“Okay.” He was satisfied with the explanation. “And who were the people who were trying to kill me?”
“Well, there's no simple answer to that question,” the silver-haired woman said. “That was another organisation called 'Black Dawn'.”
Roman cocked his head to one side, then suddenly started laughing, perhaps a little delirious from his recent experience. “Black Dawn and White Shadow?” he mocked. “Who thought of those names?”
Skye turned to Ren and saw the anger on her face. White Shadow was a group she was proud of; she didn't take well to hearing him ridicule its existence.
“I started White Shadow years ago,” she said sternly. “I started it because I had seen enough corruption and wanted to make a difference.”
Her furious glare pierced straight through Roman, making him feel very uncomfortable all of a sudden.
“We fight for justice and peace,” Skye added, trying to diffuse the tension. “I suppose you could call us vigilantes.”
“And you clearly haven't seen the things we've seen,” Ren spat. “We just saved your life, so show me some respect.”
Roman nodded nervously, apologetic for his burst of laughter.
“How do you do the things that you do?” he asked, changing the subject. He turned to Skye and remembered seeing his floating sword earlier.
“I'm afraid I'll have to give you the abridged version of the story,” Ren said, a sense of urgency in her voice. She was eager to return to her desk and attempt to fix the mess that Skye had made. “We're running out of time, and you're in for a long night. Skye and I run White Shadow. Black Dawn is run by Nikolai, who you met earlier. He used to work with us, but he started his own counter-faction. Nikolai believes that he can eliminate all evil in society by having everyone live in a constant state of fear, whereas we believe that people deserve free will to make their own decisions. Nikolai is willing to kill to get what he wants, and he will kill you if you don't defend yourself.”
“Why does he want to kill me? I'm not evil. Did I fail his test before?”
“Most likely,” Skye said. “What did he discuss with you in the restaurant?”
Roman shrugged. “He asked me about my views on freedom.”
Ren rolled her eyes. “That was the same process he put Juliet through. If he had seen you as an ally, he would've recruited you. But he obviously saw you as a potential threat that may overthrow him, so he tried to have you killed.”
Roman's head started to spin. “How could I possibly overthrow him?” he asked, his gaze shifting down to the table. The question was more for himself than for the others.
Skye exchanged a glance with Ren, then turned back to Roman. “You're a shengxian, like us.”
Roman looked back up at the pair. “A what?”
“A shengxian. Or an 'elite', as Nikolai puts it,” Skye explained. “Someone whose mind, body, and spirit have evolved. Someone who has undergone an immense transformation and is then able to reach a higher plane of human consciousness. The mind evolves, and so does the body, allowing you to do things that no ordinary man or woman ever could.”
Roman's jaw dropped as he tried to comprehend what was being said. “This must be a joke. I'm not evolved. I just had a recent realisation and then—”
“Exactly,” Skye interrupted. “But more of a revelation than a realisation. You were finally able to understand the true meaning of life, and your mind has never felt more free, has it? You feel like you're one with existence itself.”
The words startled Roman. His recent experience was unlike anything that he'd ever felt before, and it amazed him that this group of people were able to understand everything he felt and express it so accurately. He nodded, agreeing with Skye.
“We need to hurry this along,” Ren said. “We'd usually deliver a more heartfelt speech, but we don't have time for this right now.”
“Why? What's happening?” Roman asked, starting to sense the urgency.
Ren looked first to Skye, and then back to Roman. “Tonight, we're going to kill the president.”
Twelve
Sweat began to bead on his forehead as Adam Price stared at the computer monitor in the new security command centre. He had just finished scanning two hours' worth of footage of numerous personnel entering Government House. All of them were faces he recognised. He scoured for the two mysterious people who sat in the president's chamber earlier that day, but had so far uncovered nothing.
He rubbed his eyes, confused as to what events could possibly be unfolding. He turned away briefly and looked at another monitor, which showed a live feed of the entrance to the villa. Several staff members were carrying in bags and equipment. It was nothing short of unprecedented that the president had ordered them to relocate to the beachside villa in Dongtan Qu. While it appeared to be a large stronghold, its security was inferior to that of Government House, which was safely located in the neighbouring Zhengfu district.
Adam was alone with the head of the Presidential Guard, who was referred to as Guard One. All members of the Guard were military trained and were to refrain from using their real names. They were simply employed to protect and, if need be, die for their leader. Approximately two dozen were stationed all across the villa at both random and strategic positions while the vast remainder were ordered to remain behind in Government House until further notice.
Guard One finished scanning the footage. “Nothing, sir. No young woman with a scarf, and no large man with tattoos.”
“This doesn't make any sense,” Adam muttered. “How did they get inside? There's only one way inside that room.”
A knock on the door interrupted the confusion. A middle-aged woman entered the room with a concerned look on her face.
“What is it, Adam?” she asked. “Why did you ask me here?”
“Quiet,” he whispered as he closed the door behind her. “I need your help, Karen.”
