“This one must have a higher rank than the others,” hollered Jarryd when the fourth guard’s hand activated the scanner and turned a red light to green.
“Why isn't it opening?” yelled Trill.
Jarryd touched the screen, which changed from green to blue. A panel slid back revealing a small square display. “The security system depends on a retina scan too. Hoist that one up again.”
Two men lifted the dead guard and positioned his face before the scanner. Jarryd held the man’s eyelid open until a green light appeared. The compound gate clicked open. Unsure what to expect, we stepped through the gate and flattened along the perimeter as the wind whipped around us.
The nearest structure was a dim outline on our left. Kaaluk and Jarryd led the way toward it, taking a sharp right when they spied an entrance. Sheltered from the raging storm, we hastened to the doorway. At our approach, the entryway opened. A beam of hazy light spilled toward us.
We took positions on either side of the opening. Closest to the doorway, I pressed my back to the wall, ready to sing if soldiers appeared. We waited several moments, but there was no activity.
Kaaluk joined me. I felt his lips at my ear. “Can you see anything?”
“Not much.”
He nodded and edged across the threshold and into the light. Jarryd and two men raised their weapons and followed him.
Several minutes passed. “All clear,” shouted Jarryd.
We hurried into the light filled room. The door panel closed behind us. The high ceiling gave an airy feeling to the room, despite our presence. The floor was white polished stone. Dim gray light emitted from embedded domes. Tarvek's blue cross logo, the same one I’d seen on the Hugg, patterned three walls. The fourth was white and bisected by a horizontal mantle.
“That looks weird.” Trill pulled off her mask and goggles and pushed to the front of the group to get a better look. Her foot crossed an invisible threshold causing a lilting voice to ring out.
“Welcome to Tarvek Industries.” An orange screen rose up from the mantle.
I detected a mechanical edge in the tone. “That's not a human voice.”
“It sounds friendly.” Trill started forward.
Kaaluk grabbed her arm and yanked her against him as the door we’d entered slid open. Weapon fire strafed the space she had occupied.
“Two shooters outside.” Kaaluk pushed Trill to the floor, and then dropped into a crouch. “Cover me Jarryd. The rest of you get away from the entrance.” My brother surged to the left of the door, firing his weapon continuously. Kaaluk rolled across the floor, jumped to his feet and took aim from the right side of the entrance.
Were the attackers human or android? Either way, I was powerless. I only had a knife, and using my voice would harm Jarryd and Kaaluk.
Deafening weapons blasted for several minutes. Suddenly Kaaluk and Jarryd stopped shooting and exchanged signals. Jarryd squatted and peered around the doorframe. There was no response from outside.
I closed my eyes. The silence meant two more dead.
Kaaluk motioned to his men. “Bring the two bodies inside. Then check the perimeter of the building. We don’t need any more surprises.”
Jarryd dropped his weapon but quickly raised it when a head flashed on the mantle screen and appeared to speak.
“Do you have an appointment?”
Jarryd pulled his mask and goggles from his face. “It’s a hologram.”
The pulsing three-dimensional image was as enthralling as my first glimpse of Nuvega’s market.
Leika inspected the gap between the wall and the screen before slowly stroking her fingers over the face. “Now what do we do? There's nothing here and no other doors.”
As I approached the screen for a better look, my eyes were drawn to the corpses of the two guards The sight of their bloodied bodies curled my stomach as I struggled again with the consequences of our mission. I glanced away, but quickly turned back when I noticed the red and gold trim on their black uniforms. “We’re in the right place. The dead men are wearing Hypor City colors. Prince Delio must be here.”
“There has to be another way in. Flying into the compound can’t be the only option,” said Jarryd.
The shimmering image flashed and spoke a second time. “Please state your business.”
Kaaluk signaled to the rest of us to remain silent. “We have business with Tarvek.”
This time the image changed. A hand appeared beside the head and pointed to the right. “Please enter the lift.” The hand pulsed for several seconds before a concealed panel drew open.
