by Lee Morgan
“Now this is my secondary reasoning behind why the three races should split up between the three locations.” Connor held the floor with authority and everyone hung on his every word. No one in the room could even attempt to speak until he would finish. “If we were to blend our groups, many mistakes would eventually occur. Changers and Balancers can distinguish themselves by key facial and physical features, but it is harder for you to distinguish between Keepers without looking directly at the color of their eyes or hear their mental voice. They can tell the difference between themselves like we can with our species so they won’t make the same kinds of mistakes in the heat of battle. Some of our enemies won’t be deformed and it would be detrimental to think that they were a companion. One of our ranks might even inadvertently kill their ally, mistaking them as our enemy. To circumvent that real possibility, we need to distance ourselves from one another.” Then Connor piercingly looked at every Balancer and Changer in the room. “I can distinguish between them without looking into their eyes or hearing their thoughts. Can any of you say that?”
The room went silent, but outside was still rambunctious. Everyone glanced at one another, hoping someone could say that they could. Not even Sarah could admit anything because it is impossible for her to tell too. Connor had pulled the most logical battle plan out of thin air and every single person couldn’t disagree with his perfect assessment.
Finally Head Elder Raphael spoke calmly. “Your words ring true. You are so young yet you have realized the one weakness our races have. Even now we cannot identify our oldest comrades without those defining clues. I also know that my kind doesn’t like to work well with others. In the heat of battle they’ll lose themselves and attack keepers, both friend and foe alike. Some of my children are too proud or ignorant to see past themselves or our race. If this is your honest assessment then we will do it as you say, but I do have my own honest assessment as well.”
“Let’s hear it.” Connor said with a smile while looking across the table.
“If we are to divide our forces we shall need to establish our own unique commanding systems. We should split into ten large sections per species. Each Elder is responsible for their own squadron and break that squad down into being commanded by the Immortal Guard. We cannot stay close together during the fight or else they could take out our entire group in one fell swoop. We should find a way to both stay close and be separate to be able to adjust to any developing circumstances. I can understand that Balancers and Keeper’s can communicate with telepathy, but how can we?”
Connor instantly smiled. “Have human technology work in your favor. Use cell phones or long range radios to stay in constant contact. Radios will be better because once we are revealed to the world the servers will crash from too many callers being frightened. Cell phones won’t work for long.”
The Head Elder looked away, almost bashfully. “It could work, but I’ve never used them. I know nothing about how to use those modern technologies.”
“Alright then, you will spend the day with me tomorrow.” Connor said without even a hint of disrespect.
Raphael’s silver eyes widened, but he didn’t say no.
Sarah realized that Raphael honestly didn’t understand how much the human world has changed. He must have never had or wanted to adapt to the technologically developing world. He must like only the simple life with only the basic comforts of technology. She could understand that.
Then Connor scanned the room. “Is there anyone else who needs to learn about technology…” Two Keepers raised their hands “that cannot communicate with their mind?” He amended and they put their arms back down. Connor then nodded to himself and Raphael didn’t know how to respond to this immediate change of his life. He still didn’t disagree with her mate’s forcefulness. She decided to let them go alone.
After a minute of silence Damian spoke. “So we have ourselves splitting into three companies. What I would like to understand is how we will infiltrate the cities to begin making our own defensive preparations.”
Sorono then pressed both of his clawed palms atop the table. “Like Connor said earlier, the Changers and Balancers will assimilate. They will enter the crowds as ordinary people. On that day many people will be there already for this nation’s celebration, several thousand more won’t matter. Only when the attack becomes underway will they show their abilities and fend off the danger.” Sorono then glanced at his fellow Keepers. “The largest problem is our arrival within the city. We will not be as inconspicuous as all of these hatchlings. Should we just barge in and make defenses or wait until something happens and react then? Those questions will be difficult to execute either way.”
“Both of those questions should be forgotten.” Connor stated shortly. All eyes widened and turned upon him. Sarah bumped her shoulder into his arm and shook her head with wide eyes. He had to understand that he just made a horrible approach with that interruption. He only glanced at her before continuing on in his speech. He actually ignored her warning, but he didn’t do it in spite because his emotional climate had changed to sorrow for doing what needed to be done. “What you should be asking everyone is how to keep the humans from attacking you while also defending them and attacking the ones that are coming for their blood. Fighting two battles at once will create nothing but more hardship on our side.”
“Do you have a solution to this?”
Her soul mate smiled knowingly. “Actually I do, but before it can be said aloud, it still needs refinement. When every angle has been addressed I’ll let everyone know of this solution.”
Sorono then nodded in understanding.
Then everyone went on to study the map in silence for over a minute.
