by Nathan Wall
“It is of no matter,” Maya giggled. “When she has served her purpose, kill her.”
* * *
Sanderson stormed toward the edge of the invisible dome; a large bag slung over his shoulder. A few rifles were also strapped to his back and two sidearms sat on his hips. He tossed the bag to the side, walked up to the dome’s control panel, and pressed his hand in. A beam shot across his palm and fingertips and a slit opened for a keypad. Sanderson entered in his code and a small section of the dome opened up, letting in a rush of chilled air.
He picked up his bag and walked into the cold night air. The small section of the dome closed behind him and he marched toward a helicopter he instructed to be left for him. He tossed his bag into the back and opened the pilot’s door. As Sanderson turned the helicopter on, Jackson touched his shoulder.
“Leaving us at our darkest hour?” Jackson said, moving up into the copilot’s seat. “Or just going on a little camping trip?”
“It’s not safe for me to be here anymore, Daniel.” Sanderson kept prepping the helicopter, flipping numerous switches. “There’s someone I need to find… Someone who can give me answers I’ve been searching for a long time and you’re not her.”
“It’s not safe for any of us, Bill.” Jackson gently placed his hand on top of Sanderson’s, steadying it. “I think, once again, the answers you seek aren’t out there.”
“Where else would they be?” Sanderson looked at Jackson, face long and worn. The sharp wind continued to slice at his skin. “I’ve tried long enough to figure things out and I know when I’ve been beaten.”
“We all miss Lian.” Jackson nodded. “It’s only natural to have human emotions toward someone you’ve been around and put that much faith in for so long.”
“You have no idea how true that statement is.” Sanderson shook his head. “But the questions I have, not even she could answer.”
“What is it that you refuse to share, sir?” Jackson reached to flip some of the switches back to their off position, but Sanderson slapped his hand away. “I can’t let you leave like this.”
“Yes, you can.” Sanderson glared at Jackson, unflinching.
“I guess I could, but I won’t,” Jackson replied, leaving the two to sit there with only the reviving propeller to break the silence for several minutes.
“What is it you hope to accomplish by doing this?” Sanderson asked. “Is this your final shot at revenge? Is this the Frankenstein’s monster coming to confront his creator?”
“No.” Jackson shook his head, looking down. “And I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“Then what is this?”
“This is a friend coming to the aid of another friend who needs him.” Jackson looked back up into Sanderson’s eyes. “I’m saving you now, because I am hoping you can save me later.”
“I’m afraid I’m just going to end up letting you down.”
“Then at least you would have tried.” Jackson grabbed Sanderson’s hands and squeezed in a pleading manner. “But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what you’re running from… what you’ve been hiding from for a long time. And I know you don’t like taking leaps of faith, but we need you... I need you, to take one now. I’ve seen firsthand the destruction he’s capable of, but I’ve also seen the good that dwells within him. You were right to have me find out what makes him tick. You need to see this through.”
“There’s a lot of history you don’t understand,” Sanderson whispered as he shut off the helicopter.
“I’m not the one that needs to.” Jackson smiled, leaning back in the seat.
I’m here, Lian’s voice entered their minds. I’ve escaped with Austin. Please, help us. I’m here.
Sanderson and Jackson both stared at each other in shock.
“Where?” Sanderson pleaded, yelling. “Where?”
* * *
Jarrod sat up in his bed and rubbed his head. He slid his feet onto the floor and slowly stood. He walked at a snail’s pace over to the mirror and looked closely at his face. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he yawned. Three quick knocks came from behind his door and he labored over to open it.
“Good, you’re up.” Christian smiled, giving Jarrod a hug. “I didn’t ever get a chance to give you a proper thank you for saving me several times, so I wanted to tell you.”
“You would’ve done the same for me.” Jarrod nodded, attempting to shut the door.
“I don’t think I would have.” Christian stuck his hand in the doorway, forcing himself into the room. “I always thought you were a dick.”
