by S. S. Segran
Tony’s mouth curled back as he looked up at the towering man. “How’s the weather up there, Elias? Getting enough oxygen for that tiny brain of yours?”
Elias Hajjar’s lips twisted downward.
Tony masked his satisfaction. “If the Boss is right, those kids were in league with the group that gave you that disgusting injury. Truth be told,” he mimicked the big man’s voice, it improves your looks,.”
Hajjar, standing nearly seven feet tall, looked as if he wanted to squash Tony under his boot. Instead, he blew a thick cloud of smoke into the young man’s face. He was a heavily tattooed ex-mercenary with black holes for eyes and tree trunks for limbs. Tony appeared tiny and malnourished by comparison. Hajjar’s face had been severely disfigured in a horrible accident the year before when a large shard of glass had fallen onto his face. There was an untidy, jagged scar that extended from his forehead down to his chin. He was partially blind in one eye but was doing remarkably well—well enough to be reassigned as the head of security for Quest Mining, a division of Phoenix Corporation.
He’d had to go through intensive surgeries just to regain the semblance of a human face. It was a miracle that the man was even alive. Or a shame, as Tony saw it.
Tony held his breath until the smoke abated, then muttered, “Classy.”
“What is it you’re here for, Tony?” Vladimir Ajajdif asked. For some reason, the hint of a heavy Russian accent struck Tony as funny but he didn’t dare show it. He knew, as many did, that Ajajdif was one of the very few people who had actually seen the Boss—indeed, Ajajdif claimed that the Boss had personally saved him from a life on the streets of San Francisco nearly two decades ago.
Sliding his fists into his pockets, Tony said, “I have an assignment to complete because the men I hired were unable to do so.” He heard Hajjar snicker but continued, “I’ve got the girls safely locked away in the storehouse underground.”
Ajajdif looked toward the direction of the tunnel, which was hidden by a huge pit at the center of the site with tall mounds around it. While the mining activity was legitimate, it was merely a cover for the massive project that was being worked on beneath their feet.
“I might be tempted to check on these girls myself,” Ajajdif said. “See if they’re actually the ones who took part in wrecking my operations last year.”
“No,” Tony said sharply. “No one’s to go near them except those under my instruction. I came here to tell you that. You need to keep everyone else away from them. Besides, it’s none of your business. The Boss happens to be very interested in them and may interrogate them soon.”
At that, Ajajdif’s head snapped up. “The Boss is coming here? You’re sure?”
“I was only told that the kids are meant to be questioned.”
Ajajdif turned away, uttering what Tony could only guess to be Russian curses. “Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“I only found out myself a couple hours ago.” Tony glanced at his watch. “I need to get going.”
Ajajdif waved his hand dismissively. Hajjar placed his cigarette between his lips and watched Tony leave through half-lidded eyes. “Make sure you get them this time, runt.”
“Make sure the devil doesn’t find your filthy soul and drag you back to where you belong,” Tony said coolly as he shut the car door.
Hajjar spat in his direction. “You’re no angel either, Cross!”
Tony could see Hajjar’s contorted face getting smaller and smaller in his rearview mirror as he drove away. With a smile, he left the mining site.
25
The red Mustang pulled into Silver City early that morning. Aari was barely able to keep his eyes open. Marshall had miraculously not fallen asleep at the wheel and Jag seemed to be holding up as well. The one person Aari was worried about at the moment was Kody. The poor guy looked like a walking corpse, and super-hearing wasn’t needed to catch the earthquake in his stomach.
They’d scoured every small town between Deming and Silver City. Kody had run through all the streets, checking each residence thoroughly while avoiding detection before returning to the car with drooping shoulders each time. The mad running, lack of sleep and hunger combined with the heat was weighing him down. Aari would often have to reach over and shake Kody to keep his friend from passing out.
“You guys need to eat,” Marshall said. His words were less pronounced than before but he seemed to be faring better than the boys. “I’m guessing the last you ate was lunch yesterday.”
