by C A Ardron
The rain had lessened, almost stopped in fact, and Jackal slowed momentarily to brush dozens of water droplets off his black, leather jacket.
His left wrist ached from the bite his snake had given him while in front of his master. His entire body ached for that matter. He wouldn't have minded a break and maybe a bit of sleep.
He wouldn't and couldn't however. It wasn't just the fact that Lord Trine wanted the kid bringing in, not anymore.
Jackal hadn't quite believed his eyes when Karen had launched herself through the rain to come to the boy's aid. What exactly did she think she was doing? Was she trying to mock him? Challenge him? Goad him into something? He ground his teeth.
‘You've made yourself a player now, Karen.’ He relished the sound of her name in his mouth. ‘I'm coming for you and you won't escape this time.’
He thought about the best way to proceed. Trine was getting impatient, he couldn't afford to keep the sclithe waiting. However, the teenager was most likely with Karen right now. She'd put her life on the line for him after all. So if he could find her, he'd most likely find both.
Jackal had to act quickly. Karen wouldn't stay in one place too long if past experience was anything to go by. He let out an aggravated sigh. To find them in time he was going to need some help.
He reached inside his jacket and into a pocket, pulling out a dull, silver communicator. He pressed down on one of the eight buttons on the front.
‘General,’ a light, sarcastic voice drawled immediately. ‘What a lovely surprise. What can I do for you?’
Jackal chose to ignore the man's mocking words. ‘Call out the Elite, Cobra. This hunt just got complicated.’
‘How nice,’ the other Sarpien commented. ‘I do so love it when things become complex. How many Dakkonin have noticed your movements?’
‘No Dakkonin, Cobra. The boy you've been ranting about has been picked up by someone with military experience.’
Cobra was silent for a few seconds. ‘I fail to see how that would hinder you.’
‘Someone with medallion military experience,’ Jackal attempted to keep his annoyance under control.
‘Ohhh, how interesting. I don't suppose this could be the same experienced person that irritated you in Ishetta?’
Jackal could hear his teeth grinding and stopped. Ishetta, the place he'd last run into Karen, but how could Cobra know that?
‘Get the Elite out,’ he repeated. He wouldn't let Cobra know he'd managed to surprise him. ‘You wouldn't want your experiment to be ruined by a wall of Dakkonin guarding your prize.’
‘Indeed. I'm afraid I must sit this one out, however. Lord Trine has asked me to make ready for when you bring the child in. I will let the others know you require their assistance.’
‘Appreciated,’ Jackal drawled, deciding to copy Cobra's unconcern, though he was sure it was an act the Sarpien was putting on to irritate him. ‘Make sure Mantis is on a tight leash, will you? This person who's interfered might have muddied up the waters, but it'd be a shame to waste their skill by killing them.’
‘I bet.’
Jackal paused, wondering how much Cobra really knew. He ended the call anyway, not giving the clever Sarpien anymore ammunition to use against him. With a bit of luck, all Cobra really knew was that they'd crossed paths and that he'd tried to catch her. If the sorcerer knew any more than that he may have to take steps.
He knew it was dangerous letting other Sarpiens into the hunt when Karen was involved. No one else was going to take the credit for catching her though, he'd make sure of that.
CHAPTER SIX
Golden Lion took a couple of moments to gaze out of the small window in his office. It faced a small outdoor walkway between the Predgarian Centre and the garage where, among other things, his armoured motorcycle was kept.
The rain had passed during the night, leaving the morning sky clear and unblemished by grey clouds, but Lion could not enjoy this from his limited view. Even if the window had faced something other than a wall, the thick, plain white blinds covering the window only allowed small slits to see through.
He looked down once more at the stack of papers in his work tray. A small frown marred his handsome face, and he stretched his muscled limbs before deciding to give the paperwork his full attention.
He absently ran a hand through his shoulder-length, butter-blond hair. It sometimes got in his eyes and itched in hot weather. He'd considered cutting it before. He glanced down at his gold medallion, hanging mid-chest on top of his plain white shirt.
