Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – January 15, 2043
Rio de Janeiro enjoyed the prestige of reigning as Brazil’s principal municipality for nearly two centuries, before Brasilia claimed that honor in 1960. No matter, such was her splendor that Rio—as she later became known—remained the capital of the state bearing her name. And as the second largest city, she, along with her nine million residents, played an essential role in the drive beginning at the turn of the twenty-first century to make Brazil a leading industrial power.
Rio has always been the most visited location in the South Americas. And any sane person would appreciate why. Spread along a south facing coastal plain on the western shore of Guanabara Bay, and split by the granite majesty of the spur of the Serra do Mar Mountains, it is a place of outstanding natural beauty. The city is also blessed with several striking must see attractions: Christ the Redeemer, atop Corcovado Mountain; Sugarloaf Mountain, with its cable car; the Sambódromo Parade Avenue—famous for its carnival; and finally, Maracanã Arena, one of the largest football stadium’s ever built.
If those sights weren’t imposing enough, the startling contrast between the cosmopolitan sprawl extending up and down and along the rolling hills of the coast against the breathtaking majesty of the highlands to the rear, is one of the most spectacular sights on the planet. It has also been said that those witnessing the extent of the green and white fresco for the first time from the air, are so struck by the urban against rainforest vista, that it leaves an impression, impossible to forget.
However, there were other assets to be found in Rio besides its scenic beauty.
Not only was it the headquarters of four influential Brazilian companies, but, in more recent years, it had become home to two global giants—Sigma-Sat Systems, a media based offshoot of Yeung Technologies—and Yeung Tec, a research and development branch of the same international conglomerate.
These two enterprises alone had boosted economic growth throughout the country by over seventy percent. And now they were a major employer throughout the district, they had ensured local residents made up almost the entire fourteen thousand-strong workforce.
Indeed, Yeung’s commitment to the province had been demonstrated only five years previously when he had moved a large portion of his worldwide operations to the outskirts of the city. Stating it was part of a logistical restructuring program, he had assured concerned bureaucrats and politicians alike that the extensive relocation would help facilitate the regeneration of the South American financial infrastructure.
Needless to say, when proof of that statement began to manifest, the citizens of Rio went out of their way to make the new corporation and its executives feel welcome. It was also a deciding factor in the newly established enterprise being extended a great deal of leeway when proposals for their impressive complexes had been presented to planning officials.
Because of the many benefits his company would bring, Yeung had been allowed to purchase over three hundred acres of pristine government owned land to the north of Guanabara Bay. At the time of acquisition, the authorities were assured no industrial facilities would operate anywhere within that area and that all new structures would be devoted to the enhancement of recently released Artificial Lung Technology. As it was intended to build the laboratories underground—within the bulk of the mountain range itself—it was felt the exquisite flora and fauna of the region wouldn’t suffer in the slightest. Yeung’s further promise that any benefits derived from his research would be devoted to the environment in that locality first, as a “thank you” to the people of Brazil, not only sealed the deal, but turned him into an overnight sensation and champion of the people.
However, Yeung didn’t become a billionaire mogul by simply giving things away and pandering to the vanities of those he conducted business with. A primary factor behind the selection of Rio as a base of operations was purely strategic.
Rio drew millions upon millions of visitors each year. The carnivals and pageants, nightlife and hedonism, beaches and other areas of pristine splendor, guaranteed an overabundance of complete strangers passing through the city almost every day.
An essential criterion to hiding something in plain sight.
Additionally, the complex geology found within the mountains themselves provided a natural filter against many forms of electronic surveillance—and even better—against telepathic eavesdropping. Something about the dense composition of granite, together with its spontaneously occurring radioactivity, made it very difficult to scan through without a great deal of concentration by all but the strongest psychics.
That was even better if you had something specific to conceal.
*
“Well this is just fan-fucking-tastic! Are you insane? Intellectually stunted? What on earth possessed you to make such a stupid attempt? Moron! You could have blown everything we’ve been planning for!”