“We need to find the girls,” Jag responded dully. “We can’t stop the search just to sit in a diner.”
Marshall sighed. “You need the energy. How about a compromise—we get food from a drive-thru.”
“I think we should, Jag,” Aari said. He glanced at Kody who was curled up beside him.
Jag looked back at them, then nodded in resignation at Marshall. The Sentry continued down the road before turning into a drive-thru. As they pulled in, Aari caught sight of a dirt-caked SUV exiting with the driver one-handedly typing on a phone. For a second, he thought that the man could be Tony but the vehicle was gone quickly and he dismissed the thought. Tony was in California with his girlfriend, and that was hundreds of miles away from where the boys were right now.
“One thing, Marshall,” Aari said as a thought came to him. “There was a guy we met at the diner in Salt Lake City—he was very helpful. He went after you to teach you a lesson for . . . attacking us with your smoke bomb. I guess I kind of want to apologize for that. We didn’t know you were a Sentry at that time.”
“Huh?” Marshall sounded baffled.
“You were attacked. A dude came after you when you drove away from the Denny’s we were at.”
“Erm . . . nope. I didn’t run into anyone after the incident, much less get taught a ‘lesson’.”
Jag turned back again to share bewildered looks with Aari and Kody, but they said nothing.
They ordered their food and scarfed it down once Marshall parked the car. For a few minutes, there was only the sound of chewing and food wrappers unfolding.
Silver City’s population was only a little over ten thousand but the roads were busy with traffic. Aari sluggishly dragged his gaze away from the cars to the interior of the Mustang. Their little group wasn’t looking too well. No one smiled. Faces were taut and mouths drawn down. Black circles had appeared under everyone’s eyes. Aari noticed, though, that with every bite they took, a little bit of energy would return.
As he munched at his meal, his thoughts drifted away without him realizing. “Why here?” he asked.
“Mmh?” Kody mumbled through his burger.
“Why New Mexico? Why around Silver City? Why is this place so important? Why did they, whoever they are, choose this area as the destination? Nothing much happens here. The only notable thing I can think of are the mines, like the Chino mine to the east. I think it’s east, anyway.”
“So then . . . what now?” Kody asked.
“We’re gonna check out every inch of Silver City, of course,” Jag said.
“What if they’re not here?”
Aari winced inwardly; he wished Kody hadn’t voiced what had been in the very back of his mind.
“If not,” Marshall said unflinchingly, “we’ll check out all the other places around here. I know there are a few towns close to some mining sites. Hanover, Pinos Altos and Tyrone to name a few.”
Jag swallowed a couple of French fries before giving the Sentry a look. “Marshall?”
“Yes?”
“I know you haven’t told us everything. I really do trust you now, because Elder Nageau advised me to—”
“Waaait,” Kody said. “What do you mean, he advised you? When did you talk to him?”
Jag tapped his temple. “Telepathy. And he reached out not long after Marshall picked us up.”
Aari’s mouth fell open. “I thought that sort of thing was only possible with more training! And even then, it’s not guaranteed!”
“Apparent
ly I have it,” Jag said impatiently. “The point is, you haven’t told us much, Marshall. I know you’re holding back stuff from us. Considering we’ve been dragged into this mess, I think we have a right to know what you know.”
Marshall slowly set his food down and reached for his drink. After a few sips, he said, “I was being honest when I mentioned that I don’t have all the pieces. I probably don’t have most. But you’re right. I can offer you the little more that I do know.”
He took a few moments to collect his thoughts, then continued, “First of all, the Sentries have knowledge of the warnings in the prophecy and we take it seriously. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to pinpoint what or who is at the center of the dark storm that is gathering. To varying degrees, the Sentries and our brethren in Dema-Ki are able to feel significant changes in the fabric of existence. So when there’s a serious disturbance in the field, as there is now, we can sense it. It’s as though someone has cast a rock into a calm pond and the ripples created from it eventually reach us. Most of the time, we’re able to locate the source and do what’s required, but in this case we’ve been unable to identify it. What makes it worse is that the ripples from this disturbance are exceptionally strong and the frequency, instead of abating, is increasing. No Sentry alive has ever witnessed anything like this before. And here’s the real kicker: Neither have the Elders. There is a real fear that this disturbance may reach a critical mass soon, making it imperative for us to identify the catalyst and put an end to it.
