BOOK 2 CHAPTER 1 – HELPING A PORTAL MAGE

It is nice and all that they treat me well. I am just getting bored of sitting here. I am really beginning to miss the derby carnage. Johnny thought to himself bored while trying to listen to the ongoing conversation. His hand rested on his chin. He had his arm on a table as he was lost in thought. He was sitting at a circular table. Johnny sat in the middle with Julia and one other of her elite guards standing behind him. In this case it was Margaret. They were dressed in full combat gear. While Johnny was in a business suit that matched all black in color. Originally it was just Johnny sometimes with Julia in meetings. After an assassination attempt on his life the first week he was there. Johnny was now going to be always guarded.

There were many other individuals sitting at the table. Orion was the one talking to everyone in the meeting. Orion had a soft spot for Johnny, he knew Johnny was in his own world. He just let Johnny sometimes drift off. He was aware of his AI assistant Albert. The entity to Orion was a curious one. Albert always took mental notes for Johnny. So even if Johnny had fallen asleep. Which happened often from working so late on the prototype. He was always informed. That or Julia made sure he would pay attention.

The few others in the room had mixed emotions. One was dressed like Julia in sorcerer gear. That also had guards with cybernetic limbs too. There were a few members that were taking notes as well.

His group was currently in the middle of getting debriefed for their next mission.

The alliance had found traces of a chosen on a possible effected world. The world in question was an odd one for Johnny. The world made Johnny think of something out of the Carboniferous period from the descriptions of the world. My sister Carly would love to see this world. She always told me about how coal deposits came from that time period. Thought Johnny as he listened on. The thought of his sister and brother Jamie made him sad inside. Hopefully they are doing alright.

Johnny’s thoughts were interrupted when he felt a tap on his shoulder. “You okay, Johnny.” Julia asked in a whispering tone.

“Yeah, I am just thinking of my family.” He said quietly. Johnny paid attention after that.

The mission they were given was going to be a tough one from the look of it. They were going to have to escort a portal mage to set up a beacon for an entry way portal to the next world. Their task was to clear a way for the portal mage to set up a portal. They just needed to go in and out.

As the conversation went on, Johnny figured the woman with the robes had to be the portal mage. That was what Johnny was guessing when he looked over. The mage had a look of fear in her eyes. Johnny couldn’t blame her from the stories he heard.

Johnny had learned about how their portals worked in more lessons he took. They had their own portal mages to open portals to rift eater infested worlds. Sadly, over time the loathing one became keener on how to thwart their portal attempts. The loathing one had his minions intercept the portals. Either trapping the helpless mages in a cosmic rift forever or ended up killing them. It eventually got so bad that mages were not allowed to open random portals to worlds anymore.

If a portal connection needed to be setup. It had to be precise planning on everyone. This task usually took multiple tries. The alliance needed to set a beacon on the world they needed to get to be the main goal. Elites were saved for these kinds of missions that usually ended in a lot of casualties.

Since the prototype could cover almost all terrain. As well as almost being completely indestructible. His group was given the task. After the feats of the alliance had heard about what was possible. The higher ups decided Johnny and the team were more suited for the task.

The meeting finally ended with Johnny now a nervous wreck. Julia reassured him everything would be fine as she went her way. They all left the meeting to do their own tasks. He was told to have it finished by next morning for when they would set out.

Johnny was going to have to prioritize what he needed for the prototype. He was going to have to make more room. He would have gone with the Humvee for his choice. Now he had to take along the portal make and her guards. He wasn’t sure what he would choice for a vehicle for the prototype. He thought long and hard. Before he got distracted with other thoughts.

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Johnny sighed thinking back to the past few months he had been here. The Radiant Alliance HQ was in its own pocket dimension. He was speechless at the sheer size of the place. The people of the alliance were shocked as well at seeing the prototype. They have never seen a device quite like what Johnny was driving. The alliance did have similar vehicle designs. Though nothing to the scale of the prototype.

The prototype was on a whole other level. As it could enter a portal anywhere in space in and time. This made the prototype even more valuable as an asset. This is why Johnny was recruited in the first place. Unfortunately, he had to tell everyone when he arrived it had been destroyed beyond repair. He was going to have to scavenge for parts to get it working again. Orion and Julia voiced help for Johnny during an asset meeting to get the required materials he needed to try and repair it. He was thankful for their help. Even as thinned on resources as they were.

