Chapter Chapter Twenty-Seven: Who Knew Shards Had Baggage?

Bright white light blinded her and she squinted her eyes to keep the painful illumination out. The lights suddenly dimmed and Samantha could see Makeen standing over her.

“How long?”

“We just reached the infirmary,” he answered and Vey sat up… or at least she tried. “I took the liberty of having you restrained, Mistress. The doctor said you were suffering from fatigue as well as malnutrition.”

“Makeen,” she started before he leaned more over her bed.

“Do not force me to protect you you, Mistress,” he warned. “I have sworn an oath. My word will not sway, even if my opponent is my Mistress.

“Proceed,” Makeen said to the physicians as he backed away from the table. Three doctors came forward, all looking as if they had been made to see God.

Makeen always did work quickly, and his ruthlessness was often the subject of whispered rumors. While these sorts of stories often convoluted the truth, most of the rumors underestimated Afzal Makeen Shamir and what he was capable of doing in the name of Samantha Vey. She sighed and let her head rest on the pillow. The president of her own corporation and a growing player among the power-brokers of the world, yet she was powerless in the sight of her most trusted employee… and, as Zanison had so aptly stated, her only friend.

“The room?” she asked.

“Remains as you left it,” Makeen answered.

“The cause?”

“Undetermined.”

“You may want to change that, HD,” Princess said over the intercom and Samantha tried to sit up again. Makeen’s hand quickly found her shoulder and pressed down gently.

“What is your report, Akondalatti?”

“This might take some time, HD,” Princess informed.

“It would appear that I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, Princess!” Samantha snapped and Makeen pressed down harder on her shoulder. She shot her eyes up at Makeen and he did not waver as he looked down on her. Part of Samantha wanted to cry in hopes he would pick her up and just hold her close. She closed her eyes and settled down, choosing to hold onto the image of being held by Makeen for just a moment. Soon his pressing hand became one that caressed her shoulder and patted it.

“You will have your time,” Makeen whispered. “This I swear to you!”

“Mind if I hold you to that?” she asked as a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye. It did not travel far before Makeen gently wiped it away.

“You may,” he answered.

“And why is she calling you High Definition?”

“HD actually stands for Head Dude,” Makeen explained. Vey closed her eyes to keep from laughing.

“What Ms. Vey means, Princess,” Makeen said aloud, “… is that we will need your information before we can take a proper counter-action.”

“What we have to report goes back a few days,” Michael Patel said as he stood beside Princess, still weighing what information would and would not be included in his report. Princess was indeed a very gifted technician, but her predilection for adventure would eventually be her undoing. He simply hoped she would not take Optimum Horizons down with her.

“Since the discovery of the nanotech probes, we have also found a number of back doors created within the system. While examining the probes, we noticed that their programming codes resembled the architecture of some of our older programs and systems.”

“How old?” Samantha asked.

“They were hidden in the database before that fake Seth McEmbree was hired,” Princess replied.

“That’s pretty old,” Samantha muttered.

Michael began to walk as he spoke, weighing his words carefully. “The similarities are too many to ignore and they also serve as what Princess called a Hacker’s fingerprint! We were actually able to cross-reference where that fingerprint has been discovered. Aside from Optimum Horizons, we can confirm one other location where that programming style was used: the facility where Solomon was arrested.”

“Let’s try to keep it simple, Dr. Patel,” Samantha said quickly.

“It is a reasonable assumption that Solomon was using the coding and techniques of his brother,” Michael concluded. “With a few adjustments here and there that personalized the craft with which these are composed and implemented. We have found that pattern again in the past several hours, though it was not in our system when it was encountered. It was in the NORAD database, sending a number of satellites into a diagnostic mode.”

“A number of satellites?” Samantha repeated. “Did that include ours, Patel?”

“Indeed it did!” he confirmed. “Upon further investigation, we found the same sort of infiltration in other computers of facilities who have any high altitude or outer-space monitoring capabilities.”