“You would have been told sometime during your training with the Elders that the Sentries would watch over you upon your return. The Sentries are privileged and honored to protect you and to be at your service. The five of you mark the beginning of the triumph of light over darkness. It may not seem that way to you at the moment, but you’re destined for greatness beyond your imagination. You will be the ones to save humanity from certain destruction. But it will not come without sacrifices. The Sentries will walk through the gates of hell to protect you if we must. The Sentry whom we lost today . . . her name was Gwen, and she was the one who had been watching over you in Great Falls.” Marshall’s mouth flattened into a line.
The boys looked at one another, feeling a pang in their chests. Gwen? Aari thought, overwhelmed by unexpected sorrow. We didn’t even know her. And . . . now she’s gone.
Marshall nibbled half-heartedly on his meal as he spoke. “She gave her life believing it was her duty. She never wavered from the cause, not for a second.”
The trio leaned closer to him, silently urging him to continue. Marshall glanced at them as he took the last bite of his food, then said, “A few months ago, I was doing a late-night run for some kind of lab in California—I worked as a delivery guy for a while after I retired from the Marines—and after dropping off some boxes, I went into the building to use the washroom. Mind you, I wasn’t supposed to be inside. It was by chance that while I was in a stall two men came in, talking about some project they were working on. One of them asked if what they were doing was somehow related to the crop failure that’s spreading across the country.”
“This crop failure?” Aari demanded. “The one that’s all over the news right now?”
“Yes. But they discovered me before the conversation could get much further. They called in some guards but it wasn’t normal security; these guys looked mercenary. I took off in my van and they came after me with guns firing. They rammed my truck over the ridge and thought they had killed me. I was lucky they didn’t come down the side to check. Guess they figured my body would have been charred after the van exploded.”
The boys were staring at him with wide eyes but Marshall paid no heed. “Remember I said something about Sentries and our senses? Mine were going off the wall. Something big was brewing in that facility and I think I stumbled into it. It was at that point when I decided it was time to contact the Elders after over a decade of silence between us. That was when Elder Nageau told me that the time to reactivate your memories was close, and he would instruct me when to do so.”
“Whoa, okay, wait. Wait.” Kody slid his hands down his face. “Are you saying this whole crop thing is connected to the prophecy?”
Marshall looked from one teenager to another, searching for words, before saying quietly, “Yes.”
Aari tapped his knees, thinking hard. This was too big and coming in too quickly. “I guess . . . I guess I can see the dots beginning to connect for this to be more than just a coincidence . . . but this is insane.”
“It certainly seems that the dark clouds foretold in the prophecy are descending,” Marshall said, staring out at the sky. “We will have to be ready. The assault on humanity has begun.”
26
Tegan waved her paper plate around aimlessly. Dully, she knew there was no possible way she and Mariah were going to be able to use that as a weapon against Tony and his men. She flung the plate aside, but it fluttered pathetically to the ground a foot away from her.
The last thing they’d wanted to do was consume anything Tony had given them, but the girls were parched and starving and the sandwich looked absolutely delicious. At least this time he’d left the light on. Tegan had gulped down her sandwich in minutes and now sat staring at the door of the storage room. Mariah was nearly done with hers, but she’d left the crusts behind.
“I just don’t understand,” Tegan murmured. “He played us so well. No one saw it coming.”
Mariah shoved her plate aside, glaring. “Mind not talking about that dung beetle for a while?”
Tegan absentmindedly reached down and grabbed a piece of the crust. She rolled it between her fingers, staring at it for a long while. Then, slowly, an idea started to take shape in her mind. She grinned. “We’re gonna get out of here.”