“Yes, come in and tell me how much of a dick I am, by all means. I’m not trying to sleep.” Jarrod threw his hands in the air and staggered over to the bed, falling face-first and burying his nose into the pillow.
“You see, I guess I always sort of felt threatened by you because you were always great at everything.” Christian sat at the foot of Jarrod’s bed. “The way you took charge at that town, saving the day, it was really badass if you think about it. And now I get it. I don’t have to feel like I’ve got a small dick. You’ve always been special.”
“No, you’ve still got a small one.” Jarrod said into his pillow, grumbling.
“Classic Jarrod.” Christian smiled, patting Jarrod on the leg. “Anyway, I wanted to deliver some good news to you. It seems that in order to keep up our cover, they’re forwarding calls to us from our old base. You’ve got someone from home trying to get to you.”
“Dammit, why didn’t you lead with that?” Jarrod flung himself out of the bed and ran out of the room. Racing quickly through the complex, he made his way to a small office where he’d seen previous men make personal calls. He took the phone from the woman holding it and slowly sat down on the only chair in the room. “Hello?”
“Jarrod, baby.” Claire’s delicate voice came through the phone, interrupted by spurts of crying. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.” Jarrod smiled. His hand shook as he wiped his mouth and nose on the back of his wrist. As much as his body trembled, it was nothing compared to the truth inside his heart trying to pummel its way out of his mouth. He was afraid of what secrets he might actually divulge to her. He had to keep the focus on her to prevent that. “How’s your final year going? You got into grad school?”
“I did,” she cried, sniffling. “It’s so great to hear your voice. Are you coming back for the town’s centennial? They want you and Austin to be part of the parade. I remember you said something about it in the last letter you sent me a while back. You still have leave then?”
“Yeah, I, um...” Jarrod paused, wiping his eyes as he looked at the floor.
“Is everything ok?” she asked, pausing for a few minutes. “You haven’t written to me in a while. I’m starting to feel like you’ve forgotten about me.”
“Things have been so crazy. To be honest, I’ve tried to bury the thought of you and Aunt Liv as much as possible.”
“Really?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds, I swear.” Jarrod chuckled, his breathing stuttering. “It’s like focusing on a vacation you know is going to be great. You’re looking forward to it, but thinking about it makes the time drag and mostly you’re just scared of the empty feeling that comes after the trip is over. You know what I mean? A return to the status quo.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” She snorted a couple of times and sighed. “Look, I’m sorry to call you so late. I’ve got a midterm in twenty minutes. I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you.”
“I miss you too.” He smiled, sitting up and looking at himself in the reflection of the glass separating his phone room from the one adjacent. Speaking to her filled him with confidence, evoking a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep. “I’m gonna be there.”
“At the centennial?”
“Yeah, I will.”
“Austin too?”
“Sure,” Jarrod sighed, swallowing. “I’ll tell you everything when I get there. The
people most important to me need to know... everything. How much I care… Please send Aunt Liv my love.”
“I will, baby. I love you,” Claire said. “I’ve gotta go. I’m so excited you’re coming. Bye.”
“Bye.” Jarrod placed the phone down, standing.
He opened the door and the lights in the hallways blinked red. People hurried around, running into each other and frantically trying to get in place. Jarrod’s heart thumped on his chest as he felt the armor beckoning to him, tickling his senses. He rushed to his room, grabbed his two wrist guards and strapped them on. He activated his left tablet and saw he was to report to the situation room.
While he was running through the corridors, the walls shifted and carried him through to a high priority area. There he found Jackson, Hershiser, Sanderson, and Elliot waiting on him. They all stopped to look his direction and Sanderson approached.
“I sure hope I get to see what Jackson sees in you,” Sanderson whispered, placing his hand on Jarrod’s shoulder.
“Go screw yourself,” Jarrod snapped back, pushing Sanderson’s hand off of him. “You lied to me about the Double-Helix when the truth could have made the difference from the beginning.”