“Dr. Patel, did you say outer-space?!” Samantha asked.

“Everything from the Pentagon, to NASA to SETI,” Michael answered. “Each agency either went into a diagnostic mode or experienced a glitch in their system at the same time.”

“But every cloud has a silver lining, boss and HD,” Princess blurted out as she established a video link. She was smiling brightly and looked back and forth between Patel and her screen, as there was no immediate response.

“This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” Vey asked.

“We are minimizing the pain as we speak,” Michael replied. “But even in retrospect, I have to say I stand behind Princess’ innovation.”

“Oh God!” Samantha sighed before taking a few more deep breaths. Makeen moved his hand from her shoulder to her hand. “Hit me with it.”

“Well, while the big boys were being told to look the other way, I decided to start rummaging through the smaller eyes in the sky,” Princess began.

“Are you about to tell me that in getting me my Intel, I need to send a ‘Thank You’ card to MTV?” Samantha asked.

“Close,” Princess said. “I managed to creep into the system of our favorite global news network who probably prefers to remain unnamed here.

“But, as it turns out, we caught a break!” Princess continued. “Because we were in the place where news happens first, we have a breaking story happening in, of all places, San Diego, California!”

Makeen stepped away from the bed and took out his cell phone, allowing Samantha to concentrate on her conversation with the computer lab.

“Will someone please let me up from this table?” Samantha snapped.

“Elevate the head,” Makeen quickly corrected and Samantha let out a low growl which almost made him laugh.

“What’s the word in San Diego, Princess?” Vey asked.

“Well, I am still in review mode here,” Princess said as she typed commands into her console. “But it started with reports of an earthquake.” Samantha’s mouth slowly came open as Princess fed the video she had received. “This is the best look I’ve been able to get. It’s a city camera, but I think you get the gist.”

“Makeen!” Samantha called out as she watched the playback. “What do we have in the area?”

“Alpha Team is at the ready,” Makeen replied, muting the microphone and dimming the monitor. “But while I was speaking with the Team Lead, I received a signal… from Kotai. It seems they closed the Sterngardner contract this morning. He was on vacation with his family.”

“They didn’t-”

“No one else was injured,” Makeen said softly. “… and reports are that the Admiral passed away due to complications with his heart.”

“And who are we to argue with those reports?” Samantha said with a smile. “What is Kotai’s report?”

Makeen touched a couple buttons on his phone and a second screen formed beside the dim one showing Princess’ face. It was Donald Kotai standing next to Megan Kaufman, both on the balcony of a high-end hotel room. Megan was looking at something to the east through her binoculars. In the background of their particular shot, everyone could see a jumbo jet parked on the beach, partially covered with what looked to be an ice floe.

“Go ahead, Kotai,” Makeen directed.

“What do we say?” Telishe whispered as she stood beside Neekrum.

“I am not sure,” he replied. “But I am almost positive the entity can hear us, no matter how low you hold your voice.”

The Custodian stepped down to the roof of the building and peered through his yellow eyes at the body of the woman who had endeavored to lie to him. But she had been using the power of the malefactor to save more of the Recovered, and for that he had no contempt for her. Her body had been mostly restored to the state it had held before the appearance of the criminal.

As for Staydenn, Offender Rho–Sampi Iota Eta, Z’Gal’For extended his hand over his body and encased it within a Stasis Grid. He took a power cell off his girdle and placed it against the man’s chest to maintain the field. It would not stop the prisoner’s thoughts, but it would keep him from working any energies.

Z’Gal’For then looked up at the two that stood before him. They were shorter and lighter than his frame, but the Custodian stopped as he surveyed their bodies.

“What disingenuous forms you are!” he said before the slender male lunged toward him, extending his hand and releasing a bastardization of force energy. The beam struck him in the chest and had he been braced for an attack, he knew he would have kept his ground. Z’Gal’For tumbled off the top of the roof of the building.

“Why did you do that?” Telishe asked.

