Frozen Fire

by Wendy L. Koenig

  Torenz let her keep the shuttle cart after she promised she wouldn’t drive like a maniac. True to her word, she flew it carefully, parking in the corner of her room. She clutched the journal close to her stomach beneath her shirt as she crept to the door and shut it. She’d need a hiding place. Looking around the room, her gaze lit on the bottom drawer of the dresser. It would be one of the first places anyone would look. She needed someplace improbable.

  Shuffling to her little shuttle cart, she realized it was the perfect solution. She could send it back to where it belonged and then, when she wanted the journal, she could beg tiredness and have the cart brought to her.

  There was no real hiding place in the riding compartment. The gaps beside and beneath the seat were too obvious as was behind the front console. Denefe turned on the machine and then dropped to her knees. With the cart hovering, she saw the bottom was a solid plate. However, there was a small gap toward the front where the tow compartment opened. After flipping it out, she removed the tow cable before she slid the journal in its place. There was just enough room to wedge the cable back in front of it. Perfect.

  She turned off the shuttle cart.

  She pulled herself to her feet and scooted to the dresser. Face-to-face, as she was, with the down-turned photo of her parents, she hesitated. She understood, now, the reasons for being abandoned. She stood the frame upright on the dresser against the wall. It wasn’t their fault. They’d wanted to bring her and Kaleen.

  Hanging the photo would wait ‘til later. Right now, she was beat.

  Once she reached her bed, it took no time for her to fall asleep.

  It didn’t seem like it lasted long, though. It felt as if almost immediately Kaleen’s voice began an incessant chant in her mind. “Denefe, where are you?”

  “Here. I’m here.” Denefe mumbled against her pillow, eyes still closed. Realizing she’d answered only out loud, she struggled to a sitting position. “I was asleep.”

  “Asleep? I thought it would be afternoon there.”

  “It is. It was just an exhausting morning.” She glanced at her nightstand and noted the presence of a food tray. Lunch? Supper? “At least I think it’s still afternoon.”

  “Do we need to discuss that dress more? Are you done obsessing?”

  Did they need to keep to the code? Denefe checked on Torenz in her mind. He was thinking about someone he spoke with, a paramour? She considered. It was impossible for a telepath to think and read someone at the same time. He seemed plenty distracted with his girlfriend, whoever she was. However, he could periodically stop and check on her, so she’d have to check on him occasionally too. “No, I’m done with the dress, for now. I think we should keep our conversations to the middle of the night from now on.”

  “Okay. I have news. According to the recorder in that metronome, the guy was conducting some kind of investigation into a rumor about an underground city from the future.”

  Denefe’s pulse quickened. Why would someone from Egypt know about an underground city in the Gobi Desert? “What else?” She checked on Torenz again. Still deep into flirting.

  Kaleen said, “The recordings are just interviews of people who had heard the legend.”

  “No one who has been there?”

  “Not that I heard. Do you suppose they’re talking about your location?”

  “Must be. Which means I’m not in the Gobi Desert. It makes me wonder if this underground city is still there, in your time.”

  “I can ask around.”

  She checked Torenz again. Still safe. “Be careful. It could be a secret base. I’ve never heard of it. It’s called Definitive Headquarters.”

  “Gotcha. How are you feeling?”

  “Better. I’m mobile at least.” She put her hand on her forehead and paused. “I have news for you too. It seems there’s a lot we were told about our family that isn’t true.”

  “Like what?”

  Staring at her parents’ photo, Denefe told her sister about them and how they came to be at the facility in the past. “I’m not sure yet how they died, but I’ll find out. Some kind of accident.”

  “Wow. Do you know why the people at GlobeX lied to us?”

  “Not yet, but I assume it has something to do with what I’m going to tell you next.”

  “Should I sit down?”

  “Maybe. We have a brother.” Denefe winced, waiting for Kaleen’s reaction, but when her sister said nothing, she told her about Torenz being a triplet, the DNA test, and the reason for the separation of the family. After she finished, they were both silent.

  After a few moments, Kaleen said, “Well, I’m glad I sat for that one. When do I get to meet him?”

  Denefe laughed. “When? Funny, given our current circumstances.” She checked on Torenz again. He was still happily distracted. “Kaleen, here’s the thing—I’m not sure I entirely trust him.”

  “Okay, now the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up straight. Can you tell me why you feel this way?”

  “No, not really. He’s just cagey. For example, he’s been listening to us for years, but has never made any attempt to contact us.”

  “So…?”

  “I don’t know. I just think he’s hiding a lot from us.”

  “Like…?”

  “Like about our parents. He won’t let me borrow their journals. Like about the rift being only one way. That one may be true. He says we’re too deep in the desert to try to find a different route home. A desert that he told me was the Gobi, but might not be.”

  “I see. So, if there is no way to contact anyone outside, how did the legend of the underground city from the future get started? How did they get you from the outside to the inside?”

  “My point.” Denefe shrugged as if her sister could see her.

  “Looks like we both have homework.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes and then said goodbye. Denefe lay back down and checked on her brother. His girlfriend must be some kind of girl to keep him so involved for so long. The only one close enough to his age was Jileah.

