He moved to the bed, reaching under the fold of the comforter, and extracted the container. The smooth glassy surface reminded him of the vials stored in the Cavern, filled with the blood of parents providing their progeny with the ability to reproduce in the future if desired. He sighed at the idea. He’d seen no memory video evidence that he’d become a father, and the thought of his ten-year-old sister as a mother was enough to make him gag.
He didn’t have his sister’s gifts, but he knew with certainty who had left the vial. He had no idea why his father had left this particular vial behind. Had it been a mistake, something dropped in the rush to collect his mother and vanish before the other occupants of the house noticed his presence or her absence. He squinted at the contents, which did little to end his confusion.
Why would Will leave him a vial of sand?
Disjointed memories fused together in his mind. Stories his mother had told him of an island. An island his father had lived on in isolation for centuries. An island where they’d discovered raw scutarium.
A tropical island that only Hope and Will had ever found. An island that had beaches.
And sand.
That’s where he’d taken her. That was the message he’d left his son… the location where the two of them now lived.
He felt a tear slip out and trickle down his cheek as a sense of guilt washed over him. “Thanks, Dad,” he whispered. “Sorry about what I said before.” Will wouldn’t hear his apology. Angel had said their father felt extreme guilt about taking Hope away as he had, though, so mutual apologies had been offered by father and son. After the events of the day, he was grateful that his father had offered that single thoughtful gesture.
Or was it something more? He sucked in a breath before teleporting back to the kitchen.
Angel, who was drying one of the dishes, smirked at him. “I’m going to borrow that ‘I’m going to bed’ trick to get out of doing dishes tomorrow.”
“Look at this!” He held out the vial.
Adam, who was still scrubbing a pot, glanced at the container. “That’s odd. Is that one of the blood storage vials? Where did it come from?”
“I’m pretty sure Dad left it here when he came to get Mom. But look at what’s inside.”
Angel took the vial from him while Adam dried his hands on a towel. “Is that… sand?”
He nodded. “And where did you say they were going?”
“An island, but…” She stopped. “You don’t think…?”
“I do, in fact,” Fil said. He glanced over at Adam, who nodded in understanding and agreement. “I think it’s a clue to where they are. It won’t be easy to find them. But we can narrow our search somewhat.” He glanced at Adam. “Know of any islands they might be able to hide out on in secret?”
Adam thought for a moment, and then another, and Fil again noticed the ticking clock. Apparently, searching through centuries of memories took time. “Dad said that the early Aliomenti first expanded to an island they called Atlantis. I actually lived there for quite a while.”
“So Dad and Mom know where this island is located?”
Adam nodded. “Of course they do. I doubt that’s where they’ve gone, though.”
Angel frowned. “Why wouldn’t they? It fits with the clues, and it’s not easy to find.” She paused. “Is it?”
He shrugged. “Older Aliomenti will know about it because they lived there. They also used to teach new Aliomenti about our Atlantis during history lessons. It’s too well known and too easy to find for someone like Porthos. That’s not what they’ll want.”
“They want a place that nobody can find.” Fil paced around the kitchen. “You’re right; that’s probably not it. I suppose we can take a trip there for a history lesson, just to be sure. They’ll want somewhere that nobody else can find, not without some type of clue.” He stopped pacing and glanced at Adam. “Did your father ever mention a place that only Mom and Dad knew about?”
Adam sat down at the cleared table and put his elbows on top before resting his chin in his hands. “The two of them took the very first Nautilus, the first submarine your father built, and retired it someplace beneath the ocean. They turned off all tracking mechanisms. I have no idea where that sub is. But it’s possible they went there.”
“But why leave the sand, then?” Angel asked.
Adam sighed. “I don’t know.” He thought a bit more, and his face brightened briefly before resuming a thoughtful expression.
“What is it?” Angel asked.
Adam sat up straighter and drummed his fingers on the table. “When the Cavern was first built, it wasn’t protected by scutarium. Nobody had discovered it at the time. There was enough landmass surrounding the Cavern, plus a few miles of water, to protect everyone for a while. Dad told me that at some point, your parents returned from a private trip with a large amount of a strange blue stone that absorbed all Energy directed at it.”
Fil nodded. “Scutarium. The naturally-occurring variety.”
Adam nodded back “Exactly. Here’s what’s interesting: nobody knows where they found it.”
Angel squeaked in excitement. “That’s it, then! The place they found scutarium… it’s the hidden island where they’re hiding now!”
Adam smiled at her enthusiasm, and then sighed. “I suspect that’s true. Dad poked a few times, trying to figure out where they’d found the scutarium. All he learned was that that there was indeed a secret place they’d discovered. He never found out where it was, but the few unintentional slips led him to believe it was an isolated island.”
Fil continued pacing. “That’s not much to go on, but we’ll have to do our best with what we’ve got.” He paused and stretched. “I’m going to the lab and then to bed.”
Angel’s eyes narrowed. “What are you planning to do in the lab?”
“I need to work on my top secret project.”
Angel snorted. “Brother, it’s only top secret outside this house.”
