by Finn Gray
“This is really it,” Cassidy whispered. “We’ll probably never see home again.”
“Better than being eaten by dinos,” Rory said.
“Unless we get eaten on the other side,” Cassidy said.
“Aren’t you a ray of sunshine?”
“Are we doing this?” Trent asked. One by one, everyone except Benny and Jill replied in the affirmative. “All right. Weapons ready.” Rory, Cass, and Oates raised their own rifles. Kally and Luthien hesitated, then followed suit. “Don’t fire unless I give the order. If I go down, command passes to Plowboy, then Cassidy, then Oates.”
“I don’t want to be in command,” Oates said.
“Why do you think you’re so far down the chain?”
“Who’s in charge after the four of you?” Kally asked.
Trent glanced over her shoulder at the engineer. “No offense, but I can’t see the two of you outliving the four of us. But if that happens, feel free to toss a coin. Now, everybody shut up and let’s go.” Trent turned, took a deep breath, then descended into the pool.
The surface rippled as her foot broke through, but steadied as she immersed herself in its depths. Rory took the left flank, Cass the right, with Luthien and Kally in the middle. Rory could not bring himself to look at the glowing light. Instead he kept his eyes on the back of Trent’s head as the big sergeant plunged into the depths.
“What does it feel like?” Cassidy called out.
“Like a warm bath,” Trent, who was neck deep, called back. Then she disappeared from sight.
Just then, the door gave way with a resounding crash. Rory turned to see a flock of raptors burst into the chamber.
“Everybody move your asses!” Oates shouted, opening fire at the oncoming predators. “Benny! Jill! Get into the pool!”
“No!” Benny shouted. He and Jill made a run for the doorway that led to the upper levels. They made it no more than twenty paces before the raptors were on top of them, shredding the scientists with tooth and claw.
Rory’s stomach churned. Beside him, Cassidy retched.
“I said move!” Oates shouted. “Those idiots bought us a few seconds. Don’t waste them.”
Rory caught one last, horrific glimpse of two raptors fighting over someone’s lower leg, and then Oates gave him a shove that sent him stumbling forward.
It was nothing like a warm bath.
The moment his boot sank beneath the surface of the pool, what felt like a ripple of electricity coursed through Rory. It felt like he was being pricked by a thousand icy needles. He took another step, and the sensation dulled a little. By the time he was knee deep, it was almost bearable. He tried to quicken his pace, but there was something about the pool that slowed his movements as if it were real water.
“I am not looking forward to this stuff touching my junk,” Luthien said.
“My gods, will you flumps get a move on?” Oates barked. “They’re down to gnawing the bones.” He took a step into the pool and grunted. “Gods, that’s awful.”
“What’s a flump?” Kally grunted as they moved deeper.
“Flump,” Cass said. “Fat, Lazy, Unmotivated P…” She didn’t finish the acronym before her head sank beneath the surface and vanished.
Behind them, one of the raptors let out a piercing shriek. Another took up the cry, and then another. Rory looked back and saw the flock turn and charge the pool. He grabbed Oates by the front of his shirt and dragged him along into the depths of the pool.
Chapter 42
Through the Pool
It felt as if something grabbed Rory around the middle and yanked him forward. His body felt is if it were melting. He had the sensation of falling from a great height. The world around him was a cobalt sea, lights like thousands of fireflies spun around him. He felt as if he were coming apart.
And then his head broke the surface of the pool. He was once again aware of his body. He felt solid ground beneath his feet—stone steps. He was climbing out.
As he scrambled out of the glowing blue light, Rory took in the scene. This pool was much like the one through which they had just passed. It was narrow and lined with weathered columns that had given way almost entirely to a jungle that closed in on all sides. Glimpses of blue sky were visible through the jungle canopy above. Somewhere in the distance a bird sang out and another answered. He took a deep breath. The air was damp, humid, but breathable.
