“You should all be glad to have got a decent night’s sleep.” Abner Sharif yawned as he climbed in and headed to the back seats in MW, anticipating the luxurious comfort of the infinitely variable configurations available in this Aircar. “Hey, I can sleep during the ride!”
“You can, but don’t expect to get much, it isn’t a very long flight and, wait a minute…” Kirrina’s sentence petered out as she turned towards the emanations she had just received. “Hi, Ruth!” She turned her blue eyes on the Professor’s wife before this unexpected one announced her presence. She contemplated the options as she looked at the lovely face surrounded, as always, by tight brown curls that billowed out and washed over the shoulders of the already winter-attired Mrs. Hardy. Karen took in the half-guilty, half-embarrassed look and – of course – knew the reason behind it.
“I, I know it wasn’t planned, but I keep worrying about Terry.” Ruth’s oblique announcement was understood immediately by the one now regarding her with hastily concealed compassion. Mrs. Hardy’s hesitation had become more pronounced due to the startling effect of Karen’s anticipative greeting. She paused, not wanting to be more explicit, waiting for a comment from the platinum blonde with whom she had not yet had any significant conversation, but found nothing seemed to be forthcoming as she scrutinised the eyes with the percipient hint of grey and the calm face – strangely her presence had not disturbed Mrs. Fletcher’s plans.
“Abner, why don’t you sleep this one out entirely?” Kirrina looked at the Egyptian American, figuring how to adjust to the new emotional dimension that this unexpected volunteer had introduced. “You said you were tired after last night, anyway.”
“True. Hey, Taxi!” Abner Sharif responded easily, smiling out at Chelsea[32] Buchanan from his seat near the rear of Magic Wagon as he got back up. “I guess I’ll leave New York to you and Todd. I think I don’t need to see the new kind of traffic jams there’s sure to be there; I’ll wait ‘til tomorrow for my turn on the west coast!” I probably wouldn’t have recognized it anyway, even if I had been there two weeks ago!
“My sister lives there.” Chelsea’s permanently ‘tanned’, broad face looked over at Abner as he exited the spacious vehicle, remembering as she said it that her old colleague from Com-Planet USA probably already knew this.
“Yeah.” Abner squeezed her shoulder. “Who’s looking after Mickie?” Sharif’s youngest was nine; increasingly he had found that the little toddler that was the only child of the Buchanans had reminded him of times long past in his own family. So much does that, these days… but Khalid will see me tomorrow – I hope and pray! His thoughts kept moving on to the trip tentatively planned for the next day, which would take one of the Aircars all the way to the west coast, to Los Angeles, where his oldest son was in his first year at Pacific State University. The city was the last known location of several other GAF team family members, as well as a depot where some much-needed specialist supplies were stored. The others were also hoping for this mission to bring their loved ones back to them, but Sharif was intensely grateful he would be able to help in the search process and perhaps wrap his son in a tight embrace before the trip ended.
“There’s a kind of day care in the school. He’s got lots of friends there!” Todd Buchanan had been about to enter, but paused to look with interest at the obviously nervous Ruth, wondering why she wouldn’t just leave the rescue to those who were better equipped to handle it.
“Well, get in.” Kirrina smiled at Mrs Hardy, hoping she would not require any mental contact to reduce her already heightening fears. I’ve developed a semi-permanent hunger for Restoration replenishment, these last few days! Such contact really is draining; it makes me wish – again – that Richard could have come with us. “It’s alright, Abner… with Eric and Brad, as well as Todd, I have plenty of muscle for this trip – I don’t want to fill up too much of MW’s interior; we always hope to find others to rescue, apart from the famous Terry Stadt!”
***
Todd was leaning forwards, looking between Karen and Eric, as Brad had tipped the front end of the Aircar down to enable an almost vertical view towards the ground between the sky-scrapers. He thought of all the cars frozen into snowbanks far below, wondering if one day he would return to his employment as an auto-mechanic. Seems such a different life, now! Despite his introspection, he picked up on the low volume use of his wife’s moniker and turned around, the movement drawing attention to his pale red hair and ultra-fair skin – quite a contrast to his wife’s bronzed complexion – as he observed her comforting Ruth in the back of the Aircar. She’s not looking too good. Perhaps we can just leave her in Magic Wagon if we get out and go searching.
