Apparent Power: DiaZem Trilogy Book One

by Dacia M Arnold

  When she woke, Hyka was taking an IV out of her arm.

  “I had to punch you in the face. How’re you feeling?” she asked, continuing to work.

  “Fine. I actually feel great, considering. What did you give me?”

  “Benadryl. Jack switched rooms with you since you almost burnt yours down. Hey.” Hyka got close to Valerie’s face. “We’ll get them back, all of them. You didn’t let my dad finish. Gia is one of us. She knows what she’s doing. The good news is they don’t know where your kid is, which means she’s doing her job. Just remember what I said last night. Play along, understand?”

  Valerie nodded and was glad this woman was on her side. Valerie would have agreed to anything she said for fear of being punched again. She sat up on the bed, thankful the fireguard had come and gone. Thanks to Hyka, she had slept through Max hovering over her. The thought still made her shudder. She did not even want to know if the watch had happened at all.

  “Duke went out last night and got you some clothes for the trip. Your ruck is packed, too. Get ready to meet up in the courtyard. Griff said you have about thirty minutes.” Hyka finished bandaging the injection site and left Valerie to get dressed.

  The clothes Duke had gotten her were comfortable and adequate. He had also provided undergarments: a pleasant surprise. There was a small mirror on the wall over the dresser. A faded bruise covered her jaw on the right side. The faint yellow mark looked older than what it was and did not hurt. Hyka had knocked her clean out with one hit, though out of necessity and not anger. Valerie could not think of a more efficient, less violent way to have handled the situation.

  She made her way down to the first floor to meet the rest of the group. The doors leading to the courtyard were open, offering a contrasting fresh breeze to the stuffy feeling of the house. She walked outside and breathed in the air. Jack, Major, Griff, Hyka, and Duke were stretching. Hyka puffed on a cigar while leaning this way and that. The men laughed about how much they drank the night before.

  “When was the last time you walked a hundred miles, Major?” Griff asked.

  “I could walk two hundred miles straight at this rate. Look at me.” Major stood straight up and flexed his biceps and puffed his chest. Upon second glance, he appeared the same age as his daughter standing behind him. Hyka had not changed much, and neither had Griff. Duke and Jack looked like muscle-headed frat boys, having started a push-up competition in the grass. Duke had a baby face, versus the scruffy man who brow-beat her the whole time he explained the logistics of their journey the night before.

  In her panic, Valerie had triggered whatever drew the energy from her companions. She touched her jaw again and felt the blood rush to her face, embarrassed about her panic attack. She stood away from the group and stretched on her own.

  Major kicked Duke’s arms between push-ups, and soon they were a rolling ball of arms and legs, wrestling on the lawn of the courtyard. While Jack stood by and laughed, Hyka came up behind him and torqued his arm behind his back, bringing him to his knees without much effort. They soon grappled in the grass.

  Mike had taught Valerie jiujitsu when she was young, and Scott would sometimes wrestle her; otherwise, Valerie only practiced her hand-to-hand combat skills on drunken men in the emergency room.

  Hyka broke free of Jack’s hold and they faced each other in fighting stances, both with smiles on their faces. Hyka made the first move and slapped Jack open-handed in the face before he wrapped his arms around her torso and threw her to the ground.

  “Want to have a go?” Griff asked Valerie. “I’m pushing fifty, so you’ll have to go easy on me.”

  “No, I’d rather not.” Valerie was not one to wrestle for fun. She was also put off by the fact that he was engaged to Gia, a woman nearly half his age. “You think we could call my husband now?”

  “Do you think those CDC soldiers are going to go easy on you, once they realize what you are?” Max asked, leaning against the threshold of the French doors, puffing his cigar. The sweet smell of the burning tobacco fit him. His outward appeal was all right, but like the cigar, deep down he was creating cancer. “I’ll help you call him after our meeting later.”

  After five rounds, three of which she won, Griff gave his approval and sat to rest. The others were still grappling. Major, somehow, had picked a fight with everyone. Jack, Duke, and Hyka teamed up against him. Major maneuvered from one to the other. Valerie was in awe of the agility each displayed. Griff broke up the battle with the mention of the time. The four shook hands before returning to final stretches. Valerie felt like she had stretched every muscle in her body at least ten times before the hour was over. Her mood had changed with the display of camaraderie. With the exception of Duke, who stayed too close to Max for her comfort, the small group of conductors slowly grew more familiar. She could only hope that, over time, the ’Squatch team would consider her one of them.

  Breakfast was elaborate, though she had little interest in the food. The spread was another buffet-style meal with far more food than was required. She filled her plate out of necessity and ate in silence, listening to the over-excited men gloat of past battles won. She remembered her uneasiness when she had first seen her younger self in the mirror. Unlike her, they had the luxury of understanding their transformation. The novelty had worn off for Valerie. For the older gentlemen, the regression was a second lease on life. Valerie wanted to celebrate with them, but her meeting with Max and the geneticist loomed like a shadow over her mood.

