“Someone’s coming.” Jasper paced toward the door and looked at Etienne over his shoulder. “I’ll stall, get what you need and portal back to Geneva.” He didn’t wait for a reply, vanishing in a wave of blue.
Back on the narrow corridor, Gerard’s features contorted at the sight of the ambassador. Rage took over his brows as he leaped mid-air, landing face to face with the Alliance’s most wanted. Jasper was quick to shove his forearm against his throat, pinning him against the wall.
Gerard was angry. Angry because Aline was still in recovery after the lunchroom ambush. Angry enough to sink a fist in his stomach and hear the air leaving his lungs. Angry enough to kill him with both hands, although the Chancellor wanted him alive. Jasper deserved it plenty, his hair coming undone under the pressure. It was too narrow a place not to go full ninja from wall to wall in a fist dance, their bodies leaving visible marks on each surface. In a swift move, Jasper spun him around, shoving his face against the wall. Gerard’s skin burned under the pressure of being dragged against the rough surface, white dust tainting his bruised cheeks. He tore an elbow, uncertain where it hit and watched the ambassador lose grip.
It was enough to jam a boot in his chest and push with all the strength, feeling his torso cracking under the pressure. The corridor was too narrow to allow a proper kick, but Gerard propped his back against a wall and sank the boot further into Jasper’s chest. Despite being nowhere close to Gerard’s size, adrenaline ran too high for Jasper to feel pain. It took effort to steady his strong arms around Gerard’s ankle, clenching his jaw and pushing his leg so far out of the way, it cracked. Before he knew it, the soldier fell like a lump of hard meat on the ground, under wolf-like growls.
Jasper then swiftly pressed a hand to the floor, destination Geneva. When he landed in Etienne’s office, he found him on the small couch, propped casually against the backrest, both arms resting on the frame.
“Quite the anarchist you’ve become, Ambassador.” Etienne’s hand reached for his coffee. He took a lazy sip and watched Jasper pulling his hair in a bun. Cuts and bruises adorned his face now, yet he didn’t flinch. “Have a seat.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Jasper assured. “I gather you got what you needed, so best be on our way now.”
A dry smile escaped Etienne’s lips. “Excited for me to move in already?” He cocked a brow and took another sip. “Have it your way. If you prefer standing, so be it. I could have easily killed you in Pamplona as I could have easily killed you today.” There was a provocative edge to his voice. “Rest assured, I won’t.”
“How generous.” A mocking smile took over Jasper’s lips. “Let’s go.”
Despite Etienne’s relaxed pose, there was a certain alertness in the way he sized Jasper. “You see, the Chancellor’s address was not the only thing I looked up today.”
Jasper crossed his arms over his chest. “If you were curious about me, you could’ve just asked, you know.”
“Top of your class, excellent performance in telekinesis, combat, languages, healing, strategy, risk assessment.” He nonchalantly waved a hand through the air. “Perfect in every way imaginable, yet inexperienced.” Etienne was clearly not in a hurry to return to the time loop, it seemed. “I know you think you have feelings for Zoey. The look on your face when she slit her own throat back on Sarasate said it all.” His tone didn’t tilt the scale toward any particular emotion, but it got Jasper’s attention.
“Is this conversation actually going anywhere?” Jasper couldn’t care less about Etienne’s mind games. “Because I for one am getting really tired of hearing how you won’t stop at anything for love. A little repetitive if you ask me.”
“This is different,” Etienne insisted, emptying his disposable cup of coffee “because I’m sensing she might have some feelings for you, too.” The words dropped like a hand grenade, and Jasper became aware he was being tested. Analyzed.
But two could play that game. “Oh?” He raised an innocent eyebrow and Etienne met him with a smile.
“You see, while you were busy playing hero, rescuing her friend and otherwise failing to capture Beck, I’ve done the necessary dirty work to make sure this whole planet actually gets a fighting chance. So yes, Ambassador, I’ll play my cards right this time because I believe in second chances.”
“What if she doesn’t?” Jasper asked, following Etienne as he retrieved a small suitcase from under his desk.