Then Sarah had two separate thoughts and already knew the answer to the first one, but it still had to be asked aloud. Her voice wasn’t as strong or as sure as everyone else’s because compared to everyone in the room, except for Connor, they weren’t even newborn children compared to these ancients, but she managed to ask “Since their force is splitting into three, which one will Ranvan be accompanying? Or is he going to sit back and watch this happen from safety?”
Now she became the very center of every single person’s attention. Her insecurity kicked in and wanted to go hide in the corner again, until Connor put his large palm on the small of her back for support. Every ancient in the room looked at her curiously and in silence until Damian finally broke the hush.
“Even if my uncle has changed tactics after all this time I have come to learn about several things, being the son of a Harmonizer.” His brown eyes met hers and conveyed honesty and it made her wonder how her own children would turn out if they were in some way similar to him. “They cannot just sit idly by like the rest of us can. They have something mysterious that drives them to do things we wouldn’t even put our lives on the line for. So the answer to your question is yes, he will be among the combatants. But among which three is going to be guesswork. There is a high probability that he will be heading for D.C. because of its defenses, but he could most certainly go with the other two groups. When he does fight he will most likely be behind the first wave of fighters. He’ll send a wave as a test of their defenses. If they are weak he’ll spread out his forces to battle a wider area, but if they are strong he’ll send the entire battalion as one to crush the defenders.”
Then Sorono said “What he says is true. That is how things will most likely play out… Sarah you also seem to have another theory to add to this council.”
Why do Harmonizers see so many things that shouldn’t be so easy to decipher in a simple expression? Sorono only smiled on her random thought.
With Connor support still bolstering her, she explained “Before I became a history teacher for human children, I gained some experience as a geography instructor. As many, if not all, of you know that our world is constantly moving and shifting. Land is always moving on tectonic plates. Some plates move infinitesimally and freely and we are unaware of its happening beca
use of its mediocre pace, but there other kinds of movement. We call them earthquakes. It happens when one of those plates meet another and there isn’t anything for them to do except build up pressure. Once that pressure goes beyond its threshold, it slips. That explosive slip is what creates those dangerous natural disasters.”
She looked up to her mate and smiled. He knew what she needed to do and took his hand from her back.
Feeling barely secure with everyone watching, she stepped back and walked around her ancestors and Sorono. Everyone on their side of the table watched her carefully. She then stopped in front of Veronica. “May I please take your spot for a minute? There is something that everyone needs to understand.”
Veronica stepped to the side and allowed access.
With the index finger Sarah reached over and pointed to the spot everyone should see. “Right here within the state of California lays the San Andreas Fault line. This is the reason why that state is plagued with tremors.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” One of the twin female Changers asked. If Sarah’s correct, that one was the one who called her mate a liar in the elder’s language.
Then both Sorono and Connor gasped and understood her meaning.
Sorono backed up her worry by explaining to everyone while she made her way back to her mate’s side. “Thank you for such a careful observation. This didn’t even factor into my plans.” He finally looked up at everyone. “Sarah has probably saved many lives. You see, it will only take one Original to force an enormous slip to that fault. Besides Los Angeles being a target, maybe as a backup plan they will destroy the entire state if they cannot win. It is a definite possibility that they could enforce this tactic if their mission should fail.
“Now what should we do as our secondary defense…” He then silently contemplated for the opportune solution. In only a few short seconds an idea came to mind. “If this is even a consideration then we’ll need to deploy our most powerful trump cards to the other two locations.”
Amphrite then asked “What kind of weapon do we have that could be able to thwart an earthquake capable of such devastation?”
“Since the most logical place for my brother to show up is in D.C. Connor and I will face him there, head on. Two Harmonizers against one will tip the odds in our favor, but the other two locations will also need power incase I’m wrong.” Then Sorono turned his sights on Sarah and went silent.
It took all but a second for her to understand. Her fear and pure worry set in even stronger than when Connor went off with Mark to go and rescue Sorono’s scaly hide. She brought her hands up and waived them fervently. “No, No, No. There is no way that I’m going anywhere without Connor. Where he fights, so do I.”
She then felt Connor’s massive arms wrap securely around her torso. His tone became dead and even. “She is right. We will have a tough fight as it is without worrying how far she will be away from me. We are a pair and we will fight as such.”
Sorono met his stare head on and sighed. “Brother, you know that I am right, but we will discuss this subject some other time.”
After things settled down, everyone got into the discussion and began formulating several plans of actions and also deployment strategies. When one person had a question or opinion, it was noted and added to the plans. They had all become so engrossed in the planning that time seemed to cease to matter.
Damian was the only one to voice aloud “It is getting late, I assume. Perhaps we should call this gathering to an end for the night.”
Everyone agreed and before anyone could move Connor’s voice stopped them. “Sorono, remember that discussion we had yesterday? All the elders have arrived.”
