Riley woke up sluggishly. The first thing she noticed was the smell. A potpourri of cement, garbage, and ammonia. Eww. The air was cool and laced with cigarette smoke. She grimaced and slapped a hand over her nose and mouth. She was lying on the cold hard ground and something wet was soaking into her left knee. She forced herself to open her eyes.
She was in an alley between two large, rusting dumpsters. If she raised her head she could make out the street at the end of the alley and the pedestrians walking past the entrance. Groggily she sat up, pulling her leg out of the oily puddle. For several minutes she did nothing but allow the vertigo to settle. This teleportation stuff was getting worse each time she moved.
For a moment it was difficult to remember why she was there and what had happened. Then it came back in a rush. The Council had kidnapped her. They were forcing her to do their dirty work and had inserted a device into her head so they could monitor her success. Kerry was still in their clutches and Heaven only knew what they might do to him.
She forced the panic away. If she was going to get Kerry out of this predicament she had to have a clear mind and a plan. She dragged herself to her feet and looked around closely. Why had the Councilor sent her here? There must be a reason.
She pulled her orb into her hand and tightened her fingers around it. Instantly the soothing sensation calmed her. The alley could have been anywhere in the world but the proliferation of English on the various pieces of garbage indicated she was likely in one of the Commonwealth countries or the States. The alley wasn’t very long but several business establishments had access to it, including a restaurant. Riley wrinkled her nose. The dumpster next to her was incredibly fragrant.
She carefully sidestepped a rotting clump of what likely had been food long ago and eased her way through the piles of filth. Probably when she saw the street beyond she’d have a decent idea of where she’d been sent, she reasoned. As she passed the last dumpster at the very edge of the alley, the reason she’d landed there became painfully clear.
She halted abruptly and clasped her orb tighter. A familiar and totally unpleasant sensation fluttered along her skin. She looked around for the rip. Darius had told her that the danger wasn’t over, merely delayed and it looked like he’d been right. Biting her lower lip, Riley moved closer to the hovering mass of sparkles. It was small. About the size of a baseball and floating above the dumpster, almost at eye level. She gripped her orb tightly. Some poor slob was going to come out of one of the surrounding buildings, his arms filled with garbage, and touch it. She wouldn’t wish that horrible sensation of nothingness on anyone.
Riley reluctantly pulled her eyes off the rip and stepped out onto the street for a quick glimpse. The shops on either side of the cobblestoned street were decidedly upmarket as were the few cars parked just to her left. An old city quarter, she decided, refurbished probably for tourists in the name of cultural preservation. She was familiar with the concept; Halifax had done a good job of reclaiming its past on the waterfront. But this wasn’t Halifax. The car’s steering wheels were on the right, not the left, and the accent she heard from passersby, who all spoke English, was familiar. She raised her eyes upward and caught just a corner of a familiar sight.
Sighing, she stepped back into the alley and resumed her contemplation of the rip. If she was back in Australia that meant a huge trip to Home Base and she didn’t have a penny on her.
She sucked her teeth. There had to be something she could do about the rip while she figured out how the heck she was going to get back to Canada. She couldn’t just leave the dratted thing unmarked, waiting for an unsuspecting victim. Maybe a box could go on top of it. Hadn’t she noticed a safety cone in the street, just past the parked cars? Putting that in front of the rip would slow someone down, give them a chance to notice it. It was the least she could do.
Keeping her eye uneasily on the sparkles, she stepped backwards and straight into someone.
“Oh, sorry,” she gasped as she tried to turn around. Two strong arms swung around her, clasping her against someone’s chest. The air was squeezed out of her lungs. She immediately tried to kick her captor and tightened her grip on her orb, pushing mentally away at the arms that held her.
“Hold still, Potential,” a sharp voice pierced her ear.
Riley nearly shouted her surprise. She glanced down at the arms that held her. Grey jumpsuit material. She stopped fighting.
“Hand over your orb and remain quiet.”
