intrusions are occurring, and you'll send legionnaires to deal with it."
Aaron nodded.
He felt God's presence. It filled the make-believe room with love, and Aaron sighed with happiness.
Everybody bowed.
"I gathered you here so I could explain your responsibilities," the Lord said. "Jack is the first line of defense against My enemies. He will stop most of the incoming attacks. Bethany and Leanna are the administrators and researchers. They will repair and upgrade Jack."
"What about me?" Norbert said.
"When you aren't protecting the Voice of Truth, you will give the twins the love they need. Your role is essential. Without you, they would go insane with loneliness."
Norbert bowed his head. "I'm honored."
"The new legionnaires will stop the intrusions that get past Jack," God said. "They are the inner defense. The Lord and Lady will keep the legionnaires under control. Discipline those who stray from the path. Replace those who refuse to learn. We cannot allow such powerful beings to run amok. They could cause enormous damage."
"I understand, Lord," Aaron said. "We will be very strict with them."
"And I will be strict with you.
"I would expect nothing else."
"That's all," God said. "Congratulations on a successful mission. You may begin your new duties."
The kitchen faded away.
* * *
Smythe watched the
aperture disappear. Its final act was to suck itself into its own portal. The components vanished into oblivion with a pop. There was nothing left but a bare floor.
He turned to Odelia. "I guess that's it."
Her eyes had changed from a freakish red to a more natural brown. Her hair was dirty blonde now instead of white. She looked normal.
"Can you use your gift?" he said.
She furrowed her brow for a moment. "No. It's gone."
He put his hand on her arm and tried to push through her skin. It didn't work.
"Same here," he said. "We're not legionnaires anymore."
Charles was standing there. Somehow, he had appeared out of thin air in the midst of all the madness. Smythe noticed the strange visual slipperiness that had always cloaked Charles was gone. He had also lost his gift.
Charles looked at Wesley and said, "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Retire," the boy said. "Enjoy your sunset years in peace. Learn to have fun again. You'll be the first legionnaire to do it. It's a great accomplishment."
Charles cracked a smile. "But I'll need an identity and money."
"The Gray Spear Society hackers will still be around for a while. Talk to them. I'm sure they'll help you out."
Suddenly, Aaron, Marina, and Norbert were standing in front of Smythe. They appeared instantly without making a sound.
Their bodies had changed dramatically. They had become simplified, as if the details of their humanity were stripped away, leaving only the essence. Norbert's face was a perfect oval, and his eyes were just brown circles on a white background. His hair was a uniform layer of brown on top of his head. His shoulders had perfectly square corners. His robes seemed to flow from his body rather than being separate from it.
Wesley smiled. "Take me back to Washington, DC, please. I have a lot of work to do there. The corruption runs deep."
Norbert took Wesley's hand. They vanished.
"That's quite a trick," Smythe said.
Aaron frowned at him. "Why didn't you go through?"
"We wanted to settle down and have a family." Smythe gave Odelia a kiss.
"You're getting married?"
"As soon as we can. Both of you are invited to our wedding, of course."
"We will certainly attend," Aaron said.
Marina walked over to a table and retrieved the crown of North America. She showed it to Aaron.
He studied the engravings. "That's beautiful. Where did you get it?"
"Black Deer is buried beneath us in a secret chamber. This was his crown. See? That's us." She pointed to one of the panels.
Smythe leaned forward for another look. The picture showed Aaron and Marina in their new forms exactly.
She put it on her head. "I'm going to wear it."
"It looks great on you, darling," Aaron said. "Shall we go? We have plenty of messes to clean up."
"One sec." Marina gave Odelia a hug and shook Smythe's hand. "Congratulations on your marriage. I know you'll be very happy together. Now we can go."
Aaron and Marina vanished.
Smythe looked at his hand. Marina's grip had been as hard and unforgiving as a granite statue. He took Odelia's hand, and it was warm and soft instead. He had definitely made the right choice.
* * *
Roy Haley rubbed his full belly and sighed with satisfaction. The meal had just been beans, corn, beef jerky, and apples, but he had enjoyed every bite immensely. The only problem was now he wanted to sleep, but that wasn't practical. Senator Bedford Forrest would be here any minute.
Ethel was sitting with him at the table in the log cabin. She was smiling at him, and that expression on her face always made him nervous. She was happiest when her enemies were suffering and dying.
Tawni and Boreas were outside hiding in the woods. The plan was for them to ambush the senator's security from behind. Between her infinitely sharp sword and his cold gaze, they didn't expect to have a lot of difficulty. Ethel would take care of the senator personally.
"I hope things are going well in Chicago," Haley said.
"Yes," Ethel said. "I suppose I should call Aaron again and get an update. The aperture should've opened by now. I hate to pester him though. He's probably very busy."
"Should you address him as the Lord?"
"That will be difficult for me. There is only one Lord in my book."
"I guess I never thanked you for saving my life again," he said.
She smiled. "You don't have to thank me for that. Just stop getting into so much trouble. You're like a damsel in distress."