“At least we won't have to climb stairs,” said Trill, heading for the opening.
“Stop,” commanded Jarryd. “Stay back.”
Trill pouted but obeyed while Kaaluk and Jarryd examined the lift.
Leika moved to my side. “I don't like this. Who knows where we'll end up once we get in there. We could be walking into a trap.”
I understood her unease. “I don't think we have any option. It looks like it's the only way inside.”
“There’s more to this compound than we thought,” said Kaaluk from the lift. “There are only two levels up, but six levels down. We’ll break into groups again to check all the floors.”
He instructed one of the smaller teams to secure the entryway. Another would accompany us to the top floor. He assigned the rest of the men to explore the lower levels. “Start on the first sub-floor,” he said. “Once we have checked out the upper floors, we will meet you down at level six.”
The lower-level teams were the first to leave. When the elevator arrived back on the main level, our group of ten entered the lift. Jarryd was last in. He turned at the doorway, extended his hand and pointed at the flickering screen. There was a pop, followed by a flash.
“What did you do?” I couldn't see what happened.
“I decided to eliminate the talking head.” He held out his hand and opened his fingers. “Remember this little gadget, Bryn?”
I nodded. “Weyland's disruptor.” I shivered at the memory: Weyland, the beach, the drone attack.
Trill gave Jarryd a sharp look. “Why did you kill the talking head? It wasn’t dangerous.”
At first, he looked annoyed at her interrogation, then explained. “We don't want it warning Tarvek.”
Leika touched Trill's shoulder. “Better not to leave it activated. Surprise is our only advantage at the moment.”
“It might have already contacted Tarvek.” I suspected that he had devices and communication abilities far beyond my imagining.
As the lift rose, so did the tension level.
“Brynna?” Kaaluk hesitated before continuing to speak. “If Tarvek knows that we’re here, I expect there will be guards when the doors open. Can you use your voice to eliminate them?”
It felt strange having Kaaluk asking me to use my power. His men exchanged puzzled glances. Jarryd and Leika moved closer together.
“Show them, Brynna.” Trill clapped her hands like a child awaiting a treat.
“It’s too dangerous to use my voice inside the lift. You could get hurt. I won’t start singing until just before the doors open. When I send out a tone to stun our attackers, you must stand behind me. I suggest you cover your ears as well.”
“If they happen to be androids, Jarryd and I will have our weapons ready,” said Kaaluk. “The rest of you do as Brynna says.”
Facing the door, I watched the ascending light on the control panel. When it stopped, I started to sing. The tone was clear and high. Two confused guards were there waiting when the door opened. Their faces twisted in pain as I sustained the note. Weapons clattered to the ground and they frantically covered their ears. When their eyes rolled white and they sank to the floor, I stopped singing.
Trill dodged in front of me, punching the air with her fists. “Fantastic!”
My head started to spin. I avoided the twisted bodies. Pressing a hand to my stomach, I slouched against a wall.
“Leika,
look after Brynna,” said Jarryd.
“Remove the bodies,” Kaaluk commanded, and then gripped Trill’s shoulder. He motioned to the other life-like figures that remained seated in front of a bank of monitors. “Are they real?”
“No auras,” confirmed Trill.
“I’ll take care of them.” Jarryd blasted the androids. Sparks flew as their circuits were severed. They crashed to the floor.
“That was easy,” said Leika. “A little too easy. I expected more guards.”
“Me too.” I took a deep breath and pushed away from the wall.
Leika kept her arm through mine and steadied me.
“Thanks, Leika. I’m okay.”
“What do we do now?” Trill asked. “The place is empty.”
A muffled thump made me flinch. Beside me, Leika and Trill stiffened. The men raised their weapons, prepared for a fight.
The thumping persisted.
“It’s coming from behind that wall.” I pointed across the room toward a metal panel.
“Two of you stay at the entrance. Let’s pry it off,” Kaaluk commanded his men.
As they wrenched it from the wall, a thin hand flopped out. The men continued to pry the twisted metal. Finally it broke away and fell to the floor. A weak groan came from a body that tumbled out from the hidden enclosure.