  She didn’t remember seeing any possible exits to the desert during Torenz’s tour. She’d ask her…brother…for another one and pay more attention. She’d have to tread carefully. Figure out a way to find out what she needed without hitting any of his road blocks.

  Of course she wouldn’t have to worry about him if Kaleen could find out something about the facility from her end. That would be spectacular.

  Chapter 27

  Espionage

  Torenz wound through the hallways to his secret lab in long, measured strides, his footsteps echoing thickly from the tight, gray walls.

  Something was up.

  He’d been visiting Jileah, like he occasionally did, and it had gone well. He’d discovered trouble, however, when he headed to his own quarters. Checking in on Denefe, he’d found her in a tizzy about something he couldn’t follow, her thoughts all over the place. She’d begin a sentence and stop in the middle of it. Then she’d start a new one.

  “Those recordings—”

  “What was—”

  “Why would—”

  “Staphershire—”

  He’d turned on a dime and had immediately made for his hidden desk, nodding to people he passed, waving to those deep in their labs, but not stopping to chit-chat. He had a mission. If he was right, his boss would want to know what was going on.

  Still, Denefe’s mind filled with rapid-fire, fragmented thoughts. Nothing connected. It was as if she was doing it intentionally. Which she would, if she suspected someone was listening. With a growl, he left her mind. He was getting nowhere. There was, however, one word, or rather name, that kept punctuating her thoughts—Kaleen.

  His sisters had conferred about something.

  Denefe may be well practiced in counter-espionage techniques, but Kaleen, who’d had the same training, had no reason to keep up the habit. He shifted his focus to his sister in th
e future and was immediately rewarded with her out-of-control thoughts.

  “I have a brother. A triplet. Our parents didn’t die when we were told. Everything’s a lie.”

  The thoughts interrupted into silence, then restarted. It didn’t last long.

  “Cardenza may not be so bad, but I still can’t trust him. Who do I contact to find out about Definitive Headquarters?”

  He shook his head. His sisters would have to be stopped. He would handle Denefe, but someone else would have to deter Kaleen.

  Turning right, he entered the outer lab, passing the scientist working there, and pressed his remote, bringing the wall down. Stepping across the threshold, he pressed his remote again and the wall reappeared. Today, however, he didn’t smile at the magic of the technology.

  Chapter 28

  Dad’s journals

  Denefe’s mind couldn’t stop whirling around the things she and Kaleen had discussed. When she couldn’t reengage her nap again, she fished her father’s journal from its hiding place and read. It was written in a strong, masculine slant. She reveled in her father’s written voice, having never had it, marking every comma and exclamation point. There had been no journals in her world. There was absolutely nothing. Now she understood why—it had all been transported here.

  She paused. Did that make sense? All of it was transported there? Assuming her mother would have sold off everything except the bare necessities before they came there, that would still leave a lot of items that had to be hand-transported over. The least of the things would have been clothing for three, including various sizes for a growing baby. Also, she could assume all prior journals had been electronic and condensed to only one or two pads. How did the new journals get there? Who brought them? What about her father’s glasses? Any lab equipment and replacement parts. Where were all the people who brought them? If each person was permanently trapped there, as Torenz assured her they all truly were, they would have quite a few personal items of their own to bring. Who brought the extra items?

  According to what she knew of rift labs, there should be at least forty people trapped there just due to transportation of items. Where were they all? Furthermore, the facility didn’t have the size required to house that many people.

  There had to be another way back to her own time. As Denefe read, she munched from the tray by her bed. Cold food was better than no food. She poured through the journal pages, looking for any clue as to what had happened to the people, but she had no luck. It seemed to be concerned mostly with her father’s experiments with sidewinders of all types, though there were quite a few entries about arguments with her mom.

  She dropped the journal onto her bed in frustration and concentrated on what was left of her meal—a piece of date pie. No ideas came to her while she ate. After she finished, she eased out of bed and then slowly, carefully, placed the journal in its hiding place.

  “Torenz.”

  It took him a moment to answer, and when he did, his telepathic voice was stressed from shock. “Wow…It’s been a long time since someone spoke into my mind.”

  “Oh? I somehow thought you’d be the link to the real world.”

  “Well, besides dealings with Primary.”

  “So, you’d be linking with someone in a position like mine.”

  “Yeah, something like that.”

  “I don’t know what time of day it is, but I’m ready to continue our tour when you’re able.”

  “It’s mid-afternoon. I’ll be right there.”

  By the time he arrived, she waited in her chariot.

  There seemed to be no real organization to the place. Long white hallways jutted out at odd angles from bends and corners of rooms. Torenz told her it was because they’d expanded only when necessary. Each dig was a huge project, so they conserved space as much as possible.

  The garden, however, broke all the rules. The moment she stepped through the entrance, she felt as if she was outside. Giant trees stretched and branched to cover the roof. Footpaths wandered among carefully tended beds of vegetables, fruits, and grasses. The air was fresh and clean with a trace of humidity and without any of the canned flavor the rest of the facility had.

