

### Shadows of Valor

Patricia Hamill

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Patricia Hamill

All rights reserved.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### DEDICATION

To my father, Jack, who let me ride behind him on his motorcycle when I was a kid, a memory that served me well in the writing of this story. To my mother, Della, who inspired me to write and to put my work out there for others to enjoy. To my husband, Tim, who tossed ideas my way whenever he caught a glimpse of what I was scribbling. To my son, Johnathan, for reading the first few chapters of Shadows of Valor early on and telling me he couldn't wait to read more. To Josy, who always encourages me to keep writing and publishing.

### Table of Contents

Chapter 1-Leaving Home

Chapter 2-Night Ride

Chapter 3-Dreams of Valor

Chapter 4-Awkward Interview

Chapter 5-Testing

Chapter 6-Probation

Chapter 7-Milestone

Chapter 8-The Downside

Chapter 9-Decisions

Chapter 10-Fresh Start

Chapter 11-Encounter

Chapter 12-Cover

Chapter 13-Detention Cells

Chapter 14-The Baseline

Chapter 15-Headquarters

Chapter 16-A Strange Sight

Chapter 17-Home Again

Chapter 18-Inside

Chapter 19-Journey's End

Chapter 20-Camo Training

Chapter 21-Secrets

Chapter 22-Brush with Death

Chapter 23-Argument

Chapter 24-Concentration

Chapter 25-Report

Chapter 26-Alone

Chapter 27-Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter 28-Questioning

Chapter 29-Rescue Mission

Chapter 30-Rally Point

Chapter 31-Regeneration

Chapter 32-Betrayal

Chapter 33-Flight

Chapter 34-Debriefing

Chapter 35-In Veracka

Chapter 36-In Oresca

About the Author

### Chapter 1-Leaving Home

The figure crept down the hallway. The sound of peaceful sleepers behind the doors he passed seemed nothing compared to the beating of his heart. Thump, thump, surely someone would hear, and that would be that, his grand plan in ruins. Pausing near the head of the stairway, he looked back to the place he started. Four years waiting for this chance, working up the courage, planning, and instead of excitement, he felt fear. Fear of the unknown, of failure. Fear for his family left behind. Fear of his mother's eyes.

Would she understand? Would she forgive him for leaving?

He was surprised to find tears on his face and quickly wiped them away. This was no time for second thoughts. His brother, only a year younger, would take care of his mother, and she would understand. His sister, only six, might take it hard, but this was for her future after all. Besides, life on a farm was hard, they wouldn't have time to miss him.

Another breath to steady his nerves and slowly, quietly down the stairs he went, one at a time. Careful of the third one with the loose board, a mistake now would mean an end to the adventure, such as it was.

Finally, the bottom reached, he adjusted his pack and turned to make one last stop, the kitchen. Luckily, his mother, being short, never used the cupboard over the refrigerator, making it a perfect hiding spot. Months of careful hoarding had resulted in a satchel full of travel food, ready to go when the time and his nerve were ready. It wasn't much, just some dried biscuits, jerky, and fruit, with a small pot to cook whatever else he may find on the way.

Quietly, he retrieved a spoon from a drawer and added it to the food satchel. They only had one each, so he had had to leave it until the last or risk questions.

Finally ready, he sent a silent goodbye upstairs to his sleeping family and stole out the door into the awaiting darkness. A breathless moment arose when the screen door eluded his grip and creaked shut with a low clatter, then still silence, almost tangible, filled the house. As the quiet song of crickets and toads gradually took its place, he once more remembered to breathe before stealthily crossing the yard to the barn.

The trip to Oresca would take a week or more on foot, but he was eager to get there, so walking was not in the plan. Checking the house for lights and movement first, he carefully opened the barn door and slipped inside, closing it softly behind him. The darkness was chased off to the far corners when he flipped on a small flashlight, but its dim glow was not enough to completely banish the shadows; in fact, it only seemed to worsen them.

No matter, what little light it generated was enough to illuminate the objective, his old Magbike, the last gift his father had given him. Even after all the rigors he'd put it through since then, it was still in good shape. The paint, a deep green, shimmered as the light swept over it, while the chromed handlebars and gauges flashed brightly in turn.

Moving quicker now that he was screened from the scrutiny of the dark house and its inhabitants, he unplugged the bike and activated the cord storage cylinder. He donned his helmet and jacket to the low hum of the motor as it reeled in the cord and then retracted into its storage compartment.

He rolled the bike to the door and, when within reach of the latch, flipped off the light before opening it to the night. Patiently waiting for his eyes to adjust, he glanced back towards the house, no longer his home. Light shined through the kitchen door, silhouetting a dark figure watching him. He gasped in shock as the apparition began to approach.

"So, you're really doing it then?" His brother, with features barely discernible in the moonlight, asked.

Still trying to catch his breath from being caught, the shock that his brother somehow knew of his plans sent a sense of panic into his stomach. He had been so careful.

"Well? What have you got to say for yourself?" his brother demanded. "Not even going to tell me before you left, eh Edwin? Just going to abandon us all for a little adventure?"

"It's not like that at all, Joe," Edwin shook his head, finding his voice after the shock wore off.

"Really," Joe sneered, "then what is it like?" His arms crossed before him, Joe made an intimidating sight. He'd come into his muscles this year and seemed almost a man. Farm life had made his body hard, and tragedy had left an equally significant hardness in his heart.

"Joe, I couldn't risk it. Mom would never let me go, and I didn't think you'd understand." Edwin looked back toward the silent house and continued, "I have to do this, for all of us. I can make a difference; I can protect Mom and Cindy. Besides, I knew you were ready to take my place. You always were better at all this than me."

"There's no arguing that, but why do you think leaving will help? I think you're running away," Joe smirked. "You always did like to run and hide."

Shocked, Edwin replied, "Run and . . . Joe, we had to run and hide! It's what he wanted us to do. It's all we could have done."

"How do you know that? We could have done something! Maybe he would have lived," Joe growled in a low voice. "I was going to help him and you dragged me into the cellar. It was your fault!"

"No, Joe, it was Veracka's fault!" Edwin argued back. "They raided, they killed him, and I am going to make them pay!"

"You do that, but don't even think of coming back here," his brother said firmly as he turned back toward the house.

"Wait," Edwin pled. "Don't be that way. Please understand this is what I have to do."

Joe stopped, still facing away, "I'll tell Mom and Cindy you're doing this for them; I'm sure they'll believe it and take heart, but I'll know that you're running away, and I can't forgive that. You go save the world, but when you're done, don't bother coming back—better for everyone that way."

Edwin watched Joe continue across the yard and into the house. The light extinguished, pitching the yard into moonlit shadows. Nothing left to do but leave, he activated the Magbike. The illuminated dials provided the only evidence it was running, although the silent motor would soon add its proof in power and speed.

He swiped his thumb across the accelerator control pad and the Magbike responded. As he sped away into the unknown, he left silence in his wake, reflecting the emptiness he felt inside. There was no turning back. It was begun.

From the shadows of the darkened house, Joe watched his brother disappear into the night. Bitter jealousy filled his heart at his brother who was escaping. He felt the weight of his future, now decided for him by his brother's gambit, crushing his spirit. There would be no sleep tonight.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 2-Night Ride

With his visor up, the cool wind had long since dried his tears and cleared his head. His brother's anger had hurt, but resolve soon took hold. This was the right thing to do, not staying behind, living day by day under a pretense of normalcy and safety. Edwin knew that it was only a matter of time before the quiet security was shattered again. This time though, it would be shattered in Veracka. He would see to it.

He veered to the right to take the Susseck River Road. Following the river that was its namesake, the road would take him Northeast, all the way to Fort Oresca. It was also well travelled, and so, well maintained, which would make the journey easier and faster. There was no one about now, though. Everyone would be asleep at this time of night.

Edwin took advantage of the open road and slid the accelerator to the max. The landscape passed in a blur, the trees, phantoms reaching overhead as he approached, fell swiftly behind as the Magbike sped by. The woods were heavy along the road, but occasionally, moonlight glinted off the River to his right through their branches.

Fallen leaves cycloned in his wake, seeming to take on a life of their own. In the night, Edwin felt alone, the tunnel of trees seemed endless and utterly isolated. Were it not for the sound of the wind and the feel of the road beneath him, he wouldn't have been able to tell that he was moving at all.

After traveling for a few hours, Edwin noticed a lightening; a vague definition was taking hold of the passing scenery. Shadows began to retreat and gray to transform to green and deep blue. A layer of mist thinly coated the road ahead, making it difficult to sense the edges. Edwin reluctantly slowed and began to look for civilization.

Settlements and small towns dotted the land along the river, and now that it was dawn, he could see that the tunnel of trees had an end, and it was fast approaching. There would be a town there. The road would go through it.

Towns like this often had a small inn, providing cheap lodgings and a charge port for travelers as well as supply caravans. The adrenaline had faded from Edwin's body, leaving him stiff and tired from the journey. He hadn't slept at all last night, too tense and excited about leaving and realizing anyway that setting an alarm for midnight would not be a very stealthy start for his trip. The chill wind flowing past the bike had kept him alert, but now his eyes were dry and red from its punishing blast.

Edwin coasted into the town, the gravel beneath his wheels the only sound in the early pre-dawn light. He scanned the street for signs or symbols indicating lodgings as he ghosted through the town, finally spotting one on the right. Smiling to himself, Edwin chuckled at the name of the inn, The Looney Badger. Someone had a sense of humor.

Figuring it was as good of place as any; he slowed and maneuvered to the back of the building, where the ports would be. After finding a vacant one, he dismounted and hung his helmet on the back end of the bike. Then he opened the cord compartment and plugged in.

The cost of charging would be included in the rates; even so, most folks didn't mind sharing a quick boost here and there. The general idea was to help each other out and if you ever got in a jam, you'd get the same. Everyone did their best not to take advantage of this system, and Edwin was no exception. He'd saved his money for a long time so he would be able to make it on his own. There wasn't a lot, but he had enough to manage if he was careful along the way.

Dawn had arrived in full while Edwin set the charge. The sun was just now cresting over the distant mountains, and the mist rapidly evaporated, taking the last vestiges of night with it. Briefly facing the sun with eyes closed, Edwin stretched his body and enjoyed the warmth infusing him with new energy. The sounds of morning joyously greeted the sun: birds sang and scolded each other, squirrels jumped along branches and a soft murmur arose from the street out front as people emerged to begin their day.

Edwin opened his eyes and looked back towards The Looney Badger. It was well kept, despite the irreverent name; the paint was fresh and the garden neat. A stone laid path led from the charge ports to the back entrance, from which scents of cooking meat and porridge were already wafting. Edwin reminded himself that he needed to save his money for lodgings and charges, not waste it on meals. That was what his pack was for.

The back door led into a long hallway, past the bustling kitchen to the common room in front. Edwin guessed that would be where the proprietor would greet his or her guests. He was right. The innkeeper introduced herself as Mistress Maya and welcomed him to the inn with a smile.

"Thank you. May I have a room for a few hours while my bike charges?" Edwin replied.

"Traveling hard dear?" She grinned and then continued, "It'll be five for the room and one for the charge."

Agreeing to the terms, he handed over the money, returning her smile, "That's right, I'm trying to make good time."

Her eyes swept from his face to his hair and she winked, "I'll say, follow me." She started down the hallway, taking a set of stairs Edwin hadn't noticed.

He followed, feeling self-conscious and wondering what she meant by the wink. Mistress Maya led him to a room upstairs facing the river. He was pleased to see it had a shower and a cozy bed. Through the window, he could just see the shimmer of sunlight dashing off the river over the low rooftops. It was a nice room, but he wouldn't be there long to enjoy it.

The innkeeper left as he gazed out the window, lost in thought, but the click of the door latching brought him back to awareness. He went to the wash stand to splash his face and caught sight of himself in the mirror. The smiles and winks of the innkeeper made a whole lot more sense. He looked a mess.

His dark hair swept in at least four distinct directions and his face, although typically tan from working in the sun, was ruddy from the windy ride. Worse, he could see streaks down his face where dust had settled into tears and dried in place. Besides that, his blue eyes were rimmed with red. He scrubbed his face and combed his hair with his fingers, trying to corral it into place. When he was done, he looked and felt better, but could still see the evidence of a hard night.

Weariness was a tangible weight, and he fell into the bed, not bothering to undress. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 3-Dreams of Valor

The Susseck River Road had long since abandoned the thick shade of the forest, giving way to farmland and plains. Unlike the night before, families could be seen working together to bring in their various crops until dusk fully deepened into night.

Hours earlier, Edwin had awakened to soft, yet persistent, knocking at the door to his room. Disoriented, he stumbled over to the door to find the cheerful Mistress Maya standing with her hand poised to knock again.

"Sleep well, hun? Your bike's charged up and I reckoned you'd want to know right away, being in such a hurry."

"Thanks."

"Listen, do you want some lunch before you head out?" She sized him up with her eyes, "You look like you need it."

"No, I'd better not," he shook his head. "I've got travel rations, so I'll be alright."

After she left, Edwin dug some jerky out of his pack and gnawed on it as he prepared to leave. One last look in the mirror showed a much better picture than before, but Edwin was only interested in wiping out any remaining evidence of the tears from last night. Satisfied, he finished off the jerky, grabbed his pack and headed downstairs.

The innkeeper, seeing him coming, made one last offer of a hot meal, seeming to feel sorry for him. Edwin declined, now eager to escape her mothering attentions, which reminded him that his own mother would have learned of his absence some time ago. The innkeeper's attempts to feed him seemed to take on another dimension. What if his mother had been looking for him, and Mistress Maya's efforts were designed to delay him? He hadn't wanted to take the chance.

Now, as dusk deepened into night and the mists began to blanket the landscape, Edwin felt a surreal sensation of flight. The mist grew until it reached mid-calf and swirled around his bike in a well defined slipstream. Illuminated windows began to wink into existence and added to the illusion of flight as they streamed past.

Edwin had often dreamed of flying over such a landscape, always feeling a deep sense of loss and disappointment upon waking. Still, he remembered those dreams fondly whenever real life became intolerable, as it often did.

Even now, he couldn't help but hope that he'd be selected for the Air Corps. Not only were they the first line of defense against the Verackan forces, but they also had some of the most powerful flying machines still in use, not at all like the light duster he was used to at the farm.

Much as he loved to fly, the duster only travelled fast enough to take to the air and wasn't powerful enough to gain much more altitude than needed to sweep across the fields with a payload of treatment powder. It wasn't much more than a powered glider, like all civilian aircraft in Oresca.

Edwin zoned out while he daydreamed about flying for the Corps. In his mind, he swept not crops but enemy convoys, playing hide and seek with enemy craft among low lying clouds and expertly engaging an enemy whose clever maneuvers promised a challenge.

Abruptly, real life blasted away the imaginary battle as Edwin swerved to miss a doe that had wandered onto the road. The close call convinced him to abandon his reverie and focus his attention on the road.

The move turned out to be lucky when only a moment later he saw a sign pointing the way to Fort Oresca. Edwin slowed slightly as he eased left across to the indicated roadway. His destination was fast approaching and it wouldn't be long before he would be able to see it.

It was nearing midnight when the distant lights of the Fort finally met his gaze. Edwin's heart seemed to skip a beat and his stomach turned with sudden nerves as he rushed ever closer towards his new life. Would he be accepted? Would he be successful, make friends, or would he fail utterly and have to return home in shame to face the accusing eyes of his brother and the disappointed eyes of his mother?

He was about to find out.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 4-Awkward Interview

"Name?" a gruff voice sounded in the dim light of an overcast morning.

"Sherry Mitchelson," another replied, barely audible, but decidedly terrified.

Edwin stood among a surprisingly large group of people, most his own age, waiting to enlist in the ranks of the mighty Orescan Army. He had been shocked to find them already gathering when he arrived. The Sergeant had come out several hours ago, with dawn's first light. Since that time, the milling crowd was formed up into a neat line and instructed to keep silent, and now the interviews were in full swing.

The Sergeant finished up with new recruit Sherry Mitchelson and absently motioned Edwin forward as he made a few additional notations on his clipboard. He looked up and studied Edwin with an appraising eye.

"Name?"

"Edwin."

"Edwin, is it?" he grinned, seemingly amused.

Realizing his mistake, Edwin quickly replied, "Edwin Patrick Johnson."

"That's better," the Sergeant chuckled, glancing down to his clipboard.

Edwin felt sweat begin to bead on his forehead but resisted the urge to wipe it away. He was embarrassed and afraid he might have already blown his chances. What was taking so long?

The Sergeant finally looked up and growled, "I like you kid, you've got personality." He tapped his chin thoughtfully with his pen. "What's a kid like you doing joining the Army?"

"Revenge," Edwin replied shortly.

"Well, well, full of surprises." Then the grin melted away, a serious frown taking its place, "What skills do you have?"

The interview had resumed, it seemed. Edwin had already heard this question about a hundred times while waiting for his turn, and he had an answer ready. Time to take a chance.

"I can fly," Edwin stated confidently.

The Sergeant gave a start and scribbled something rapidly on his clipboard. What else can you do?" He sounded interested.

Edwin thought it was a good sign. No one else had gotten a second inquiry. "I can fix any tech, better than new sometimes." It wasn't a boast, and he hoped the Sergeant wouldn't take it for one.

Another few notes on the clipboard and the Sergeant added, "Do I even want to ask again?"

Edwin shrugged slightly, unsure what else to say.

"Well then, let's continue. What province are you from?"

"I'm from the Western Province," Edwin answered simply.

"Do you have family there?"

"Yes," Edwin replied, not volunteering any extra information. He didn't like the direction the questions were taking.

The Sergeant made a few notes and then grinned, "And how old are you?"

This was the part Edwin had worried about. At his age, they might turn him away. He took a deep, but quick, breath before answering, "Seventeen."

"Thought as much," he chuckled, making another note. "Running away?"

"No."

"I see. . ." he mused. "Do you think your skills—flying and fixing things—sufficient to warrant an age waiver?"

"I do," Edwin vouched confidently, although nerves were playing havoc with him.

"Very well, Probationary Recruit Johnson. Report for testing in the Onboard Recruit sector B-5," he gestured towards the door he'd emerged from earlier. "You're going to follow the orange line, through there. Well, get going!"

Edwin nodded and started off, only to stop when the Sergeant's hand gripped his shoulder, "Good luck, though I have a feeling you'll do well."

Nodding once more, Edwin entered the building and began to follow the orange line down the hallway. He wondered why he was being sent this way when all the others had been sent down the blue line to Onboard Recruit sector A-1. He'd heard the directions repeated enough that morning to remember them well and to realize that something was up.

He guessed it could be due to his age, which was probably why the Sergeant had called him a probationary recruit, but he couldn't banish the feeling that there may be another reason. After all, he'd listened to and watched countless interviews before his own, and didn't recall any of the other seventeen year olds being sent this way or being named probationary recruits.

Nothing to do but continue, Edwin peered down intersections and counted the turns he took as he followed the orange path. So far the orange and blue lines had tracked together, but looking ahead he saw the paths diverge. When he finally reached the turn, he stopped to peer down the hall the blue path took. He could see people several intersections away. They were leaning or sitting along one wall, seemingly waiting for something. They must be the other recruits, Edwin thought to himself.

He turned back to his own path and continued on, finally coming to a door through which the line traveled. Looking in either direction down the hallway first, he opened the door to find a stairwell. The orange line followed it up, and Edwin craned his neck trying to see how far up it went. It seemed endless.

He noted that the wall placard in the stairwell behind him said Sector B-1. A-1, B-1 . . . that must mean that he was heading to the fifth floor. Edwin started up, seeing no reason to delay. He quickly reached the B-5 level and was pleased to see the orange line slip under the door.

He grasped the handle to open the door. It was locked.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 5-Testing

Puzzled, Edwin wondered what to do now. Stepping back, he looked around for a mechanism that might release the door. He didn't think he would have been sent to a door he could not pass. What would be the point?

His eyes fell upon a likely candidate. A foot or two to the right of the door, at about waist height, there was a recession in the wall. Crouching to peer inside, Edwin saw a smooth glassy surface spanning the back wall of the opening. He reached in and lightly brushed the surface with his forefinger, and was surprised when it left a faintly luminescent trail in its wake.

Pausing with his hands on his knees, he considered his next move. It seemed obvious that this was the access pad for the door, but he'd never actually seen one before. It was possible that it was either keyed to certain people or maybe required a specific pattern to be drawn in order to deactivate the lock. He reasoned that if it was a pattern, it wouldn't be too difficult since he'd been expected to follow the path unescorted.

He started with the first thing that came to mind and quickly traced an 'O' for Open. Nothing happened and the letter quickly faded to darkness. Then he tried 'B-5,' not really expecting it to work. He was right, nothing.

Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to wander, hoping for inspiration. It was a technique he'd often used at home when faced with a particularly troublesome repair. Usually, a solution would form in his mind: a vision of the faulty component or even of his hands manipulating the machinery in a certain way. At such times, he would open his eyes, and in almost a trance-like state, his eyes would fall upon the component or his hands would follow the process he'd imagined. In this way, Edwin had kept the aging equipment on the farm working, and, in some cases, the visions would lead to innovative redesigns that made them work even better than expected. It had always come in useful, that was for sure.

Now, with his eyes closed, he took a deep breath and cleared his mind of everything except an image of the access pad. After a short time, a ghostly image began to illuminate the pad, shimmering and sliding across the surface as if being drawn there by an invisible hand. It faded away, and the tracing began anew.

Opening his eyes, the image fresh in his mind, Edwin reached back into the recess and began to draw. Starting with a short dash at the top, from slightly to the left to the centerline of the pad, he continued with a straight line down forming a right angle with the first line. He finished with six lines, three to each side, which angled down slightly to resemble the fletching of an arrow.

Unlike the previous attempts, the new image did not fade. In fact, it seemed to brighten to a luminous orange glow, the same color as the line he had been following through the corridors. At its brightest, a click sounded. Edwin stood and tried the door again. It opened.

"Weird," he said out loud to himself.

The open door led to another hallway, and he noticed that the line would take him to the left this time. Unlike the sterile white of the first floor, this corridor was a warmer shade of burnt orange, reminiscent of late sunset in fall. Edwin began to follow the line again, but pondering the situation with the door, took it slowly.

How could they have expected him, or anyone for that matter, to have guessed the specific shape that would open the door? In reality, he wasn't even sure how he'd done it. He'd always had a way with tech, but he'd figured it was just an intuitive understanding of how the various components worked together. This had been different. There had been no components, no clues, nothing at all except the reactive pad and the locked door. Yet, his mind had presented a specific figure and the sequence in which to draw it, and it had worked.

Lost in his thoughts, he followed the line on autopilot, subconsciously cataloging the turns it took him down until, abruptly, the line ended. Edwin snapped out of it and looked around. He was in a small room, empty except for a table and a chair in the center. He peered around the room, noting that it had no windows but seemed a few shades brighter than the corridor.

Behind him, the door he hadn't noticed coming through slid shut with a click, startling him. Twisting to look, he was dismayed to find no handles, and this time there wasn't even an access pad. He was locked in.

"Have a seat, Probationary Recruit Johnson," a female voice instructed.

Edwin complied, seating himself at the table, peering around for the source of the voice. He saw nothing. While he felt relieved to finally be acknowledged, he was confused at the strange circumstances in which he found himself. The voice returned, "Retrieve the tablet from the drawer and complete the test. You have one hour."

"Who are you?" Edwin asked. "What's going on?"

When there was no response, Edwin shrugged and found the drawer with the tablet, which had the same glassy surface as the access pad After a quick examination, he determined that there were no buttons or ports on the device and it seemed to be powered down.

On a hunch, Edwin drew the shape that had opened the door and was pleased to see the orange glow as the device accepted it. The image faded promptly, but was replaced by an official looking logo that was identically shaped. The logo was bright orange and the background had changed to a deep blue, making the figure seem to come right out of the screen.

"Now what?" he asked himself, tapping the screen here and there. Nothing seemed to work. Where was the test?

Edwin took a deep breath to focus his thoughts. What were they testing, exactly? He wondered. Suddenly, it came to him that maybe they were testing the very ability that he had used to get through the locked door. It disturbed him that the test would target that because he'd always thought the ability was unique, even in the form it had taken back on the farm. Discovering that it was more complex than he'd ever guessed after getting through the door and now possibly being tested for that specific skill made him think it wasn't as special or unique as he had thought.

He decided to test the theory. Holding the tablet, he closed his eyes and visualized the shimmering logo on a field of black. He imagined it as a puzzle, breaking apart into separate pieces; he examined each one in turn before returning them to their original positions. When he came to the last one, it glowed faintly. He opened his eyes and found the same shape on the tablet. When he rested a finger on it, the section glowed and grew to fill the entire screen. Apparently, he had selected well.