“Neither of these are the !” Neekrum shouted as he blasted the large creature again. Neekrum recognized how fortunate he had been by acting first and quickly. The power of his first attack had knocked holes into shuttlecraft, but the creature’s armor had not yet been marked. His second force blast did not hurt it either, but that was not Neekrum’s aim. “If you truly wish to protect those two, I suggest you grab them!”

The stasis field was of a magnitude with which Telishe could claim no familiarity. But the mind of the waking man was strong and it was easy enough to make contact with him. Her attempt to teleport him cost him some of his skin, and he awoke screaming, but he was free. Telishe was quick to heal his flesh wounds as she took hold of the unconscious woman’s body.

“Leave her!” Staydenn commanded. “If the Custodian overlooked her, he will continue to do so! If you take her, he will consider her as our ally.”

“

,” Staydenn thought.

Neekrum did not wait for any clarification. The creature should have still been spinning as his body arched over the building tops. But he was already on his way back, traveling at nearly the speed of sound. Neekrum teleported the three of them just before the Custodian’s body crashed through the roof and into the lower floors. The jarring of the building shook Audrey and her eyes opened. She sat up on her elbows and looked around.

“Was I dreaming?” she whispered, moving her hair out of her face. The sand she found in her hair gave the answer to the inquiry. The section of the roof she was laying on groaned as it cracked and started to follow the rest of the debris.

Audrey slid for nearly two meters before she stopped and watched as the roof collapsed to the lower floors. She could hear screams of people as they ran to the stairway of the building. One particular woman had been thrown to the ground in the panic and a section of the roofing creaked over her head. Audrey extended her hand and fired a beam of raw energy, shattering the section into harmless fragments. As the woman scurried to the stairs, Audrey looked at her hands in amazement. Somehow she knew Staydenn was no longer with her, but thinking of him triggered something in her mind.

“

,” Staydenn spoke to her through some sort of recording. “

.

“

,” Staydenn continued. “

.

.”

Audrey looked around as she floated over the city. The thing that had demolished the top two floors of the building was gone and she could not see any sign of it. She took in a deep breath and flew back to Baxter’s apartment. With five days to make her decision, her priority was to put some clothes on and pray no one looked up and saw her face.

“No, not dreaming,” she said as she ascended. “Something much better!”

“Interesting,” Staydenn said as he shivered in the cold. He looked around and saw snow and ice covered mountains. They were still on Earth, but the air was much thinner and freezing.

“Best I could do without preparation,” Neekrum said as he fell to his hands and knees in the snow and high winds. Telishe was quick to assist him.

“Distance means nothing,” Staydenn said, spinning as fast as he could and extending his hand. He made a horizontal teleport door in the snow just before the Custodian appeared. The large creature’s clawing hand did not have time to reach Telishe and Neekrum as he fell through and faded from sight with greater speed than he had appeared. “Especially to one who can simply step into your portal-wake and follow you wherever you go.”

“Then he will simply step into the wake you have created,” Telishe said just before Staydenn hurled two energy bolts into the door.

“That was the hope,” Staydenn said as he quickly closed the door. He then created a vertical teleport door. “Shall we move to a climate that does not have the chance of killing us?”

Telishe helped Neekrum walk through and they found themselves on yet another rooftop overlooking the beach. The crashed plane was surrounded by people and vehicles with flashing lights.

“Are you sure it is wise to return to this place?” Telishe asked.

“It is most assuredly unwise, my friend,” Staydenn answered. “But there is something of great value that I am going to need in order to achieve my objectives. And incidentally, my name is Staydenn.”

“I am Telishe and this is Neekrum,” she answered before swallowing hard and looking sternly at the slender man. His eyes were a strange turquoise color which clashed with the soft brown of his hair. “Are you the ?”

“Of course he isn’t!” Neekrum insisted and Staydenn lifted his eyebrows at the assured ability of this creature to confirm anything about him. “He may wield an energy we do not understand, but he cannot even contend with the red-skinned warrior.”

