07

Dr. Snowden fidgeted in his seat as Jake’s ship landed. The flight had been a few hours, and they had landed in a remote valley in the Taconic Range, a part of the central Appalachian Mountain range in New York. He was flanked by Evaran and Emily, with V hovering a bit off to the side. Jake and Robert were in the cockpit.

Dr. Snowden just wanted the flight to be over. He appreciated that they had a ship to get around, but it was slower and the seating for passengers was not as spacious or comfortable. There was also not much to look at, and the smell was not as sterile as the Torvatta.

Jake bounded into the passenger area. “We’re here.”

Dr. Snowden breathed a sigh of relief as the side door opened. He was glad Emily had defied Evaran’s implicit order to keep the suits on the Torvatta. Although he figured he would not need the suit at the Helian base, it was comforting to know that if something unusual happened, like a car falling out of the sky, he would at least have some protection in the form of his shield. Evaran and V’s ability to send information directly to his heads-up display inside his helmet was also useful. Dr. Snowden followed the others off the ship. With a quick glance around, he said, “Where’s Robert?”

Jake craned his neck at the ship. “He’s going to stick around until the all clear is given. The Helian base is secret, and they won’t let craft land there unless cleared. We don’t even know what the frequency is to contact them, but we do know the general area to find them in.”

Dr. Snowden closed his eyes as a cool wind blew over his face. After taking in the moment, he surveyed his surroundings. Trees ringed the clearing where they had landed, and it was just large enough for the ship. The strong smell of the forest caressed his nose. It was 11:30 a.m., and between the warm sun beating down and the wind, he relaxed a bit.

Emily checked her suit, then focused on Jake. “So … how do we find them?”

Jake pulled out a small device. “The Helians have a beacon up here. It’s using a hologram to make it look like a tree. All we have to do is find that energy signature and then activate the beacon. They will then come get us.”

“Like Lord Vygon,” said Emily, glancing at Evaran.

“Yes,” said Evaran. “The use of beacons has been a part of the Helians for a long time. It makes sense from a security perspective.”

“Yeah,” said Jake. “Usually, you can contact them in the cities, but then all you get is a meeting. I’m thinking we need more than just that.”

“A wise conclusion,” said Evaran. He pointed to the sky. “V, scout mode.”

“Acknowledged. Scout mode engaged,” said V as he shimmered and flew off.

“We can wait here while V finds the signature.”

Jake nodded. “I guess we don’t need to hunt down the beacon then. I forgot that V can do that.”

After several minutes of light discussion, Evaran said, “V has located it not too far from here.” He waved off to the north. “Come.”

“Wow, that was quick,” said Jake.

“No surprise to me,” said Dr. Snowden.

Jake grinned. “Having V as an option is pretty awesome.”

“I think he would agree.”

They began weaving their way through the forest. When they were halfway to V, they paused. A black bear had sauntered into their path and stopped. It eyed them for a moment and then issued a roar.

Evaran extended a hand. “We are not a threat.”

The bear sniffed the air.

Dr. Snowden furrowed his eyebrows as fuzzy images flashed in his mind. The images showed various environments, and one in particular stood out to him. It showed their group as black outlines with a blurry gray border. He peeked at Emily, who was also staring at the bear in contemplation.

The bear snorted and moved off.

Dr. Snowden watched the image of their group turn to green and then switch to a picture of a stream.

“The bear has decided to go to a stream,” said Evaran.

“Wow,” said Jake. “I’ll never get tired of you being able to speak to animals.”

Evaran dipped his head, then began to walk forward.

“You two coming?” asked Jake.

Dr. Snowden rubbed his chin. “Yeah … but … I … saw some images.”

Evaran snapped his head toward Dr. Snowden and Emily. “What types of images?”

Emily wrinkled her eyebrows. “Environments and our group, with weird outlines. Then it showed a picture of a stream.”