He repeated the process several times; each time his mind manipulated the images in a different way, revealing the action or sequence that would unlock the next puzzle. It was uncanny how easy this was and how accurate. As the hour passed, Edwin noticed that he was solving each segment quicker and quicker than the last. At one point, he realized that he wasn't even closing his eyes anymore. Instead, his mind had begun to explore the figures and the answers to present themselves almost the instant each new image appeared.

Lost in the complex collage of images superimposed with his searching visions, Edwin was surprised when the screen finally darkened and the word 'COMPLETE' began flashing in orange letters on the screen. He felt reality rush back into being, realizing that the test had, for a time, become his whole world. Everything seemed crisper, more solid, more vibrant than before, like awakening from a dream to sunlight streaming down on a clear winter morning.

Edwin took a deep breath, feeling a bit lightheaded and rubbed his face with his hands. They felt as if they weren't his own; it was a disturbing feeling.

"Very good, you may return the tablet to the drawer," the voice returned.

He complied, closing the drawer and sitting back in the chair. He wondered what he would face next. Feeling drained, Edwin wasn't sure he was up to another round of whatever this was.

A click behind him drew his attention as the door slid open. Standing there was a woman wearing a dark orange uniform and holding a clipboard in her left hand. Her golden hair was loosely curled and short, framing her face and highlighting intelligent blue eyes.

"Well done, you've just managed to accomplish something few others have," she smiled. "Are you ready to continue?"

Edwin stood shakily, but steadied himself and turned towards her before answering, "Yes."

Grinning, she gestured for him to follow.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 6-Probation

The woman set a brisk pace down the hall, leading him away from the testing room as well as the marked corridor he had followed there. The long night of travel, the mind numbing wait in the enlistment line, and the stress of the unexpected testing were taking their toll, both mentally and physically. Edwin was having a difficult time keeping up with her.

Finally, she stopped and led him into a cozy room lit naturally by sunlight streaming in through a large window that spanned almost the entire length of the far wall. It looked like a tiny apartment, complete with a small kitchen and a door he guessed led to a bathroom. The view beyond was spectacular. The towering city of Oresca seemed to float in the distance above low clouds that blanketed the land in surreal hills and valleys. To the far right, opposite the city across what he knew to be a river, a monolithic cylindrical tower reached far into the sky, higher even than the tallest towers in the city.

Edwin tore his gaze away from the scenery and back to the woman who stood waiting near two cushioned chairs that sat near the window. She seated herself on one and motioned for Edwin to sit in the one across from her. He took the seat and waited for her to say something.

"Before we begin, let me introduce myself," she said. "I am First Lieutenant Peggy Bryce, and I will be your instructor over the next few months, until you are ready to either advance in the training or be released from service."

She paused and Edwin replied, "I am pleased to meet you, but may I ask a question?"

"I'm sure you have more than one, but yes, you may ask."

Edwin gathered his thoughts, "You say that you will be my instructor, but of what? I've been singled out from the beginning, and frankly, I have no idea what for. I'm not even sure what just happened. I feel like I'm dreaming and almost expect to wake up at any minute."

The First Lieutenant smiled warmly, "I understand how you feel, and I can assure you that you are not dreaming. However, I'm afraid I can only explain certain things at this point in your training."

She waited for him to nod before continuing. "First, your instincts are correct; you have been singled out. Sergeant Dean and the other enlistment specialists have standing orders to always be on the lookout for new recruits with certain characteristics. While I cannot tell you what those characteristics are, specifically, I can say that you stood out from the crowd, in more ways than one. He was impressed, and sent you to us."

"For testing?" Edwin asked.

"Yes, testing," She replied with a grin, "and I must say the Sergeant did a good job sending you our way. Few candidates make it past the door challenge, and of those, even fewer complete the next phase of testing with as much finesse and ease as you displayed just now."

She fell silent and watched Edwin's reaction. He looked down at his hands and thought about what she had said. His assumptions had been right, but he still wasn't sure how to deal with them. Plus, she hadn't really answered his question. Just what was he going to be trained to do?

"I'm not sure how I did that, to be honest," he finally replied. I've always thought that what I do was just visualization, a way of thinking things through before acting, but I can't see how that alone would have helped me with these tests."

She nodded, "You're right, it wouldn't have, not alone anyway, which brings us to your question. What will I be teaching you? Simply put, I will be teaching you to use the ability you demonstrated today, your gift as we prefer to call it, in preparation for the next phase of training. In addition, I will be evaluating your suitability for future missions and assignments. To that end, you and I will be working together almost exclusively for the foreseeable future."

Questions filled Edwin's mind, even more than he'd started with, but he wasn't sure First Lieutenant Bryce would be forthcoming if he asked, so he remained silent.

"You're awfully quiet. Most of our recruits are just brimming with questions by now."

"I am, but I think you'll answer them in your own time, no matter what I ask at this point," Edwin responded, smiling faintly. "Anyway, I'm exhausted so I don't think many of my questions would make sense."

"You've seemed to do alright so far, but I can see that you aren't exaggerating," she grimaced. "You look terrible."

A thought occurred to Edwin, "I guess I do have one question, though."

"And that is?"

"Exactly who is recruiting me?"

The First Lieutenant chuckled amiably, "It took you long enough to ask that one. . ." Then she stood, straightening proudly before continuing, "I would like to formally welcome you to the First Rank of the Special Air Corps."

Edwin's eyes widened in shock, "I made it into the Air Corps!?"

"No, not exactly," she corrected as she relaxed her stance slightly. "You have been recruited for the 'Special' Air Corps, on a probationary basis of course."

"What's the difference?"

"Well, there are a few, but we aren't going into them right now. Suffice it to say there are many. For now, I suggest you take some time to settle in and rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

"Where will I stay?"

"Why, here, of course. This suite is yours for now, just one of the few differences we have yet to discuss. You can be assured that your counterparts downstairs won't be enjoying such nice accommodations," she said, referring to the other recruits.

First Lieutenant Bryce stayed for a short time longer laying out her expectations for the next day. She explained that training would start early the next morning and he would be expected to be ready before the sun rose over the distant mountains. She briefly walked him through the room pointing out that it had been stocked with uniforms in his size as well as food and other basic necessities. When he asked about his Magbike, she smiled and told him that it had already been seen to and not to worry about it.

Just before she left, she demonstrated the Special Air Corps salute and made him repeat it until he got it right. Then the door clicked shut, leaving him alone.

The rooms he had been assigned were nicer than he was used to. The main room had a definite color scheme, the furniture was a combination of mahogany wood with maroon upholstery and the window dressings were the same color, though they were thrown back to let in the light. The floor was covered with charcoal gray carpeting that complemented the rest.

Along the window wall to the right, an opening led to the tiny kitchen, which held nothing more than a cook top, a small refrigerator and a functional, but cramped counter top sporting a sink and faucet. Next to the opening to the kitchen, a door led to a small bathroom, again functional, but not fancy. A bed folded up and into the wall across from the bathroom door, and the room was relatively spacious with it folded away.

Edwin wandered through the tiny apartment for a while, taking it all in, wondering if this truly was happening. He opened the refrigerator, hoping to find something to eat. He still had some travel rations left, but he'd grown tired of them. He found sandwich supplies and some fresh fruit and took them to a tiny table by the kitchen window.

After he finished eating, he took a shower and changed into one of the uniforms, which turned out to be a comfortable one piece coverall. He thought it amusing that it was maroon to match the room. Apparently, he had been color coded.

He took a few minutes to put away his few possessions and set the alarm for early the next morning. The sun was not visible as it would be setting on the other side of the building, but he could tell that it would be low in the sky based on the shadows the building cast over the land.

He pulled the bed down from the wall and sat down, not bothering to draw the shades across the windows before lying down. Looking up at the ceiling, he wondered what he'd gotten himself into. Then his thoughts turned to his family and he hoped they were alright. His eyes finally closed, and his mind rapidly spun into the blissful oblivion of sleep, the worries and excitement of the day melting away.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 7-Milestone

"Concentrate."

"I am, but it isn't working," Edwin replied, clearly frustrated.

"Clear your mind completely, and then fill it back up with the coin, and nothing else," First Lieutenant Peggy Bryce calmly instructed. "Visualize the image of it, every line and every curve. Imagine its texture, its taste. Then, try again."

Edwin focused on the coin, to the exclusion of everything else. His mentor faded away, only the coin existed. On its face, a sprig of holly, representing peace, was grasped tightly in the claws of an eagle, representing strength.

Eyes closed, Edwin imagined a gust of wind filling the eagle's wings, lifting it into the air. Clouds suddenly billowed into existence, as it soared proudly among them. Moisture seemed to brush lightly across his face and the rushing sound of wind filled his ears. He became the eagle, his wings outstretched, harnessing the power of the air as it buoyed him ever higher, until finally, he broke through the clouds into bright sunlight, filling him with life and energy, but most of all, freedom.

"Open your eyes," the First Lieutenant's voice softly intoned, as though from a great distance.

Still immersed in the vision and rejoicing in the freedom of flight, Edwin slowly drew open his eyes, the lids barely lifting. Through the majestic panorama of the cloudscape, light glimmered around an object floating before him. Caught in the dual reality of his gift, Edwin failed to recognize it at first, but when he did, he gasped in surprise, "I did it!"

"Yes, you did," the First Lieutenant agreed, pride in her voice.

The coin abruptly fell to the table as the vision fled away and reality crashed in. Light, sound, touch, all rolled over him in waves, drowning him in their brilliance. The awakening had never before been this strong, this utterly overpowering. Gasping as if immersed in an icy lake, he shivered and convulsed in joy and agony, barely discernible from each other. As his senses finally dulled back to normal, Edwin focused on slowing his breathing.

"That's right, deep breaths, focus . . . It will pass," his mentor encouraged. "You did very well, as I knew you could."

Drained but elated, Edwin met her eyes, grinning, "I had my doubts; we've been at this for how many weeks now?"

"That isn't important, Edwin," She cajoled, "you know that. Besides, you've grown. It was never a question of whether you could lift the coin, but only a matter of when."

She was right, he had grown considerably over the last two months: both physically and mentally. From the vigorous physical training, his body had become more muscular and his endurance and coordination had skyrocketed. He'd always been fit, but never to this extent. He'd also become a fair fighter, although he still had plenty of room for improvement. Mentally, he had become confident in his abilities, in himself. Daily practice in the gadget room, as he liked to call it, had taught him to deal with and master nearly any tech he could imagine, almost at will.

Today had been a milestone of another sort, the first time he'd ever managed to manipulate something directly, through nothing but the power of thought. It had been an amazing experience, but frightening as well, especially afterwards during the awakening, as First Lieutenant Bryce had named the process of coming back into reality after using his gift. For something like breaking through an access pad, the awakening was mild, like stepping outside into a brisk winter morning, light and cold stimulating and invigorating the senses. But, for something like he had just done, it was like running naked in a blizzard or swimming along the surface of the sun. He'd never felt so alive, the realistic nature of his vision overrode his entire being, and when it was over, it was like being born, all noise and pain, joy and fear.

"I could really use a steak right about now," he joked. "You can't imagine how hungry that made me."

"You might be surprised," she chuckled. "Come on. Let's get you that steak, and then we will talk."

Pocketing the object of his lesson, Edwin stood and followed her out of the training room. Like the testing room on the day he joined, it had been devoid of anything that might prove distracting. He knew that later, when the task became easier, he would be expected to perform it anywhere, on demand.

They walked briskly through the building to the cafeteria. It seemed that he would get that steak after all. He hadn't been sure she wasn't joking, as she often did, at least when they were alone. He and Peggy had become friends, although the relationship was governed by rules that protected its professional nature. She was his friend, but she was also his instructor, mentor, and, for now, his commander. In all things, those responsibilities took precedence.

The cafeteria was located on the first floor of the building, facing north. Edwin wasn't sure whether this had been purposeful, but it gave the room the benefit of steady, natural light from dawn to dusk without the extremes of light and heat from either. The layout was functional, simple benches and tables marched across the room in identical ranks, splashes of color from the various recruit divisions taking their meals provided the only break in the monochromic décor. But, the food was excellent and plentiful; Oresca provided well for its defenders.

Upon entering the room, Edwin recognized Sherry Mitchelson, the recruit that had joined the army right before him. She had toughened up, too. He imagined that if he heard her voice today, it would be that of a soldier, confident and strong, not a trace of the fear that had filled it on that first day, nearly two months ago. He smiled at the thought, but turned away before she noticed.

He and Peggy made their way through the line, and she ordered him a steak, informing the cook that they were celebrating. They took their trays, laden with their drinks and utensils, to a table near a window but separate from the other diners. Their conversation was to be for their ears alone it seemed.

A sudden feeling of unease gripped Edwin, though he had trouble pinning a source to it. He looked across the table to Peggy and noticed that her smile was strained, as if she had forced it in place. His smile faded in turn. "What's wrong?" he asked, leaning forward in concern, barely stopping himself from reaching out to her.

Realizing that he'd seen through her attempt, she abandoned the facade of happiness and moisture rimmed her eyes, though she ignored it. "Nothing is wrong," she said. "In fact, everything is going well, better than expected."

"But why—"

"Shh, our food is coming," she interrupted, cautioning him. "Wait."

Edwin took the plate he was offered and Peggy did the same, both silent until the man was gone.

"Now, tell me what's wrong," Edwin prompted gently.

Peggy gazed out the window while deciding what to say, "Edwin, nothing is wrong." She turned back to meet his eyes. "I've taken you as far as I can, that's all."

"What does that mean?" he asked, more firmly than before. "You're obviously upset; it can't be nothing."

"Please, this is difficult and not something we should be discussing here," she said. "Anyway, I need some time before we talk about it. Let's enjoy our steaks, celebrate your achievement and admire the view. We'll talk privately in your rooms later."

Edwin nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. He hated to see Peggy upset like this and didn't know what to do. He forced himself to pick up a fork and began eating, while Peggy stared unseeing at the snow covered landscape, hardly touching her own food.

Edwin ignored the scenery, focusing instead on Peggy, and tried to understand what had gone wrong.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 8-The Downside

Back in Edwin's apartment, Peggy stood at the window, looking towards the monolithic building across the river. Edwin stood to her right, hands clasped comfortably behind his back, allowing his eyes to drop out of focus as he remembered the freedom he'd felt as the eagle, soaring and diving over and through the clouds. Due to the nearly perpetual land hugging clouds enveloping Oresca City and the surrounding landscape, it wasn't difficult to imagine it now, several stories high in the Fort.

Finally, Peggy spoke, "Edwin, don't worry about me. I'm alright. I suppose I just realized just how much I'll miss you."

"Miss me?" Edwin asked. "Am I going somewhere?"

"You could say that."

"Where?"

"To the next phase of your training, of course," she lightly touched his elbow to draw his eyes away from the window before continuing, "your success today has marked you for a higher calling, one to which I cannot follow. I don't know how much longer we have."

"I don't understand; I thought we were in the highest calling, the elite of the elite, the Special Air Corps."

"Yes, well, it is a distinguished service, but the SAC is not a flat organization. There is an inner hierarchy, one not advertised even to those who join its ranks," she clarified.

"Why not?" he shifted to face her.

"The reasons aren't advertised either," she grinned, "but I have some theories, not all of which I can share with you at this time."

He laughed, "Fair enough, so what can you tell me?"

The mood lightened and Peggy continued, "Well, from what I've observed and what information I am authorized to tell you, there are at least two additional Ranks in the SAC, each one more secretive and exclusive than the last. I belong to the First Rank, but I am one of the very few who are entrusted with recruiting for the higher ranks. I personally know of only two people who showed enough promise to even be considered; you are one, the other failed. . ." Her voice trailed off and her eyes took on a faraway look.

After a while, Edwin asked, "Failed, how?"

She stared out of the window, "The other did not master the necessary skills." Then in a softer voice, barely audible, she added, "Or courage."

"But I did master them?" he cocked his head to the side inquisitively, choosing to ignore her last comment. "What made the difference? Was it just lifting the coin?"

"Well, soon you will be officially initiated into the SAC, and shortly after that, I imagine that you'll be quietly enfolded into the Second Rank. If I'm right, you'll then have access to that information and more. Even I do not have the entire picture."

"What I can tell you," she continued, "is that your focus on the training and your exceptional and adaptable mental abilities put you on their radar very early. I was ordered to introduce you to levitation conditioning after your progress was noted by my Commander. You would not normally have been given that challenge at all if you hadn't already satisfied most if not all of their selection criteria."

Edwin thought for a moment, "Why is that ability so important, anyway," he asked with a smirk, "does Rank Two just go about lifting things up and setting them back down?"

Laughing at Edwin's joke, Peggy answered, "I certainly hope not. No, I believe they use the levitation challenge to test for a minimum ability level that can be developed into whatever skill sets they need you to have for Rank Two missions."

"That makes sense, I guess." He leaned his right shoulder against the window and rested his head wearily against the cool glass as he tried to process the new information.

It was more than he had been given in all the time he'd been in training. Understanding that the SAC was clandestine, however, was not enough to banish the feeling that its members did not trust him. Even now, Peggy was not telling him everything, just hints and guesses, really. He believed her when she told him she didn't know the whole story.

"Anyway," she continued, "we still may run into each other now and then."

"Sure," Edwin felt overwhelmed and wasn't feeling very enthusiastic about the whole situation. He thought about his family then, wondering how they were. Did they miss him? He wondered, not for the last time, whether he had made the right decision as homesickness rolled over him like a wave.

Sensing the change in his mood, Peggy laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, giving it a brief squeeze, "Cheer up! You'll love it, I promise."

"If you say so," he shrugged, but smiled anyway.

"I do say so," and she gave him a little punch adding, "Now stop moping and get a good night's sleep." With that, she left him, closing the door softly behind her.

He pulled out the coin and held it in his palm, considering the latest turn his life was taking.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 9-Decisions

Peggy leaned wearily against Edwin's door after leaving him for the night and took a steadying breath before turning down the hallway. It was time to give Commander Talbot his progress report and she was dreading it. The day had already been draining, almost as much as the day she'd lifted the coin just a little over a year ago. Of course she'd been working at it for a year prior to that, and it had only lifted a centimeter above the table. It truly was nothing compared to Edwin's feat. He'd lifted it two feet above the table and only after two months of training, too. It seemed to be a trend for him, everything he did was magic.

It would have been better if she was jealous, but she knew better. She was afraid for him. He was moving too fast, outpacing his understanding of the consequences. People had burned out from doing that, others had lost their minds, little more than children now. In the care of the SAC research lab, they were studied with the hope that a cure could be found, bringing them a chance at a normal life. But the SAC was a young branch of the Air Corps, only a few years old, with much more to learn, and the search for a cure for these fallen few was outweighed by the search for new tech to enhance those who still functioned, those like Edwin and herself, those they could still use. The war with Veracka had made the SAC possible, but it had also set its priorities on the battle and on those who could fight it. She tried not to be bitter, but it was difficult.

Peggy made a final turn and passed two non-descript doorways before stopping at a third. Softly knocking, she carefully checked her hair with her hand and then dried away a tear with her thumb. It wouldn't do to walk into Commander Talbot's office looking a mess. She'd already done enough to damage his faith in her, no need to add that to the tally.

"Come," his muffled voice sounded from within. She opened the door and came in, closing it softly behind her.

"Ah, First Lieutenant Bryce, come to report have you? Have a seat," he smiled slightly and gestured towards one of the two utilitarian chairs in front of his desk.

Taking one of them, Peggy began, "Sir, I have good news. Probationary Recruit Johnson has succeeded. He telekinetically levitated the coin."

"So soon?" he asked.

"Yes, and that's not the least of it," she continued. "He lifted it two feet, and managed to maintain it for nearly seven minutes, dropping it only when I told him to open his eyes and have a look."

Commander Talbot thoughtfully tapped a pen against his temple, then set it down and leaned forward, "That is impressive. We don't usually expect success until well over a year into training, and rarely to that extent until after enhancement."

"I know," she agreed.

"What have you told him?" the commander asked, eyebrows lifting slightly.

"Nothing sensitive," she answered noncommittally.

"Good."

"What's the next step? He was scheduled to complete basic training in a couple of weeks, but he's already mastered everything, even the extra conditioning exercises you ordered. I'm afraid I can't take him any further than he has already come, at least not without help."

"I agree with your assessment, I think it's time to move him to headquarters. Effective tomorrow, his probationary status is ended and he will assume the new rank of Ensign. I expect you to inform him of this and transfer him before noon. I will arrange for the Research Lab to give him his baseline testing tomorrow. At the rate he's going, we may have already missed capturing the most representative readings, but we couldn't really avoid it. Regardless, the readings should suffice."

Peggy grimaced briefly at the memory of her own baseline testing. It had been incredibly boring and uncomfortable. Edwin would not like it, not one bit. Resuming her professional demeanor, she asked, "What of his training?"

Commander Talbot took a moment before answering, "I think it's time to put some of his skills to practical use. Let's give him a week to settle in and celebrate his achievement, and then he will begin basic scout training. Part of that will be advanced weapons and hand-to-hand combat as well as specialized training in camo and flight gear."

"Flight gear. . . So soon?" Peggy replied, surprised.

"Yes, I think so," the Commander confirmed. "I have a feeling he may be able to activate it on his own, without enhancement, and I want to test that theory."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Peggy answered, "Are you sure it's safe? I'm afraid we may have been pushing him too hard; it may be dangerous."

"That's why I will assign a Research Liaison who will closely monitor his health and progress. If he shows signs of Hershall's Malady, he will be returned to a lighter course of study," he assured her.

"That's good to know. I do care about what happens to him."

"I know and that is why I have also decided to send you with him as his dedicated Mentor."

Peggy's eyes brightened, "Really?"

"Yes, you've done exceedingly well in his instruction. Also, he trusts your judgment, which will make it easier for you to encourage him to push himself. I think you are best suited to bring him to his fullest potential. You will have support, of course, with the specialized training," the Commander paused pointedly, "and . . . I expect you to attend the training and missions with him. I haven't given up hope on you yet. You haven't reached your own potential and this may help to change your mind."

Feeling uncomfortable with the line the conversation was taking, Peggy changed the subject, "How much of this can I tell him?"

Commander Talbot grinned, seeing through her attempt at changing the subject and letting it slide, "Have you told him that he is well on his way to Rank Two?"

"No, not exactly, but I did explain that his success today is rare at his level and that he would likely be considered for higher ranks in the SAC," she answered.

A slight frown creasing his brow, the Commander replied, "That may have been too optimistic, considering we haven't seen how he reacts in the field. Besides that, he should not have been told about the upper ranks yet, you must correct this!"

"I apologize, but I am not sure that anything I say can make him forget or disregard the information I've already provided. He's intelligent, after all, or he wouldn't have come this far."

Resigned, he ran a hand through his close cropped hair before continuing, "Alright, we'll handle him differently, then. You may confirm that his name has been submitted to Rank Two for consideration when you inform him of the rest. However," he warned, "you must not reveal anything more about the higher ranks, their missions or about enhancement. I do not want your opinions on the matter to bias him. He needs to be free to make the decision for himself. Can I trust you in this?"

"Yes, you can," she replied soberly.

"Good," he nodded, "you should go get some rest, tomorrow will be a busy day for both of you and you need to be ready for it."

"Thank you," she replied with a grin. She'd basically said the same thing to Edwin before leaving him earlier and the irony was not lost on her. She rose and turned to leave, but the Commander stopped her with her name.

"First Lieutenant Bryce," he waited for her eyes to meet his own, "are you sure you won't reconsider our standing offer?"

"I'm sure."

"Very well, then have a good evening."

"Thank you, sir," she replied before saluting crisply and taking her leave of the room.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 10-Fresh Start

Edwin awoke the next morning to gentle knocking. The room was still dark, but that didn't mean much in the winter. He rolled out of his bed and groggily shuffled to the door to answer it. Peggy was waiting on the other side, clipboard in hand. She was the picture of military bearing. Her uniform was freshly pressed, her hair perfectly styled and make up minimally but artfully applied. If he hadn't known her, Edwin may not have noticed that her eyes were slightly red and her expression strained, as if she hadn't slept well.

"Good morning, Edwin," she greeted him.

"Good morning to you, too," he glanced over his shoulder trying to catch sight of the clock beside his bed. "Am I late for something?"

"No, I'm early." Then strangely formal, she added, "May I come in?"

He stood to the side and gestured for her to enter, "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes . . . please," she replied as she passed him.