A reassuring smile pulled at his lips. “Forgive me if I’m overconfident.” Fickle. Etienne was fickle, cryptic and allusive like no other. Like a fish slipping from your grasp when you felt a little too sure you had it. Jasper perceived him as undoubtedly intelligent, well versed and determined in his actions. “Lead the way.” Etienne’s fingers curled on the suitcase’s handle.
γ
Crouched in the downstairs office over her intersat, Lilou was getting around the idea of being an outcast. It felt strange, unnatural, yet doing what felt right was the engine behind her every action. She needed more time with Mezin. More time to catch up, to see if the choice she’d made ten years ago still felt like the right choice. There was no way but forward, yet she worried about the only optan who got swept in this race without external motivation—Alex. He had a bright future, impeccable skills, all of these now on hold due to their new circumstance. He never even complained once.
A sigh escaped her lips.
The game was bigger than the players. Twisted. It felt like playing ball on a minefield. For the time being at least, they were all together, and with Mezin’s help, possibly closer to the likelihood of staying alive. She tilted her head back, feeling the weight of her thoughts. Etienne could’ve killed them all on Sarasate, yet he didn’t. Could’ve kidnapped Zoey at any given time, and he didn’t. He was playing it safe. So safe, she didn’t trust him. But Mezin did, and that’s what made it confusing, like a bitter hard-to-swallow-truth. Like the worm in a perfectly ripe cherry.
There was no way but forward, no time but now and no sight like the one she was about to witness: Jasper and Etienne landing side by side in her office.
“What happened to your face?” Lilou raised an eyebrow at the sight of Jasper. Her eyes immediately narrowed on Etienne.
“Hey, don’t look at me,” the former ambassador said defensively “he’d fit in a dustpan if I gave him a makeover. The good news is that we have the ex-Chancellor’s address.” Jasper stiffened, unsure how far his patience could actually stretch with Etienne.
Pushing her intersat, Lilou exhaled and examined the former ambassador. “I’ll take you to your room.” Her lips shifted in a thin line. She wanted answers and he was bound to deliver. “Your atomic dispersion trick is to remain off limits within the time loop or when it’s not requested. No sneaking your way into Zoey’s bedroom or invading anyone’s privacy without consent.” Lilou voiced as she ushered him through the door. “From this moment on, your singular agenda is not singular anymore and we all get to consult on critical matters. Turns out earthlings like democracy.” Etienne muffled a smile as he lumbered behind, but that didn’t stop Lilou. Up the stairs and at a set pace, the wooden floor cracked under her steps, the hallway echoing with her long list of rules for the new arrival. “You will not engage even when provoked and any sort of unrequested intervention is not welcomed. The main meals and briefing happen in the kitchen, or the terrace depending on the weather.” He kept a steady pace behind and hadn’t said a word since they left her office. Good, Lilou thought as she continued “And this is your bedroom.”
Behind the wooden door, the bedroom didn’t disappoint. An intricate carving shaped the walnut headboard in the shape of restless dark branches, the red and gold duvet spreading without wrinkle on top of the hefty mattress.
“Now that’s hospitality.” Etienne waltzed, taking in the view. “I must confess I’m already famished, Lilou.” He rested his hands on his hipbones and spun on his heels.
“You’ll eat soon enough.” Now it’s time for some ques
tioning. She wanted to know it all: Dars, Ifor-21, Mezin, the genome editing Leiki had performed, who started what, how Mezin’s body accepted the new enhancements, when and what evidence had they collected from other planets. Staying ahead of the game meant not leaving any detail aside.
γ
No one wanted him there.
Lunch was spent in almost total silence, apart from the occasional ‘pass me the whatever’. Etienne’s attempt at pleasant chit chat resulted in muffled grunts, eye rolling, and a few death stares in several shades of disapproval.
Mia ate her food in total silence, avoiding any kind of conversation until she popped the question. “How can we actually benefit from your training technique? I mean, presuming that it doesn’t involve getting us on the edge of physical pain again.” Someone had to ask, and why not her. She took a mouthful of stew and watched him intertwine his fingers.
