Paradise Awakened Trilogy

by Mackenzie Morris

  "Yes. Foam. It's about scaring them and humiliating them, not killing them. It's all in the name of fun."

  "Except for the guy getting hit with foam swords."

  "Eh, they're given enough whiskey beforehand that they don't remember it most of the time anyway."

  * * *

  Jarred finishes shaving and wipes away the shaving cream. It feels so good to be moderately clean again, but his elation is soon negated when he looks at himself in the mirror. Seeing himself here alone after years with Jayce is the worst feeling he's ever had to endure. He hasn't been his own man since he was fourteen. It has been Jarred and Jayce. Now it's just Jarred and he has no idea how to be just himself, without Jayce there to keep him grounded and regulated. He kisses the bullet around his neck and combs through his blonde hair. He might keep it long, curled on his shoulders. He could always put it up in a ponytail or braid it like Isidore used to do with his.

  No. He can't keep it. Jarred picks up the electric razor and cuts his hair shorter than it was before. Long hair reminds him far too much of being a prisoner. Now he will keep it short as a sign of his freedom. Once it's a little longer than a buzz cut, he runs his hand over it and manages a tiny smile. He looks like his father. Maybe his father would be proud of him. He even has his father's bright hazel eyes. Either way, his father should be happy now. Jarred and Jayce are no longer together.

  He turns the water on and takes his first shower in two months. It feels so good to scrub away the dust from that cave, washing away the past so he can start his new life on his own. The last shower he took was with Jayce, but now he will do this and everything else alone. As he shampoos his hair, he bites his lip to keep from crying. Oh, what the hell. Who's going to see him crying? Even if they did, the water will mask it. He can't keep these emotions bottled up anymore. This will be the last time he cries for Jayce.

  * * *

  Doss has just finished his morning run and he feels better than he ever has. He returns to his apartment an hour before sunrise. He is sure to be quiet and not wake up Katarina who is still asleep and bundled up under the covers. As he takes off his shirt and pulls some clothes out of his dresser, he notices something out on the balcony. What the hell? He goes to the glass door and slides it open. "Do I want to know why you are all out here?"

  Zach jumps up from where he was passed out under the table. "Oh shit."

  "Hey, Doss." Velex waves at him and studies his shot glass as if he's expecting there to be more vodka inside.

  Doss crosses his arms and leans in the doorway. "How long have you all been out here?"

  "What time is it?" Kazimir asks as he picks popcorn out of his hair.

  "Almost six."

  "In the morning?"

  "Yes."

  Zach starts giggling and crawls over to his backpack. He pulls out two other bottles of vodka. "We have to finish these now. You were right. Nice stamina, Doss."

  He only shakes his head. Pathetic. And creepy. Don't forget creepy. "Go home, all of you. Except Velex. You're supposed to be coming to breakfast with me, right? Isn't inspection in an hour?"

  Velex groans as he shakily stands and holds onto the railing for support. "What time is it?"

  "I already told you that it's six in the morning."

  "Let me take a shower in your apartment and we'll go to lunch later. We can put off inspection for one day."

  "Nice. So because you're drunk off your ass, the military has to suffer."

  "No one has ever suffered from getting a few extra hours of sleep." Velex says.

  "You're not getting ready here. Katarina is still asleep."

  "So you did go to sleep last night."

  "What we did or did not do last night is none of your business." Doss turns back to the others and glares at them. "Leave now."

  They scramble to their feet and stumble out onto the beach. Unbelievable. Doss goes back inside.

  "Please let me come in." Velex begs, looking very pathetic.

  "Fine. Just be silent. Okay?"

  "Right."

  * * *

  Doss and Velex look up from their lunch in the café as a man in a tan trench coat with a golden triangle and daisy symbol embroidered on the back and bright orange sideburns steps up to the table.

  The man bows. "I have returned from Paradise and I am willing to join forces with the IGR military to put an end to this senseless slaughter."

  Doss jumps up and embraces the man. "Samuels! We thought for sure that you had died."

  "Close, but they couldn't keep me locked up in that cave."