He closed the door after her and followed her to the kitchen where she took one of the wooden chairs at the diminutive table. She sat silently, watching him, as he prepared coffee for them both. When he finished, Edwin handed her one of the cups, keeping one for himself, and took the seat across from her. He softly blew across the top of the steaming coffee to cool it as he waited for her to speak. He didn't have long to wait.

Peggy tentatively sipped her coffee, then set it down and began, "I spoke to Commander Talbot last night after I left to report your success with the telekinesis test."

Edwin's eyes widened and his eyebrows climbed up his forehead in surprise. This was new. She had given specific names, one for her mysterious commander, the other for the levitation challenge. Throughout the last two months of training, she had been vague and close mouthed, even as she had introduced him to new tech, weapons and elements of his gift. He hoped this new openness meant that approach was no longer necessary, that he'd finally be trusted by the organization he was devoting himself to.

"And?" he asked.

"And, I have good news to share with you," she said, grinning genuinely. "I have been authorized to provide you with more information than is normally given to recruits at this stage in their careers," she smirked wryly, "although that last bit is mostly because I told you too much last night."

"Are you in trouble for that?" Edwin asked, concerned. "Is that why you couldn't sleep last night?"

She laughed, "Your acute perception never fails to amaze me, Edwin. Yes, I did lose sleep, but not for that."

He nodded; glad to see the sunshine of her normal disposition peeking out again. He could tell that she was being honest with him, too, and he relaxed.

Peggy continued, "Now, where were we?" she paused for a moment, thinking. "Ah yes, first, your probation is over." He smiled at that, as she took another breath, "And you have also been promoted to the rank of Ensign, effective immediately."

"Ensign, I thought I'd be a private or airman, or something like that," Edwin wondered aloud.

She tilted her head, amused, "I already told you that you were marked for greater things, one of those things is a commission."

"I see," he murmured.

"As part of your new rank and standing in the organization, you have been issued quarters at Air Corps headquarters. You will leave all of the gear and uniforms issued during your training here, as new ones befitting your rank will be waiting for you there."

"When do I move?" he inquired.

"Today," she took a breath, and exhaled sharply, "which is one reason I'm here so early. We'll have to get your stuff collected and go soon so we can get you settled in before you're due for your baseline testing."

"Today?" he asked. This was moving fast.

"Yes, this afternoon."

"That's not much time to move. Just where is headquarters? It can't be far," he surmised.

She shook her head, smiling, "It's not." Then she pointed out the window at the cylindrical tower whose outline was just now coming into focus as the sun made its journey skyward, "That is where we are going."

"You mean I've been staring out my window at headquarters this whole time?" he asked, exasperated, as he leaned towards her and indicated the distant tower with his arm.

"Yes."

"How will we get there?" he settled back, taking a deep drink of coffee when he noticed it had grown cold.

"Well, I thought you'd like to get out and maybe take your Magbike. It's been in storage this whole time, but I set it on a charge last night before retiring." She winked, "You know, I have one, too. We'll ride together."

"That sounds great," he laughed, "but you do realize that it's winter, right?"

Chuckling, she continued, "Good, now that that's settled, I have more good news. You know I was worried and upset last night, but apparently, my fears were unnecessary. I've been assigned as your mentor for the foreseeable future and I'll be coming with you."

Edwin could tell she was pleased by this, but now wondered what had kept her up, caused the strain he saw in her eyes. He had assumed it had been her worry about having to turn him over to someone else, as she'd revealed last night, but now he knew it couldn't be that. He realized she was still keeping secrets.

"That's great," he agreed.

"Yes, I thought so, too," she nodded, her eyes shining. "After we get there and settle in, I'll show you around and we'll go over your new schedule. It's time to put your skills to good use and see what you can do with them."

"I thought we were going to go over it now," Edwin said.

"Me too, but the sun is already coming up so we need to get going," then she giggled, "and you need to get dressed."

Edwin's cheeks flushed with embarrassment when he looked down at himself. He'd completely forgotten that he was still dressed for bed, which wasn't much, just boxers and socks.

"All this time, and you didn't say anything!" He jumped up and scrambled to his closet, grabbing the first uniform that came to hand before dashing into the bathroom. Peggy's amused chuckle followed him until the door shut it away.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 11-Encounter

After Edwin had finished dressing, it had only taken him half an hour to pack his travel satchel. As instructed, he left behind all the uniforms, except for the one he was wearing and the jacket. It was winter after all. While he was packing, Peggy had left to gather her own gear and they had arranged to meet outside by the main entrance, where she would bring their Magbikes.

He had been happy to have some time alone, but soon nerves took hold and his stomach began to churn. He belatedly realized that part of that could be due to forgetting to eat, so he popped some bread in the toaster and grabbed an apple to munch on while he waited.

Checking the clock, Edwin realized that he'd have to leave as soon as the toast was done if he was going to meet Peggy on time. Trying to save time, he threw on his jacket and boots, holding the apple in his mouth with his teeth when he needed both hands. When the toast popped out, he took one last bite of the apple, tossed the core in the trash bin and collected the toast to eat on the way down. Fetching his satchel, he opened the door with the hand holding the toast, turning back to take a final look at his room before closing the door behind him for the last time.

The trip down was uneventful, no one paying him any attention as he made his way to the first floor. Finding the orange line, he followed it towards the exit, although he didn't really need it to find his way around anymore. It was just convenient.

When he finally emerged into the bright morning, the sunshine glinting off fresh snow, a brisk wind instantly numbed his fingertips and he shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets. He hoped that his gloves were still with his Magbike in the helmet where he usually left them.

"Name?" a familiar voice sounded. Edwin followed it to its source, finding Sergeant Dean interviewing a new batch of recruits. He couldn't have been at it long, because Edwin hadn't come across anyone along the blue line when the orange one had joined it.

The sergeant glanced up from his clipboard and noticed Edwin standing nearby. Turning to the frightened recruit before him, he ordered him to return to the front of the line and wait to be called forward again, and then turned, grinning, at Edwin, motioning him to join him to one side, out of earshot of the waiting masses.

"So, I see you made it," he said approvingly, as he looked Edwin over, admiring his uniform. "I had a feeling you'd do well. Heading off to the Air Corps headquarters, are you?"

"Yes, I'm just waiting on my First Lieutenant and we'll be heading over there together," Edwin replied, falling silent, unsure how much he could say.

"They've taught you well. Keep that head on your shoulders safe, we need more like you," the Sergeant laughed and clapped him roughly on the shoulder, before turning back towards the recruits. "Well, so long, I've got to get back to my duties."

While waiting, Edwin leaned against the building a few feet away, eyes idly scanning across the waiting men and women. They seemed to come from all over Oresca and from very diverse backgrounds. Most stood with their attention riveted on the Sergeant or on the imposing Fort behind him, but some idly watched each other, fiddled with their hands or nervously fingered talismans. One however, was focused on Edwin, his deep-set eyes shadowed by a heavy brow.

The man's bearing was not nervous at all; in fact, it gave a distinct impression of hostility and overt self-confidence. Edwin noted that his clothing, a dark green tunic and loose trousers, marked him as a mine worker. But well-formed muscles and close cropped hair seemed out of place among the others. Tanned skin, a rarity among miners in general, made it seem unlikely that he'd spent much time out of the sun. All in all, the guy put Edwin on edge.

When the man's gaze finally turned back to the line, Edwin released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Almost instinctively, he drew another and closed his eyes, though not completely, and focused his mind on an image of the man, as he had been taught to do first with tech and most recently with objects. As the vision solidified in his mind, the man's scowling image floated and slowly rotated on a field of red. Strange, Edwin thought.

Slowly, the red background began to dissolve and was replaced by an unfamiliar landscape. Cracked earth baked under a burning sun. Above the desolate wasteland, a distant city materialized, but spirals of dust chased each other across his view, obscuring it from his sight. While wondering where the place could be, he realized that the man had changed. He now wore a light brown, mottled uniform, which blended well with the land, and stood at attention, saluting an unseen counterpart.

Edwin's vision zoomed in on the uniform to a small patch he'd noticed on the man's chest. The patch filled his eyes and the rest of the vision faded to the background. The logo on the patch demanded his attention. A circle of black enclosed a bright yellow triangle with wavy lines radiating out from it, reminding him of heat waves. From within the triangle, a red eye, with dark pupils shaped like a cat's, stared out at him menacingly. It was creepy in the extreme and seemed vaguely familiar, making him feel as though he should recognize it.

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder, breaking the vision, and reality rushed in. The light blinded him and pain stabbed into his consciousness. He retched as his stomach somersaulted, then he collapsed to the ground on his knees, one hand on the dirt, the other clutching his abdomen.

"Edwin," a low voice hissed in his ear, "what did you do? What's wrong?"

Unable to answer, he struggled to breathe, although the chill air felt like daggers when he inhaled. Slowly, the light dimmed and the pain receded. He looked up to find Peggy kneeling beside him, her face a mix of concern and anger. He leaned back, to sit on his legs, fearing to stand just yet, then pulled her closer, urgently whispering, "There's something wrong about that man. I saw something, something I can't explain. We have to stop him."

### ~~~~

### Chapter 12-Cover

Alarmed, Peggy followed the finger Edwin had carefully lifted to point out the man without alerting him. Like everyone else nearby, the man was staring straight at them. It wasn't every day that someone fell over retching and writhing around as if they were dying.

When she'd come around the corner with the Magbikes to see Edwin leaning there, eyes closed. It had been more than obvious that he had been using his gift. She had been furious; he had no business doing that where anyone could see. Hadn't she taught him better? Maybe he wasn't as smart as she'd come to believe. But then, he'd toppled over like a felled tree, clutching his gut and emptying his stomach, and the anger had evaporated into alarm. This couldn't be a good sign. He'd never reacted this way, not even after the telekinetic exercise the day before, one of the most demanding tasks a person could accomplish unenhanced.

Now, she knelt over him protectively, discreetly keeping the green garbed man in sight, and waved over the Sergeant. When he came over and knelt down with her, she said aloud, so that the rest could hear, "Quickly, we need a medic, he's burning up with fever." Then, softly, for his ears alone, she added, "We have a Code Red: the man in green among your fresh recruits."

Nodding with understanding, the Sergeant stood and boomed out, "Everyone, sit where you are and keep silent. We have a very sick man here and the medic will need to be able to see him over the crowd."

Peggy was relieved to see that all the recruits complied, though the man in green scowled as he did so. The Sergeant strode into the building, for a medic as far as everyone else was concerned, and a click sounded behind him. Good man, she thought to herself; he'd locked the door.

Now it was Peggy's turn to act, she whispered softly to Edwin, "Lie down, let's make this believable while he goes for help inside." She was happy to see him nod slightly, he understood.

The green man was looking at them again, making her skin crawl. This was taking too long, if he made a run for it neither she nor Edwin would be able to stop him. She consoled herself with the fact that at least he couldn't make it inside and do damage there.

Finally, another faint click sounded and the door opened. Sergeant Dean emerged, followed by two burly medics with red bands on their arms, denoting their status. If these guys were really medics, she thought to herself, she'd eat her hat. They were enormous.

"You there!" the Sergeant pointed at the green man. "You look strong enough, come and help the medics with the stretcher."

The man complied, not suspecting a thing. He and one of the medics lifted Edwin up and over to the stretcher and then the other medic hooked up a fluid bag to Edwin's arm. "Hold this at your shoulder level and follow along," he instructed the man.

The medics lifted Edwin up and Peggy held the door for the trio as they transported him into the building. When the last one passed her, she quietly shut and locked the door behind her, just in case the man made a run for it.

Suddenly, Edwin started convulsing violently, forcing the medics to lower him to the ground or risk dropping him. The green man was forced to kneel with them due to the short length of tubing connecting the fluid bag to Edwin's arm. Her heart in her throat with worry, Peggy seriously hoped this was part of the show and not really happening.

The medics stood while the man leaned back and turned his head away from Edwin, who had begun to drool and foam at the mouth convincingly. The man looked sick to his stomach at the sight, but while he tried to control his reaction, the two medics had quietly positioned themselves to either side of him, unnoticed. As if choreographed, the first medic calmly took the fluid bag from his hand and laid it down on Edwin's chest, while the other rested a stunner between the man's shoulder blades. "No quick moves," he growled. "You know what this is."

A curt nod confirmed that the man did know.

"Come with us," the second medic continued, "we have a few questions for you." The first medic clasped shackles around the man's wrists and then took one of his arms firmly in hand as they led him away down the corridor.

Peggy looked down to see Edwin sitting and smiling up at her as he calmly detached the fluid tube from his arm with his right hand while wiping his mouth on the sleeve of the same shoulder and said with a grin, "Well, that went well."

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she did a little of both, "We're going to be late you know."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed, "but we can't just go tromping right back out there like nothing happened, at least not until those recruits are gone."

"Agreed, plus we've got to get you checked out before I'll risk you on a bike. I know you weren't faking at the beginning of all this."

"You're right about that," he conceded. "It felt like I was being ripped apart, but I feel fine now, just hungry."

She helped him to his feet as he brushed some of the dirt off of his uniform. "I need you to explain what you did, and what you saw."

He nodded, but cautioned, "I understand, but we can't do it here. Where are they taking him?"

"To the detention cells," she told him.

"We need to go there. They'll need to know why they're holding him," Edwin asserted.

Peggy was struck by his confidence. He had no question or doubt in his mind about what had happened or what needed to be done now. She had a feeling he wouldn't stay an Ensign for long, not after this. Commander Talbot would be ecstatic.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 13-Detention Cells

With Peggy leading the way towards the detention cells, Edwin allowed his mind to return to the puzzles his vision had revealed. He'd come to a revelation while waiting for the 'medics' to arrive. The man in green was a Verackan soldier, a spy. The desolate landscape and city he'd seen were his homeland, the city-state of Veracka. The patch had been the key to the whole thing, a trigger for a long suppressed memory.

Edwin had been only thirteen when the soldiers had raided his family's farm. He remembered the fear in his mother's voice when she'd shaken him awake that night, ordering him to be silent and help her get everyone to safety. His parents had been alerted by the blazing flames that had engulfed first one, then another of the neighboring farms.

He'd done as he was told, he pulling Joe along by the hand, she holding a sleeping Cindy in her arms. His father had stood by with his rifle as they'd filed into the cellar, near the edge of the yard, but when they were all in, he'd done the unexpected and begun to close the door after them, remaining outside. Edwin's brother Joe had struggled against Edwin's arms, trying to get to him, to his father, but to no avail.

Shortly after, they'd heard the report of the rifle firing. Several more shots followed in rapid succession and then no more. Sounds of looting, and of animals being led away filled the night. Joe had stopped fighting and was now huddled near their mother, crying softly, which freed Edwin to peer through a gap in the planks of the cellar door.

Not more than ten feet away, he had seen his father's lifeless body being roughly searched by a man in a mottled brown uniform, the glaring red eye on his chest patch seemed to burn with an unholy light as their home was set ablaze by the others. Biting his fist to keep from crying out, he'd stayed by the door that night, guarding it against anyone who might notice it and decide to investigate. By morning, the fire had consumed the house entirely and burned itself out, and Edwin had long since vowed revenge.

Edwin snapped back to the present when Peggy stopped before a metal door set deeply into the corridor wall. She traced a code into the access pad and the door smoothly slid open for them. He followed as she strode through it into a large room with several steel doors set along the walls to the left and right. On the far wall, another door, labeled Interview Room, stood to the left of a large window that looked into a plain room.

The man in green sat in the room, still shackled, with one of the men who'd captured him standing guard behind him. The other stood outside by the door. Both had shed the red medic bands, the pretense no longer necessary. The man standing guard outside nodded respectfully to Edwin.

Peggy led him further into the room, to the window and gestured towards the man with her left hand, her other on her hip, "Now, what can you tell me about this man?"

Edwin was about to tell her when the door behind them slid open yet again, admitting a tall man with steel grey eyes and black hair flecked with silver. His strength of presence told Edwin that he was an important man, confirmed when Peggy greeted him, "Commander Talbot!"

"First Lieutenant," he returned, as his gaze turned to Edwin. "Ensign Johnson, I presume."

"Yes, sir," Edwin replied, straightening his posture slightly.

"I see you've gotten right to work, only a day in and already catching spies," the commander grinned approvingly.

Edwin nodded towards the man and answered, "I'm not sure about all that, but I do know he's from Veracka." He stopped and waited for the commander to nod before describing what he'd seen in his vision, being careful to include every detail and nuance. As he did so, he glanced over at Peggy and was pleased to note that she seemed impressed.

When Edwin finished his narration, the commander turned to the soldier guarding the door, "Summon a questioning crew, that man is a spy." Then he fixed the guard with a stern look and warned, "Do not repeat a word of this conversation to anyone."

As the guard nodded and left to do as bidden, Peggy said, "So it's confirmed? Ensign Johnson was right?"

The commander nodded, "It is, I verified it myself." Then he turned back to Edwin, "I must admit that I am quite impressed, Ensign Johnson. There aren't many who can delve someone, unenhanced as you are."

Edwin shrugged, "I don't know what I did; I just followed the exercises Peggy—I mean First Lieutenant Bryce—taught me." He blushed at the slip up glancing at Peggy for her reaction. She gave none.

"Nevertheless, you not only uncovered the spy, but also stayed in character when First Lieutenant Bryce gave the cue after your awakening," he paused for emphasis. "Your instincts to maintain our cover were spot on."

He looked to Peggy, "First Lieutenant, the crowds have been cleared. You may see that he is taken to headquarters. I will stay and see to our . . . guest." He met Edwin's eyes once more, "Keep up the good work." Then he dismissed them with a wave as he turned to examine the prisoner through the window.

When Peggy saluted and turned to leave, Edwin followed her lead, feeling drained but relieved that everything had ended well.

"Come, let's get to headquarters. We'll eat when we get there." She looked over at him as they made their way and added, "You did well. Imagine that, delving!" Then she shook her head, grinning broadly, "We're really late now, you know."

"I hadn't noticed."

They both were laughing when they finally reached the door and stepped outside.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 14-The Baseline

Edwin was uncomfortable.

When he and Peggy had finally arrived at SAC Headquarters, they had been met by a woman who identified herself as Doctor Lavern Brinkman, a Research Scientist from the Medical Research ward. Word of Edwin's delving and violent reaction to it had apparently preceded them and she had been waiting to take him to the ward for observation. She had been shocked when they'd arrived on Magbikes, Peggy having given in to him earlier, as though Edwin not only had no business riding, but also no business walking.

Now, what seemed like an eternity later, Edwin found himself strapped onto an exam table, his body peppered with an array of electrodes and sensors beyond count. The table was adjustable and had been set to prop him at a slight incline, nearly a sitting position, but not quite. The angle was awkward, and after several hours unable to move, Edwin had had enough. His normal patience was nearing its breaking point.

If the forced relaxation wasn't bad enough, the hideous concoction they'd given him when he'd admitted to hunger tipped the scales. The only good thing about the curdled grey sludge had been that it had eliminated his hunger quite thoroughly, if not in the traditional way. Still, Doctor Brinkman had stood over him watchfully until he'd downed the entire thing, insisting that if he didn't he would compromise his baseline, whatever that meant. He did understand, however, that compromising the baseline would mean having to start over, so he'd forced it down, working hard to suppress his gag reflex.

He'd caught Peggy staring at it with a disgusted look on her face, and when he caught her eye, she'd given him a sympathetic smile, which had led Edwin to guess that she'd had the stuff before.

At this point, Edwin's only hope was that the testing would be over before dinner. He really didn't think he could manage it again.

"How much longer?" he complained, lifting his head slightly to catch sight of Peggy, who sat stiffly on a wooden bench near the foot of the table.

"Shh," she replied, "you have to stay calm or you'll have to do this again, and I know you don't want that."

Sighing, Edwin leaned his head back down, turning it slightly to the left and allowing his gaze to settle on the busy machine that fastidiously catalogued the output of the electrodes attached to his body. It was the most interesting thing in the otherwise bare room, emitting random buzzes, whirs and beeps with an occasional flash of light for good measure. If he hadn't been warned against doing so earlier, he would have long since explored its inner workings with his gift. Instead, all he could do was passively watch it work and wonder how much longer this would last.

After a while, Doctor Brinkman returned and checked the machine, smiling in satisfaction at what she saw, "Good, it seems you're in the peak of health with no lingering effects from your escapades this morning." Then she turned her grin to him and added, "Plus, we're all done here; you are free to go as soon as I can get all these electrodes off of you."

Relieved, Edwin let out a big breath and beamed back.

Peggy stood and moved nearby so that he could see her without straining, "Thank you, Doctor Brinkman, I'm sure Ensign Johnson is anxious to see his new quarters."

"I imagine so," the Doctor replied, before turning her attention back to Edwin as she vigilantly removed each electrode one at a time, carefully winding them in their wires before replacing them in the waiting carrying case. In an incredibly short period of time considering the number of them, Doctor Brinkman was finished.

Peggy offered her hand to help Edwin up and he gratefully accepted it and said, "Thank you."

"No problem, I've been there before," she laughed. "The first time I got up, I nearly fell because my leg had fallen asleep and I hadn't noticed."

Edwin joined her and turned to Doctor Brinkman, graciously adding, "And, thank you, too. I am glad to know I'm ok. It truly was scary this morning, and I was worried that the awakening had somehow damaged me, although I didn't let on at the time."

Pleased at what was obviously a rare display of gratitude in her line of work, Doctor Brinkman smiled genuinely and grasped Edwin's hands in her own, "You're very welcome." Then she added, "Just be sure to report any more difficulties, and don't worry, the next time we won't hold you nearly as long."

He gave her hands a squeeze and released them. "Will do, though I think next time I'll bring a book," then he grimaced, remembering the sludge, "and a snack."

At that, they all laughed and he followed Peggy out when she waved for him to leave with her.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 15-Headquarters

"Come on," Peggy encouraged as they set out from the exam room, "We have half an hour before the cafeteria serves dinner, just enough time for me to show you to your quarters."

Edwin followed close behind her, but allowed himself to take in his surroundings like a sponge takes in water. The building was incredible. He had expected to find something like he was accustomed to at Fort Oresca, with closed monochromic corridors and utilitarian rooms, but he had been proven wrong. The exam room was on the first level, so they emerged onto a cobbled pathway that made its way through a garden towards the center.

The entire building was set up like a wheel, divided into two distinct complexes that extended up towards the sky. The outer ring, referred to as the external complex by Peggy, housed offices, common areas, living quarters and medical facilities. Along the inside of the external complex, open walkways with ornate metal railings worked into elegant designs encircled the atrium. It was warm inside, so Edwin guessed that the light diffused through skylights somewhere near the top, although he couldn't see them from where he was standing. In the garden and visible along the rising platforms, ramp ways and pathways, healthy green grass, decorative plants, flowers and even trees flourished.

At each new level of the building, the external complex receded from the center just far enough so that the walkway beneath was open to the one above. They looked like giant steps, with the effect that anyone who leaned over the rail to look down would be able to see all those below it, whereas looking up would allow them to bask in the natural light that beamed down from the distant skylights.

Within the atrium, the wheel theme continued, more obvious on the higher levels, as pathways bridged the void between the external and central complexes, linking them and providing a way to the other side without having to traverse the entire outer ring. The central complex was ringed by its own pathways at each level, with each one joined to the next with a gently sloped ramp that gracefully spiraled up along the central complex's outer wall. Both external and central complexes were dotted with windows along the pathways, providing their inhabitants a view of the atrium.

Unlike the external complex, however, the central one grew wider as it climbed higher, the distance between the two increasing slightly with each subsequent level. The overlapping effect was not enough to completely shade the lower levels from the skylights, but the effect was enough to hide them from sight when looking directly up from the ground level.

When he'd asked her about it, Peggy explained that the central complex held the SAC training grounds and housed some of its higher ranking members near the very top. Although she'd never seen it herself, the top ten levels were rumored to envelop a second atrium, one open to the sky and the elements. The area was not only off limits to anyone but its residents, but Peggy explained that it was also impossible for anyone but a very few to even access it. No lifts, stairs, ramps or doorways led into the second atrium from within headquarters and she wasn't able to tell him how those few were able to do so.

After her description, he asked, "Then, how do you know it's there?"

"This is the Special Air Corps, remember? We fly. The inner atrium can be seen from above, but it is too tight to make a safe landing inside, so most of us only hear about it from those who've flown over head."

"You haven't?" he inquired.

"No, not yet," She answered.

Intrigued, Edwin allowed his gaze to return to the lip of the highest level of the central complex frequently, wondering what it would be like and also pondering how he could find out for himself. He had plenty of time to think about it; his quarters were on the tenth level of the external complex.

He was relieved when they finally reached it. Peggy had taken them along the ramps and pathways winding up around the central complex rather than by one of the lifts that traveled up the incline along the external complex's balconies. At first, he had been grateful for the opportunity to stretch weary limbs and warm stiff muscles, but after the fifth level of steady climbing, he'd grown tired of it.