“That’s an excellent question, Mia.” Etienne proceeded to mannerly wipe his mouth before pursuing the conversation. “The issue here is that you’re not optans but hybrids, and accessing these enhancements is like picking apples versus picking strawberries. I did wipe your memory quite a few times since your first training Mia, but during those sessions, I monitored and documented your progress. This means literally everything—what triggers your enhancement, reaction time accessing it, external factors influencing it and how it morphed over time. When an optan accesses their enhancement, they know exactly where it unfolds and focus on that very spot which is in the chest area. When we’re young, we do this particular training with our eyes closed. We learn to feel the core, locate the exact source and guide it to our limbs.
“It’s like charging a battery,” Lilou said with her mouth half full. “And it takes years of practice with kalenium bands. You guys seem to know how to fire your guns but lack the aim.”
“That can be improved, though.” Etienne objected. “Mia is far better than the rest because she’s had more training and she instinctively located her core which is actually lower than ours. With your permission, I’ll have the kalenium implanted in your shoulder blades after lunch and we can start training immediately.”
Mia nodded, keeping her eyes on the ball. “What’s the next step?”
Jasper’s eyes leveled with hers. “We retrieved the ex-Chancellor’s address, so we’ll pay him a visit once Leiki and Mezin deliver the evidence from the rest of the planets.” He leaned forward. “Alex is assisting them as we speak.”
Emma pushed her plate aside, locking eyes with Alex. “You’re building a case, so to speak. What you have to do in my opinion is find allies.” Once an attorney, always an attorney, and Emma was not one to shy out. “I mean, you can’t possibly place all your eggs in the Chancellor’s basket. This is a massive corruption scheme to be exposed, so I for one would branch out farther than Opt. Don’t you guys have media back home? Television?”
“And create massive panic throughout the universe?” Jasper shook his head. “Of course every citizen has a right to know, but it could backfire in riots. The head of the Alliance is from Opt, so is the Minister. I’m sure the corruption extends to several member planets, but this could lead to an exemplary punishment for us, meant to serve as a deterrent for the rest. Right now all the fingers are pointing at Opt, so when the time comes, the corrupted parties involved will do whatever it takes to pin it on us exclusively. We need to do a little digging in our own backyards first.” There had to be hope for Opt; their officials couldn’t possibly be all bad apples.
Much as he would’ve loved an easier approach, Lilou seemed confident in the former Chancellor’s innocence. He too had been framed by the same optans who pulled the strings on murdering the hybrids and sweeping it all under the rug. It made sense why they’d never sent reinforcements the first time around. Neither of the corrupted officials were counting on the complications and neither of them ever bothered to take Etienne seriously enough.
“The Alliance is good at its core.” Lilou shifted in her seat as she spoke. “It’s about progress and development. Neither of us signed up for this shit.” Beside her, Etienne gave a cynical eye roll as if he’d known all along. Lilou’s tongue however, was razor sharp. “When you roll your eyes like that I assume you’re looking into your mind for an adequate response, and coming up empty.” Her remark nearly had Rufus choking on his chicken.
“Ouch!” Rufus dropped the napkin like a mic in a provocative move. “In other words, if the ex-Chancellor is nice enough, he’s basically going to try and dig some shit on others before it all goes tits up.”
It did sound bad, but it was the truth. If the optans ever had any hope for the future of their planet and their mission within the Alliance, their goals had to match. Even if that meant extending the search for culprits. No one, not even Emma could blame them for looking out for their planet. If anything, it was admirable how they valued the future in equal proportion to the present. In a world where humans found it difficult not throwing wet wipes down the toilet or making sustainability a part of their daily routine, Jasper and Lilou were willing to go the extra mile. Even Alex, much as he hated being removed from his comfort zone, was now probably giving his all for the single uncertainty of this equation: their future.
γ
Eight days had passed since Etienne moved in. Eight full days when even on his best behavior, Rufus couldn’t stand the sight of him. Mia however, pushed herself forward like the soldier she was, mastering the perfect portal thanks to the kalenium chip implanted in her shoulder blade. It grew in size every day, and Lilou proudly announced she had the capacity to transport over forty people if need be. It was still a growing ability, but Etienne’s guidance did make a difference much to Rufus’s dismay.
