Star Runners: Mission Wraith (#3)

by L. E. Thomas

  “I’m Tia,” she said in a high-pitched voice.

  “Huh?” Austin asked, his throat dry and head still spinning from Cameron’s attack.

  “I’m with Vakar.” She extended her hand closer. “Come with me.”

  Austin shook his head again. “How can I trust you?”

  “You can’t.” She reached again.

  Austin took her tiny hand and stood in the elevator. He shifted his weight, placing a hand on the elevator control board for balance. Staring down at Cameron’s body, he tried to slow his breathing.

  “Come on,” Tia said, her voice deeper. “We have to move.”

  “What about this?”

  “Vakar will take care of it.”

  Tia rushed down the red carpeted hall. Her red dress looked shiny like plastic and covered about as much of her body as a bathing suit. The black boots she wore stretched to her knees. She thrust the silver pistol into a black backpack and swung it over her shoulder. She pressed up against the wall and peered down the corridor.

  Austin, his head still spinning, leaned against the wall. He glanced up at the security camera hovering over the hallway junction.

  “What about those?”

  “Shh.” Tia put her hand over her purple lips, her fingernails glowing a yellow-green like a neon stick. “Vakar will take care of it. Let’s go.”

  She ran down the hall, her backpack bouncing as much as her black pigtails. Pausing at a door, she leaned forward and pressed her ears to the wall.

  “Tis okay,” she said, revealing a smile like a child on their birthday. “Go in.”

  Austin hesitated. “Are you sure?”

  “Wanna stay out here?” she asked, blinking her emerald eyes.

  He looked down the hall. “No.”

  She nodded toward the door. “Then go in.”

  Moving like a man inching through a minefield, Austin pushed back on the door and stepped into the room. If not for the cobalt blue holographic clock on the wall, the room could have been any hotel on Earth. He made his way past the bathroom and closet.

  He recoiled.

  “What is it?” Tia said, allowing the door to close as she ran toward him.

  “Who is … this?” he asked, backing against the wall.

  Austin stared in horror. On the bed lay a man dressed in Austin’s purple robes with the same circular tattoos on his arms. Even his face wrinkled and contorted like Austin’s altered skin. The body double wasn’t breathing, but it looked exactly like Austin. His head ached as he glanced from Tia to the stranger in the bed.

  Tia smiled and collapsed into the chair next to the bed, kicking her legs out in front of her. She tapped the double’s shoulder as she produced a tiny rectangular shape from her bag and thrust it into her mouth. As she smacked on what Austin assumed to be chewing gum, she giggled.

  “That’s you,” she said. She offered an exaggerated frown. “You fell into a coma. Messin’ with DNA’s never a good thing.”

  Austin leaned against the wall, his head still spinning. He stared at the body double, feeling like he was the only person not comprehending what was going on. “I don’t understand any of this. Will you please just tell me what’s going on?”

  “You didn’t make it,” she said smiling.

  “That’s supposed to be me?”

  “No.” She eyed him. “It is you.”

  Austin shook his head. “Why are those agents after me? Is my cover blown?”

  She shrugged. “A terrorist attack happened yesterday in Zone Ninety. A bombing. A landing pad blew up. They’re blaming the Originists.”

  He thought back to the reaction he had received on the street. “That’s why I’ve been getting looks since I got here?”

  “Yeps.”

  “Is that why those men followed me here?”

  “Yeps.”

  He glared at her. “Why didn’t we change my cover?”

  “Too late for that, honey bear. We didn’t know that was going to happen yesterday. Be glad you made it this far. You’ll be safe here for now, but we got to move fast. We just need to get you to the next phase of the mission.”

  “When does that happen?”

  “Soon as Vakar gets here. So we wait.” She eyed him with unnatural eyes. “And then you’ll take off all your clothes.”

  Austin blinked. “Huh?”

  “This hurt enough the first time,” Austin said with a scowl as he folded his legs to fit in the chrome bathtub. “Will this be easier?”

