“That’s a worst-case scenario,” Aari replied. “But that’s entirely possible. Countries that lost their crops and have run out of food will go after countries that are still producing food.”
“It’s the twenty-first century. Aren’t we a little more civilized than that?”
“One can hope. The things some will do to stay in power by making sure their people don’t revolt is a powerful motive.”
Tegan let his answer simmer in her mind instead of pursuing the discussion further. As the moon slowly traversed the sky, her eyelids grew heavy. She had just started nodding off when Jag said, “The plane crash last year.”
Aari yawned. “What about it?”
“That crash was what led us to where we are. Our lives have changed because of it. There’s no going back to the way things were before and I don’t know if I want to shoulder all the responsibility coming our way. We could just turn away. Say that this isn’t for us and we don’t want to do it. But then that’s kind of selfish.”
“It’s going to be a dilemma we’ll be wrestling with for some time,” Aari said wisely. “There’s no use pretending we’ll be strong throughout all this. We’re only human, I guess.”
“But,” Tegan cut in, “how about we acknowledge what we managed to achieve? Through everything that we’ve experienced, from the battle on the mountain last year to these crazy past two weeks, we came out alive and in some way victorious. That’s something to think about.”
“We had help,” Kody argued.
“And there’s nothing wrong with that! The Elders even told us back in Dema-Ki that we won’t be alone. We have the means to make this possible but we’re not comic book superheroes who have to carry this weight on our own. We . . . we have a family out there who will support us.”
“The Sentries,” Jag said, voice low. “Sentries like Marshall—and Gwen. We may not get to meet them, but they’re there.”
“Just knowing that lifts some of the burden, doesn’t it?” Tegan insisted softly.
“It does.”
“And as long as we’re together,” Mariah mused, “the five of us, I think we can help each other get through whatever else is going to be thrown our way.”
“True,” Kody agreed.
There was nothing more to be said. The friends stretched out to get comfortable and continued their stargazing in reflective but comfortable silence. They found strength in one another and Tegan knew it would remain that way for a long time to come. However much the world around them changed, they would still be able to plough onward.
Because the one thing that will always remain constant is our bond, our lifeline. We’re strong on our own and we’re stronger united. If we have each other, we’ll take on whatever we have to.
T
he sleek, white Gulfstream jet cruised at forty thousand feet above the Tyrrhenian Sea west of the Italian mainland. The luxuriously-fitted and technologically-advanced aircraft showcased a cozy interior with windows that permitted ample sunlight to brighten the cabin. Though the plane could accommodate eighteen people, only one passenger was aboard the flight.
Sitting on one of the lush seats and speaking into a phone was the founder of Phoenix Corporation. “Hello, Dr. Nate.”
“’Ello, boss,” the man on the other end of the line hailed. “I got your message that you’d just left the Middle East. Where are you ’eading to now?”
“I am en route to Isola Palmarola.”
“Ah, the Heart . . . I wish I could be there! ’ow far out are you?”
“About thirty minutes.”
“You know, Boss, the move to acquire the island from the Italian government a decade ago is nothing short of a tribute to your unrivaled brilliance.”
“If you are done stroking my ego, Doctor, perhaps we can cut to the chase. I just finished reviewing the final report from Adrian about the damage sustained from the attacks on our pod sites, as well as the destruction of the Quest Defense lab, the Redding facility
and
the fact that we once again lost two of the five whom Tony had caught.” The fingernails of the boss’s free hand dug into the side paneling of the cabin. “I need to know.
How
is this possible?”
Dr. Nate stammered. “I-it was a f-fy coordinated attack by a formidable f-foe.”
The Boss stifled a response and looked out the window at the scattered clouds below, eyes aglow. The pregnant pause had obviously made Dr. Nate nervous.
“I understand you must be furious with us for letting our guard down,” he said. “I will completely understand if you demand for ’eads to roll for this colossal mistake.”
“Yes, I am tempted. But I will have to take some responsibility for not being better prepared. Heads need not roll . . . for now. However, we would have gotten an early warning if only that incompetent technician had reported the Ransom pod shutdown as an attack rather than a malfunction.”