Evaran scanned them with his ring. “That is usually how I perceive animal communications. The universal translator does not support that.”

“Well … I saw what Emily saw,” said Dr. Snowden.

Evaran eyed them both. “Intriguing. Perhaps a side effect of your nanobot transformation is that you can now view the same images I do when talking to animals.”

“Transformation?” asked Jake.

Dr. Snowden grinned. “It’s a long story. However, I think Evaran’s right. I just hope it’s something we have to focus on. The last thing I need is my mind being treated to a slide show if I ever visit a zoo.”

“I think it’s kinda cool,” said Emily. “But yeah, hopefully it’s something that can be filtered.”

Evaran interacted with his augmented reality interface. “I have noted this ability. We shall test it later in more detail when we find the Torvatta. Perhaps your apprehension at seeing the bear caused you to focus.”

“Could be,” said Dr. Snowden. He sometimes wished he had an ARI like Evaran, accessible with just a glance. After shrugging at Emily, he followed Evaran as they continued.

“I remember Evaran talking to my girlfriend’s dog,” said Jake. “Her parents still find it hard to believe.”

Dr. Snowden closed an eye while looking around with the other. “Sally, right?”

“Yep. I don’t think I ever mentioned that to you.”

Emily smiled. “It’s from when Evaran told us about his adventure with you. He included that.”

“Ahh,” said Jake. “Got it.”

When they reached a tree surrounded by several smaller ones, they paused.

Evaran pointed at the tree. “The beacon is there. It will only take a moment to activate.” He walked up to the tree and scanned it. The hologram faded for a moment, revealing a small box with several gadgets on it. He reached in and interacted with the box, then faced the group. “It has been activated. The next step should be them contacting us.”

“Cool,” said Jake with a grin.

“You enjoy this?” said Evaran.

“Well … yeah. Getting to hang out with you and some new friends. Fresh air, new locations. It’s exciting.”

Sometimes Dr. Snowden forgot the impact Evaran could have on people’s lives. Traveling with Evaran was now a part of Dr. Snowden’s thought processes. While he viewed this as the next logical step to finding the Torvatta, Jake viewed it as an adventure. His enthusiasm was contagious. Dr. Snowden tossed a finger out. “It is kinda exciting, except I wish we had the Torvatta now.”

“Interesting,” said Evaran, rubbing his chin. He tilted his head and then gestured with two fingers at a remote tree. “There is a device in that tree.” He moved his hand in an arc at two other trees. “They also have a similar device, and there is one beneath us. I suspect those are deterrents.”

Dr. Snowden pointed at the last tree. “Evaran … I’m sensing a heartbeat and some breathing near one of those trees.” He focused and could see the faint outline of a humanoid.

“I see something too,” said Emily.

“Impressive,” said a male voice from behind the tree. A man decloaked and headed over to them. His outfit blended in with the surrounding environment.

The cloak had made it even harder to see, but Dr. Snowden figured it was his enhanced abilities that made the cloak stand out. Even without it, he could hear the heartbeat and shallow breathing.

The man bowed. “I am Javos, a Helian ranger. I have been observing you for a while.”

Evaran reached for his belt and pulled out a small device. He held it up. “You may scan this for our credentials.”

Javos pulled out an object and scanned. His eyes widened. “It is you!” He peered around at the others. “And Dr. Snowden and Emily Snowden.”

“Indeed,” said Evaran with a slight bow. He gestured at Jake. “This is Jake, a friend of mine who is helping me. We would like to use your base to help locate my Torvatta.”

Javos waved a hand at the others and then focused on Evaran. “It’s … missing?”

“Yes. It was taken when I was out and about. I have researched as much as I could access but need something with a bit more information.”

“You’ll have our help. Follow me.”

They followed Javos through the forest.

“Your arrival is timely,” said Javos.

“In what way?” asked Evaran.

“These are trying times. Faction splits, new technology, new power players. Everything is spiraling out of control. You’re a symbol of hope.”

