Found in Amber

by Esther Rabbit

  Other than the repetitive nods, Mia found no gesture exceptionally foreign. Surprise, shock and distrust manifested taking over optan features just the same as they would have on any human. They were similar more than they were different. Weird clothes aside, the lady gave off a motherly vibe. She wore no makeup, no jewelry and no accessories, but her clothes spoke plenty with the intricate, solid yet somehow soft pink fabric, wrapping her body in an irregularly cut kimono. Because that was the closest thing to it. Her skin however, had a different glow and just like the optans’, zero imperfections.

  The woman gave one last sigh and tried to straighten her pose. “Go.” She kept her voice low. “Before my service arrives.” She turned around tried to look composed as she disappeared through the almost invisible sliding door.

  Etienne brushed his fingers over his mouth before he finally addressed Jasper. “So where do you suppose they’re keeping the former Chancellor?” He looked uneasy, resting his hands on his hips.

  “Base IG-47. The new wing.” Jasper confirmed. “Where only the Minister and Alliance officials have access. If no one was to know what was up the Minister’s corrupted sleeve, this has to be it.” Etienne had known for too long about the base which in theory, served for working on foreign matter and was practically anything-proof. The Minister held a lengthy conference on the development of the new wing which would serve as an expansion of their work as the Alliance grew in size and resources. Since the wing’s inauguration was to happen in a matter of weeks, it was bound to be a safe, deserted place for any officials who didn’t respond to the Minister directly.

  Jasper nodded, preparing for portalling once more.

  Away from privy eyes, base IG-47 indeed looked deserted. In plain daylight, the sky’s unusual lilac color revealed itself striking to the human eye with the huge moon making them feel even smaller. The base, as they so called it, looked like a massive warehouse in the middle of practically nowhere. Stranded in a rocky landscape, with nothing but a stone path leading to it among shrubs and weeds in different shades of green. Could’ve perfectly been Arizona if you asked Rufus. Except for the few succulents unfolding in spiky, long leaves and the handful of shrubs, it was all rock and reddish dust covering their trainers. Maybe a bit too reddish, like paprika. The more he looked down, the more the dust morphed into iridescent shades as he walked shoulder to shoulder with Zoey behind Lilou.

  She moved catlike, almost soundless as she stepped on the rocky surface and Zoey tried to keep her cool behind. She was alert, a different kind of fear unfurling in her stomach.

  James’s frame leveled with hers as he caught her pace. “The plan should be simple, portal in find out where they’re holding the Chancellor and portal him out of here.”

  Even Rufus wanted some of that self-confidence to rub off on him. Unless he was bluffing. “Why are we walking around it then?” Rufus retorted.

  “We want to get a feel of the space, see if we can save us some time and portal in the proximity of where they might hold the Chancellor.” Jasper jumped in. “I’ve been to three other bases prior to my departure from Opt, including this one. The new wing is just around the corner.”

  And he wasn’t joking.

  The new wing was massive. Massive as in you could probably spend weeks looking for their former Chancellor. Mia sighed, hoping Jasper could actually save them some time as they all stopped to contemplate.

  “I guess the Alliance has quite the growth plan.” Zoey slid her hands down the pockets of her sweatpants and took a large breath. In Zoey’s view, Base IG-47 could very well be the equivalent to Earth’s Area 51. It was huge and the landscape sure supported the similarity. “Ready when you are.”

  γ

  There was nothing deserted about this place. On the inside, it was swarming with busy optans in all sorts of uniforms and absolutely everyone seemed to carry some sort of equipment left, right and center. Luckily for them, there were heaps and heaps of massive tech neatly wrapped practically everywhere and they happened to land right behind one. Mia peered at the sight unfurling before her eyes and spotted the Tech crew in their dark blue coveralls piecing things together on a nearby table. Heck, there were longer tables than she ever imagined and everyone seemed to be working on something.

  “Who’s in the green coveralls? She whispered down to Lilou who was adamantly scanning the place.

  “Physicists,” Etienne whispered back. “Who knew they’d be dealing with the forbidden here?” His husky tone intrigued even Lilou. Seeing Rufus so puzzled he felt compelled to continue. “We’ve got our own fair share of radioactive energy. If things still work the same, they should be headed underground.”