Johnny was still lost in thought when Margaret spoke up. “Everything well, you were zoning out pretty good. Did you come up with what you needed for the prototype for the mission?”

Johnny stopped and swore. “My mind was drifting on other things…” He sighed as he began to think back about what was at hand. They had made it to the workshop that was assigned to him with the prototype parked in a building. The building also had their living quarters attached as well. Margaret had followed behind him keeping an eye out for any hostile threats.

The building was always guarded by one of Julia’s elites. Lisa sat there reading a book. Her ears twitched as she heard them approaching. She quickly slid the book down then pulled it back up after looking to see who it was. Johnny walked up to Lisa. “Anything happen while I was gone.” Aske Johnny. Lisa just shrugged. She was the silent type to Johnny literally. The girl took her job seriously, even if it didn’t look like it. Johnny just patted her on the head as he walked into the building, followed by Margaret.

Johnny looked over at a hole in the wall that was hastily repaired. The hole had been made by mishap with Julia ending up going on a joy ride. Johnny cringed at the thought of all the destruction she left in her wake. Since then, she wasn’t allowed back in the building with Johnny after the incident for a week.

The prototype currently had the wheels taken off from another idea Johnny had come up with. After Julia was able to visit Johnny again. She had low morale. Johnny wanted to cheer her up. He then about how she went for a ride and needed to learn better. He had to persuade Orion on the idea, reminding him the one time he was incapacitated. No one knew how to drive the prototype. The persuasion paid off for Johnny.

Johnny first made his way towards one of the walls. The wall was lined with spare material and tools for the prototype. He went to where he had stored the wheels. “Hey Margaret. Could you help me with the wheels. It would make this go a lot faster getting setup.”

“Sure, the faster I can get to kill rift eaters the better.” Replied Margaret with a savage grin.

The comment made Johnny cringe. I hope to never get on her bad side. Johnny thought as he told me where the wheels needed to go. He grabbed an air gun from the same wall and fastened on the wheels.

Johnny was unsure about this next part. He wasn’t sure how much essence this would take to create. He was given a huge essence budget from the alliance. He had helped gather essence with small portal tasks his group would sometimes run when the alliance was low on rift eater essence.

Johnny told Margaret to stand back as he got into the drivers seat and started hitting away at the commands. He put the final commands in and crossed his fingers as he hit okay for the changes. The prototype shifted from the Humvee appearance into a totally new beast. The vehicle grew bigger from the changes. A bright purple light shown through the whole building. It blinded Margaret who had to back up into a wall covering her eyes.

The prototype now had eight wheels instead of four. It was almost twice as long. Johnny sat with a sigh of relief that the core was able to handle the changes. It had cost him about fifty percent of the essence in the core for the change. He had turned the prototype into a Stryker Dragoon. The vehicle was painted in camouflage green and brown for the jungle terrain. On each side of the vehicle Johnny had modified the chassis to have a built in seat for each of his elite guard. The one on the rear was built onto the rear hatch. The one mounted on the front was in the center. The side ones were mounted between the first and second set of wheels near the front.

I just hope we don’t get stuck. That was all Johnny could think as he left the workshop followed by Margaret. They both went back into the living quarters. It was late now, and Johnny wanted to go to sleep. He wanted to socialize with the girls but was too tired. He knew he needed his sleep for tomorrow.

Johnny happened to see Julia as he walked in. “So, who is going to be on guard duty since we are all suppose to get sleep.” He asked out of curiosity.

“Orion said he would watch over us as we get our rest. I am not sure how he does it.” Julia responded with a hint of curiosity.

Johnny said goodnight to the others including Albert, as he went to his own room. It wasn’t much for Johnny. He really didn’t care for much of the room. It had the basics. A bed, writing desk, dresser with a mirror. He was asked by Orion if he would like more for his space. He had declined the offer telling Orion the alliance could save for some other things more important. It made him think of being a special op again.

One thing Johnny was grateful the room did have was a full bathroom. He really needed a shower. He got undressed to get in. He spent a good ten minutes washing over himself before getting out. He then dried off as he put on a white robe. The last thing he felt before passing out was the pillow…