Holding a medallion made simple decisions such as whether to have a haircut much more important. Lion refrained from the line of thought again. If he cut his hair, it would be perhaps fifty or sixty years before it grew back to where it was now. It was great that having a medallion meant he would live almost four times his ordinary lifespan. He just wished he didn't have to live with some of the other things that came with it.
Lion noticed a letter from the Steiron Council on top of his pile of work and decided to address this first. He sliced it open with one finger and read through quickly. When he first glanced at it, it looked a little more important than the average wages statement.
He grimaced as he muttered his way through it. ‘Spaceship ports, great, just what we need.’
Lion stood, avoiding the two large filing cabinets behind him. He left the letter on his desk and strode over to the wall where he'd posted this week's patrol schedule for his unit of warriors.
The office door opened, and Lion turned his head as the Bronze Hawk appeared. There weren't many people taller than him. Hawk, standing out due to his very pale skin and hair so light it was almost silver, was possibly one of the tallest in West Sector.
Hawk's eyes especially stood out to Lion. He'd become used to the mid to bright blue of the southerner which was the norm in Steiron. Hawk's intense grey ones could be quite startling.
‘Capt'n.’ Hawk greeted Lion with a mocking bow. ‘I return from patrol.’
Lion noticed the bronze warrior looking at him worriedly. ‘What is it?’
‘You're not gonna change the rota? We were on to a good thing.’
Lion smiled. He wasn't surprised Hawk was worrying about that. The Avian-class warrior liked his free time.
‘It's working quite well,’ he agreed. ‘I've received a letter from the Council. In eight months there's some representatives coming from the heart of the empire.’
‘Wow, that's big. Aliens don't come to Steiron. Are they coming from Asterion? That's the emperor's home-world, right?’
Lion nodded. ‘There's going to be a big embassy meeting. Ambassadors from the Asterion court will be in attendance. The Council want to make sure we're doing our job properly because if the aliens don't like what they see they won't agree to fund the spaceports.’
Hawk gave him a disgusted look. ‘You might wanna tell 'em to give us more funding then. We're working our asses off over here and they want us to step up?. We need more people’
Lion nodded and sat back at his desk, rubbing at the left knee of his ripped, faded, blue jeans. He really should get round to buying some new ones.
‘I know, I know. We're understaffed, but it's not just about funding, Hawk. Any requests for more warriors have to be made to the area commander at the Predgarian Temple’
Hawk groaned. ‘Oh, yeah. Mr. “I'm in charge” has final say. No new bodies coming down this end any time soon then.’
Lion blinked in surprise but then smiled. Hawk's choice of phrase always caught him off guard.
Hawk adjusted his brown jogging bottoms before he sat in a chair by the wall next to the door. ‘What about people like me though?’ Absently, he took hold of the bronze medallion around his neck, a fierce hawk in flight etched in its centre, and hid it beneath his red vest.
Lion leaned back in his chair. ‘The Predgarians accept people from off the street who want to try the tests and join the Order, as you know. With our unit being below the average minimum, the area comm
ander would have no choice but to enrol the new recruit. Getting a fully-qualified warrior sent from Predgariah or another team probably isn't going to happen though.’
Hawk sat forward. ‘So we just gotta find some people from West Sector then.’
‘It's not that simple. There's not many out there who'd be willing to risk their lives protecting Steiron.’
Hawk shrugged. ‘I did it.’
‘You're obviously of a different mentality than the average man on the street,’ Lion replied with a touch of irony.
Hawk gave him a hard look but didn't deny it. ‘Maybe I do think differently,’ he leant back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. ‘I grew up in Joinstohm. There's at least ten sclithe there. It gets to you, wondering when your house is gonna be burnt to the ground cos a Sarpien got bored.’
Lion nodded, remembering his time there. He felt his jaw tighten, remembering the chaos left in the wake of a Sarpien raid only one week after he'd been assigned there. That had been his first assignment upon finishing his training, quite the introduction. ‘I worked in Joinstohm for a little while. It's definitely more intense than here. While we're on the subject, anything to report?’