  “No.” Major Vakar leaned over Austin. “Might even be a little worse.”

  Austin stomach turned. “Wonderful.” He glanced down at his underwear. “Is this really necessary?”

  “Yes. Quicker the better. If that terrorist attack hadn’t happened yesterday, this whole thing would have moved much smoother.” He sighed. “We need to get you into your next role as quickly as possible.”

  He thought of the two men in the lobby. “What about the other agent?”

  “Another of our men is acting as a Originist decoy and heading toward the Ara Sea. Agent Cameron’s counterpart is right on his heels.”

  “And what about Cameron?”

  “His body is being destroyed and will be disposed of. All other Legion Agents will be dispersing from this complex tonight. Their jobs are done.”

  His stomach turned. “Will those agents send back up?”

  Vakar nodded, his gaze narrowing. “Hence the rush, Lieutenant.”

  Austin nodded and leaned back in the tub. A shiny layer of sweat covered Vakar’s angular face as he loomed over Austin. Tia sat on the sink, engrossed in her flashing fingernails as she continued swinging her feet.

  “Just relax,” Vakar said as he filled a syringe with a murky brown liquid. “Security is tight anyway around Zone Ninety. This just forced us to accelerate our plans. These things happen.”

  “If you say so.” Austin thought of the body in the bed Tia had said was supposed to be him. “Major, who is that person in the other room?”

  Vakar looked at him. “He’s you, Mr. Bakrah.” He pulled Austin’s arm up and over the side of the bathtub. “You are now no one. Are you ready for the next phase?”

  “No.”

  “Bite down on this.” He placed a thick, leather strap in his mouth.

  “Seriously—that’s the best you can do?”

  Vakar offered a thin smile and thrust the needle into Austin’s arm. “The nanotech will reform your body and rewrite your DNA to bring back your birth face. It’ll take a few minutes. Lean back and try to relax.”

  Austin clenched his teeth. “Right.”

  The Major yanked out the needle, sending a few droplets of blood onto the tub. The liquid he injected shot into his arm like ice water. The frigid temperature worked its way through his bloodstream and up his shoulder, tingling the entire way. Austin closed his eyes. This isn’t so—

  The pain ignited his nerves, feeling like his skin had ripped from his body. He arched his back, biting down on the strap and screamed. Tears mixed with sweat on his face. His cheeks felt like someone placed a hot iron on them. The pain intensified, and he tried to go to another place.

  Mom and Dad.

  Beach.

  Fireworks.

  His face twisted, his skin contorting.

  Ryker.

  Oma.

  The water.

  Floating in the Glistening—

  He howled, rising from the bathtub. They thrust him back down. He acknowledged nothing in the world, only pain. He lost awareness of his surroundings, could no longer feel the bathtub.

  Warm liquid surrounded him. He vomited. Vakar’s strong hands turned him over. His body shook, convulsing as he folded into the fetal position, his eyes clamped shut.

  The pain suddenly ended. He vomited again into the tub and rolled over on his back. His eyes burned when he opened them, sweat and vomit swirling into vision.

  “Relax,” Vakar whispered, pushing his hands under Austin’s armpit and hoisting him into a
sitting position. “It’s over.”

  A warm rag washed the liquid from Austin’s face, and he looked at the full tub. He had lost control of his bodily functions.

  “Good Lord.” He closed his eyes again and turned away, the smell turning his stomach again. “You were right.”

  “About what?”

  He unleashed a series of violent coughs. “I needed to take off my clothes.”

  Tia slapped her hands together and jumped down from the counter. She tossed a duffle bag toward Austin. “Change into these and hurry up. We got things to do.”

  Austin stared down at the duffle bag in his hands and caught his breath.

  “Just change you oaf—you’ll be fine.” Tia walked over to Austin. Even over the powerful smell of vomit, she smelled of flowery perfume and cotton candy. Reaching up, she rubbed something that felt like lipgloss on his mouth. “This will stop the bleeding.”

