by C. J. Lloyd
“The president is on her way here … right now.”
Samantha nodded with a sigh. “What’s her E.T.A.?”
“Twenty mikes.”
Sam turned her attention back to the others. “So, they just attacked this random bar .… If they’d wanted the president, I’m sure they could have just gone to the White House.”
“That man was just a messenger, right?” Violet watched the television.
Samantha nodded again. “What are you thinking?”
“Elric’s not trying to attack the president. He’s already done everything he needed to do. He’s not afraid. But remember, Elric is still a kid like us. A teenager, and so are the other two. We still do stupid things without intending to.”
“Elric’s ego is getting him a little cocky then,” Eden said. “What else is new?”
“Maybe,” Violet agreed, “but there’s no one to try to stop him. We have to find the Titan of Light. It’s the only way.”
“We don’t even know where to start. This person can be anywhere or anyone.” Samantha paced back and forth. “If this person is one of the strongest of the six Titans, why haven’t they been seen or discovered? There isn’t even proof that this individual ever existed.”
“Well, we exist, so I think we can assume …” Terra answered, looking at Eden. “The Light Titan will only come once imbalance begins to shake the world.”
Manie shook his head. “Well, we’re far past that.”
“Look, we’re wasting time. Are you guys in or out?” Samantha barked.
The iciest chill ran down Violet’s back. The anger and frustration stung like needles beating against her.
“C’mon, Samantha.” Violet grimaced. “Help us on this!”
Violet didn’t recognize the woman before her. Determination and loyalty to her country overpowered her maternal instincts. She was now full bird Colonel Rice.
“We are. It’s just—” Manie cleared his throat abruptly, shooting Violet a glance. “Who do you think risked their lives the first time?”
“Good, because this time we’re going full military force. The United States is not taking Elric’s threats lightly. And we’re going to do whatever it takes to neutralize the enemy.”
“Samantha, I need to talk to Jen,” Violet said sullenly.
“Violet …” Samantha looked down, eyes unwavering, chin stout. “Go ahead. I agree Jennifer needs someone right now. Let her go.”
“Yes, ma’am. Come with us,” one of the soldiers said, gesturing to Violet.
“Violet, what are you doing? What about us?” Sasha yelled.
“I’ll be right back.” She followed the men down the corridor where they’d dragged Jen.
Jen needed her help, and Violet needed hers. Samantha was too angry to understand, but Jennifer had something they didn’t. Knowledge and memories of Elric, which could easily change everything. Maybe with a glimmer of hope, she could reach him through all that hatred and revenge.
Chapter 10
Optimism in the Dark
They walked down several flights of stairs, the vomit green walls of the hallway unnerving. Not now, Violet. Focus. She thought about every word she’d say to Jennifer, but one thing was certain. She’d get her out of here.
The two soldiers brought Violet to a holding cell and opened the door. Jennifer lay against the wall cracking her knuckles. Her hazel eyes darted away from Violet the moment she entered the room.
She looked up at Violet. “So … what now?”
The door slammed shut behind her as Violet waited a few seconds to answer. “I’m sorry about Sam. She’s just following orders.”
“The military’s always following orders. No wonder wars start. They can’t think for themselves.” Jennifer’s head lolled to the checkered tile floor of her cell. “People are complete idiots.”
“I came down here because I believe you’re here for a reason. You’re alive. That can’t be a coincidence.” Violet swallowed. “We’re going to need you to stop Elric.”
“I’m not going to kill him.”
“I know, I know. But if you have a better alternative, I’m willing to give it a shot.” Violet bit her bottom lip. The thought of Elric’s ruthlessness so far didn’t yield well with her. If it were up to Violet, she’d go with Samantha. But maybe. Just maybe … She leaned against the wall looking down at Jen.
Jennifer’s gaze wavered. “What about the others; what do they think?”
“Everyone’s angry right now, and I don’t blame them.”
That’s putting it mildly, she thought.
Violet tapped her knuckles against the cinderblock wall. Besides Elric, she couldn’t ignore the distrust taking root inside of everyone, and even she felt betrayed by Sam’s actions in a way. “I’ll give you one chance. The next time we run into Elric, I’ll bring you.”
“Are you serious?” Jen jumped to her feet, piercing hazel eyes searching Violet for a hint of disbelief. “Why, though? Won’t you get in trouble?”
“Yeah, but sometimes sacrifices need to be made for friends. No matter how far gone they are.”
Jen wrapped her arms around Violet, nearly taking her off her feet. “I know you tried your best to keep him safe. You’ve taken a lot for him. Thank you.”
Don’t make me regret this. “Just promise me you know what you’re doing, okay?”
Her head bobbed. “I do.”
Violet made her way to the door.
“And Violet, thank the others for me.”
Violet nodded as she left the room.
The clanking of metal and a loud thud as the deadbolt fell in place put a sour taste in Violet’s mouth. After all Jennifer and Elric had been through, the gap between them grew more each day. Truly night and day, blistering cold hatred versus warm, comforting love.
Violet rushed backed to the cafeteria, thinking about Jen and her words. They solidified Violet’s decision and where she stood. No matter what, the world outweighed one individual, and if Jen failed, they would carry out what they had to do.