Hawk crossed his legs, a small frown appearing. 'Well, there was something. Nothing big, wasn't gonna to mention it - it was just odd.’
Lion looked at him expectantly.
‘I spotted a guy creeping around, but I lost him.’
‘You?’ Lion shot a playful grin at him. ‘I thought you said you could find anybody?’
Hawk's returning grin was hard. The Avian had a sharp tongue, it was rare for him not to have an instant counter.
‘I think it was Mantis.’
All humour left Lion's face. Nothing Sarpien related was anything to joke about, but especially not where the Praying Mantis was concerned.
‘By himself?’ He couldn't help but become tense at this news. Mantis alone was bad enough, but if he had other Sarpiens with him...
‘As far as I could tell.’
‘Why did you say it was odd? One Sarpien, even an Elite, out by himself isn't that strange.’
‘Yeah,’ Hawk agreed as he scratched at his pale hair, His face screwed up, trying to find the right words. ‘Can't put my finger on it. It was how he was moving, you know? He looked sneaky.’
Lion was dubious – Mantis was always sneaky. ‘Any sign of the new one?’ He kept his voice calm, knowing this was a sore subject for Hawk.
Hawk's scowl was fierce. ‘No.’
All Sarpiens caused trouble, but Elite Sarpiens were dangerous. Lion had seen his fair share of them lately. The Dakkonin unit in the area was as short-staffed as his and couldn't stem the tide as well as in other places.
Lion didn't blame the Dakkonin, it was just circumstance. It meant that he and the warriors under his command had been given no choice but to become more involved with the Sarpiens.
Lion's jaw tightened as he thought about it. Keeping ordinary Sarpiens in check was one thing, but Elite Sarpiens, such as the Praying Mantis and the Bronze Cobra, did not tend to flee, even from Dakkonin warriors.
‘I've clocked him in the sky twice,’ Hawk interrupted Lion's thoughts.
Lion gave a slow nod. ‘With a green snake on his arm. Which means he's working under the Red Jackal. What do you know of him?’
Hawk clenched his teeth together. ‘The Silver Harrier,’ he spat. 'Don't know much, only met him once. He had a blue snake back then, never did find out what he was doing here.'
‘He's definitely got a silver medallion?’
‘Oh yeah.’
‘There's no question then,’ Lion commented with a small frown. ‘Harrier will be an Elite Sarpien.’
Hawk nodded grimly, and Lion knew the man was thinking the same as him. All Elite Sarpiens were bad news, but this new one, this Harrier, was a silver bird of prey. He was going to be trouble.
‘Can you beat him?’ Lion asked.
‘Hey,’ Hawk shot with a hard grin, ‘you're the gold warrior.’
Lion returned the grin with a smile of his own. He might have been the holder of a gold medallion, proving he was an exceptional fighter, but it didn't alter the fact he was Feline-class.
‘I'm not the one in the room that can fly.’
Hawk's grin disappeared. ‘Yeah, guess I need to step up, huh?' His grin reappeared, even bigger than before. ‘If anyone's gonna make the grade, it's gonna be me, right?’
Lion smiled faintly, not believing the bravado, he'd seen the serious look on Hawk's face just before he'd covered it. ‘I know we're Predgarians, and you didn't join to fight Sarpiens –’
‘Hey, don't worry about it,’ Hawk cut him off. ‘I know the deal. I've seen the news, a lot of Dakkonin are dying. We've got to step up and help, no one else will.’
Lion looked at him sadly. Hawk was a bronze warrior, which meant on paper, Harrier was the better fighter. The only other Avian on his team was the White Dove, but as talented as she was, she was a healer first and a warrior second.
Any member of his team other than Hawk would be at a disadvantage without the ability to fly.
Lion's attention was drawn to a small, round, wooden table in the corner of the room. It had sat there ever since he'd been assigned to West Sector almost eight years ago. He studied the large crystal sphere embraced by a pristine, marble bird, its wings wrapping around on either side. The object belonged to White Dove. He remembered he'd been so careful of it when he'd first arrived, fearing the healer's wrath should it be broken.