“I heard Luigi has dealt with the man.”
“He has . . . So I suppose that there’s nothing more to say.” Reaching into a briefcase on the next seat to grab a tablet, the boss tapped on an app to open up a calendar. “I assume you still haven’t heard from Tony or his men?”
“N-no, I haven’t. Doesn’t sound as though you ’ave, either.”
“It’s like he and his team just vanished off the face of the Earth. We were unable to trace his phone or locate the vehicle they were using. As much as I don’t want to say it, there are only two possibilities I can think of. One, he and his men are now being held hostage by our adversaries—or, he’s dead. Killed in action at best.”
“But Tony’s an incredible fighter. There was a reason why you chose ’im to undertake your personal tasks.”
“I
know
why I enlisted him under my wing, Doctor.”
“My apologies. Still, ’ow could this ’ave ’appened?”
“Did I not tell you that the Elders of Dema-Ki are highly capable?”
Dr. Nate swore violently. “The mole. The boy, Aari—remember I mentioned to you that ’e said there was a mole the Elders ’ad planted among us?”
“And I highly doubted it because I know the people I picked to be in our inner circle. Rest assured, I did take another look at the list.”
“And?”
“I stand by what I said. We’re clean. All the same, it wouldn’t hurt to have a chat with our people. I’d like you to see to that.”
“Me? Ah . . . alright.”
The boss shifted beside the window to escape the sun’s glare and gazed out at the dark blue sea below. The call was ongoing but neither end spoke for a time until Dr. Nate let out a quick breath over the speaker. “As bad as all this loss is, everything else is running as planned.”
“I’m aware of that. I detest any part of our plan, no matter how inconsequential, being hindered. But you’re right. What has happened is but a blip. It doesn’t matter now because it will take time for North America to recover. Time they don’t have. As long as the global pods are maintaining course, the world will soon slide into a very precarious state. We will, at the right moment, deal the next blow and they will never know what hit them. I spoke to Dr. Bertram earlier and he assured me that he has made good progress on the next phase of our strategy.”
“’ow long will we ’ave to wait?” Dr. Nate asked; the boss heard fervor dripping from his tone like slobber.
“Three months at the latest. We are almost there, Doctor.”
“I will await that day eagerly.”
“As will the rest of us.”
Dr. Nate nibbled on his lip. “One thing is bothering me, Boss. The Elders and these . . . children. They know about us. What’s stopping them from going to the authorities with the knowledge they ’ave about our organization?”
“It’s precisely because they have knowledge about us—about
me
—that they will do no such thing. The Elders know the consequence.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Do you have so little faith in me?”
“No! Of course not!”
“Then believe me when I say we will not have to worry about the authorities.”
“Yes, Boss.” Dr. Nate glanced at his watch. “Uh, Boss, I really ’ate to cut this short but if there’s nothing more to discuss, I ’ave some work to get back to. It’s
orientation
day
for our new recruits.”
“By all means, take your leave. We wouldn’t want to keep the future stewards of New Earth waiting for too long. I am expecting great results. Good luck, Doctor.”
The call ended just as a seatbelt warning sign came and the captain’s voice floated cheerily over the intercom. “Please fasten your seatbelt, Boss. We’ll be landing at The Heart shortly.”
Once buckled in safely, the tall figure relaxed back and pulled out the purple sphere, rolling the object between long, smooth fingers. The small orb slid down and the boss caught it in a tightly-clenched fist, uniform lines of veins protruding from the back of a tanned hand.
In time, they will all be humbled to ashes.
* * *
The five and their families had gathered together in the Sanchez household back in Great Falls, Montana, at Jag’s request. It was a warm mid-July evening and though they would have preferred having dinner on the porch in the backyard, the friends insisted that the families eat inside.
The five had some idea of what was to come; Marshall had contacted Jag a day prior and asked for the group to gather their families together. He’d entreated them not to question him but to make sure that their parents and siblings were ready. Bewildered, the friends could do nothing but comply with the Sentry.