At the steel grey door to his new apartment, number 1023 according to a discreet placard mounted beside it, Edwin followed Peggy inside, finding that it was much larger than the last one. The first thing he noticed coming in was the large kitchen just to the right of the entry way. Like the smaller kitchen in the last apartment, this one was open, no doors separating it from the rest of the rooms, giving it the feel of a larger space. An oak table and matching chairs were snuggled against windows overlooking the atrium, providing a stunning view of the central complex, which resembled a huge stalactite from the higher perspective this level provided.

Gentle light streamed through the windows, revealing oak cabinetry which lined the far wall above a countertop that held a full sized cooking range. Edwin realized that the apartment must be shaped like a keystone, thinner along the inner edge and wider along the outer, a layout that made sense for a cylindrical building.

Having taken in the kitchen, Edwin turned to look behind him at the wall that marched out from the other side of the entryway. There he found long, low bookshelves, which were well stocked with texts covering various subjects, ranging from natural history to modern warfare. One, titled Veracka, Then and Now, caught his eye, and he made a mental note to study that one first.

His eyes followed along the wall, resting on a living area, which sat in a depression a few feet below the level of the surrounding room. Low cast iron railings cordoned it off, and a set of wedge shaped steps made their way down at the central corner of the area, along where the entryway turned off towards the bedroom. A fireplace along the wall down there was a welcome sight.

Edwin continued his inspection in the bedroom, which was bordered by the inner wall of the kitchen and separated from the living area by the railing. Both bedroom and living room overlooked the countryside through a floor to ceiling window that spanned the entire wall. The small bed sat along the window and against the far wall to the left of a door, which Edwin assumed led to the bathroom. A nightstand sat between the bed and the window and held a clock and a potted plant, its heart-shaped leaves leaning into the sunlight as plants often do when left too long to their own devices.

To the right of the door, an armoire stood guard over a cozy reading nook, composed of a small round coffee table closely hugged by two cushioned armchairs, both slightly angled towards the window wall on the other side of the bed. When he entered the bathroom he found that the space had a strange off-center feeling due to the odd angles of the walls.

As he ran a hand along the countertop, he noted that the bathroom was plain. The counter swept from just inside the door to the right, around the far wall, and ended just before reaching the bathtub, which held a dizzying view of the Susseck River as it made its way past Oresca City towards the Northeastern Province. The Fort would be out of sight unless one leaned against the window and looked sharply to the west. A simple sink with a mounted vanity cabinet above it completed the picture.

Edwin was impressed, "Does everyone here have such nice rooms?" he called over to Peggy, who was trying to light a fire and so took a few moments to finish before answering. A spark finally took hold and she carefully fanned the growing embers while introducing more wood and tinder until the flame was well established and no longer needed her attention.

She rose and shook her head, "No, of course not, the unmarried enlisted members of the Air Corps and the lower ranks of the research and support staff who are stationed here live in barracks on the lower levels," she explained. "The barracks are arranged in quads, which branch off of a shared hallway, each with four sleeping chambers and a shared bathroom. Two people are assigned to each of the sleeping chambers."

He nodded, "And those who have families?"

"They usually choose to live in either Oresca City or one of the nearby villages with their families. There are duty barracks they can use when it is necessary for them to stay at headquarters over night or longer."

Joining Peggy in the living room, Edwin plopped down heavily in the arm chair nearest to the window and facing the dancing fire. He took a deep breath and watched as Peggy sat herself on the couch that rested along the low wall on the other side of the steps.

She closed her eyes and wearily leaned her head back. "I could sit here forever," she murmured, before opening her eyes to meet Edwin's with a grin, "but, I'll settle for ten minutes."

"Yeah," Edwin agreed, appreciating her sense of humor, "we wouldn't want to miss dinner."

"I don't know. We could always visit Doctor Brinkman for a quick pick me up if we did," she joked.

They both laughed softly together at that before trailing off into silence. The day had been a rollercoaster of emotions and physically draining as well. They welcomed the opportunity for rest.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 16-A Strange Sight

When Edwin awoke, it was dark except for the few embers which remained from the fire. Blinking to clear his eyes, he noticed that Peggy had curled up on her side and was fast asleep on the couch. So much for ten minutes, he thought to himself.

They had apparently been more worn out than either had realized. Stretching and yawning as he stood up, Edwin tried to be quiet so that he wouldn't disturb Peggy. Carefully, he made his way up the steps and along the railing to the window and followed it to the nightstand by his bed where he remembered seeing a clock. It was three in the morning; there really would be no sense waking Peggy now, better to just let her sleep.

He took a moment to set the alarm so that it would sound at five thirty, which he hoped would give them both enough time to get ready and make it to breakfast. The way his stomach growled and grumbled at him, he knew he wouldn't last through another missed meal. Feeling wide awake now, he decided to check the kitchen on the off chance that there was something in there to eat. It was slow going, but he managed to make it there under the ambient light the moon cast through the windows.

He was disappointed to find that the refrigerator was empty, although he guessed he should be happy that it was also clean. So, he checked the cabinets, one at a time. No luck there either, he slouched dejectedly into one of the kitchen chairs and gazed out into the atrium. Red tinted streetlamps were regularly spaced along the residential walkways, while brighter yellow lamps dotted the park that ringed the central complex on the first level. Edwin supposed that the red lamps provided just enough light to safely travel the paths without glaring into the apartments that lined them.

The central complex itself was dotted sporadically with lights, which shown from windows, those highest up seeming to glimmer like stars from his perspective. He wondered if those rooms were occupied by very late or very early workers, or if they were simply left on at all hours. He shrugged slightly to himself; it didn't matter to him one way or the other. The overall sight was beautiful and eerie, all at once, and he allowed his eyes to wander up along the surface of the mysterious indoor building as far as he could see.

Abruptly, he sat forward pressing his cheek close to the window, trying to see higher. Something had caught his eye, something large. Whatever it was flew and swooped through the air near the top of the atrium, occasionally passing in front of one of the illuminated windows, darkening it with its passage. He watched carefully for several minutes, trying to sight the elusive flyer, hoping to be looking in the right place and the right time, but to no avail. Whatever it had been, it was gone now. Even after he realized this, he found himself throwing quick, nervous glances out the window as he sat in the near darkness, hungry and tired, but too wound up to go back to sleep.

Eventually, he made his way to the bed, lying down on top of the blankets fully clothed where he stared blankly up at the shadows cast along the far wall by the moonlight. When he finally did fall asleep, it seemed only an instant before the alarm sounded, followed by Peggy's cry of dismay when she realized they'd slept through the night. Resignedly, Edwin rolled up and out of the bed onto his feet, feeling worse than when he'd woken up earlier that night. Sometimes it worked that way.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Peggy accused, noticing that he was rising from the bed and not the chair she'd last seen him in.

"It was too late to bother, really," he answered apologetically, running his hand roughly through his hair. It was still dark outside, although the sky was leaning towards the deep blue of predawn rather than the ebony of full night.

"Well, at least you set the alarm," she shook her head, "but I've got to get to my quarters and change before we head out to breakfast."

"I thought so," Edwin agreed, "that's why I set it so early."

Appeased, Peggy nodded then gestured towards the armoire, "You should pick out one of the blue uniforms with the slacks and button up shirts while I'm gone, but don't take too long. I'll be back before you know it and I expect you to be ready."

"Ok," he answered.

Then she turned and left, closing the front door softly behind her. Edwin turned to the armoire and opened it, finding several sets of uniforms, two of each kind, hanging neatly within it. One set was white and looked like the shirt was paired with white knee length shorts; he grimaced as he brushed that one aside. The next was a pair of coveralls, a dark grey color, mottled with amorphous blobs in various shades; it looked like someone could disappear into the night in it. He noticed a strange raised area on the shoulder of the coveralls and felt it carefully between his thumb and forefinger. It felt like a small circuit board had been sewn into it. Strange, he thought, I wonder what that's for.

Continuing his perusal, Edwin looked to the third set of uniforms, which turned out to be a light blue version of the dark coveralls. On a hunch, he touched the shoulder and wasn't surprised to find another circuit board. This one, however, had strips of circuits and wires running all the way down the sleeve, and it was made of a much heavier, padded fabric that seemed like it would be incredibly warm.

He moved on to the forth set of uniforms, finding a dark blue set of coveralls, much like the maroon ones he still wore from basic training. No circuits or camouflaged shapes marred its surface; it seemed it was just a regular pair of coveralls. Passing it by, he came to the final set of uniforms, the one Peggy had described before leaving. He selected one of the pair and laid it out on the bed, leaving it there when he decided to take a quick shower before dressing.

During the shower, the sky began to slowly brighten, revealing the city of Oresca, which seemed to shimmer and float above a swirling blanket of fog. He wondered what it was like there; his life had been a whirlwind from the day he'd arrived at the fort and he'd never had a chance to explore the countryside or visit the city that gave his country its name.

Quickly drying himself with a towel he'd found under the sink, Edwin finished up and returned to the bedroom to dress. Peggy's signature knock sounded lightly at the door just as he was fastening the last of the buttons on his shirt. Grinning at her good timing, he called out, "Come in, I'm nearly ready."

He heard the door open and shut, followed by the sound of her footsteps and one of the kitchen chairs being pulled back.

"I'll wait for you here, but don't take too long or there'll be a line," She cautioned.

He rounded the corner into the kitchen, grinning with amusement at her tone of voice. She'd rarely shown impatience, but having missed a meal and probably sore from sleeping on the couch, today was an exception. Edwin enjoyed the reaction, however, because he thought she looked cute with her nose all wrinkled up and her red lips pursed. He kept that to himself, of course.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, standing as he entered. "We've got to be going. I'm starving!"

He silently agreed and followed her out to the balcony. She wasted no time, setting off immediately to the left, towards the nearest lift. When they reached it, she drew a glyph on the control panel and they watched as the lift carriage approached from above. When it arrived, Peggy unlatched the entry gate and led him inside, closing it securely behind them before activating the machine that would take them down to the base level.

"Don't want to take the ramp again I take it," Edwin observed dryly, earning a grimace from Peggy before she returned her gaze to their destination, which they were approaching rapidly.

After a short time, they finally reached the ground level and Edwin followed her out as she led him to the cafeteria. It was much larger than the one at Fort Oresca, the ceiling double the height and the room reaching all the way to the outer wall and a generous pace to either side of him from where they entered. Unlike the fort, the room was colorfully decorated and furnished with booths filling the majority of the space and high tables lined with padded stools hugging the walls. Brightly lit from within, the cafeteria had no windows; none of the first five floors did, but he still found the place homey and welcoming.

Edwin wondered whether the headquarters building hadn't been designed for something else, a tourist resort or the like. So far the only place that had resembled a military institution had been the medical ward. He remembered Peggy mentioning that the SAC was young, so he imagined that he could be right. There would have been no way to build such a building in so short a time. They must have taken it over.

Turning his attention back to the task at hand, Edwin noted that they hadn't completely beaten the line, but was happy to see that they'd done well enough to make it through with only a short wait. Both he and Peggy piled their trays high with fruit and bread and did the same to their plates with eggs and sausages. Ravenous, Edwin couldn't help himself. They took their trays to a nearby booth, not really caring where they sat, only that they could do so quickly and get to eating, which they fell to right away, diligently devouring their way through their separate piles.

Finally, with only a few bites left on her plate, Peggy sat back and moaned, "I'm going to regret that later."

Edwin chuckled and finished off his last sausage before replying, "You'll be fine." Then he added, "What do we have on our schedule today?"

"Nothing," she replied, returning a smile, "Commander Talbot has given us a week of leave before your training resumes."

"Leave?" he asked.

"Yes, it's like a vacation," she explained. "You can use the time to settle in here or to visit your family. It may be a while before you get another, so don't waste it."

He grinned, "That sounds great!"

"Yes, it does," she agreed. "The only catch is that you'll have to take me along. I've been ordered to accompany you until told otherwise."

"Fine with me," he laughed. "You can show me around here and maybe even the City."

"Sure, but I thought you'd want to visit family first."

Awkwardly, Edwin looked down at his hands before responding, "Not especially . . . I'm afraid of what their reaction might be at seeing me."

"And why would that be?" Peggy asked as her brow rose inquisitively, although he wasn't looking to see it.

"Well, I sort of left at night and didn't tell them I was going to be leaving," he answered feeling ashamed in retrospect. It had been awhile since he'd thought of that night, and he had mixed feelings. "My brother caught me leaving and pretty much told me not to come back. He was furious."

"Edwin, we all do things we aren't proud of, but you can't let that get between you and your family," she advised. "I think you should visit. Let them know you're ok and give them a chance. They might surprise you. Remember, I'll be there, so you won't have to face it alone."

Gratefully, Edwin met her eyes and nodded, "Alright, but it will take a lot of time traveling, probably four or five days, total."

"That's fine, we have time." Then she added, "So I guess that means we'd better get settled in today so we can leave tomorrow."

He agreed. It made sense to visit early, that way if the journey took longer than expected, or if he wanted an extra day at the farm, they'd still make it back on time.

"Let's start with the commissary," Peggy suggested. "We should buy some food and other supplies for our quarters and for the journey."

"I don't have much money left," Edwin replied. "I have a few coins, but not enough to fill my cupboards or my travel pack, I'm afraid."

She laughed, "Of course, I forgot to tell you. When you joined, the SAC created a spending account for you." Then she cocked her head to the side and asked, "You didn't think you were serving for free, did you?"

He nodded, feeling foolish, "I guess I didn't think about it. After all, I didn't really have to buy anything at the Fort, not even food. I thought it would be the same here, at least until just now."

"I see. Well, no worries . . . I'll help you pick up some cash and show you how to charge your expenses to your account at the commissary," she assured him. "Come, let's get going. We have a lot to do before we can leave."

### ~~~~

### Chapter 17-Home Again

Their Magbikes speeding down the country road were neck and neck. Edwin swiped his thumb across the accelerator pad to speed ahead, but his lead was short lived when Peggy shot by him yet again, her laughter cut off by the fierce wind of her passage. Edwin had never had so much fun. He punched it again, but, instead of passing, pulled up alongside her and motioned for her to stop.

With a slight nod, she decelerated with him, pulling off to the side of the road. They came to a stop under a stand of pine trees, which would have cast them in shadow if it weren't for the harsh reflection of sunlight off of snow. Peggy pulled her helmet off and away from her head, her golden curls free from their restraints tousled about her face wildly.

"Why are we stopping?" she asked, with her free hand on her hip, the other still holding her helmet. "Could it be that you're ready to admit defeat?"

Laughing, Edwin removed his own helmet before answering, "Not quite. Actually, we're getting close and I didn't want you to pass it."

"Fair enough," she chortled back, "how much farther?"

"Just past that pair of hills and around the bend," he pointed. "It's on the left."

"I'll meet you there," she donned her helmet and tightened the strap across her chin. "Catch me if you can!" And she was off again.

Edwin hurried to follow, exasperated. She had to be the most competitive person he'd ever met, and he hadn't even known it before this trip. He recklessly swiped his thumb to speed after her, but even so, he didn't make it to the farm before she did, and to add to the pain of defeat, she'd even had time to disembark, hang her helmet and straighten her hair before he finally rolled into the yard next to her.

Delighted, she chuckled as he dismounted his own bike in mock dejection, saying, "Now, I admit defeat."

"You have promise," she consoled lightly. "You're just facing a master." He stuck his tongue out at her and then joined in with her laughter.

"Edwin?!" a surprised voice sounded from the house. "Edwin, is that you?"

"Mom!" he grinned and sprinted to meet her halfway, picking her up in a hug and twirling her around before lightly setting her back down. "I've missed you."

He grinned as another, lighter voice, screeched his name, "Edwin, you're back!" This time, he waited as the bundle of energy that was his sister, Cindy, bounded towards him and leaped into his arms where she hugged him fiercely. "What happened, Edwin? Did you really join the Army, like Joe said?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, how did it go?" his mother asked, smiling although tears welled in her eyes, which flicked over his shoulder when she noticed Peggy standing behind him, "And who is this?"

"This is my friend, First Lieutenant Peggy Bryce," he introduced and then gestured towards his mother, "and this is my mother, Adele."

Peggy nodded politely towards his mother saying, "Pleased to meet you," but Adele scrutinized Peggy as if sizing her up.

"First Lieutenant?" Then she cocked her head to the side and returned her gaze to Edwin, "Friends aren't usually introduced with titles. What is your relationship?"

Uncomfortably, Edwin shrugged and added, "She's my mentor and commanding officer, too."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense then," his mother nodded to herself. "Anyway, welcome, First Lieutenant." And she finally reached for Peggy's hand, giving it a firm shake.

"Likewise," Peggy replied, not sure how to react to Adele's direct manner.

"Well, come on inside." his mother invited, still gripping Peggy's hand as she pulled her along with her toward the house.

Edwin called after them, "I'm going to take care of the bikes, and then I'll be right in." He knew that he'd be lucky if Peggy didn't decide to get him back for abandoning her to his mother, but he was feeling overwhelmed and needed the excuse for a delay.

He rolled the two Magbikes along with him to the barn where he'd put them on a charge. It wasn't difficult to roll them along at the same time due to their wide tires and inherently balanced frames. Plus, they were light, made of aluminum and fiberglass for the most part; the heaviest components were the tires themselves.

The Magbikes taken care of, Edwin glanced over at the light duster parked in the far corner of the barn, noticing an open tool box laying on the ground near one of its access panels. He shook his head. That thing was always breaking down, and Edwin had always been the one to fix it, his gift with mechanical and electrical things making the job easy for him. Now, he reasoned, Joe would be the one trying to fix the cantankerous contraption, but without Edwin's previously unknown advantage, it would probably take him forever.

Not yet ready to talk to his mother at length, Edwin decided to take a look at the duster himself. Since basic training and all the practice he'd gotten in the gadget room, he knew he could probably have it running quicker than ever before.

Edwin came up to the tiny aircraft and rested his hand on its side, allowing his eyes to unfocus as they lingered on the components. Rapidly, the vision took over and zeroed in on a nut on the far right, which began to unscrew in response, followed by another and another until the panel opened and its cover and the nuts floated down to rest on the ground. Within the opening, he found a circuit board, which he imagined was the problem. It filled his sight, the vision expanding and shifting as he sought an anomaly. Finally, his eyes found a spot where a circuit had shorted, and he carefully, slowly began to withdraw from the vision, hoping that the awakening would be mild this time.

He slowed his breath by half and allowed his view to zoom out one step at time, effectively backtracking through the vision. Edwin wasn't sure that this would work as he hoped, but he had given it some thought and came up with the idea that reversing the vision in stages rather than dropping it all at once might minimize or even eliminate the effects of the awakening.

After a few more moments of carefully and steadily breathing in and breathing out, he found himself fully removed from the vision and, while the chill in the air seemed to bite a little deeper and the sounds of the horses rustling in their stalls seemed magnified as well, neither was painfully so. His theory seemed to be correct.

Edwin glanced down at his feet and was surprised to see the panel and nuts laying there. He'd done more than visualize; he'd done more than levitate a coin. What he'd done was manipulate the objects as if his mind were a physical presence. Suddenly feeling disoriented, he sat heavily on the ground, folding his legs in front of him and cupping his head in his hands.

"What did I just see?" a disbelieving voice whispered harshly from the direction of the barn door. Edwin's head swiveled toward it in shock, and he found Joe standing stock still, staring at him with a mixture of fear and awe.

"I . . . I didn't notice you come in," Edwin said, avoiding the question. "I'm only here for a little while on leave and noticed the duster out of commission—figured I'd give the repair a shot."

"Is that all?" Joe asked incredulously. "You have nothing to say about the access panel glowing and flying off of the duster, all on its own? Nothing to say about the way it slowly dropped down to your feet?"

"Yes, well, I didn't notice that happening," Edwin retorted. "I don't have anything to say about it because I don't know what you're talking about."

Joe belligerently shot back, "That's a load of dung. I saw what I saw and I know you were doing it!"

Edwin shrugged nonchalantly, "Whatever you say, but I think you've been working too hard or something."

Bug-eyed and clearly holding back a tirade with a very tenuous grasp, Joe just stood there, fists clenched, glaring back at Edwin.

This was not the reunion he'd hoped for; if anything, Joe was even angrier with him now than he had been the night Edwin had left. He knew Joe had good reason to be angry, after all, Edwin had just blatantly lied to his face, at the same time insinuating that he'd been seeing things that weren't there. Edwin also realized that quoting overwork as the cause of the hallucination was cruelly ironic, since it would have been his own leaving that made the overwork necessary.

Feeling suddenly ashamed of himself, Edwin tried to make amends, "Look, I'm sorry, you're right about what you saw. I lied because it's supposed to be secret, and I sort of panicked." He took a deep breath before adding, "Will you please forgive me?"

"I've already told you I won't," Joe replied coldly, "but thank you for admitting the lie. I'll keep your secret, as your brother, but don't expect anything more."

"Thank you, Joe," Edwin responded soberly. Joe was a good person, but Edwin was sad to see how bitter he'd become. "My First Lieutenant is at the house with mom. She will know whether I can tell you anything more."

"Don't worry about it; I really don't want to know," Joe said. "My only question for you now is did you find the problem with the duster? I've been working on it for a week now without progress."

"Yeah, come over here and I'll show you," Edwin offered, pointing out the problematic circuit. Joe removed it so that he could make the repair. As he left for the workbench at the other end of the barn, he mumbled a thank you, leaving Edwin standing alone by the duster feeling frustrated and ashamed all at once. Edwin had a feeling that a permanent rift had opened between him and his brother, and he didn't know what, if anything, he could do about it. It was hard when someone you loved wiped their hands of you.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 18-Inside

Peggy sat up straight on the edge of the couch with her knees together and ankles crossed, very ladylike. It was a pose she rarely adopted because she only used it when she felt insecure. Times like this when faced with someone supremely self-confident to the point that she felt her own confidence waning. The less secure she felt, the straighter her posture.

Peggy could see where some of Edwin's assertiveness and honesty came from in his mother's bearing, but somehow they seemed natural and disarming from him. His mother on the other hand, while kind and open with a warm smile, formed her own opinions and stuck to them, and one of those opinions was that Peggy would make a better match for her son than a mentor. She hadn't stopped calling his praises since they'd left Edwin's earshot, frequently peppering her with comments like "you're such a nice young lady" and "you'd be so good for my Edwin."

It was embarrassing and Peggy was doing her best to brush aside the deluge of matchmaking comments while maintaining her composure. It wouldn't do to blush just now; it would only fan the fire. Several times, she stopped just short of informing Adele that the only reason she came along with Edwin was that she'd been ordered not to let him out of her sight. She wisely resisted the impulse, though it cost her dearly.

She didn't want to hurt Adele's feelings, and she didn't want hasty words getting between herself and Edwin. Their relationship was important to her, both professionally and personally. Professionally, the bond of trust and camaraderie they'd formed would ensure that they could depend on each other in the field. One day, it could mean the difference between life and death.

Personally, Peggy found herself thinking of Edwin as her best friend. A tomboy all her life, she'd never really been able to form close bonds with other girls, but neither did the boys want a girl tagging along on their adventures. So she'd often found herself alone, hiking in the woods, riding her Magbike, or even hunting, all solitary endeavors that didn't require the approval or presence of others. Edwin, however, liked the same sorts of things she did, and enjoyed discussing them with her at length. He never judged her or found fault with her for her unique viewpoints, and perhaps best of all, he made her laugh, which was another thing she'd rarely had cause to do growing up. However, Edwin's mother was incorrect in assuming that Peggy would throw away her life and career just to make her son a nice little wife. She was her own person and it would stay that way.

Just as his mother was starting in on Peggy again about what a great catch her son was, Edwin finally strolled in. It was about time, Peggy thought irritably, he could have cared for ten Magbikes in the time he'd been out there.

She was only slightly pacified when she realized that he'd caught the gist of the conversation his mother had orchestrated. His face reddened noticeably, and he looked back over his shoulder briefly, as if he wished he could escape again.

"You simply must stay the night."

"What?" Peggy asked. She'd stopped listening when Edwin entered.

"I said you simply must stay the night," Adele repeated with a sincere smile. "It's getting late and I know how fast Edwin likes to drive his bike. I'd like it if you two stayed."

Staying was the last thing Peggy wanted to do at this point, especially with the way the first twenty minutes had gone. She imagined it would only get worse.

As Peggy opened her mouth to say 'no thank you,' Edwin beat her to it, "Of course, but we can only stay for a few hours of sleep. We need to be off well before dawn or we won't make it back to headquarters on time."

