by Paul Ormond
“This was your idea,” Sage said, stepping to Candace’s side. “I’m just following your lead now.”
“That’s a change for you,” Candace said. “How do you feel about taking orders from a girl?”
“I’m not taking orders. We’re a team, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, we’re a team, and I’m the leader.”
“I don’t think that’s fair. We work together.”
“So you don’t want to take orders from a girl then?”
“I never said that. We’re equals and we respect each other. Isn’t that enough?”
“Just admit that you don’t like taking orders from a girl.”
“I can take orders from a girl. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? I don’t think now is the time for this kind of conversation.”
“Exactly. So suck it up buttercup. We’re moving out.”
“Was that an order?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want me to lead the way?”
“Yes. This cave is scary.”
“Now you’re afraid?”
“I’m a girl. Be a man and go first.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No.”
“Well, that’s just typical. Fine, I’ll go first, but I’m bringing this up at our next team meeting.”
“You do that,” Candace said, stepping aside to let Sage pass.
“You were fine charging in here with a dragon on our tails.”
“Yeah, that was because I only had to be faster than you,” Candace said, following after Sage as he pushed further into the darkened cave. “But I’ll be the first to admit that I do not like closed spaces. When I was eight, I got stuck in a footlocker in our basement. I was hiding from my sister, but when I tried to get out, the latch got stuck or something. I remember screaming for like 20 minutes before my mom found me.”
“That would give me a phobia for sure,” Sage said, stepping over a boulder. “And this place looks like it’s straight out of a nightmare. I’m out of torches. Don’t you have any spells you could cast or something.”
“I could, but I think I see a light or something up ahead,” Candace said while she peered over Sage’s shoulder.
“Yeah, what is that? I hope it’s a way out,” Sage said, squinting into the darkness.
“It might be, but it might be something else. Let’s keep moving. Stay quiet. There are all kinds of things lurking in these caves. I heard the NPC creatures in the mountains surrounding the valley of the damned are off the chains.”
“It looks like you’ve done your homework. I guess that’s why you’re the one handing out orders. How do you want to approach this, boss?”
“Keep quiet. Now’s not the time for jokes,” Candace said before she pulled out her sword.
“Who said I was joking,” Sage asked, releasing his claymore. “I’ll cut anything down we come across. You’re in good hands, my lady.”
“How chivalrous. Keep moving and be ready for anything.”
“Yes, my Queen,” Sage said, moving toward the light.
“I could get used to that. But let’s keep quiet.”
“Queen Candace handing out the orders.”
“Didn’t I say to be quiet?”
Sage looked back at her with a smirk before creeping further down the cave. As they moved ahead, the width of the passage expanded and they found themselves within a wide cavern.
“I don’t think that light is an exit,” Sage whispered while he crouched behind a rock.
“I think you might be right,” Candace said, dropping down beside him. “It doesn’t look like daylight and it seems like it is coming from below, not above. If it’s treasure, be on the lookout for trolls. They’re always lurking around item boxes.”
“I know all about the trolls. Did I tell you about that horde me and Double-Cheese came across?”
“Yeah, like about 100 times. It doesn’t matter. Let’s see if we can find a vantage point. I don’t want to charge in blind.”
“The Queen hands out orders again.”
“You’re really pushing it, aren’t you? Be careful what you wish for. I may just become the Queen of the valley of the damned.”
“Who is the one who is doing all the wishful thinking. This Queen stuff seems to be going right to your head.”
“You’re the one that started calling me Queen, so it’s your fault.”
“What? Forget it. Do you still want me to lead the way?”
“Yes. I’m scared.”
“Ha, fine. Your servant shall show you the way. I didn’t know you were scared of the dark too.”
“I’m not scared of the dark. I’m scared of trolls.”
“If you keep talking, they’ll be sure to hear us.”
“Be quiet then.”
“I am being quiet. You’re the one that keeps talking.”
“What? Get going.”
Holding his tongue, Sage looked at Candace and scrunched up his face before pushing away from the rock. As the cavern opened up, the path dissipated into a boulder field, and Sage had to pick his footing with care. After several tense moments, they managed to clear the rubble, but a large slab of stone still stood between them and the source of light illuminating the cavern.
“Do you think you could reach that ledge if I boosted you up?” Sage asked while he leaned his arm against the rock.
“Maybe, but how will you get over?”
“We’ll figure something out.”
“There’s got to be another way. I think there are couple cracks over there. We should be able to climb up,” Candace said, moving along the slab. “Here, you could use this as your first footing.”
“After you, my Queen.”
“I’m not going first. You are the power build with the claymore.”
“And you need me down here covering your butt while you climb over.”
“That’s a fair point. Fine, I’ll go first. Keep an eye out.”
“You just can’t help yourself now, can you?”
“I can’t help it if I was born to be in charge.”