“That warrior is a Rotai,” Staydenn informed as he lifted one hand to the sky and placed the other on his chest. “His people consider themselves to be the masters of energies. Still, after all the comings and goings of life, they have yet to conceive of magic. It was the Rotai who caused the Forberan to abandon Atlantis and hide it.”

“WHAT?!” both Telishe and Neekrum exclaimed.

“And now I need to locate the Shard forged by my Masters in order to find the great city and return it to its place so that its power can be used to liberate the imprisoned Atlanteans. Excuse me,” Staydenn said as a light underneath his shirt started to glow. Again Neekrum and Telishe could see it was energy, but they could make nothing else of it. Having finally located the spell, his moved the incantation to the forefront and prepared for its release. The device also reminded its wearer and master that after this spell, half of its inventory would have been used. He would be left with one more teleport door, three shields and one volley of arcane bolts. His mental energies were quite depleted, especially with what he had done for the Penders woman, and his control of the energies had always been his weakest attribute. But perhaps the he now summoned would find what had eluded his senses. The ten of them flew from his hand and went about their work. He was surprised to see one actually leave the dimension.

“Perhaps this would be a good time to hide ourselves amidst the people of this city,” Staydenn suggested as he looked up.

“What would we be hiding from?” Neekrum asked as thunder rolled across the sky.

“From the Rotai,” Staydenn replied. “He has already returned, and I fear his temperament will not be as balanced as it was.”

“Did someone get the number of that truck?” Imogene said as she looked at the underside of Zweit Pointe. She had little choice, as she was on her back and on the ground; though it was a new ground, having burned through fifteen centimeters of the former dirt. Wilma had been quick to grab the tablecloth and cover Imogene’s body. Amongst the Armonyeans, there was no shame in the naked form… but Genie was hardly born and bred in Libra.

“Yeah,” Cullen was the first to speak. “I think its initials were Imogene Schultz.”

“Genie?” Wayne called out to her, extending his hand to where he thought her voice was coming from. He was only about half a meter off, so it was not a stretch for Imogene to grab his hand and let him assist her. Again, it was clear Wayne had been working out, and apparently the change in location had not slowed his efforts.

Imogene kept the tablecloth wrapped around her body and looked around at her friends. She first looked at Rannis who looked as if he was just recovering from the occurrence.

“You okay, old man?” she asked with a slight smile.

“No,” Rannis answered clearly, still trying to get a handle on the moment. “But despite what I felt, I saw what happened to you. Perhaps you should be asking yourself that question, hmmm?”

“I feel like I just woke up from a very good nap,” Imogene answered, looking at her hand. She rubbed her fingers together and Cullen took a quick step back. Everyone looked like they wanted to head for higher ground. But before Imogene could let her head fall, she felt a hand on either shoulder. She looked up and saw Sharon.

“I told you not to get into the shower the same day you get your hair permed,” she joked. “Happy Birthday, Genie!” Sharon ushered Imogene out of the slight hole she had made and toward the warehouse that was their home. Her best friend needed some down time, some ‘girl’ time and a change of clothes. The order would probably have to be intermixed.

“What are we supposed to do with that?” Cullen asked as soon as he thought Imogene was out of earshot. Wilma glared at him, but quickly returned to Rannis whom she thought needed her help more. “She was glowing!”

“We all saw it, CJ,” Gordon said quickly. “You think reliving the moment is going to help us?” Wilma smiled, but only Rannis saw it. His subtle nod told her the salvage yard owner agreed with her observations.

“Gordon’s right,” Milania shouted. “What we have to do is figure out how we can help Genie.”

“I dunno,” Wayne said as he faced Cullen. “Maybe we should ask Wilma. That way we can at least rely on the women and children!”