I rushed forward and knelt alongside the inert figure, immediately searching for a pulse. It was there, but weak. I couldn’t tell if the victim was a man or a woman. “Help me turn the body.” We gently rolled the victim. I blanched when I recognized the gaunt face. “It’s Weyland.”
Jarryd dropped to his friend’s side. “Wake up, buddy.” My brother’s encouragement had a positive effect.
Weyland opened one eye, then the other. “About time.” He shut his eyes again and uttered only one word. “Water.”
One of the men offered a water bottle.
“We heard you’d been taken to Haven,” said Jarryd. “Have you been here all this time?”
Weyland nodded as we propped him against a wall. He drank deeply for several seconds, finally pausing to ask, “Where is Tarvek?”
“We don’t know,” said Jarryd. “We hoped you could tell us.”
“Did Tarvek seal you in there?” I waited while he took several deep breaths
“No. Calia,” he responded before taking another sip of water.
Not only devious but now deadly. I was certain Calia expected Weyland to die. “How long ago was she here?”
With assistance, he struggled to his feet. “I don’t know. I’ve been locked away for hours.”
I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his protruding shoulder bones. He was even more fragile than when I’d last seen him in Hypor City. I hummed softly and helped him to a chair. “Are you okay, Weyland?”
“Okay,” he answered, but I could see my amber eye fascinated him. “You look different.”
I knew he’d be curious. “It’s a story for another time.”
He nodded and rubbed his brow.
“I’m sorry Weyland.” I stroked his head.
“What are you sorry for?” Jarryd asked.
“I suspect my voice knocked him out as well. It happened once before on our island.” I looked at Weyland. “Is that what happened? The thump was you slumping against the wall?”
Weyland smiled shyly. “Special gift.”
Trill stepped closer to Weyland and furrowed her brow. “You’re special too, but not like Brynna. I couldn’t figure it out at first, but I can see something different in your aura. A rainbow of colors weave in and out, instead of pulsing in a steady rhythm. She tapped a finger against her lips. “You’ll have to tell me about yourself later.”
Weyland didn’t seem concerned about Trill’s curiosity. Instead, a smile split his face, his eyes as excited as they were the day we found the cave on our island. I flicked my gaze back and forth between them, sensing they were kindred spirits.
“We don’t have time for this now,” said Kaaluk. “Tarvek and Delio could arrive at any moment.” He looked at Weyland. “Do you know anything about this equipment?” He pointed to the banks of monitors and flashing panels.
Weyland didn't answer, appearing intimidated by Kaaluk's commanding voice and appearance.
“If he doesn't, I'm sure he can figure it out,” said Jarryd. “He is one of Hypor City’s best scientists. He also created this disruptor.” Jarryd turned to Weyland. “Will it work on the androids?”
“On some, but not all.” Holding Jarryd’s shoulder, Weyland shuffled to the bank of monitors. His fingers skipped over the control panel. We crowded around when images appeared on several different screens.
“Great going, buddy.” Jarryd clasped Weyland’s shoulder. “Now we have visuals of all the hallways and rooms below ground.”
Leika spotted two men. “That’s Prince Delio. The other man must be Tarvek.”
“What level are they on?” asked Kaaluk.
“Six. It’s where the androids are constructed,” added Weyland. “Prince Delio wants a new army.”
I didn’t understand. “Why does he need an army? I thought he wanted to leave the planet”
“He wants to destroy Hypor City,” said Weyland. “Then leave the planet.”
“He must be crazy,” Jarryd chimed in. “Even if he evades us and returns to Hypor, he'll be killed for sure. Why would he risk his life again?
“Revenge,” Kaaluk said. “It's a powerful motivator.” He exchanged glances with his sister.
Leika lifted her chin, nostrils flaring, and moved to his side. She grasped his arm. “He won't get away. We’ll make sure he doesn’t leave this compound alive.”