So strong was the esoteric undercurrent thrumming around the room that the fixtures and fittings were on the verge of dancing free of the walls and shelves. Lei Yeung winced, being relieved he was not on the receiving end of such a scathing onslaught.
His presence as a bystander was pure coincidence. Even so, it did nothing to ease the discomfort of watching Harry Johnson brace himself against a fresh squall issuing from the cyclone that was Esther Perry.
Turning an unhealthy shade of purple, she raged, “I thought you were a warrior, for Christ’s sake. Not some human simpleton with an IQ of a fuck-wit! You’re supposed to know about things like tactics, ambushes, and planning before you go jumping in and fucking things up like some…some brainless retard who can’t think farther than the end of his dick!”
Yeung was secretly impressed. Esther’s grasp of cursing—with all of its subtle, yet colorful nuances—was coming along nicely. Especially regarding the use of one vulgarity in particular. Once she’d managed to extend herself beyond the toddling phase and learned to mix it up a little, she’d be out of her reins and blend in perfectly with the residents of just about any city in the world.
Harry was no pushover, though, and angrily shouted back, “Well what do you expect? You get to pass the time by playing with your toys and experimenting on prisoners while I have nothing to do. I only thought to—”
“That’s just it,” she cut in, “you didn’t think! Psi . . . Simon told us to stay well away until our plans were nearer to completion. But oh no! You had to play the prize prick and go sticking your nose in where you shouldn’t, creating a nightmare of a balls-up that could come back and bite us in the ass. He’ll be furious.”
Flinging her arms in the air in disgust, she spun away from her unfortunate victim and noticed Yeung was smiling. Turning the heat of her anger on him, she spat, “And what do you think is so funny, you insignificant sack of skin?”
Time to douse the flames, I think. Leaning forward in his chair, Yeung met her gaze without flinching and raised a single eyebrow in an effort to stall her diatribe. He declared, “I know I am but a mere infant in your eyes, having weathered a paltry fourscore years and change. Nevertheless, it appears I possess the greatest maturity of anyone here.”
Taken by surprise, Esther’s next outburst caught in her throat. “Wha . . . what the hell do you mean by that?”
The menacing undercurrent increased dramatically.
Ignoring it, Yeung adopted the tone of a schoolteacher enduring a misbehaving class of wayward juveniles. “If I may start with Harry?
“Yes! He did make an error of judgment. A big one! However, there are positives to be gained from his experience.”
“Positives?” she hissed. “From a monumental fuck up like that! Are you . . .?”
“Yes, Esther! I’m talking about a definite benefit arising from today’s rather unpleasant venture. Do you want to find out what it is or not?”
Swallowing her anger with difficulty, she growled, “By all means. Enlighten me . . . human.”
Standing, Yeung began to pace back and forth between them. “Whatever the reason Harry chose to go snooping is irrelevant. He did. He nearly got caught and although we’re not happy with that, we gained valuable intelligence.”
“That’s precisely what I was trying to say!” Harry whined. Biting off his next words, he tried to score a few extra points at Esther’s expense, “But as we know, someone didn’t listen or give me the chance to explain properly.”
Exercising supreme patience, Yeung turned to Harry, took a deep breath, and said, “Okay then, here’s your chance to speak without impediment. What do you feel we actually gained from your near capture?”
Yeung was pleasantly surprised when Harry didn’t immediately leap in and start blabbing. Instead, the former angel took a moment to arrange his thoughts, before replying, “Well, firstly, we didn’t know their defensive capabilities were so formidable. We mustn’t forget—as I admit, I did today—their technology is extremely advanced. Beyond even what we have guided you in developing. . .” Glancing toward his longtime partner in crime, he added, “. . . With Esther’s most valuable assistance, of course!”
The compliment had the desired effect. The heat of her anger dropped considerably.
Continuing, Harry’s face fell as he delivered an unexpected bombshell, “In addition, I uncovered a tactical advantage they must have gleaned from the ongoing treatment of your former employees.”
