Curses, Fates & Soul Mates

by et al Kristie Cook

  The moment I sank into my squishy, warm waterbed, I felt comfortable. Almost at home. I left the comfort of my new bed and posh sleeping quarters to meet Kale outside in the hallway. From there, we met the others and were whisked away for breakfast, then to suit up, and finally, to the recruitment wing for a briefing and to begin our next task.

  “This place is like a five-star resort,” Kale whispered to me between bites of his pastry. He took a sip of his coffee and winced. “Damn, that’s hot. Good, but hot.”

  “Want mine?” I offered, taking a seat at the round table in the meeting room. “I’ve barely touched it. Might be cold by now.”

  “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.” He sat next to me and scooted close. “Not very friendly, are they?” He jutted his chin in the other Shepherds’ direction. None of them sat at the table with us. Instead, they paced the other side of the room quietly, each one seemingly off in thought. Their breakfasts were plopped on the table, but no one was biting.

  “Guess we’re not really here to make friends.” I averted my attention away from the Shepherds and to the empty white wall instead.

  “Are you doing okay? I know we haven’t had time for that talk yet. I never know when it’s a good time.”

  “I’m thinking never.”

  “What?” He laughed, and I turned to deadpan him. When he realized I was serious, his smile fell. “Am I missing something?”

  “They can see our memories, Kale. Can look into our past, like pulling a file on our life story. None of our thoughts are safe, let alone our conversations. If they have that kind of power, we’ll both be quiet.”

  “You can’t be serious. Working with Rico, I discovered some crazy things about the Invaders … but that … that’s a whole new level of crazy.”

  “Yeah, well, if we know what’s good for us, we’ll just do our job. That’s what we’re here for, right? The Invaders need our help. We belong to them now, and we owe them. Our race is depending on us.”

  “Whoa, whoa …” Kale set his coffee down and swiveled in his seat to face me. He lowered his voice. “What’s gotten into you, Sky? These things killed your parents. Took you prisoner. I thought we were both feeling … I thought we were starting to have second thoughts about this place and what it meant. Everything I said, bringing you here … I might have made a huge mistake.”

  “I was having second thoughts. But you have to know when to pick your battles. There’s too much at stake with this one, and you know it. Besides,” I mimicked him and lowered my voice, “I want to be here. The Invaders can give us something invaluable. The fact that they’re even offering to do that at all has to mean something, right?” I held him with a stare. “Admit it, you feel it, too. You want to stay. You were already feeling it, before we came here. You were the one to make me think differently about it all in the first place. I know you understand.”

  “Yes, but that was before we got here and I found out what we’re truly in for. Before Elara’s whole spiel. Just yesterday, you felt the same exact way. I feel it too. But I admit I want to be on the Invaders’ side.… the desire’s growing. Which is why we should talk about this, while we still have a say, can still think for ourselves. We could lose ourselves to this activation, to this, this loyalty, at any moment. And then what? There’s no going back. It’s already in motion.”

  The way he called me Sky reminded me of Jet, and how he used to say my name. I blinked and looked away. Why was it that I wished I could actually feel something for Jet again? It was all so unnatural, so unnerving that I could recall all of these memories, yet feel no attachment to them. They were just there, hanging around like dead weight. “It’s too dangerous to consider backing out now,” I said, lifting my coffee to my lips. I was right. It was cold. “Look, you’re my only friend now—we’re all we’ve got.” I shot the other Shepherds, who were still distancing themselves from us, a look to emphasize my point. “Please, ride this out with me. Stay. Let’s help the people back on Prototype Seven. Let’s give them a new planet, a new home.”

  Kale’s fingers found his rumpled honey-blond hair. He ruffled it while his mind worked over my words. “I’m starting to think I never should’ve led you here … never should’ve—”

  “Stop.” I reached up and pulled his fidgeting hand away from his hair, bringing his eyes to mine. They seemed to soften as they scanned my face. “You were right, okay? We’re doing the right thing.”

