The second dark ages box.., p.67
The Second Dark Ages Boxed Set, page 67
part #1 of The Second Dark Ages Series
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Ellie x
Dawn Arrives
The Second Dark Ages Book 4
Chapter One
Yokohama, Japan, Yokohamakeon (Park)
The park was peaceful.
Serene, even.
Sunlight kissed the lawn and littered the trees, casting intricate patterns beneath the leaves.
The black box touched down lightly in the square. It had been several days since it had been here…not that anyone had noticed.
Sabine was the first to step outside and gaze at the wonder of the world. The whirlwind tour of Europe had been mind-blowing, or at least it would have been for her old self. Her new self took it in stride, as simple as breathing or shooting a gun...which were on a par for her at this point.
She wandered around the area, examining it through her nanocyte-enhanced eyes. Her wounds had completely healed, leaving her beyond grateful for her new lease on life. She looked several decades younger, and was more powerful than she had ever been.
She sensed Akio landing in the fighter Pod next to the box, and she smiled. He got out of the ship, as calm and stoic as ever.
They exchanged a glance. An acknowledgment.
Sabine glanced at the sky, inhaling the atmosphere and appreciating every bit of what her senses were taking in.
Michael ambled out just then, removing his hat to scratch his head and then replacing it.
Yuko, Eve, Jacqueline, and Mark followed in close succession.
Jacqueline was the first to suggest the specifics of their first mission, since her were-body craved food. “So, what about the breakfast place just across the park we found last time?”
Michael looked at Akio. As long as there is meat. I could murder a steak right now.
Hai.
“Out loud, boys!” Sabine reminded them, tilting her head at the others.
Akio shot across to Michael, she can read our thoughts?
Michael shrugged. “Do they have steak?” he asked Jacqueline.
She grinned. “You bet your hat they do…and since when do you eat?”
Michael started walking toward the restaurant. “I could do with something. Haven’t eaten since I nearly got torn apart in the Etheric, and I have a hankering for something with iron in it.”
Mark slung his arm around Jacqueline’s shoulder and followed. Eve closed up the box and joined the group as they made their way across the lawn, happy and peaceful for the first time in a long while.
Sabine quietly followed, looking at everything as if she were seeing with new eyes.
Steaks and mountains of other breakfast foods later, Michael pushed his plate aside and regarded Yuko quietly. Yuko noticed his regard and stopped eating.
“I suppose we should talk about what’s next,” Michael ventured.
Yuko nodded. “I’m guessing getting back to BA is still the priority?”
Michael dabbed his mouth with his napkin. “It is.”
Yuko looked at the ceiling, arranging her thoughts. “Well, we know the locations of the boxes. Five are in our secret storage.” He glanced at Akio, who nodded. “And the other eleven will be wherever the map says they are.”
Michael considered the options. “We will need engineers and scientists to put it together,” he mused, and gestured to Akio. “We’ve been talking about it. Locals with the technical skills we need would be our best bet, but they lack honor. Many will try to steal what they can if we keep them in Japan.”
Yuko filled in the blanks. “So you’re thinking you want to recruit them here and take them to an isolated location to work?”
Michael bowed his head and glanced around, reading the other customers’ minds to make sure their conversation wasn’t being monitored.
Jacqueline finished her last bite and swallowed, then leaned against Mark and stared down at his plate. When he looked at her, she smiled at him. “So, are you stuffed? Are you done with that bacon, then?”
Mark pushed his plate over to his girlfriend with a smile. “Knock yourself out.”
Jacqueline rested her knee against his under the table.
Michael pulled out the tablet he’d been using in the Pod, and after flicking it on he pointed to the screen. “Where are the burial sites on this map?”
Eve quietly responded, “China. If you want to stay there, I will find a suitable location for your scientists to work.”
Michael nodded and got up, his brows still drawn together in thought. “Very good. Let’s make that happen.” He turned to Eve. “Please put the word out that we need the best tech engineers, inventors, and scientists to put together an experimental machine.”
Eve grinned. “Got it. We’ll have something set up within the day.”
Yuko hesitated. “So, uh, who will run the interviews?”
Michael looked at Eve and Yuko. “Go, team?” he suggested hopefully as a small smile grew on the sides of his lips.
Yuko shook her head firmly. “We need to be sensible about this. If we want to shorten the critical path, might I suggest you and Akio handle the recruiting? Mind scans and all that could be helpful.”
Akio’s face remained expressionless. “But technology is your thing.”
Excellent response, Michael sent to Akio, his eyes giving nothing away as he continued to look at Yuko.
I am trying, Akio replied. His face gave nothing away to Sabine.
Eve chimed in, “I can run thorough enough background checks from here before we even see them to find out if they are capable. We only need to meet them so they can get to know us and find out who they’ll be working for. Well, and for you two to do your mind-reading thing.” She looked from Akio to Michael.
Akio shrugged, allowing a half-smile to grace his lips as he glanced at Michael. “Guess we’ve got our next mission.”
