Stormfront: Nibiru Rising: Book 2

by Chad Kunego

  Yes, she was significantly more powerful than before. Yes, they wouldn’t have survived if he hadn’t changed her, but at what cost? After everything that had happened between them, after everything he’d promised her, in the end, he’d violated her trust and did something he had no right doing.

  There was no taking it back, no way to reverse it. All this had happened for one simple, selfish reason. Because he’d become lonely over the past two decades and hoped that, by becoming part of a another team, he could feel a connection again with people he could call friends. That somehow, he could escape his self-imposed solitude and finally not be alone in this world.

  The angry and disappointed look Kaitlyn gave him before he ran away told him how wrong he’d been. The emotions that one look evoked nearly crushed him, leaving him gasping for air. No, it was better for him to pack up and ship out to parts unknown, some place desolate enough that his very presence wasn’t a threat to everyone around him.

  Without thinking about it, he decelerated to normal speeds and began walking. In the back of his mind, he considered the possibility they might be able to track him via his speed, so why make it easier on them by moving at a pace that only a handful of mutants in the world could match. Head down, he was lost in thought when a familiar jingling sound caught his attention

  Looking up, he spotted the Crusty Kettle. For reasons he’d never been able to explain, he’d always felt drawn to the place, almost like an invisible thread pulling him toward it. Especially when he he felt out of sorts. Too mentally tired to resist, he let the feeling draw him forward. Opening the door, he heard the familiar jingle again.

  “Hey sugar, long time no see.”

  “Hi Barbara,” he said dejectedly, almost dragging his feet as he approached the counter. This would be the one place he’d miss when he left.

  Sitting down, he set his staff against the counter while placing his belongings on the floor next to him. He hadn’t even remembered he’d been carrying everything since fleeing the base.

  He noticed a concerned look cross her face before she smiled again.

  “Why the long face hun? And what in the world happened to your clothing and hair?”

  Rick unconsciously ran his fingers through the remainder of his scorched hair.

  “It’s been a pretty bad week.”

  “I should say so, what with you looking and smelling like you decided ta sleep in a bonfire or somethin’. So what can I getcha?”

  Rick thought about it for a moment.

  “Honestly, I’m not even hungry for once. I don’t even know why I stopped in, really…”

  He trailed off, getting lost in thought again. A slight clink of a plate being set down in front of him pulled his attention back to the present again. Looking down, he spotted a slice of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream sitting in front of him.

  “What’s this?”

  “A little slice of comfort for what ails ya hun.”

  Nodding gratefully, he picked up a fork and took a bite. He felt warmth spreading throughout his body as the warm apples and cool vanilla slid across his tongue. Swallowing, he was surprised to find he really was starting to feel a little better.

  Picking up the last bite, he popped it in his mouth, savoring the remaining bit of warm cinnamon and crisp apple lingering on his tongue. Licking his fork, he glanced up when he felt someone standing in front of him again.

  “Feelin’ better sugar?”

  “Yes… Yes I do, actually.”

  “It’s amazing what somethin’ made with a little love can do for the soul, isn’t it?”

  At the word soul, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. That was the second time she’d said something that reflected things happening in his life. Before he analyzed the thought further, she continued speaking.

  “I sense you’ve weathered one storm, but there’s still some thunderclouds on the horizon.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him when she said it.

  Something wasn’t right. He wasn’t sure why, but he instinctively switched his vision. What he saw before him almost made him fall off his stool before he regained his composure. Surrounding Barbara was one of the most densely colored aura he’s ever seen before, not that it meant much. It wasn’t until recently, (had it really only been a little over a week?) that he’d learned he could actually see an aura, so he didn’t have a lot of experience to compare it to. It was absolutely mesmerizing.

  Actually, he took that back. The aura felt dense, rather than appearing visually dense, like clear syrup. A kaleidoscope of colors swirled around her, with patches of color covering the entire visible spectrum. There were even some spots that appeared clear.

  But the most startling thing that caught his attention were the multiple specks of white spinning throughout her aura. The implications slammed into him, causing him to knock his stool over when he jump backward, drawing attention from the surrounding patrons.

  “Who are you?” he demanded, tension causing his voice to come out as a growl. Whipping his hand out, his staff slammed into his palm with a resounding crack, almost like the report of a rifle.

  Barbara waved her hand. Immediately, everything around them froze in place. Even the picture on the TV had stopped, like someone had pressed the pause button for the world.

  “Oh mister Rick. I’m the same person I’ve always been. It’s only now that your powers have grown enough to let you see who I truly am.”

  Rick took a defensive stance before slowly backing away from the counter. It seemed to take more effort that normal, like he was pushing against a heavy weight. Unconsciously, he wrapped himself in void energy. Everything around him rippled slightly in response, like time had stuttered forward a few steps. Barbara’s face scrunched up in concentration while a few beads of sweat began trickling down her forehead.

  “Could you please not do that, sugar? This is hard enough to do without you instinctively trying to counteract it. We’re not here to hurt ya. I’m not here to hurt ya.”