  Battle drills covered a broad range of subjects she remembered her father teaching when she was young but had forgotten over the years. Everything was necessary, down to what order they would walk on their journey. They also went over land navigation skills and how to determine a rallying point if they were to get separated. She did remember a few things, like how to tell rise in elevation by looking at a terrain map and how to identify and match live landmarks to drawn ones. The mountains were always to the west, so north was easy to find. Jack was impressed with how much she already knew considering her lack of official military training. The lessons were nostalgic, and she felt guilty now for fighting her father over learning them as a child.

  Duke passed out compasses to everyone but Griff, who used a digital compass. Valerie opened hers, but the dial did not move. The north end of the needle pointed to her body, no matter which way she turned. Major shook and slapped at the round metal object before throwing the compass in the trash.

  Hyka, who stood about twenty feet away from Valerie, spoke up. “Got it. Digicam here creates her own magnetic field. Looks like you’re on your own if we get lost. Good thing you know something about terrain features.”

  Valerie did not correct the woman about her title. Even though Hyka did not laugh, or show any expression for that matter, the play on DiaZem was a much-welcomed joke. They would never be friends in any other setting, but Valerie could not think of a better ally than this terrifying and beautiful woman that seemed to lack all ability to display emotion.

  The last thing on the agenda before lunch was the firing range. They made their way to the basement in single file. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a table where each grabbed hearing protection and safety glasses before going through the heavy door. Valerie was the last person in line with Jack. Everyone found a lane and loaded their weapons. Hyka was the first to fire at her target across the room. The men followed suit. Jack guided Valerie to her firing station. This was not the first time she had been to a firing range. Her father had taken her many times as a child. She loaded the .45 and aimed the weapon. Inhale, exhale. She fired six rounds into her target. Once the bolt of the pistol locked to the rear, Valerie placed the safety on and set the gun down. Jack pushed the button to retrieve her silhouette. The paper had two holes: one large within the profile where five rounds had hit in the same spot and one a little high and right of the silhouette.

  “What happened to this one?” Jack laughed and pointed to Valerie’s stray shot.

 
“I always pull my first shot.”

  “Nerves. Don’t anticipate the recoil. I’m sure Mike’s told you before.”

  Valerie smiled, but the recoil did not make her nervous. The consequences of pulling the trigger did. She had seen the implications in the emergency room more times than she could count. No matter their offense, few people deserved to be on the business end of a gun. She had simply reacted when she fired the warning bullet into her brother’s wall. Valerie knew what she was doing. The reality of having to defend herself to the death might be a choice she would have to make. The military was under the command of the CDC. The enemy. The kid Jack had talked out of testing them was out there collecting people, just taking orders. She was as nervous as he had been. The possibility of shooting someone so young out of necessity was terrifying, but something she could do if the circumstances called for lethal force.

  The next target was up, and she tried to shake the anxiety from her mind. She thought of Max and the meeting they were about to have. Six rounds hit the silhouette. She had found her muse.

  Wringing her hands, Valerie sat in front of the large cherry wood desk across from Max. Certificates and plaques hung along the walls next to photos like the one in Jack’s room. She was not impressed with the display of coins, ribbons, and badges he had earned throughout his life. She knew he was a snake.

  Max ignored her, typing and clicking demands into the computer. Looking far too pleased with himself. He glanced up and motioned her attention to the monitor. The computer screen displayed three parts. She and Max occupied separate sections, and a third was blank, awaiting the other member of the conference. She wanted to slap Max for the way he looked at her but maintained her poker face as promised, though her heart skipped as the screen indicated they were dialing into the conference.

  The blue screen disappeared, and a handsome young man appeared in a tailored navy suit and deep red tie. His brown hair was short and connected to a trimmed beard. His smile curled at the corners of his mouth. Valerie was not intimidated by the image. She coughed to cover a laugh. If the CDC were sending young go-getters after her, she would have no problem evading the government entity.

  “Ah, hey there, old friend,” came the voice through the speaker. “Thank you for arranging this meeting.”

  If the men were old friends, she had no way of knowing how old the gentleman on the screen was. She knew they had a DiaZem at the Denver facility, so that would explain his age regression. Valerie hated how his low, smooth voice made her feel. His tone was warm and familiar, like an old blanket. She hated him more for it. Her hands in fists under the table, she focused her energy on maintaining her façade.

  “You know I always keep my word,” Max answered.

  “Yes, you do. Now, would you be so kind as to step out and allow Ms. Burton and me some privacy?”

  Max’s smile faded, but he stood and crossed the room to the door. The man on the screen had more authority than Max in his own home. Valerie noted the observation, but did not know what to make of it. The man on the screen was nothing to her. She would give enough respect to get what she needed. Nothing more.

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Burton. My name is Doctor Lucas Jarrett. I am a geneticist with the CDC and have been assigned to Denver as the Head of Research for the United States. I understand you have several questions, as do I, but you may go first.”

  “Where are my father and brother?” Valerie kept her tone pleasant despite the disdain she felt for him. She would let the use of her maiden name slide. If this was her father’s arrangement, her proper name was inconsequential.

  “Yes, of course. Your family is fine. Comfortable and well. Would you like to speak with them?”