In answer to Yeung’s bemused expression, Harry explained, “You know, the ones whose bodies we now possess? Remember, in swapping forms with them, we had to adopt part of each person’s corresponding complexus. We now carry an echo of their original mental signatures within us. Likewise, they are graced with a portion of ours.”
Esther’s eyes bulged. “And who else on this planet carries a unique binary signature like ours . . . or theirs, come to that?”
“Precisely!” Harry replied, satisfaction written all over his face.
Yeung was still confused. “So, this is a different process from when you subsume someone’s essence, as you’ve done so often?”
“Very different!” Esther snapped. “If we subsume someone, we consume everything associated with that person. Physically, metapsychically, ethereally. There’s nothing left because we absorb all of their vitality into our own.”
Harry took over. “But when we assumed these forms, we had to graft part of our corresponding identities onto our chosen complexus to prevent spiritual rejection.” He tapped himself on the chest. “Remember, this isn’t my body, It’s Harry Johnson’s, the man you once knew. Although my personality and nexus are now dominant, the flesh itself is not naturally meshed to my soul. If we didn’t add that splicing component, it would reject my quintessence outright, or gradually weaken and die.”
Amazed, Yeung said, “You’re talking about a psychic personality transplant where the grafting program acts as an immunosuppressive filter, preventing rejection by the host?”
Both Esther and Harry seemed delighted by the speed with which he grasped the principles behind the practice.
Progressing his line of reasoning, Yeung continued, “So they’ve obviously isolated the hybrid signatures generated by the merging of your natural bodies with the personas of the real Simon Cooper, Esther Perry, and Harry Johnson, yes?”
“Exactly!” Harry replied. “And from what I discovered today, they must have incorporated their findings into the AI defensive system surrounding their Headquarters and Academy—which, by the way—were calibrated to capture, not kill. They want us alive, and we all know why, eh?”
Esther gasped. “Those wily bastards! I knew they’d be able to identify us if we ever adopted our true forms. But I never suspected they could pinpoint our mundane psychic imprints as well. They’d be all over us in seconds.”
Yeung cautioned, “And don’t forget. After this little escapade, I bet they’re tweaking every sensor they’ve got as we speak . . .” That’s a point!
Addressing Esther, he asked, “Is there anything you can do to mitigate your natural auras when in a purely human form? Even if it’s only temporary. Better still, could you add an extra layer to your psyches? It’s a valid tactic. If you’re broadcasting a triple, as opposed to a binary signature, you shouldn’t even appear on their radar as they simply won’t be looking for it.”
Esther warmed to the proposal immediately. “I like the way your mind works.”
Glowering Harry’s way, she couldn’t resist the urge to get on the scoreboard herself. “I’ll just go and play with my toys and see what I can do.”
Yeung was on a roll and came up with another idea. “Esther, can you also give some consideration to a mechanical means of reproducing your idents as they currently are? I was just thinking . . . Wouldn’t it be fun to have our adversaries running around, say, in the middle of the African continent, while we get on with our business elsewhere? It would be liberating to be able to further our goals without having to worry about avenging busybodies breathing down our necks.”
“Now that I know I can do!” she enthused, “Well done. Perhaps you’re not such a useless sack of skin after all.”
Chuckling, Yeung replied, “You see, this infant does have his uses. I may only be a fragile, eighty year old man—who looks and feels like someone who hasn’t reached sixty because of your wonderful toys, as Harry likes to call them—but I’m quite grownup for my age.”
His self-mockery did the trick. They all burst out laughing.
Their revelry was cut short by the appearance of a macrospatial translation creeper. Slowly, torturously, the leader probe shifted into phase and commenced squeezing its traveler through the hyperspace medium.
Half a minute later saw Simon Cooper congealing in the air before them. Pouring out from the vortex like a gooey soup, he solidified from the feet up. Once he had incarnated, he cracked his neck and groaned, “No matter how adept I get, it always hurts like hell.”
Yeung acknowledged the feat. “Impressive, that you’ve managed to slow the process down even further since last week. That took thirty seconds from beginning to end. No one—not even our illustrious adversaries—would be able to detect such a jump. You really must instruct me in its operation now that I’ve been augmented with such ability.”