“There’s the Bank of America Tower,” Brad announced. He looked at Kirrina, questioningly.
The young wife of Richard Fletcher seemed to return his gaze, but closer inspection showed she was focusing on something, or perhaps nothing, a little ahead of her pilot-friend’s head, and a confirmation of this was in the greyness of her eyes, an indication of her concentration on the situation below them.
Hawk kept the rather bulbous Aircar in its strangely tilted orientation, though of course to the occupants it was as if the world was akilter, not them, thanks to the gravity field maintained within the vehicle.
“Ok.” Karen paused and sighed. “There are a lot of people down there.” She turned and looked at Eric and the three other ‘helpers’ behind her. Oh dear, Ruth looks so scared. I’ll give her a quick ‘touch’ before we do anything else. “Perhaps it’s the subway system, perhaps the basements of those big buildings, short and tall, but there are lots of survivors and they are doing quite well – they aren’t too cold… they still have food.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” ‘Taxi’ Buchanan was trying to figure out why Kirrina seemed distressed at this encouraging news, though Chelsea was also distracted, as in her mind she kept wishing that they could hurry up the process of locating and rescuing a certain Terrance Stadt – someone she had heard about, second or third hand from the new additions in New Leeds – so that they could move on to find Brandi Curtin, her sister.
“Yes, it is.” Karen broke off from her searching to concentrate on the source of the confusion evident (to her) in the surface thoughts of the young mother behind her. “We’ll have to get Eric’s boss Mr Baynes to come back here with some military types to organise things and help to keep them from getting too desperate.” She could see that her concern was now understood, and she in turn understood the sisterly concern she had discerned. Wish we could find everyone’s friends and family, but there’s still so much to do, just to keep the lower GAF supplied, let alone all the rescued inhabitants of New Leeds and … the more we find, the thinner our resources are spread. And then there’s Latt, chomping at the bit, now that he knows exactly how many hours we’d spend in Grey Space to get to Rhaal. It must be torture for him, knowing that we could get there in about a day, total travel time, but that such a trip would endanger all of Earth and probably just get the expedition vaporised by the Narlav defences. For now, we must concentrate on saving Earth. Her eyes greyed over again as she turned back to the view of the ground, far below.
“Ruth, it would help if you let me learn a bit more about Terry – I need to know how he thinks, so I can figure out where he might be…” Several minutes had passed, during which Kirrina had determined Mr. Stadt was not present in the BOAT[33], though a hundred or more other people were. Kirrina could see that this carefully phrased question was irresistible to the lovely young – married – woman. She moved back and sat in the seat that Taxi hastily vacated for her. “It doesn’t hurt.” And I already know about your first and second loves.
Ruth was startled to ‘hear’ this, as Karen had not yet touched her, but the talented Mrs Fletcher could tell that the message she had pushed through the curl-coated head would make things easier.
A moment later, hand touched cheek and Ruth’s eyes flashed wider, before she hastily closed them, afr
aid her private life would shine out for all to see.
Thanks, dear Ruth. Some minutes had passed. If Isaac could really understand how you feel about him and how you are still emotionally tied to your first love, Terry, I’m sure he wouldn’t feel threatened. Kirrina’s eyes were almost their ‘normal’ blue now, and she found she was looking into the depths of Ruth’s similarly tinted orbs, finding the richness of this wise wife’s addiction to her personal mission of bringing love to the lovelorn and loveless to be an appealing notion. I could tell him – like this… but I would never dream of doing that unless you asked me to. Give it some thought – later. For now, I need you to concentrate on Terry and being brave for him. Your connection to him makes it more likely that we’ll find him. I’m so glad you were bold enough to insist on coming!
