Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (53 page)

“Pity.”

“Korbet uses his connection to her
extensively, what if we call him here?”

“Let’s try you first. Maybe she accessed you
more than you knew.”

Jamie rested a hand on the pad and, sure
enough, a jagged blue line formed in front of him, it shot out from
his hand and crept out as star systems that formed before them.

“Wow. That answers that question. It’s blue
indicating she’s accessed you more than you her. Not only has she
connected to you, but it’s strong. Really strong. She’s not in this
station.” Aven zoomed out. The line kept creeping and then stopped.
Aven waved her hands around, zooming in. Further and further in.
“Well, your connection is uber-strong.”

She gave Jamie a sidelong look and he felt
the flush, knowing his face must be turning pink.

“What’s that?” he asked, trying to deflect
her interest.

“A … space station thing. I’ll see if I can
get a set of coordinates.”

Jamie unclenched his hands again, it was a
tell—and a bad one. He was losing control and falling into obvious
mannerisms. He blew air out from his lungs thinking of Ara and what
might be her last moments. Blowing air out was another tell. What
an idiot! Depending on Aven’s answer, and if Ara died, it would
result in a matching level of pain he decided to inflict on her
regardless of his feelings for her brother. “What was the last
thing you did to Ara?”

Aven looked at him askance but nodded, not
seeing the trap, but he wasn’t so enraged that he didn’t hear her
shame and internal anguish.

“I reconnected some of Ara’s neural pathways
to remember that her connection with Maya could have allowed her to
access the Cardinal Unit and stop the Genocide Vote. In fact, Ara
as the Mobile Unit could have taken control of the Cardinal Unit,
with Maya’s access, and reduced Iota’s matter levels.”

Jamie’s body and mind froze in shock and
hatred. “So, Ara will know what she could have done but is now
impotent to do anything? Can’t you fix that?”

“No,” she said shakily. “Once the process
begins for the Chaos Unit to disengage, there’s no way to stop it.
Once the Cardinal Unit ejects the Chaos Unit only the release of
antimatter and measured reduced levels in matter that were
allocated during the court case will stop the genocide.”

This time Aven heard and understood the trap.
“Jamie, it wasn’t until I did—”

“Stop speaking.”

She turned back, shaking and pale.

Suddenly, the podium fell, the room
illuminated, and the door opened. Aven grabbed hold of him. “Hate
me later. This is it; you want to go direct to her?”

“Yes.” She was right about those two
things.

Aven ran out. “What about backup?”

He ran into her just a few moments later and
stared at the now glowing arch.

“Over time I’d noticed different numbers
assigned to each. I simply shunted the coordinates to this portal
arch.”

He pulled out his Voice, holding it out to
her. “Contact Diane and tell her where I’ve gone.”

“I want to come but I have to stay here and
keep the portal open.” She took the Voice reluctantly.

He nodded, hoping she wouldn’t betray him.
But if he saw Ara and went to her, that’s all he cared about. Once
there he could call Trickster. “Then keep it open.”

“Put your hand on the GELpad.”

He did that and the archway swirled, forming
a tunnel. He saw a room on the other side; Ara was lying on a bed.
She hadn’t left with Viper! He wasn’t sure his vision had been real
though.

“Wait.”

Jamie paused. Aven touched his arm and closed
her eyes. He felt a vibration and a glow build at the joining of
her hand to his arm. “It’s the best I can do to connect us; in case
something goes wrong.”

He stepped through and ran to her. “Ara …
Ara?”

She was unconscious but otherwise looked
alright. He turned back and saw Aven waiting. Picking Ara up, he
heard a noise behind him. At first, he thought it was Aven but it
was a large male coming through the now open door. Jamie just saw a
fist and saw another male head for Aven. She started yelling out.
“I’ve got—”

A. —a link to you!

J. Good

The portal closed. The male swore and
turned.

Jamie kicked out and broke the shorter male’s
kneecap. The crack and subsequent screaming was loud. He ducked and
swung into the larger male’s stomach. A swoosh of air and the male
was on the ground. Jamie jumped on him and layered punches until
blood was spurting from mouth and nose. The male groaned and lost
consciousness.

Jamie staggered up and shook Ara but she was
insensible.

