Copula Chronicles: The Complete Collection: Origin, Descend, Ascend, Legacy

by Venessa Kimball

  I grab a cup of coffee and join him.

  “How was dinner?”

  I guess Nate texted him to let him know. Memories of the night wash over me quickly. Mental block don’t fail me now. I make my response brief. “It was fine. How was your evening? Who’d you have dinner with?”

  “A friend.”

  “Yeah, you said that in your note. Who?”

  I hear Nate’s door open then shut, bringing pause to Ezra answering. “Nate.”

  His solid footsteps on the wooden floor stop behind me. “Morning.”

  I keep my focus on Ezra, not letting him out of answering me. “Who did you go to dinner with?”

  Ezra glances at me, and then looks down at his file. “You might want to get some breakfast before we head out.”

  “What’s going on? I’m not going to give up. I may not be able to read you, but that’s a sure sign you’re keeping something from us.”

  Ezra looks up at Nate, then down at me. “It’s nothing.”

  Did he just reference Nate? I look over my shoulder at him hovering behind me. “You know something?”

  “Nope.”

  Nate quickly turns on his heels and walks to the cabinet to pull out a bowl.

  Okay, this is bullshit. “Nate?”

  He doesn’t respond. Instead, he opens the refrigerator and grabs the milk.

  I turn to Ezra and fold my arms over my chest. “What the hell is going on?”

  Nate grabs the cereal and sits at the table, sighing. “Sondian trackers have been casing Ms. Olivia’s bookstore for a week now. They have been looking for you.”

  Ezra interjects, “I didn’t want to tell you because the plan was to get you off the grid long enough for me to handle it.”

  I glare at Nate. “And, you knew about this?” I start deriving a conclusion. “That’s why you asked me on a date?”

  Ezra chimes in. “To dinner.”

  I stare hard at Ezra then pin it back on Nate. “Oh. That’s all it was, believe me.”

  I stand up and pace behind Nate, my intent to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

  Nate shakes his head. “This is about you being safe and keeping you protected Jes. He asked me to do it and I did. I wasn’t going to question putting your life at risk. I never will.”

  The idea that this memorable normal non-date dinner we had last night was all a false front makes me regret feeling all of the things I did about Nate last night. I looked too deep into what we are. Maybe this is as far as we’re meant to go. Strictly partners.

  Ezra stands with his cup of coffee and walks over to the sink. “If you’re going to blame anyone, blame me for asking him to do it. Ms. Olivia and I handled it. There were only two this time. Next time, they will send more. We can’t get out of town fast enough at this point.”

  I stop pacing and stare at Ezra from shock of who his accomplice was last night. “Ms. Olivia?

  Ezra nods as he walks toward me. “When we were in close proximity, we took them down.”

  “How?”

  Ezra is surprised at my question as he clarifies, “How did we kill them?”

  I think it’s a valid question. “If this was all strictly a strategy to take down trackers, I want to know how things went down.”

  I look down at Nate as he watches me, pinning him with my question. “That’s what it was after all, right? Strategy?”

  My hard, unforgiving stare holds Nate at my mercy only for a second before he returns to his crappy bowl of cereal. “Right.”

  Ezra folds his arms over his chest. “Traffic was light last night, so Olivia took control of the tracker’s car with Telekinesis and steered it off of an overpass. They both died instantly.”

  It’s hard to believe sweet little Ms. Olivia is capable of killing someone. Even though he can’t get past the hold I have on my thoughts, Ezra sees my visible reaction to what he’s said. “She is a healer, but she is also a guardian, Jes. Killing is never something we want to do, but as guardians, it is something we need to do. The Sondian fellowship sees you both as a threat, and they are going to do what they must to eliminate you. Yours and Nate’s battle is just beginning.”

  “Then don’t try hiding this tracker shit from Nate and me again. It isn’t doing us any good keeping us in the dark.”