“No can do, bub,” Riley muttered. “The orb is mine. I’m not handing it over to you or anyone.”
She was roughly pushed away and turned around, the tight grip on her upper arms never slacking for an instant. She goggled. She knew this Tyon.
“Where did you get this orb?” Tyrell’s grey eyes were narrowed dangerously and held no recognition.
Riley bit down on the impulse to call him by name. “Ask Anna,” she replied.
Ty’s head tilted to one side. He stared down at her, which was easy as he was at least a head taller. “She gave this to you?”
“Bring me to Home Base and I’ll tell you.” Riley crossed her fingers.
Tyrell didn’t answer. He straightened up and pulled his own orb out, balancing it in the palm of his large hand. Riley watched as the crystal glowed for a moment then faded back to normal.
“Come with me,” Tyrell ordered. His free hand reached out and grasped her upper arm in a tight grip.
“You don’t have to break my arm,” Riley grumbled. “I’m not running away, or have your superior Tyon powers of observation deserted you at this crucial moment?”
“Shut up,” he ordered.
The Tyon Home Base was exactly as Riley remembered it. Safe, strange, and serious. She’d immediately been transferred to a holding area once they arrived. Tyrell had reverted to his usual silent self. She’d refused to hand over her orb despite several threats by other grey-uniformed personnel and at least one Tyon Operative trying to yank it out of her hands. He’d left with burned fingers. Riley hadn’t actually wanted to burn him, but by then she was in a high temper and her control minimal. Besides, he was a dipstick.
Anna had not made an appearance. What was more important than checking on her, Riley wondered with annoyance? The empty space was only five paces across but short walls allowed her to peer over if she hopped up and down, which she didn’t. Jumping looked so stupid. Tyrell had used his orb to create a crisscross of energy beams across the entrance and warned her that attempting to escape would be a shocking experience.
At least her first assignment had been completed, she decided. She’d made it to Home Base. But the enormity of her remaining task precluded any satisfaction. How would she get herself integrated into the company and spy on everyone to find out who was the mole without anyone suspecting? Tyons were aloof; they would hardly buddy up to her in a matter of hours.
Perhaps the only good thing about languishing in this stupid holding cell was that it had given her time to think. She already had her suspicions about a couple of people in the company. Logan topped the list. He was so bad tempered that he had to be the bad guy. Anna was a possibility because she was a cold and unfeeling fish. Tyrell wasn’t above suspicion either. There was something secretive about him. Actually, now that she thought about it, the only Tyon she could cross off the list was Dean. He was so straightforwardly honest there was no way he could be a covert agent. Riley kicked the wall before turning to pace the other way. The mole could be someone she had never even come in contact with!
She had to have a plan. Time was moving forward and every minute she was stuck here not doing anything was another minute Kerry was suffering. Wandering around freely and eavesdropping on conversations just wasn’t going to cut it. There was an awful lot of luck involved in being in the right place at the right time and she didn’t have the time nor was she generally that lucky. The only thing that seemed to make sense was to start with the most likely suspect and work her way down the list.
But how to get close enough to Logan to figure out if he was the one the Council was looking for? What did she have to offer him that would immediately get him on her side? A sick feeling grew in her stomach. She knew exactly what information Logan would covet. But could she go through with it? One life for two?
“Riley, what are you doing here?”
Anna’s cold voice broke into her concentration and Riley tripped over her own feet. “Jeez, nice hello.”
“You were instructed to stay at the apartment.”
Riley did some quick thinking. Keep it simple, she advised herself. “I went out for some air and Ty found me. He brought me here.”
“You were instructed not to leave.” Anna waved her orb and the lattice of red beams disappeared.
Riley quickly stepped through before Anna could change her mind. She tried to smile, aware that it didn’t feel natural. “So, this is your Home Base? It’s really nice. How long have you lived here?”
Anna gave her a quick sideways look before turning away and heading down a corridor. She spoke over her shoulder. “The Base has been in operation at this location for one year. We use it for monitoring for signs of the Others. As you well know.”