He heard more voices in the passage so he
slung her over his shoulder—she was lighter than he expected for a
Pure-Gen, remembering Caleb struggling to piggyback her—and ran
down the long room. Maybe Ara had learned to offset her matter
levels with her energy as Caleb had suggested when they were kids.
He studied the palm lock but, as he stepped closer, the door
opened. The males must have released all doors to the room to
retrieve her.

They had to find a quiet place where,
hopefully, Aven could connect to them. Jamie ran down so many dull,
grey corridors he was hopelessly lost. The grill beneath his feet
felt soft. It was weirdly quiet. But it looked like a space station
of some kind. There were no portholes or monitors to the outside.
He tried various rooms and found one that looked like a storage
room. There were none of the usual panels with information about
the room and whether they held oxygen, but then, he reasoned, the
place had doors and not hatches. Just as he closed the door,
excited voices drew closer.

He ran to some crates and carefully lowered
Ara to the ground. He was panting heavily now, not really recovered
from his treatment. Studying his knuckles, he saw the flesh had
broken where he punched the male. It stung but was only a minor
distraction. He turned once the voices had moved past and looked at
Ara.

“Ara?”

Her eyelids fluttered.

“Ara, it’s—” Why did he pause? He wasn’t
supposed to reveal himself. It was a part of his vows and oaths. To
be seen by the one you protected meant the end of the job. He
wanted to remain in her life. He gently touched her cheek, and
brushed away a strand of honey-colored hair. “Honeybee, hold on.”
Where were the Shadow Warriors when you needed them?

“Right behind you.”

Jamie jumped and cursed. Xavier laughed.
Saffron stood behind. “You should know we couldn’t abandon you
both.”

Jamie shook his head. “I think you mean Ara.
But I guess I benefit this time.”

The two were long-time lovers, long dark
hair, dark eyes, and pale skins of their kind. Xavier glanced back
at his wife.

“Check the door will you?”

She threw him a look but moved stealthily to
comply. The way they moved still creeped Jamie out, and he was ever
jealous.

Xavier turned back to him. “How’s Ara?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think she’s physically
hurt. I think I connected to her and Viper was with her.”

“Ara’s contingent report she wasn’t injured
but fell into a deep torpor after Viper left. At the last moment,
Ara turned as if hearing something and backed away from the portal.
They are trying to find a way out but we don’t want them going too
far.”

Jamie smiled, grateful for the news. Ara had
heard him. She had stayed and now he had to stay. He couldn’t very
well run out now after making her remain to face the issue. He
tried to connect to Aven and for a moment he thought he felt a
vibration but it died off. “Damn, I think we’re being blocked.” He
pulled out his ISVoice and tried to call Trickster.

“Tweet tweet tweeeet.”

“Fuck!” Jamie shoved the comms back into his
jacket.

“Busy signal?” Xavier’s voice was dry.

“His version of it I think.”

“Do you know where we are, aside from some
kind of space station?”

Jamie shook his head and said dryly, “I only
just got here. This obviously means you don’t know either.”

Xavier slapped him on the back.

“Tell me about Viper.”

Xavier squatted down, speaking quickly. “He
told her about other worlds, people who are trapped and abused
here, and that he will tell her who she really is if she joins
him.”

As Jamie stared at the Aryan Vampire, he knew
Xavier didn’t have to tell him that.

Saffron came back. “He also said Ara’s some
sort of Vanguard working for Nyx, and muttered something about a
male not coming. Viper looked and sounded disappointed by that.
Maybe he’d gone to see Ara hoping to trap the male. And he
mentioned that the Matter | Antimatter issue was a catalyst for a
war of Old | New.”

“Old world fighting a possible new world,”
Xavier added helpfully.

“I see.” Jamie looked down at Ara’s cheeky
face. Had this been a trap for Trickster rather than Ara? Honeypot
came to mind. She was a sweetie, a lying, cheeky one, but a sweetie
nonetheless. The thought of losing her disturbed him. He suddenly
didn’t care about all the ploys but cared a great deal what it
might do to Ara.

“No backup plan?” Xavier asked.

“Just Aven.” Trickster might still come
through. Jamie shoved the information aside for now. “My first duty
is Ara. My team is ordered to save both our arses.”

Xavier laughed. “You forgot this.” He pulled
something out of his pants pocket.