Alfred was the first to approach Violet as she returned. “So, how did that go?”
She looked up at him as he crossed his arms, his tall, dark-brown frame sunk low in defeat.
“I know you guys think I’m still hanging onto Elric, but I’m not. Actually, after that last fight in Boston, I’m certain that he’s gone. But if there is even the slightest hope to bring him back, I’ll take it.”
Sasha’s brows pinched together as her green eyes widened. “Violet, that’s stupid, it’s—”
“And I would do it for any one of you,” Violet proclaimed, raising her voice over Sasha’s. “I would go the distance for you. A family never gives up on another, no matter how weak they are, no matter what they’ve done. A family is a home that you can go back to after everything’s said and done.”
Terra nodded. “I agree.” They all turned to her. “Eden, as Titans we can relate to the others. They’ve done some awful things, and I’ll help bring them down, but I won’t become a monster of anger to do it.”
Eden’s eyes softened as Terra’s words sunk in, his face flushing red as an internal battle ensued within; Violet had no doubt. His anger toward Elric was more than thoughts of revenge. To Violet, his anger felt like a thrashing storm. Sirocco’s hatred for the Deva inside Elric was responsible for that.
“Before we start talking about bringing anyone down, don’t we need some leads on where they could be?” Manie asked.
Eden cleared his throat and bristled as he remained seated. “All we can do is wait for Elric to make the next move. It’s on him.”
Violet struggled to remember the battle in Boston. Maybe something he said could give them a clue. But they were better off throwing darts on a map. And what if they did find them? It would be a repeat of before. Maybe worse.
“Well, it’s time we became proactive and not reactive, I’d say.” They all turned to see a woman with a navy-blue dress and pearls draped around her neck. Like Sama
ntha, her dirty-blonde hair was in a tight bun, but two long strands fell down the sides of her face, framing her narrow cheeks. Cherry red lipstick was layered on her thick lips, bringing out the stunning blue of her eyes. Samantha stood at her side, along with a few others.
“Mrs. President,” Samantha said, allowing the woman to enter the room. “I would like you to meet the ones who fought in Boston.”
Everyone started rising to their feet.
“Relax, relax.” The president came up to them with a smile. She examined Violet and the others and nodded. “So, you’re the gifts God sent down from the heavens, I see.”
Silence. The tension was breathtaking amidst the building anxiety. The president studied Violet, and smiled. “The red head with a lot of fight. You must be the Anomaly?”
“Maybe,” Violet rasped.
The president nodded. “I heard you’re quite powerful too. I’ve worked with a few Anomalies in my day, one in particular I’m very fond of. She’s not that much older then you. I would love for you to meet her sometime.”
Violet rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Maybe when we’re done trying to save the world.”
The president nodded and wasn’t even a little thrown off by Violet’s sarcasm. Instead she made her way to Terra.
Terra’s fingers dug into her forearms as she folded them close to her chest. Violet could feel Terra’s insides fluttering with fear, but that was the least of her concerns.
As the president’s eyes searched Eden’s, his anger doubled. And like the shattering of levees, his rage flowed out in a fury that Violet couldn’t stop.
“You’re the one who gave the order that if we didn’t work with you, we would be thrown in jail for treason?”
The president smiled sweetly. “Why yes, honey, I did,” she replied with a southern accent.
Eden’s fist tightened. “What gives you the right to do that?”
“Eden,” Samantha whispered angrily.
The president threw out a hand toward Samantha. “No, it’s fine. We’ve known about the Titans for about eight decades now. Unfortunately, I’ve only recently found out, and in the worst possible way.” Her southern drawl was deeper than Terra’s, if that were at all possible. “But let’s be realistic. Could a prison cell really hold you?”
“Eighty years?” Violet asked.
The woman combed her well-manicured fingers through her hair, tugging at a few elegant strands. “The United States government became aware of Titans back in the early forties when an earthquake of a magnitude of 5.5 in Imperial Valley, California nearly annihilated an entire town. It was over six million dollars in damages and claimed the lives of six people. It was later confirmed that the earthquake had been caused by a young girl of fourteen.”
Everyone looked at Terra.
“I—My grandmother.” Terra’s face burned with embarrassment. “That’s when the government brought her in.”
The president leaned forward. “So, you’re the Earth Titan then? Why, you’re so young and soft looking, I could eat you up.”
Terra chewed on her bottom lip as her brows bunched. She pulled away from the woman.
The president gently placed her hand on Terra’s shoulders. “Yes, based on the information I’ve gathered, we brought your grandmother in. They ran tests and tried to find out how she attained these abilities. They tried to help her control them.”
“You mean they tried to turn her into a weapon,” Terra replied bitterly, answering with her own southern timbre.
The president’s eyes narrowed on Terra as if she had just accepted some unknown challenge. “It was discovered that the Titans were older than we thought. Also, that there was more than this one individual. Five more, to be exact. All with powerful abilities. And all with their very own internal monster. Yes, we tried weaponizing them. The United States was launched into World War Two during that time frame. I assume we needed all the help we could get. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as planned.”
