She’d seen everything inside the Great Ballcourt, marveling at Hank’s strength. Last she knew, he was human again, having none of his previous abilities. Rand saw to that problem, though, unlocking what was dormant and giving Hank complete control of his gifts.
Hopefully, Rand would do the same for her.
Not here, though, she thought, watching the group of four pile into a nondescript and weathered SUV. She likewise entered her rental car and slowly started after them, keeping her distance so as not to be discovered. She suspected where they might be going but didn’t want to fall back and take the chance of losing them.
Anepou showing up here also concerned her deeply. It looked like he could show up wherever he wanted. His power was seemingly infinite and legendary, but not all of it was openly known. Like some An’taleans, Anepou had developed his secondary skills over time, honing them in secret until the time was right.
Like now. Him showing himself here told her that Anepou was close to his ultimate endgame. The Order of An’tala was getting ready for something big—something that would shatter the world.
14
Valladolid, Yucatan
“Welcome to my home,” Rand says, shoving through his place’s warped front door. Inside, it’s not much, but then again, I’m not sure what I was expecting to see. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s living below his means, honestly. If I were constantly on the run, I wouldn’t bother fully settling down either.
We’re forty-five minutes east of Chichen Itza, straight down highway 180D. Valladolid is the third largest city in the Yucatan state and, funny enough, I’ve been here before. It wasn’t a vacation spot, mind you, but Dad and I stopped here one summer on the way to Cancun and got some lunch with an old friend of his. I’m not sure if Rand was around back then, but it's eerie nonetheless.
We may have even inadvertently met once…or…
“Have you ever heard of a man named Dr. William Boyd?” I ask, needing to know.
Rand stops the tour and turns to me. “I knew who he was, yes. My trusted contacts throughout the world said he was a great man of history. Very respected by many people.”
“So, then…” I say, nodding my head in thought, “then you know he’s dead?”
“At the hands of Coaxoch’s minions, yes.” He looks me in the eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss. As for your previous questions…have I met him…”
Nicole steps up next to me, also interested in what Rand has to say.
“I did meet your father once.”
“Where?” Nicole asks.
“At the Smithsonian. Some years ago, now. I was looking into a lead I had about one of the council members being in D.C. When I didn’t find anything pertinent, I decided to treat myself to a tour of the National Mall. It was during the winter and the sidewalks were slick. I was just minding my own business when a man came stumbling out of the Castle and slipped. He nearly fell on his face before I caught him and—”
“Dad told me this story a few times,” I say shocked. “He said a good Samaritan saved him from a trip to the ER. I must have just missed you. I came out a few minutes later. I forgot my coat and had to go back inside. Otherwise, I would have met you too.”
Rand smiles. “The world works in wondrously mysterious ways. He even offered me an exclusive tour of the Castle the next time I was in town. I couldn’t take him up on it, though. The Order heard of my trip and made it all but impossible for me to return.”
“If we make it through this, I’ll show you more than just the Castle. We have a new place of business now that I think you’ll find interesting.”
“Oh, really,” he says, eyebrows lifting, “I’d like that.”
I nod. “But first—”
“Right, Kunlun Mountain. I have some information you might find fascinating. It should point you in the right direction.”
“What is it?” Nicole asks, following Rand as well. Nando has moved off into the kitchen, helping himself to a drink. Rand said earlier that we were welcome and apparently Nando is taking that to heart and raiding the Architect’s craft beer supply.
“You’ll see…”
We leave the main living area and enter an office of sorts. Boxes are stacked in every corner, but overall, it isn’t too cluttered. Well lived is what I would call it. It looks exactly like how my basement office did in Washington.
A desk is situated at the rear of the room facing out towards the door. Behind said desk is a beautiful painting of something I know all too well.
“An’tala,” I say, staring at the stunning work of art.
“Oh, that?” Rand asks. “Yes, it is—as you would say, ‘In its glory days.’ I painted that from memory and decided to hang it in here. Many people have seen it over the years, asking me what it is.”
“What did you tell them?” Nicole asks.
“I said it was my interpretation of Atlantis.” He smiles. “People just nod and compliment the artist’s imagery and ability. It’s a widely known fictional kingdom, you know?”
Nicole and I both laugh.
“Do me a favor and stand by the door.”
“Okay…” I say, stepping back with Nicole.
There’s a thick shag carpet in the center of the room, something I’ve always wanted to have in mine. Its circular cut gives the room a nice feel and style, as do the two chairs sitting just off to either side. Rand kneels and closes his eyes, putting his hand on the five-by-five area rug.
We both feel a slight vibration, clenching each other’s hands harder. Then, something incredible happens. The shag carpet lifts off the ground and rises straight into the air attached to the top of a hidden vault-like structure. It’s then I see the vault’s framework.
“Orichalcum,” I say, watching as it continues up, stopping only inches from the room’s eight-foot ceiling. It’s essentially a hidden storage unit, housing what looks like ancient, and therefore priceless, documents—historical relics.
“Wow,” Nicole says, stepping forward, running her hand along the closest edge.