  Zoey was quick to duck as the group of green geared optans passed by. “Won’t they detect you if you start portalling around this place?” She watched Lilou swiftly turn to her and grin.

  “They’re only unpacking here. If you two wouldn’t scream alien, we’d probably be able to roam free on foot.” Seeing Rufus and Zoey share a half-guilty glance, she added. “But that would only slow us down. Hold tight.”

  Lilou had portalled them somewhere else apparently. “Ladies and gents, the basement.” She announced in a whisper. “There’s no way they’d keep the former Chancellor above ground with all the commotion going on.”

  “Let’s move.” On Jasper’s signal, they moved along the wide corridor. On plain sight, no door was visible, just like at the former Chancellor’s apartment, but Zoey was quick to notice the subtle outlines popping up here and there. Everything looked and felt different on Opt. She didn’t recognize any particular material, except for the kalenium in bits and pieces. What had initially looked like metal, felt almost rubbery and flexible to touch. The walls were not even cold. She didn’t ask though, perceiving silence as an ally in the solemnity of the basement. But curiosity got the better of her, and she didn’t refrain from poking curious fingers at the walls with all their intricate graphite shapes.

  The corridor branched out in so many others, and symbols became visible above each opening. Until Lilou’s raised hand stopped them all on their tracks. She seemed to focus on a distant sound. James steadied his hand on Zoey’s shoulder reassuringly, but her heartbeat wouldn’t listen. They started walking again, coming to a dead end. At a second glance, Rufus saw the door and a nod later, they had been portalled to the other side. It was darker, yet Jasper took the lead as if he knew exactly where he was going.

  He did. When he finished his training before being dispatched to Earth, the former Chancellor had taken him on a grand tour of the Alliance’s many facilities and the four he’d seen had the very same layout. No fewer than thirteen bases worked on continuous progress on Opt, all immersed in different areas wielding the resources provided by member planets. He’d never dared to question that fact for a second. Just like the staff in this building, busy oblivious bees to the story behind the supplies they received.

  One hundred fifty seven planets meant plenty of resources and optans were happy doing what they were genetically designed to do. Scientists did science, Timeline managed lifelines, Tech and Maintenance put their skill to work to perfection and soldiers fought to keep everyone in line.

  At this point in time, Zoey’s question rang in Jasper’s head ‘Do your powers shape your personality, or does personality come first?’ Seeing the evidence, it was hard to believe they were products of their environments and social experiences alone. It was probably his skill guiding him now, to the restricted basement area he hadn’t seen at either of the bases he’d been to. Lilou knew only a few had such clearance. And these few, held the strings to cosmic mass manipulation it seemed. Humans said it too well—ignorance was indeed bliss.

  They all advanced at a wary pace, registering each and every sound and hoping it wouldn’t turn into a threat.

  No one guarded the area where only superior officers had clearance to operate and this could only mean one thing—whatever they were supposed to work on here, hadn’t been set up. Jasper soon ca
me face to face with the evidence: encapsulated resources, tanks and tanks of them crowded the warehouse area they were in. Lilou watched him as he expertly read the contents.

  “You’re not going to believe this!” His eyes went straight to Lilou’s. “It’s all mineral matter from Dars and Ifor-21. The one Mezin has footage of.”

  Etienne’s brows went slightly up, seeing Lilou peer through the transparent part of the capsule. “It’s terin, alright.” She confirmed scanning the label attached to the dark gray capsule.

  Z.3100-42r. Etienne knew it all too well. “That’s code for Zii. Except there’s no terin on Planet Zii, their environment doesn’t support its development.” Reading the numbers on display on each and every label at hand revealed their worst fears. Tons and tons of capsules in different sizes crowded the space. All of them foreign to the Alliance itself.

  “This is where they’ll test all matter from outside the member planets.” Jasper retorted. “It’s a lab.” And he knew exactly how lab layouts went. “Come, I think I know where they’re holding him.” Jasper picked up the pace and everyone followed suit. Mia dared a glance at Rufus over her shoulder and tried her best to look composed as they advanced through the space. She couldn’t recognize anything either and these walls were seemingly made of something in between metal and gray stone. It even glimmered in symmetrical spots.

  She too came to a halt when Jasper reached a dead end. His long fingers introspectively grazed the wall ahead as if looking for something.