"I'll do my best, ma'am. I'll definitely have some strong words with the Secret Service when I get back. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of them were playing for the wrong team. Sounds like this Pythagorean conspiracy runs deep."
A knock on the cabin door startled him. He hadn't heard a car drive up. Tawni and Boreas were supposed to be hiding in the woods.
Ethel picked up her silver machetes. "Who is it?" she said warily.
"Aaron and Marina," a familiar male voice replied.
Ethel's eyes widened. She quickly opened the door.
Aaron entered, but he was no longer human. He had become a three-dimensional model of himself. All the lines were clean and sharp. All the surfaces were shiny and smooth. Just some artistic touches remained to show who he was.
Haley had never met Marina, but the woman at Aaron's side had to be her. She was similarly simplified. Her red hair reminded him of a block of gelatin. She was wearing a silver and black crown, and it was the only part of her with fine details.
"What happened to you?" Haley exclaimed.
"We went through the aperture," Aaron said. "The big mission was a success. Ethel, we already transformed Boreas and Tawni. We sent them back to Chicago to help with the cannibals. Now it's your turn."
He and Marina stood side by side. They bent towards each other and put their fingertips together to form a circular loop with their arms. A glowing green dot formed in the center of the loop. It expanded into a rippling surface made of green energy which filled the space. A million tiny points of light floated in the energy.
"You must decide for yourself," Aaron said. "If you go through, you will be immortal, but you will serve me and Marina forever. You'll never have real freedom again. If you want a natural life and the privileges that go with it, you can refuse. There is no dishonor in remaining human."
Ethel stared at the green energy for a long moment.
"Will I still be able to love Roy?"
"Of course," he said. "We would never stand in the way of love."
Finally, she said, "I have no choice. I was made for one purpose."
She dived through the loop and vanished.
Aaron and Marina separated their arms, and the green surface popped like a soap bubble.
Aaron nodded politely to Haley. "It's nice seeing you again, Mr. President. I'm very glad you're safe. Have a nice night. Good bye."
Aaron and Marina walked out the door of the cabin. Haley got up and went to see where they had gone, but they had already vanished. He was alone.
He looked out into the dark night. "Hello? Is anybody there?" He frowned.
He didn't like the idea of walking down the mountain by himself, but he couldn't stick around. The senator was coming.
"Hi, dear," a woman said.
He turned around and found Ethel standing in the cabin. Her body had been transformed. The wrinkles and other details on her face had been erased. Her eyes were simply black orbs with no white. Her hair looked like a solid block of white plastic. She was wearing gray robes now, and they flowed from her body like a waterfall of mist. Her machetes had replaced her hands, and now silver blades extended directly from her wrists.
"What happened?" Haley said. "Where did you go?"
"Outside."
"Outside what?"
"Outside everything," she said. "I saw God. He told me to keep you company."
Haley was having a hard time dealing with this c
hange. He had seen some strange things since joining the Gray Spear Society, but this was too much. He couldn't comprehend it.
"Why do you look so different?" he said.
"This form is just a mental projection, a manifestation of my imagination."
"No offense, but I don't like it."
She flickered and became the old Ethel he loved. All the beautiful wrinkles and creases were back.
"Is that better?" she said.
"Much. Thank you. Please, stay like that. How can you change your appearance?"
She looked at her hands. "Because this isn't the real me. It's like a puppet. I can make it look like anything and put it anywhere. I can even go inside a black hole."
"Where is the real you?" he said.
She cocked her head. "I don't know. It's a deep mystery. The twins probably have an answer in one of their equations. Maybe I'm not supposed to know."
He heard tires crunching on loose dirt. Cars were approaching the cabin.
Haley realized Ethel didn't have any weapons. She had switched her clothing to a plain, gray dress and sandals. She looked like a harmless, old woman.
"Are you armed?" he said.
She chuckled. She walked past him, opened the door, and went outside. He cautiously followed her into the cold night, but he stayed well back.
She stood on the driveway. A line of six black sedans pulled up and stopped in front of her. Twenty men in black business suits stepped out onto the dirt. They were all carrying compact assault rifles. They gave Ethel curious looks.
"Where is the senator?" she said.
"Who are you?" one of the men said.
"You can call me Dark Wind."
She moved so fast, she became a blur. The leaves on nearby trees rustled. A fraction of a second later, she was back in her original spot. The men fell to pieces where they stood. Their bodies had been cleanly dismembered like a turkey on Thanksgiving. Organs splattered onto the dirt.
Haley gulped in fear.
Ethel walked along the line of cars, peeking through the tinted windows. She stopped at one and ripped the door off. Metal shrieked as it was being torn. She tossed the car door aside.
Webs shot out of the opening, and the sticky filaments covered her face and body. Then Haley heard gunfire, but it didn't seem to affect her. She reached into the car and pulled out Senator Forrest by the neck. Even though he weighed more than her, she held him in the air easily. He pounded on her head as he tried to escape her grip.