“The raptors were charging us,” he gasped. “I don’t know if they’ll come through.”
“We’re ready for them,” Trent said, her rifle trained on the center of the pool. “Where’s Oates?”
Rory felt a moment of panic. Had the raptors gotten Oates? And then a shock of short, gray hair appeared above the surface of the pool. Oates stumbled out, gasping
“That was… terrible,” he panted.
He and Rory made their way out of the pool and joined the others at the edge of the treeline. They waited in silence for a few seconds, but no raptors appeared. A small blessing.
“What is this place?” Cassidy asked, looking around.
“It doesn’t feel all that different from home,” Kally said.
“Quiet!” Trent hissed. “Have you forgotten that this is where the dinos came from in the first place?”
Kally blanched and Cassidy’s cheeks turned red.
“Any sign of Ndidi?” Luthien whispered.
“She probably made a beeline for the temple,” Trent said, pointing ahead. In the distance, partially obscured by the jungle, stood the ancient temple of which they had caught a glimpse via the drone footage. “We’ll start there.”
When they reached the temple, they were disappointed. Other than the façade, all that remained were rockpiles where the outer walls had once been, and a statue of a bull. They looked around, called Ndidi’s name. No answer.
“These tracks must be hers,” Trent said. She pointed to the soft earth. Rory could not see anything.
Oates, however, narrowed his eyes, stared for a few seconds, then nodded. “She ran that way.”
“Was something chasing her?” Rory asked.
“Not that I can see,” Oates said.
“She can’t be far,” Trent said. “Oates, you’re the best tracker here. You take the lead.”
Oates gave a single nod and took off at a fast walk, his eyes scanning the path in front of him. The others fell in behind him and Rory dropped back to cover their rear. They moved quickly. Oates pointed to broken branches, scuffed tree bark, faint indentations in the earth that Rory would have scarcely noticed.
The deeper they moved into the jungle, the more alien this world seemed. Everything was almost the same as home, but just a little bit different. The birdsong was was unfamiliar. The low-growing plants were streaked in shades of blue. The rocks were yellow or orange, the moss that clung to them turquoise. Flower stems were not straight, but corkscrewed. And the trees were massive. Twenty people could not have joined hands and ringed the base of the smallest one. Their bark, shades of brown speckled with yellow or orange, was rubbery. Rory could not resist touching one with the butt of his rifle. The bark gave way beneath the pressure, then sprang back.
“It looks artificial,” Kally said.
“I’d love to take a sample back to the lab,” Luthien replied, then barked a rueful laugh. “Like there’s going to be a lab to go back to.”
Something moved up above and Rory instinctively raised his rifle. He realized it was merely a falling leaf. “Gods, that’s huge.”
“Something no woman has ever said to you,” Cassidy jibed.
“He’s not kidding. Look at that thing!” Kally hurried over, grabbed the leaf, and stood it on its end. It was a meter wide and reached her shoulder. It was also dark blue, its surface flecked with gold. “I could surf on this thing!” She crinkled her nose. “This is where the minty smell is coming from.”
“I wonder, what is its chemical makeup?” Luthien said.
“You can speculate later,” Rory said. “Have
you forgotten about your friend?”
Kally tossed the leaf on the ground and they hurried to catch up with Oates and Trent, who weren’t waiting around for anyone. It took only a few seconds to catch up.
Oates and Trent knelt at the edge of a sheer cliff. The jungle wreathed a mist-shrouded valley far below.
“Her trail ends here,” Oates said.
Kally gasped, pressed her hands to her lips.
“You mean she…” Luthien swallowed hard, cleared his throat. “You mean she jumped?”
“I don’t know. The ground is strange here. It’s springy, like the trees. She might have changed direction and started moving more carefully.”
“We’ll have to keep looking,” Rory said.
Just then, a loud shriek pierced the air.
“Ndidi!” Kally shouted.
Another loud cry and then footsteps. Fifty meters to their left, Rory caught sight of something moving fast, coming closer. The marines raised their rifles.