Mariah rested her chin in her palm. “Well, I sure hope so, but—”
“No, no. I mean, we’re gonna get out of here. On our own.”
Mariah cast a tired look at Tegan without responding. Tegan grabbed the rest of the crust from her friend’s plate and went to the opposite side of the room. Quickly, she began breaking off pieces of the bread and dropping small crumbs that led back to where Mariah was sitting.
Wary, Mariah asked, “Teegs, what are you doing?”
Tegan sat down beside her and leaned back against the wall, legs crossed. “Shh, you’ll see. Talk quietly from now on, though.”
“Okay, but what’s the bread got to do with—”
“I told you, you’ll see. Now hush!”
Though bewildered, Mariah complied and slumped down against the wall beside her friend. They spoke in whispers for a stretch, their conversation returning to Tony, all the while berating themselves for being blind to what he really was—although deep down they had to admit that Tony was a phenomenal actor.
Mariah curled her hair around her hand and observed the ends. “Then who was the guy from Salt Lake City, the one with the smoke bomb?”
Tegan frowned. “Tony said he took care of him . . . ”
Mariah snorted. “Yeah. Tony’s said a lot of things, hasn’t he?”
Sighing, Tegan leaned her head back and closed her eyes. No more words were exchanged between them until they picked up the quiet sound of tiny scampering feet. Tegan’s eyes snapped open and she looked at her trail of breadcrumbs expectantly.
Mariah followed her friend’s gaze and her eyes widened. A tiny, dusty-brown creature had crept from behind a box and was sniffing at the trail of bread crumbs. Its nose twitched incessantly.
“A mouse?” Mariah hissed, horrified.
“Quiet,” Tegan breathed, watching the small animal, a pocket mouse, eat through the trail. It squeaked once, probably in excitement at finding so much food. Tegan was delighted that, even though it saw the girls, the mouse didn’t exhibit fear, merely caution.
Having an uncle with a small family-run zoo, Tegan and her cousins had grown up around animals. She was extremely comfortable with nearly every creature, no matter the size. Animals seemed
to love her in return; it was as if they could sense her earnest affection for them and were naturally attracted.
The girls sat absolutely still as the small creature picked up crumb after crumb, drawing ever closer to them. Tegan slowly rested her hand on the ground, exposing some bread on her upturned palm. The mouse slowed its approach as it neared the friends but still advanced.
“Tegan . . . ” Mariah warned quietly.
Tegan ignored her and waited patiently as the mouse drew closer until it was sniffing her hand with utmost prudence. She felt its cold nose nudge her pinkie finger before it quickly pulled back. Tegan didn’t move a muscle and eventually the creature returned. It put off making a move for the crumbs she held, instead opting to explore the hand on which the tempting morsels rested.
Tegan glanced at Mariah. Her friend didn’t seem at all comfortable as she regarded the mouse.
Very slowly, the small furry animal clambered onto Tegan’s hand, its little feet tickling her palm. As it nibbled on the crumbs, she stroked its head with her other hand. It stiffened for a moment but relaxed in the end, and even seemed to enjoy the gentle attention. It was a little over four inches long, with half its length comprised of the tail.
“It’s so soft,” Tegan said, delighted.
Mariah wasn’t impressed. “It’s a rodent.”
“Look how tiny and cute it is! You can’t deny that it’s adorable.”
“It’s a rodent.”
“But look at it!”
“I’m looking. It’s still a rodent.”
Tegan rolled her eyes as she continued to fawn over the mouse. Mariah, keeping her distance, said, “So tell me exactly why you lured it out?”
Tegan’s only response was a flash of an impish smile.
* * *
The view was a lot different than any Tegan had experienced, mainly due to her close proximity to the ground, and getting used to the accelerated heartbeat had been a task. She could see every little speck of grime on the dirty concrete floor. When she turned around, she found herself peering up at Mariah who towered over her like a gargantuan statue. She could also see herself, resting against the wall in deep meditation with her eyes closed, looking disheveled.
