by Mikayla Lane
Haruki was torn between protecting his family and giving into the humans. There had to be a happy medium that didn’t leave them open to attack from this Dawn Commander, taking a bullet from Mike, exposing his siblings, or taking a portal ride to the Gods only knew where.
“Please,” Deanna whispered, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.
As scared as she was, Deanna didn’t want to die without knowing what this place was and who Haruki and the Dranovians were. After losing her parents to the animals that had destroyed the ancient city of Palmyra, Deanna had always known she would die doing what she loved like they did. She just never imagined it’d be with someone like Haruki.
*****
Mikal couldn’t stop staring at the strange cities in the clouds. He’d been in the conference room with Shane, Dante, and Gun for hours now and the images still kept him utterly captivated.
“Hey!” Shane shouted. “We just got another one! This one is in Bosnia!”
Mikal strode over to his brother and shook his head at the detail of the “mirage” on the screen.
“Show me the surrounding area,” Mikal said, his mind racing with questions.
“Give me a second. I’m not as fast as geek boy,” Shane said with a chuckle as Dante punched him in the arm.
“Not the time, guys,” Mikal chastised, concentrating on the video.
“Why aren’t we asking Siggy to help?” Dante asked as his fingers expertly flew across the keyboard.
He threw his hands in the air with a flourish and leaned back in his chair as an aerial view of the surrounding area came on the screen beside the mirage.
“They’re nothing alike. Just like all of the others,” Gun noted as he studied both images.
“There is a distinct cobbled path with street lights around a waterway in the mirage, but there’s no such thing in this area of Bosnia,” Dante said with a grin as he pointed at both images. “These aren’t mirages or fata morgana. It can’t be a damn mirror of something if it’s nothing like what it’s supposed to be!”
Mikal rubbed a tired hand over his smooth head as his white eyes stared at the two distinctly different images.
What the hell is going on? He wondered.
“Now are you going to tell us what Haruki is up to?” Gun asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Mikal glanced at the clock on the wall and noted that Haruki had twenty minutes left to check in with him or he was heading out to find him.
“I can’t say what I don’t know,” he admitted.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Gun demanded.
“Haruki found his mate, but he also found something else. He wouldn’t say what until he had time to figure it out. He’s supposed to check in with me every four hours, or I threatened to show up in Alaska if he didn’t,” Mikal admitted.
“Ah, hell, we lost another one,” Shane muttered with a sad shake of his head.
“Hey, I don’t mind so much as long as it’s someone else and not me. Besides, I would love a few more nieces and nephews. The ones we got are pretty amazing. Moreso because I can hand them back when they start fussing,” Gun said with a grin.
“Here, here!” Dante agreed, his attention still focused on the computers.
“So you have no idea what he found, and you didn’t ask?” Shane asked, turning the topic back to his missing brother.
“He needed time. I saw no reason not to give it to him if he wasn’t in danger,” Mikal said.
“OK, guys!” Dante said, drawing their attention. “Let me give you all a quick science lesson. According to science, these things are created when there’s a temperature inversion. When warm air is trapped beneath colder air. This causes light to refract towards the colder air, which puts the mirage in the air, as opposed to on the ground like a standard, lesser quality image. It’s a trick of the light.”
“So, there is no mystery to it?” Shane asked.
Dante only chuckled and pulled up another screen.
“That’s not the end of it, much as they’d like everyone to think that,” Dante said. “These things happen more often and are more visually compelling and dynamic in the polar regions. There are more snow and ice cover and colder waters, but a lot fewer people to see them and record them.”
“Makes sense,” Mikal said with a nod. “So there’s more going on, but we just can’t see them because of the location and lack of humans with camera phones.”
“Still can’t be a mirror of the landscape, if a city with bridges, high rises, people, and glowing street lights appears at the McMurdo Science Station in Antarctica,” Dante said with a grin. “There have been several reports, all buried on the internet, of the scientists stationed at McMurdo seeing them.”
“Damn, this is getting fucked up,” Shane whispered as he leaned on the desk beside Dante and stared at the information.
“Not weird enough yet,” Dante replied, typing on the keyboard. “I hacked into government science and weather systems. Each one of the mirages occurred before or after a storm. Now we all now that water doesn’t conduct electricity, but the contaminants in water can. In a thick mist or fog, like the conditions during these incidents, the dust, pollution and other chemicals in the fog are highly conductive. All you need is a source, and you can send electricity through the air like Tesla said.”
“You think there was a source, and these things are electrically created? You think it’s that government program . . . what was it? The one to project holograms?” Gun asked, trying to remember.
“Project Blue Beam,” Dante replied, still typing. “And no, I don’t think they’re sophisticated enough for this. Besides, while looking for the source, I found massive outbursts of energy originating in these areas.”
Dante pointed to the red circles he put on the maps of where the mirages had been seen.
“What’s in those locations? Nuke plants? Government labs?” Gun asked, expecting it to be an easy answer.
“Pyramids,” Dante said with a huge grin.
“You’re so fucking full it! There are no pyramids in China or Bosnia dumb ass,” Shane mumbled with a sigh, his disappointment evident in his voice.