  “Tell them that,” he nodded to the other Shepherds. Lorie and the two other women were huddled in the corner now, whispering and slipping us suspicious glances. “They don’t seem so sure about this, either.”

  “They probably have the same thoughts we do. They’ll come around. If they don’t on their own, the activation will kick in soon enough.”

  Elara’s cool voice pulled us from our hushed conversation and we stood to greet her, tossing our coffee cups into the wastebasket.

  “Good day, Shepherds. Please, gather around.”

  Lorie mumbled a snarky remark while the others congregated around her to stand in front of Elara. Kale and I remained next to each other but gave her our attention.

  “The recruitment selection process begins now, and it will last approximately twelve weeks, depending on how quickly you make your selections and how long it takes for those recruits to complete their training. We will then begin transfer to Foundation Zero to commence permanent settlement. The suits you are wearing will equip you for your own training. They are flame resistant, water resistant, and bulletproof. You will be exposed to a number of conditions during training, so these suits are necessary and must be worn at all times. Are we clear?”

  We gave Elara a collective nod and I picked at the sleeve of my skintight, dark blue suit. The long sleeves and legs clung to me, but felt lightweight, like a second skin. The suit zipped straight up the back like a wetsuit, and the collar stopped just at the base of my neck, like a choker. My shoes were attached to the suit, and were thin and flexible, with strong traction.

  “Good,” she continued, threading her hands behind her back while she walked back and forth. “You will undergo both physical fitness and psychological training. We need to assess your boundaries, to find out what you are capable of and what your limits are. Your endurance, stamina, and psychological boundaries will all be pushed. The objective is to identify your strengths and weaknesses so each of you are as well prepared as possible, for the flight to Foundation Zero and what you might face when you arrive. It is important to keep in mind that all of your selections will be subject to one last approval process. Just because you choose a certain recruit does not guarantee that particular recruit will receive approval.”

  “What’s the point of having us do this, then?” Lorie piped up. “I thought we were so special to you, we get special privileges or some stupid crap.”

  The hum I’d come to recognize buzzed strangely from Elara’s throat, and she opened her mouth to speak. “Stand by.”

  “Oh, here we go,” Lorie chided, displaying the most gigantic, overdramatic eye roll I’d ever seen.

  “Clarification,” Elara finally got out, raising a pointed finger in the air. “You are important to our mission, but Skylla is privileged. She is the Seventh Shepherd. All of your recruit selections must earn her final approval before transfer to Foundation Zero.”

  The suspicious glances Kale and I had witnessed before Elara entered the room were nothing now compared to the looks I was getting from the other Shepherds. “Great,” I mumbled under my breath. Just what I needed. To be singled out.

  “What’s so special about being the Seventh?”

  Elara looked passive as she strolled past Lorie. For a second, I thought she was going to avoid her question, but she suddenly came to a stop and her mechanical gaze shifted to me. I pressed my lips together and began to fidget, awaiting Elara’s response. I was just as curious for this information as Lorie. Likely more.

  “The Seventh is sacred. Skylla comes from a lineage that means very much
to us. One of her ancestors was responsible for saving our species at one point in time. We owe him a great debt.”

  Everyone turned their focus on me, and I stopped fidgeting. “Wow … I …” I bit my lip and straightened, uncomfortable. It was one thing to be singled out in a group that didn’t want to be a group in the first place. It was another to have special treatment in that group. “An ancestor? Responsible for saving you? What does that have to do with me?”

  “You were chosen as the Seventh long ago, during Prototype Seven’s first phase.”

  “First phase?” Kale asked, his brow raising.

  “What your kind knows as ancient times,” Elara replied nonchalantly, as if what she said was common knowledge. “Not long after we created your prototype, a virus infected our ships. One of them crash-landed on your planet, and one of Skylla’s family members stumbled upon it. He was exceedingly skilled in medicine practices, in healing roots and herbs. He was very intelligent, quite the scientist of his day. He provided us with a cure. To show gratitude, the Maker placed a consecration on his blood, declaring that one in his lineage would someday be deemed the Seventh Shepherd for his prototype.” Elara glided forward to meet my eyes. She studied my face, her expression thoughtful, but still cold. “She is set apart. Among what you call us—the Invaders—only the Maker and Creators have permission to speak to her, or to make any kind of physical contact with her. You will do as she says.”

