I of the Storm (Chapters 6 & 7)
A serialized book for SubStack
Link to first installment: https://chrisprophet.substack.com/p/i-of-the-storm
Chapter 6
>>Tokyo Spaceport, Japan, East Asia<<
As their robotaxi pulled smoothly away from the spaceport, Trinity loosened the mummy bandages from her nose and mouth. “Phew, I’m incredibly hot. Can’t we take off these disguises?”
“Wouldn’t recommend it,” Naem murmured, “Taxis have more cameras than the Superbowl. I’ll push the air-con – it could take awhile to get there.”
From the front seat, Chen said over his shoulder: “Where are we going, if I might ask?”
Naem sighed, “Hur – someplace out of town, isolated.”
“Hmm, sounds a nice place to relax,” Trinity purred approvingly.
Naem nodded, “A little R&R should be fine. Just try to stay indoors – and offline.”
“Don’t remind me,” Trinity said despondently. “I popped online to explain why I helped Chen escape… Now some Is are offering stupid money for anything about me. Just when I was looking forward to a little privacy.”
–
>>Akiya house, Okutama Mountains, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, East Asia<<
Naem jerked awake and rolled onto his feet. Trinity was lying in-bed quietly sobbing, dabbing her eyes with the duvet.
“You OK,” he inquired softly, “can I get you something?”
“A trip to Mars, or better yet Pluto,” she sniffed.
Naem shifted weight uncertain, “O-K. But why the detour?”
“No I’m kidding,” she said vehemently, “I just want to get away from all this attention.”
Naem crossed to the window and peeked through the blinds. “Looks pretty quiet to me. Was it a bad dream or what?”
“Full screaming nightmare! You remember Andre, my boyfriend from JFK. He posted some photos online. I don’t know what people will think...”
Naem nodded. “Ah, thanks for the heads up, there might be some security concerns.” Briefly he stared into the distance. “Search for Fable right?”
“What are you doing...?” her eyes popped open. “No oh-no, don’t look!”
“Oh – I see what you mean. Nothing to worry about,” he stated, matter of fact. “You look great – and there’s millions of likes-,” precipitating a shower of tears.
“You’re in good shape, nothing to be ashamed of,” he tried.
Trinity threw the duvet over her head, creating a wailing wobbling mound.
–
>>Akiya house, Okutama Mountains, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, East Asia<<
Trinity swept by them in a flowing sakura print kimono, as she served steaming bowls to the dining room table.
“You didn’t need to make supper but it’s appreciated,” Naem offered.
“I had to do something or go crazy,” she replied, sitting opposite. “Oh and be careful it’s hot.”
Without comment, Chen went to work with chopsticks, waving the noodles in the air to cool them.
“There’s more in the pot, if you want,” Trinity said hopefully.
Naem sipped some broth, “Hmm. I didn’t know you could cook. You’re full of surprises.”
“I can’t take credit, it’s Nuri’s thing. You know, my cohabitee.”
“Right…” Naem replied awkwardly. “You mentioned Nuri before. Ah – what’s she, or he, like personally?”
“Hah-ha insufferable!” Trinity laughed, “Only joking. She’s always trying to do some kind of work – it’s exhausting.”
He nodded in reply “Hm, interesting, Why do you think that is, any ideas?”
“Nuri says: even small improvements make the world a little less like hell and a little more like heaven. She was my father’s housekeeper, which probably explains it.”
Naem frowned slightly, “I take it your father was a neat-freak?”
“Huh, quite the opposite,” Trinity snorted.” He was a chaplain for the Air Force, that’s what I meant.”
“OK, I understand now” he replied diplomatically and blew on his noodles.
Chen gulped the last bite and glowered into the bowl, “Udon…”
As he pushed his chair from the table, Naem suggested: “Why don’t you stay for a while, we have plenty to discuss.”
“We’ve hardly seen you all day, it would be nice to chat,” she encouraged.
Slowly Chen sat back down, his eyes downcast.
“Great,” Naem awarded, “we’re gonna need your help. Assuming Trinity still wants to pursue this superweapon thing.”
She nodded vigorously, “I can’t see we have any choice. That’s one thing we agree on at least.”
“OK Chen, you know someone who might be involved with this superweapon right,” Naem stated. The administrator’s head barely bobbed, so he continued: “OK then, how can we contact them?”