I heard the resolve in her voice and I wasn’t the only one. Around me, jaws tightened and heads nodded. Kaaluk's men understood the promise he had made to his people. Premier Delio was dead, and now the son must pay the price.
Jarryd’s concerned gaze locked on Leika.
I wondered how far their relationship had progressed. Did Jarryd know Leika’s history? Was he aware of Kaaluk’s determination to avenge Delio’s betrayal of their tribe?
What about Jarryd’s engagement to Marta?
Kaaluk signaled his men and they proceeded to the lift. “There’s no more time. Our men on the sixth floor may be in danger. We’ll regroup there.”
“Wait.” Weyland held out communication devices. “Use these in the buildings.” He handed one to Kaaluk, two more to a couple of the men and gave the rest to Jarryd.
After a quick conversation with Weyland, my brother joined the group at the entrance to the lift. “Weyland's going to stay here and monitor our movements. He can keep us apprised of any problems before we get there.”
I took a step back. “I’ll stay with him.” I sensed he wasn't as robust as he pretended. My singing would help him recover.
“No. We need you with us.” Kaaluk’s tone was firm. “Trill can stay with Weyland.”
She opened her mouth to protest but cringed under his steely look. “Make sure you keep in touch,” she finally said. “And don't forget about us and leave.”
Kaaluk grinned. “You're hard to forget.” He turned his back and entered the lift.
I looked back at Weyland. “Where do you think Calia might have gone? I didn't see her on the monitors.”
“Maybe in the tower. I’ll keep watching.”
“Is the tower the building connected to this one by the tunnel?” I asked.
“Not a tunnel. A loop.”
“What’s a loop?” I asked.
My brother pulled me into the lift. “Come on Bryn. We can't wait any longer. We'll figure it out when we get there.”
I called to Trill as the lift closed. “Take care of Weyland. He’s precious.” Her quick nod reassured me.
As we descended, Kaaluk asked me to use my voice again. This time, I had less trepidation. We stopped at the lowest level. When the doors opened, I pushed my voice to the top of my range.
16
Un
expected Resistance
I stopped singing when I realized that the corridors were empty. We waited in the lift, but all was quiet.
Jarryd pulled out his communicator. “Weyland, are you tracking us? There are three corridors. Which way do we go?”
“Straight ahead. Tarvek and Prince Delio are on the far side of the building.”
“Okay, let's go.” Kaaluk grabbed my arm and urged me forward.
“Wait!” Trill’s voice screeched over the communicator.
A barrage of weapons’ fire drowned her next words.
Kaaluk and I scrambled to safety in the opposite passageway. Caught in the crossfire, Kaaluk's men were easy targets. A couple sustained injuries but still managed to return fire. Some returned to the lift, peppering blasts toward their attackers. Others crouched and then rolled to the floor, sighting their weapons and firing along both hallways. Finally, there was silence.
“They must've known we were coming.” Jarryd rose from a crouch and spoke into a communicator. “Weyland, we’ve been ambushed. Do you know if Tarvek is able to track us down here?”
Weyland's voice crackled. “Don’t know. Might be possible.”
I joined Kaaluk as he checked on his wounded men. He dropped his head when I confirmed that two were dead. A third man moaned as he gripped his thigh. I hurried to his side and began singing softly. I noted the relief on his face as my hands moved over his body. We stemmed the flow of blood oozing from the gash and quickly bandaged his leg.
Kaaluk pointed to his men. “Two of you take them to the entrance at ground level. Leave them with the guards and come back down. Return as fast as you can.” His face was cold and shuttered when he addressed our small group. “We don't know how many more guards there are. We’ll wait until the others return.”
There was a sudden clicking from Jarryd's communicator.
“Tarvek and Prince are moving faster,” called Weyland. “Better hurry.”
“The sound from the blasters will have alerted them we’re nearby. We can’t let them escape. We have to go.” Jarryd grabbed the extra weapons and distributed them.
Kaaluk took a blaster and then glanced at me. “Brynna, I want you to stay close to Leika.”
The Lost Prophecy Page 12