“I installed this a few decades ago,” Rand says, stepping inside. “I’ve even rented this home out a few times over the years—my tenants none the wiser.”
“But now you live here?” I ask.
“For now,” he replies, “I suspect with Anepou in the area that my time in Valladolid is coming to a close.”
“What then?” Nicole asks.
He shrugs. “Settle somewhere else and rent this place out again until things die down. Then, I’ll return and start my search for a cure again.”
I look at Nicole and she nods. “We may have something better to offer you.”
“And where’s that?” he asks, rummaging through a lower shelf.
“A place to lay low for a while.”
“A nice place,” Nicole adds. “All we would need in return is more information when it's needed.”
Rand stands. “That’s it? You’d hide me in exchange for nothing else. All you want is my knowledge?”
We both nod.
Rand strokes his stubble covered chin but quickly grins. “It’s a deal. Where is this future getaway of mine?”
“Nowhere,” Nicole says as serious as ever.
“Pardon?” Rand asks. “Did you say, nowhere?”
I nod. “Capital ‘N’ Nowhere. It’s what we call ATLAS headquarters. Only a handful of people know it exists and even fewer are allowed inside its doors. It’s super high-tech and well-guarded by people we trust. You’d be safe there and have our advancements to help you out.”
He smiles. “Alright, Nowhere is it.” He looks at a thick leather-bound book in front of him and his eyes light up. “Ah, here it is.” He hands it to me. “This is the Architect’s Notebook.”
“Notebook?” Nicole asks, eyeing the large tome. “Looks more like Gutenberg’s bible.”
“Yes, well, it may have grown a little over the years,” Rand says. “But inside is everything I’ve collected on the Order members and their whereabou
ts—friendly and not. Every clue I’ve found, or magazine article I assumed related to each.”
“Assumed?” I ask. “Do you actually know where they are, or just general locales?”
“Both,” he says. “I know for a fact that Dohna’s kingdom is in the realm of Kunlun Mountain. Where, exactly, is still a mystery to me. She’s done what she can to keep me out. As I’m sure you’re aware, trouble seems to follow me wherever I go.”
Nicole and I glance at one another, not having to voice our agreement.
“So, what you’re saying is that you don’t know,” Nicole says, taking the massive volume from Rand.
“I told you that I’m not welcome within her borders. She’s very protective of the people living there.”
“What people?” I ask.
“More An’talean refugees,” he replies. “She’s found a way for them to live forever without the use of my Elixir.” He holds out his hand. “And before you ask, no, I don’t know how, only that they are very grateful to Dohna and tend to get protective of her and their home.”
“They get violent?” I ask.
“You must remember what’s at stake for those living within Kunlun Mountain. They literally have nowhere else to go if they are discovered. They will defend that secrecy to the end. It’s either us or them at the end of the day. You’d do the same—are doing the same.”
“You were going to do the same with us too,” I add.
He nods. “Quite so. Believe me when I tell you that I—they—are not warring people. They are just like everyone else. All they want is peace and to be left alone. But Dohna, like the rest of humanity, has developed other knowledge in her years there, just as Anepou and I have in the outside world. I believe she can help me the most and therefore will be Anepou’s primary target if he can’t get to me first.”
The house shakes. The shudder is immediately followed by a buzzing sound.
Sounds like bees.
“What was that?” Nando asks from the kitchen.
Rand looks at Nicole and me. “Someone who doesn’t want peace.”
15
Valladolid, Yucatan
“How did he find us?” I whisper as Rand lowers the vault back into place. The buzzing outside has intensified some, but so far, nothing has made it inside.
“I’m not sure,” Rand replies, getting to his feet. “But it may have something to do with Gwyn.”
“Gwyn?” I ask, following him back out into the living room. Nicole and Nando are already there, guns drawn. Nando guzzles down the rest of a local brew and grins as he belches.
“Sorry. I’m not used to this sort of thing—the potential death, I mean, not the beer.”
I smile back and pat his shoulder. “Don’t worry…you will.” His face falls as I walk past him and try to peek through the front blinds.
“Don’t!” Rand hisses. “He knows we are near but not our exact location.”
“And Gwyn?” I ask.
“She is Anepou’s other half. They are nearly invincible together. She feels where the target is and he does the heavy lifting upon arrival.”
“She feels them?” Nicole asks.
“Yes,” Rand replies, “think of it as being an oracle. She can see things from the past but also the present. The future is something very few have been able to discern, though.”
“Except Thoth,” I say, earning a nod from Rand.
“Gwyn is very powerful from afar but has no real gifts when it comes to physical prowess. Anepou is the exact opposite, being mostly that of bodily strength. They are the perfect match.”
“Match?” I ask.
“They are more than just fellow council members, Hank.” Rand flicks his eyebrows, sending me the message loud and clear.
“Their love life doesn’t matter,” Nicole says, gripping her gun’s handgrip harder. “The only thing that does is if we can kill them.”
“You mean if we can kill them,” I say, motioning between Rand and I. “No offense Nic, but your bullets are gonna do exactly jack and shit to this Anepou guy.”
Before she can retaliate, Rand steps in. “Hank’s right. We got lucky with Gerard. Anepou is something else altogether. Do you know the stories about the biblical plagues?”