Dr. Snowden wrinkled his eyebrows. He always viewed Evaran as someone whose presence could change things. It appeared to have changed the tenseness of Javos.

“Once I get my Torvatta, I will investigate further. While I like to leave things as they should be, I am now involved in events,” said Evaran.

“The council, well, what’s left of it, will be glad to see you,” said Javos.

“And I them,” said Evaran.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen that ship that you came in on.”

Evaran gestured at Jake. “It is owned by a friend who has helped us.”

“You have a lot of friends and by extension … a lot of enemies too.”

“I expect that,” said Evaran.

It seemed that even someone as positive as Evaran would always have enemies in those who were up to no good. Dr. Snowden suspected that when they got to the Helian base, they would find out who took the Torvatta, and history had shown that being on the wrong side was not a good place to be. He suspected Javos knew that, and soon, whoever took the Torvatta would find out that Evaran knew who they were.

Twenty minutes later, Jake examined the entrance to the Helian base. It looked like a large tree stump. As they neared it, the hologram around it faded, revealing a set of doors angled at forty-five degrees. Once the doors slid open, he could see a ramp to a well-lit tunnel.

He observed the others, particularly the strong bond between Evaran and Dr. Snowden and Emily. They must have traveled together for a while or been through some serious situations to have that. The fact that they could see Javos while cloaked surprised him. Jake did not see anything, or hear anything for that matter.

He enjoyed talking with Dr. Snowden. His rational and calm approach reminded Jake a bit of Evaran. From what he had learned, Dr. Snowden was a professor, which made sense. Jake bet that Dr. Snowden knew a lot more about Evaran and reality than he let on. Emily was another story. Jake enjoyed being around her. She was smart, and tough, yet had a kindness about her.

Javos peered back. “I’m sensing something odd about Dr. Snowden and Emily.”

“They possess nanobots,” said Evaran.

Javos nodded. “I’m unfamiliar with that, but it’s definitely noticeable.”

“In what way?” asked Dr. Snowden.

“Just that you have a way of carrying yourself. You move slightly faster than a normal human, and there is a … mist-like semitransparent aura about you. That’s the best way I can explain it. Although I can’t see it well, I can sense it.”

“Huh,” said Dr. Snowden, glancing at Emily, who shrugged.

Jake could not see or sense what Javos did. Jake found it interesting that an Outsider could detect that. Maybe it was a nonhuman thing. He refocused his thoughts and examined the hallway they had entered. It was his first time inside a Helian base. He had heard that they used Atlantis at one point in the far past, at least per Lord Noskov, and now they used these secret bases scattered around the world. The hallway had lighting along the edges of the ceiling, and the side walls had a glass-like strip containing various screens bordered by raised edges. The metallic texture was similar to Lord Noskov’s base.

Dr. Snowden paused as he closed his eyes and exhaled sharply from his nose.

Jake tapped Dr. Snowden on the arm. “You okay?”

Emily and Evaran pivoted to face Dr. Snowden.

Dr. Snowden gulped and opened his eyes. “I’m fine. It’s nothing. Let’s … go.”

Jake shrugged as they continued.

When they reached the end of the tunnel before a sliding set of doors, Javos interacted with a panel that lit up on the glass strip on the side wall. A beam shot out and scanned them. The doors slid back.

Jake’s eyebrows rose when he saw the room they were about to enter. Several large devices stood on the side, and a few of them reminded him of turrets. As they proceeded through the room, beams shot out and scanned them.

“Don’t be alarmed,” said Javos. “They’re just an additional check prior to entering the base.”

“Understandable,” said Evaran.

“This is pretty cool,” said Jake.

“Cool would be an understatement,” said Javos. “We have the highest tech on Earth here.”

Although Javos’s comment had a smack of superiority complex, Jake knew Helians were just like that. It had taken him a bit to adjust to Lord Noskov’s assessment of humans in general as well, but Jake got used to it. It did not take long to be accepted by Lord Noskov, though. Having Evaran set everything up helped.

