“We can’t decide anything until Jack has recovered,” said Mira. “Though in the meantime, perhaps it would suit our purposes for you and I to discuss the situation… in private?”
“Mira,” said Zoe, holding a hand to her neck. “Please stop trying to suck my little brother’s blood.”
Mira bit her lip and let out a frustrated sigh. “I would never force him to do anything he wasn’t comfortable with, Zoe.”
Jack let out a cough, and every eye in the room turned to fixate on him. The gash across his chest had stopped bleeding, though it still looked far from healed. He blinked a couple of times and took several deep breaths.
“We can’t afford to waste time,” he said. “Lee… has she truly allied herself with the Order?”
Lee shook his head. “That’s what she claims, but I have no idea whether we can take her at her word.”
“We can’t afford not to,” muttered Jack. “If they are working together, then the best way to draw her out would be to strike a blow against the Order.”
“Ooh, I do like the sound of that,” said Mira. “But of course, first we would need a target.”
“The Sahara Base,” said Lee, sensing where Jack’s line of thinking was heading.
The wounded vampire nodded his head. “Exactly. The ball is in your court. I will need time to rest and recover. Can I trust you to work on the preparations with Ryoko and Mira?”
Lee nodded. “I know where the base is and have basic information about how many mages the Order has on hand to defend it with. Unless they’ve reinforced their defenses, we should be able to mount a strike against it with a combined force of the House of Shadows and the Melting Pack.”
It felt strange to suddenly begin viewing two factions he’d considered hostile until recently as assets, allies with shared a goal. Lee folded his arms, glancing from his sister, to Mira, to Ryoko.
“We’ll give him all the help he needs, sir,” said Ryoko, kneeling down to squeeze Jack’s hand.
“Good,” muttered Jack. “It’s up to you now, Lee. We’re placing our trust in you.”
CHAPTER 26
The next few hours passed in a mixture of preparations and cleaning. Lee started by assisting Mira in cleaning up the basement. She removed Xepher’s body from the mansion on her own, assuring the others he’d be put to rest in a peaceful place outside of the purview of the mundane authorities.
Lee discussed more of the particulars with Ryoko as they cleaned up the blood left in the wake of Eliza’s chaos. The task was made slightly simpler by her water abilities, which gave them a seemingly endless supply of fresh water for cleaning.
“I can get us reasonably close,” she said. “Within a day or two of traveling. There’s a solar power facility with an interior well that Zoe and I attempted to recruit a worker from a little over a year ago. It’s still under construction, and there’s a cistern there that I’ve used for my water teleportation before.”
“You’re sure it’s near enough?” asked Lee.
Ryoko furrowed her brow. “That’s the question I should be asking you. There’s no sign of this base on any of the satellite imagery we’ve been able to find. You’re sure about this, Lee? I can’t produce fresh water indefinitely. We could end up in a situation where we’re stranded in the desert if you’re wrong.”
“I’m as sure as the Order agent whose memories I absorbed,” he said. “I assume that the reason it doesn’t show up in photos is because of an illusion veil, similar to how Primhaven was hidden from view.”
“That does make sense,” said Ryoko. “In that case, we’ll prepare to leave tomorrow.”
“There’s an oasis closer to the actual base that they use for their water source,” said Lee. “I know you haven’t been to it before, but if we can reach it without being seen, could you use it to discreetly bring in more of Jack’s allies?”
“I could.” Ryoko smiled and rubbed her chin. “Yes, I think that would work perfectly! Jack still needs time to rest and recover here, so it would allow him to meet with us once he’s at full strength.”
“It sounds as though the two of you have developed quite the plan.” Mira slowly made her way downstairs to join them. Her hands were covered in Xepher’s blood, which she was slowly wiping away with a wet handkerchief.
“It’ll work,” said Lee. “The base isn’t guarded that heavily. The only other obstacle would be finding a way past the outer wall surrounding it, and I think we’ll have a range of options to deal with that.”
Mira grinned at him. “Quite so. I doubt it will pose much trouble, especially if we wait until night.”
Her red eyes remained fixed on Lee, intense and full of unspoken judgment. He could only bear it for so long.
“What?” he asked.
“I hope you understand, my dear Lee, that there may not be any coming back from this for you,” she said. “Up until now, the help you’ve provided us with has been mostly in information or basic recruitment. If you enter this fight, you’ll have chosen your side once and for all.”
Her tone carried an ominous edge, as though she wasn’t just speaking in terms of trust and loyalty but hinting at what she’d expect from him as an ally.
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” he replied. “Not anymore.”
Mira flashed a broad smile, revealing the tips of her fangs. “I never said it was simple.”
***
Lee was exhausted when he finally retired to bed. Ryoko had assured him that she could make the rest of the preparations on her own before shooing him off upstairs. He barely took the time to pull the sheets open before collapsing onto the mattress.
“Are you sure about this?” Tess had stretched out next to him.
“Not entirely,” he said. “But if what Eliza said is true, I don’t see any other way forward. She won’t just work with the Order, she’ll find a way to control them, use them to create even more chaos.”