He grinned. “Close enough.” He leaned over Angel and kissed the top of her head, tussling her hair as Will had so often done with him. Angel smacked his hand away with a burst of Energy. “I’m wondering if the sand itself can provide a clue.”
Adam, who’d been lounging lazily in his chair, sat up. “How so?”
“I can’t be certain, but I have to think an isolated island like that has… markers of some kind. Sand is basically rocks and other materials ground down by centuries worth of waves grinding against them. Perhaps, just perhaps, there’s some type of molecular structure in the sand that gives an indication of the specific mix of rocks near the island. If there are unique subcomponents, we can try to figure out what charted landmasses have a similar mix, and use that to narrow down our search area.”
Adam nodded. “That’s absolutely brilliant, Fil.”
He shrugged. “It’s a theory, unfortunately. I haven’t studied enough geology to know if the theory has any chance of being true. But it’s better than nothing.”
He teleported to his lab.
The billions “stolen” from the Stark family estates were now under the sole control of the “Trasks.” They’d avoided doing anything publicly to suggest that they had a staggering cash fund they could tap. On private matters they had no such hesitation. Chunks went to general funds for the Cavern and the various undersea outposts. Gena Adams, who led the South Beach post, had used the funds to tackle long-overdue expansion efforts to handle increased Alliance traffic.
Fil used a small portion of their hidden fortune to build an underground science laboratory. He’d built it underground between the discharge room and the foundation of the house, primarily to ensure no human in the town found out about it. He’d heard enough stories about what could happen to people who stood out. He’d built it as a place he could go to be alone, a place other than the accursed discharge chamber. He’d liked to tinker with electronic gadgets for years, and as his knowledge and skill grew, the lab—with its high-end equipment—gave him th
e opportunity to turn his ideas into reality.
Angel called him a mad scientist, and for his last birthday, she’d gotten him a white lab coat and an Einstein wig. He donned both now, as he always did.
He opened the vial of sand and poured a portion into a machine that would separate out the various chemical elements composing the sand. He then ordered one of his computers to search the Internet for details on rock and element composition of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. His father had met his mother a thousand years ago in England, and they’d spent a great deal of time in the United States in more recent centuries. The Atlantic seemed the most likely location of the hidden island. He also hacked into several satellite systems and ordered another of his dozen computers to scan for land formations not shown on modern maps.
He pulled out a pad of paper and made a list of things he could do to try to narrow down the location of the island further. He could ask Adam additional questions. He could try to contact Eva, the oldest member of the Alliance—at least, the oldest one currently accessible to him—and ask questions about the time she’d been estranged from his mother. He scratched that idea out. Eva seemed to have forgiven the abandonment, but Fil had detected slight traces of resentment still when he’d seen the two women together. He’d revisit that option if the others failed.
He put the writing supplies down and slid over to his current project. His personal Energy supply was nearly infinite. Humans used a different type of energy, namely electricity, to power their machines and electronic gadgets. Production was expensive and consumed vast quantities of natural resources. He had ideas about producing a personal generator, small enough to be easily portable but powerful enough to operate an average human home. It didn’t work yet, but he knew he could work on it for decades if necessary.
He yawned, and realized how tired he was. The day had been the most emotionally draining day of his life, and he needed sleep. School the next day would be its own type of challenge. He wanted to think he’d be treated with compassion, but this was high school. Far more likely he’d be mocked over his new status as orphan.
He teleported to his room and was asleep the instant his head touched his pillow.
He dreamt of the night his father—his young father—had been stolen away to the future by his older self. He wanted answers, searched the memory video library for answers to questions he couldn’t formulate. He found no answers. The dreams ended, his sleep deepened, and he woke the next morning physically refreshed.
The night’s sleep did nothing to reverse the emotional toil of the previous day.
Nor did the deep sleep lessen his concerns about what might happen at school. Would he lose control if pushed? He wouldn’t take that chance. He bypassed the kitchen and went straight to the discharge chamber. When he finished he felt drained, and wondered if it resembled the effects of Aramis’ Damper.
He enjoyed breakfast—fruits and vegetables grown in the Cavern and blended together to form a refreshing and nutrient-rich juice—in silence. Communication in their household was Energy driven; even spoken conversation carried layers of context and emotion humans couldn’t detect. Adam and Angel knew he needed his space, and didn’t try to force conversation upon him.
He finished his drink and dropped the cup into the dishwasher before snatching his backpack and marching out the door. Have a nice day, Fil. And… stay calm.
Fil sighed. I will, Adam.
I know you’ll try. Extra diligence over the next few days is…
I said I will, Adam. He could feel the pressure in his mouth from gritting his teeth as he walked. I’m well acquainted with the cruelty of people my age, especially since I can sense it coming before a word is ever spoken.
There was a pause. I trust you, Fil. This is an unfair burden on you. All of it. This is my… clumsy means of offering my encouragement.
He walked along, taking long strides, enjoying the late summer breeze. He glanced up at the overcast skies, wondering if rain would fall today. Rain made him think of Will, and he longed for the chance to once again speak to his father—either version. That would never happen. Will had gone centuries at times without speaking to Hope.