“Fire on my command and not before,” Trent said.
“Aye, sergeant,” Rory replied.
As the figure approached, they realized it was Ndidi. Her lab coat was spattered with blood and terror filled her eyes. She came to a halt a short distance away and stared at them, hands out in front of her.
“Go back!” she whispered.
“You’re hurt,” Kally said. “Come here. Let us help you.” She took a step toward the frightened scientist, who screamed, turned, and ran.
“What the hells is wrong with her?” Cassidy said as they took off in pursuit of the fleeing scientist.
“She’s not the bravest person in the worlds, and she’s been frightened out of her wits,” Kally said.
They quickly closed in on Ndidi, who stole a frightened glance back over her shoulder at them. She failed to see the fallen log in her path until she was falling face first. She hit the ground hard, rolled over onto her back, and let out a low groan. The others caught up with her quickly.
“Why did you run?” Kally asked, not unkindly.
“You should have gone back,” Ndidi whispered.
“Why?” Rory asked.
She sat up slowly, looked around, and then gasped. “They’re all around us.”
“Who?” Rory turned in a circle, his rifle at the ready, but he saw nothing. “She must be imagining things.”
“Something’s out there,” Oates said. “I can feel it.”
Rory looked again. Still he saw nothing. And then, all around them, the undergrowth seemed to ripple. One by one, figures emerged. They were humanoid in shape, but their flesh was striped with greens, browns, grays, and blacks. It took him a moment to realize he was looking at painted flesh. They were human, and they were armed with primitive bows, spears, and knives.
“Hold your fire,” Trent said firmly. “There are a lot more of them than there are of us, and none of us are wearing body armor.”
“I say we each take twenty-five of them,” Cassidy said. “Plowboy might need some help, but the rest of us can handle it.”
“We don’t fight unless we absolutely have to,” Trent said. She lowered her rifle and took a step forward. Several of the natives drew back on their bows, but at a sharp command from a big, scarred man, they all lowered their weapons.
“Should we do the same?” Rory asked.
“Yes,” Trent said, “but keep your finger close to the trigger.” They all lowered their weapons and a ripple of obvious relief ran through the circle of natives. A measure of tension left their bodies, a few nodded.
They stood there, looking at one another, until the scarred warrior stepped forward and spoke haltingly. “You come with us. Dangerous here.”
Rory and his companions looked at one another.
“What do we do?” Cassidy asked.
“I don’t think we have many options,” Rory said.
“Agreed,” Trent said. “We’ll go along with them and hope we haven’t walked into a bigger mess than the one we just left behind.
Chapter 42
Vatome, Hyperion
Abrox shielded his eyes and squinted up at the shuttle that hovered above the hill where the Imperial Compound had once stood. In the afternoon light, it cast a long shadow on the ground, which had been hastily cleared of debris after the compound had been destroyed. His heart beat double time. It was really happening!
He took one last look around to make certain all was ready. His hand-picked security detail ringed the top of the hill. Security drones hovered at a distance, while others patrolled, scanning the streets for signs of danger. Off to his right, the vid crew was ready. The broadcast would begin just as the sun began to set over the peak of Mount Pylmos in the distance. Abrox wasn’t the sentimental sort, but he understood the symbolism and approved of it.
He heard footsteps behind him and whipped his head around. A woman approached. She was tall and curvy, with long red hair that whipped in the shuttle’s wash. She wore a business suit that accentuated her powerful build, and she moved like a predator. Clearly an agent of some sort. Abrox smiled. That was a whole lot of woman. She saw his grin and smirked.
“I see I’m not too late,” she glanced up at the shuttle, which was now descending.
Abrox frowned. He had been told to expect a new arrival, but had been given no more information than that. He gritted his teeth. That was how things were among the ranks of the Memnons. Secrets were treasured above all. Everyone was either keeping secrets or pretending to know something no one else did. Alliances within their ranks formed and dissolved. People assigned to the same task were only given essential information. He understood the need for secrecy prior to the Uprising. But now that they were in command, things needed to change, or else their fractured society would shatter.