Simon was stunned. “If you’re sure you wish to subject yourself to the pain required to undergo the procedure, be my guest. We can start later today if you wish.”
“That would be excellent. It’s such a shame my frail old body couldn’t accommodate more than two artificial enhancements. Still, we must make do with what we’re given.” He sniffed and sat back down. “All the same, I fear we may have to delay our lesson until tomorrow. I have some news you will wish to digest and act on first.”
Pausing, Yeung transferred the earlier events from the Guardian Headquarters directly into Simon’s mind, ensuring to add the bonus that had so fortuitously arisen.
He waited, expecting some display of anger.
When none was forthcoming, he glanced toward his companions who were obviously intrigued by Simon’s behavior. Eventually, Harry couldn’t take it any longer. Hanging his head in resignation, he sighed, “If you’re going to tear me a new one, just get on with it will you. The suspense is killing me.”
Simon ruminated for a few minutes longer before replying. “I don’t think berating you further will achieve anything. Do you? As Yeung has already pointed out, certain benefits have accrued from your error, which will give the advantage to us when we eventually decide to act.”
Turning to Esther, Simon sounded rather eager, “Do you think you can achieve what Yeung suggested with a degree of accuracy?”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“Regarding the techno-identities? Certainly. And quickly too! Why?”
“That’s admirable! But check with me before you make things too precise. We don’t want to tip our hand before we’ve had a chance to enjoy ourselves, do we?”
Yeung was quick on the uptake. “Are you thinking of a rudimentary test run to check their efficiency? You know, just to make sure we can trigger the response we desire without having to get too bogged down with intricacies?”
“Exactly! There are a number of stages to our strategy. Each requires specific things to be in place in time to guarantee the success of the next phase. As you are always urging, my eager little friend, prioritizing and prudence will guarantee the realization of our goals.”
Yeung smiled. “It’s a philosophy that has kept me alive in an unfriendly world until now. I intend to make sure it stays that way.”
Nodding in agreement, Simon changed the subject. “By the way, has Angelika returned from Los Angeles yet?”
“No.”Esther responded, “Although she did farspeak with me about an hour ago.”
The room went still at the news.
“Aaand?” Yeung probed.
“The news is better than we’d hoped for. She’s still retrieving the last of the data, but from what she’s gathered so far, we have confirmed the sites of three major and five minor asperities along the Pacific North American coast.”
“So many options?” While delighted, Yeung wanted further clarification. “From where did she actually acquire her information?”
“Angelika obtained everything our integrated orbital and Californian GPS network had to offer, and supplemented it with additional creep meter, tilt meter, and magnometer readings from the West Coast Institute of Seismology. She’s still waiting for the final strain meter measurements to come in. Once she has them, she’ll return, post haste, so we can go over everything with a fine toothcomb.”
Yeung deliberated for a moment, juggling facts and figures in his head. “This is very good news. With that much energy building up, we won’t need to put as many people as we originally anticipated on the ground. Needless to say, it will make our task that much easier to execute.”
The unearthly trio bristled with anticipation. They liked that word: execute.
Meeting Simon’s gaze, Harry quizzed, “If we are successful, do you think you’ll be able to pull your part of the plan off?”
A sizzling scarlet corona crackled to life about the onetime rebel leader of the Celestial Host. “That remains to be seen, my old comrade at arms. Let’s just say, I’ve learned a thing or two in isolation that should help me redress certain grievances. A thing I intend to do . . . with extreme prejudice.”
*
Guardian Headquarters and Training Academy – January 16, 2043
Anil Suresh, Lord Marshal of the Guardians, drummed his fingers against his knee, impatient for the impromptu conference to begin.
In the five years he’d held this position, he had rarely felt as aggravated as he did now. The killers of his oldest and dearest friend were scum he wanted to obliterate with the fire of his own mind. It irked him to think they were able to remain at large, especially now, having shown their faces again after so long.
The stench of trouble surrounds us, and it’s a stink that won’t easily fade. Mark my words, this is just the beginning . . . of what, I dread to think.