“Believe me, I know how true that is,” Sanderson replied.
“It’s Lian, Jarrod,” Jackson said, leaning over a table. “She’s alive and she’s communicated with me and Sanderson. Austin is with her.”
“Where?” Jarrod asked.
“You’re going back to the Noshaq region,” Elliot replied.
“The situation?” Jarrod asked, moving over to the table and sitting down. “How’d she escape?”
“She wasn’t able to tell me that,” Sanderson said, leaning on a chair. “Her link with Jackson and I cut out. I think she was being followed. But she was able to tell us that she found Austin and used her powers to escape the fortress and that they’re alone.”
“So we’re going right away, right?”
“We’re leaving now,” Sanderson said.
“We?” Elliot laughed. “You mean they.”
“No, I mean we.” Sanderson’s tone was sharp. “I’ve done enough sitting on the sidelines. I’m getting Lian back. Hershiser will coordinate from here, in my stead, as he’s in no condition to go.”
“We don’t have much to scrounge up in terms of forces, so we’re sending in three quick strike aircrafts,” Hershiser said. He looked at Jarrod. “You’ll be the only Double-Helix Agent on this one.”
“You’re not going?” Jarrod looked at Jackson in shock.
“I haven’t been cleared.” Jackson shrugged and rubbed Jarrod’s head. “You’re going solo this time, Cowboy.”
“Don’t worry. The men we are sending with you are highly trained,” Hershiser said.
“And so is Lian.” Sanderson stood. “She’s a strong one. Besides, she wouldn’t lead us into a trap.”
* * *
“Is it done?” Charon asked, walking behind Lian as she removed her fingers from her temple.
“It is.” She looked at him and then over to Austin who was shackled up and lying on the ground. She stepped on his chest and pushed down. “Don’t presume to know me or I’ll end you now.”
“Relax, little girl. In due time.” Charon smiled and nodded at Argus.
Argus marched up the slope to the peak of the mountain, shifting into his massive Minotaur form. He removed the axe from his back and held the shaft firmly in his right hand. As he reached the crest, he looked down into the vast moonlit valley and raised his weapon. Ten thousand Cyclopes and Satyrs yelled in unison while twice as many Crill flew into the sky and blotted out the moon.
* * *
Six Years Ago
Jarrod carried the last few bags into his apartment, limping on crutches, and laid them on the kitchen floor. Aunt Liv stood over the stove, making a pot of tea as Jarrod closed the door behind him. She looked over the shoulder at him, clearing her throat.
“Earlier today at the lake,” she paused, dipping a teabag into her cup as she poured the steaming hot water inside of it, “when do you want to talk about what happened?”
“Probably never, if you don't mind.” Jarrod sighed, rolling his eyes.
“You were reckless,” she said, pulling the teabag out of the water and dipping it back in several times in a row. She turned around and pressed her back against the sink. “You could have killed someone. Or worse, you could have been killed. That doesn't bother you at all?”
“I'm fine. See?” He held his hands up, still looking at the floor. “And my ankle will heal. Consider the lesson learned.”
“If you think I am just talking about the jet-ski incident, perhaps you need to think again.” She stared at Jarrod, peering into his eyes. “Don't play coy with me, young man.”
“I'm not sure what you mean.” Jarrod chuckled, unable to control his smile. The lights in the apartment flickered. Jarrod's body shimmered just a bit as he shook his head. “Aunt Liv, can't you see I'm tired and worn out from a long day?”
“I'm not talking to you, Jarrod,” she said, lifting her left hand. All of the lights for the entire street came on and blew out as the static seemed to lift her off her feet. She balled up her fist and then expanded her fingers, driving Jarrod through the kitchen door and into their small back patio. She slowly walked out the door and looked around, finding he had vanished. “Where'd he go?”
“How long have you known I was running the show?” Jarrod said through his teeth, reappearing out of nowhere and grabbing Aunt Liv by her throat. He lifted her a few feet off the ground. She gasped for air, but couldn't form any words. “What's that? I can't hear you.”