  Rick thought about it for a second before dropping the void shield. If it came to it, he was fairly confident he could defend himself, but now curiosity was slowly winning out over his initial concern that she was a threat.

  “Who’s this we, and more importantly, are you like me?”

  She let out a sigh of relief before slowly coming around the counter, dabbing the sweat off her face with her ever-present towel. Taking a seat at the counter, she patted the stool next to her.

  “Come. Sit. While I can’t answer everything, I can tell you a bit.”

  Hesitantly, he approached before taking a seat next to her.

  “That’s better,” she said, affectionately patting his leg.

  “As for the second question sugar, no I’m not like you. Not by a long shot. That’d be like someone asking if the candle flame before them was the same as the sun. The we, on the other hand, is something I can’t talk about, at least not yet. All I can say is, we’ve been around a long time, waiting for you to appear. Now that you’re here, our job is to guide you toward your destiny.”

  “Destiny…? Do I look like Frodo Baggins to you?”

  She let out a deep belly laugh.

  “No, nor am I gonna send ya a packin’ with a ring. Although I hear tell you might know where ta find a volcano to drop one in…”

  She looked at him with a knowing twinkle in her eye. He tensed up again, but she made a placating gesture with her hands.

  “Just joshing with you hun. Anyway, I can’t keep up this status field much longer, so if there’s anything else you wanna ask, you better ask it now.”

  Rick thought for a moment before responding.

  “You knew about Juan, didn’t you?”

  Her shoulders slumped a little before letting out an exhausted sigh.

  “Yes, we knew about him. We couldn’t see how bad he was, but we knew he’d arrived. We also knew that, by your actions, he’d be stopped. We just didn’t
know how. We couldn’t see anything past your battle. Until now that is.”

  “See? See what?”

  “Sadly, that’s something else I’m not a liberty to say either.”

  The world stuttered again slightly while a strained look crossed Barbara’s face.

  “The last thing I can tell you before you go is, trust your teammates. You’re going to need them in the coming days ahead. Also, be patient with Kaitlyn. She’s feeling way out of her element. She’s doing the best she can. Did you know you were her first actual mission as a team leader? She’s never had ta make all the decisions before. So when she calls you, and yes, she will, meet with her. It’s important for reasons I can’t tell ya about. You’ll just have ta trust me on this.”

  Before he could respond, the world shifted, starting back up like a carousel ride gaining speed. Barbara waved her hand again before everyone around them got a glassy-eyed look. A moment later, they went back to what they’d been doing before he’d jumped off his stool.

  “Now shoo mister Rick, you have a phone call to catch,” she said, stepping up to him and grabbing his hands. She stood on her tip-toes, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before turning him around and ushering him toward the door. As an afterthought, she spun around, grabbed his bag, and hurried back over. Handing him his belongings, she gently pushed him out the door. Once outside, he turned around again, but she was waving him away while the door slowly shut.

  “The pie is on the house, hun. Now go on. Off with you. Oh, and you might want to think about gettin’ a hair cut.”

  Just as the door banged shut, his phone chirped in his pocket. Reaching for it, he noticed Barbara had somehow slipped a piece of paper into his hand. Answering the phone, he heard Kaitlyn’s voice on the other end.

  “We need to talk. Can you meet me later tonight?”

  He paused for a moment, remembering Barbara’s words.

  I’m probably going to regret this…

  “Sure. Where?”

  She gave him the address before hanging up. Putting the phone back in his pocket, he started walking away, looking at the note Barbara had given him. On it, only one word was written.

  Nanshe.

  Who, or what, is Nanshe?

  Chapter 33

  Rick glanced down at his phone. According to the GPS, the address Kaitlyn had given him was just up ahead. He slightly regretted leaving his Stormfront wrist-comp behind at the base, but since they could track his position with it, he didn’t want to make it easy for them. The fact that it’d gotten fried twice and was barely functional had made the decision a lot easier.

  Turning the corner, he spotted the sign for the Undertow bar about halfway down the block.

  Great, probably some kind of surfer bar.

  Getting closer, he noticed the outside looked worn down, like it had seen better days. Pausing, he scanned the area before going in. Movement about a block away at the mouth of an alleyway caught his attention, but before he could get a good physical look, the shapes moved further into the shadows. Extending his senses, he counted five people, but a closer mental inspection didn’t reveal any weapons.

  Probably just some guys hanging out. Night’s not getting any younger, so I might as well get this over with. At least then I can tell Barbara I met with her.

  Taking a deep breath, he let out a sigh before tugging on the well-worn door, slipping inside. Senses still tuned up, he scanned everyone in the place, waiting for his eyes to adjust. A thin haze of cigarette and cigar smoke floated around the area, irritating his nose slightly.

  Guess they don’t exactly enforce the no smoking rule here.

  Upon closer inspection, he sensed everyone tense up slightly as he moved away from the entrance. The hard, appraising stares he got triggered memories from before he’d joined up with Skywatch, back when he was still in the regular old military. Another quick scan of the area seemed to confirm his suspicions.

  This isn’t a surfer bar, it’s an NCO bar. Or LEO. It’s either one or the other.