“I could contact Min from a Chinese embassy,” Chen suggested. “Her communications are closely monitored, so it would have to be in code.”
Slowly Naem shook his head, “Bust an embassy and use an improvised code. Sorry it doesn’t sound promising to me. Too many points of failure. Is there any way to speak to her directly?”
Chen shrugged despondently, “Min lives in Hong Kong so there’s no phone or internet connection to the west. And the Guóānbù would never allow her to leave.”
“Why don’t we meet her in Hong Kong?” Trinity suggested, “I hear its a lovely city.”
Naem rocked in his chair then managed a sympathetic smile: “Unfortunately, we can’t just fly into China. I could find false IDs but you’re too well known. Last time I checked Fable was no.3 on the I chart. That’s way too much attention.”
“Maybe we could find some other way to get the information…?” Trinity suggested.
Naem frowned, “There has to be a way to make this work. Why don’t we break for now and sleep on it.”
Chapter 7
>>Akiya house, Okutama Mountains, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, East Asia<<
Naem stretched outside their squat house perched on the hillside, preparing for his late night run. The air was crisp, dry and thin – perfect for Earth acclimatization. He activated his military augment, rendering the wooded slopes clearly in black and white. Pacing himself, he set out to explore the trail.
A mile from the house, something broke the dead silence. He dropped to a crouch and listened hard. Definite movement ahead – something crunching through the undergrowth. Staying low he crept up the packed earth trail. Near the crest he spotted a silhouette in the woods to the right. The apparition was tall and spindly, its trunk covered in scales. Forest detritus crunched underfoot as Naem moved closer.
The apparition’s head turned towards him, revealing a gaunt man’s face. “You know I can’t pee with you watching. Stop playing around,” his eyes went wide.
Naem drove an elbow into his temple then lowered the inert body to the ground. Guy had a sidearm, dragon scale armor and combat webbing… He administered a shot of ketamine from his medic-kit to be sure. Suddenly cold, he took the sidearm and quickly checked the chamber. Following his instincts, he moved to the other side of the trail. Nothing but scrub – and a perfect view of the house. He halted to listen.
A gravelly woman’s voice came from ahead, “What’s the matter, forgotten the lay-up?”
Sacrificing stealth for speed, he advanced towards the voice. He spotted a low profile IR screen atop a brushy mound. Behind it lay a shadowy figure shouldering a long gun.
“Jeez, you’d never survive in the wild-.”
Naem set the barrel of his automatic against the back of the sniper’s head.
“That better not be J-bob,” she growled.
“Uh-uh. Hands flat to the ground,” he replied, releasing the safety.
Naem tossed her rifle aside, followed by her sidearm.
“It’s Naem Sargent right?” she said into the ground. “You’re from the Singiz Squad. We might have bumped into one another in-country.”
“I’m a different man now, no point trying to connect with me.”
“I was in the Uriel Unit,” she continued blithely, “name’s Jade by the way, glad to meet you,” raising a paw.
Naem grabbed her wrist and flipped her over. Her features were black as ebony beneath a layer of camo spray.
“Like it rough huh, that’s OK,” she crooned.
Naem cycled his weapon and caught the ejected round.
She didn’t flinch, “Now I’m supposed to beg for life and give reasons not to kill me,”
He didn’t respond so she continued, “How about a billion reasons. That’s what they’ll pay for Trinity’s head.”
“A billion bucks? Bullshit!” he spat.
Jade looked to one side, “Check for yourself, if you don’t believe me. I’ve sent you a link.”
Naem batted the link in the bin, “Yeh, anything from you is full of spike virus. Let’s stick with what we know. How did you find us?”
“Picture in the mail, showing you and the target outside the house. Geolocated here, and here we are.”
“Friggin’ taxi cams,” he swore.“Any idea who sent the mail?”
“Uh-uh,” she replied, “How about a 10% cut then we can both retire.”
Naem laughed outloud, “Huha, retire her, then me more like.”
She dabbed the corner of her eye, “You got new morals, I get it. How about I walk away and promise not to pursue you?”
Naem snorted, “Hur, how about you take the Ket from your kit and give yourself a shot.”
“We gonna party,” she said, writhing playfully.
“Just follow orders soldier.”
Jade held the syringe against her camo’ed arm. “You won’t kill me. Call it professional courtesy.”
Link to next installment: https://chrisprophet.substack.com/p/i-of-the-storm-chapters-8-and-9