Lee reached out with his hand, waiting for her to give him a small nod before pulling her into his mystic stream. Her hair was down, and she wore a simple nightgown into which she self-consciously pulled her legs up.
“You won’t be able to push a wheelchair across a desert,” said Tess.
“I guess not. Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine. I can still follow you if I stay in my ethereal form, and I don’t mind it. It’s how I always was, back before…”
Lee took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it. “That’s also part of the reason why I have to do this. If I can find a way to save Eliza, it’ll save you, too.”
Tess glanced downward. “What if you can’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if you can’t save her, or even beat her?” she whispered. “Lee, I… don’t want my situation to be a factor when it comes to the decision you end up making.”
“What decision, Tess?”
“I know you have to face her,” she whispered. “But please, don’t agree to anything she offers. Don’t give yourself to her, even if she offers to undo whatever she’s done to me. Please?”
She blinked, her eyes seeming both bigger and sadder in the moment. He wasn’t sure what to say, whether he could make her a promise and keep it when all was said and done.
“I’m not going to just let you fade away, Tess,” he whispered.
She gave him a sad smile. “And I’m not going to let you be anyone’s slave, Lee.”
He could hear the sincerity in her words, and it scared him. He pulled her into a hug, trying to buoy his own confidence as he told himself there was a way forward, a way toward a happy ending that spared him the pain of seeing the people he loved get hurt.
He made a fist behind Tess’s back, feeling the tingle of holy fire, a reminder of who and what he was.
There was a way. And if there wasn’t, he’d make one.
They woke up early, hours before sunrise, mindful of how many time zones they’d be crossing over. He was a little surprised t
o find that, despite the dark hour, he was still the last one up.
Mira, Ryoko, and Zoe were all gathered around Jack in the lounge. Despite being conscious and slightly stronger in pallor than he’d been after his brutal encounter with Eliza, he still looked far from recovered and remained seated as Lee entered.
“Morning,” said Lee. “Is it still go time?”
Jack took a heavy breath. “That’s what I came down here to discuss. Not all of us will be making the first leg of the journey.”
“I’m staying behind with Jack for now,” said Zoe. “I need to help him recover however I can.”
The way her hand unconsciously went to rub the side of her neck answered Lee’s unasked question. He nodded, tamping down on a mild desire to interject on the idea of a vampire feeding on his sister. He supposed it was a few years too late for him to take a stand on that particular issue.
“Fair enough,” said Lee. “So, it’s just me, Tess, Ryoko…”
“I’ll be accompanying you as well,” said Mira. “Don’t worry. I’ll play nice.”
“It’s more than just playing nice, Mira,” said Jack. “Lee is the one who has memories of this base from the entity he absorbed. You need to listen to him and follow his lead.”
“Oh, I plan on assisting him however I can,” purred Mira.
“Good to hear,” said Lee. “You might want to start by putting on some sunscreen. I hear the desert doesn’t play nice when it comes to pale complexions.”
Mira grinned and rolled her eyes at him. Lee heard Tess cough from beside him. She was in her ethereal form, as she’d have to be for the duration of the journey, outside of the time they could allocate to resting. He set a hand on her shoulder anyway, trying to keep his concern in check.
“You’re sure you’re up for this too?” he asked.
“I hope you’re not implying that you’re considering leaving me behind?” she asked.
“Of course not!”
“I can keep up, Lee.” She smiled at him. “Don’t worry about me.”
If the experience of listening Lee talk to thin air had been disconcerting to anyone else in the room, they hid it well. Zoe politely waited for him to finish speaking with Tess before slipping forward to wrap him in a tight hug.
“Be careful, little brother,” she said. “Don’t take any stupid chances. This is my fight, not yours.”
“How does that figure?”
“From what you’ve told me about this base, it’s basically a brainwashing facility,” said Zoe. “I was so afraid of what would happen to me if I was ever found by the Order when I first left Primhaven. It’s very possible that they may have sent me to a place like this, instead of just wiping my mind.”
“Don’t forget that I actually underwent dream weaving,” said Lee.
Zoe smirked at him. “It’s not a competition, Eldon. I just wanted you to know that… I love you and never meant to get you involved. Not like this. Not in a way that put you at risk.”
“I know. It’s okay, Zoe. I love you too, and I’ll be safe.”
They hugged again, and at a nod from Ryoko, the group departed.
Lee had worn clothing that covered his body without being particularly substantial, a loose satin shirt and thin track pants. The others seemed to have mirrored his attire choice, Ryoko with leggings and a thin blue poncho, and Mira with a white sundress that was almost sheer, even in the dark.
“The transition is going to be a little more jarring than the previous ones you may have experienced,” said Ryoko as they reached the beach. “Try to hold your breath until you reach the other side and then exhale. And please… don’t panic. It’s a bit of a tight fit.”
“Duly noted,” said Lee. “Shall we?”
He held out a hand for Tess to take. She nodded, letting him pull her into his mystic stream, leaning her weight onto his shoulder as they prepared to splash forward into the teleportation whirlpool.
CHAPTER 27
Ryoko had been right, though her advice seemed little more than a passing suggestion against the way Lee’s body reacted to the shift. The ocean was frigid, cold enough to sap the strength from his muscles in an instant and make him briefly consider grabbing for the edge of the pier in panic.
