She looked up. “You are part of the Prophus?”
He nodded.
“And the ones who own this facility are the Genjix?”
Roen waited patiently as Kallis continued reading the notes. He saw the blood drain from her face right about the time she got to the part about the nuclear reaction generators, and then even more when she read the summary of their assessment of the facility defenses. Finally, hand trembling, she put all the files back in the envelope and pushed it forward toward him. “Why are you showing this to me?”
He pushed it back toward her. “Keep it.”
“Why?”
“You want to chase and capture bad guy aliens? Well, they’re right there.”
“How do I know it’s not a trap?”
“It could be inside,” he admitted. “But I guarantee you’ll find Quasing in there. Just look at the evidence. Check it out, but please be careful and bring bigger guns when you do.”
He stood up and put a couple of bills on the table. “Drinks are on me.” He leaned forward. “I’m going to walk out the door. This is your chance to shoot me.” He waved at the barkeep. “Sorry for pointing a gun at you, Lou.” The barkeep waved, still stunned and unsure what to do.
“Wait,” she called after him as he headed toward the door. “What if I have more questions?”
Roen exhaled. If she was going to shoot him, that would have been the time. He reached the front door and turned back to face her. “Just ask for me. We’re always listening.”
“Why are you telling me all this, Rutherford?”
“Because believe it or not, Special Agent Francesca Kallis, we want the same things. My people aren’t strong enough to stop the Genjix from destroying the world, but you are. You’re the only one who can stop them.” He paused and looked back. “Please call off your dogs. I need to get out of here and visit my family.” Then, without looking back, he walked out of the Woodchuck Chuck.
37 Moving Pieces
There is irony at play here. The assassination of Baji’s vessel Franz Ferdinand created a cascading effect of destruction that the world had never seen before. It was soon followed by an even greater war, birthed by the aftershocks of the first. With those conflicts came the advent of the atomic bomb, as well as the foundations of space travel. This is the Conflict Doctrine gloriously at work.
However, just as Baji’s vessel’s death helped usher the Genjix closer to victory, her current host, Jill Tesser Tan, committed the Great Betrayal, which has brought us closer to defeat.
Zoras
Enzo turned a slow circle in the center of the pitch dark landing platform. It was so black outside, he couldn’t see the four towers just meters away. He closed his eyes and listened. It was quiet, too, except for the soft whistle of wind and the lazy sounds of waves striking the metal structures. It was cold as well. His exposed hands and face felt the chill seep in almost immediately. He didn’t let it bother him.
A few minutes later, he heard the soft whupping sound he was waiting for and saw a single blinking light coming from the southwest. Eventually, he made out the shape of a transport as it came to hover over the platform and landed on the edge. The wind swirled around him. The force of its blades coupled with the Arctic air cut Enzo’s face like razors.
The temperature had dropped precipitously over the past few days as a cold front moved in from the north. The planet was still far too cold for the Holy Ones. Quasiform would resolve that. Between the catalyst kicking off and burning the ozone layer, the controlled seismic detonations of major planar fractures, and the chemical reactions purifying the ocean and air, the Heaven of the distant stars would soon exist on Earth.
Enzo had studied all of the major religions of the world. Almost all had prophecies of eschatology, be it the Rapture or Ragnarok or even that passive-aggressive Buddhist seven suns. Every religion ended humanity, usually citing divine will. That was the one thing that Enzo agreed with them on, except that in this case, it was his divine will that would end the Earth and give birth to the new Holy home world. Right now, though, it was just too damn cold.
There is no need to show strength to a landing helicopter. Your body probably will appreciate the shivering.
“I will not show weakness, even to myself.”
Still, he was grateful when Jacob finally got out of the helicopter and kneeled. “Father, I return, having fulfilled the task you bestowed upon me.”
Enzo glanced behind Jacob’s shoulder and saw Rin step out of the helicopter. He noted that her arms and legs weren’t bound.
“Whom does our scientist serve?” he asked.
“She says the Genjix,” Jacob replied. “Rin claims to have been swept up by traitors and unable to make contact for rescue.”
“So she wasn’t the one who initiated contact? Who, then?”
Enzo noticed a second smaller figure climb out of the helicopter, again without binds. She was nothing more than a girl, looking around the platform nervously. She spied Enzo and their eyes met. Recognition filled her face and she ran forward and fell to one knee next to Jacob. “Father,” she breathed, face down to the floor while she held her left hand up.
Enzo touched it. “Tabs.”
“Praise to the Holy Ones.”
Jacob nodded at her. “Tabs was the one who made contact with our emergency channel and left notes for us to follow in the house. She contacted us again a few days later and led us to Rin. She has proven herself worthy.”
She is Vladimir Mengsk’s daughter. He was high in Vinnick’s circle.
Enzo beckoned the girl to stand. “Alexandra? Vladimir’s daughter, if I remember correctly. So young, yet so dedicated. An Adonis as well, if I remember your vessel,” The girl’s face flushed red. Enzo put a finger under her chin and lifted it up toward him. “Your standing is raised, Alexandra Mengsk. When we return, your Adonis training will continue.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Next came Rin. The scientist approached Enzo and fell to her knee as well. “Praise to the Holy Ones.”
Enzo and Jacob exchanged glances, and then Enzo had her stand. “I am told you were kidnapped and held against your will.”
Rin nodded. “Brother Jacob and Chiyva were heroic in returning me so that I may finish my work for the Holy Ones.”
“Welcome, then, sister, and fulfill your destiny.” Enzo motioned toward the door and watched as the girl and the scientist were led to the elevator.
Enzo put a hand on Jacob’s elbow. “Put them both in surveyed rooms. I want them under watch twenty-four hours a day. Have you spoken directly with Rin’s Holy One?”
Jacob shook his head. “I have not had the opportunity.”
“See to it tonight. Make sure the Holy One and the vessel are aligned. If not, kill her and give Chisq a new vessel.”
“Your will, Father.”
Enzo watched Jacob depart just as Coen, the new commander of this loyalty haven, came up from below. “Father, you asked to be informed as soon as possible. It will require five more days before the lift mechanism can be repaired.”
Enzo nodded absently as he stared out over the calm icy waters of Great Slave Lake. He had made a point to plant one of his operatives in each of the loyalty havens during their construction and administration. Coen was his operative at Great Slave Lake. He was the man on the inside who had raised the platform for him and damaged the lift mechanism in order to make sure the platform could not be lowered while Enzo’s forces were disembarking. For his service, Coen was blessed with a Holy One, the one who had occupied Gates.
It seemed that Coen had done too good a job sabotaging this base, though. Now, the towers were stuck above water until repair crews could get the mechanisms running again. Until then, the haven was exposed and vulnerable. Luckily, they were in the center of a lake in the middle of the wilderness not too far from the Arctic Circle. Civilization was sparse, and unless someone explicitly knew to search this area, the threat of discovery was minimal. In any case, ending the Russian’s reign was well worth the risk.