Riley had to almost jog to keep up with Anna’s long strides. “Well, yeah okay.” She tried another tack. “Have you been to other planets?”
“Several.”
“How long have you been a Tyon Operative?”
“All my life.”
“And do you enjoy the job?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s nice.” Riley ground her teeth. This was the lamest conversation she’d ever had. “How did you meet Darius?”
“I was ordered to train him.”
“Hmm, I guess that wasn’t easy.” Riley forced the laugh.
“No.”
There was a long pause while Riley forcibly kept her hands at her side. Slapping Anna silly would hardly move things forward in the right direction. “How is Darius?”
“Ill.”
“Can I see him?”
“No.”
By the time Anna would have warmed up, hell would have frozen over. “Just where are we going anyway?”
“You will be processed and assimilated into the training program here,” Anna replied curtly.
Riley’s hand thoughtlessly rose to the tender spot on her scalp. If they scanned her they’d know. “Are there any other Potentials here?” she said quickly before Anna could pick up on her distress.
“Just Alec.”
Riley nearly tripped again. What the heck was he doing here? He was supposed to be on the run, keeping a low profile. How had they caught him and most importantly, why?
“Alec?” Riley said. “Do they…?”
“No. I have not said anything.”
Riley’s heart rate dropped back to normal. At least one thing was going all right.
“Did you expect I would reveal his true nature?” Anna’s tone held vague contempt.
Riley forced herself not to rise to the bait. “If Darius says we can trust you, then we can.”
Anna looked over her shoulder. Her look spoke volumes. “But you don’t.”
The muscles in Riley’s cheeks were beginning to protest. “Nonsense.”
“I can feel your emotions, Riley. Distrust, wariness, worry. You cannot conceal these from me. However, Alec is safe here. I will not break my oath to Darius.”
“Because you love him?” If the gloves were off, then so be it.
“Because an oath is unbreakable. Such is our training. Duty and responsibility are paramount in our society. There are no other options. I have studied Terran civilizations. You are corrupt because you care for little other than yourselves. It leads to chaos and destruction.”
“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Tyon leadership would benefit your world greatly. There would be no crime. All citizens would lead productive, ordered lives. Wars and self-destruction would cease.”
“Are you telling me that everyone here lives like that?” Riley scoffed. “That no one bends the rules or is out for themselves? You’re human. It’s in our nature to be selfserving idiots.”
Anna had turned down a corridor. Riley could see her former bunk bed in the distance as Anna continued her lecture. “Tyons are selected from childhood. Our training lasts decades. We cannot defy the code of conduct that governs our actions.”
“So you’re telling me that all of you are as pure as the driven snow. None of you can be bought off? No one here has a secret agenda?”
“No one.” Anna’s reply was prompt and without a hint of subterfuge but Riley knew that it didn’t mean anything. The Tyons could lie when it suited them and had such good control over their physical responses that the usual telltale signs would be missing.
“You’re keeping a secret for Darius.”
Anna said nothing. Score one for me, Riley thought.
They stopped at the opening of the sleeping quarters for Potentials. Only one bunk out of the line of metallic bunk beds appeared occupied. The grey blankets hung over the side and the pillow was jammed into the corner bracket of the upper bunk as if someone had forcibly kicked it there. Three guesses who.
Dean rose from the large table and crossed the short distance with a look of polite interest. Riley had to bite her tongue from yelling out, “Hi Dean,” with pleasure. The last time she had seen him, he was dead.
“Another Potential for training,” Anna said as introduction. “She is called Riley. She was found and began her training with Darius. She is prone to moodiness and stubbornness. Good luck with her.”
Riley stuck her tongue out at Anna’s swinging ponytail as she left, before turning back to Dean and gifting him with a wide smile. “She lies. I’m adorable.”
Dean smiled pleasantly in return but there was none of the warmth Riley had known before. “Welcome to Home Base. We’ll get you a uniform then assess your skills.”