They reached the end of the room, and another set of doors opened up.

“This is as far as I go,” said Javos. He gestured at the dark-skinned older man in a business suit on the other side of the door. “This is Manager Lee. He will take it from here.”

“We appreciate you bringing us in,” said Evaran.

Javos bent his arms so that his hands were touching in front of his chest. The left hand was palm up, and the right hand was a fist.

Everyone returned the Helian salute, and Javos took off back the way they had come.

“Come in,” said Lee.

Jake observed that Lee had a somewhat artificial feel about him. Maybe an android of some sort. His hair was short and trimmed all around, and his skin looked like it was painted on. His suit was black and looked expensive, and his black sunglasses seemed out of place. When he talked, his lips appeared to be restrained, giving off a forced sound.

They followed Lee into the next hallway.

“As Javos mentioned, I am … Manager Lee. Are you … familiar with managers?”

“I am,” said Evaran. “However, the others may not be.”

“In that case … let me explain,” said Lee. “We are the enforcers … of Helian law. Usually one or two are assigned to a region. Those not assigned are on standby at bases … such as this one.”

Dr. Snowden tilted his head. “You remind me of the Men in Black, kinda. Not only that, I don’t sense your heartbeat or breathing.”

Lee smiled. “This form is a suit. Our true form is … corporeal … in nature.”

Dr. Snowden’s eyes widened. “Oh. We … uhh … met a species that used suits to get around recently.”

“Hopefully it was a good encounter.”

“Not really … we destroyed them and tossed them out of the timeline.”

Lee paused and then spun around. “I assure you … we are not hostile. Our world was dying, and the Helians came through a rift door that we had acquired. They rescued us, gave us these customizable robotic bodies to survive on this planet, and now … the remainder of my species resides here … on Earth. We are grateful for the chance to continue living … even at the cost of service to the Helians.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it.” Dr. Snowden sighed. “I was just being silly.”

Emily shook her head.

“It’s okay,” said Lee. “We know that the denizens of this planet find us … unusual … and we have been called robotic in our interactions. However … you’re humans with nanobots, and you travel with Evaran.” He pointed at Jake. “You reside with Lord Noskov, according to the scan earlier. I suspect humans would find you all … unusual too.”

“At least we have something in common,” said Jake with a smile. He noticed that Lee would begin a sentence, pause, and then tilt his head to finish it. The unusual cadence made it seem as if Lee was carefully choosing his words.

“Yes … we do.” Lee motioned at V. “Although we typically do not allow sentient flying AIs in the base … you’re an exception because of who you travel with.”

“Acknowledged,” said V.

“Javos indicated your Torvatta is missing … and you wanted to access our system. You can do that,” said Lee, gesturing forward, “from one of our control centers.”

“Lead on,” said Evaran.

As Lee continued to walk, he tossed a hand out to the side. “Many things have changed in the last few months. We’re aware of the … Evaran Protocol, so we’ll need to brief so that we may calibrate our answers accordingly.”

“It is appreciated,” said Evaran.

Jake had heard of the managers but never interacted with one. He knew them to be some of the toughest nonhumans around. Lord Noskov classified them as Outsiders but did not know much about them. Yet within the last few minutes, Jake had learned their true identity. He doubted they would so casually reveal that to anyone, but Evaran was not just anyone. Jake was not sure how much of the manager was robot or how the species was merged to their suits, but he did notice that Lee was capable of showing facial expressions.

Lee wrinkled his eyebrows. “Evaran, while you’re here … we could use some assistance with the rift doors.”

“They were to be shut down and not used. It appears that is not the case,” said Evaran.

“You’re correct,” said Lee. “Although it saved my species, I understand that it has … consequences. Whatever help you could provide … it would be appreciated.”

“You will have it,” said Evaran.

“Good. The control center is just ahead,” said Lee.