He dropped her to the floor and then spun his finger in a circle, pinning her to the wall. She closed her eyes, trying to reach into his mind to find Jarrod hiding in the sea of screams, but the place where she had hidden his human soul was empty.
“I knew you were running things when I saw you returning from the wreckage on that boat,” she said, rubbing her neck. “Where is he?”
“Trying to find your baby boy?” Jarrod asked, releasing Aunt Liv from his telepathic grasp. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed her tea. He walked back outside and gently handed it to her. “You're not going to find him.”
“What happened to him?” Her voice stuttered as her eyes began to tear up. Her hands trembled as she put the mug to her lips. “Did you kill him?”
“I didn't, no.” He shook his head, looking up at the moon. “I remember there being more stars. Many more must have fallen.”
“Can I have him back, please?” She grabbed at his hand. He looked down at her, wiping the droplets from her eyes.
“You've seen me before,” he said. She nodded in reply. “You know I'm the rightful owner of this form? You abandoned me, mother.”
“Yes.” She rubbed her face against his hand, nodding her head. “Yes, I do. But that doesn't change the fact that I love Jarrod.”
She quickly stood and put her palm over his face. A large gust of wind swirled in on top of them, kicking up dust and encircling them in a funnel as lights all over town flickered on and off. The veins in her arms and head popped up close to the surface and her nose started bleeding. Her skin lost all color as gray streaks shot through her hair.
“Get back in line,” she screamed, pulling her hand away. Jarrod's limp body fell to the ground. “My son is good and I'm not ready to lose him.”
She crouched next to him, resting her head against the wall. Breathing heavily, her heart raced. Her whole body shook and she struggled to stay awake. She heard Jarrod groan and rolled him over so she could see his face.
“My ankle hurts,” he moaned, half asleep.
She closed her eyes and looked inside his mind. She smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. Her Jarrod was in control again.
Episode 8
Jarrod looked out the side of the aircraft, staring past the mountains as the sun climbed over the horizon. The helicopter lowered into a valley, approaching Li
an's position. A swirl of black clouds seemed to move in random patterns on the distant hills. The wind brushed through his hair, throwing dark locks into his eyes. He swiped the hair from his face and squinted, trying to make out exactly what it was he was seeing.
“Satellites aren't getting a reading on the area ahead,” the pilot said, looking back to Sanderson. “The entire mountain range seems to be covered in a dark, swirling cloud.”
“The clouds seemed to be centered on a two kilometer radius,” the copilot called out.
“Radio the other aircrafts and tell them to hold back just a bit.” Sanderson leaned forward, talking to the copilot. He sat back in his seat and made eye contact with Jarrod. He raised his hands in surrender, hoping to concede whatever argument that was brewing. It didn’t matter to Jarrod who glared back with his nostrils flaring. Sanderson realized his games had taken their toll on the kid, which made the harsh truths Jarrod didn’t yet know more difficult to vocalize. “I get that you're pissed.”
“A bit of an understatement.” Jarrod rolled his eyes, leaned his head back and looked out at the mountain ridge they were quickly approaching. “All of this could have been prevented.”
“Could have.” Sanderson moved over next to Jarrod and patted his knee. “Or we'd be rescuing you on this mission too. Or possibly mourning your death. I am beginning to feel that maybe things happen for a reason after all.”
Suddenly, the clouds broke apart in thousands of small, distinct pieces, swarming in all different directions. The hair on the back of Jarrod's neck stood, his heart racing. The small pieces dove in toward the aircraft and their form became unmistakable.
“It's the Crill,” Jarrod said.
Large pink vapor trails flooded through the atmosphere, engulfing everything within the valley and mountain range. Jarrod looked at Sanderson and noticed he was moving in slow motion. Each tick of the clock was like a minute in Jarrod's eyes. Layer by layer, everything around him was deconstructed.