  My words aren’t enough as I ball up my fist and nail him in the arm. There. That feels better.

  His surprised and shocked look is priceless as he stretches and rotates his arm. “Yeah, I got it, dear gentle daughter.”

  I grab my coffee off the table, dump the rest in the sink and head toward my room to get my bag. “I’ll be ready in twenty minutes.”

  Twenty minutes later, and after I quit feeling sorry for myself and bitching at Nate, I carried my bags through the garage toward the big SUV sitting in the driveway. I guess Ezra traded in his BMW for something more Dobrian mission appropriate. As I put my bags in the car, I hear voices on the front porch and see Ms. Olivia sitting on a chair with Ezra and Nate standing around her.

  Ms. Olivia greets me, “There’s my girl. Come over here.”

  She stands, opens her arms and beckons me to her. I quickly walk up the steps and into those warm arms.

  I whisper to her, “Are you okay?”

  I feel a trickle of energy run from her body to mine.

  “Yes, but I’m staying here at the villa while you all are away. It’s safer.”

  She pats me softly on my back and releases me from our embrace, then cups my face in her hand as she studies my face. I look down knowing that she sees more than what’s on the surface with her abilities. “Are you okay, Jes?”

  I nod, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Suddenly, she moves her hands from my face and rests them on either side of my head.

  A current of warm energy showers me in comfort. Instantly, I feel inner peace and relief. I look up into her eyes and send her one thought. “Thank you.”

  We said goodbye to Ms. Olivia, and got into the SUV to head to the airstrip. I was looking out the window of the SUV on our way to the airport when Ezra told us he commandeered a private jet for our first leg of the mission–– finding Xander.

  I look out the window as we take off from the airstrip. The humming sounds of the jet engines relax me, which is surprising since humming and vibrations in general are warning signs of danger. Suddenly, the plane jumps, sending my eyes wide open. As I look around, the interior of the plane is dark, except for one small reading light shining down on the top of a head in front of Ezra.

  Wait, that seat was empty. No sooner than I can think his name, Sebastian rises from his seat to face us.

  Ezra peeks his head over his chair and looks back at Nate and me. Then Nate’s head pops up over his seat as he glances at me. He looks past me with a questioning expression on his face. As I follow his gaze, I see a man sitting directly behind me. Unlatching my buckle and rising in one motion, I stand in the middle of the narrow aisle of the plane with Ezra and Nate as Ezra announces them. “Sebastian and Balthazar.”

  I stare longer at Balthazar, not having seen him before as he says, “We have something to show you.”

  Just as Sebastian has done in my visions, a bright flash blinds me, and I instinctively shield my eyes. When I pull my hand away, I’m in the long hallway of a house, watching Balthazar lean his hand against the wall.

  ***

  CHAPTER 13: MUTINY

  Balthazar

  I run my hand over the intricate scrolls engraved along the wooden panels of the wall. Smiling, I remember when father had them installed. They were identical to the pattern we had in our home in Georgia.

  It isn’t easy to astral project without the Copula any longer. It took me multiple attempts and two long hours to project to Sebastian the first time. Trying to focus my energy with painkillers in my system proba
bly didn’t help. This time it has taken more out of me. Without the Copula, my ability to connect with him is almost non-existent. I know I don’t have much time to hold this lucid dream.

  As I slid my hand along the wall for support, I see the double doors of the library are slightly ajar, light bleeding into the hallway.

  I push the doors open, careful not to make too much noise. My father’s sitting in an armchair by the fireplace; his head dropped to his chin and his breath even and steady as he sleeps. The fire is burning low, the flame barely alive. I slide into the chair across from him and watch him.

  Suddenly, my father’s head lolls to the left stirring only enough to rest his head on the back of the chair. The crease on his forehead deepens all of a sudden, then releases as quickly as it appeared.

  Slowly, I lean forward, and reach for my father’s hand. I make sure to let it rest gently on his, not wanting to startle him.