  His face warmed. “Ah, thanks.”

  She leaned close. “It’s what I do.”

  “All right,” Vakar said, moving toward the door. “We will let you shower and change. Can’t have you smelling like this out there. Be quick about it.”

  They left Austin alone and he took a deep breath. He set the duffle bag down on the steel sink. He glanced at his shaking hands and closed his eyes. Calm down.

  He slowed his breathing, tossing some cool water on his face. He showered, washing the stench from his body and enjoying the comfort of the hot water.

  He dried off and opened the duffle bag. It contained truly unimaginative, and characterless clothing, which he assumed was the point. The gray shirt, black pants and boots fit perfectly.

  Straightening his shirt, Austin moved into the bedroom. “Well?”

  “You look ready for a night on the town,” Tia said, grinning until her mouth filled most of her face.

  Austin’s jaw dropped. “What?”

  “Ignore her.” Vakar opened a compact case with fake facial hair and vials of clear liquid. After spraying a black substance that dyed Austin’s hair a jet black, he quickly applied the new black goatee and took a step back, nodding. “You look great.”

  Austin stared at himself in the mirror. Even with the black hair and the thick goatee, it surprised him how thrilled he was to see himself again.

  His skin felt tender like he had been recovering from an epic sunburn. Red splotches covered his face. With each passing moment, the splotches faded a little more. A stinging sensation went through his body when he tried to smile, but his facial structure had returned to its normal shape.

  “I feel almost like myself again,” he said, his voice still trembling. “That was the worst … the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.”

  “I understand.” Vakar squeezed his shoulder and looked at Austin in the mirror. “You did great. You really did.”

  Austin took a deep breath. “What’s the plan now?”

  “I have taken you as far as I have been ordered. The security camera footage from your altercation in the elevator was never transmitted. I made it look like a technical failure. My next step is to make sure the authorities find this room and find your counterpart in a coma on the bed thanks to a homegrown attempt at genetic manipulation. Happens all the time on Claria. They will think it is you and the search for Mr. Bakrah will end.”

  Austin winced. “Someone had to die for this mission to work?”

  Vakar’s face tightened. “We can’t have agents looking for you. This is the only way.”

  Austin sighed, not wanting to think about the details of how the doomed man arrived here.

  “We have to leave now.” He slapped Austin’s shoulder. “Tia will take you to your next destination.”

  Tia offered an exaggerated salute, her arched hair bobbing with her movement. “Be a pleasure.”

  Austin looked at Vakar. “Will I ever see you again?”

  “I might see you.” He lowered his gaze. “But I don’t think you’ll see me.”

  Vakar nodded to Tia. She grabbed Austin’s arm.

  “Come on—I told you we’re going out,” she said, her white teeth looking odd and out of place surrounded by the purple lipstick. “Let’s go.”

  Tia led him out into the hallway. Vakar sped in the opposite direction, disappearing into a fire escape, never saying another word.

  “Come on, good looking,” Tia said in a soft voice. “We have to get across town for the party.”

  Austin leaned closer to her as they walked. “What party?”

  She tucked her arm into his, her head only coming up to his chest. “Relax. Be a citizen. Everything’s fine.”

  They strolled out into the main walkway bordering the cylindrical interior of the building. Ahead, a square robot with electric blue plating about Tia’s height stood in front of a sheet of red tape covering the elevator they had destroyed earlier.

  “I am sorry for the inconvenience,” the robot crackled. “Please use another elevator.”

  Tia’s eyes widened. “Wonder what happened?” she asked, placing her bright fingers over her mouth. She glanced at him and winked.

  She pulled Austin into the elevator next door and pinched his rear. Austin flinched, taking a step away from her.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, blood rushing to his face.

  “You are my date,” she said with a smile. “Act like it.”

  He took a deep breath and allowed Tia to press the elevator button. She entwined her arm with his, pulling herself closer to him. The doors slid shut, and the elevator descended to the lobby.

