“From everything I’ve heard about him, he sounds like a very sad man…”
Ali comforted her, “When you have seen as much death in your life as he has, you begin to question your very existence.”
Ali stood to leave as he saw the time, “I must part with you now, and I hope I have not changed your outlook on Sheppard too much in this time.”
“No, thank you.” She replied, “I’ve learned a lot more about Sheppard in this hour than I have in the week that I’ve known him…”
“You may think he’s a religious fanatic, or some other type of evil man,” He said as he turned to leave, “but know that he does not care what the world thinks about him. He will forever watch mankind even if he is hated. He would protect us from the shadows to ensure mankind’s continued existence. The Earth is our home, and I think that would be the best place for you to start your search.”
The thought crossed her mind, “You wouldn’t happen to…be the ‘Caliph’ Ali? Would you?”
Ali laughed out loud, “No, but I was named after him. He was a great man.”
“Yes, he was.” She smiled, she still remembered her old history classes.
He left with one last remark, “Also… I believe an old friend of yours has returned to this vessel from the ground war. A swimmer I believe?”
Monica stood up. She thanked Ali one last time and rushed through the ship to the only place she could think of.
Avi?
She rushed past the civilians toward the ship’s docking bays. She felt like she knew these halls inside and by now. As she approached the bay where she had first met him she was stopped by the guards.
The guard spoke to her in a strange immortal dialect.
“I’m sorry?”
The man corrected himself, “No entry, they are using these docks to recover technology and the dead from the ground war.”
No! He can’t be dead!
“Please I am looking for Avraham Brownstein, he is a Legion soldier.”
“I do not know him, but if he arrived through these docks earlier he may have been from the first assault returning the wounded.”
“Is there a…training area? A pool maybe? On this vessel?”
The man nodded and pointed out directions for her. She rushed again through the enormous halls, caring little for her exhaustion. She treaded through the crowds effortlessly.
The narrow halls widened into larger tunnels replete with fiber glass windows. Immortals milled about a gymnasium down one hallway. Into the distance she saw swimming pools, many were not being used.
What makes you think he’s alive? She thought to herself.
She shrugged the thought. If people like Sheppard could have hope in the face of such adversity then she was just as capable. She picked up pace and reached the entrance of the gymnasium. The soldiers looked at her attire and stopped her, pointing at her shoes. She pointed to the swimming pools and they looked at one another before letting her pass.
From the inside, the pools were about as empty as the remaining gym areas. As the soldiers were slowly returning home, many did not have physical training in mind.
Hundreds of thousands of Legionnaires left this vessel, but how many would return home?
In the last pool chamber Avi hung in the water by the edge of the pool. He folded his arms on the pool deck and rested his chin on his forearms, glaring blankly into the emptiness. He was one of the only people left in the water now.
Unlike them, he loved the water like a second home.
He kicked off the edge and locked his hands behind his back, kicking just enough to keep afloat as he stared at the ceiling. Avi closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself somewhere else at the moment.
All of his life he had lived care-free. He joined the Legions to prove to himself he could help humanity. But when finally faced with the fact that he had to fight in a war, he did not know what to think.
He swam back to the edge and pulled himself out of the water. With a towel in hand he walked up to a set of bleachers to sit down and dry off.
He looked around hopelessly for anything that would get the war off of his mind. And as he turned to the left he saw Monica standing idly by the pool, waiting for him to say something.
He stood up instantly and stared at her, she was still alive.
He tried to mutter words but all that came out was silence. She approached him slowly, smiling. He was one of the few people she could trust now in this crazy Immortal life, and she was glad to see him alive.
“Hey…” She whispered with a wry smirk.
He looked at her and laughed under his breath before he replied, “Hey.”
Chapter 25
Legacy of the Eternal
Fiesole, Italy
The same day
Sheppard’s bruised body was healing rapidly but he could still feel the pain in his heart. But that was the least of his worries.
On every one of his visits to Earth he was faced with the demons of his past. And this time he was hauntingly drawn to them. Though resisting the messages they communicated, it reminded him he was still human.
For days he had smuggled himself with what belongings he had. People from all over the world realized nowhere appeared safe, and countless countries were flooded with asylum seekers and refugees.
He would overhear the hearsay of the civilians.
Were they aliens? Who would do such a thing? Is this World War Three, because I don’t know who is winning?
Though some of the remarks were comical he could not bring it upon himself to reveal secrets to any of them just yet. For millennia he had planned these days, the day Earth would have been saved and the people would look up to immortals not only as their eternal guardians, but their kin.
He read a text message on his cell phone.
Raja: Who was Bambi’s mother?
Rani: The fawn was born in Tuscany
Sheppard was travelling through the world searching remnants of Eri ground battles. His final destination was Italy.