  "In a cave? For two months?"

  "Yep. If it wasn't for Jarred, I know I would have given up hope long ago."

  "Jarred? Jarred Cunningham?" Doss asks.

  "The same. He was kept in the same room as I was."

  "Did he get out with you?"

  "He's here." Samuels says. "We got him an apartment in this building, actually. He's been cleared by medical, but he's going to need some time alone to recover and salvage some of his mental health."

  "At least he has Jayce to help him."

  Samuels pulls up a chair to the table and sits with them. "Um . . . Jayce didn't return with us."

  "I'll take the questions about this." Jarred says as he comes up to the table and joins them.

  "Jarred, you look-"

  "Terrible? Thanks. I feel terrible. Velex, will the IGR military accept me as a sniper? I can be a good asset to the cause and with you in charge, I know that something will be done against Clark and his evil Blood Force. I want revenge. I will not let Jayce's sacrifice be in vain."

  "Are you sure you're ready to get back out there already?" Velex asks as he finishes his fifth cup of coffee. "The military is strict and we can't have you not pulling your weight."

  "I'm sure. Jayce was never one for moping around. He'd always get onto me for being whiny. I can still hear him complaining under his breath in French about me. He would want me to keep fighting. So that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna pick up my rifle and keep fighting."

  "You talk about him like he's dead." Velex says.

  "Jayce is dead to me. I know there's no way we can ever be together again so it's easier on both of us to just move on."

  "That must be a difficult decision for you."

  "If I'm going to have any sort of mental stability and be able to function, then I have to let him go." Jarred says. "It's killing me inside, but moving on is the only way to do this. I will always love Jayce and I'll treasure the memories of our life together, but just like everything else in life, I have to toughen up and fight through it. Life isn't about the happy times or love. It's voracious and brutal. Only the strong survive. Jayce makes me weak so I have to leave him behind."

  "But it's always been Jarred and Jayce." Doss says.

  "There is no Jarred and Jayce. There is just Jarred. I'm alone."

  Velex sighs and rubs his eyes. "Just give me a direct and unclouded answer. Did Jayce die?"

  "For all intents and purposes, Jayce is dead. I'm going to be my own person. I had to learn how to be by myself and independent of him sometime. I had thought it would be much later in life if it ever had to happen, but I'll adjust. He's alive, but not doing well at all."

  "I'm so sorry. Are you sure there's nothing you can do? Where is Jayce?"

  "Jayce is now Jophiel, an archon. He's enslaved down in Paradise and if he leaves, then he dies. Clark and Gabriel have him trapped there. We said goodbye. Now drop it. Jayce and I are over. We're done."

  "If you could get a divorce up here, would you?" Velex asks.

  "There's no point in getting a divorce if he's dead."

  "But he's not-"

  "To me, Jayce is dead." Jarred insists. "He will never be the man I married. Even if I found a way to get him out of there, he's not Jayce. Now stop talking about it. I'm going to the gun range."

  "Let us help you." Velex says. "You've been through so much."

  "Are you trying to say that being a hostage for two
months affected my mind? I won't fight about that with you. I already know that something is screwed up, but I can't dwell on it. I've seen what PTSD can do to a person. It's not pretty. If it happens to me, then I'll do what I can when it happens. Right now, I want to forget about Paradise. That place was hell for me."

  Doss notices a bandage under Jarred's shirt. "What happened to your chest?"

  "Some kind of black demon wolf clawed me down in Paradise. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered. Got me pretty good. Had to get something like two hundred stitches. It's not pretty."

  "Did the wolf have red eyes?" Doss asks.

  "The most frightening red eyes ever."

  "Cain is Abel's brother. He's Gabriel's wolf."

  "And I'm guessing Abel is your wolf?" Jarred asks.

  "Yep. They were made at the same time by the robotics department and given to us as gifts."

  "Ever been afraid that Cain will kill Abel? You know, like in the Bible?"

  "More than you will ever know."

  "Oh, that's right. You're hardcore religious."

  Doss shrugs his shoulders and takes a bite of watermelon. "That's not really appreciated up here on this planet."