  “Do you need a moment with that wall, Ambassador?” Etienne’s sardonic smile found a way back to his lips, making Rufus snarl. A sharp sound followed, and on Jasper’s command, they were portalled on the other side. Just as Jasper had expected, plasin boxes emerged on both sides of the room and there was one particular use for plasin: impenetrable jail cells either used in mental institutions or prisons. Mia walked cautiously, falling into pace with Zoey. When she lifted her eyes to get a look at her face, she didn’t seem scared, just strangely alert, scanning the place with a wary eye.

  Behind them, James couldn’t help the feeling of déjà vu creeping up. “I’ve been here.” His voice came faint, making Lilou’s eyebrows shoot up.

  “No, you’ve been at the Headquarters for interrogation.” Lilou slowed her pace to fall in line with him.

  “Before, I mean. This is where the Minister interrogated me first. I recognize the layout.” He stopped before one of the cells. “I was in here.” The realization hit Lilou like the Santa Ana winds. There was no talk of this wing six months ago, and although she had been aware of the several interrogation procedures, she figured they’d all been held at the Headquarters. Before they could process any longer, Jasper came to a halt as he mirrored the former Chancellor’s plump frame on the other side.

  He turned to them in his pearly suit, the same shade as Richard’s and Zoey read the terror in his eyes. He began shaking his head and taking steps back until he reached the opposite wall of the small box. He didn’t know where to look first, Etienne, Lilou, Jasper.

  “Sir, we’ve come to get you out of here.” Lilou’s ponytail swung in her stride to the plasin box that contained him. “Hold on.” She gave a nod in Etienne’s direction and it took seconds to shatter the plasin window into dust.

  “No, Lilou” the former Chancellor’s voice erupted “you need to leave!” His fingers sank in her arm as she got closer to him. “They’re on to you, there’s surveillance everywhere!” He pleaded.

  “No need to fight now, there’s a box for each and every one of you.” That voice made Zoey’s hairs stand on end. It was Richard, making his soundless way in, escorted by four soldiers. The hybrids suddenly grouped together under the same chill. Rufus recognized his uniform, but now, some sort of helmet covered his face as well as the soldiers’ by his side. Between the shields and weaponry tucked at their navy belts and the scornful glares, breathing came a little difficult.

  Etienne clenched his teeth and arched his fingers in response. “It’s not working!” Anxiety rose at his temples as he threw Jasper a glance and moved to shield Zoey. He tried again, baffled seeing how Richard’s uniform was unaffected by atomic dispersion.

  “And it’s not going to.” Even Mia gasped at the sound of Jasper’s words. Everything happened almost too fast for the brain to fully process what was unraveling before their eyes. Richard threw Jasper what looked like a plectrum and in that infinitesimal speck of time, Jasper attached it to his belt. Whatever use the little plectrum had, it seemed to wrap itself around his body in an electric glow like some sort of shield. It was a shield—against them all.

  “What the—” Rufus broke, yet Richard didn’t give him a chance to finish.

  “Nice work, Ambassador.” Richard’s words echoed, making Mia aware of her bated breath. Her eyes moved from one optan to the other.

  This was beyond comprehension. The image of Jasper’s frame lining up with Richard’s and stiffly joining hands at the front burned in everyone’s minds. Zoey’s breath was still caught in her throat, a wave of adrenaline mixed with an unknown fear making her flesh crawl. Doubt dissipated. Jasper had tricked her. Turning to scan Lilou’s face proved something that boggled the mind: Jasper had tricked all of them.

  Mia stiffened beside Rufus, throwing him a quick glance. He was in denial, caught like a rabbit in the headlights at the sight of it all. His chin quivered trying to articulate something inaudible.

  Her eyes switched to Zoey. She watched her clench her teeth in an angry move. Energy sparked between her fingers as she charged her core, practicing every move James had taught her. Zoey’s blood ran hot, the anger flaring on the inside. It was like watching the impossible happen when Mia’s eyes locked on Jasper.

  He stood there as if he waited for Zoey to hit, prodding her with mischievous eyes as if he’d just seen her for the first time among enemy lines. There was no remorse on his face. It had been pure conspiracy. Without a second thought, she fired at him, incensed at that stupid, mocking smirk. The conscious lines seemed to blur and Zoey felt foreign to her skin, to her immediate impulse.