He looked destined to suffer a similar curse, spending decades of life without the ability to speak to his living parents.
Still… he did have a support system. Thanks, Adam. It means a lot. Even if I struggle to show my appreciation.
He felt Adam’s acknowledgement of his words, and both understood that their internal conversation had finished.
School was a blur. He handed in assignments. He took a pop quiz in his history class. It was difficult to fail history when your mother had seen the Crusades in person and your “grandfather” was a witness to the birth of country he called home.
Lunch time.
It was the time of day he’d dreaded. He worked his way through the food line, chatting briefly with friends and acquaintances. He wanted nothing more than silence and isolation. He found an empty table, far from his usual spot, well away from the tables where the popular kids ate. Nobody wanted to be too far out of their orbit, lest their social status forever disappear with the lack of popular gravity.
He didn’t care about soaking up their ambience. Especially not today.
He lowered his head and began stuffing the salad into his mouth. As he chewed, he could hear the lettuce crunching in his head, felt the sharp tang of tomatoes squish in his mouth, enjoyed the spicy dressing that covered it all, and savored the warmth of the chicken nestled within the embrace of the greens.
He felt them coming. He took a smaller bite and didn’t look up.
“Hey Trash!” How clever of them. He figured it wasn’t really cleverness in this case. More likely, the moronic Neanderthals approaching couldn’t write the letter “k” without assistance, and certainly didn’t understand why he mumbled “potassium” under his breath when they spewed the mispronounced name. “Heard your mommy ran away from home. Finally got tired of admitting she was related to you, huh?”
Fil continued chewing, wondering exactly how much Energy it would take to give the boy a wedgie, or to make his clothes spontaneously combust. That had to be weighed against potential detection by the Hunters. There was also the punishment to consider, the one from Adam… and the worse one from Angel.
“What’s the matter, Trash? Cat got your tongue?”
He stepped up closer, and Fil looked up, wondering how much he could scare the kid by turning his eyes red. He’d practiced in his room, could make the switch in just a few seconds, and…
“Hey, I’m talking to you, loner boy!” The boy shoved Fil from the chair to the ground.
Fil sprang to his feet quickly. Too quickly. His tormentor jumped back in surprise, apparently realizing they might have chosen the wrong target for bullying. He took a deep breath. He had to keep calm, had to avoid losing control, had to…
“Leave him alone!”
Fil turned to look at the speaker, whose words had been uttered with incredible ferocity. So did his tormentors.
They saw a thick clump of long, tangled, dark hair, falling down over the speaker’s eyes. Even in the warmth of the late summer, she wore a heavy sweatshirt. The headphones covered her ears, and Fil wondered how much she’d actually heard, until he realized it wasn’t necessary to listen to music to wear headphones.
He saw past that, however. Saw past the odd appearance of a girl he recognized but didn’t really know, a girl who, like him, seemed interested only in being left alone.
Despite the fact that he was outnumbered by boys bigger than him, despite the fact that she’d always made it a point to stay out of the spotlight… she’d spoken up for him. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. He didn’t need her help… but she didn’t know that. And she’d risked the wrath of the bullies to speak up anyway.
The bullies looked at her. Then back at Fil.
And then, to his great surprise, they walked away.
He frowned inwardly. He detecte
d no Energy in her. No special skill that could “encourage” a gang of over-muscled boys to walk away from a fight.
Yet they had.
He probed deeper. Her thoughts were a jumbled mass of confusion. The boys might turn on her instead. They’d laugh at her clothes or appearance or poverty. She didn’t want them to know her parents had lost their jobs when the new recession hit. Didn’t want anyone to know her wild hair was a genetic condition suffered by the women in her family.
And she really, really hoped that one day, Fil Trask would notice her like she noticed him.
Awkward.
But he couldn’t know any of that. Only a mind reader could know that, and of course, he didn’t want anyone knowing he had that skill. And so, after the boys had left to find a table to gulp down their food, he angled his way to her. “Thanks for that. I… I really appreciate it.”
She bolted upright in her chair, startled. Her hair parted from her face as she lifted her head to look at him, eyes a deep blue, wide with an odd terror. She couldn’t hide her thoughts from Fil, but her face and eyes told the story. He was talking to her, and it was simultaneously the greatest and most terrifying moment of her life.
It was much the same for Fil. This girl, whom he’d only seen in passing in the hallways at school… she’d fallen in love with him?
He held out his hand. “I’m Fil, by the way. Fil Trask.”
After an eternal moment, she held out her hand as well. “Sarah. Sarah Swann.”
When she shook his hand, he needed to avoid shouting out. It wasn’t Energy she possessed, but there was something there, something powerful embedded deep in her personality. It was profound courage, the ability to act in the face of overwhelming odds. Fil knew this girl was one they needed in the Alliance.
But it went even deeper than that. He’d sensed her life experiences in that instant, had come to know her as if he’d watched every moment through her eyes.
And he liked what he saw. A lot.
He smiled. “Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?”
Her blush was hot enough to melt all the snow above the Cavern in Antarctica.
Aliomenti Saga 6: Stark Cataclysm Page 3