Violet watched as even Samantha listened with interest. It was more than they had ever heard about the government’s involvement with the Titans. Who knew that they had known for so long?
“Research answered a lot of questions about the Titans, but none more frightening than the reason why they existed. We believe that besides acting as vessels, the Titans served as weapons … living, powerful weapons.”
Samantha took a deep breath and looked at the woman with an awkward expression on her face. “Weapons are designed to give an edge over a conflict or to defend oneself. If the Titans’ existence were to serve as weapons—with all that awful power, then who the hell were they meant to be used against?”
“We thought it was each other. It’s like how we have nuclear bombs today. But after the portal openings, I wonder …” The president scanned the group before fondly resting her eyes on Terra. “However, the Earth Titan wasn’t keen on war and refused to participate. This brought a lot of tension. So, the US decided to find a way to extract the being out of her and place it into someone else; a highly trained soldier. Someone who could be utilized to help end wars.”
“They were willing to kill her to do so?” Terra’s animosity returned a hundred-fold. “My mother was right. The military can’t be trusted for anything.”
“Honey, back then, they had no clue what extracting the Deva would do. Regardless she escaped, bringing down an entire military outpost.”
Samantha shook her head as she studied the ground. “I don’t understand. So, all this time, leadership has known about the Titans?”
“Don’t be so surprised. We’ve had you on projects as well. We’ve also known about the Ermakians for some time.”
Samantha’s eyes widened. “Yes, but because of the discovery two decades ago. Not something that’s been in the works before I was born.”
“There were some layered secrets. Trust me, I peeled that onion, and let’s just say I had to pop a few Xanax to keep stable. The world was never ready for the existence of a parallel universe. It would’ve changed everything, cosmology, physics, astronomy, religion .… You name it.”
They all looked over as two men strode over. One, Violet recognized as the ambassador they’d seen on television, the one who talked about Elric and the others. The other man was tall and very thin with a downcast demeanor. He reminded Violet of an exhausted tortoise, wearing a sweater vest and a bowtie.
“Mr. Galloway and Professor Haverhill.” The president clasped her hands together as she greeted the two men. “I would like for you to meet the ones who did their best to save Boston and the ones who prevented a war from spilling into our world.”
Violet looked at the others. They all shared the same expression. Shock. The president knew everything. Violet searched Samantha’s face. The woman appeared to be beyond rattled.
“Existence of a parallel universe.” Samantha looked lost and confused. “And what leads you to the thought of something like that?”
Knowing the truth, and remembering everything Sage told her before she passed, Violet swallowed hard. She’d never had the time to explain anything of the sort to Sam; she’d barely had time to grieve for Sage.
The tall, lanky man smiled. He had a few strands out of place that he might have tried to comb over. “Well, Colonel, the children who are here that are Ermakian are proof of that. Ermak is not just some underground society. This new civilization is not from some planet within our solar system, but in fact, they live right here. Just in another time and existence altogether. In fact, I believe there may be multiple universes out there.”
Samantha fixed her composure. “Look, that’s fine and all ... I guess. The real question I need answered is, how can I help you all today?”
“Well, that’s simple, honey. I just need to know …” The president paused and looked at all of them with a smile that could brighten the room. “I need to know what are we going to do about the teenage gods creating chaos around the world?”
Silence smothered the atmosphere.
Violet looked at Eden. The Titan raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. What was the plan? And how the hell were they going to execute something without knowing beforehand where Elric and the others would be?
Chapter 11
The Dark Temple
Cracks seeped deeply into the barren black landscape. The soil deprived of any and all life was riddled with chunks of stained concrete slabs, nothing more than ghostly monuments of what once stood. Gentle hills built of fine grains of sand blanketed what little was left of walls and structural foundations. All the while, a soft breeze from the ocean twirled the grains into a small black vortex.
A deep breath of rich, salty air swelled Elric’s lungs, filling him with the memories of his hometown as he searched the sky above. The placid ocean waves lapped from just behind Elric, their gentle rhythm smooth and soothing, unlike what he remembered. He clutched at the deep scar on his chest as a sickly smile stretched ear to ear.
Rai dug her boots in the black sand. “Was there a fire here or something?”
“Nah. Fire would have left something.” Enzo looked up at Elric. “Am I right, E?”
“This was Area Zero. A military base created strictly for hunting Titans. A little over a year ago, they brought me and the others here and tried to extract the Devas from Eden and me.” Elric crouched, lifting a handful of the black sand and holding it tightly in his fist. The black grains passed through the cracks of his fingers with ease. “For the first time in my life, I was able to meet my father. He had been kept for years in this place but then was killed right in front of me.”
“Elric, my bad ...” Enzo moved awkwardly, trying to show some kind of sympathy. “Looks like you made them pay for that.”
Calamity stepped out of a crevice, knocking over the remains of a brick wall. “My thoughts exactly.” She took off her shoes and socks and let her toes dig into the blackness. “Can you feel it? It’s alive in each grain of sand. The darkness … The beast.” Calamity’s illuminating eyes were vibrant. “What took you three?”
Rai glared at Enzo. “Thanks to this bonehead, things got crazy.”