When I heard that Latt and Isaac were going to do something urgent with that space weapon thingy – with your Richard – and couldn’t come, I knew I had to. Ruth found herself responding in the same manner, wondering at the same time about this incredible connection that only required a gentle touch to create. I think I’ll be all right now. Ruth felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders; somehow Karen had resolved her eternal triangle and her shame at her contemplated but unconsummated infidelity after Isaac’s Eliminator explosion injury, and had given her back the sister-to-brother love she had before thought was all that remained of her earlier relationship. I’m ready!
“Thanks Ruth, I think I’ll be able to find him better now.” Kirrina vocalised this concluding statement for the benefit of the other travellers.
“I’ll come up front.” Ruth moved up to the middle row, now displacing Todd from this position, as it was clear Eric was not moving, and leaned forwards, looking between the two ‘pilot’ seats at the view down the New York snow-strewn street, far below. Brad moved them down Sixth Avenue at a near-silent urging from Karen, who was now back in the seat to his right. Ruth could see the view of the familiar skyscrapers, though she had only once flown over New York in a helicopter. With Isaac and Terry. It was so noisy – nothing like this! She found that the snow banks piled high between the buildings made the lower part of the view look strange. Wow! She had detected a gleam from the raised surface between the two forward-most occupants, as a beam of light briefly broke through the heavy cloud cover and glinted on the Arshonnan heavy-duty laser pistol, highlighting the silvery-blueness. That must belong to her… Ruth discovered an echo of Narlav toughness in the lingering effects of her mind merger, and could picture the slightly shorter Karen holding this undoubtedly powerful weapon, looking ready for anything. I hope they don’t have one of those for me! She looked around, noticing Eric’s trusty and traditional weapon and a couple of strange, long black devices – Narlav laser rifles.
The atmospheric gloom was restored and the snow – which fell so often each day – returned, making any attempt to interpret the view beyond a city block a speculative affair, to say the least.
“Let’s move on down this avenue.” Karen glanced back at Ruth for confirmation. “This is the way he’d head home, isn’t it?”
Ruth nodded, aware that the now-grey eyes were focused on her, patiently awaiting her response.
“Brad, let’s move a little quicker. The weather looks like it will only get worse and I’d like to be able to see the apartment building when we get there!”
“Roger that.” Hawk pushed the Navigation Sphere forwards and the Aircar moved along, rapidly exceeding the normal speed limit for the ground vehicles entombed below.
Ruth gripped the seat backs ahead of her, the sensation providing a feeling of anchorage. Beyond the Transplyous, the snow whipped past.
“Eeek!” ‘Taxi’ Buchanan exclaimed, her voice higher than normal. “Sorry,” she apologised, as several heads turned towards her. “I saw a face in one of those windows. It looked like she was looking right at me.”
“Probably saw how the snow moved differently as we passed,” Brad explained. “The holographic projection is on, so no one would be able to tell why.”
Oh… this is so… Karen sighed. She noted Ruth’s close gaze and pushed the thoughts of the seemingly limitless lost ones aside, though this instance seemed even harder than usual, as – incredibly – her mind had contacted the solitary lost soul at almost the same moment as the startled Chelsea Buchanan had caught sight of her. I liked the sound of that one…
Chapter Nineteen
Extraordinary Scout mental powers
Two blocks later, the snow was moving in great swirls around the tall buildings; Brad was holding the Navigation Sphere more tightly, his course even closer to the towers on the right, as he knew they would be turning in that direction fairly soon. Ruth watched his hand on the rounded, apparently solid energy projection as it moved in little circles, knowing somehow that this was to compensate for the gusting winds battering on their silent vessel.
“This is it,” Ruth confirmed, as they arrived at the junction with Fifty-Seventh Street.
“Wait.” Kirrina spoke commandingly, decisively. “Go back to that building.”
Hawk swung the Aircar around, finding his way back, moving a little faster than before, immediately realising which building she meant.
“Yes, go even faster.” Karen answered his unspoken question. “Ruth, could you put your hand in mine, please? I need your support so that I can ramp up a bit.”
