Chapter 4

It felt like forever, before one of the Allegiant Representatives entered the interrogation room with Xander. The idiotic son of a bitch looked down his nose at Xander. Xander! The only Master Tracker who’s reputation proceeded him no matter where in The Universe he’d traveled. Not to mention, Xander was the Master Tracker the Allegiant trusted for their most delicate of operations. In just those few seconds, his self-righteous anger burned away all the anxiety which had uncharacteristically grabbed him earlier, and his normal, calm, unshakable exterior fell back into place.

He was ready.

“Mr. Collins, we have been informed you have information about the new Time Keeper.” The Representative was aristocratic looking, his fine features, and friendly demeanor almost had Xander fooled. Almost, but not quite.

Xander imagined this particular representative had most likely risen to his position through political prowess. Something Xander had used himself in certain situations, but it always left a bad taste in his mouth.

“I do.”

“Well, we would be much appreciative if you would simply enlighten us as to her whereabouts,” the Rep. said, smiling a friendly yet cold smile.

“Why would I do that? So you could keep the reward? No. Not that I’m so inclined toward money as some are, I simply have my own reasons to find her. I need to JUMP,” Xander responded.

“You mean to tell me, you want to utilize JUMP Machine in order to find and secure The Time Keeper, without telling us where you want to go?”

“Yes,” Xander answered, his tone flat and assertive.

“Why would we do such a thing?”

“Because I’m your only shot and you know it. Unless you want to wait another hundred years or so,” Xander replied.

“How do we know we can trust you?” The question hung in the air, pregnant with candor.

“Because you have no reason not to, and if I’m wrong, the worst thing to happen to you, is it takes you another seven to ten winter cycles before you can JUMP again, while I get a life-long stay in one of your homey little puzzle prisons. Besides, I’m the Master Tracker you call when all the other ones fail. If you couldn’t trust me, then there’s no way I’d still be alive,” victory tasted bitter in this situation, and Xander couldn’t wait to get away from it, no matter how he managed to do so.

“You will turn her over immediately,” the Allegiant Representative reluctantly commanded.

“I will turn her over as soon as possible,” Xander said, side-stepping the truth.

“Very well, I’ll have your reward waiting on your return. We will prep the JUMP Room, and you shall be retrieved as soon as things are prepared.

Xander nodded.

“Since there are others aside from The Allegiant interested in her, then I’ll need my weapon back. I’ll also need to visit my ship,” Xander said, right before the Representative shut the door, causing him to pause for the slightest of seconds between the door and frame.

“Very well,” the Allegiant Rep. stated, his lips pursed together, the sound of pain evident in the need to give Xander what he wanted.

The door closed sharply. Xander hadn’t known it was possible for a sub-sentient door to close sharply, yet, somehow, it did.

Alone again. Xander was fairly certain anyone who’d been in the viewing room opposite him, had left. Just like his friendly Representative had. Besides, he couldn’t sense anyone in the next room. There were only the two guards outside, and something or someone above him. Xander wasn’t completely positive, but he’d definitely seen stranger things in his life than a person hiding in a ceiling.

Xander was more than curious, it ate at him until he couldn’t take it anymore.

“If I had something to write with, I could map the girl’s location,” Xander spoke quietly, tilting his head toward whoever was in the ceiling.

Tap, tap, tap...he was answered with a stilted tapping noise. It was faint at first, then grew slowly in volume. Xander strained to put the repetitive knocks into in some kind of a pattern. Letting go of everything around him, Xander cleared his mind until all he heard was the small taps rapping their way into his brain. Then, a memory like thunder hit him in the chest, deep and hard, proud and strong. It was an old signal––this signal being used for him––it was one of the first forms of communication, used in the most ancient of times on a planet named Laerta.

Sitting down on one of the cold metal chairs, Xander used his fingertips on the table in front of him to tap out a trial message.

Xander wanted to laugh out loud. Whoever Lennie was, he had a sense of humor.

Of all things great and small! Xander wanted to scream and dance around at his good fortune, but he couldn’t let anyone know he didn’t have the information himself.

Who was this guy kidding? If he could manipulate systems like that, he could tear Xander’s life apart electronically. There was no way in hell he was going to lie or let this guy down.

Xander waited to hear something back from Lennie in the stilted taps and raps of the ancient Laertan code; but nothing ever came. He must be working. Hacking was some pretty sophisticated stuff, especially when hacking The Allegiant. Just thinking about knocking into their system could get you locked away for life, getting caught...well that could get you killed. This guy must either be a Wizard, have some serious stones, or a death wish.

At the moment, Xander didn’t care which. All he knew, was his brother would live!