The experience of the water temperature suddenly transitioning from a biting chill to near-bathwater was gasp-worthy, though he managed to contain it. He was in the dark on the other side, and one of his flailing arms connected with a rock. Not a rock, a wall… the interior wall of a container.
His head thunked against another constraint as he surfaced, leaving him with a gap of only a few inches to orient his mouth into for breathing. He remembered what Ryoko said about their arrival point being a tight fit and trying not to panic. Words were a poor shield against claustrophobia.
“Open this hatch!” cried Mira, apparently suffering from a similar reaction. “I will not be contained!”
“Would you relax?” muttered Ryoko. “Slide your breasts out of the way for a second so I can work the handle.”
“Just… get me out of here!” Mira shifted through the water and directly into Lee, who got the unbelievably full experience of her buxom body pressed against his.
“There!” said Ryoko. A circular shaft of light too bright to stare directly into cut downward into the edge of the cistern. There was a ladder against the side, likely meant for anyone unfortunate enough to fall in rather than passing water nymphs.
Lee climbed out last, letting Tess go up before him and frowning at the way she seemed to float up rather than using the movements she normally would. She smiled at him as he emerged onto the roof of the cistern, and he let his concerns drip away with the water soaking his clothing.
The cistern was one of half a dozen all connected to the wall of a squat rectangular building, surrounded by a massive farm of identical black solar panels. It was a strange sight, as beyond the rows of black squares of technology lay essentially nothing but desert.
There was a single road, presumably leading back toward civilization, but Lee instinctively knew they would not be heading in that direction. Instead, their trek would take them into the rolling dunes, each one varied in size, but it was impossible to get a real sense of the scale of them from afar.
There was no vegetation, no signs of desert life or other humans, and no obvious landmarks. Nothing but a near-flawless layer of golden sand, disturbed only by the evenly spaced, wavy lines left in the wake of the now-absent wind.
“We’ll need to move quickly,” said Ryoko. She was already tossing the waterproof traveling bags they’d brought down below to the sand. “It’s going to be hot. Far hotter than it seems now. For once, the fact we’re all soaking wet is an advantage.”
“Quite,” said Mira. She was wringing out her hair, despite having agreed. Her thin white sundress was slick against her body and completely sheer now, revealing what should have been obvious in foresight. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and her pink nipples couldn’t have poked through in a more obvious manner if she’d cut out holes for them.
“Lee,” whispered Tess. “You’re staring.”
“I know, and I don’t mean to, it’s just… whoa.”
He felt an ethereal punch sink into his shoulder and finally managed to draw his attention away. It really was quite the sight, however, and he took one more glance, noticing how the fabric of Mira’s gown even seemed to stick into the crease of flesh underneath her massive breasts, like a natural boob rack.
“Do we need to concern ourselves with the workers of this facility?” asked Mira.
Ryoko shook her head. “They’re only present every other weekend. I think the owner is aware of how foolhardy someone would have to be to travel out here to, um, attempt any mischief.”
She pulled on one of the backpacks. Lee did his best to keep from noticing a similar sheer effect across the front of her soaking wet poncho shirt, though Ryoko had thought to wear a bra. He grabbed one of the bags, grunting as he accepted the weight onto his back.
“Well then,” said Mira. “Shall we get moving? I am not particularly looking forward to this journey, so we might as well avoid prolonging it. You’re in charge, Mr. Amaranth. Lead the way.”
“We’re headed that way.” Lee pointed into the dunes to the east.
“You’re sure?” asked Mira.
He nodded, and he was. Despite that, he had to force down an insidious whisper, the ambient knowledge they were heading across one of the most unforgiving landscapes in the world. If he was wrong in his directions, off by even just a few miles, they might all end up dead.
“I brought a GPS, too,” said Ryoko. “It already has the general coordinates of the site you showed us programmed in.”
“Good thinking,” said Lee. He tried to keep his immense relief from showing on his face.
The air was dry, and in less than an hour’s time, Lee’s clothing was back to being bone dry. The heat was stifling, and it didn’t just come from the sun above. The sand licked at his ankles each time he took a step, coarse and hot enough to make him wonder why the entire desert hadn’t been turned to glass over the years.
“This is unbearable,” muttered Mira. She’d brought a tube of sunscreen with her, which Lee was dying to make a joke about, and she was in the process of recoating her face and neck as they walked.
“I can use my abilities to cool the two of you off if you’d like?” offered Ryoko.
“Sure,” said Lee.
She waved a hand, and a sphere of water appeared over his head. Lee pulled Tess into his mystic stream just as it began to drop, hugging her against him and grinning as he heard her squeal.
“That wasn’t necessary!” she cried. “I’m fine in the heat.”
“I just thought it was a little unfair that I didn’t get a good view of you in your dress when it was soaking wet,” he said.
He released her from his stream and watched her pout and fold her arms over her chest. She held them there for a few seconds before letting out a sigh and moving them to her hips instead, revealing the way her small breasts poked against wet fabric, perfectly cute and petite.
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