  Nearly everyone he scanned was packing some type of concealed weapon, ranging from knives, collapsible batons, stun guns, assorted aerosol sprays, and several pistols of varying calibers. He also noticed in passing that they had an Armsel Striker shotgun and even the clichéd baseball bat hiding behind the bar.

  Without trying, he mentally spotted Kaitlyn. She was seated and partially hidden in a darkened cubicle furthest from the door, allowing her to scan the entire place without being noticed. Mentally, he nodded approval of her tactical awareness even when off duty. Then again, was she really off duty?

  Ignoring all the hard stares directed his way, he headed toward the back of the room, weaving his way between tables. He tensed slightly when a hulk of a man stood up and headed his way, but relaxed again when he passed by, greeting someone who’d entered the bar behind him. Sliding into the booth, he sat quietly, waiting for her to make the first move. His heart skipped a beat when he finally got a chance to look her over.

  Huh. She cleans up pretty well when she’s not in uniform. Civilian clothes look pretty good on her.

  Steepling his fingers on the tabletop to hide his thoughts, he quietly examined her face, noting her jaw muscles standing out in bold relief. After several minutes, she finally cleared her throat.

  “Are we cool?”

  “As a cucumber. How’s Zarina?”

  Tension seemed to drain out of her slightly. Her shoulders slumped imperceptibly while her jaw muscle relaxed a hair.

  She has every right to be tense around me. I was an asshole to everything before I took off, especially her. Probably scared the crap out of her with my outburst, now that I think about it.

  He smiled slightly to himself as he considered her situation.

  That takes some guts. She trusts herself enough to risk us meeting in a crowded room, where casualties would be high if we fought, but she took that risk anyway. If it was me, I would have insisted meeting someplace where I could control the environment, like the base. Actually…

  Shifting his vision, he glanced around the room again. After a quick check, he let out a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. Thankfully, he didn’t spot any auras indicating someone with powers was there, except for the woman seated across from him.

  “Satisfied? Did you really think I’d try setting a trap? For you?”

  He felt his face grow warm. She’d caught him being paranoid fair and square.

  “Uh… yeah…,” he said sheepishly, “I wasn’t actually thinking trap though. I’m actually just surprised you didn’t bring backup with you. I would of if our situations were reversed.”

  “Like we’d stand a chance against you. As to your question, she’s doing well. She’s still pretty exhausted, but recovering quickly.”

  Kaitlyn paused, staring into his eyes.

  “She was asking about you, actually.”

  He lowered his eyes, ashamed to meet her gaze. Without wanting to, he replayed the memory of what he’d been forced to do to her again, all in the name of survival. Just thinking about it made his chest feel tight.

  Even worse, I’ve developed perfect recall like she said I would. I’ll have to carry a perfect memory of it to my grave.

  Meeting Kaitlyn’s eyes again, he cleared his throat.

  “Listen, let’s just cut to the chase. I can’t do this anymore. If it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t have to recover. I should have just—”

  Kaitlyn held up her hand, her face becoming flush with emotion.

  “Stop! Just stop. This isn’t your fault. We all know the risks involved whenever we go out on a mission. So don’t you dare try taking responsibility for this cluster fuck. That’s all on me. If it wasn’t for you, none of us would be here now. Who knows how many more deaths would have happened if you hadn’t given her a way to defeat Juan.”

  “But she’s just a kid. She had no battle experience, had no real idea what she was getting into. That’s on us, on me. If I’d had any guts, I would ha
ve sent the two of you away to safety and taken him out by myself. I cou—”

  Kaitlyn slammed her fist on the table, drawing glances from the tables nearby.

  “How dare you! It was my decision to bring her along, so that’s on me, not you. I’m not some delicate flower you need to protect from the big bad world! I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself! I was doing it long before you showed up, and I damn well sure can do it if you decide to leave!”

  “But if I’d gone by myself, neither of you would have been hurt. I should have ended this the first time I tangled with him. Instead, I held back. I even gave Zarina a promise I wouldn’t kill him unless it was a last resort. That was stupid of me to do. That one mistake cost a bunch of civilians their lives. And we still have a deadly threat on the loose!”

  This time, he was the one slamming his fist on the table to emphasize his point. This time, he sensed everyone staring at them. Forcing himself to relax, he turned slightly, gesturing to everyone that everything was okay. Turning back, he saw the anger smoldering in her eyes. The air actually shimmered around her face slightly, the heat causing her hair to flutter slightly.

  “Listen, you jackass, if you had stuck around for the debrief, you would have found out that, not only did that ‘threat’ heal you after the battle, we may have actually found another powerful ally, someone who might know something about your powers.”

  Ally? Iškur isn’t a threat any more?

  Involuntarily, he leaned back in his seat while she berated him. Her glare almost felt like a physical force.

  “Let me get this straight? Are you telling me Juan is our friend now?”

  “I wouldn’t go as far as to call him a friend, but they’re definitely not our enemy anymore.”

  “They?”

  She gave him a slightly perplexed look.

  “I don’t really understand it myself, and Zarina wouldn’t go into details about it with me. Said she wanted to discuss it with you first for some reason.”

  He thought about that before another question popped into his head.