“Look,” Cullen said as he approached Wayne. Gordon started to walk in front of him, but Wayne lifted his arm and blocked his passage. “All I’m saying is that was a little weird! Am I the only one who’s going to come real with the truth? We’re all supposed to just say ‘Awww, poor Genie’ or ‘Whoa, dude, nifty light show’ and sweep it under the rug? Who’s in more denial here? Yes, we need to help her. If it hadn’t been for Genie, none of us would even be here. But that doesn’t mean what just happened did not flip my wig!”

“Interesting point, hmmm?” Rannis said softly to Wilma who looked unimpressed.

Javier stood up and walked toward the center of the group before he spoke. He looked at his sister, a curious look on his face. He shook his head and started looking around the area. “We don’t have to argue anything,” he said softly. “Because what just happened was weird and completely unexpected. But, we also have to help Genie,” Javier quickly added. “Rannis and Wilma are the only ones I trust to know what we need to do. Guys?” Javier looked at Rannis and Wilma as they looked at each other.

“

,” Wilma projected.

“

,” Rannis replied.

“

-”

“Nollie!” Rannis said aloud before he ran toward the housing for the team.

Imogene came out from behind the partition, fastening the last button on her shirt.

“Don’t even try it,” Sharon quickly said.

“Shar, so help me God, you equate this to finding out about Aunt Flo and I’ll deck you!” Imogene said, holding up her fist.

“I’m not that bad, am I?” Sharon asked, sipping on a glass of water.

“I don’t know,” Imogene answered. “I’m not done ‘studying abroad’.” Sharon laughed and Imogene could not keep from smiling. She walked by her mobile of X-Game vehicles and over to the bed, plopping down on the mattress that simulated anything from springs to air to water. She rolled over on her back and sighed. “How long was I out?”

“You were glowing for a while,” Sharon answered. “Gordon wanted to sell tickets. Then you dropped, but it was still a while before you could be seen.”

“So, how long?”

“Almost an hour,” Sharon answered.

“Did you see the way CJ looked at me?”

“Focus, Schultz!” Sharon commanded as she splashed Imogene in the face. In shock of the deluge, Imogene rolled off the bed. “You pretty much burned a hole in the ground. Can we get to the reaction of the boys we figure out what happened?”

Getting up on her knees, Imogene looked at a completely unflustered Sharon. She wiped the water out of her eyes and shook her head. “Oh yeah, I remember you,” she said. “You’re Sharon. Where have you been?”

“Trying to get my head around the fact that I’m not good enough to protect the people I love the most,” Sharon answered as she looked at the floor. Imogene had expected anything but the blunt truth, and so simply stared up at her friend and stammered. Deciding she did not need to speak, Imogene got up, walked over to Sharon and wrapped her arms around her friend.

“You know, one thing that Aaeon told me is that we miss some waves to ride. We’re always ready to ride the good waves, the high points of our life. But we’re quick to refuse riding the low points, the ugly waves.

“You’re not the best, Sharon,” Imogene said softly. “But no one is asking you to be. Not even you, if you’re truthful with yourself. I just want you to be Sharon. That’s always been more than enough for me.”

“Thanks, Genie,” Sharon said hugging her friend. “I needed that.”

“Genie!” Rannis shouted from the front door.

“I think that’s for you,” Sharon said quickly. Imogene left her room and went downstairs to see Rannis standing just inside the front door.

“Genie, how is Nollie?” Rannis quickly asked.

Imogene thought for a moment and her eyes quickly shifted to a pink-purple glow. “Juuuuust fine, there, Rannis,” Imogene replied reaching out for something solid to steady herself. Sharon caught her arm and it was enough for Imogene to find her physical balance. “I think I just woke it up… seems that call was for it, but Nollie doesn’t know anything after that.”

“Why do you call Nollie an ?” Sharon asked. “Nollie sounds like a girl’s name.” Sharon’s face reflected immediate thought and she shook her head. “Okay, never mind.”

The glow in Imogene’s eyes slowly faded as she blinked. “That’s all. It feels like there’s a hole inside its mind.”