“I’m Haman Abrox,” he said, reaching out to shake the woman’s hand. There was a glint in her eye that said she at least recognized his name.
“Marion McDowell,” she said, gripping his hand. Like Marion herself, her handshake was both soft and strong, an invitation and a challenge.
“The famous Marion,” Abrox said. “You climbed all the way to private security for an imperial princess without your loyalties being uncovered. That is remarkable work.”
“Thank you,” Marion said. “I only regret that it was all for nothing.”
“How so?”
“I successfully delivered the Empire Twins to my contact in the fleet, but they escaped,” Marion said, eyes still locked on the shuttle which was kicking up a cloud of dust as it settled onto the ground.
“Who is your contact? Simon Vatcher?” Abrox was guessing. If Jude and Magda Vatcher were on their side, it stood to reason that Simon was as well.
Marion flashed him a sideways grin. “If you haven’t been told, then it’s not my place to reveal it.”
Abrox chuckled, let his eyes soak in Marion’s beauty. But there was more to her than looks. He only knew her by reputation, but this brief interaction was enough to confirm in his mind that she was as smart and capable as everyone said. This was a woman he could consider his equal. Hells, she might be his better. Who knew?
“Are you going to be part of his team?” Abrox asked, eyes on the shuttle. It had set down and, blessedly, cut its engines.
“Are you fishing?” Marion asked.
“No, just trying to chat you up before asking you out for a drink later.”
Marion turned a long, level gaze in his direction. “Yes,” she finally said.
“Is that a yes to your next assignment or a yes to the drink?”
“Both,” she said.
Abrox wanted to say more, but just then a ramp began to lower from the bottom of the shuttle. He felt his chest tightening. He’d been worried for his own safety many times in his life, but he’d never been terrified until now.
“What do you know about him? Anything?” he asked out of the side of his mouth.
“I heard he’s so charming that he can put a knife in your heart and make you thank him f
or it,” she said. “And that his family has kept their bloodlines pure since what they call the Memnon Exodus.”
Abrox nodded. “I heard that, too. And I also heard that generations of inbreeding have rendered him insane.”
Marion shifted uncomfortably, her gaze flitted toward the ground. It was the first crack he’d spotted in her façade. “I think we should not say such things aloud, especially in public.”
“Agreed. We’ll save it for a quiet conversation over a bottle of wine.”
Marion quirked an eyebrow. “It was just a drink. Now it’s an entire bottle?”
“What can I say? I’m an optimist.”
“So am I. That’s why I’m a Memnon.”
Before Abrox could reply, there was movement on the shuttle ramp. A dozen guards filed out. Every one of them was huge, with so many enhancements and cybers that they barely appeared human. Their movements were fast and abrupt, as if they were struggling to contain their energy. The guards formed a ring. All were armed but none drew their weapons. These Memnons exuded competence.
“I guess they’re comfortable with the job you’ve done securing the area,” Marion said.
Abrox shook his head. “I think they’re so good at what they do that they don’t believe they need weapons at the ready.”
“I think so, too. I was flattering you.” She winked.
Abrox was spared the need to come up with a witty rejoinder, because the circle parted and their long-awaited guest appeared.
Even Abrox had to admit that the emperor was a handsome man. He was tall, his suit tailored to accentuate his athletic build. He had an easy smile that seemed all the whiter against his olive complexion, and a touch of mischief sparkled in his brown eyes. All of the Memnon elite Abrox had ever met were of the “not a hair out of place” variety, but the emperor’s hair had a slightly unkempt look to it. It made him appear younger than his thirty-five cycles.
Marion dropped to a knee, lowered her head, and pressed her right fist to her chest. Abrox had never met an emperor, so he followed her lead.