All Ultra Class Guardians had been ordered to attend the meeting, including those now displaying the potential for transcension. Anil could guess why this might be the case and was keen to see his suspicions confirmed.
As he waited, he studied the faces at the table, amazed by the fruits of the Earth’s incredible psychomaturative bounty. Joshua Drake and Becky Selleck occupied seats down at the far end. Fast approaching their twelfth and thirteenth birthdays respectively, they had only recently begun their pre-Guardian internships. And it’s astonishing to think they’re already beyond High Grand Master Class in strength.
The UMP—Ultra-Mitigator Program—a staggering opus revealed only half a decade ago by the Overlord, had allowed an increasing number of individuals with the predisposition for higher evolution to be identified. It also ensured such aspirants received the early stimulus required to guarantee the emergence of their godlike capabilities. For safety reasons, the final phase was usually delayed until after they had achieved physical and psychological maturity.
However, as soon as the latency for expansion was recognized, an ingenious adaptation of the compressor training—now incorporated into the Guardian undergraduate syllabus—was implemented. Called the MitaCom, the modification allowed transcension candidates to access a portion of their expanded psi-well long before final metamorphosis took place.
The effects of this provision were mind-blowing! As demonstrated by the first ever subject to partially undergo the process: Deputy Marshal Anatt Yasin. Having risen to power less than six years previously, her amplified nexus had already stabilized. What’s more, she was stronger than just about everyone else; the only exceptions being Andrew, Victoria and the Overlord.
It was a pity their latest glorified brother and sister—Ultra Grand Master Aaron De-Ville; an extraordinarily gifted healer, and Ultra Master Felicity Dobson; a shielding genius—had missed the opportunity to partake fully in what the new platform had to offer. They had transcended four years ago, before the program was wholly integrated within the advanced training curriculum.
Nonetheless, progress couldn’t be thwarted. And soon, everyone would witness the impact of the new regimen in all its majesty, when Charlie Savage took center stage in six weeks time.
Charlie was a thirty-two year old telekinetic and teleportation prodigy. Engaged to be married to his life-partner, Aaron De-Ville during the coming Fall, he was the only Guardian to have undergone the full UMP expansion cycle from start to finish, and was scheduled to magnify at the end of February, when the arcane mental blocks seeded throughout his super-energized cerebrum commenced their structured collapse.
Anil in particular was eager to see the results, as this inaugural genesis event had been designed and instigated by none other than the Lord Healer, Corinne Jackson—who had been privileged to receive direct instruction from the Overlord himself.
Altering his perspective, Anil studied the rest of those seated about the table who still retained the priceless psychware within their brains. Each glowing composition was a miracle to behold, for they were individually tuned to the recipient and designed to elicit an uncannily precise cascade failure that would unleash the titan hidden away within their host’s psyche:
Madison Mozdure, an elemental tigress of American-French decent, blessed with a preternatural control of molecules and subspace—March; Pieter Schmidt, an ultrasensing giant from the small Swiss town of Altdorf—April; Rosa Fairbanks, a future Lord Inquisitor if ever there was one. Her aggressive, intuitive and empathic mindset had earned her the nickname Venus Flytrap in Guardian circles. You might go in, but she would never let you out—May.
And finally, midway down the table sat the Adjutant Marshal, Naomi Cruz. Out of all of them, she would have endured the MitaCom the longest, having been unwittingly introduced to a primary expansion catalyst six years previously within the Reflection Chamber during Anatt Yasin’s Transcension Ceremony.
Due to receive her triggering sequence in June, it would be fascinating to see just how strongly she eventually manifested. Interestingly, Victoria had already volunteered for the Shepherd’s role during Naomi’s ritual, and Anil was eager to discover why.
Much debate still raged as to who her Supporter would be. Naomi was a popular officer and the list of volunteers was a mile long.
Anil’s analytical mind reveled at the implications of the harvest his beloved Guardians were reaping. That spurred him to consider Becky and Joshua for a second time. Somehow, the intricate marvels of the MitaCom’s design would prevent their transmogrification for over sixteen years.