Michael sighed, stepping away from the table and shoving the chair back under it. “Well, if any of them piss me off I reserve the right to—”
Jacqueline raised an eyebrow and Michael stopped talking as he regarded the young woman, who had finished Mark’s plate as well. “Go ahead,” she said. “I’m listening. Oh...and did I mention I’m sooooo looking forward to meeting Bethany Anne?”
Michael crumpled. “Well, fine.” He looked around, resigned. “Maybe I’ll spend the rest of the day blowing off some steam, then.”
Jacqueline chuckled. “Looks like he’s all antsy after that last operation.”
Mark started chuckling, but was quickly silenced by a glare from the Dark Messiah.
“So unfair how you girls get away with—” No one heard the rest of the sentence, since Michael had disappeared.
Akio placed his eating utensils on the table and got up. “I’ll make sure he stays out of trouble,” he said as he stepped away from his chair.
Eve called after him, “If you need a battle range we can arrange for something in the Tech Palace. You know, some realistic simulations of ancient battles from Earth’s history.”
Akio looked impressed, and he bowed slightly. “Let me talk to him.” And then he vanished out the door, the ringing bell as the only hint he had been there.
The team looked at the empty space where Michael had been.
Mark nudged Jacqueline. “Did he just…” he whispered, his eyebrow raised.
Jacqueline nodded.
Mark set his teacup down. “And all that about not drawing attention to—”
Jacqueline patted his leg under the table. “It’s a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do kinda thing, honey.” She paused ever so slightly. “You’ll get used to it.”
Sabine sipped her tea, contemplating something that made her eyes defocus and look dreamy.
“You ok?” Jacqueline asked her.
“Huh, what? Me? Yeah, fine…” she muttered, only half-aware that the others were looking at her.
Tokyo, Japan
“It’s all set up,” Eve told Michael. The Pod had landed in a small, protected lot. “All you have to do is show up at this address at ten o’clock and…” she waved her fingers in the direction of Michael’s head, “do your thing.”
Michael took the piece of paper she handed him as he eyed her. “And you’re sure these front-office people helping us during the recruitment know what they’re doing?”
“Absolutely.” She nodded. “And if you have any doubts, Akio can ping me and we will sort it out remotely.”
Michael didn’t look convinced. In the last recruitment drive he had been part of, Bethany Anne and her team had gotten everything done. “Man, that woman knew how to get shit done…” he mumbled.
Eve heard every syllable, but chose not to pry. Even though they had a special connection now, she didn’t really want to start probing her new “father” about her...well, would she be called “Mom?” Or maybe “Step-mom?” She shook her head, confused by the organic designations. If she ever saw ADAM again—or rather when, she corrected herself—she would be sure to ask him.
The box was a hub of activity. They had spent the whole of yesterday back in normality, and it was now time to leave for another adventure.
Or rather, head for an excavation—in China.
“I didn’t know China existed before the other day,” Mark was saying as he passed Jacqueline a stack of blankets to stow.
“Right, and all courtesy of the School of Michael.” She grinned and said, “Right, Sabine?”
“Huh?” Sabine looked up from the computer she was sitting behind.
“We get to travel and see the world, thanks to Michael.”
“Yeah. Yeah, it’s amazing.” Sabine smiled absently, clearly a million miles away. She shook her head and came back to the present. “Do you need me to do anything?”
“Nope, we’re all good. We’ll be ready to go as soon as Yuko gives the word.”
Sabine glanced at Akio, who was standing by the doorway, with sadness in her eyes.
Jacqueline noticed, but said nothing.
Within twenty minutes, everything had been squared away and the plans laid out. The box lifted from the park and disappeared.
Akio mouthed, “Be safe, young one,” then became aware of Michael heading toward him across the lawn.
He glanced at a spot of blood on Michael’s shirt. “I thought those simulations were…simulations? As in, there was nothing to kill?”
Michael grinned as he approached Akio. “Nothing to worry about. Just, some punk tried to start something, so I provided him with an opportunity to never do it again.”
Akio looked down at the shirt, and then back up as the two started walking down the sidewalk. “You killed him?”
Michael shook his head. “No, not at all. I just smacked him in the mouth and walked away. No Mysting. It was...helpful.”
Akio shook his head, closing his eyes in dismay. “The sooner we get you off-world and back to Bethany Anne, the better...sir.”
Michael chuckled dryly as he looked at the architecture around them, much of which was new to him. “Agreed. Now, how about we go recruit some tech-heads to help us with that?”
They headed back across the street, enjoying the pleasantness of the city before they had to mind-read a bunch of imbeciles. Yuko had given them very strict instructions not to kill anyone.
This was going to be a challenge.
In Transit between Tokyo and an Undisclosed Location in China
Mark watched carefully over Yuko’s shoulder as she and Eve ran the analysis on the data he’d pulled in the bunker.
“So we have sixteen of these things to dig up?” He ruffled his hair as if ready to tear it out. “Do we know how deeply they’re buried?”
Eve raised a finger. “Probably around ten feet, but maybe more.”
Mark pushed out his bottom lip, not happy at the prospect of the sheer amount of digging that lay ahead of them.
“And,” Eve continued, “it’s not sixteen.”