As he walked, he gazed at the once beautiful Tuscan countryside. It was now scattered with patches of smoldering Earth separating vinyards and farms. Clouds billowed from nearby villages where the Eri had initially invaded. They continued to block sunlight from hitting the parched Earth.
Fiesole was one of the only towns near Florence still relatively unscathed. The Legions landed their initial deployments in Rome, pushing back the Eri full force.
The country remained their second forward command center for the European campaign and the first for the North African campaign. But all that remained to be done for now was the rebuilding effort. Helping displaced farmers and livestock recover from the conflict.
Sheppard kept his simple clothes and tattered cloak close to his head before entering the city. He did not want anyone to recognize him.
Legion soldiers bearing the Merck-Holtz company logo provided medical supplies to the displaced citizens of the surrounding country side. Checkpoints and patrols were scattered around the city, a little over a hundred Legion soldiers and over a thousand international aid workers helped the refugees.
Sheppard walked through the streets without question, though the Legion soldiers patrolling the streets felt estranged around him. It was as if he was emanating some sort of aura.
The female German Shepherd he had found in Washington D.C. followed him wherever he went. The dog had fled the cemetery after they were separated. It anticipated danger as soon as Sheppard left it. It was not until later when they were reunited by the Potomac River. Sheppard’s scent was unmistakable.
He entered an alleyway and sat down, a patrol glared at him but he unveiled a flask and drank from it as the dog sat faithfully by his side.
The soldiers could not make out his face from the darkness and largely ignored him. He covered his hood tighter and dialed a number on his phone. Rani.
The dial tone changed, it was an international number. It dialed endlessly as if the person on the other
end did not want to answer but Sheppard remained on the line. He kept a close eye on his watch. If the line connected he would have less than a few minutes before he had to hang up.
The line connected.
“Hello my Raja. Unusual calling me like this, isn’t it?”
He kept an eye on the time. “I know this is unusual, but I wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me over the years. I think this ends your debt to me, so I wanted to personally thank you for it.”
“It has been a pleasure.” Static entered the line; immortal satellites had found the transmission and were beginning to trace it.
“It seems my people have found me. I wanted to ask you, you are certain this is her family?”
“Has my information ever been wrong?” She replied.
There was a pause on her end of the line.
“Raja.” She was beginning to whisper, Immortal soldiers were rushing through the streets where she resided. “I am certain her family is from there, look for the Medici villa in that town, they have taken refuge in that home since Florence came under siege.”
“Thank you, I will find you again in time.” He closed the line, and dismantled the cell-phone. He peered up periodically making sure he was not being watched.
He emerged from the alleyway with his back hunched over and took small steps toward the center of town. The dog accompanied its haggardly master. Sheppard drifted from crowd to crowd while searching for the villa. The town was strangely familiar, maybe I have been here before?
In the distance he saw an ancient Romanesque villa overlooking the town below. It rested on a cliff with white walls guarding a green terrace facing the road.
He looked behind him, placing his belongings in the road for just a moment. The guards saw him unveil his cloak. In unison they recognized it was Sheppard, but before they could descend upon him he disappeared amidst the large mob.
The guards stopped and looked around, the German shepherd walked through the crowd toward an alleyway. It waited faithfully for its master, wagging its tail. Confused, the Legion soldiers returned to their patrol route and reported their findings.
After evading patrols Sheppard climbed atop the terrace to the lavish residence . A garden in front of the home led to the entrance. The villa rested on a gently sloping hill, which explained the layout of the gardens on three separate terraces.
The first terrace was at the end of an avenue lined with cypress trees, the avenue ran underneath an old Holm-oak wood tree. At first glance the large rectangular lawn was lined with potted lemon trees but many seemed worn and dead as of late. Above him the villa’s piano Nobile hung over the garden.
The second terrace overlooked the rear of the building and was accessible from a staircase on the inside of the villa. Flower beds lined with box hedges were inlaid with a large fountain in the center. Large magnolia trees provided shade for much of the rear garden.
He decided to end his tour and enter the home. He came here for answers.
“Hey!” A man pointed to Sheppard and shouted in Italian from the house entrance. He put his cell phone in his pocket.
Sheppard stopped just shy of the home’s steps.
“Who are you? I will have the military on you in seconds if you do not identify yourself.”
“Are you of the Bianchi?” Sheppard replied in Italian.
The man was surprised. “Yes, why?”
“I know of a Monica Bianchi, is the name familiar to you? She is a young woman with brown hair, brown eyes.”
The man stormed up to Sheppard, “You know where she is?” He walked up to Sheppard. “I am her uncle, how do you know her?”
“I come in peace.” Sheppard raised his hands in the air showing the man that he had no weapons on him, “I come bearing news of where you may find her.” He looked at the home and saw an elderly man storming out.
“Who is that? A refugee? Give him some money and be away with him!” The old man was very irate, no doubt angry at the turn of events the past few days.