His mother smiled widely, obviously planning to take advantage of the extra time, "Excellent, then you'll definitely be staying for dinner." She turned to Peggy and sweetly added, "Peggy dear," she'd stopped calling her First Lieutenant early in the conversation, "why don't you come and help me with dinner so we can finish our chat?"

Peggy smiled resignedly in return and stood reluctantly before responding, "Of course, lead the way."

As she followed Adele through the door to the kitchen, Peggy glanced back and caught Edwin chuckling silently at her plight. Catching his eye, she mouthed back, "Just you wait!" then turned back to face her fate.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 19-Journey's End

The trip back to headquarters was quiet. Neither Edwin nor Peggy had much to say about the visit to his farm. Edwin had a suspicion that Peggy was still embarrassed, but it could be hard to tell with her. She had been all business since they'd rolled out of the yard, telling him in no uncertain terms that they needed to push it or they'd be late back. She also made it clear that that would be incredibly bad.

Instead of playful racing, they rode together almost seeming to fly over the pavement. When the sun fell on the first day, they stopped for the night, and Edwin smiled at the sight of the Looney Badger when they pulled into the tiny town. Mistress Maya would probably remember him, and this time he'd be able to take her up on the meal.

He and Peggy hooked up their Magbikes to the charge ports in back and entered the small inn from the rear door. Edwin led the way to the front room where he remembered finding the innkeeper before. He caught sight of her chatting with a man who stood with her at the counter, their conversation revolving around the weather and their hopes for an early spring. Mistress Maya looked over at them, noticing Peggy first before her eyes fell upon Edwin and recognition filled them.

"Well, well. . ." she beamed as she bustled out from behind the counter to greet them. "You two look like you've been traveling hard. And you—I remember you from before," She winked. "My, my, you work fast, already bringing home a pretty girl to meet your mother."

Edwin glanced quickly to Peggy to gauge her reaction to the comment before nervously replying, "Not exactly, ma'am. I mean, not that she isn't pretty, and I guess she did meet my mother, but um. . ."

Peggy took over, "Actually, you're right. We have been to visit his mother," then she smiled, "but I'm afraid you've jumped to a conclusion."

Nodding and winking again conspiratorially, Mistress Maya didn't seem convinced, "Sure I have, well if that's the story, that's the story. Now, what can I do for you two tonight?"

Peggy answered before Edwin had a chance to open his mouth, "Two rooms and dinner, plus the charge for our bikes." Edwin groaned inside, this whole episode only served to push Peggy further into her armor. He was beginning to think the whole trip had been a bad idea.

He was anxious to talk to Peggy about the incident with the light duster and his discovery, backtracking, but the way things were going, he'd be lucky if she'd even acknowledge his presence at this point.

Sighing, Edwin nodded his agreement to Peggy's requests and resignedly followed her and Mistress Maya to the two rooms they would rent for the night, which were across the hall from each other. Remembering the view he'd enjoyed during his last stay here, Edwin encouraged Peggy to choose the room facing the Susseck River, hoping the sight would improve her mood.

Shrugging, she took his advice and dropped off her travel gear and outerwear in the suggested room, while Edwin did the same across the hall. Then they returned downstairs for dinner, which was eaten under a blanket of awkward silence, neither of them really wanting to look at the other. Peggy finished first, immediately standing and excusing herself, and before Edwin could say a word to stop her, she was already making her way down the hallway towards the stairs.

Disconsolately, Edwin took only a few more bites before he too pushed his plate back and rose to follow. Mistress Maya noticed him leaving and began to approach, but he was in no mood to chat so he dodged past her with a fleeting good night, leaving her to shake her head in confusion in his wake.

At Peggy's door, Edwin raised his hand to knock, but changed his mind. He really didn't know what to say to make her feel better. Turning back towards his own room, Edwin decided to wait until they got back to headquarters. If she was still distant then, he'd say something.

Of course, he was hoping that she'd snap out of it on her own. After all, it wasn't his fault that everyone immediately thought they were together. Sighing as he readied himself for bed, Edwin wished yet again that they hadn't made the trip.

It was late evening on the second day of the journey back when Edwin finally spied headquarters rising along the distant horizon. Peggy seemed in a much better mood today, although still not quite back to normal.

Their Magbikes had eaten up the miles, although the open plains and farms on this leg of the journey had made their progress seem slower than before. Edwin was stiff and tired from nearly four straight days riding, even though they had stopped once each way and, of course, stayed overnight at the farm. All he could think of now was taking a long, hot shower and sleeping a full night without having to face another monotonous ride upon waking. There had been no racing or playful competition on the way back; he may as well have been riding alone.

Edwin followed Peggy into the parking complex adjacent to the towering headquarters building and hooked his bike to the charge port next to hers, leaving his helmet hanging on its rear end. Peggy stretched deeply, taking a breath and holding it as she arched her back, then releasing it when she finally straightened. "That hits the spot," she said. "I feel like I haven't moved in ages."

Edwin agreed silently, glad to be back.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 20-Camo Training

Edwin tried again, without success, to activate the camo field. Others in the room seemed to have no difficulty blending with various degrees of accuracy into the background. It was disorienting to look around and see disembodied heads floating around him. Even Peggy had managed to make her camo gear shimmer and blend roughly to match the wall behind her.

"Don't worry," she whispered encouragingly. "It gets easier with practice."

Edwin gave a short nod and tried to regain his concentration. His instructions had been simple, focus on the circuits embedded in the suit and activate them. He wasn't being asked to blend like the others had been, it being his first attempt, just to activate the camo circuits. They were designed to generate a field around the wearer, which could then be manipulated by his or her gift to take on a different appearance.

Each person in the room seemed to take the activity in a unique direction. Some, like Peggy, merely tried to blend into something behind them, leaving a vague outline where the field ended. Others used the field to change the colors or characteristics of their outfits, which Edwin supposed was a blending of a different kind. One man seemed to be dressed in a Verackan uniform, another in simple tunic and pants, like a farmer would wear. Each application of the camo field revealed something of the user's skill level and abilities, ranging from subtle color variations that loosely mimicked a background or outfit on one to detailed stitch work and shadowing on another.

Edwin guessed it also had something to do with each person's creativity. Someone who imagined a plain outfit without putting some thought into the things that would make it convincing might be able to blend into a crowd at night, but in the light of day, they would find eyes drawn to them as people tried to determine what they found odd about the man or woman in their midst. Edwin had been told that Rank One operatives, like himself, would be assigned to missions suited to their skills, and at this rate, he'd probably be left behind to run errands until he was old and gray. He couldn't even get the field to activate, let alone use it to create even a mediocre disguise.

Realizing that he'd yet again lost his focus while watching the others work, Edwin decided to try something different. He reached into his pocket, retrieving a coin, the same one he'd often used to practice in private. Holding it loosely in his fist, he ran his thumb along its edge and then across the image of the eagle holding the holly in its talons. Closing his eyes, Edwin pictured the fierce bird in his mind, imagining it flying through the room, a tiny silver figure flashing under the fluorescent lights, speeding among the practicing students.

In his mind, the eagle finally came to rest on his shoulder, ruffling its feathers and extending its wings as it settled into a comfortable perch. Fully immersed in the vision, Edwin turned his attention to his surroundings, allowing himself to see them as if looking through the superior eyes of the eagle.

He noticed the walls, color and texture, the furniture, sparse and pushed up against the walls, and the people, in various stages of transformation. Every stitch, every shadow, all were meticulously catalogued by the eagle's keen eye. Edwin imagined the glowing nimbus of the camo field cloaking him from head to toe, his skin tingling as it shimmered and settled around his body. When he was completely enveloped, he felt the field shift and morph, taking on the characteristics of his surroundings. Slowly, Edwin retreated slightly from the vision, leaving the eagle perched on his shoulder funneling its observations into the vision, which faintly superimposed itself over reality when he finally opened his eyes.

No one was looking his way, but then, they hadn't been looking before either, so that didn't mean anything. Maintaining the ghostly vision and feeling as though he was watching the world through a fog, he realized that it would be difficult to test his work on others, so he turned to find Peggy. Her camo field had fallen away and she glared around as if searching for something that had gone missing. Edwin realized that she probably thought he had snuck out without telling her. Grinning to himself, Edwin realized that she couldn't see him at all. Approaching her quietly, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Looking for me?"

Shock rolled over her features as she turned towards his voice only to find nothing there, "Edwin?" she whispered back.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Where are you?"

"Here," and he touched her shoulder lightly to confirm his presence. "I guess this means I got it to work," He joked.

She stared down to where his hand should have been and reached up with her own to grasp it, "How are you doing this?"

"Shh, later," he answered, leaving his hand in hers. "I need to concentrate now or this will be extremely painful." Then he closed his eyes and focused on separating his consciousness from that of the eagle, effectively reclaiming the piece of his mind that he'd lent it. Finally, the tiny creature faded away and with its exit, the camo field dissolved.

Edwin opened his eyes to the sound of gasps, as those who happened to be looking in his direction saw him materialize out of nowhere. The illusion had been both complete and perfect; neither was expected. Even the most skillful operatives in the room had been at it for years, and their best could not begin to compare with what he had just done.

"How did you do that?" a man asked, staggering as his own camo field faded and the awakening hit him.

"I used a focus," Edwin replied, holding up the coin, "see?"

"Sure, but how did you extend the field beyond the suit?" the man pressed.

Edwin shrugged, "Honestly, I can't explain it."

The man looked as though he wanted to say more.

"Enough," Peggy stepped in, "Edwin, we're leaving." Then she turned back to the man who had spoken, "You know the protocol, as do the rest of you." She included the others present with a wave of her hand.

Only when she pulled both down and began to lead him out of the room did Edwin realize that her hand was still gripping his own where it had rested on her shoulder. He followed quietly, although he burned with excitement as well as questions.

They were on the tenth level of the central complex, conveniently the same one as Edwin's apartment, but Peggy was not leading him there. Instead, she took them out to the ramps and pathways that led to the first level. When Edwin finally realized that she was taking him towards the medical ward, he stopped cold, drawing her to a stop with him. Exasperated, she turned back to him, her free hand in a fist on her hip.

"Why are we going to the med ward?" he challenged.

"Why do you think?" she shot back. "After the stunt you pulled, I'm surprised you're still on your feet, let alone conscious. You need to be assessed. What you've done is impossible, you know, I've never seen anyone do that. This whole situation is beyond me." She tugged on his hand trying to get him moving again.

"Wait, can't we stop for a bite to eat first?" he pled with her. "I'm ravenous."

"No, you may have done yourself damage. We can't afford to delay." She finally managed to pull him back into motion when Edwin reluctantly allowed her to lead him on towards the ward. When they arrived, he found that yet again, they were expected.

"Back again?" Doctor Brinkman intoned. "Come along, let's get you checked out." Nervously, Edwin nodded, hoping that this wasn't going to be a repeat of the last time he'd been down here.

In the exam room, the Doctor motioned for Edwin to sit on the exam table then began the task of checking his vital, as well as some not so vital, attributes. She peered into his eyes, blinding him with a tiny light. She checked his reflexes and then asked him to open his mouth, peering into it intently when he complied. Pulse and blood pressure were next, followed by a brief listen to his lungs and heart. Putting away her equipment, Doctor Brinkman pronounced, "He's the picture of health."

But Peggy pressed, "He shouldn't be; you know what happened the last time."

"That may be, but this time, as then, he has suffered no injury." The doctor turned her attention back to Edwin and addressed him, "However, your First Lieutenant is correct, your actions and your lack of apparent reaction to them require an explanation. Additional tests are needed. . ."

Two hours and several unpleasant tests later, Edwin was released from the medical ward with orders to rest in his quarters for the remainder of the day.

He took a lift instead of the ramps, feeling drained. The doctor had once more hooked him up to the machine, the one with all those electrodes, and had asked him to activate the camo field again. He had disappointed both her and himself, when he had failed to repeat the feat. Edwin wasn't sure whether the failure stemmed from the distraction of her scrutiny or from the possibility that he may have reached his limit for the day.

When Edwin finally reached his apartment, he found that somebody was already there, waiting for him inside.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 21-Secrets

"Ah, Ensign Johnson, it seems that you've had another busy day."

Edwin came to an abrupt halt and saluted Commander Talbot, who stood before the fireplace warming his hands.

"Yes, sir," Edwin answered.

"Come in and have a seat down here; these are, after all, your quarters," the Commander indicated a seat in the living room. "We need to talk."

Giving a respectful nod, Edwin did as he was asked, positioning himself on the armchair near the window. The commander chose to remain standing, and a few minutes passed before he resumed, "You continue to surprise us, Ensign Johnson. Not only do you show great promise, but you deliver on that promise, time after time. You've probably recognized that your progress is not typical?"

"Yes, sir," Edwin replied, "I began to suspect that some time ago."

The Commander nodded and continued, "This quality of perception, with which you abound, is another characteristic that impresses me. Catching the spy, for example, was a brilliant maneuver." He paused for effect, "Not only did you notice that he was out of place, but you instinctively and successfully applied a delving, a skill for which you were not trained and one which a novice should not be able to perform. I should like to tell you that before we spoke that day, I had performed my own delving, confirming your results." Edwin was surprised to hear this, but the Commander continued without pause, "The images you described were similar to those I experienced, but the clarity with which you described them impressed me. That you seemed to experience the vision as though there, in person, is not typical."

Self-conscious, Edwin gave a small nod to show he was listening, but refrained from adding to the conversation. He wanted to hear what the Commander had to say.

"That brings us to today . . . Two things stand out to me. One, your flawless execution of a camo field, during your first exposure I might add. And two, the complete absence of an awakening response. I would like for you to explain to me how you accomplished both, in your own words of course."

"Alright," Edwin responded, "I'll try." He described first how he'd used the coin for a focus and then how he'd poured himself into the tiny silver eagle, using its enhanced sense of sight to perceive the room, feeding that into the camo field.

Commander Talbot stood with his arm crossing his chest, hand supporting his other arm, as he lightly tapped his lips with a forefinger, "So, you're telling me that you split your consciousness and gave a portion of it over to a creature you created as part of your vision?"

Edwin nodded, "Yes that does sound like what I did, although I wouldn't have thought to describe it that way."

"I wouldn't expect you to," the Commander answered. "Please continue."

He nodded and then described his method of backing out of a vision and explained how it helped him avoid the negative effects of an awakening. As he did so, Edwin noticed that the Commander was grinning; something Edwin had never seen him do. He finished with a quick description of the reactions of the others in the room when he had reappeared.

Commander Talbot stood silently, watching the flames, so Edwin waited patiently for him to speak. Finally, he did.

"Do you know what enhancement is?"

Taking a moment to think about it, Edwin answered, "Not exactly, but I do recognize the term. I've heard it from you, actually, as well as from Doctor Brinkman."

"And what have you determined from those passing comments?" the Commander pressed.

"Well, I can't be certain, of course, but I believe that enhancement is something done to improve the gift in someone who already has it."

"You have it right, on a basic level," the Commander confirmed.

"That part wasn't difficult to guess, actually," Edwin said. "What bothers me isn't what it is, though."

"Really, what bothers you?"

"What bothers me is that every time it's mentioned, it's in reference to something I shouldn't have been able to do without it."

"Indeed," the Commander agreed, "you have hit on one of the things that most intrigues me about you. First Lieutenant Bryce may have mentioned that you are under consideration for admittance into Rank Two?"

"No, she hasn't, although she has at times mentioned I was bound for better things."

"Nonetheless, you are under consideration," the Commander pressed on. "In fact, normally at this point, a candidate is offered enhancement."

"But not this time?" Edwin guessed based on the Commander's tone of voice.

"No, Ensign Johnson, I think not," he answered. "No, I believe that in your case it may not be needed."

"Sir, may I ask what I am being offered, then?"

The Commander chuckled dryly in response, "My you are truly an observant one, aren't you. What I am offering to put it simply is immediate advancement to Rank Two, without enhancement."

"What is the catch, sir, if I may ask?"

The Commander considered his next words carefully before speaking, "There are a few of those, along with commiserate benefits. Of course, secrecy is the highest priority for Rank Two operatives. . ." He trailed off, which gave Edwin the opportunity to speak.

"You mean that my advancement will be secret, don't you."

"Indeed," he confirmed, "you will continue your training and presence among Rank One, as though you were still among their number."

"What else will be expected of me?"

Turning towards Edwin fully, the Commander said, "Ensign Johnson, allow me to lay everything on the table."

Edwin nodded and the Commander continued, "One, your Rank Two status will remain secret from everyone, including First Lieutenant Bryce. Only I and a certain few others will be aware of your admittance. Two, you will train with Rank One, but refrain from applying the full extent of your considerable gift in their presence. In fact, I think it best if your public performances from this day forward were mediocre at best or at least unpredictable at worst. Three, you will be assigned missions with your Rank One peers, but you may be assigned additional Rank Two objectives as needed. When that occurs, the Rank Two objectives take precedence over all others, and, of course, you are not to reveal them to your colleagues. Do you understand these requirements?" Edwin indicated that he did.

"Rank Two can be a lonely calling. Unforgiving, void of praise or recognition from peers or countrymen, but I believe that you will accept my offer."

"And why is that?" Edwin calmly asked.

"Simply put, I offer you a chance to make a difference in the war," the commander took a deep breath and added, "but perhaps more importantly, I offer you vengeance. Rank Two will provide opportunities for revenge far beyond those you would otherwise enjoy."

"In that case, I accept."

### ~~~~

### Chapter 22-Brush with Death

Dusk had fallen and Edwin was eating alone in his quarters. It was a simple meal, eggs and peppers, but he really didn't feel like talking to anyone, which would have been unavoidable had he gone to the cafeteria. He had a feeling that after the show he'd put on earlier, he would find no peace. Protocol or not, everyone's eyes would be on him. He wasn't ready for it.

It rankled that tomorrow and every day after, he would have to pretend ineptitude. Edwin wasn't a prideful man, but he definitely did not like to come in last, and that's exactly what he had been ordered to do, in every respect. The Commander had reminded him that he would be a secret weapon for the SAC, and a valuable one. As such, he needed to protect that secret, even among his friends and acquaintances. If one of them was ever to be captured, Edwin would not stand out in their minds should they be delved. He understood the logic, but he didn't have to like it.

Hardest of all would be keeping it from Peggy. He felt closer to her than he did to his own family, and they'd always been honest with each other, even if she couldn't always tell him everything. Besides that, Edwin wanted to make her proud of him, wanted to show her how much he valued and applied the lessons she'd given him. He imagined her angry, then disappointed, and he wasn't sure which would be worse. He supposed it really didn't matter now. Edwin had a job to do, and regardless of Peggy's reaction, he would do it.

The Commander had informed him that he would be sent on his first mission within the week. Along with that information, Edwin had been provided with the Rank One mission plan, which turned out to be a simple scouting expedition to an outlying Verackan base, floor plans of the target facility, and one additional objective that he would be solely responsible for carrying out as a Rank Two operative.

Edwin was a little worried about it. He'd never actually been on a mission, so he'd be under instruction, and more importantly, under Peggy's eye. Yet, at some point, he would have to separate himself from the scouting party to accomplish his task. It would not be easy, and he was wracking his brain trying to figure out a way to do it.

A soft knock at the door broke his reverie. Peggy had finally arrived. Edwin had expected her much earlier, but apparently she'd been kept busy elsewhere. He suspected that it had been arranged by Commander Talbot to ensure that they were not disturbed. Sighing, Edwin took the first step to ruining his image in her eyes by quickly levitating his dinner plate and abruptly abandoning the vision.

The effect was devastating. He crashed to the floor, taking the food and his chair with him, and abruptly passed out from the pain.

He awoke to a gentle hand stroking his hair and a soft comforting voice coaxing him to come back. His vision was blurry when he first opened his eyes, but soon Peggy's tear-streaked face came into focus.

"Oh, Edwin, thank goodness!" she sobbed, "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Peggy," Edwin rasped, his throat felt raw, as if he'd been screaming. Thinking back to those final brief seconds of consciousness, he imagined that it was likely he had been.

Still sobbing, Peggy had his head and torso cradled in her lap, hugging him tightly to her as she rocked back and forth. It was a nice sentiment, but Edwin felt aware of nausea approaching and feared that her stifling embrace was making it worse. "Peggy, please . . . let go," he whispered hoarsely.

She released her hold slightly but still embraced him protectively, "I'm sorry, is that better?" Her voice wavered, "What happened?"

"I awakened," he replied, finding it difficult to speak, but adding anyway, "It was delayed—"

"From activating the camo field?"

He nodded, reaching up to hold her hand before asking, "Please, help me up."

"I'm not sure—"

"Please," he insisted with a faint smile, "the floor is cold."

"Oh, of course," she shifted her weight and stood, drawing him up with her. He nearly toppled them both back down, but she managed to steady them.

"The bed," Edwin whispered laboriously, exhaustion rapidly stealing his strength away. He felt light headed and the room seemed fuzzy, as if seen through a fog. He knew he wouldn't have been able to fake the awakening, but he now regretted provoking such a strong reaction. It was necessary though, he couldn't allow Peggy or anyone else to think today was anything other than a fluke, and a dangerous one at that.

But there was no time to linger on regrets; he had to survive this experience first if he was to reap the benefits. He leaned heavily on Peggy, who struggled to support him with her slight frame. Finally, they made it to the bed and Edwin lurched forward onto it, unintentionally taking her with him. She managed to extract herself and help him into a more comfortable position in short order.

"I have to summon Doctor Brinkman."

"No," Edwin replied. "Don't leave me alone, I fear what may happen."

"But, Edwin, this is serious, I don't know what to do," she answered, the panic evident in her voice.

"Shh, it hurts when you shout," he groaned.

"I'm not," she whispered.

"Good, stay with me," he murmured, fading quickly into the warm embrace of darkness. "Make sure I make it back," and then he knew no more.

Peggy stayed, holding one of his hands with both of hers, hoping and praying he would survive, wondering also whether he would even be the same person if he did. Sometimes, survival was not the best outcome.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 23-Argument

Edwin opened his eyes to the bright morning sunlight and an unexpected weight along his side. Turning his head, his gaze rested on Peggy, fast asleep beside him, her head lying on his chest. Evidence of crying and a hard night were apparent on her face, which still bore lines of worry even in slumber. She must have fallen asleep watching over me, Edwin thought with a smile, which faded when he reminded himself why she'd needed to do so.

One of her hands still loosely held his and he gave it a gentle squeeze, hoping to rouse her. Not that he minded her being there, but his arm was asleep and his entire body was sore from the ordeal he'd put it through. Edwin hated to admit it, but he was seriously considering taking another trip to the medical ward.

Finally, Peggy shifted, unconsciously snuggling her face into his chest before fully coming awake, at which point she propped herself up on her elbow to look him over. She said nothing as she gently felt his cheeks and forehead with the back of her hand, examined his color and took his pulse. Only after she had satisfied herself that he was both alive and well did she allow herself to smile at him briefly. "I don't know what you did last night," she warned, "but don't do it again. I almost lost you."

"I know," he answered, still hoarse.

"And don't give me that line about it coming from the camo exercise, I'm not buying it."

Edwin closed his eyes and turned his face away from her, "Why do you say that?"

"Because I know better, you were doing something you shouldn't have been doing," she scolded him. "Practicing alone? Seriously, you have no business doing that, it's dangerous!"

"I guess so," Edwin replied passively, while he tried to think of a way to salvage the effort. Finally, he settled on something that would convince her, using her own assumption to reinforce it. "I tried to activate the camo field again, but I lost control. You know more than I do beyond that."

"Yes, I do," She agreed. "Just promise me you'll stick to the structured training sessions. You move too fast for your own good."

"Promise," he answered.

"Good," she declared, rolling up and out of the bed. Edwin's arm tingled painfully as circulation was restored and he flexed it to speed the process.

"Can you stand?" she asked, watching him.

"Not sure," he responded. "If you'll give me a hand, I'll try."

With her help, he first sat, and then shakily stood up next to the bed. Stricken by another bout of weakness, the endeavor almost landed him on his face, but Peggy managed to stabilize him.

"Thanks," he grinned.

"Don't mention it."

Peggy led him to the kitchen and helped him into a seat. The dish and food he'd dropped the night before was still scattered across the floor, dried in place. Edwin grimaced; that would not be easy to get off.

"You need to eat," Peggy stated, opening the refrigerator to scout its contents, "milk and bread, cheese . . . no fruit?"

Edwin shrugged, "I haven't been to the commissary in awhile."

"I see," she said, setting the items before him on the table. "We'll take care of that later. For now, eat your fill. I need to report this and find out what we need to do."

"Wait," Edwin stopped her with a touch to the elbow, "don't."

"What?" she asked.