“I think you were given too much encouragement.”
“What’s wrong with getting encouraged?” Candace said before she stuck her foot into a crack and reached up for a handhold.
“There’s nothing wrong with encouragement. But everybody knows too much of a good thing is a bad thing,” Sage said while he turned to face the boulder field. “I’ll keep a lookout. Get moving.”
“Now who’s giving out orders?” Candace asked as she pulled herself up.
“King Sage. Get up there before something comes along.”
“Yes, my King,” Candace said, making her way up the rocks. “It’s actually not that difficult. I’m almost there.”
“Go take a look and let me know what you see,” Sage said as he watched the darkness for any movement. After several moments of silence, he heard Candace shuffling over the rocks.
“You better get up here,” Candace whispered.
“What is it?”
“You’re gonna want to see it.”
“Is it a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I think it’s a good thing, but it may be a bad thing.”
“I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”
“Just get up here and keep quiet.”
“Yes, Queen Candace.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“SO NOW THAT you are airborne, you just need to remember that you are in charge,” Ramon said as he watched XiaoFan hovering before him.
“I still don’t believe this is happening,” XiaoFan said, pushing against the air.
“You’ve got to stop saying that,” Ramon said. “This is really happening, and you are now an integral part of our team.”
“Who said I was on your team?”
“I just did. You’re getting in on the ground floor of a world changing operation. Don’t turn your back on your destiny. Opportunities like this only come but once in a lifetime.”<
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“I’m sorry, but the words coming out of your mouth just sound like nonsense to me. In China, we have a saying: Ting Bu Dong. Which means I hear you but don’t understand you.”
“So you are telling me that I have just been blowing hot air for the last few hours? I guess it will be better if I just show you,” Ramon said before he turned toward Christine. “How are we looking over there?”
“I think we are good to go,” Christine said, looking up from the computer screen. “We won’t actually know until you fire it up. I really wish you’d test it out first.”
“We can’t run the risk of being detected,” Ramon said as he plucked the instrument off of the table and fitted it to his arm. “We’ve been able to avoid detection so far using the cloaking hack, but anything this big is going to draw the spotlight on us. The entire intelligence community has their ears perked for any inReal related activity. As soon as I turn this thing on, we’re only going to have a small window to operate before we pull some serious heat. But the cloak should cover our activities and we will be long gone before anyone of considerable threat shows up.”
“I’m not sure if that is reassuring,” Christine said, shutting her laptop.
“It wasn’t meant to reassure you. The risks remain the same. But we’ve got a plan and we know how to execute it,” Ramon said before he activated his device. “I’m going to sync the instrument with my unit and then it’s showtime.”
“What exactly is this plan you are talking about?” XiaoFan asked, still hovering in the air.
“I’ve already given you a bit of information already. Remember that stuff I was talking about, the phosphogypsum?”
“Vaguely. You said there is a bunch of it in the plant.”
“That’s right, and we are going to mine it using this nifty device you helped us create.”
“That seems like a bold plan, but I cannot comprehend how you think you will be able to sneak into the plant and take out what you want. This mountain of waste you speak of is literally a mountain. It would take a fleet of trucks months to haul all of that away.”
“I’m not going to be hauling away mountains of waste. What we are interested in sits inside the mountain, and this instrument is going to help us get it out. A high concentration of elements 57-71 sits within that pile and tonight we are going to drain out every last drop.”
“Once again, I admire your ambition, but you must respect my skepticism.”
“I do indeed, but that doesn’t change what we are about to do. We’ve already outfitted you with a device. As much as I would like to give you more training, our window will only remain open for a short time, so we will need to move quickly. The four of us will set out now for the plant. I will give you instructions as we go.”
“I am afraid I’m not ready to accompany you on this operation. I have barely had the chance to familiarize myself with this equipment. How could I be of any use during a heist?”
“You’d be surprised how intuitive the device is. I’m certain you’ll get the hang of it in time. Besides, what we’re asking you to do won’t be particularly difficult,” Ramon said while he reached into a bag. Pulling out a helmet, he handed it to XiaoFan as Sanchez and Christine donned protective gear of their own. “Put this on. It will give you some padding and disguise your identity should we come across any cameras.”
“You don’t understand,” XiaoFan said, taking the helmet. “I am terrified for my life at the moment.”
“You’re really overthinking this,” Ramon said while he put his helmet on. “This is a victimless crime and we’ve taken all the necessary precautions to ensure we will not be traced. No one knows we are in the country, and we skirted the grid to come to your location. When it is all over, we will vanish like ghosts and it will be like nothing happened. The plant will not miss the materials we extracted because they do not care that they are there.”
“I’m not worried about the plant. What happens if the authorities discover your operation? You said they are watching.”