Jamie sighed and pulled it over his head. He
turned back to Ara. “Come on, sweetie. This’ll be easier if you
wake up.”

“They’re coming.”

“Last stand. We help from the shadows.”

Jamie nodded and accepted a dagger. He looked
at it. “That’s mine.”

“I know. You forgot it.”

Jamie had to laugh.

Just as Xavier and Saffron stepped into the
shadows, soldiers barged in and surrounded the crate. Jamie had no
choice but to stand and raise his hands. There were too many. One
of the soldiers picked Ara up carefully in his arms and walked out.
Jamie was allowed to follow. They moved down several decks using
ramp ways until they entered a room that looked like it was used
for large gatherings. There were large, dark shapes around the
walls, monitors or holopads, maybe. Ara was placed on the ground,
but Jamie was held back by twenty or so soldiers. Soldiers were
also lined along the left and right. Three males walked out from a
door opposite them. Jamie didn’t recognize any of them. They looked
Aryan.

They stopped in front of Ara’s prone
body.

“Jamie Livio Raner,” a tall male on the left
said, looking at him.

“And Ara Katron,” the male in the middle
added, kicking Ara over.

Jamie made a move but a soldier grabbed him
and held him until he relaxed again. The male was being berated and
Jamie heard something about corruption. Did contamination and
corruption mean two different things, physical and mental
damage?

“Bezena will not condone you hurting this
female.”

The male ducked his head, ashamed. “I will
report to Vander and Shavikk.”

“Good.”

Jamie heard Ara groan. He demanded in a tight
voice, “What do you want?”

“What do you want?”

Jamie hated the parroting techniques. They
seemed to be universal. “To go home with Ara.”

“That will not happen. This one is valuable
to our cause. She’s important to the Principals; therefore she
becomes leverage for the Mega.”

By the Principals they meant those in the
Bellus. Now the Mega? The thousand. Jamie cursed. He was stuck as
to how much to tell. He wasn’t a bloody politician. He stood
awkwardly, mask net still on his face.

They shrugged. “We have no need of the male.
Return him.”

Return, not kill. They weren’t that corrupted
or contaminated then. “I’m not leaving Ara’s side.”

Another said, “He knows too much anyway. We
should keep him.”

The third signaled someone and a pasty faced
female came forward with a hand held scanner. “He’s showing the
signs. He may be valuable.”

Damn. His cover was deteriorating.

“Lock them both up. Have we the trigger
yet?”

“No,” a voice said to Jamie’s left.

Seething with frustration, he had no idea
what was going on. The three turned to one another and consulted.
Jamie saw Ara’s eyes open. She looked around. The three noticed and
signaled to the pasty-faced female. Jamie was about to lunge
forward when he felt a vibration.

Timing sucked.

A. Jamie, can you hear me?

Relief flooded him.

J. Yes, Aven

A. Tell Ara to lower her Inner Guardian

J. Why?

A. Just do it before—

She was cut off. But Ara lost consciousness
again. They were dragged off to separate cells. They were actually
bedrooms but they were locked in. The Vakar brought food and water,
showed Jamie how to use the amenities and entertainment console.
They were the nicest enemy he’d imagined. He paced around for what
seemed like hours and ripped off his face guard. But he felt a
spike. Ara was waking up. He changed his mental tone a little.

“
Ara?”

“
?”

“
I’m your primary guard.”

“
What’s happening?”

“
No time, drop your Inner
Guardian.”

She didn’t even ask.
“Done, do I leave it
down?”

“
Ur … I … I’m not sure.”

…

“
Ara?”

J. Ara?

All around him the air stilled, right before
a high pitched screech.

Iota

Station: Estancia

Galactic System: Tal

Planetary System: Lavenia

Heito

Jamie clamped his hands over his ears when the
high-pitched noise brought pain and nausea. The noise stopped as
suddenly as it had started. He looked around and saw a dark tunnel
swirling open. A thin male stepped through. He held a device that
looked a lot like what Korbet used to save baby Ara on Perza Space
Station and that was the only reason Jamie didn’t kill him then and
there. Korbet had called it a “stonecon” and the swirling mass was
a demon tunnel. “Clear your head, arsehole,” he muttered to
himself.