"Don't report it. I'm feeling better."

"You can barely stand," she argued.

"I'm just saying, give me time," he reasoned. "Usually, I feel better after some sleep and a good sandwich."

"Usually?" she answered incredulously. "You have been practicing on your own, then. You admit it!"

Edwin nodded, "Of course."

Breathing deeply, eyes closed, and obviously trying to calm herself, Peggy replied, "I warned you not to do that. You do remember what can go wrong, don't you?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

"Then why?"

"Because it was worth the risk," he answered, taking a bite of cheese.

He'd held off as long as he could, but his stomach finally overruled his patience. Plus, he hadn't lied, he'd been practicing every night since they'd returned from leave five months ago, after he'd discovered backtracking, as he'd come to think of his feat in the barn. Although backtracking usually did the trick, he didn't always get it right. The severity of the awakening reaction, when it did hit him, varied depending on the task he'd been attempting, with the lightest awakenings resulting in mild photosensitivity and an urge to snack on peanuts and the heaviest ones resulting in nausea, seizures, vomiting and occasionally blackouts. Fortunately, the majority of the awakenings were light, and even then, he rarely failed to back out successfully anymore.

"And why is that?" Peggy prompted after a while.

"Because I have to be better so that I can get a mission to Veracka," he explained seriously. "I find myself sitting around, training constantly, but never getting anywhere. I want missions and I want to make a difference in this war. It's been five months since I've come to headquarters and all I've done is sit around 'exploring my gift' as you put it. I don't want to explore it, I want to master it, and then I want to use it against the scum who murdered my father for a few cows and some grain. That's why it's worth it!"

A grim expression on her face, Peggy tipped her head, "I'll wait."

Edwin smiled grimly in return.

"Good," he said before devouring a few more chunks of bread and cheese, "and Peggy?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks again for staying last night. I promise that I won't let it get that bad again," and he meant it.

"See that you don't," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," he grinned back.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 24-Concentration

They weren't scheduled for training until mid day, and by then Edwin had recovered almost completely, with the exception of a sore throat and the hoarse voice that went with it. Luckily, talking was optional or even prohibited during these sessions, so it wouldn't be a problem.

Peggy had left only after Edwin had finished eating every scrap of the food she'd given him. The effort hadn't been a total loss, although he did feel like he'd given a bit too much away at the end, but what was done, was done.

Now as he entered the training hall, Edwin felt all eyes following him as he sauntered over to a seat near the back wall. Unless he was with Peggy, he tended to separate himself from the others. He didn't mean to alienate everyone, but he had managed to do just that. Growing up, he'd only ever been around his own family, mostly Joe, and now Peggy filled the role of surrogate family. He really didn't feel the need for more friends and wasn't sure what he'd do with them if he had them.

"Amazing job yesterday, mate," said Turner, an outgoing classmate who had been the first to introduce himself to Edwin all those months ago. He was in his early twenties, although he acted like someone Edwin's age most of the time, lean with a thin mustache and black hair that in the right light gleamed with a blue sheen.

Edwin shrugged and sat beside him on the bench, "I still don't know how I managed that, so don't ask."

"No worries, I wasn't going to," Turner answered. "Besides, it's protocol isn't it?"

"I guess so," Edwin agreed.

"Do you have any plans to dazzle us again today?" Turner added with a grin.

"Not especially."

Chuckling jovially, Turner leaned in conspiratorially, "I hear an important mission is imminent, one to the big city itself."

"Maybe," Edwin responded casually, "but I've heard that before, too—never means anything."

"I don't know about that. I got it from a reliable source," he winked.

Shaking his head, Edwin answered, "Whatever man, we'll see."

Turner grinned smugly secure in his special knowledge and turned away to watch people arrive and find their seats. Silently, Edwin did the same. Turner was an alright guy, in Edwin's opinion, but he did seem to put a lot of stock in the rumor mill. Although Edwin guessed he could be right about the mission this time, Turner's track record was not impressive in that regard.

As the last of the stragglers found their seats under the low hum of chatter and camaraderie that often preceded a training session, a deep voice boomed, "Silence, it is time," and everyone complied immediately. A burly man strode down to the center of the room, which resembled a stage concentrically ringed by curved wooden benches that radiated out to the walls like ripples from a stone hitting a pond.

The heavy silence was palpable, so much so that Edwin feared to breathe lest he disturb it. Finally, Lieutenant Rook continued, "Today, we are going to do something different. Today, we will practice Visuographic Concentration, or more simply, the art of keeping a vision active while doing something else." He paused for effect before asking, "Who can tell me why that might be important?"

After an awkward moment of silence, Edwin raised his hand, answering when the Lieutenant acknowledged him, "Because it might be necessary for the mission, such as having to move to a target location under a camo field."

"Very good," the Lieutenant continued, "but you won't be using anything quite as complex as a camo field for practice today. Instead, you will count to one thousand while holding a marble two inches above your palm. If you lose count, you start over; if you drop the marble, you start over." Then he grinned, "Just because I'm a nice guy, the first two to reach one thousand without dropping the marble will be rewarded with liberty tomorrow."

Edwin frowned slightly, knowing that winning would probably violate his orders. Too bad, he could have used an extra day off. Turner gave his arm a friendly punch and whispered, "Race you for it!"

Edwin grunted back softly with a slight shake of his head, not wanting to draw the attention of the Lieutenant, who had given out three sets of marbles to be distributed among the students and was now scowling around the room impatiently as they were passed around. When the bag finally reached him, Edwin reached in and retrieved the first one that came to hand. It was pale blue infused with silver spirals that sparkled when he rolled it across his palm. Turner, on the other hand, did not seem happy with his lot, a purple and red monstrosity the sight of which would be enough of a distraction on its own.

Knowing he was going to throw the fight anyway and seeing the dismay on Turner's face, Edwin offered to trade marbles and couldn't help smiling at the relief on the other's face.

"I won't forget this mate, that thing had my eyes crossing already," Turner whispered back thankfully.

"Don't mention it," Edwin softly replied as he took the lurid object in hand.

The Lieutenant's booming voice called, "Begin!" and a low murmur of counting interspersed with the tell tale clatter and roll of falling marbles followed as the deceptively simple challenge proved more difficult than expected.

Edwin took his time and cleared his mind, summoning the eagle persona he preferred to use when a dual consciousness was needed. It came swiftly, a blink of an eye compared to the dramatic build up it used to require. Soaring to perch on his shoulder, the eagle seemed a part of him now, almost an alter ego, summoned at will, ready and waiting to conquer any feat necessary.

Edwin released a tiny bit of his own free will, his consciousness, into the tiny creature, feeling a momentary rush, like cold water running down his back, and a second image settled into his field of vision. The eagle's eyes peered keenly at the marble and Edwin felt a physical drain as the marble rose smoothly above his palm. Leaving the task to his familiar, Edwin began counting, free to look around and watch the others in their attempts as he did so.

Turner was doing well, already up to fifty, but the silvery blue sphere before him bobbed and dipped with each spoken number, as if afloat on a lake. Another young woman, a few feet past Turner, kept dropping hers before reaching one hundred. Each subsequent try found her counting faster and faster as if racing through the count would improve her chances, but her approach seemed only to make things worse. Edwin had to give her credit, though; she did not give up.

His idle eyes surveyed each of his classmates in turn, before resting on those of the Lieutenant who met his gaze with eagle eyes of his own, nodding with approval. That's when Edwin realized he'd blown it. He'd already counted to one thousand two hundred and twenty three without even realizing it and the marble still rested exactly two inches above his palm, as though balanced on an invisible table.

Frowning slightly, Edwin stopped counting and dismissed the eagle, shuddering as its borrowed consciousness rushed back into his mind, bringing with it a slew of emotions, memories and impressions that it had experienced in the short time. The room seemed to brighten and waver for an instant when the transfer was complete, and the marble fell neatly into the palm of his hand where he easily caught it.

Over the last few months, his gift had become like breathing or walking, so much so that sometimes he actually forgot that he'd activated it, like today. Before yesterday, he would have been proud of the accomplishment, but now he was angry with himself for being careless.

"One thousand!" Turner announced proudly beside him, beaming at his accomplishment even as he staggered and shaded his eyes as his vision left him. Wincing at the discomfort of awakening, he still managed to smile broadly when the Lieutenant acknowledged his achievement. Then he noticed Edwin standing silently watching him and asked, "Did you give up, or did you beat me?"

"Beat, I'm afraid," Edwin answered humbly, "but just barely."

"Anyone else so far?" Turner asked softly, gazing around the room.

"No, just you and me. Looks like we'll get the liberty," Edwin grinned, "unless we get on the Lieutenant's bad side by continuing this conversation."

Nodding his understanding and taking the reminder in stride, Turner took his seat and lounged in a slouch, watching and waiting. Edwin shrugged and joined him, closing his eyes a moment to rest them. He was exhausted, what sleep he had gotten had been devoted to his recovery and not much else. He felt as though he'd been up for days, and he wasn't even sure he'd be able to do so later either, especially if the commander heard about this or last night's fiascos and decided to pay him another visit.

Peggy was another story. He hadn't seen her since morning, and she'd never missed a class with him before. He hoped she was alright, sleeping or something like that. After all, Edwin suspected that she'd spent most of the night watching over him and was probably as exhausted as he was.

Idly rolling the gaudy marble between his fingers, Edwin thought back to the moment he woke, finding her in his arms, the sunlight glistening among her soft curls, her gentle breath, and her hand clasping his. . .

"What are you smiling about, Johnson?" Turner broke in. "Already making plans for liberty?"

"Not exactly," Edwin said. Disappointment fell over him as the memory evaporated, and confusion followed close behind at the unexpected emotion.

What was he thinking?

### ~~~~

### Chapter 25-Report

Peggy was sitting impatiently in Commander Talbot's office. They had been sitting there in utter silence since she'd arrived and informed him of Edwin's brush with death. What was taking so long? She'd just told him that his star candidate had almost killed himself with reckless abandon and he just sat there, fingers steepled before his face and elbows resting on the desk, smiling.

"Well?" she prompted, finally reaching the end of her patience.

"Let's see where this goes," he answered, choosing to ignore her disrespectful tone. "I have given Ensign Johnson a task to perform and he appears to be attempting to accomplish it."

"Task, what task?" Peggy questioned. "What does that have to do with what happened last night?"

"Everything, First Lieutenant, everything," the commander answered. "I have tasked him with convincing you and everyone else that his recent performance was a fluke, pure chance. From your description of events, it is obvious that Ensign Johnson staged last night's awakening to convince you that his earlier success was merely luck, with consequences merely delayed."

"Staged," she gasped, "but he nearly died!"

"Indeed, but he did not die," the commander agreed. "I believe he knew exactly what he was doing, waiting until your arrival to carry it out."

Thoughtfully, Peggy gazed down at the hands resting in her lap, "I see." That Edwin had gone to such an extreme to lie to her was painful. She met the commander's eyes, challengingly, "What aren't you telling me?"

He grinned back, "Nothing you need to know, just yet." He paused momentarily, giving her the opportunity to acknowledge the fact before ordering, "You will not reveal this conversation or your knowledge of this objective. As before, I expect regular reports on Ensign Johnson's performance and progress, both official and unofficial."

"I take it that by unofficial, you mean his efforts at hiding the extent of his gift."

The commander responded with a curt nod.

Rising, Peggy answered with, "If that is all then, I'll be leaving." She wanted to return to Edwin, despite the feelings of betrayal she was struggling to suppress. Although he'd seemed better before she left him, she still worried that he wasn't completely recovered.

"First Lieutenant Bryce," the commander intoned. She paused, her hand already on the door knob. "Give him a day before returning."

Her back stiffened and she gave a tip of her head to acknowledge the order before departing. Fury and fear churned sickeningly in her gut as she strode away from the Commander's office.

She did not like the direction things were taking. . .

### ~~~~

### Chapter 26-Alone

Edwin crouched, his hands steadying him in the fine sand, knees neatly tucked into his chest. The air was dry and hot, like a furnace, even though night had long since blanketed the earth in shadows. His breath came swiftly, burning his throat and lungs as it stole their moisture. Eyes wide in the darkness, Edwin struggled to catch sight of the other members of the scouting team he and Peggy had accompanied as a training mission.

He had been running nonstop since the simple mission had fallen apart under a rain of weapon pulses, shouting and blinding lights. Now, under the slight cover of a low sand dune, Edwin found himself utterly alone. The chaos of fighting, alarms and angry voices were muted by the gentle slopes around him, but not completely.

Feeling terribly exposed and fearing that his desperate gasps would be detected, Edwin forced himself to focus, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth: deeply, slowly, until finally, they returned to normal. Along with the steadying supply of air, the act of focusing his mind soothed his emotions and brought him clarity. Now was not the time to freak out, now was the time to think. Had anyone else escaped? He fervently hoped so, fighting down a sudden feeling of urgent worry for Peggy.

Regardless of the answer, he had a job to do, but now that job included a rescue mission. Whether his part of that mission would be gathering intel for a rescue team or orchestrating the escape himself, he did not know. Edwin understood that his position was dangerous; he was ill prepared for this turn of events in his opinion. Besides the gift, he was otherwise a military novice. He had no experience on missions, this was his first, and he'd never been in a real fight, only practice ones in the training hall. But he did have the gift, and that was a place to start.

Closing his eyes against the futile effort of seeing in the dark, Edwin rapidly fell into the vision, summoning the eagle to look for his friends and teammates, but he was dismayed at the results. Its sight, normally sharp, was severely hampered in the darkness. He thought for a moment and considered his next move, finally deciding on a slight change. He imagined the eagle morphing into something else, growing broader, feathers ruffling, eyes enlarging and dilating, leaving an equally fierce predator in its wake, one better suited for the environment. The minimal light reflected brightly off marble eyes as an owl's stately gaze pierced the night. Clarity exploded into Edwin's mind as the vision took in the surrounding terrain from the owl's perspective, leaving his own eyes unnecessary.

Grimly, Edwin allowed a small smile at the success, but didn't let it distract him from the serious situation he found himself in. Settling down into a more comfortable position first, he allowed more of himself to flow into the tiny owl and took direct control of it. Then, as the owl, he took flight and banked sharply towards the Verackan base of operations. He was desperate to catch a glimpse of Peggy, to ensure himself that she was safe. The last time he saw her, she'd shouted for him to run before taking her own advice and fleeing in another direction.

Swerving sharply at the edge of the light, Edwin searched the desolate landscape for Peggy, Turner and their scout instructor Lt. Tully huddling among the dunes. If he found them, he would have to make his way to their location on foot, and the trek wouldn't be easy. They were out there, he admonished himself, they had to be. If not, it would mean they had been captured, or worse, but Edwin wasn't ready to consider that possibility.

However, when the eastern sky began to brighten after an interminable search, he began to despair. He'd circled the base so many times he'd lost count. If his wings had been real, they would have given out long before. Instead, he'd pushed on, his own body lying forgotten in the sand. But now with the dawn approaching rapidly and no sign of anyone else, Edwin realized that he had to change tactics.

He pulled around towards his body, which lay almost lifeless where he'd left it, and once he'd landed nearby, he began the tedious process of backtracking. Unable to afford the cost of an awakening, Edwin took it much slower than he usually did, siphoning awareness and consciousness from the illusory bird back into his own mind, as slowly as honey dribbling off of a spoon. Finally, the process complete, he was shocked by the fragile condition in which he found his body.

Edwin felt as though he'd physically flown every mile, not as the owl, but personally. His muscles were stiff and sore, and his throat and lungs burned from breathing in the arid atmosphere. His arms were leaden, used well beyond the point of exhaustion, and he closed his strained eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself to relax each muscle in turn, focusing both mind and body on recovery. Unlike headquarters, he couldn't just go to the café for a boost or even the med ward if he pushed too hard. He was on his own with few resources and it was up to him to make the best of what he had.

Opening his eyes abruptly at that thought, he suddenly corrected himself; he had limitless resources . . . at the base. All he had to do was go get them. He was wearing his camo gear, after all, so blending in with the soldiers would be a snap. He could go where they went, eat where they ate, and most importantly, listen for news of his team. The hours of lonely practice were going to pay off.

As the fiery sun finally began its journey across the pristinely cloudless sky, Edwin summoned the eagle back into existence and using its keen senses to perceive the environment, smoothly faded into the golden sand, leaving no trace.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 27-Hiding in Plain Sight

He'd dropped the blending disguise shortly after reaching the base in exchange for a less demanding one. To anyone who happened to look his way, Edwin would seem like just another soldier. A uniform and a saunter were much easier to pull off than an ever changing invisibility field, leaving more of his mind available to attend to the task of finding his missing team.

It hadn't taken long to confirm that his fears about their capture were right on. Everyone he passed was talking about the enemy spies, some looking over their shoulders before mentioning the rumors they'd heard about the dangerous one that was still on the run. Edwin fought to hide a smile at the latter. He could only guess they were referring to him, and he had a hard time thinking of himself as dangerous. The talkative soldiers had definitely made his job easier, he thought to himself as his destination finally came into view.

Nonchalantly, he turned off the narrow footpath he'd been following to lean against one of the long bungalows, pretending to tie the laces on his boots while carefully observing the command building. It was convenient that it not only housed the object of his Rank Two mission but also the base detention cells. Edwin paid particular attention to the dress and mannerisms of a small group of men who were passing through the building's massive door, which was why he was surprised when someone's dusty boots came to rest in front of his face and a familiar voice addressed him.

"Not a bad disguise, mate, but you shouldn't forget to look behind you here and then. Not to mention I've never seen anybody take that long to lace up a pair."

Edwin straightened to find Turner, seemingly garbed as he was, in local uniform, "Turner, I thought they had everybody!"

"Not everybody, obviously, but some," Turner winked and joined Edwin leaning against the wall. "I managed to turn a corner and blend before they caught me up. And you?"

"I ran out into the dunes until I couldn't anymore," Edwin answered. "They stopped following."

"No doubt, they probably figured you wouldn't get far. There's nothing for miles." Turner looked him in the eye and asked, "So, what's the plan, mate?"

"What?"

"Well, I've been watching you for a while. You talk to the guards and saunter about like you live here and now you're staking out that building. I'd like to know what you've cooked up."

"Well," Edwin paused to think of a way to put it, then gave up and posed it simply, "I plan to go in there and get my team back."

"Not much of a plan," Turner grinned. "Want some company?"

Edwin shrugged in reply, "I don't know, I was thinking it'd be easier for one to make it in and out."

"Hmm, I see your point."

"Hey, I know," Edwin said. "What about you scout us a rally point; we'll need somewhere to go after I break the others out."

"Sure, but how'll you know where it is if you're in there?" Turner asked.

"Don't worry, I'll know," Edwin answered. "Just go, and lay low. This won't take long."

"You're something else, mate," Turner chuckled. "Alright, we'll do it your way, but if I don't see you by morning, I'm getting out of here."

"Fair enough," Edwin agreed. During the conversation, he'd diverted a trickle of thought into the form of his tiny eagle and had sent it to perch undetected on Turner's shoulder. He would know exactly where Turner went and how he got there. Turner didn't need to know how.

Giving a slight tip of his head, Turner straightened and continued past Edwin in the direction he'd been heading, turning left at the corner of the building.

Edwin waited a while longer to be sure no one else was observing him, then focused his attention on the camo field, altering it slightly to match the uniforms of those he'd watched entering the command building. A shade darker than the one he'd just abandoned, the new uniform bore a sinister patch, the same one he'd seen in his delving of the spy at Fort Oresca, the same one he'd seen the night the Verackan raiders had taken his father from him.

Only a select few of the Verackans he'd seen on base wore it, and now he did too. Wearing the horrid symbol filled him with disgust, and he teetered on the brink of abandoning the plan, but the thought of Peggy in the hated enemy's hands boosted his resolve and he buried the impulse. Edwin wondered whether Commander Talbot had set him this mission knowing he'd face the very same soldiers responsible for his family's tragic loss. The thought was fleeting, however, as he turned his focus on gaining entry into the ominous building.

He was about to head in, when he remembered something that might make or break his disguise in close quarters. Careful not to interfere with the active camo field, Edwin extended it to shield his head and hands and used it to darken his skin to a deep tan. It was a small detail, but he would have stood out like the spy at the Fort had without it. A change of clothes was not enough of a cover for what he intended.

Finally ready, Edwin purposefully approached the granite steps that led into the Command Building, which stood taller than the rest at just over two stories but shared the same sandstone construction and design, both of which making it seem shorter than it really was. Reaching the doors, he found an access pad, triangular in shape, which was shaded by a granite overhang that matched the stairs. Still aware of the other draws on his gift, Edwin tried the door first but finding it secured, resigned to the task of picking the lock.

He couldn't completely un-focus his mind as he usually did for this, because it would mean dropping the watchful eagle accompanying Turner and his own disguise, both unacceptable losses in this tenuous situation. Instead, he took the extra step of partitioning his mind from those activities, sealing them off from his greater consciousness. Edwin wasn't sure it would work, and he wasn't even sure how he'd managed such a feat. What he did know was that he'd never stretched himself so thin before, but he felt it was worth a try.

Free now to solve the riddle of the door's access pad, Edwin allowed an image of the smooth surface to fill his mind and the vision took over. Images and symbols cascaded ephemerally before his eyes until finally coming to rest on one, a circle with two opposing chevrons, one pointing up and the other down, which overlapped in the center to form a diamond. A simple shape, easily drawn, but not one easily guessed. Edwin allowed the vision to guide his hand in drawing the symbol before backtracking.

The door clicked softly as the symbol he'd traced flashed a fiery red before fading away. He entered quickly, not sure how long he'd stood entranced where anyone could observe him. Once inside, he found himself in a dark hallway, at least it was dark compared to outside. Allowing his eyes to adjust, Edwin considered his next move. From the plans the Commander had provided, he already knew the layout of the building. The detention cells were on this level, but his objective, which he'd been told would strike a devastating blow to the enemy, was on the second.

Duty won and he strode down the corridor to the stairwell he knew awaited him at the other end. Following it up, he found a second access pad barring the door, but dealt with it swiftly and entered another corridor. He hadn't yet seen anyone, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Turning right, he briskly followed the passage towards the front of the building, where he found the chamber he was looking for right where he expected it to be.

Glancing casually back the way he'd come first, he turned the handle and entered the room. It was large, arranged like a small theatre, spanning both levels of the building and accounting for a good deal of its floor plan. He stood in a balcony which held plush furnishings of dark red fabric and mahogany, although on closer inspection he noticed that the wooden pieces were merely close simulations of the wooden grain and color. The walls were equally elaborate, hung with tapestries depicting the red eye symbol, at which Edwin scowled before turning to his task.

He unzipped a small pocket on the front of his camo gear and retrieved a handful of button sized devices. Working quickly, he placed them around the balcony, under chairs, behind tapestries and even within the shadows of the railing that separated its occupants from a dangerous fall. The last one placed, he carefully scanned the space with his eyes to ensure none were visible. Satisfied, Edwin turned to leave.

He returned to the door, cracking it slightly to check the hall for passersby. Seeing no one, he left the balcony behind, closing the door softly. Wanting to run, but realizing that to do so would bring unwanted attention, he held his head high as he walked confidently down the corridor, returning to the stairwell.

So far, everything was going smoothly, but the ease of the task gave Edwin an uneasy feeling. He couldn't banish the suspicion that something was very wrong. Where were all the soldiers?

### ~~~~

### Chapter 28-Questioning

Despite the shackles, Peggy sat defiantly, her chin lifted proudly as she faced her captors.

"Must I ask you again, young lady?" the muscular questioner sneered down at her. She stiffened at the derogatory tone he'd taken, but maintained silence. Anything she said would only give him a foothold, an advantage. Silence was her only weapon, and she did not plan to relinquish it to this brute.

"Very well," he grinned evilly, "we shall continue then." He tipped his head to the other questioner, who was smaller than his colleague yet just as viciously relished the task at hand. The unnamed man gingerly picked up a syringe filled with a sickly green liquid, while the first grasped her by the hair and roughly pulled back her head, exposing her throat.

Fear flashed through Peggy's eyes, her efforts to suppress the rogue emotion giving way to the terror of the moment. The second man noticed and chuckled evilly as he felt along her neck with a finger tip, searching for the right place to administer the sinister concoction.

Peggy squeezed her eyes shut against helpless tears and braced herself. She didn't know whether any of the others had escaped, but she sincerely hoped that they were well away before the questioners finished their grim work. Few could resist their methods, and these two looked like they were good at their job. It hurt her pride to admit it, but Peggy knew she would probably not be able to hold out for long against them. Still, she planned to resist with everything she had, although she knew they would make her pay dearly for her defiance.