  Kale and I exchanged a glance at her admission, and I realized what Kale had suggested about me based on his knowledge of Keeper legends was true. Flashes of the Invader I’d shot in my backyard back in Morton rang clear in my mind. I wasn’t implanted then. It didn’t know who or what I was.

  “Well, well,” Lorie singsonged, crossing her arms over her chest. “Looks like we have another set of orders to follow. Isn’t that great, guys?” She plastered on a fake smile and I glared back at her, watching the sarcasm ooze from her pores.

  “I didn’t ask for this,” I hissed, not liking where this was headed.

  “Whatever you say, princess.” She raised her hands and returned her attention to Elara. “Okay, so you’re one of the Creators, then, I take it? You gonna tell us when we start this thing?”

  “Yes, I am. I have permission to interact with Skylla. I suppose we can begin now, if you all agree you are ready.”

  All of the Shepherds looked to one another in agreement, and Elara led us from the room. First up was a massive section that looked like a factory. Humans were ushered in from a set of wide chrome doors, then guided to a stand with two long, horizontal metal poles attached. The poles formed a walkway with a clear conveyor-belt floor pad. The humans stepped on, one by one, as their hips were punched with a mechanical needle. I instantly recognized the needle device.

  “This is where Prototype Seven recruits report for implantation. They arrive from your planet through there,” Elara pointed to an extended hangar deck full of Capsules, “and are implanted here, before being taken to recruitment quarters and placed into training sectors. Many of them were already implanted, for service on your planet’s training sectors. Here, we replace them with new chips, and upload them with new information for their journey to Foundation Zero.”

  “So … what about all of the training camps on our planet?” I asked, studying the humans as they were herded onto the conveyer belt like animals. Invaders directed them and they obeyed, completely unarmed and at their mercy. “You select the best from those camps and then send them here, to these sectors?”

  “Affirmative.”

  A woman being implanted stepped down off the conveyer track, and I was stunned to stillness at the sight behind her—Hera, motionless and sullen, being guided down the belt. The girl’s cheeks were moist, her eyes red and puffy. My gaze rose to find Jet right behind her. His face was gaunt, each line around his features dry and tight, as if he were dehydrated and in sore need of sleep. My heart hurt for them both, not because I felt anything for them personally, but because they were fellow humans and they were in pain.

  “Skylla,” Kale said, frantically tugging at my arm, “that’s them! Jet and Hera Phoenix.” He shot an accusatory glare at Elara. “You said we came alone. I told you about them and you denied it.”

  “They’re no longer important,” I said to Kale beneath my breath. “They’re just regular recruits, like all these other humans. Calm down.”

  “Calm down?” He lowered his head, his voice hushed. “But … they were our friends.”

  “Can you honestly look me in the eye right now and tell me you feel anything for those strangers? They were our friends. The keyword being were. They’re not anymore. Simple as that.”

  “No, I don’t really care about them, but I do care that Elara lied to us.”

  “At the time, it was necessary,” Elara butted in. “Skylla and I have already discussed the matter. There is nothing to be concerned about. Shall we move on?” She made eye contact with the other Shepherds and resumed playing tour guide while she strolled along. Lorie and the others kept sneaking glances over their shoulders at Kale and me as we tagged behind.

  “Why did they lie?” Kale asked, pulling me back a bit to create space between us and the others.

  “Elara said there was already too much tension when we first arrived.”

  “Yeah, I’ll give her that.”

  “So she wanted to speak to me about them privately, knowing I had a history with Jet. She took me to speak with them.”

  “And?”