  As for the labs, there were only four that were fully outfitted. There was also the dining room, several recreational areas, and approximately three dozen private rooms. Still, the tour took until supper time, about three hours. As for her mission, she’d found no trace of the rift, though she’d felt rift spiders scratch her skin in one place. There seemed to be no extra doors that could be concealing an exit tunnel. None of the research areas had been her father’s either. Wherever it was, it was well-hidden. She’d need lots of time alone to find it.

  Frustrated again, Denefe followed her brother to the dining room where they ate a light meal. No one really stared at her that time. She’d even met quite a few people on her tour. There were a few covert glances, though. Torenz made light chatter, telling her about different people in the facility.

  He said, “There are eighteen of us. Eleven are lab techs and researchers. The rest are support.”

  So, she’d been right in her estimation. “Is Jileah support or researcher with a doctor degree?”

  He smiled briefly. “Jileah is our holistic nurse practitioner.”

  “Holistic, meaning the ‘medicine’ she gave me was what?”

  “Just herbs she grows in the garden.”

  “Great.” She tried, but she couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

  “Well, do you feel better?”

  “Yes, but not due to a bunch of plants.”

  His smile was hesitant and he looked as if he wanted to speak, but in the end, he concentrated on his food.

  Finally, Denefe gathered her nerve and asked, “What happened to our parents? You said it was an accident.”

  Pointing at her plate, he said, “That’s a long story for another time and place. You look a bit pale. Finish eating and I’ll get you back to your bed.”

  She sighed and dug into her roast. She hadn’t seen any livestock, so the animals had to be raised locally and brought into the facility. If they came from the future through the rift, more and more people would be trapped there even just as shepherds. “So, where do you get the prime rib? Keep the cows under your pillow?”

  “We’re a community of researchers. Is it so hard to believe that we could create something that looks and tastes like beef?”

  She eyed her meal. Not real meat. Great. Was nothing in the whole facility what it seemed? She pursued no other conversation, but let Torenz idly chatter about whatever suited him. As soon as she finished her plate, they returned to her quarters. Her brother left shortly after, and she bundled into bed, reaching for sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  In the dark, late night Ardense’s voice woke her up.

  “Denefe, wake up! Denefe!”

  “What? You sound upset.” She rubbed her eyes, struggling to stay awake. Something she wouldn’t get used to was the absolute black when the lights were off. At home, there was always some kind of glow, even on the stormiest of nights.

  “What did you tell Kaleen to do? Hallen has arrested her.”

  “Arrested? Hallen?” She sat straight up in bed. Suddenly, she was completely alert.

  “Cardenza and some scientist guy from up north are trying to get her released.”

  “Why was she arrested? What are the charges? She was only going to ask questions.”

  “Well, her questions got her in trouble.”

  Denefe was silent. Bade Hallen, someone she’d always assumed was on her side, had arrested her sister. Ergo, he protected that which Kaleen questioned. Or he acted on orders from higher up the predator chain. Either way, she’d overestimated his loyalty to her. Any help he’d given had been to protect the talent, not the people. Bitterness filled her mouth.

  “I can’t follow your thoughts. What was that about Hallen?”

  “Never mind
. What does Cardenza say Kaleen did?”

  “He doesn’t know, but he’s furious. He says Hallen won’t discuss it with him. He’s doing everything he can to get her released. Tell me what’s going on so we can get her free.”

  “Just a minute.” She reached into Torenz’s mind and found it quiet. Either he was sleeping or meditating. Or, she corrected, he could be listening to her. She gave it a test. It must be morning. There was no confirmation or correction from her brother. He wasn’t listening. Or he was wise to tricks. Ardense didn’t know the code she and Kaleen used, so there was no way to hide the conversation. She was just going to have to risk it.

  Quickly, Denefe outlined what little she and Kaleen had discovered. Her muscles ached with adrenaline to do something to save her sister, but there was nothing she could do in her current world of darkness.

  “I’ve never heard of that place either. I’m joining Cardenza tomorrow and I’ll tell him everything you said.”

  “Ardense, be careful. I don’t know who we can trust.”

  “Gotcha. Love you. Bye.”

  She tried to reach Kaleen, but received no response. That meant her sister was where there was no rift. She called for her boyfriend again.

  “Ardense, Kaleen isn’t at Primary. I can’t reach her.”

  “I’m not sure if that makes it worse. I’ll talk to you as soon as we find out something.”

  She nodded as if he could see her. “I’ll be waiting.”

  The key to getting Kaleen released and herself back to the right time had to be the production of information. There had to be something she could do, trapped in the past. The little shuttle cart sat waiting in its corner. That wasn’t an option. It would be impossible to hide with it if she was caught. She’d have to wait to snoop around the facility until she could carry herself on her own two feet. Maybe tomorrow.

  For now, she could re-read her father’s journal.

  Chapter 29

  Accused

  The sections of the journal that Denefe read offered no clues and soon she fell asleep. Torenz pounded on her door early the next morning. The book lay spread-eagle on the blankets. Hastily, she jammed it beneath her, making her sit crooked. She struggled to find a normal sitting position, putting one leg over the other.