“Okay,” she said as she glanced down at the time on her wrist comm. Karen Bowden was the president's deputy counsel, and had worked alongside Adam for many years inside Government House. “So, why are we in this dark room?”
“This room is going to be the new security command centre for the Guard,” One explained. “Well, at least while we're stationed here.” The room lacked the size of the former centre, but there were few free rooms in the villa that could accommodate the electronics required to observe and monitor the premises. At present, only a sole computer and two monitors had been set up. The remainder of the equipment was still in transit.
“And why am I in here?” Karen asked, impatient.
“Because something's happening, and I don't know who I can trust,” Adam explained.
Karen raised an eyebrow at her colleague. “Well of course you can trust me, Adam! But you'll need to start talking; I have a lot to do today and can't stay long.”
“Two people were sitting in the chamber earlier, back in Government House,” he began, not wasting any more time introducing the problem they faced. “I walked in to speak with the president and they were already there, but there were no names on the manifest, and there's no sign of them entering the building on the surveillance feed.”
“Right,” Karen said, beginning to understand the situation. “Who were they? Have you seen them before?”
“No,” he resumed in a quiet tone. “They wore plain clothes. I think they were ordinary civilians, but the president seemed very flustered when I walked in.”
“Well they couldn't possibly have gotten into that room without authorisation. Did you ask the Guard who they were?”
“Yes, but none of them saw anyone enter or leave the room, except for the president. I went back in there later and the room was empty. The Guard were still in place too, and said that no one else had left except for the president.”
“Okay,” she said, trying to think of a logical explanation. “You could always ask the president himself. He obviously knows who they are.”
“No, he's not here. He le
ft the villa, Karen. The manifest says that he signed out ten minutes and has a dozen of the Guard assigned to escort him, but they're all still here!”
“It's true,” Guard One confirmed. “None of my staff have left the villa or Government House, but the manifest says the president is being escorted.”
Karen let out a large gasp as she placed a hand over her mouth. Her heart began to pound as she realised they may now have a national crisis on their hands. “Quickly, alert all of the Guard now! We need to find him!”
“No,” Adam said, “not yet. That's why only the three of us know. I think there is something bigger happening than we realise.”
“What!” Karen snapped. “Adam, the president of Athenia is missing. We need to report this immediately. It could be an act of aggression against the state or the Union.”
“I think he's fine,” he said, trying to ease her fears, “but he may be under duress. I believe it has something to do with those two individuals from the chamber. And this.” He gestured at their surroundings. “Why would he choose a private villa over Government House? None of it makes any sense.”
Karen nodded, believing that her colleague may be correct. The new president had insisted that the villa on the Athenian coast would offer greater security than Government House due to its inconspicuousness. Only his direct staff and the Guard with the highest clearance had been ordered to accompany him, however, with the vast majority of personnel still working at the usual headquarters, completely unaware that he wasn't even there. Those working in the villa were forbidden from disclosing the information or their location to anyone.
“So what should we do?” she asked, beginning to panic.
“That's why we need your help. We don't know how to proceed. He won't be roaming the streets on his own. We need to find a way to locate him. We've been watching footage from Government House to see if we could follow the pair from the chamber.”
“What about his tracker?” Karen asked. “Is it active?”
Adam shook his head. “It hasn't been implanted yet; not until after he is officially sworn into office.”
Karen opened her mouth, about to suggest the option of locating him via his comm, but remembered that all government communicators were encrypted for security.
An idea suddenly came to Guard One after thinking for a moment. “Let's search for his limousine,” he suggested. “His limousine's tracker will be active.”
“Excellent idea!” Adam said. “Let's hope that he's taken the vehicle with him.”
One slid his fingers along the touchscreen and typed in several commands. Within seconds, a map of the island projected onto the wall in front of them, showing a bright red dot in Xifeng Qu, located on the western end of the city.
“What's he doing out there?” Karen asked aloud. “And how could he possibly have gotten there in ten minutes?”
Adam stared at the projection and wondered the same thing himself. In the years that he'd known the new president, Archibald was not one to break protocol. “I'm not sure, but we need to bring him back at once. Arrange for a contingent of the Guard to meet me in the garage,” Adam ordered One. “And don't share this with anyone.” He walked out of the room.
“I'm coming with you,” Karen said, following closely behind. The sudden news of Archibald's disappearance had come as a shock to her, and if the president was indeed in any danger, the threat had to be eliminated immediately.
Thirteen
“Juliet will have to take over,” Ren said, walking away from the table with Skye right behind. “We need to start preparing for tonight.”
Roman sat at the table, even more wide-eyed and bewildered than before. “Wait, you want to ... kill the president? Have you lost your mind! You're no better than the people trying to kill me!”
“That's not true,” Juliet said with a smirk as she walked over and sat opposite Roman. She looked reassuringly into his eyes, trying to convince him that everything will be alright. “I didn't really believe them at first either.”