“I do not come for money sir. I come bearing news of Monica.”
The man nodded at his son and motioned Sheppard inside. They led Sheppard to the piano Nobile and offered him a drink. Sheppard asked for water.
“What do you know of my grand-daughter?” The two men leaned in listening intently.
Sheppard nodded, “She was rescued by the Merck-Holtz soldiers in Africa, and she will most likely be transported to the corporation’s Switzerland office.”
“What a relief,” The grandfather said as he patted her uncle on the back.
“That good for nothing mother of hers stole her away to that God-forsaken continent years ago. I have not seen her in nearly eight years.”
“Papa…” Her uncle said, “Please, don’t talk about her like that, Lucia was headstrong but she was still family…”
The grizzled old man shrugged it off, as much as he held contempt for his daughter he was elated to hear of his grand-daughter’s health.
“And who may I ask are you?” Her grandfather asked.
Sheppard nodded, “I am someone of no importance.”
He did not care what the world thought of him.
“Then why may I ask did you come here with such news? How do you know her?” He looked at Monica’s grand-father.
“I was looking into your family’s file, it’s how I found out her relation to you. Though I must ask a few questions if you permit.”
The man was wary but obliged.
“What was your wife’s maiden name? It was omitted in the report. There was no record of this woman in previous files-“
“What business is such information to you?” The old man was growing suspicious.
“I’m sorry, it’s not my place to ask…”
Yes it is.
Monica’s grand-father looked at her uncle.
“You have come this way to bring us good news, perhaps I will indulge you.”
“I met my wife on the beach shores of Sicily, many summers ago when I was sailing from Palermo. I had anchored at the dock and jumped onto the beach to find her distraught on the shores—”
Monica’s grand-father chuckled at the story. “I walked up to her, naturally, and asked her what was wrong with her. I thought she was a native at first but she looked more Eastern than the southern Italians. She said she used to visit that beach with her father years before; when she was an only-child. And that her mother died in child-birth.”
Sheppard’s heart sank as the pieces of the story fit together.
Sicily…I was there on that island four-thousand years ago… The thought was inescapable, With Atha…
“Naturally I thought she was a common-girl from Palermo or something, but we grew close that day and we married the next year. We had three wonderful children.” The grandfather squeezed his son’s hand in pride, “We were married for thirty-three years…”
Sheppard kept his composure, “She never aged did she?”
The two men glared at Sheppard, “How did you know?”
“Her eyes…they glowed a blue-green at night sometimes?”
The old man slammed the table, “Who are you?” The servants of the home grew worried as their master grew ever furious. Monica’s uncle tried to calm his father.
“Did…she ever a mention her father?” Sheppard asked.
“Who do you think you are coming into my home, and asking me such things?” He yelled for his servants but Sheppard stood and uncovered a small emblem on his clothes.
“Did she ever mention this symbol? Or a man named Sheppard.”
The old man sat down almost in shock at Sheppard. “You…” The grand-father began, “You are Sheppard?”
“She mentioned me, then…” Sheppard’s heart jumped at the thought, “Where is she? Is she still here?”
Monica’s grandfather shook his head, “She disappeared years ago, off the coast of Sicily…the same place we had met. Our boat capsized off the coast that year, Monica’s grandmother j
umped overboard after her daughter, Monica’s aunt. I was unable to watch her uncle and her mother and keep the boat afloat at the same time. And by the time the boat finally crashed against the shore only Monica’s mother and uncle were to be seen. I searched the shores day in and day out for signs…of something.”
“Then she is lost…” Sheppard was too late, another dead-end in search of his daughter.
Was this the closure I needed? Had she finally passed away?
“She had showed me these… ‘holograms’ of you! Of her days in the desert with you, she missed you, her father!” He did not know how to address Sheppard.
Sheppard sank back in his seat, She spoke of me… he was finally defeated. Where do I go from here? Search for new leads?
“She spoke only great things of you.”
Sheppard looked up at him drearily.
“She said that although she was angry with you for so long, she wanted to see you again. Minerva…” Monica’s grandfather relived those memories vividly.
Sheppard thought a moment, She went by Minerva here…
“She said that you would find her someday…I’m very sorry.”
An immortal spacecraft with elongated thrusters began to circle the Medici villa. Sheppard peered through the window and saw it closing in.
“All I ask, is that you do not tell Monica anything of what transpired here. I will explain everything to her in time.”
Bright spotlights shone through the windows of the villa as the ship made its final landing approach. As Monica’s relatives recover-ed from the noise and lights outside they realized Sheppard had disa-ppeared.
Her uncle rushed through the halls of their house but realized Sheppard was long gone.
Outside the ship landed just a few hundred meters from the villa on another large road. Monica emerged from the ship’s bay, and oriented herself in the city. She had only been here once many years ago with her mother.
Origin: Eternity's End Page 39