“Ah, yes. Give me a moment to contact them.” Sorono’s eyes focused and then he thought “To all Immortal Guard on duty, please make your way to the front of the Elder’s cabin. This is an order… Firon you may stay at your post because your job is still needed.”
Sarah turned to Connor as she listened in on Sorono’s order. She smiled casually and her hand met his. It was a relief to touch her because during the planning he found himseld unable to have physical contact with her since she brought up that earthquake scenario. When their skin touched that same electrical sensation was brought forth again and she felt it too.
With the meeting adjourned Sorono led everyone to the door and opened it.
Once they made it outside the mood of the clearing had changed. It was almost midnight and that meant that Mark had already taken the kids home. The cabins had placed torches on their sides and were lit. There had also been some poles set up inside the clearing so that everyone could navigate safely. There weren’t many people out at this time, but there were several who were.
Before the entire meeting could be ended Sorono explained to the Elders what Connor’s plan was. So they stayed together with them.
Besides the two Keeper Guards who were stationed outside, only six other Immortal Guards had arrived to the cabin.
Within five minutes fifty nine Immortal Guards arrived before the group. They stood casually and randomly, but they were prepared for a fight in any situation. As they stood in a large group, the Elders stood in one long straight line. Sarah and Connor stood off to the side.
Sorono took a step forward and addressed the ancient fighters. “Thank you for hurrying here. You have been summoned for one reason, but I’ll allow the mastermind behind this plan give you the explanation.”
Taking it that Sorono meant it was his turn, Connor stepped away from Sarah to stand beside Sorono. Every Immortal Guard was over a thousand years of age and their eyes complemented their achievement. Every single one of them were watching him intently while remaining silent.
His voice becamecalm and clear. “I’ve come here to ask for some assistance. Each and every one of you know just how close we are to human civilization. Because of the proximity I have had to inform the local Sheriff about our world.” Several of the ancients didn’t like hearing that and their eyes narrowed and darkened. “He needed to be notified because he can keep many of the local humans away from our camp. Plus nearly everyone besides the Keepers have rented rooms around the towns and probably even the city. Because of this, you can understand what would happen of one of our people were to do something that would create too much attention. The locals have no chance if they stick their nose where it doesn’t belong. That is why the local Sheriff will help keep our autonomy until we make our final departure.
“Because he is still just a mere human he needs some of our assistance if our kind become too loud or dangerous. What I would like to ask is for four of you to volunteer and help him, if there are any events that will require our attention. I’d prefer to have two Changers and Balancers. I will not force anyone to do this if they don’t want to, but I’d still like to ask, will anyone volunteer to help him?”
The large group looked around in hopes someone else would do it so they wouldn’t. They didn’t speak, but their eyes spoke of everything. It had been thirty annoying seconds of silence until someone said “We’ll do it.”
The crowd parted as two people made their way to the front of the two parties. He recognized them at once. “Marik, Cassie! It is good to see you again. I am also grateful to hear that you will help.” Marik still carried his sword on him while Cassie now wore two daggers that were holstered in her boots. The two Guards smiled at him weakly because they weren’t sure how to act around him. They tried to fight him twice before and lost on each account, but at least they were trying to do their part in all this.
“I’ll help out too.” One voice declared and then another voice said “Count me in.” Then came up two female Changers. They were both looking human and around the ages of eighteen to twenty. One woman had long brown hair and a figure that many women strive for. She wore a simple white top and short blue shorts. Her pendant hung precisely between her breasts. The other woman had short, spiky black hair and looked wild. Her darker skin tone looked like a perfect match
to her leather top and a leather bottom shaped like a bikini. And her Guard’s pendant hung close to the hollow of her throat.
“Thank you and may I ask your names?”
The brown haired woman said “I’m Marian.” And the wild woman said “You can just call me Michelle, Child.”
“We have our volunteers.” Sorono said. “Now the rest of you may go back to what you were doing.” As the group separated Sorono turned to look at Connor. “Since we are done, we will retire for the night. Inform me later on how everything progresses. I’ll also be waiting on more of your theories.”
Soon he and the other Elders departed. All that remained were the six.
Michelle soon asked “So boss, what orders will we be having for a new assignment? When do we get started?”
Sarah made it to his side and waited for him to give them an order. Connor figured it out. “While it is still dark I’ll show you who you are to work with. You four can figure out a shift system on your own. You are to stay close to the Sheriff and if there is a disturbance you will accompany him and bring the instigators under control. And if they are persistent in there disturbances and won’t settle down, tell them that I’ll settle them down by force if necessary. If they need a fight to blow off some steam bring them here and have them wait for me. You four are not to kill anyone. Understood?”
They all nodded.
“Good, now unless there is a need for your services you can do anything you like to do in your spare time. Now I want the four of you to keep up with us and remain casual.” They understood.