Sixteen years! What in heaven’s name will they become?
In these children in particular, the results had already been impressive in other ways. Gone were the precocious little monsters of several years ago. They had been replaced by prodigies who were polite, patient, levelheaded, and who displayed a maturity that was quite frankly . . . freakish. It was if a combination of the fictitious characters Yoda and Neo from two of Anil’s favorite sci-fi classics had been miraculously transplanted into their egos and set loose to share their wisdom with the world!
And the good news didn’t stop there.
Society now enjoyed the luxury of being protected by Psychic Emergency Service Personnel. Comprised of ratified operators, their ranks were filled by experts qualified in a range of vocations; fire and rescue, law and order, and paramedics included—who in turn—were complimented by an accredited cadre of legal experts.
An expanding number of applications were being received from those in the medical profession. Anil looked forward to the day when every hospital, clinic and private practice boasted the services of a dedicated team of gifted doctors, nurses and therapists capable of providing the very best that healthcare could offer.
The inauguration of the new Global Marshal’s Service was also due later in the year. Anil found it delightful that so many people were coming forward to offer their skills to the growing pool of talent. Because of that, public expectations had never been so high.
Of course, the Psychic Law and Order Bill had gone a long way in facilitating this change. Smoothing out and accelerating the transition whereby gifted individuals were recognized, it offered vital guidance, protection, training, and encouragement for all those who volunteered.
The knock-on benefits engendered by attracting so many specialists was as profound as it was gratifying, and nowhere more so than for the Guardians, who found their “emergency response” workload diminishing as global safety standards rose.
In this, Yeung Technologies played a large part. Over thirty-four percent of the corporation’s employees were telepathically proficient. Their inclusion in the implementation and promotion of a number of cutting-edge scientific research trials had led to one discovery after another.
Thanks to them, the advancement of mitigator and mirror shielding applications had been astounding. Progress toward a viable, working combined atmospheric scrubber-artificial lung processing plant was almost complete. Their breakthroughs in the fields of advanced medical diagnostic and assessment regimens were spectacular, as were their AI applications in the Human Genome project. Anil was particularly looking forward to their latest findings regarding the early detection and evaluation of children with suppressed psychic abilities. Having discussed their preliminary results with Corrine, it was hoped they might incorporate those innovations into maternity wards internationally within the next two years.
Lately, Yeung Tec had also turned their hand to solving those problems encountered by scientists delving into the mysteries of quantum levitation and viable fuel sources for micro aqua-power cells.
Yes, he mused, we’ve made a great deal of progress, in a short period of time.
Nevertheless, Anil battled with feelings of doubt.
Now that Earl was dead, only he was old enough to remember the uphill struggle mankind had endured over thousands of years to make it this far.
If we’re not very careful, our enemies could put it all in jeopardy. . .
. . . God, I want them dead!
His reflective mood was interrupted by the arrival of both the Overlord and Shadow Lord. Entering together, both men made their way to a vacant spot near to Joshua and Becky, where they paused to make eye contact with everyone present.
A hush settled over the chamber as Andrew moved to erect a privacy barrier about them. Adjusting it for a few moments until he was satisfied, he signaled the Overlord when everything was ready.
The Overlord began, “Thank you all for coming at such short notice . . . though I don’t think any of you will be surprised by the reason behind the summons. In any event, here’s the gist of it.”
A concise, full sensory replay of the mystery intruder’s attempt to infiltrate the base was projected into the space above the table.
Resuming, the Overlord alluded to what was on everyone’s mind. “The murderers of the former Lord Marshal have remained quiet and elusive for some time, haven’t they? Well, we’re going to find out why they’ve decided to break their silence. And to help us. . .”
He gestured, and a set of four, strange overlapping mental signatures appeared in the ether. As everybody leaned forward to study the proffered information, the Overlord detailed what they were looking at. “The first three examples—the smaller ones, grouped side by side—belong to a trio of patients currently under observation in the special isolation ward in the hospital wing of this facility. As you can see, they’re rather distinctive because of the wraithlike afterimages that somehow overlap and worm their way through each core essence. That feature was caused by a grafting process employed to bond their psyches to the foreign—or dare I say, alien bodies they now inhabit. The other one, however. . .”