  Velex wipes his mouth on his napkin. "Oh, you two don't know yet, but Doss is a married man."

  "Really? Who's the lucky lady?"

  "Your android." Doss says.

  "Kat? You married Katarina?"

  "I couldn't really ask for your permission."

  "No, it's okay. I'm just surprised. Wait. What happened to Byron?"

  Doss looks down at his water glass. He can't say it.

  Velex eventually speaks up. "Suicide."

  Jarred doesn't respond.

  Velex slides an envelope across the table from his jacket pocket. "Your grandfather wanted you to have this. It's all he had and he left it to you. It should help you get on your feet until your initiation."

  "Thanks." Jarred opens it and shakes his head. "Why would he leave this to me instead of Katarina?"

  "I suppose you don't know about Isidore's death. You know how Katarina was watching the monitors and giving clearance for engagements? Well, she neglected to tell Byron that Isidore was in an IGR uniform. Then there was a mix up with the holographic map. In the end, Byron killed Isidore because he thought and was told that he was an enemy."

  "I see." Jarred slips the envelope into the pocket in his cargo pants. "Let's talk about something else. I've had far too much soul-crushing news lately. So, Doss, how was your wedding night?"

  Doss blushes. "Good."

  "Did you actually lose your virginity?"

  He nods his head as he hides his face in embarrassment. "I broke one of my vows, but I think I'll have to forget about that one."

  "You didn't only consummate the marriage, right?"

  "We didn't stop there."

  Velex pats him on the back. "There ya go. I knew you had it in you. You didn't cry, did you?"

  "I'll never tell. And now, I'm changing the subject."

  A high pitched siren breaks the calm midday quietness. Velex jumps up and grabs his jacket. "Come on, Doss. Get to the airfield."

  "What's that sound?" Samuels asks.

  "An air raid siren."

  25

  Doss runs out into the street just as the first bombs fall. The ground shakes as people run by screaming and begging anyone in uniform for help. Clouds of smoke and dust fill the air above the busy streets. A loud crash nearby sends panicked citizens running out of a collapsing store. Doss looks up to the sky as the formation of seven space fighters speed by, all with the gas mask symbol of the Blood Force painted unashamedly on their sides and underneath. No. Surely not even Clark would be this stupid. Bombing his own planet? And for what? What crazy plan could Clark possibly be trying to accomplish with this traitorous display?

  Velex runs by, grabbing Doss's arm and pulling him along as he goes. "Get to my office. Let the police tend to these people. We are needed elsewhere."

  "What's going on?"

  "No idea."

  "Those were Blood Force fighters." Doss says.

  "The Blood Force doesn't have fighters. They hijacked ours."

  They keep running until they reach the building where Velex's office is. Before they scan their key cards in the hologram at the front door, an all too familiar voice comes over the speakers for all of Himmel to hear.

  "Greetings, citizens of Himmel. This is your beloved Reichsleiter Adam Clark. I hope our presents found you in good condition. Don't worry. These were just intended to scare you and nothing more. However, if you don't want more and bigger bombs to fall in four hours, we have a short list of demands. Chancellor Dressler, if you value your beloved little planet of Himmel, I require you to send Vice Admiral Doss out to Verloren where he will face justice for his crimes. Gabriel is waiting for him. Make your next moves carefully, Hans. You may be Chancellor, but how much are you willing to sacrifice to protect one archon? That's really all we're asking. So it's not even a list. We just want Doss."

  Velex swipes his key card through the hologram and half drags Doss across the hall to his office. "Get in here and sit down. I don't know what to do. For the first time as admiral, I don't have a plan."

  "There's nothing to think about. We can't just ignore Clark. You heard him yourself. All they want is me. Let's give them what they asked for."

  Velex locks his door and goes to his desk. "I refuse to negotiate with those traitors. And beyond that, I will not use you as a pawn or a bargaining chip to be thrown away for the pleasure of terrorists. Your life is worth so much more than that."

  Doss slams his fist on Velex's desk. "Let me make this decision. If it concerns my life and my future, then I believe that I should be the one make the call."