“Where it was damaged, I’m afraid,” Rannis explained, receiving questioning glares from the girls. “I’ve yet to tell you how I came to possess-”

“We’ve got more wannabe company!” Gordon cried out and Rannis almost punched the wall in frustration. He hated being interrupted, but the situation called for a cool head, so he quickly put his hand over his face and wiped away the anger.

“Another time, hmmm?” Rannis said as he turned and walked outside.

“There you are!” Zanison cheered, feigning an intimate acquaintance with Rannis as he and Imogene walked out of the warehouse. “And you brought the living Shard with you I see.”

“She has a name,” Rannis replied as he looked around the grounds. Everyone was looking down so there was no chance of eye contact, except for Wayne who was a little more animated than normal. Rannis saw a signal he was making with the hand holding his cane, but he did not know the language. He then looked back at Imogene and noticed something that caused him to snicker. “It’s Imogene,” he continued.

“And here I thought you preferred Genie,” Zanison said, approaching Imogene who took a step back. Zanison stopped in his tracks and held up his hands. “Unlike my step-mother, I mean you no harm. I came here to offer my assistance!”

“Whoa!” Imogene said as she looked up at Zanison. “Ranny, I think he’s telling the truth. The Shard’s never led me wrong yet. I can feel his sincerity.”

Zanison’s body froze and he let his hands drop to his sides. His false smile fell from sight and his glare reflected nothing but utter contempt for even having to be at this place. “I’m sure you can,” Zanison said in a more truthful tone of voice. “But I doubt you call him unless you’re trying to convey some sort of secret message. By now you’ve already discerned that we have your friends under tight leash, and the blind boy’s pathetic attempt to act more handicapped than he normally is… well, that’s nothing short of moving. I even have a heat-lock on your mercenary vixen,” Zanison said as he pointed to the upstairs region of the warehouse. “She is no doubt trying to put together a scenario that will turn the tide in your favor.

“You see, I’m something of a truth-seer myself,” Zanison explained. “Especially when I am surveying your body’s every movement and action. You are clearly lying, and the Lord’s upgraded defenses were not set for bodies that could emulate the biological signatures of those that are of course allowed on the premises.”

“Now that genius,” Rannis nodded. “You are truly unappreciated.”

“I know!” Zanison exclaimed. “But I am not here to dilly-dally! You will come along with me, or you will say a final farewell to all of those you love and you will come along with me.”

“Some choice,” Imogene said as she made a fist with her hand, which was not so much her impulse as it was Nollie’s. She could also hear the echo of Nollie’s voice and for once, Imogene welcomed the sensation. “You’re going to kill them whether I agree to come with you or not. You can’t afford the possibility they might make some sort of reprisal.”

“Now you are a thinker!” Zanison said as he lifted his hand just before he disappeared. Rannis chuckled as he took out his pipe.

“Where did he go?” Imogene asked.

“He has yet to move since he set down on the property,” Rannis concluded as he lit his pipe. The stealth fields around the lowered. There were four around Javier and Cullen, five around Wilma and three around Gordon and Milania each. Even Rosebud had been secured with two .

“Sir?” one of the called out, keeping his weapon trained on Gordon.

“Now that fool might realize that when I said ‘genius’, I was not referring to him,” Rannis said as he turned to the right and looked over the hill.

“Throw down your weapons!” Zanison commanded in a strained voice, the sound coming from beyond the area where everyone was standing. “Do it!” he quickly added. Most of the did as they were told immediately. The ones closest to Wilma really did not want to surrender their weapons but did so slowly.

“Power down your armor suits and disrobe!” Zanison commanded next, his voice coming from the hill where Rannis was looking. Again the men and women did as they were told.

After the last man was without his power armor, Zanison came up over the hill, his hands on the back of his head, fingers interlaced. He was wearing only his underwear and marching in front of Sharon who had come into the possession of a new rifle. Imogene looked back at the warehouse and then back at Sharon.

“Would you be so good as to fetch Sharon’s PEP, hmmm?” Rannis asked. “I’m fairly sure you’ll find it in your room, attached to that mobile you insisted on having there. It will be somewhat warm, but safe to touch.” Imogene laughed as she turned to run into the warehouse.