The silence shattered with a piercing scream as liquid fire coursed into her body. The unimaginable pain erased all rational thought as it raced down every vein, forcing her muscles to spasm and clench, her body to thrash uncontrollably. Through it all, the men laughed and joked, promising more to come with mockingly polite words. Peggy's agonizing screams continued until her throat was raw and utter exhaustion stole her voice, her body jerking about as her nerves fired rapidly with cascading waves of pain.

Into the relative silence, the first questioner drolly asked, "Now then, young lady, are you ready to answer our simple questions?"

Squeezing back the tears and fighting to hide her rising panic, Peggy refused to answer, managing a glare at her captors though her quaking body belied her efforts.

"Very well," he answered, grinning broadly, "let's have another go shall we?" And he clenched her hair and roughly pulled her head back again as the other prepared another dose. Peggy screeched hoarsely and struggled against her restraints and the man's iron grip, but her efforts were weak and ineffective. She lost her mind to the agony as a new wave of fire rushed through her already ravaged body.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 29-Rescue Mission

Edwin crept silently down the side passage that led to the detention cells. The screams had started up again, raw and less recognizable than before. He knew whose they were and anger coursed through him like a poison. For the first time in his life, he held a weapon in his hand with murderous intent. Whoever was doing this to Peggy would not live to see another dawn.

The screams abated into helpless sobs as he approached the room where they held her. His face grim, Edwin pushed the anger down, storing it away for later, and activated the camo field, slipping into invisibility, although the field didn't extend to cover the energy blade he clenched in his fist. The men behind this door would know his wrath, but not his face.

"No . . . please!" he heard Peggy's terrified wail. Enough, it was time to put an end to this. Edwin slashed through the latch, melting it, and kicked the door in. Horror filled him at the scene that awaited him inside.

Peggy's face was contorted in misery, her body shaking and jerking as if she were taking blows from an invisible fist. Blood streamed from her nose, mouth and eyes, and she seemed lost in her ordeal, not realizing that rescue was at hand.

Unfortunately, her torturers were not so oblivious; both had pulled weapons of their own and had settled into a fighting crouch as they moved cautiously past Peggy's helpless form to face their unknown attacker. Edwin grinned; they were using energy weapons, a mistake that would work to his advantage. Quick as thought, he pierced both weapons with his gift, destroying their circuits and rendering them inert. That done, he acted, giving the men no chance to learn what he'd done.

Tossing his blade overhead, he seized it with his mind and sent it spinning at the smaller of the two men, slashing him brutally across the chest. The man screamed as he fell to the floor, grasping futilely at his mortal wound before shuddering and falling still.

Growling furiously, the other rushed toward the door, from which Edwin had flung the blade, but Edwin had already moved under the cover of the camo field. Reaching the doorway and realizing he'd missed his foe, the large man swiveled to face the room and attempted to fire his weapon at the energy blade, which still spun menacingly over his fallen comrade. Finding his weapon useless in his hands, the man cast it aside angrily and roared, "Show yourself, coward!"

Edwin, calm within the swirling folds of color and light of his vision, obliged as he hurled the waiting blade into the man's heart. Gasping once, the man crumpled to the floor lifeless, like a puppet with its strings cut. Without emotion, Edwin summoned the blade to his side and lifted it out of the air with one hand as he deactivated it.

"Edwin?" a faint, broken voice sounded behind him.

Turning, he rushed to Peggy's side and released her bonds, helping her up into a sitting position, "Shh, we need to get out of here. Can you walk?" He felt as though the words came from another person.

"I think so," she said wearily. "Help me. . ." She grunted as she struggled to her feet, leaning heavily on his supporting arm, and then asked, "What of the others?"

"Turner escaped and awaits us. Tully was captured with you, but I haven't found him yet."

She nodded grimly, wincing at the pain the small motion caused.

"He should be nearby," Edwin added. "If you can handle it, we can find him now."

"I'm in no shape to help," she answered, before bravely adding, "You could leave me here while you search. These two won't be giving me any more trouble."

Edwin shook his head and firmly denied the idea, "No, we go together."

"Alright," she resolved, "I'll try to keep up."

Edwin wasn't sure he would last much longer either; the drain on his body and mind from using and maintaining so many threads of his gift at once was incredible. In fact, he was surprised he could still stand but feared to release the vision lest he find himself unable to revive it. Losing it now would be disastrous.

"Come, there are only a few cells," he said. "We'll check them on our way out." He left unsaid that if they couldn't find Tully on this sweep, they'd have to leave him behind, but he saw that Peggy understood.

Drawing her close, Edwin placed his hand on her shoulder, the camo circuit in her uniform tangible beneath his palm, and activated her camo field. He closed his eyes and imagined her in a Verackan uniform, darkening her skin and hair while erasing all signs of trauma from her visage. Then he turned his thoughts to himself and quickly resumed his own disguise. "Let's go," he said upon completing the task. Peggy's astonishment at the feat was not lost on him as he released her shoulder, gripped her hand and began to pull her along with him and out of the room.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 30-Rally Point

They traveled briskly down the grim corridor, checking each room as they passed. The holding cells were equipped with view ports, which eased the job. After only a few doors, they found Tully, and Edwin used his energy blade to break through the door, as he'd done before.

"I won't answer your questions, slime," Lieutenant Tully angrily promised, obviously failing to recognize his rescuers through the disguises Edwin had cloaked them within.

"Quiet, sir," Edwin warned. "It's Johnson and Bryce, we're here to free you."

"Ensign Johnson?" Tully answered with genuine surprise. "How did you manage—?"

"There isn't time to go into that now," Edwin interrupted, freeing Tully from his bonds. "I can't maintain these fields much longer. We need to get to the rally point Turner's secured before I lose them."

"Fields?" Tully responded. "You mean you're—both of them?"

Edwin nodded, "Can you activate your own?" Instead of answering, Tully acted, smoothly transitioning before their eyes, although his face remained unchanged.

"Good," Edwin continued, "allow me to give you a little boost," and he touched the Lieutenant's shoulder as he had Peggy's, using his gift to expand the range of the camo field. "Now, just imagine your skin darkening to a deep tan," Edwin instructed. "These Verackans see much more sun than we do."

Tully did as suggested and opened his eyes to give Edwin an appraising look, "You have some explaining to do when we're free of this."

Edwin grinned back, "Yes, I imagine so. Now, let's get going."

He turned and resumed the journey out of the Command Building, sensing them follow through the link he'd forged with their camo fields. His mind was split into so many directions now that he was having trouble keeping them straight, but he'd come too far to give up now. He only had to last long enough to reach the rally point.

Outside, he led the others to the alleyway he'd seen Turner take earlier. The sun had already begun its descent, forming long shadows between the buildings, but even these did not provide sufficient relief from the day's heat. However, they did provide a good place to rest while Edwin determined the route. He also took the opportunity to adjust their disguises, asking Tully to follow his lead and explaining, "We don't want to be linked to the Command Building in any way, especially when they discover you two have escaped."

Peggy sank wearily to the ground, closing her eyes and leaning back against the building. Edwin could have used her help with the camo fields, but she was in no condition to do so. He didn't know exactly what they'd done to her, but she was barely hanging on. Leaning against the wall next to her, Edwin closed his eyes and summoned Turner's watcher from its post. The tiny eagle came swiftly, alighting on its customary perch and preening as though it were a real bird. He'd left it with too much, too long.

Slowly, cautiously, he began to draw away its consciousness, spawning a parade of the impressions, images and memories the tiny fowl had experienced while accompanying Turner. The process took much longer than Edwin expected; unlooked for details and feelings threatened to overwhelm him, but Edwin feared the consequences of aborting the task even more. He gritted his teeth and stuck with it until finally the deluge slowed and then stopped.

He took a shuddering breath as a final burst of liquid fire flowed through his body, like liquid nitrogen, so cold that it burned. Fortunately, the feeling passed swiftly and Edwin began to sort through the new information he'd gained, using it to chart the way to the rally point in his mind before he opened his eyes.

Both Tully and Peggy were watching him, waiting for him to finish whatever he was doing, not understanding, but trusting all the same. Edwin wasn't used to looks like the ones they turned his way; he found it somewhat disturbing.

"Are you ready to move?" he asked Peggy, offering her a hand up, which she took gratefully.

"Yes, I'll manage," she answered, her voice low and hoarse.

"And you?" he asked Tully.

"Yes, lead on."

Without delay, Edwin set off, the others staying close. He set an easy pace, not wanting to draw attention to their procession as they made their way to their destination which wasn't far. They arrived only a few minutes later at a low building which huddled near the edge of the base. Tapping the door lightly, Edwin called in a soft voice, "Turner, it's us."

The door cracked open a moment before opening enough to allow the small group to enter. Turner stood behind it and closed it with a quiet click when the last of them passed the threshold. Wide eyed, Turner peered at each of them in turn, "I wouldn't know you if you hadn't told me who you were, mate."

Edwin sank wearily to the tiled floor, helping Peggy to join him before responding, "Well, you'd better enjoy it while you can because I can't keep it up much longer. Please tell me you have a plan to get us back to the transport."

"Me?" Turner shot back, "I thought you had a plan."

"To get them out," Edwin answered wearily, "out of the Command Building, not the base."

"Well, that's the trick then isn't it?" Turner chuckled.

Edwin turned his attention to Tully, "What about you? Have any ideas on how to get out of here?"

Tully nodded thoughtfully, "It should be as simple as blending and walking away," shrugging, he added, "but then again, I thought that's all we would need to do to come in."

"Alright, that's the plan then," Edwin agreed, "but I think we need to wait until well after dark. Plus, I think we could all use some rest before we try it." Waiting for all three to nod in agreement, he continued, "Now, I've got to drop these disguises before the effort kills me. I need absolute silence while I do so."

"Of course," Peggy whispered. The others gave a silent nod for him to go ahead.

Allowing his eyes to close, Edwin began the tenuous procedure, hoping he still had the strength to follow through. He began with Tully's camo field because it was the simplest and would take the least effort to release. He heard Tully grunt as the field extension was withdrawn. Edwin wasn't sure what releasing the extension had done because as far as he knew, no one had ever augmented another's vision like he'd done. His guess was that it either left the vision intact, leaving it to draw solely from the remaining person, or that the augmented portions fled the vision, leaving a sudden void in the other's perception, perhaps even triggering a mild awakening reaction in them. He would have to ask Tully later.

Next, Edwin turned his attention to Peggy. Carefully, he erased the disguise from the field, allowing the energy field itself to remain active during the process. This freed more of his mind to work on the task of retracting the field safely and deactivating the circuit. When the last remnants of the disguise left her, Edwin heard the others shift as the extent of her injuries became apparent to them, but thankfully they maintained silence. He knew she was in bad shape, but he hoped that the damage looked worse than it truly was. Edwin had been impressed with the perseverance she had shown during their trek to the rally point, but he wasn't surprised by it.

Finally, Edwin turned his mind's eye to his own camo field, allowing the illusion to melt away before withdrawing the field and deactivating his own circuit. His field had supplied the least draw on his energy reserves, not because it was a simple disguise, it wasn't, but because it was closest. He'd found that the further he cast his mind and gift, the bigger the toll.

After the final fragments of the vision faded away, Edwin felt himself slump over, his muscles no longer able to support him. It was a good thing he was already sitting on the floor. He felt several hand's catch and guide him into a prone position, but he could not force his eyes to open. They felt welded shut. He'd never been this exhausted before, even the effort of breathing seemed too much, but if he could have done so, he would have smiled. He'd done it. They were safe; Peggy was safe, and that was all that mattered.

With that thought, darkness engulfed him and he spun away into the void.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 31-Regeneration

Peggy kept an uneasy watch over Edwin. Her own injuries were severe, but she did not fear for herself. Edwin's condition, on the other hand, terrified her, all the more so since there were no obvious injuries. After his camo field had collapsed, he'd just fallen over without a sound. She and Turner, being closest, had caught him and helped him down, but his body had been completely limp in their hands.

Peggy suspected that he was conscious for at least a moment, because she'd detected a slight smile on his lips, but it was fleeting. Then his chest had stopped moving and she'd thought she'd lost him, but Tully had pushed her aside and placed his ear over Edwin's mouth declaring that he'd felt him breathe. "I've never seen this, personally," Tully had said. "But I believe he's gone into a regenerative cycle."

She'd heard of regeneration cycles, too, but only through rumor. It was a state of hibernation that some of the elite gifted used to rebuild their energy and repair the damage done to their bodies when they used their abilities to their very limits. From those rumors, the process was voluntary and often rather quick. Eating a hearty meal usually did the trick, too, at least for normal activities. What worried her was that Edwin had fallen into this state several hours ago and with morning only a few more off, their window of opportunity for escape was closing rapidly.

Turner left the window where he'd been keeping watch and crouched down beside her. Tully had taken his place and was now peering intently into the dark alleyway that led past their hideout.

"No change?" Turner asked, concern evident in his voice.

"None," she confirmed. "If I didn't have a hand on his chest, I wouldn't even know he was alive." Even then, it was hard to tell, she thought to herself grimly. Edwin's heart beat at such a slow pace that it was almost undetectable and his breaths came only two or three times a minute.

"You need to rest, Bryce," Turner admonished. "You're in no condition to keep this up, and I'm surprised Tully let you keep it up even this long."

"I have to be sure he makes it," she argued.

"I know, but let me take a turn," he said, placing his own hand on Edwin's chest, just in time to feel a slight rise and fall, proving he was still with them. "I promise I'll keep my hand right here. Now, go get some sleep. You need to be strong for him. He got us out, now we need to get him out."

She nodded reluctantly, "How did he get this bad, do you suppose?" she asked, not really expecting an answer, but Turner surprised her with one.

"I suspect he's been in the vision, to one degree or another, since we separated under the ambush, night before last. I say he's lucky to be alive."

Peggy was about to respond when a deep gasping breath erupted from Edwin, drawing her eyes to his. "I'd say that was a rather accurate assumption," Edwin said weakly, but with a disarming grin. Tears of relief sprang into being and she smiled brightly in return.

Turner had a different reaction entirely. Clutching a hand to his chest, he gasped, "Good heavens mate! You nearly scared the life out of me!"

### ~~~~

### Chapter 32-Betrayal

Peggy had finally taken Turner's advice upon Edwin's recovery, and now soft snores sounded from the corner she'd curled up into for the remainder of the night. The building was nearly empty, the room they hid in held only a few boxes and some pipes, all of which they'd pushed out of the way against one of the far walls. The floor was tiled in a light sandy material, smooth but strikingly similar to the tawny color of the dunes that surrounded the base on all sides. But Edwin was not looking at any of these things. Finding himself unable to fall into a normal sleep, he was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, idly exploring the rough landscape the faint moonlight revealed in the plaster.

Exhaustion had long since been replaced with a strange state of hyper-alertness. Edwin saw every detail, remembered every hill, valley and cliff. He found himself mapping them in his mind and naming the various formations and landmarks. He'd made a game of closing his eyes, choosing a random landmark from his illusory catalogue and then trying to find it on the ceiling.

At the same time, he absorbed the sounds of the night, both inside and outside: the scamper of tiny feet as mice patrolled for scraps, the beat of a moth's wings, sand shifting in a gentle wind. Other senses, such as taste and smell, were equally enhanced. The experience reminded Edwin of some of his earliest awakenings, but this was different. He'd been like this for way too long. A regular awakening, even the worst kind, typically lasted only a matter of seconds or minutes at the most, although they didn't always seem so to the person experiencing them.

Now, he'd just ticked off a third hour since waking, a third hour since the world had blossomed into a wildflower field of sensations. Edwin wondered what Dr. Brinkman would find if she measured him now; he wondered if the effect was permanent. Beyond that, he wondered if it was all in his mind. It could be.

His stomached growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten for several hours, a miserable prospect even on the best of days. Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked over at Peggy's slumbering form and considered whether or not to wake her. He had to eat; the urge was primal and maddening, all at once. The others were out, one on watch, the other scouting a safe route, one they would take in the last hour before dawn, when night still hung over the land like a shroud. Sure, they could have made the attempt earlier, when Edwin awoke, but he and Peggy were in no shape to do so.

Edwin wasn't even sure that they'd be ready come time to go. Mostly, he worried for Peggy. Moving to crouch beside her, he lightly brushed her hair away from her face, trying to assess her injuries, but after having a chance to clean up, they weren't as obvious. He suspected that the majority of the damage was internal and feared that some of it was severe. There was no way of knowing until they got her back to headquarters.

As he removed his hand, her eyes fluttered open and she drowsily asked, "What's wrong, time to go?"

Edwin smiled down at her, "Not yet, I wanted to see how you are, but I didn't mean to wake you."

"You look better," she observed softly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he said, "but I'm more concerned about you. How do you feel?"

"Not good," Peggy paused, "but better than before. What time is it?" The Verackans had taken her watch along with everything else she and Tully had had on them except for their uniforms.

Edwin checked, "4:30, it won't be long before the others return. Do you think you can make it?"

"Well, I don't have much choice if I want to get out of here," she shuddered. "I don't think I would have lasted much longer." She caught his hand and squeezed it gently, "I never said thank you."

"You're welcome," he grinned and squeezed back. "Now forget about it. I did what I had to." Well, he'd almost done what he had to, but the rest would have to wait until they were safely out and away. She didn't need to know about that part of it though.

"Since when do I take orders from you, Ensign?" she joked, breaking into a fit of coughing instead of laughter.

Edwin's brow furrowed with concern. "Easy, conserve your strength," he cautioned. "We'll talk about it later. See if you can get some more rest while Turner and Tully are still gone." She nodded weakly; the wracking coughs had convinced her of the wisdom in his words.

Satisfied that she was comfortable and taking his advice, Edwin stood and walked softly to a window, carefully peering out into the dark alleyway it overlooked. Closing his eyes, Edwin listened to the music of the night, amazed at the chorus of life and activity he'd never before perceived with such clarity. He stood thus until he heard a discordant note in the melody, a crunch and scrape against the sandy gravel.

His heart skipped a beat then resumed at a racehorse pace. He dared not breathe as he opened his eyes and ducked into a crouch in one motion. Checking Peggy, he saw that she watched him with wary eyes; she'd heard it, too: another step, then several more, pause and step, pause and scrape, on and on. He gestured for Peggy to remain perfectly still and quiet, and then slipped into the vision, the owl came in an instant, its powerful eyes banishing the night in his mind. Without pause, he sent the tiny creature out, hoping it was just Tully or Turner returning, but feeling deep inside that it was bad news instead.

He stifled a gasp at what his tiny scout revealed. Turner was approaching, but he wasn't alone. Behind him, a troop of Verackan soldiers crept along. Edwin groaned: Turner must have been captured. But something tickled at the back of his mind as he watched the group come nearer, then Turner beckoned towards the building and it hit him. Turner hadn't been captured; he was willingly leading the enemy to their hiding place. Fury and fear warred within Edwin's breast, but he denied them a hold. There was no time to lose.

Swiftly, he activated his and Peggy's camo fields, bending the light around them skillfully. Her position locked in his mind, although she was no longer visible, Edwin rushed to her side and whispered urgently, "It's Turner, and he's bringing Verackans. We have to leave now. Come on."

"But, are you sure?"

"I saw him point our location out to them. They aren't far," he answered as he helped her to her feet and pulled her towards the front end of the building, opposite the direction from which Turner and his followers were approaching. Edwin, watching their progress through the owl's luminous eyes from atop a nearby rooftop, knew that the front way was still clear. Turner had obviously expected them to be asleep, no threat and not worth the effort of sending a contingent to watch the other door. Or, maybe Edwin had simply beaten him to it.

He and Peggy silently stole into the night, and Edwin latched the door behind them, using his gift to secure it from the inside. Let the Verackans think their targets had left long ago, or at least by a different route. Edwin led Peggy along the narrow paths between buildings, moving ever closer to the periphery of the base as the owl glided purposefully overhead, feeding him the information he needed to avoid detection and helping him maintain a course that would lead them to safety.

Pausing briefly to catch their breath, Edwin and Peggy watched as yet another troop of soldiers ran past through an intersection they'd been approaching. He leaned close and whispered into her ear, "We're almost there, don't let go of my hand." She nodded.

After the last soldier passed, Edwin waited a count of twenty then pulled Peggy after him again. Several more times, they were forced to stop and wait for the way to clear; the Verackans were on high alert and were out in force searching for their missing prey.

Finally, the two of them stumbled out into the surrounding dunes, and Edwin spared a glance behind them at the Verackan base, which resembled nothing less than an ant hill that had been kicked. Lights swept around and people ran and shouted in tight and loose clusters. Somewhere in there, the traitor, Turner, would be searching. He could only hope that Tully had not been taken.

As Edwin and Peggy climbed over dune after dune as quickly as possible, he sent the owl soaring far overhead to scan the landscape for any sign of Tully or the well hidden transport. Having followed the vision to Turner's hideout, Edwin had lost track of their position in the compound and couldn't tell if they were heading in the right direction. With the addition of the two camo fields and the scouting owl, Edwin began to feel the drain again and drew to a stop behind a large hill, pulling Peggy down with him to rest behind it.

"Why are we stopping?" she asked, trying to mask the weariness in her voice.

"We need to rest, and I need to drop the camo fields or I won't be able to maintain the scout," he answered.

"Scout, what scout?" she asked, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

Sighing, Edwin answered, "Listen. Don't worry about it. Just trust me that we need it." Then he added, "Plus, you can't argue that you don't need a break and I must admit I could use one, too."

"I guess I can't argue with that, but I can argue that you have no excuse for keeping things from me."

"Really?" he said. "What if you were captured again? Could you keep them from learning what I might tell you?"

Stung, she turned her head away, fighting back tears that suddenly filled her eyes. She didn't need to answer; Edwin had it right and she knew it.

"Besides," Edwin added gently, "it's protocol, not personal. Believe me, if you needed to know, I would tell you."

She nodded silently, not trusting herself to speak. The sky was beginning to brighten and soon the myriad of stars above them would be swallowed by the first rays of the new day. They had to find the transport, if only to take shelter. Plus, Edwin remembered that there was food in it. To him, that was reason enough, his hollow stomach burned and cramped, the feeling only worsening as he continued to draw upon his gift.

He made short work of dropping the camo field and allowed the owl to siphon more of himself into it, which gave it a boost in intelligence and perception: two things that would help in the search. Edwin reclined on the gentle slope of the hill, closing his eyes and allowing the vision to completely fill his awareness. Like the night before, he seemed to become the owl, only vaguely aware of his physical body.

Dawn's light finally defeated the last vestiges of night, and the owl smoothly morphed into the fierce form of the eagle and continued the search.

"Yes!" Edwin exclaimed. "There it is."

"What, where?" Peggy asked, looking around confused.

"I found the transport. Let's get going." As he stood, he reclaimed most of his consciousness from the eagle, but kept it active to continue the search for Tully. Reaching down he helped Peggy up, and they resumed their trek with new urgency, and caution. Without the camo field or cover of night, they had to keep the dunes between them and the Verackan base, so most of the time, they ran in a low crouch.

At last, the transport came into view, blending well with the landscape until they were almost on it. The mottled tarp that covered it provided mundane but effective camouflage. Time was running out, the Verackans would almost certainly be on the move, coming to capture the prized Orescan technology and the escaped prisoners who could decode it for them. Their only saving grace was that Turner lacked the experience and memory to pinpoint its location beyond which direction it lay, assuming that hadn't been an act too. Of course, Tully would be able to point the way easily. However, Edwin had a feeling the man wouldn't be so easy to catch a second time, and even if he was captured, he would have had extensive training and conditioning to resist questioning, much more so than either Edwin or Peggy had.

Ducking under the tarp, Edwin found the hatch that provided entry and swiftly popped it open, beckoning for Peggy to go first. Inside, the light was muted and the air cool, a relief from the relentless oven of the desert landscape, which spread as far as the eye could see and was one of the prime motivations for the aggressive Verackan raids on bountiful Oresca. Having seen it for himself, Edwin had developed a sense of empathy for the Verackan people, their families, and especially their children, whose existence was likely one of desperation and survival. However, the feeling did not extend to those who had decided to make war on Oresca, nor did it to those who served in that effort. Their path was one of evil and selfishness, which could never be forgiven.

Now that he and Peggy were safe in the transport, Edwin summoned the eagle back to his side and absorbed its mind back into his own, searching its memories for any sign of Tully. Sighing as the last image faded and the last rush of quicksilver sped down his spine, he resolved to complete his secondary mission without delay. Tully was lost to them and they had to make good their escape and report Turner's treachery.

"What do we do now?" Peggy asked, watching him with a sharp eye. She knew he had been using his gift, but hadn't yet puzzled out exactly what he'd been doing with it.

"We go, Tully is gone."