“Actually, there is, but the governments refuse to acknowledge them. In fact, an American pilot reported flying over one in China and was momentarily blinded by the crystal capstone on it,” Dante explained as he pulled up more information.
“Wait, wait,” Shane said with a shake of his head. “Are you saying the pyramids are shooting out electricity and projecting these mirages during damp and foggy conditions?”
He was all for an exciting answer to what the mirages were, but this stretched his bullshit meter a bit too far.
“No man, it’s weirder than that,” Dante said with a fake maniacal laugh. “Not only are there bursts of energy coming from the pyramids when the mirages appear, but people disappear as well.”
“You’re fucking with us,” Shane accused.
Dante dramatically tapped a button on his keyboard and images of missing people began scrolling on the screen.
“It’s a damn vortex. That’s another world being seen, and people are being sucked into it when it appears,” Dante said, then turned to Mikal. “Now I think we need to know more about what Haruki found because five out of every 1000 people go missing in Alaska, so I’m betting there’s a pyramid there and possibly a vortex.”
Mikal recalled the glimpse of the dark pyramid he’d seen in Tristan’s dream before they ended up on the top of Denali and he immediately called out to Haruki through the shengari’.
Chapter Ten
The stares of the expectant faces began to wear on Haruki as he paced the chamber. He didn’t need to sift the energy to know that they were all hoping that he would take a chance and do something that they all might regret.
Or regret not doing, he thought with a shake of his head.
“They’re on their way!” Trevor called through the radio. “I just heard them talking with the two at the airfield and confirming t
he landing zone was clear. We got three hours unless they double time.”
Haruki cursed under his breath and felt the weight of responsibility for the humans and his mate.
“Haruki? I think we know what is going on, but you need to talk to me,” Mikal interrupted his thoughts.
Haruki turned away from the others, unwilling to bear the hopeful stares. With more armed humans coming, it was more important than ever for him to keep his siblings away from this place until he could gain control of the situation.
“Mikal, I asked you to trust me. I need a little more time to handle a situation before you come and potentially endanger everyone. Believe me, brother, whatever you think you know is nothing compared to the truth,” Haruki said, his voice holding a hard edge.
“Brother, I trust you with my life, but I fear for yours right now. Allow us to help you,” Mikal pleaded.
He resigned himself to the fact that he would go against Haruki’s wishes if he had to. The feeling of dread that was spreading in the pit of his stomach would allow nothing else.
Haruki cursed beneath his breath at the resolute tone in Mikal’s voice and knew his brother would defy him unless he gave him something to do. He grinned as a thought occurred to him.
“Mikal, there is a group of mercenaries that just landed in a makeshift airfield near my location. They’re coming to kill everyone here. My mate and the humans I am protecting,” Haruki admitted.
“What are the coordinates?” Mikal asked, switching into warrior mode.
Haruki turned to Dog and Tom.
“Do you know the coordinates to the airfield?” he asked.
“We know it by heart,” Dog said with a chuckle and rattled it off.
Haruki relayed the coordinates to Mikal.
“If you could make sure they don’t make it here, that would help,” he told Mikal.
“If they’re armed then they’ll have a fighting chance in the remote area I will drop them,” Mikal replied with a grin. “When I’m done, you’re going to tell me what is going on.”
“I should be comfortable doing so by then, brother,” Haruki said, hoping he was right. “Be well.”
“Be well,” Mikal answered before cutting the communication.
Haruki turned to the others, unable to tell them that no one would be coming to help Mike, but it was a huge relief to know it was one less thing to worry about.
“Send a message to the Dawn Commander,” Haruki shouted to the chamber.
Everyone held their breath wondering if that would make the computer interact. Just when they were giving up hope that it would respond, the automated voice spoke.
“Proceed with a message to . . . the Dawn Commander.”
“It said to proceed with the message. What the hell do I say?” Haruki asked aloud, wishing he’d thought of something before trying it. He honestly hadn’t expected it to work.
“We don’t even know how long it’ll take to reach him,” someone in the tunnel added.
“Damn, I didn’t think of that either,” Dog admitted.
“Delete message to the Dawn Commander,” Haruki called out.
“Message to the Dawn Commander has been deleted,” the voice said.
“How long would it take for a message to reach the Dawn Commander?” Haruki asked wondering if the computer would answer.
“Estimated transmission time to the Tri-Worlds is two hours, five minutes, and six seconds at this phase of the Earth’s rotation. If you activate the Talunaha in . . . South Africa, the transmission time would be . . . 14 minutes and nine seconds.”
“Damn, that was a long ass answer. I hope that wasn’t a string of numbers,” Dog only half-joked.
Haruki was floored. If he was right, it meant that there were more pyramids like this on the planet, and they could use them all. He was brought out of his racing thoughts by the stares leveled at him, waiting to find out what the computer said.
“It said it would take two hours because of where we are in relation to the rotation of the Earth,” Haruki said with a shrug, pretty sure he knew what it meant but waited to hear what the scientists had to say about it.