“I did, but as long as we stick within the window, we will evade detection. The satellites can only sense the signature after a considerable build up. By the time they realize what we are up to, we will already be gone. There will be no physical evidence linking us to the scene, and we will use a cloaking technique to ensure our identities cannot be traced. So relax, XiaoFan. This is going to be fun.”
“I’m not sure if this is what I would call fun.”
“These guys have a twisted idea of fun, but, XiaoFan, you must understand that you are doing this for all the right reasons,” Christine said as she put her laptop into her pack. “The things Ramon spoke of earlier, what we are fighting for. It’s all true. If we don’t do something now, we’re done for. Your contribution to this operation is undeniable, but we need you to go one step further and help us make it a reality. When I first got into this, I was terrified just like you, but the more I learn about what we are dealing with, the more I realize that this is the right thing.”
“You’re sure we won’t be traced? I cannot wind up in prison like my father.” XiaoFan asked, glancing at her sister. “What about her? She’s all I’ve got left.”
“She’ll be fine as long as she keeps quiet,” Ramon said.
“We have protocols in place that prevent us from leaking information,” XiaoFan said.
“Then it’s time we stepped to it,” Ramon said, putting his pack on. “When we open the window, there is no turning back. But you’ll be fine. Just follow my instructions and no harm will come to you.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to stop saying that?” Ramon said. “This is happening and you are a part of it. Search your heart. You know this is what you want, what you’ve always wanted. The Cell didn’t reach out to you. You reached out to us, and now we’re here and you’re with us. We take care of our own, XiaoFan. So stop all this heel dragging and smell the future.”
“It smells terrifying.”
“If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. We’re moving out, and you are coming with us.”
“I can always say you forced me to do it when they interrogate me.”
“That kind of negativity is what gets you caught,” Ramon said, nodding to Sanchez and Christine. “It’s time, XiaoFan.”
“Put this on,” Christine said, handing her a dark jumpsuit that matched the others. “We don’t want you getting identified because of your clothes.”
“I thought you said we’re going to be cloaked?”
“I did, but Christine is right. We can’t be too careful,” Ramon said as he watched XiaoFan struggle into the suit.
“This thing is tight. How did you get your enormous body in?”
“With great difficulty,” Ramon said.
“It took all three of us to get him in there,” Sanchez said while he latched the chinstrap on his helmet.
“I think I’m in,” XiaoFan said, straightening up. “But you’ve got to give me some specifics before we plow ahead.”
“That’s not a bad idea, Ramon,” Christine said. “I know you want to keep the details from getting out, but you’ve been stringing her along for a while now.”
“Fine,” Ramon said, facing XiaoFan. “All you need to do is stick by my side. When we get to the plant, I’ll tell you where to go. After we set up the cloak, just keep watch while we do the heavy lifting. If anybody spots us, which they won’t, do not engage.”
“You could get anybody to keep watch. Why do you need me?”
“This is only the first phase of our plan. After we get what we need, your skills will come into play. But right now I need a lookout and you’re dressed and ready for the ball.”
“You’re not going to use my involvement in this against me later, are you?”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. The Cell doesn’t operate that way. Should you be obtained by the authorities, any ties you have to our operation will be erased.”
“So you’ll drop me like a rock.”
“It’s for your safety. If any government body can prove your involvement in our organization, it’s lights out for you.”
“Stop scaring her, Ramon,” Christine said.
“I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. Nothing bad is going to happen. We’re going to a scrap heap in the middle of the night. We’ve made sure their cameras will be blacked out while we’re in the area and no one will be harmed during the operation.”
“All right, I’ve listened to this long enough. Let’s just get it over with. At least that will shut you up,” XiaoFan said before she activated her suit. “How do it turn on my cloaking device?”
“That’s the spirit,” Ramon said. “Turning on the cloaking device is simple. Bring your hands together like this and pull them down in front of you.”
As Ramon dragged his hands down over his body, a translucent aura appeared around him.
“That’s incredible,” XiaoFan said. “I can hardly see you.”
“It works even better outside. The Cloak blends in with the background making us all but invisible to the naked eye,” Ramon said as he pulled his arms up over his body causing the cloak to disappear. “Copy my actions. You’ll experience the same results. Your device is an exact replica of the ones we use.”
“This just gets stranger and stranger,” XiaoFan said, mimicking Ramon’s movements. She let loose a gasp as an identical aura encased her body. “I can see myself just fine.”
“But we can hardly see you,” Ramon said. “The devices are all connected through what can best be described as a tuned frequency. We can speak to each other across large distances and track each other should we get separated. I’m speaking to you know through that frequency. It will be more pronounced when we get outside. But I just want you to know that we’ve taken all the security precautions into consideration.”
“That makes me feel slightly better, but I’m still terrified.”
“It would be weird if you weren’t,” Ramon said before he looked at his other companions. “Ready for system check?”
“Yeah, let’s sort it out,” Sanchez said, raising his arms in the air.