The Overlord enlarged the single example for clarification, “. . .is much more complex and powerful. Nevertheless, it’s strikingly similar in form and timbre. And well it should be. Ladies and gentlemen, behold our enemy, a creature responsible for inflicting grievous harm on those who stand in the way of its aspirations. You need only examine its corresponding victim in the hospital wing to understand just how callous it can be.”
Two more patterns materialized. “These are the identifying matrices of its accomplices, fellow abusers who will go to any lengths, even to the wreaking evil upon innocents, if it aids their evasion of justice.
“What names they go by is irrelevant. Their unique binary identities are what matter. Study them. Memorize and absorb them. When you’ve done so, program instinctive aggressive and defensive measures into your personal shields. Whatever you do, do not face them alone, even if you encounter them singularly. They have the aptitude to deploy some form of warped mirroring-mitigator capability that will neutralize your metapsychic potential . . . as happened in Earl Foster’s case. We suspect this skill may be technologically enhanced. So remain vigilant. If you think you have isolated such a signature, call myself, the Shadow Lord, Lord Inquisitor or the Deputy Marshal. . .”
As he spoke, the Overlord sent a lightning-quick private message to his Lord Marshal: Sorry Anil, no offence. Anatt is stronger than you are. And these bastards have the muscle to screw you over!
Anil smirked: I’m well aware of Anatt’s capacity, my old friend. Don’t worry, I’m far too seasoned to be throwing teddy out of the pram.
The corner of the Overlord’s mouth twitched in a miniscule smile, the only outward sign he’d noted the Lord Marshal’s comments. Then he suddenly went still, as if listening to something. When he spoke again, it was to make a brief, hurried announcement. “That being said, we have a plan.”
He waited, and glanced toward the main entrance of the conference center. Following the direction of his gaze, Anil wasn’t surprised when the doors burst open a split-second later. Victoria, the Lord Inquisitor, swept into the chamber with two people in tow. One of them was immediately recognizable, as his six-foot-seven inch frame and wide grin seemed to fill the room.
Marty Mays waved a hand. “Howdy, y’all. Miss me?”
The other person was unknown to them. A diminutive young woman with long mousey hair down to her waist, she wore stylish glasses and an equally huge smile.
Without preamble, Victoria said, “Allow me to introduce you to Sharon Dyer. Although you might not know her, you’re certainly aware of her father, Doctor Peter Dyer, of Yeung Technologies fame! You’ll be glad to know, Sharon is blessed with even stronger gifts than her father . . . metaphysically speaking. Her additional forte lies in the fact she has a powerfully developed deepsight capability, potent enough to discern the inherent nature or symmetry of any object, thing or living creature she scans.
“We are fortunate in that her talent has an abnormal twist. Sharon can invert her sight to supply a reverse or antipodal evaluation. Simply put, it means she is able to discern what is required to negate the energy of the target she is scanning.”
Anil was stunned at the revelation of such an unusual—and dangerous—gift. He could tell by the way his colleagues stared at the young woman that they were of a similar mind. Thank goodness she’s on our side!
The opportunity to ask questions was lost as Overlord repeated his last statement. “As I said, we have a plan. Andrew will now explain our strategy, as he’s come up with an ingenious way to gain the upper hand.”
Andrew stepped forward. “The circumstances surrounding Earl’s death are well known and have bearing upon what we’re going to discuss. The reason? Our targets employed a new style of mirroring-mitigator technology to set a trap. Those emitters, combined with the harmonic union of three extremely powerful individuals, were sufficient to prevent Earl from being able to assume his transcended state. While trapped in his human form, he was helpless to prevent his eradication and ensuing subsumption.