Jacqueline was lounging on a bunch of blankets at the other end of the cabin. “I’m sure Yuko said sixteen when she was explaining this to me...with the Kurth-ery-what-nots.”
Yuko didn’t take her eyes from her analysis, but Eve poked her head around the monitor to look at the Were girl. “That is the total, but we intercepted five before they were buried and have them in a secure location.”
Jacqueline looked impressed.
‘That’s something,” Mark agreed. “Please tell me you have equipment, though. For digging?”
Yuko shook her head and patted Mark’s six-pack. “That is why we brought our strongest vamps and Weres.” She chuckled quietly, glancing briefly at Sabine. Their newest recruit was sitting quietly at the far end of the room stroking a knife against her index finger.
Sabine didn’t react, and the conversation moved on.
Mark’s eyes flicked back to the screen to try to make sense of the map. “So how do we figure out which ones were intercepted?”
Yuko shrugged. “I’m trying to remember.”
Eve smiled quietly at the other console. “I’m running an analysis based on where the interceptions took place. It’ll be done in a few minutes.”
Jacqueline glanced around the cabin. “So how big are these crates? Are they going to fit in here?”
Yuko rolled her lips together. “Probably not. We can tow them with the box’s winch, but we should probably move them at night.” She jerked her thumb in Eve’s direction. “Eve will be able to coordinate with the local satellites so we’re not picked up on camera or radar.”
Eve clarified, “And by ‘coordinate’ she means I’ll block them from seeing us or sending any data which gives us away.”
Jacqueline nodded her head, thinking about the enormity of what they were about to do. “And transport these boxes...where?”
Eve took that question. “I’m analyzing sites right now. We’re looking for somewhere that has amenities nearby for the workers—housing, food, and so on—but is out of the way of prying eyes.” She paused as her eyes flicked unnaturally for a moment. “I estimate that to optimize our travel with the crates and reduce the probability of being seen, we’re probably looking at somewhere on the outskirts of China itself.”
Mark stepped away from the consoles and ambled over to where Jacqueline was sitting on the floor. “I understood that China was like, I dunno...the ass-end of nowhere?”
Yuko nodded. “I know. You get all the rough missions.”
Mark continued to gripe. “While Michael and Akio get to sit around in Luxury World playing mind-games and VR!”
Yuko nodded in agreement and turned to Eve. “I think he was looking forward to getting back to the Tech Palace.”
Eve’s voice was filled with pride when she said, “I think so too.” She called to Mark, “Is it the simulations or the cotton candy you miss most?”
Mark sighed before he chuckled. “All of the above!”
Jacqueline leaned into him and he put his arm around her shoulders. “I hope we get to visit it one more time before we leave Earth,” she mumbled into his t-shirt.
Mark glowed. That meant they were going with them. Off-world. In that moment, he swelled with happiness.
Life really cannot get much better than this, he thought to himself as he gave his girl a squeeze.
Chapter Two
Shimpo-Ra Memorial Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Akio glided quietly back into the room, footsteps whispering over the lacquered floor, and sat behind the desk next to Michael. They were presently waiting for the next candidate in the sports hall Eve had booked for the recruitment drive.
We should have organized an assistant too, he shot to Michael. Walking back and forth to fetch people is tedious.
The ArchAngel smirked. Ah, it’s beyond you now, is it my friend? Now that you’ve faced down the demons of the planet you’re above such things?
Akio’ eyes danced with humor. Not in the slightest. But what is the point in spending a hundred and fifty years honing one’s ability to mind-read and enter buildings like the wind and still be required to perform the mundane tasks?
Michael smirked at Akio as the new candidate, who had just completed his journey across the twenty-yard space between them and the door, sat nervously in the chair across from them.
Akio rearranged his robe as he crossed one leg over the other and both men pursed their lips, saying nothing.
The candidate shifted uncomfortably in the prolonged silence.
“Aren’t you going to ask me any questions?” he asked, pushing his tech-enhanced glasses back onto his nose and fidgeting. His mouth was dry. It didn’t take a Dark Messiah to know he was nervous.
Michael, now deadpan, looked down at his fingers, inspecting the cuticles. I dunno what to ask him. You ask him something.
Akio stifled a chuckle but remained composed—not that the candidate would have noticed. “I read on your resume that you have an interest in experimental technology. Would you like to expand on that a little?”
The candidate, having finally been acknowledged by the strange duo who were supposed to be interviewing him, launched into a discourse on how he’d been involved in helping stabilize the coherence of the qubits in quantum computing and how great strides had been made during his tenure as a volunteer at some center or another.
Michael’s eyes glazed over. He’s clean. We knew he was clean. Why did you have to get him started? Do you secretly hate me? Have I done something to you lately I need to apologize for?
Akio maintained his feigned interest in the candidate. You told me to ask him a question.
Michael audibly sighed. Yeah, something like, “What year did you graduate from school?” Not something he’s obviously not going to stop talking about.
Akio’s mental voice came back laced with humor. Well, how about next time you ask the question?
Ten long minutes later the candidate stopped talking, messed around with his glasses, and looked nervously from one interviewer to the other. He finally rested his eyes on the Stetson on the table.