  "Whether it impacts your life directly or not, I am still you superior, Doss. You have no right to speak to me like that."

  "This is no time for you to strut around and show off your authority like some kind of pretentious peacock. We need decisions now or more people will die and their blood will be on your hands."

  "How dare you?" Velex pulls out his whip then delivers a quick and precise cut to Doss's face, adding a second scar directly below the first that hasn't even healed yet.

  Doss places his hand on his cheek as the blood streaks down his face and dots his cuirass with crimson. He is in shock. Did Velex really just do that again? He grits his teeth and locks eyes with Velex for a tense and silent moment that stretches on for an eternity.

  Velex raises the whip again.

  "Do it."

  "Don't tempt me. I will give you the punishment you deserve."

  Doss draws his sword and spreads his wings. "I dare you to try."

  "Are you threatening me?"

  "It's only a threat if I don't follow through with it." Doss removes his silver sash and his cape then tosses them on Velex's desk. He's done with this and with all of these ridiculous rules and regulations. He refuses to be a part of this kind of bureaucratic runaround that will only serve to get millions of innocent citizens killed in the process. If Velex and the military won't take action and do what needs to be done, then Doss won't be a part of it any longer. "I quit."

  "You can't quit." Velex says. "You pledged your life to the IGR military. If you leave now, you'll be deserting."

  "So be it."

  "Do you know what we do to deserters? We're officially at war, Doss. If you abandon your duties now, you will be guilty of treason. Choose your next words carefully."

  Doss clenches his hand tightly around the hilt of his sword. "Go to hell and take your military with you."

  With one fluid motion, Velex jumps over his desk at lunges at Doss who holds up his sword and unleashes a blast of air. The force of it knocks Velex back against the wall. Doss takes this opportunity to draw one of his laser pistols and take a shot. The light-infused nanobots eat a tiny hole in the wall, just inches from Velex's shoulder.

  "Trying to kill me now?" Velex asks as he draws his o
wn laser pistol.

  "You're a T.I.M.E. This will hurt you a lot more than it will me."

  "If you can hit my microchip. With you, all I have to do is hit your wings. Get running, archon."

  The snap of the whip catches Doss's attention, but it's too late. The leather wraps around his ankle and with one quick pull from Velex, he falls flat on his face. Before he can crawl away or gain his bearings, Velex is on top of him and the whip slices three more times across Doss's face. He closes his eyes and feels the blood pouring from the cuts. Neither one of them moves or says a word. Doss's heart is pounding in his chest as Velex sits on top of him and minutes tick by, the sound of the clock on the wall is the only sound breaking the newfound eerie silence.

  Velex gasps as he gets off of Doss and throws his whip down on the floor. "Oh my God."

  Doss coughs and spits out blood. He presses his arm against the new cuts in his face and holds it out. Four lines of dark blood. He just received his fifth disciplinary scar. So Velex has officially marked him for death.

  "I didn't mean to." Velex says as he stares at Doss's blood on his hands.

  "So what happens now?"

  "Normally, you'd be put to death or at the very least, you'd be exiled."

  Doss wipes away his blood on his arm. "And which one will you pick?"

  * * *

  "Jarred!" Katarina runs to him and embraces him. "Where have you been?"

  "Down in Paradise." Jarred says. He comes into the apartment and tosses down his backpack.

  "This entire time?"

  "Yes. I was kept as a prisoner."

  Katarina glances out into the hallway before closing the door. "Where's Jayce?"

  "Jayce isn't in the picture anymore. He's down in Paradise with no way out. He has to stay there connected to the security network or he'll die. So it's just me now."

  "Are you going to find a way to get him back?"

  Jarred goes over to the glass door overlooking the beach. "No."

  "Don't you love him?"

  "Of course I love him. I love Jayce with every part of my being. That's why I have to let him go. It does neither one of us any good to continually be consumed by wishing we could be with each other. It's over. That's final. Jayce is dead. In my mind and in my soul, Jayce died when I left Earth and he's never coming back."