Within minutes she had donned the hated grey coveralls and was following Dean down the corridor to the center of the base where she’d previously spent so much time doing orb exercises. She looked around as she walked. There seemed to be a lot more Operatives than she remembered before. What was going on?
“How many people work at this Base?” She pretended a wide-eyed innocence.
“Currently there are forty-six Operatives here, but the First Commander and his retinue will be leaving shortly. We’ll continue on with half that number until we determine whether we are needed on this planet or not.”
“And if not?”
“We leave a small monitoring contingent behind and the main group will move to the next planet,” Dean answered easily.
“How often have you guys done this?” Riley craned her neck to scan the huge screens that surrounded the perimeter of the base. Nothing particularly worrisome seemed to be happening but now that she knew the rips were back, it was only a matter of time.
“Personally, only once before. However, there was little we could do on that planet. The Others had decimated the civilization by the time we got there. The organization has worked on ten different worlds so far and the First Commander will be setting up the primary base on the eleventh shortly.”
“And do you like this kind of work?” Riley asked.
They arrived at the training center and Dean indicated with a hand which chair was hers. She sat without argument. If she could get Dean to totally trust her he might let something slip about his colleagues that could help.
Dean seemed a bit puzzled by the question. “Why wouldn’t I like it? It is my function.”
“Oh you know, not everyone likes their job. I mean there must be someone here not happy?”
Dean didn’t reply. He gave a funny look then turned away. Obviously Dean wasn’t going to rat someone out to a complete stranger but he clearly knew what she was hinting at. A slight shiver of anticipation coursed down her back. Dean crossed to a cupboard and pulled out an orb. Riley held her hand out. If one was helpful, two could be better. She smiled as she took the orb and rolled it across her palm as if somewhat unfamiliar.
“This is an orb,” Dean said. “It helps focus your power.”
“I didn’t know I had any power,” Riley said.
“It’s your power that identifies you as a Potential. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here and would not know anything about us. We don’t advertise our presence to the worlds we visit.”
“Why not?”
“The Tyon Collective is a secret organization. We stay out of sight and remain hidden as part of our agreement with the Galactic Council. We serve them.”
“Doing what?” Riley asked.
“The Council maintains the rules of the Galaxy. Generally, each world is permitted to develop in its own fashion with minimal involvement from the Council. However, some civilizations are excessively prone to destruction and violence. The Others are such beings. The Council cannot be seen as favouring any one planet or hating another. It must remain impartial, at least publicly. Our secret society was developed to help other worlds resist the Others. The Council maintains its position but the number of worlds that are destroyed is reduced.”
Riley thought this over while Dean went back to the long shelf next to the cupboard to get her something to eat. The Council knew someone in the Collective was planning to blow the whistle and shame the Council into admitting they were interfering with the natural development of different civilizations, that they were liars. No wonder this was a big deal.
Dean placed a bowl of white gelatinous goop on the table in front of her and handed over a spoon-like utensil.
Riley tried to pretend to be interested. “What’s this?” she asked.
“Nutritional supplement. We eat this five times per wake period. Most humans find the taste pleasant.”
“No hamburgers?” she said in a hopeful tone.
Dean smiled. “This is a complex substrate of complete nutrition. I’ve noted that on this planet adequate nutrition is difficult to obtain and a wide variety of foods must be ingested to reach optimum quantities. Many foods have no nutritional value at all and yet are consumed at alarming rates. Why are you Terrans so determined to make yourselves ill?”
“Good question.” Riley picked up the spoon and stirred the goop for a minute, remembering how boring the diet here was with profound depression. She then dropped the spoon to the side of the bowl with a clang. “Guess because it tastes good. No wonder you guys are so serious if this is all you get to eat.”
Dean grinned. “You sound just like William.”
“Who’s William?” Riley asked.
“He is,” Dean nodded to someone behind her. Riley turned around in her seat and locked eyes with Alec.