“The generators self-destructed after they had served their purpose. Even so, we were able to analyze sufficient debris at the scene to retrograde their tech. With Marty’s help, we also uncovered the frequency used to arm and activate them. The barriers surrounding this complex now incorporate such a design, and were almost successful in capturing our surprise visitor. I say almost, because our adversaries are obviously growing in potential. The shield should have been strong enough to snare and restrain them. It wasn’t, revealing if you’re potent enough, you can overcome the emitter.
“That gave me an idea. Who is the expert at reading and meshing with all known forms of energy barebrained?”
Pointing toward their imposing guest, Andrew continued, “Marty is! You could say he’s the ace in our deck when we have to deal with things we don’t understand. However, we’ve now got another ace to play with. And this one we can hide up our sleeves.”
He winked at Marty’s companion, “Sharon has been working with Marty for the past five months and they have discovered something which will come as a great relief to us. When they combine their talents in harmonic union, Sharon can not only piggy-back Marty’s ability to distinguish different forms of energy, but she can also evaluate its direct opposite. Good news indeed, because having identified the specific measures needed to counteract the threat, Marty can then generate the appropriate wave frequency to ensure it’s cancelled out!
“In a nutshell, our new wildcards are going to submit themselves to exhaustive testing so we can map the extent of their gifts and devise a mechanical equivalent to them. Once we’ve done that, we hope to install working versions of our own inverse mirror readers at all our facilities. If they work as we think they will, our enemies won’t have a place to hide, because we’ll not only be able to spot them, but we’ll render them impotent as well.”
A shock ran through those seated about the table.
Holding up his hand, Andrew emphasized, “Now, we don’t know how long all this is going to take, but such is the urgency that both Marty and Sharon are willing to get right into the project today. Our objective will be twofold, you see. The establishment of a working mechanical defense is just the first step in our strategy. The second step involves formulating suitable mental programs to achieve the same ends. One way or another, we’ll soon have dual countermeasures—technical and natural—to hit back with.”
The shock commuted into a noisy, jubilant atmosphere.
Reverting to telepathy to make himself heard, Andrew called down to the Lord Marshal: Anil, I’m going to get our star players settled into their rooms. In the meantime, the boss has a few defensive procedures to share with all the Ultras. If you can calm them down, he’ll crack on with it immediately so everyone has a chance to practice before the excitement wears off.
Anil glanced the Overlord’s way, only to find the man himself striding toward him.
Unfortunately, the buoyant mood was more infectious than anyone realized.
As Andrew ushered their VIPs away, Marty’s booming voice could be heard above the din, declaring a sudden hankering for steak and eggs—a statement quickly echoed by several others known for their hearty appetites. Left to herself, Sharon was accosted by Rosa Fairbanks who—from what Anil could hear without prying—was keen to discover the more aggressive aspects of the younger woman’s ability. And there, circling the small band like a hawk was Corrine Jackson, no doubt intent on swooping in and eliciting their help on some medical project or the other.
Heaven help them, Anil chuckled quietly, they won’t know . . .?
Anil! Andrew!
The Overlord’s mental hail snapped through the bedlam like a whip.
Once he had their attention, the Overlord said: Before the lesson commences, I need to speak to you both about a set of special upgrades that will need to be instituted at a moment’s notice down in the catacombs.
The catacombs? That was news to Anil. While he wouldn’t be the one to install such things, maintenance of strategic areas came under the broad umbrella of his oversight. So far as he was aware, nothing like that had been scheduled.
Aloud, he queried: What upgrades are you talking about?
The overlord met his gaze without blinking: It’s just a little something I’d like to see incorporated into the security measures around the Reflection Chamber. All I’m prepared to say at this stage is . . . think of it as bait for if things go wrong.
Bait? That’s it?
It was clear the Overlord wouldn’t be drawn further. Neither did it help the way Andrew remained silent.
Fighting down his irritation, Anil glanced between his contemporaries to see if he might glean anything from their demeanors. Both stood at ease, relaxed among the chaos with the same blank expression on their softly glowing faces. In fact, their manner and bearing were remarkably similar.
Only then did it strike him how alike the two men were.
Anil’s personal shields slammed into place. Why have I never noticed this before?