“Genie, look out!” Sharon yelled, but it was too late. She had not seen the in time, either, and it swirled around the warehouse in a blur before diving down into Imogene’s chest.

Rannis quickly fired a beam of electricity into Zanison’s chest to stun him, and with their helmets removed, the minds of the were unprotected. Wilma took her anger and rage and channeled it into a Mind Bolt that struck the minds of her enemies. The maximum number of minds she could affect at once was twenty-five, so she caught each of the and had enough to aid Rannis in stunning Zanison Pel’Tierre. Though he was slipping into unconsciousness when her mental energy reached his mind, she did not lessen the force of her attack. He would be unconscious much longer than any of the others and he would have an enormous headache waiting for him.

“

!” Rannis thought, knowing Imogene was unharmed by the energy which struck her body. He took his time turning around to look at Imogene. She glowed as the mysterious energy passed in and out of her body, in and out of Nollie. It came out of the two of them and quickly made a dimensional door, returning to its master. Rannis did not recognize the energy, which made him happy he had prepared his pipe. The door clearly led to the Earth-side and that made Rannis close his eyes as he blew out the smoke. It was a thick yellow, which meant he had gone too long without smoking.

“Genie?” Sharon called to her friend as she ran to her side, joined by Milania and Gordon who brought Wayne. Javier only took a few steps forward and started looking around for other enemies. Cullen was too shocked to move at all. “Genie, are you okay?”

“Not good enough to protect the ones you love, eh?” Imogene said, looking up at Sharon. “You just saved all of our lives… all of us, Sharon! I need you to believe in yourself more than you want to believe in me. Because I need you.” Imogene moved slowly, but Sharon helped her to stand.

“I’m right here, Genie!”

“No, here is not where the problem is,” Imogene said as she walked toward Rannis. “That thing was sent to find me. But what it also did was put me in touch with someone. Someone who’s also possessed the Shard… and he’s looking for it.

“But he’s not alone,” Imogene said as she looked at her friend. “Something came with him and that something is not friendly. It wants to imprison the man who sent that seeker, and it wants to destroy the Shard.”

“Where is this thing?” Sharon asked.

“San Diego,” Imogene answered.

“I think we might have a chance at bartering our way into a clearance,” Rannis said, nodding over toward Zanison.

“Good,” Imogene said as she started walking around in a circle.

“Okay, guys,” Sharon said, stepping forward, accepting her role on the team. “I’m looking for volunteers to go with me and Genie and clean house. You heard what she said. This thing is trying to kill her, so we’re not necessarily going to play patty-cakes with it!”

Gordon and Wayne were the first to step forward and Sharon smiled brightly.

“Stand down, you two,” Sharon said quickly. She then looked up at Javier and Cullen. Javier was still looking out for something else that might attack, but he held up his hand.

“And you?” Sharon asked Cullen.

“We can’t just let this thing tear up our hometown!” Cullen said, shrugging his shoulders. “Not quite the game we’ve been training to play, though.”

“Don’t be too sure about that,” Rannis said, puffing his pipe.

“This is starting to be the best part of a Rambo movie,” Sharon said. “Let’s get suited up!”

“Sharon, go and get your PEP before it runs out of power,” Rannis directed as he walked toward his workshop. “Let’s see if Luatha is done with the changes I added to the blastboards. Hate to tell you ‘I told you so’, but it’s a good thing blastboards can take a load of damage!

“Do me a favor and fire up Dreamchaser,” Rannis said to Gordon. “Sharon may lead the team, but I’m still the coach, and I could use some help if I could just get three or four volunteers.” Gordon, Milania and Wayne all shouted out. Rannis was surprised to hear Wilma chime in.

“What?” she said, feigning innocence. “Consider me a tour guide!”

“That’s all I need,” Rannis huffed, “… a Scholar’s perspective of the Earth-side.”