“I think we’ve all seen the Ten Commandments,” I say.
“Well, those seven plagues weren’t godly illnesses handed down from above. They were—”
“Anepou,” I say, finishing his explanation.
“I’m not the only one who has influenced history over the millennia,” Rand continues. “The outlandish stories came from somewhere—someone, really. They were just as devastating as described, but their origin was misinterpreted. The lack of education on things of science or that of the supernatural was always thought of as godly or evil in those days.”
“Right,” I say, “like Enki and Babel, and Thoth and Egypt.”
“Correct. Whether by accident or on purpose, the people of An’tala have truly shaped what you humans know as history and therefore the world.”
The house shakes again, getting us moving.
“Regardless,” Rand adds, “we can’t stay here.” He looks around the quaint home. “I’d rather not lose this place. I like it here.”
“And the vault,” I say, “we can’t let Anepou see what you’ve been doing.”
“That too,” he says, still looking around his home.
I watch as Nicole slips the Notebook into her backpack, shouldering the bag once again. “What’s the play?” she asks, looking at me.
I blow out and think. “You and I go out the front. He won’t know who we are.” I tilt my chin at Rand and Nando. “You go out the back and try to slip away.” I look hard at Rand. “You do have a backdoor, right?”
He smiles and pushes Nando towards the kitchen and then through an opening in the rear of the home. I turn and lock eyes with Nicole. “When we get out of this, we’re getting hitched.”
She holds up her gun and smiles, kissing me on the cheek as she heads for the front door. I’m right behind her and reach out for the deadbolt, drawing it back slowly. But before I open it, I lean into the peephole and see a swarm of something in the air. It’s not bees like I originally thought, but it is something alive…and…bigger.
“Wonderful,” I mumble, getting a questioning look from Nicole. “It’s nothing.” Her eyebrows knit, showing her annoyance with me. “Well, it’s probably nothing.”
I grab the doorknob and twist. The hardwood door flies open and smacks me in the face, sending me sprawling to the ground. Thankfully, with my abilities back in order, the blow does no damage to my face. If it did, it already healed before I could check.
“Okay,” I say, getting to my feet, “maybe it’s something…”
Nicole flattens herself against the inside wall of the house as another gale-force wind rushes inside. I steady myself and feel my inner fire begin to churn a little. I repress it, not wanting to burn Rand’s house down, but the effect it has on the storm is interesting.
The wind around me dies down to nothing. Not even my scraggly, overgrown hair sticking out of my hat moves. I glance to Nicole and see her still fighting to stay on her feet just inside the door as the wind whips by her. Then, I duck as the front door is ripped off its hinges and sails over my head, crashing into and over the kitchen counter. Nando’s empties are obliterated soon after as the large piece of storm debris settles to the tile floor.
I look around and take in the state of the home. Rand’s belongings are trashed, but honestly, the only thing I’m concerned about is the vault of knowledge in his office floor and the book in Nicole’s pack.
And our lives, of course.
“Come here!” I yell, holding out my hand. Nicole nods, her hair billowing out sideways, like a horizontal Cousin It. I’m not even sure she can even see me right now. Either way, she makes slow progress to me until a secondary gust knocks her off her feet. Instinctively, I reach out and snag her flailing hand, pulling her in tight as if she
weighed nothing. I’m not sure where the added strength comes from, but it’s there, and it responds instantaneously.
Must be the Elixir, I think. Rand did say that my body would naturally react to it. I grin at not having to dial it up myself. I can now focus on the fight in front of me and not have to also think about how and when to use my abilities.
I won’t get tired either… Which is nice. Not having to carry around a puffer, or like in Kuwait, an adrenaline injection pen, as a much-appreciated bonus. Going all out, all day—on purpose, is something I haven’t done. Every time I’ve had to use the power in a fight, I’ve either been the ringleader of the guardian freak show or on my death bed from exhaustion immediately after the fisticuffs were over.
But not now.
Holding Nicole tight, we walk towards, and then, through the doorless entryway. Rand’s home faces a field of nothing, where he said he sits and admires a beautiful sunrise every morning. At some point in the past it was a farm of some kind, but now, it’s just overgrown with various types of weeds and grasses.
The buzzing erupts into what a thousand chainsaws must sound like as we emerge. I can’t see anything initially, not until we exit onto the street, that is.
“Oh my God,” Nicole says, pointing up. A dark cloud is situated directly above us and as we continue forward, it begins to move. No, move isn’t the right word… It lowers.
“Are those birds?” Nicole asks.
“I’m not sure,” I say, seeing the mass of black start to break apart into a group of something smaller. Then, one of them gets close enough for us to see. I know what they are…
“They look like scarab beetles,” Todd says in my head, startling me. He must’ve been quietly sitting back and watching from Virginia. They are, and a group of them divebombs us. But as quickly as they enter our circle of invisible energy, they turn to ash, leaving the world as a puff of smoke.
Elixir of Life: A Novella (A Hank Boyd Adventure - Book 4) (The Hank Boyd Adventures) Page 10