"What do you mean? Dead?" she queried with a concerned frown on her face.

"He didn't escape the base, and time has run out." Edwin paused before explaining, "We can only assume he's been captured, and if they have him at the command building, which I suspect they do, he's as good as dead."

She nodded with a pained expression, "You're probably right that they caught him. It's even likely they took him first before Turner came for the rest of us. Shall I fire up the transport?"

"Not just yet, I have something I have to do. A parting gift you might call it, though the Verackans probably won't like it."

"You can't be considering going back there," she challenged.

"No, I won't need to," he answered. "Make preparations for takeoff, but don't engage the engines until I give you the go ahead."

She nodded and began the preflight checks. Satisfied, Edwin closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on the distant command building, walking its corridors with his mind until he reached the dark balcony where he'd planted the tiny devices earlier. Concentrating, he sent a tendril of thought to all of them at once, activating them in unison; then he retreated rapidly to the safety of his own mind. As he did so, he thought he heard screams echo through the corridors and suppressed a shudder as he opened his eyes.

With a motion for Peggy to fire the transport, Edwin ordered, "Now, we haven't much time."

Business like, she took the pilot's chair and replied, "Take a seat or you'll be thrown," as she swiped her hand across the control pad and a tell tale vibration tingled through the machine as the engines activated. He did as she instructed, and she wasted no time in taking them up. As they banked sharply towards distant Oresca, the base came into view, dusty shades of pink and yellow wavered in waves of heat; but the beauty of the sight could not banish the evil purpose behind it.

Edwin felt a burst of pressure in his mind as the time finally expired, and Peggy gasped at his side as the command building erupted in a billowing cloud of flame and sand, a visible shock wave demolishing the low buildings around it in an ever expanding ring of destruction, obliterating everyone and everything in its path. It was heading straight for them.

Peggy cursed and banked away from the coming onslaught, pushing the transport to the limits of its speed and maneuverability, vainly trying to outpace the wave. Edwin held tightly to the panel before him, bracing himself for the inevitable impact. The wave hit like a tsunami, tipping the transport on its nose and thrusting it forward and away from the epicenter of the blast. Sand and debris obscured the ground beneath them, but Edwin caught dizzying glimpses of it here and there.

Beside him, Peggy fought to keep them airborne, alternately threatening and coaxing the machine into submission. If anyone could get them through this safely, it was Peggy, Edwin thought to himself. Finally, the wave fell behind them and the transport righted itself.

Peggy glared over at him and demanded, "What the heck was that?"

With adrenaline rushing through his veins and the elation of survival sweeping aside the horror of what he had done, Edwin grinned back, "That, my dear First Lieutenant, was revenge."

### ~~~~

### Chapter 33-Flight

The return trip was long, several hours non-stop. Peggy and Edwin took turns at the controls, allowing each time to take a break, eat and recover. Neither wanted to talk about their ordeal, Peggy wasn't sure how everything could have gone so badly. Instead of a relatively safe observe and report mission, nearly everything that could have gone wrong, did.

It still pained her to breathe, and after all that had happened, she found it difficult to even look at her companion. He'd literally snuffed out hundreds of lives, including Tully and Turner, although the latter's treachery made it hard for her to feel too much remorse for him. Edwin's reaction: a smile. What had happened to him, how could he be so cold? The thought of his eyes after the explosion sent shivers down her spine. He'd been excited, glad of the destruction, oblivious.

Yes, they were at war, but they weren't warriors, trained to kill. Their lot was to collect intel, not slaughter people. She wondered, not for the first time, if he was finally breaking. No two cases were alike, but they did have one thing in common, not a single victim was the same person after the tipping point.

They'd long since left the last of the dunes behind them, and now they soared over the choppy waves of the small sea that separated the Verackan wasteland from the Orescan heartland. Peggy forced herself to look at Edwin, finding him emotionless and distant, as he had been for most of the trip. Returning her gaze to the window, her heart leaped into her throat as the first mountains rose over the distant horizon.

"We're almost there," Edwin said, noticing them, too.

Peggy said nothing, but Edwin didn't seem to care whether or not she responded. He checked his gages and indications and swept the horizon from left to right with his eyes, repeating the cycle regularly as he'd been taught. She impatiently watched the growing range, looking for the notch where the river flowed into the sea. They would follow it all the way to headquarters, where this nightmare would finally end. If they were lucky, they would be provided food and medical care before debriefing, but she feared that the absence of half of their team would undermine that prospect.

"When we near the notch, I'll take over," Peggy offered.

"Alright," Edwin answered.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Peggy nodded and abandoned the brief conversation. She felt ill equipped to deal with the whole situation. Concern and revulsion warred within her, and she struggled to suppress both.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 34-Debriefing

Edwin sat next to Peggy in Commander Talbot's office. He'd been waiting for them with Doctor Brinkman at his side, and had allowed the doctor only a cursory look at their condition before dismissing her. After that, the Commander had led them straight to his office in Fort Oresca.

Peggy had looked longingly toward headquarters as they'd followed a pace behind him. Edwin had kept his eyes on the commander's back, for the most part. He'd dreaded the coming interview. Now, the Commander gazed keenly at Edwin over his steepled fingers, practically ignoring Peggy. Edwin sensed her repositioning next to him; she'd noticed it, too.

"Ensign Johnson, would you care to report?" he finally spoke.

"To what detail?" Edwin responded. Despite the scope of his failure, he still wasn't sure how much he should reveal in front of Peggy.

"You may feel free to report in full detail," The Commander ordered. "I have decided to include First Lieutenant Bryce in our discussion for a reason. Proceed."

Edwin nodded, business like, and did as he was ordered, beginning with the ambush and his initial escape and ending with Turner's treachery and the destruction of the base. He left nothing out, describing everything he'd done with the gift, his successes, and his failures. Through it all, he felt Peggy watching him, judging him.

When he finally reached the end of his narrative, Edwin allowed himself a quick look at her reaction. He was surprised to see tears welling in her eyes, but he couldn't tell which emotion lay behind them for other than that, her face was a mask.

"Well done," the Commander's voice tore Edwin's attention away from Peggy.

"Sir?" Edwin responded, unsure whether he'd really heard what the Commander had said.

"You have performed exceptionally well, considering the circumstances, better than I had anticipated."

"But what about Tully?" Edwin protested. "I failed him, probably even killed him."

"It is possible, but did you have much of a choice at that point?" the Commander reasoned.

"Not much of one," he conceded. "If I'd gone back, I could have been captured, and we would have most certainly lost the transport. Turner knew where it was, at least well enough to point the Verackans in the right direction."

"Indeed, and more importantly, he knew about you," the Commander added, "as did Tully, and through them, the Verackans would have, too."

Edwin nodded, guilt over Tully's loss filling him, "Yes, I'd thought of that, too."

"So, you decided to complete the mission and cut your losses."

"Yes," Edwin replied simply, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Do you regret your actions?"

"No," he whispered, "only the loss of my teammates."

"Even Turner?"

"Yes, though I know that it was for the best."

The Commander nodded thoughtfully, and then finally turned his attention to Peggy, who had silently watched the entire interaction. She sat with her back straight, refusing to look in Edwin's direction.

"First Lieutenant Bryce," he said, "when you first alighted from the transport, I sensed that your faith in Ensign Johnson had wavered. Was that impression accurate?"

Her voice breaking, she answered, "Yes, sir."

Edwin stared down at his hands; he didn't know how to take that revelation.

The Commander continued, "And now, as you begin to understand the full extent of the challenges he faced, would you have acted differently than he if your roles were reversed?"

Silence met the question, and Edwin covertly looked over at Peggy, finding her fighting back tears, unable to answer.

"Take your time, First Lieutenant," the Commander instructed.

She nodded and furiously scrubbed her eyes with her fists, taking several deep breathes to calm herself before finally answering, "No, sir."

The Commander's brow rose inquisitively, and she added, "I would not have had the strength to do as he did, though I realize he was right to do so." She fell silent, chin up, trying desperately to bring her emotions in check.

Leaning back, the commander laid his palms on the desk and regarded both of them seriously.

"You will both report to the Medical Ward. Ensign Johnson, I believe Doctor Brinkman will want to run another baseline on you. Please inform her that I said it will be unnecessary and that you are to be treated and allowed to return to your quarters for rest."

"Yes, sir," Edwin responded, relieved that he would be spared that misery.

"One more thing," he added, addressing Peggy. "You will not share what you have learned either during the mission or just now from the debriefing with anyone."

"And if they ask?" she prompted.

"You will say that Turner and Tully fell to the enemy and that you and Ensign Johnson narrowly escaped."

She nodded. It wasn't far from the truth.

"Very well, you are dismissed."

Edwin and Peggy stood together, and Edwin, reaching the door first, opened it and motioned for Peggy to precede him, but Commander Talbot stopped him before he could follow, "Ensign Johnson."

"Yes, sir?" he answered, turning his head.

"I trust you will show more caution from this point on."

"Yes, sir," Edwin replied, understanding that he was not entirely free and clear.

Commander Talbot nodded and motioned for him to leave. Edwin took the cue, closing the door behind himself.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 35-In Veracka

Moonlight streamed into the dark chamber, casting eerie shadows that seemed to take on a life of their own. Sparse clouds dotted the sky outside, but it took only one sweeping across the moon to banish the ghostly figures. Even in the near total darkness, the opulence of the room was obvious. An ornate lounge huddled against the wall beneath a large painting, which was barely distinguishable beyond the cast of the light off of the scrolls and curves forming its massive frame. An enormous bed, bordered by floor to ceiling curtains held back with massive tassels and cording, stood opposite the lounge.

The tall windows were dressed similarly with fabric pulled back to allow in the light. Set into the thick walls, just underneath the windows, a cushioned window seat held an array of pillows in all shapes and sizes. As the rogue cloud finally released its hold on the captive moon, a stray beam fell upon a young girl, who sat in the nook, holding her legs folded before her with her head resting on her knees. The light drew her attention and she looked up and out at the panoramic cityscape arrayed far below her.

She wiped her eyes lightly with her fingertips and sighed. Crying did not become one of her stature, so during the day, she kept a tight rein on herself, but tonight, she allowed herself this small luxury.

The city appeared peaceful in the moonlight; no electric bulb or candle marred its perfect serenity, but she knew the illusion for what it was. The darkness masked the dead and dying, the parched earth, the fine windborne dust that settled on everyone and everything, stifling hope and will. The illusion hid what she knew to be a dying city. Her people suffered, even more so now since the desperate act that had set them on the course of war so many years ago. She wondered if her father had gazed over the city the night before he'd made that fateful decision, as she did now.

Thinking of her father tore at her heart, and she brushed aside the tears that welled in her eyes. Taking deep, calming breaths, she closed her eyes and rested her head back on her knees. She had made her own decision this night. She had decided to put an end to this war for better or for worse.

Now, all she had to do was figure out how to do it under the watchful, disapproving gaze of the regent council: no easy task. She had felt their grip almost tangibly tighten since the word of the tragedy had reached the Palace. She was sixteen; only a child in their eyes, and the regent council took advantage of her youth to take control of Veracka, to turn its resources to their own agenda. But, she smiled to herself, having come from a long line of strong rulers she was not to be shuffled aside. They would not know she had taken the reins back until it was too late to do anything about it.

Silently, the young girl plotted and planned, determined to save her people and herself.

### ~~~~

### Chapter 36-In Oresca

In the silent sanctuary of his apartment, Edwin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the wispy curls of fog that swirled about the landscape outside. Sweat drenched his brow and his breathing came fast. The nightmare had been so real, so terrifying. In it, Turner's laughter and Tully's screams, begging for rescue, warred against each other; both cut short in a blinding flash of light and heat that eagerly devoured flesh and bone.

This was the sixth night since he and Peggy had returned from the mission, and Edwin had woken to the same images night after night. He'd come to fear the night and the torments it brought. Each night he fought sleep, only to give in when exhaustion obliterated his resistance. Each night, he woke to echoing screams and the scent of ash and smoke as he relived the horrific scene over and over, as if he were there, watching the wall of towering flames coming to claim him and the nameless companions surrounding him.

There is no glory in vengeance, Edwin thought to himself, flipping on a light. He knew without a doubt that the raids on Oresca were planned and carried out by the soldiers he had destroyed. He'd expected to be happy, feel relief that justice had finally been dealt to those who had wrought tragedy to so many families. But the dreams proved otherwise.

The soldiers were people, men who served for the good of their families and friends. They did what they had to do to ensure the survival of their own. Edwin belatedly realized that many of them had been like him. From the first, he'd tried to ignore that line of thought, push away that conclusion and bury it deep inside, but the effort had been futile.

Edwin made some coffee and resolved to wait out the remainder of the night awake, unable to bear the thought of living the nightmare again.

Staring out into the dark world, coffee forgotten in his hands, Edwin brooded and schemed. This war had to end, and not by destroying the other side.

### ###

### About the Author

Patricia Hamill lives on the East Coast with her family. She enjoys reading and writing, and has a special fondness for anything fantasy or fiction. In addition to her love of literature, she also enjoys crafting with fiber arts, visiting scenic parks, and exploring local bodies of water via canoe. Her insight into military life comes from a six year enlistment in the United States Navy.

### Connect with me Online

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### Books by this Author

The Golden Ship

Fearless

The Freeze

Shadows of Valor (Shadows of Valor #1)

Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2)

Fight for Valor (Shadows of Valor #3)

The Complete Shadows of Valor Trilogy (print)

Avalee and the Dragon
Excerpt from Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2)

### Chapter 1-Training

A firm knock broke Edwin's reverie just before dawn. He rose to answer, but the knock repeated before his feet hit the floor.

Frowning at the impatience of his visitor, he called out, "Hold on, I'm coming!"

No further knocks sounded in the short time it took Edwin to reach the door, so he reasoned that they must have heard him. Before opening the door, he peered through the security lens, but the visitor was not in sight. Probably standing to the side, Edwin guessed and opened the door.

A firm throat clearing drew his attention downward until his eyes fell upon a woman, whose head reached no higher than top of his belt buckle.

True to the tone set by her knocking, the woman seemed the embodiment of impatience. Her foot tapped and her arms crossed over her chest clutching a large clipboard tightly to her body. It was almost as big as her entire torso. Besides all that, she was chewing on something, reminding Edwin of a rabbit or mouse nibbling on a morsel.

Struggling to stifle evidence of amusement, Edwin said, "Hello, how can I help you?"

Before answering, she stood there for a moment longer peering up at him with sharp eyes full of intelligence, sizing him up.

"You can help me by inviting me in, for starters."

Then, not waiting for the invite she requested, the tiny woman shouldered him aside and began inspecting his apartment, taking brief notes on the clipboard.

Not knowing who she was or what she expected to find in his kitchen drawers, he followed her.

"Excuse me," he said, catching her attention for an instant, "what are you doing?"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I'm getting interrupted, that's what. Now, why don't you go over there and let me finish." She pointed back at the front door and then proceeded to open his cupboards, using the long clipboard to knock them open and a mirror on an extendable pole to peer inside each one. After that, she rummaged through his refrigerator, muttering, "No fruit or veggies . . . typical."

From there, she toured the rest of the apartment, methodically searching it from top to bottom, even going so far as to tap along certain sections of wall, listening intently as she did so. Finally, she emerged from the bathroom, which had been her last stop, and stalked up to Edwin. Slowly, her rapid chewing came to an end and she smiled up at him.

"Not bad, usually I find a few on first looks, but you seem to keep a tight ship: a good quality in our business."

A few what, Edwin thought before answering with a baffled, "Thank you?" He didn't bother asking her what she meant, having decided that questions were pointless with this one.

She nodded briskly, and motioned for him to follow her as she strode back into the living area and climbed into his favorite chair, which seemed to swallow her whole. He sat across the room on the couch and waited for her to speak.

Silence permeated the air before she finally spoke.

"How do you like Rank Two so far?"

"Excuse me?" Edwin said in surprise.

"Shall I repeat the question?"

"No."

"And?" she prompted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Edwin dodged.

She allowed a throaty chuckle to escape her lips, "Really . . . one with your talents should have been snapped up by now. I've heard some interesting things about you."

Edwin shrugged noncommittally, and then decided he'd had enough of the game. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"Tsk, tsk, what happened to the nice boy who so kindly let me in without securing that information first?"

"Enough, either you answer or you leave."

"Very well, I am Lieutenant Tina Bell, and I am here to give you a lesson."

Edwin felt unwelcome mirth welling in his throat at the ironic name and struggled to suppress it. The effort to control himself was not lost on Lieutenant Bell, who scowled in his direction until he managed to master his expression.

"If you are quite finished, please change into the light blue uniform. I will wait here."

Not exactly trusting his visitor, Edwin stood, retrieved the blue uniform and closed himself into the bathroom. Something about the entire situation made him ill at ease, although he had to acknowledge that he'd become somewhat overly cautious since joining Rank Two. Setting the uniform on the counter, Edwin decided to look into Lieutenant Bell's visit for himself.

He closed his eyes and summoned an image of her in his mind, then allowed a small piece of his consciousness to slip away and out into the room where the woman waited. Unbidden, the finger of thought took the form of the eagle, which perched on the mantle where it could gaze down upon his visitor. Feeding more of himself into it, he felt himself become the bird.

When he sensed that he was ready, Edwin stared down at the Lieutenant and allowed her physical presence to sharpen his mental image of her, until they were nearly identical. He felt himself drawn into the vision, and flashes of color and darkness began to play across the backdrop. He saw a sunny courtyard, circular and bordered by terraced walks, similar to Special Air Corps Headquarters, but with an unobstructed view of the sky.

The image shifted as if the ground abruptly dropped away, and then everything seemed to spin into darkness. He allowed himself to fall further into the vision, and all at once he felt cool moist air rushing over his body, tasted the scent of flowers on the air and felt the dizzying sensation of somersaulting through the night, weightless and free. Flashes of light swept past, but he didn't recognize what they were, at least not until the dream Lieutenant allowed her gaze to fall.

"Headquarters," Edwin murmured in the bathroom, unaware that he'd spoken. He pulled back from the vision slightly and allowed the backdrop to shift to a familiar corridor, where he watched a tiny hand reach up and open a door. Waiting behind the door was Commander Talbot, fingers steepled thoughtfully as he acknowledged his visitor with a nod and a slight smile.

Edwin had seen enough. Lieutenant Bell was obviously not a Verackan spy, as he had suspected, although some of the images still puzzled him. Slowly, he withdrew into the eagle while separating from and then dissolving the dream Lieutenant. Free of the brief connection, he summoned the dream eagle back to his physical body and drew in the consciousness he'd lent it, shivering only slightly as the feeling of fire and ice trickled up his spine. His eyes opened, and he turned his head to look at the crumpled uniform he'd tossed aside. Well, he thought to himself, I'd better change before she decides to check on me.

When he returned to the living room a few minutes later, Lieutenant Bell smiled and said, "Well, are you ready?"

Edwin nodded curtly, "Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she said and slid unceremoniously off the chair to her feet, "then we can get to work."

### ***

After just three hours under Lieutenant Bell's rigorous instruction, Edwin was exhausted. She was tireless, impatient and incredibly fast, and she expected Edwin to keep up.

A challenging combination of physical and mental conditioning, the drills Edwin practiced under her sharp eyes were more difficult than any he'd experienced since joining the SAC. Sweat drenched his body, rolling down his back and chest under the heavy fabric of the uniform. He and his teacher were in the countryside near headquarters, running along deer trails, jumping fallen logs and forgotten fences, and sprinting along the water's edge.

The goal was simple, catch Lieutenant Bell, but the rules governing that goal were not. First, he was instructed to keep moving at all costs. Second, he was to keep track of Lieutenant Bell's position at all times. She seemed to know he had a way to cast his vision ahead and had told him that she expected him to need it. Third, he had until sundown to catch her, after that, they would return to headquarters. Smiling, she had mentioned that catching her meant an early end to their activities, a reward that Edwin only now began to appreciate fully.

Before they'd set off that morning, she had given him a word of advice: the uniform was the key. Learning and exploiting its purpose would give him the edge he needed to succeed.

Hours later, Edwin crashed along a wooded pathway, his legs leaden and his lungs on fire. Nearly a mile beyond him, Lieutenant Bell jogged along a sunny road, whistling as she did so; he could hear the melody through his scout. How she was able to cover such terrain in so short a time and still have the breath to whistle was beyond his comprehension. It was becoming clear to Edwin that he would not catch her this way, so he turned his thoughts back to the puzzle of the uniform. What was it supposed to do?

Puzzling out its purpose would have been easier in a quiet room where he could leisurely explore its features and experiment with them, but instead he had to do it on the move. He belatedly wished that he'd checked it out earlier, on his own, but such dreams were futile. The fact was that beyond his first inspection of his new wardrobe, he'd never thought to do so. Plus, the pale blue uniform was rather unattractive.

His focus on the circuitry and odd structures in the fabric took his attention from the trail, and his foot caught a root, nearly sending him to the ground. He blindly grasped a low lying branch and regained his balance, managing to keep moving. Obviously, he could not afford to lose track of his surroundings, nor could he avoid devoting considerable attention to unraveling the mystery of the jumpsuit.

He pondered the dilemma as he followed the trail that Lieutenant Bell had blazed before him, slowing his place to an easy jog when he finally accepted that he would not catch her by speed alone. Rather than fall into a vision at the expense of spatial awareness, Edwin decided to think through the possibilities logically, beginning with what he already knew.

One, he knew that the uniform had a special purpose, like the camo suit he'd already mastered. The presence of circuitry confirmed it, supported by the Lieutenant having told him it was the key to the exercise. Two, he considered the color of the uniform, again in comparison to the camo suit. It was a pale blue, like the sky on a winter day, but mottled over with variations of blue and white. The pattern was similar to that of the camo suit, which led Edwin to the conclusion that camouflage was still a feature, but the environment to be blended into would be blue or white.

Dodging a fallen trunk and ducking a low branch, Edwin considered the idea for a moment before moving on to the third thing he knew, that the uniform was incredibly thick and warm, evidenced by his current misery. The fabric was padded and quilted, as if designed for wear in incredibly cold terrain, but it didn't seem waterproof so he checked water off the possible environments. He considered the color and warmth together and came up with two theories: snowy or icy land operations or high altitude operations.

The trek through the woods didn't seem to have anything to do with either, but of the two options, high altitude seemed the most likely. Plus, he couldn't think of anything that could benefit snowy weather operations that could also be of use catching his elusive quarry. That left high altitude environments, which were cold and typically a shade of blue or white, at least during the day.

Satisfied with his conclusions, Edwin turned to the questions of how the suit would be used in that environment and how he could exploit it for his current goal. Could it be used for parachuting? Possibly, but that wouldn't help here. What about skydiving? Same. . . He shook his head, doubting the suit was used for falling; this was SAC tech after all. It would have to be something better than that. An idea bloomed in his mind as he recalled the strange ribbing that permeated the fabric.

He'd ruled out falling, but could it be used for flying? He considered Lieutenant Bell's supernatural speed and wondered whether it could be used for that. She certainly seemed to be flying over the terrain; all she was missing was altitude, but Edwin grinned as he realized that she wouldn't need much of that to maintain her seemingly effortless speed. She needed only to skim along the surface and mimic running.

Edwin turned his attention to the view his eagle sent his way and observed the Lieutenant's movements carefully. There . . . she'd bounded across a stream nearly three times her own body length. Such a move was highly unlikely without some sort of boost.

Smiling to himself at the discovery, he turned his ability to the task of activating the suit. Knowing what it was supposed to do was not the same as knowing how to work it, but it certainly helped. At least he knew what sort of images to build into the vision, beginning with himself speeding and bounding along the broken landscape. He directed that image into the circuits and felt an immediate response. Excitement filled him as the ribbing along his arms firmed up, shaping the sleeves into wings. No doubt remained, the suit was for flying. He noticed that along with the shape change, his body felt lighter as though gravity had begun to loosen its hold on him.

His reality was beginning to match the vision as the ground sped past in a blur. He jogged as before, but now each stride took him further than the last had until his footfalls hit meters apart. This beat a Magbike for thrills any day, he thought to himself.

Suddenly, the images he'd delved from Lieutenant Bell made more sense. Elated, Edwin laughed with delight as he closed in on the diminutive woman. Before long, he caught sight of her in the distance; dual images of her from both near and distant viewpoints filled his vision. He was going to catch her.

He funneled more energy into the suit, imagining even more speed, but this time the suit reacted violently. Abruptly, Edwin felt himself propelled forward at an insane velocity, and darkness swirled into his vision, like a tunnel that spiraled into a small pinpoint of light, until he knew no more.

He did not feel the impact when he slammed into the earth.

### **End of Excerpt**