Roman began to calm down. He found it easier to trust someone from his generation. “Your accent—you're Athenian?”
She nodded. “I was born here. My parents emigrated from Lanesia.”
“Mine too.” It brought Roman even more comfort to know that he was in the presence of one of his compatriots. Everyone else he'd met that day were foreigners. “How long have you been here? With them, I mean. In this warehouse.”
“About three months,” she said. “Black Dawn almost killed me too.” She turned her gaze momentarily to Ren, who was busy studying her monitor. “White Shadow came to my rescue.”
“But why do you want to kill the president? I thought you said you were vigilantes.”
“Of course. But the president is corrupt and dangerous.”
It took Roman a few seconds to react. He raised an eyebrow, wondering if perhaps she'd been brainwashed by these strange people. “You can not be serious. You're trying to tell me that the new president is dangerous?”
“Absolutely,” Skye called from his office bedroom, overhearing the conversation. He appeared in the doorway. “Archie poses a huge threat to this country. And the world, for that matter. Trust us on this one.”
Roman shook his head at the ludicrous accusation. “No. I voted for Archie. His policies are genuine, and I really can't see him being corrupt. He's always smiling on the news, and donating money, and helping people! He promised to make Athenia a safer place for everyone.”
Silence filled the room as the others stared at Roman.
“What?” he asked innocently. “What did I say?”
“Roman,” Skye said with a slight grin, walking out from the doorway. “I know Archie seems like he has good intentions, but that couldn't be further from the truth. If you knew what other policies he had planned, you'd feel the same way.”
“What policies?” Roman frowned and crossed his arms. “Tell me why you don't trust him.”
“Later. It's a long story. Oh, and be careful when you watch the news. The media is completely operated by the Athenian government. Archie makes his own news.”
Roman buried his head in his hands. For a moment, he was actually starting to believe what these people were saying. But their fear of the new president suddenly dissolved a great deal of their credibility for the young man.
“You're conspiracy theorists,” he finally said. “Please don't tell me that you're hiding from the government.”
Skye took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. It had been a difficult topic for discussion when they first met Juliet too, especially considering that she, much like Roman, had lived a certain way for her entire life, and was only now being told the truth. Skye knew that they needed to get Roman up to speed quickly.
“We're not hiding from anyone,” Skye said. “We were fully supportive of the former government; it's just Archie we don't trust.”
“And so you're going to kill him?” Roman fired back. “You're going to stage some sort of coup?” He stood up and began walking to the door. “You people are crazy!”
He tried to open the front door, only to have Skye appear in front of him and block his path. Roman yelped with fright.
“We're not crazy,” Skye said in a reasoning tone with his hands held up. “If you had seen what we've seen, then you'd know that we're fighting for the right reasons.”
“I ... I'm not killing anyone!” Roman stammered, stepping backwards. “I just want to go home.”
“No,” Ren called from the other side of the room without looking up, dismissing the idea at once. Her gaze was still fixed on her large computer monitors.
“If you go outside, you'll be killed,” Skye said flatly. He tried to deliver a more compassionate dialogue, but there was much work that needed to be done, and Roman was adapting to the situation at a typically slow pace. “Black Dawn will be looking for you. The only chance you have to survive is to stay with myself or Ren. You were almost killed before, but there's only one reason why
he let you live ...”
“Because you people saved me?” Roman groaned. He looked across at Juliet, whose smile had disappeared.
“Far from it,” Skye said. “We don't stand a chance against him. He let you live for ...” he paused as he tried to find an appropriate explanation, “his own enjoyment. I suppose you could say that he likes to play games with us.” He turned around and walked back into his room, preparing himself for the battle ahead.
Roman raised an eyebrow at the dramatic statement. “What do you mean he let me live? You were there. You stopped him!”
“He knew we were there the entire time,” Skye called from his room. “Believe me, if he really wanted you dead, you'd be killed instantly. He would've sent Tahlia into the restaurant; not Night. He knew that we'd intervene. He's hunting you slowly.”
“Skye's right,” Ren called. “Nikolai is a man who thinks himself a god. He despises the idea of living a wasted life, so he'll spend his eternity playing this endless game with us.”
Roman's face once again became contorted with confusion. “What do you mean his 'eternity'?”
“Oh, they didn't tell you?” Juliet gasped.
“Tell me what!” he shouted, his impatience boiling over. He returned to his chair and slumped into it. “No one's told me anything! I don't understand any of this.”
Ren walked back over to the table, unconvinced by Skye and Juliet's method of bringing the newcomer up to speed. She crouched next to Roman so that she could look him in the eye. “Those who have evolved have cells that can regenerate at a very rapid rate. It allows us to heal quicker than usual. It also means that we don't age.”
“So ...” Roman paused, speculative of the absurd suggestion, “you're saying you can live forever?”
She nodded. “Pending that nothing else kills us, yes.”
“What do you mean? If you're immortal, how can you die?” Roman was once again vexed by the information.
Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets) Page 7