  “How did you get mixed up in this?” Austin whispered.

  “What? You and me?” Tia pinched him again and pointed at the doors.

  Austin understood, suddenly feeling stupid. The elevator was bugged.

  “Ah, yeah,” he said. “You and me.”

  Tia led him through the lobby, her arm still attached to his, and she skipped into the garden. The day had long set, but the Clarian spaceport filled the night sky and blocked most of the stars above the street. Holograms projected from the buildings, flashing designs and strange images of women’s eyes, flowers and snarling dogs. A hundred voices boomed from the commercial holograms. Austin couldn’t decipher the cacophony bombarding his ears.

  He felt … alien. And alone.

  “Come on!” Tia said, weaving her way through the mass of people on the sidewalk. She turned back and looked at him playfully. “Still wanna know?”

  “Know what?”

  “Why I’m doing this, silly.”

  Austin shrugged. “Yes.”

  She pulled him closer, speaking so softly in the crowd Austin could barely hear. “I’m from a formerly anchored world. Mimi and Papa were killed during the Zahlian invasion. I fought in the underground for a while but wanted to do more. That was when different men found me, men with your Legion.”

  Austin stared at her, the personality of this young woman transforming before his eyes. “Your planet was conquered?”

  Tia blinked. “Everyone’s is eventually.”

  “Then why fight?”

  She exhaled, staring off into the crowd. “Just because you lose against the powerful, does that mean you shouldn’t try?”

  Austin opened his mouth, but his response died on his lips. He didn’t know what to say.

  They reached a busy intersection, vehicles on wheels mixed with those hovering. Fifty feet above the road, a stream of shuttle traffic shot by and sent a gust of the wind across the sidewalk. Tia paused at the corner and pulled Austin to the wall. Grabbing his collar, she brought him closer and whispered in his ear.

  “Cameras,” she whispered. “Kiss me.”

  “Huh?”

  “Do it.”

  Austin licked his lips, staring down at her purple mouth and her neon green eyes. Their lips met. She tasted like sweet candies. They parted, and she kissed his cheek, making her way to his ear.

  “Can you fly it?” she whispered.

  Austin froze. She knew—knew much mo
re than he first realized.

  She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes like radiant saucers. She stared at him with anticipation, her lips slightly parting as if she awaited tangible hope for the first time.

  He nodded, his chest swelling. “I can fly it.”

  Her eyebrows lowered. She nodded, and Austin thought he saw her eyes brimming with tears. She grabbed his hand tightly. “Our destination is across the street.”

  Austin followed her gaze. The dazzling building illuminated by bold sapphire lasers was impossible to miss. A holographic crimson dragon with a golden pipe hanging out of his mouth hovered over the three-story building. Music boomed from the establishment, spilling loud rhythms out onto the street. Zahlian symbols hovered over the sidewalk.

  The traffic stopped. With Austin’s hand firmly in her own, Tia sprinted across the street. She spun around through the stopped traffic and let his hand go. Hurrying toward their destination, she skipped as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She halted under the symbols, turning around to face him with a flirtatious look on her face.

  “Kiss me again,” she said, her flashing fingernails touching her chin. “For real.”

  Austin sighed, moving toward her. As their lips were about to meet, she yanked him down and forced her mouth to his ear.

  “I’ve never kissed one of the good ones before,” she said softly. “Go inside. Sit at the round table at the back. She is waiting on you.”

  Before Austin could respond, Tia pushed his chest away.

  “How dare you!” she screamed, smacking him hard across the face. “I’m leaving!”

  Austin rubbed his cheek, watching Tia as she ran away crying. She disappeared into the crowd, and Austin idly wondered if he’d ever see her again. Behind a tall bouncer looming with his massive arms crossed over his chest, a dozen people lingered outside the nightclub, some laughing at his misfortune. He shrugged, trying to play it cool as he rubbed his face.

  “Sir?” the bouncer asked, his voice sounding like a bass guitar. “Are you okay?”