  “Father,” I whisper.

  His eyes move under his lids more rapidly, having heard my voice. They quickly blink to life and fix on me sitting across from him. “You left so fast last time.”

  “Yes, I’m sorry. It’s hard to project now.”

  The wrinkle in my father’s forehead reappears. “With the Copula, you should be able to easily sustain—”

  I shake my head. “I no longer have one.”

  My father leans forward, coming closer. “No longer have one? What happened?”

  I know I can’t just tell him and expect his full understanding of what I have become. I have to show him.

  * * *

  I sat in my office chair behind my desk gazing out the window at the low, heavy clouds blanketing London. I picked up the sticky silicon discs attached to wires and placed them on both sides at the nape of my neck. Taking the connecting end of the wires and plugging them into the small device, I initiated my traverse to Sonde.

  The device was the size of a smart phone, created from the rudimentary schematics in my father’s files. I shake my head, briefly reflecting on the visionary Sebastian had been all those years ago.

  It wasn’t until I was traversing more frequently that I realized the necessity for a compact computer-like device to assist with the external surge of electricity needed to initiate the Copula’s internal propulsion.

  I turned on the small power source. The screen illuminated in the dimly lit office. I punched in the identification code for Sonde’s coordinates and pushed a button to begin the process. The initial surge of electricity was a simple tickle along my neckline, flowing into a steady wave.

  My body began to sway in time with the electric wave coursing through me. I gripped the chair to steady my reactive body.

  Floating shards of light increased behind my closed eyes. Just then, the pulling began, and my body felt weightless. The negative gravity worked in me through the Copula. Then, a sharp jerk from within my core took over. It felt like I was being towed from my chair by a rope tied tightly around my midsection.

  Within seconds, my body was released from the pull, landing onto something soft and cushioned—a sofa. I opened my eyes cautiously. Even though the coordinates had been predetermined, it always made me apprehensive of what I would see. I sighed when I saw a familiar conference table, knowing I was in Sonde.

  My eyes focused on a stack of files on the conference table. I quickly looked around the room for others. No one was there. I thought it was strange for someone to leave files unattended. I stood and walked over to the table. My index finger opened the binder that was lying on top of the stack.

  It contained executive board minutes. I quickly noticed that binder contained additional meetings that I had missed. Michael Sanderson, the board’s vice president, had proposed an alteration to the Copula. The alteration would create a Copula that would use orthomolecular therapy. This would have optimum effects for the specimen’s survival in the changing world.

  Another component to the Copula would be needed to contain trace elements, such as copper, titanium and sulfur, for extended release. The trace elements would be introduced to the body through a small intrathecal pump. The pump would allow an extended release of the elements into the body through the blood stream. These elements would increase life span, stimulate physical energy and strength and slow the aging process. A catheter attached to the Copula at the base of the skull at the cervical spine and would release the elements into the body. The pump would need to be refilled every two months.

  Being that the vessels would have already possessed the Copula within their bodies, tracking the levels remaining in the pump and the time for a refill would not be difficult. Repeated abductions of the vessels would be scheduled like clockwork, making sure doses were not missed. The vessels would be obtained without their knowledge, more than likely subduing them with anesthetic. Then, the vessels would be refilled and returned to the last place they were. No harm, no foul. Or, so they thought.

  I remembered this warped proposal now. I refused to support it for many reasons. First, the data within the proposal had indicated that the Copula would put the human body—the vessel—at greater risk for mental and physical illness when the body had been depleted of other necessary elements and minerals. Second, there was no threat to provoke this proposed change. And third, the will of the vessels would be taken from them. It would be inhumane.

  I turned the page to yet another set of minutes for a meeting I did not attend.

  Ezra Kahn and Jesca Sera were both under investigation.