  “And that’s it. She showed me the truth, replayed my past memories. I saw them all, just like a movie. Jet was the reason I was captured. He didn’t just collect me, he led the patrol team right to me. To men like the ones who tried to rape me in the prison cell before he and I escaped.”

  “Oh … sorry, Skylla.” He shrugged. “I thought he was a good guy.”

  “He also messed around with someone else in that Black Hole. Some blonde. Right after I’d been with him.”

  “Really?” Kale looked genuinely surprised now. “Wow. I took Jet Phoenix as a lot of things. A player wasn’t one of them.”

  “Me too. Oh well.” I rolled a shoulder. “Good thing I don’t feel anything for him anymore.”

  “Yeah,” Kale sent me a side-glance. “Good thing.”

  Neither Jet nor Hera said a word to us as we passed by them, which was fine by me. Only feeling vague recognition for these people, even though I knew I had a past with them, was beginning to feel awkward, like having only half a memory. Steering clear of them would help ease the discomfort and allow me to focus on my new mission, my new life. I was the Seventh Shepherd now. I was a Keeper, responsible for looking out for the human race, and now the Invaders needed me, too. They wanted to live on Foundation Zero together and offer us a new planet, and I would do what I needed to do to help make that happen.

  * * *

  “There’s no way I’m getting on that thing,” Lorie griped. A massive round wheel that resembled something like a hamster wheel greeted us when we entered the fitness training arena. The plain walls were—surprise, surprise—white. The entire arena was clean and distraction free, and windowless, unlike many other areas I’d seen in Lucenta so far. From the sleeping quarters to the hallways, every other area seemed surrounded by at least one wall of glass with an underwater view of the Pacific Ocean.

  “I second that,” I said, eyeing the treadmill device. Someone was caged inside, doing some cardio, while others were scattered around the rest of the arena using various weightlifting machines.

  “Today we will begin with physical fitness. You may begin where you wish,” Elara replied, holding out her hands to show us the wealth of fitness equipment. “As you make your way from station to station, be sure to observe the others. Get a feel for those you would like to recruit. Those who do not meet expectations will be shipped back to Prototype Seven at the completion of their testing.

  “Ah, before I leave you, one more thing.” Elara turned and summone
d a group of Invaders. Their agile legs carried them over to us, and they presented us with weapons. Elara watched us take the guns. “For your protection. You never know when you’ll need it.”

  “You …you trust us with weapons?” one of the male Shepherds asked. I’d heard Lorie call him Ray earlier. “None of the recruits seem to have them.”

  Elara tilted her head to look at Ray with a smug quirk of her lips, the expression unnatural. “Of course we trust you. You have pledged your commitment to your destiny.” She was right—and smart. Entrusting us with weapons was the perfect way to put our loyalty to the test. “Recruits are permitted to carry weapons upon completion of training. Shepherds are granted the luxury immediately.”

  “So … we just start working out and introducing ourselves?” Kale asked, cocking a brow.

  “Affirmative.”

  Elara left us to it and the seven of us stood there, shoulder to shoulder, looking out at the massive workout arena.

  “Well,” Kale said, scratching his head. “This should be interesting.”

  Interesting? More like … incredibly boring.

  Lorie cursed under her breath and strode across the room, slinking away somewhere in the far right-hand side, near the elliptical machines. Ray and the other Shepherds slowly weaved their way around the treadmill crowd and split up into different sections throughout the arena.

  “What do you say, partner?” Kale asked. “How about we take a stroll and see what catches our eye?” He extended an arm and I slipped mine through it. He extended a hand with a little fake bow, gesturing for me to lead the way.

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  We walked the perimeter arm in arm, checking out each workout station as we went. I sighed.

  Exhilarating stuff.

  I stopped when I spotted a boxing ring. Hitting stuff sounded good right about now. “How about that?” I asked.

  “You ever fight?”

  “I could learn, I guess.” Kale agreed, and we climbed the side of the ring to wait our turn and watch the others. We lined up behind a guy and a girl, who both were less than thrilled to see us.