It was after dinner now and most of those gathered had drifted into the living room to chat over the drone of the television. Jag’s and Mariah’s mothers were in the kitchen, talking as they did the dishes together. Aari ambled in to clear his plate of chicken bones but Mrs. Sanchez scooped it away from him and gave him a one-armed hug. “Don’t worry about this, dear. Go join the others. We’ll be there shortly. Wish we had some notion of what this gathering’s about, though. The five of you have been very mysterious about this get-together.” She gave him a pointed look.
Aari responded with a hasty thanks and shuffled out of the kitchen. He didn’t need Kody’s hearing to pick up on Mrs. Ashton’s next words. “You know, Jen, I tried to pry it out of Mariah, but she wouldn’t give me even a hint!”
Mrs. Sanchez laughed. “Jag’s the same, Krystal. I think it has something to do with their road trip. But that’s just a momma’s Spidey-sense!”
Curious, Aari sauntered about in the dining room, staying within earshot but out of sight.
“You’re probably right,” Mrs. Ashton said. “They’ve been different since their return. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe they
did
re-discover themselves during this trip.”
“I noticed that in them too. That might just be it. In any case, I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Mmhm. Anyway, as we were discussing earlier, isn’t it strange how the outbreak suddenly stopped in North America but didn’t abate in the rest of the world? And they
still
have no idea what caused it.”
“To be honest,” said Mrs. Sanchez wearily, “I’m glad we don’t have to worry about it here anymore, but don’t get me wrong, it’s horrible that the other countries are still suffering. There was a lot of speculation at the UN conference that Rob and I were in a couple of weeks ago. Nothing concrete came out of it, though. This whole thing is still a huge mystery.”
“This is unbelievable,” Mrs. Ashton replied. There was a clattering on the floor and she sighed; presumably, she’d dropped one of the forks or spoons.
“It’s just . . . This is what happens when a nation lives hand-to-mouth on its food supply. I’m beyond furious that the government no longer stockpiles grain and other staple foods. And don’t get me started on the amount of agricultural land lost to development and the monopoly of big agri-businesses. At the end of the day, you can’t eat money. As a country we need to make sure that our farmlands are protected. They’re priceless.”
“Couldn’t agree more. How
is
Hugo doing, by the way?”
Aari’s ears perked further; ever since returning home, the topic of his grandparents was something Jag did not want to address.
Mrs. Sanchez sounded deflated. “Hugo’s staying at the farm. It’s his home. We keep telling him that we have a room ready for him and Lady if he wants to come and be with us for a while, but I doubt he will. As difficult as it must be without Julia there, that’s where his heart is. But we’ll visit him often and he’s promised to spend more time when he visits us.”
Leaving the conversation in the kitchen, Aari headed to the living room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small glass container that Marshall had tossed into their car a month ago, triggering their memories to return. He juggled it between his hands for a bit, then stuck it back in his pocket as he plopped between Kody and Mariah.
Jag entered the room, having stepped out to take a call. He looked somewhat anxious. “Is everyone—Mom! We kinda need you in here!”
“Coming!” Mrs. Sanchez called from the kitchen. She and Mrs. Ashton hurried out a few seconds later and joined their families in the living room.
“I wish you kids would tell us what this is about, because this mysterious meeting’s got us on pins and needles,” Mr. Tyler jested as Jag peeked through a curtain at the street outside.
None of the five friends answered him. Then Aari saw Jag stiffen, heightened tension in his eyes. He was about to ask what was wrong but Jag was already running toward the door. The bell rang before he reached it. As the others waited inquisitively, Jag could be heard greeting Marshall. Aari smiled briefly to himself—the five had missed the Sentry during their time apart.
The entire gathering looked on in silent curiosity at the newcomer. Then another voice drifted into their ears, quiet but strong. A curious yet startlingly familiar scent wafted into the room; pine needles and mountain air.
The friends quirked their brows at one another as Jag walked back into the living room. Marshall followed him, looking fresh-faced in a black t-shirt and dark jeans. He greeted them with a tight grin and a small shake of his head, as if telling them not to say anything just yet. He stepped aside, then, and revealed a tall figure adorned in a black-and-silver cloak behind him whose mere presence commanded attention.