  I saw that Michael Sanderson had proposed the altered Copula once again to the board without me being there. The board had been wooed by Michael’s reintroduction of the proposal, and they had agreed on the alteration. To top it off, they had discussed phasing me out of executive decisions from that point forward.

  It said that I might pose hostility toward the board and its future endeavors.

  I looked to the open doorway of the conference room. With quick speed, I rushed to the door, shut it and locked it. Just as quickly, I was back at the conference table, flipping to the next set of minutes.

  I remembered this meeting. I tried to think back to Gary Strider’s request for more funding. Gary had mentioned nothing out of the ordinary at that meeting. Certainly, I knew there was no discussion of alterations to the Copula. Now, seeing the evidence of a mutiny in the minutes, I was feeling ultimately betrayed by the fellowship.

  It only got worse. Each set of minutes there after showed how Michael had used his ability of Transfiguration to shift his form. In lucid dreams, Michael had pretended to be me, communicating with guardians around the world who were collecting vessels. They were implanting average human beings!

  As I scanned the documents further, I read that Ezra and Jesca had disappeared.

  Needing to know their significance, I skimmed closely and noted the abductions and implantation rate increasing exponentially. They had not been willing participants, which was against what I had always practiced. They were taken against their will.

  Page after page, more details of how these abducted human specimens had been reacting to the implant. At first, their bodies had been fine with the higher levels of copper, titanium, and sulfur introduced into their bodies. Suddenly, strange psychological symptoms of catatonia, hostility, hallucinations and schizophrenia had become prominent in the specimens. Medical departments had opened globally, employing Sondian medical staff to contain these specimens. Some of the locations were Kyoto University in Japan, Australian National University, MIT, University of Cambridge and Florida State University.

  I noticed Ezra Kahn, Jesca Gershon-Sera, and Nathaniel Sera had infiltrated a specimen collection cell headed by Samson Crest in Miami, Florida.

  I took Sam under my wings when he was young. What sickened me the most was that Sam thought I was giving him these horrific directives when it was Michael Sanderson all along.

  As I re
ad on, the minutes said that Sam had captured Corinna Cain, and she was scheduled for re-implantation. I quickly flipped to the next page to see when this re-implantation was scheduled. If I could do anything to stop it, I would.

  Coming to the end of the stack, I noted that the altered Copula was adjusted, and throughout the medical department locations at the designated universities, the specimens had been showing significant mental improvement and optimum physical abilities. But, an unknown external force had interrupted the promising specimen results, bringing on bouts of psychosis during weekly evaluations.

  The minutes said that David Patel had a team trying to identify the source of this external force. The team suggested the external force had appeared to be coming from the Andromeda galaxy.

  I scrolled down, noting the ongoing surveillance of Jesca Gershon-Sera, Nathaniel Sera and Ezra Kahn in Miami, Florida. I saw another name. Alexander Crest. The name Sera was in parenthesis next to it. As I continued on, Sam’s name arose with detail about him being relocated to a safe house in Tokyo, Japan. There, he would train Corinna Cain after re-implantation.

  Midway down the page, I read that the experimental removal of her Dobrian Copula and re-implantation of the altered Sondian Copula was going to be performed on that very day.

  I stood from the conference table, quickly heading to the door. I threw it open, rushing out of the room. As I rounded the corner, I ran head on into Jim Graffton.

  Jim was jolted backward at the force of me coming at him. He steadied himself, grabbing hold of me before he could move farther.

  I fought him as he tried to pull me to the ground. Taking off in a dead run, I headed straight for the operating rooms.

  I heard Jim yell from behind me, obviously realizing what I had discovered.

  I pushed through the double doors of the viewing room first. Immediately, I was greeted by two large men blocking the entrance to the operating room. I tried to push through them. I saw a young girl kneeling and bent face down on a surgical table designed for spinal surgery. Her red hair, striking against the white sheet covering the lower half of her body, was pulled to one side, revealing the nape of her neck. Her face was being cradled by the hole in the table.