  The beam didn’t even scrape his uniform, dissolving into the fabric without causing a wrinkle. Nothing. But he felt it, and turned to Zoey with a raised brow. It was the fabric, the goddamned fabric they were working on, Mia realized. Hence the helmets, hence the uselessness of James’s enhancement.

  Zoey’s breath accelerated. Accessing her inner socket under Jasper’s stare took guts. Her hands lit up and this time, he smiled as she sent her beam straight for his chest.

  Bastard! Mia’s thoughts rang in her head. She’d been frozen in place, unable to move. Unable to portal them out of there. She couldn’t scream, she couldn’t even turn her head to Rufus. Time was scarce, and primal need for survival took over. A cold sweat coated her entirely.

  It was Etienne who took a leap next, landing a fist on Jasper since everything else had failed.

  “Should’ve done that a while back!” He spoke between his teeth, viciously taking Jasper to the ground. They rolled on the floor in a locked-legged dance. Jasper, Etienne realized, couldn’t be frozen. Their abilities seemed to cancel each other out and he was stronger than he’d anticipated. He needed to be fast and precise if he wanted to take down a soldier. And what better moment to come to this conclusion then, when Jasper’s arm came around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. That’s not how Zoey should’ve seen him, rolled face down, with the ambassador’s fist jammed in his back.

  For a moment, they all froze in place at Jasper’s power display. Richard and his soldiers watched him mopping the floor with Etienne as if was something on Entertainment Today, shoving him around in demonstration. It took ages for Rufus to snap out of his stupor and take over Jasper’s mind, pinning him to the floor. Etienne’s arms shook as he tried to steady himself, taking gulps of air.

  “Why aren’t you fighting?” Lilou felt Zoey’s words like knives. “Do something!” Zoey kept screaming. She didn’t understand what wa
s so obvious for Lilou—they had already lost. Both ambassadors she’d trained had gone AWOL and she hadn’t sensed either of their intentions.

  “It’s over, Zoey.” Lilou gave a defeated sigh as she pressed her back to one of the plasin boxes. Her knees didn’t give in, yet she allowed her back to slide against the plasin till she was one with the ground. “If we’re here it’s because nothing we can do is enough to work in our favor. Mia’s frozen, Etienne can’t break through the fabric, and I can’t fight against all of this—” The way she spoke, as if caught in some weird hypnotic trance she couldn’t snap out of, almost gave Rufus the chills. “Nice work, Jasper, you fooled all of us. Even the magnetic field’s charged so we can’t portal out.” Lilou’s electric blue eyes suddenly locked on Jasper’s. He stood there, immobile under Rufus’s enhancement.

  “It’s not over!” Zoey cried. “It’s not!” She bit her lip and ignited her fingers. Giving up now, after everything everyone’s risked for this mission seemed like running out the back door. This bolt had Richard’s face on it, harmful or not. Molten rage came out of her mouth as she shot her violent beams from both hands. Richard’s face grew wary as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, making Zoey wonder if in fact, her beam created some sort of discomfort. Energy poured out of her. There was so much rage in her shriek that James himself jumped to his feet and ran to her. Maybe for the first time, he looked afraid to touch her, so he came to her side and did what was the only thing left to do: try again.

  There was no doubt Jasper had ruffled him, yet despite the pain shooting through his limbs, he accessed the enhancement that made him infamous. He caught Zoey with the corner of his eye and gave her one of his imperious smiles. She didn’t smile back. She didn’t have to, he thought and fixed his target.

  Rufus looked struck. What came out of Zoey and Etienne was nearly the work of magic, her light just about blinding. To no avail, though. They were losing ground and Rufus couldn’t hold Jasper pinned any longer. Manipulating someone’s body, although a piece of cake in comparison to overtaking the mind, didn’t last long. He cussed Etienne in his thoughts—this time, because he’d given his enhancement too many limitations. Like not being able to take over more than one body at a time. They were now outnumbered and his power felt useless. Jasper was slipping through his mind-fingers so to speak, and there was nothing he could do about it. Rufus squeezed his eyes shut, exercising every ounce of control he could muster. Until he couldn’t any longer.