Ruth automatically did as requested, wondering – until the moment of contact – how it could be that she could emotionally bolster the fearless creature she now knew so much more clearly. Oh, I see! Not emotionally, at all… The energy seemed to pour down her arm into the warm hand she was holding. Looking at Kirrina’s forehead, Ruth saw a sheen there, though the air in the Aircar was mild, neither too cold nor too warm. Her own emotional response to this revelation brought another kind of comfort to the first generation Earthling whose search was now deeper and farther into the buildings on either side of their clandestine craft, though her thoughts were on the survivor she had almost deserted.
“There.” Karen pointed at the precise apartment, though the building was uniform in appearance, at least from their exterior viewpoint.
Ruth saw Karen’s eyes go a deeper shade of grey and felt her own heart racing as she started to overheat too.
“Everyone hold on to something.” Kirrina laid one hand on the laser between her seat and Brad’s. “This may get a little breezy.”
Eric grabbed his rifle, bracing himself as he did so. Brad brought the Aircar closer to the apartment building. The large windows in it were not obstructed by ice or snow, but the person earlier visible to Chelsea was no longer in sight.
Karen got up, holding on to a large handle-shaped appendage on the top of her seat back, one that had been generated at her unspoken request. She slid open the forward door and swung up the Arshonnan weapon as the snow whipped into the interior, creating a miniature tornado inside their vessel. Brilliant green beams from the Quantum Laser sliced the window wall into little strips which fell away like over-sized transparent pine needles as the snow continued to swirl inside the Aircar and tug at the occupants. Hawk continued to close the gap as Kirrina jumped lithely across the remaining half metre into the once calm, staid living room. There was a moment of anticipation, then the young Mrs Fletcher clambered back in as Magic Wagon lightly touched the damaged building, her left arm holding the faintly gleaming weapon as her right curved around the stooped shoulders of an extremely elderly woman, wispy white hair askew in the icy blast. Once inside, Karen closed the door and the air stilled.
Brad pulled Magic Wagon back from the building and returned to his earlier course, glancing back as introductions were being made.
“This is Sophie Trathad.” Quickly the rescuer introduced each member of their rescue team, then, with her arm still steadying the stately form, Kirrina took over the rearmost portion of the vehicle, talking to the new passenger with a sense of urgency as soon as she was settled in one of the ultra-comfortable sea
ts there. A brief nod authorised her tender touch to the wizened cheek. Chelsea watched, fascinated by the rapport which Karen had already developed with this little old lady. She found she had been holding her breath as the physical contact that – no doubt – transferred a plethora of information, came to an end a minute later. “Sophie knows a lot about us now, but I’m afraid her heart is racing a little too fast for comfort. I’ve explained to her about the Medic – and just so you all don’t think I did a quick switch on you, one rescued passenger for another, you can watch her transform.”
Ruth was already twisted around in her middle seat, which had obligingly distorted to aid this movement. Oooh! I’ve only seen Isaac change, and experienced it myself, of course.
“Restore!”
Sophie’s face melted away – wrinkles vanishing as she lost nearly sixty years of Earth aging in a scant period of seconds. Tears appeared as she ran her suddenly arthritis-free hands over her face and onto her neck. She stood up, trying out her rejuvenated legs. “Ooops!” Her voice, young and firm, expressed dismay as her simple and now over-sized Worsted wool dress hung from her newly optimised frame, its relatively shapeless form displayed clearly by her excited movements. Looking down at herself, she broke into a grin and threw her arms around Karen, hugging her almost ferociously in her excitement and planting kisses on both her cheeks in quick succession.
Laughter and cheers filled the Aircar interior, Brad let go of the Navigation Sphere and jumped up, joining the others in hugs and expressions of wonderment.
Karen made an effort to re-focus herself on the mission, realising that her emotions were flooding the chamber in a manner embarrassingly similar to the effect Beckie had generated on the NUIT-led attack force just days earlier.
Cavalry Page 17