He’d never admit it, but thanks to Etienne’s tips and heaven-sent kalenium chip, even Rufus held his shape up to seven full minutes as he learned to balance mind and body manipulation. As a consequence, Sam went from dancing and singing the Macarena, to reenacting scenes from Game of Thrones and Grumpy Old Men, at the courtesy of Rufus’s varied taste.
Even the optans made a habit of gathering around Rufus’s training spot in the gardens to see the show as Sam dropped one by one, every dirty line which made Grandpa Gustafson Rufus’s favorite all-time character.
“We could have retired in Hawaii.” Rufus batted his eyelashes at Sam and watched her growing curiosity take ahold of her brows.
“I’ve been to Hawaii.” She said as if she meant every word.
He smiled tentatively, hearing the giggling crowd behind him. “Oh yeah?” An impish smile spread. “Which island?”
Ever so innocently, Sam took the bait. “Come-on-I-wanna-lay-ya.” Even Jasper bit his cheek. He threw a quick glance at Zoey who draped a hand over her mouth to contain the giggles.
All Hollywood, Rufus’s hand went to his chest in a theatrical move. “I find you disgusting!” Pretending to be too embarrassed to even look Sam in the eye, he pulled a grimace to match the scene.
“Well… just as long as you find me.” Her playful voice ended this reenactment and applause rippled from behind. Rufus was quick to bow to his growing audience as Sam regained herself.
“Grumpy Old Men, huh?” Etienne was still clapping next to Jasper and although he didn’t make any eye contact, Jasper knew the following words were meant for him. “That could be us in a few years.” The corners of his mouth turned upward, even though he chose not to reply. Etienne was good at getting under people’s skin. He was even better at training hybrids.
“Did I do the baloney pony again?” Sam asked, watching Lilou’s blood drain from her cheeks.
She was beside her in a second. “You don’t remember?” Sam’s pulse seemed normal.
A burst of laughter followed. “I’m just messing with you, of course I know what I said but it totally feels like I want to say these things. Every single time!” She draped her arm around Lilou’s shoulder as they made their way to the terrace. Mia and Rufus walked ahead, arms locked and looking a
t each other as if they were the only two people in the world. For the nth time, Sam gave a longing sigh. “I mean, don’t you want that? C’mon!”
“Believe it or not, that doesn’t top my list. Love is overrated all over the universe so why could I possibly want for my focus to shift from the big picture to one single being? It’s bad prioritizing. Period.” Things couldn’t have been clearer for Lilou – love complicated everything. It pulled her sister away from her family, made Etienne ditch ethics and morality and allowed Jasper to get hurt in more ways than one. With Etienne on the premises, he wouldn’t mutter a word, but it didn’t take a degree in Rocket Science for Lilou to know he was miserable.
While Mia, Rufus and Sam had earned their 5 p.m. break, Jasper was still in the garden, this time, walking side by side along Etienne. Emma and Zoey walked ahead, knowing the exact training spot where Zoey had unfurled her inner lightning for the past days.
Without a doubt, the implant helped boost the powers and control her aim. They neared her playground, as James liked to call it, the thick lawn extending under her feet with the unique markings her enhancement left. To her, it looked like she’d been putting out huge cigarettes on a green carpet, a vile display of hybrid against nature. But it had to be done. She had to wield it. Although the light source managed to grow in size and strength, her aim hadn’t been perfect, and controlling where lightning struck was not a bow and arrow affair. Not that she’d be able to pull a Katniss Everdeen. Ever. Energy was irregular, now you saw it, now it went berserk and branched out into growing little baby lightning bolts. Fusing everything into one thick thunderbolt took effort and being the single hybrid without previous training made her overall progress seem amateurish compared to both Rufus and Mia.
When she’d asked James why she hadn’t been trained, he said he hoped there’d never be a time for her to need any training. Altering Zoey had been the last resort he never hoped to use. Still, being the last in line of progress didn’t sit well with Zoey Mills. Which was why, instead of taking a break like all the others, she practically begged for double shifts. Luckily for her, James was more than happy to oblige.
Found in Amber Page 16