The two Predgarians stared at the crystal as it began to pulsate with a shining white light from within.
Hawk pointed at it and caught Lion's eye. ‘Okay, I've never seen it do that before.’
‘Get Dove,’ Lion said without pause. ‘She'll know what's happening here.’
‘She's not here.’
Lion gave him a sharp look. ‘Where is she?’
‘She said she wanted to enjoy the morning,’ Hawk shrugged. ‘Said she was going to Algon Park. Do you know what this thing is? It's always just been kinda sat here.’
‘Yes, Dove told me it's a communications device.’
Hawk stepped closer to the ornamental-looking object, peering at it sceptically. ‘Really? I can't see any buttons or anything.’
Lion smiled. Hawk was funny sometimes. Having not been raised as a warrior in Predgariah, the headquarters of the Order, the man easily forgot how different things could be here to the normal life found on the streets of Steiron.
‘You communicate using telepathy.’
Hawk groaned. ‘That stuff again? I get so nervous when Tiger starts throwing fire around. It's not natural.’
‘Of course it's not natural,’ Lion replied, studying the glowing sphere. ‘That's the point. There's nothing wrong or bad about people using the Power, Hawk. You should try to get used to it.’
Hawk frowned at him.
Lion decided to drop the subject. Hawk was suspicious of the Power, even though it was not related to magic or medallions. Everyone had some sort of potential; medallion use greatly amplified that potential and brought it to the surface.
He picked up the rectangular, somewhat bulky communications radio sat on his desk. There were eight worn buttons on the front. He pressed down on number three and held it up to his face.
‘This is Golden Lion, report in, Dove.’
There was no response from the female Predgarian. Lion glanced over at the still-glowing orb and tried again, but Dove remained unresponsive.
‘That's not good,’ Hawk muttered. 'You think she's trying to tell us something with the ball?’
‘I Don't know.’ Lion's thoughts were now racing. He couldn't use telepathy and neither could Hawk. Fire Tiger, another of his warriors, was the only one other than Dove who could, but she was presently on patrol. He slid out an extra section from the bottom of his radio. It held a small digital screen and a row of buttons just above it. He pressed the code for Dove's radio, and the screen came to life, portr
aying a tiny map of West Sector.
‘She's still at Algon Park,’ Lion told his team mate. He'd been taught in Predgariah to always keep a tight rein on his emotions, but this time he was having a bit of trouble. He tried to stop the images in his head of Dove being attacked by Sarpiens. His throat tightened... by Sarpiens like Mantis. ‘Let's go.’
Hawk nodded and pulled his bronze medallion out from under his vest. ‘Sure thing.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
Dove breathed deeply to calm herself, resisting the urge to grasp the wooden bench she was sat on. Glancing up at the clear sky, she was vainly hoping to see Hawk in the sky. It was mid-morning, and the large red sun, Kaliij, was dominating the sky. The smaller Hunoth was not so easy to look at, its light bright and very pale blue.
Under normal circumstances, on clear days like this, Dove was always relaxed and happy here at Algon Park, the suns above her, floating in the lavender sky.
A slight breeze caught her long, blonde hair and flower-patterned, white dress. She turned her attention to the grassy park again, peering between the large trees a matter of feet away with their enormous trunks, hoping to see her other team mates. Surely Lion would think something was amiss soon? The Predgarian Centre was only a few blocks away.
Dove gave up and looked down the gentle slope, momentarily taking in the large pond and a number of different water birds splashing around.
She was trying to act overly afraid, doing her very best not to come across as a medallion warrior. She turned her head once more to watch the small area to her right, where a children’s playground was situated.
Her lips were tight, wondering what she was supposed to do. All activity in the park had stopped; it was clear everyone in the area knew they were in danger. Dove didn't think they realised just how much.
One of the two men standing in the centre of the park's clearing, just outside the children's park, half-turned towards her, and Dove averted her gaze.