“It makes sense that we’d need to be pointed in the direction of those worlds for there to be a direct shot,” Tom said as he rubbed his chin in thought.
“So it can somehow beam a message to another world,” Dog whispered in awe. “What could we possibly say to such a civilization that could build that kind of technology? How do you open that conversation?” Dog asked with a broad smile and shake of his head.
He’d never thought to see the day that alien life would be proven, and here he was standing with a hybrid alien and contemplating the opening words of communication to the builders of this incredible place.
I can die happy, Dog thought, his emotions overwhelming him.
Deanna left Haruki’s side to give Dog a hug of support when she saw the tears in his eyes.
“It’s a lot to take in,” she whispered to him as he nodded in agreement.
“I still think we should send something to this Dawn Commander,” someone muttered in the tunnel.
Several others agreed, and Haruki looked at Deanna, Dog, and Tom to see if they still wanted to try.
“I think you should at least introduce yourself since this place has notified him that you’re here,” Tom suggested.
“You did say it told you that,” Dog agreed.
“OK, uh, computer send a message to the Dawn Commander,” Haruki called out.
“Proceed with a message to the Dawn Commander,” the voice replied.
“I am Haruki Sotanara T’Alq and send greetings to the Dawn Commander. I wish to speak with him at his earliest convenience and look forward to learning more about one another and the Talunaha,” Haruki called out. “End message.”
“That sounded great,” Deanna said with a grin as she excitedly squeezed his hand.
“Holy shit, we just contacted an alien race,” Dog whispered in awe.
There was a mix of gasps, laughs, high fives and excitement in the tunnel and Haruki couldn’t help but smile at the energy.
“Message has been sent to the Dawn Commander,” the computer replied.
“It confirmed it was sent,” Haruki told them. “So a few hours from now, we may get a response.”
The words seem to have released a collective breath from everyone as they realized the message was already sent and the first contact made.
“Now we need to get that equipment and see what we can learn while we wait for an answer,” Dog suggested.
It didn’t take long for everyone to start heading back down the tunnel with Dog, Tom, Haruki and Deanna bringing up the rear.
“Are you all right?” Haruki whispered to Deanna as he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side.
“Yeah,” Deanna said with a small smile. “Now that the excitement and adrenaline are wearing off I need some coffee.”
Haruki chuckled, he could relate to how she felt.
“I could definitely use a pot or two,” he agreed and smiled when she laughed.
“I think I’ll stick to a cup or two while Dog and Tom get everything set up. Maybe you could teach me some of the words of the language?” she asked hopefully.
“I don’t know much about it myself, but I’ll share with you what I’ve figured out,” he offered.
“Thank you!” Deanna said as she smiled up at him.
They stepped outside of the pyramid and were met by Trevor who was talking animatedly to those who’d exited first.
“What’s going on?” Deanna whispered as she put her arm around Haruki’s waist and moved closer to him.
“Did you do it?” Trevor asked with a huge grin as he walked through the parting people to reach Haruki.
“What are you referring to?” Haruki asked, curious about what was going on.
“I was listening to the radio to figure out how close Mike’s backup was and heard them being attacked. They specifically said they were
under attack from an invisible entity from above. The last thing I heard was that they were vanishing. Disappearing into thin air,” Trevor explained, not believing for a moment that Haruki hadn’t somehow been responsible.
Haruki couldn’t help but chuckle at his brother’s dramatics.
“Oh, my God! It was you! How did you do it? Where did they go?” Trevor asked as everyone headed into the mess hall.
Harry looked relieved to see them while Mike and his men screamed anew behind their gags.
“I’m glad to see everyone is OK,” Harry said with a sigh of relief. “Any idea when trouble is coming?”
Trevor laughed and pointed at Haruki.
“No worries there, my friend! I just listened to them get disappeared courtesy of our new buddy,” Trevor said as he went to get some coffee.
Mike and his men immediately went silent, and Harry quirked a brow at Haruki.
“Do tell,” Harry said.
Haruki blushed as everyone turned to him for an answer as to what happened.
“I had some friends help us out,” he said with a shrug.
Deanna headed over to the coffee pot and made two cups before handing one to Haruki with a smile.
“Thank you,” he whispered as questions began to fly.
“What friends?”
“How did you contact anyone?”
“Are you telepathic?”
Haruki took a grateful sip of the coffee as he thought of a way to explain it away without letting on that the people helping them were his brothers and fellow Dranovians.
“It’s not telepathy because we can’t do it with everyone, but a few of us can speak to one another, and I asked them to relieve us of Mike’s friends,” Haruki explained, smiling wickedly at Mike.
Mike paled, and his eyes grew wide with fear as sweat popped out on his brow.
“Are they aliens?”
“Did they vaporize them?”
“Are they dead?”
Haruki shook his head at the questions and smiled at Deanna’s wide-eyed stare.
“They aren’t dead. Let’s just say they were transferred to another continent. One where their guns and fighting skills will enable them to get out unharmed. At some point anyway. If they really are skilled,” he admitted, seeing the relief in Deanna’s eyes.