  “Yes, please,” she answered with tight lips. He was smug and mocking in his tone. She had worked with plenty of doctors with the habit of talking down to her. Lucas was not an exception. In normal circumstances, she could stand her ground, but Valerie had to muster every ounce of will to keep her agreeable posture toward the man on the screen. She could not show fear or anger; she did not want to give herself away.

  The display on the monitor changed to show a sterile white room. At a white table, seated in white chairs, were her father and brother in white clothes.

  “Valerie,” her dad said, sitting upright. He looked young and healthy as the doctor had promised. His shoes were not the regular ones he wore over his prosthetic foot. Kevin sat beside him. The two men looked like twins rather than father and son. Valerie’s emotions swelled in her throat, which she swallowed hard to keep from bubbling to the surface.

  “Hi, Dad. Kevin.” She hoped her father would take the lead in the conversation because she could not speak without choking on her words. Valerie was unsure of how much Lucas already knew about her and assumed Max had kept him informed of her every move.

  “We are fine. Nothing bad is going to happen to any of the conductors.” He paused for a long time with a blank look.

  She understood his underlying message. The general population was in danger. Valerie was too scared to ask him anything. She nodded in understanding, and he continued.

  “They are having a hard time locating Caleb. Once you find him, Gia will know. . .”

  The video cut back to Dr. Jarrett.

  “Now, you see they are happy and healthy. But there are matters you and I need to discuss, Ms. Burton.” The curled smile spread deeper across his face, making her stomach turn.

  “Mrs. Russell,” she responded, tightening her fists under the table, thankful the words did not come out as a scream. She took a deep breath and gave him a rehearsed smile. Yes, she would play along, but he would know that the power he assumed he had over her was minimal. Lucas could treat other people as less, but not her.

  “Yes, Mrs. Russell.” His smile widened. “Mr. Davis shared with me a rather disturbing video, among others. We know you have been affected by the Event, but not in the way that your friends have. The awakening of the dormant gene has also brought into effect a type of system of checks and balances. Conductors, like the members of your family and a few of the people in your company, can absorb electricity. Hence the term used to describe those with the gene.”

  The doctor paused and took a sip of water. “This is the mark of a higher civilization. Something we need to protect. The government has recognized this and set into motion the collection of such individuals. We estimate two billion people in the world have this gene. But with change often comes fear, and the majority of the world’s population may not want to acknowledge our superior genetics. We want to protect you from becoming a target of the general public by providing alternate living arrangements until we can eliminate any threat to the preservation of this gene. A sort of safe house.”

  Valerie wanted to spit in his face. The propaganda developed by his organization caused animosity; herding conductors like cattle by using their neighbors was the tactic the CDC had developed to segregate them. A strategy used by Hitler in World War II. Many people would believe their lies, but she was not one of them.

  “Furthermore, you are the key to a new society.”

  “You mean I am a DiaZem.”

  “Yes, and with every passing day, we are learning more about what this means and how vital you are to the future of our society.”

  “You talk like society is going to change,” Valerie probed like Hyka had coached her, though she was having trouble remaining neutral.

  “Oh, society will change, in the most glorious way. There has already been a realignment of power all over the globe. But the key to unlocking the power is in your abilities as a DiaZem.”

  “What abilities are you referring to? How do you know so much about me?”

  “I have studied the dormant gene for decades. Dia is a Greek word meaning between, and Zem is the Czech word for earth; so, a grounding rod of sorts. I discovered the conductor and DiaZem genes in the seventies, but since Germany was the first to pinpoint the abilities of the DiaZem, they coined the term. In short, you
are like a small but essential piece of a battery. With careful training, you can convert a small amount of a conductor’s stored energy into electricity. The facilities we have established are being engineered to run off the energy of conductors by way of DiaZem, like a giant electrical circuit. A clean energy power plant.”

  “You are mistaken.” Valerie gave a genuine laugh.

  Lucas was not amused.

  “I blew up my cell phone. I can’t power a car or even turn on a light.”

  “On the contrary, Ms. Burton.”

  The display on the screen switched again. This time Valerie watched herself in the room Max had provided the day before when she thought she was alone. Her face became hot. Max had watched her the whole time. His fireguard had been a front, an excuse to hover over her. There was no need for anyone to stand outside her door. She tried to slow her breathing. She had known her privacy was in question, but seeing proof of him violating her solitude made her blood boil. But she needed to cooperate, or she would never get to Denver. Inhale, exhale.

  “A fluke. I have no idea how I powered those things or how to control my ability to do so. I’m sure you’ve seen more video from later in the evening. I could have burnt the entire house down.”

  Lucas leaned forward and pointed at her on the screen, “You, my dear, are a unique piece of a larger circuit. This society will not function without you here at the facility with another DiaZem. There is no order unless we have all the pieces to complete the circuit. Alone, you can’t even begin to harness the power you hold within. You are weak and lack the proper setting to tap into your abilities. Two DiaZem are required to complete the circuit and maintain a self-sufficient society. The Central United States, as far as Kansas City, to Salt Lake City, and even Albuquerque, can be powered by two DiaZem maintaining proximity.”