Birth of the Alliance Page 13

  As he watched the valley reappear, Will kept his eyes on the perimeter of the base. In walking the valley during the dry times, it seemed he’d walked downhill to reach that perimeter before reaching the hills enabling transport by foot back to the top and the beaches surrounding the valley. That’s where he expected the “drains” to exist; they would of necessity be at the lowest point of the island. Yet it became apparent that what he thought he’d seen was an illusion. The deepest part of the valley was the salty lake at the center. As the last of the floodwaters vanished, it became apparent that the water was draining through the lake.

  The realization raised as many questions as it answered. How was the lake itself draining and moderating its own water levels? The lake wasn’t the source for rivers and streams that flowed away from it and downhill; in fact, all of the streams on the island flowed downhill and eventually terminated there. Heat and sunlight would cause some evaporation, but nothing sufficient to account for the rapid draining of water he’d witnessed. Will doubted even desert-like temperatures could clear that volume of water, even if such temperatures remained constant for years.

  The only logical conclusion was that the water had to drain out through the sides or bottom of the lake….. It could mean that the sides or bottom were permeable, and naturally drained water out at roughly the rate the island streams would refresh the water levels. When the excess water hit, it couldn't drain quickly enough, and so the valley filled. When the water stopped flowing in, the level of drainage would take the water out at a high rate of speed.

  He scoffed at the idea. Even if his theory was correct, the rate at which the lake could drain out water shouldn’t increase dramatically in the event of a flood; it should still continue to drain at the same rate. He thought that maybe, just maybe, that could account for the elimination of the floodwaters over time. But it should take days or weeks to do so, not hours, and that was giving his shaky theory an unearned level of credibility. A natural lake wasn't designed to increase the amount of water it could drain based upon current weather conditions. Could it?

  Will shivered. That meant that human beings must have devised mechanisms to handle temporary excesses in water. Whatever had been done had happened long before the Aliomenti had ever set foot on the island of Atlantis, and it happened as automatically as the water lift systems they’d devised while in residence. Even now, after the Aliomenti had abandoned the island, that system continued to operate.

  His mind demanded answers. How was it happening? Thus far, after what seemed like hours in this dreamlike state, he’d merely figured out where the water drained. Will allowed his dream form to float down to the lake. Perhaps, with the floodwaters gone once more, he could see something in the lake that would give him a better idea of what was happening.

  What he saw was far simpler, and far more profound.

  It floated near the edge of the lake, nearest the shoreline where he stood. It might mean nothing, or it might be something deep and profound. Nevertheless, he needed to remember what he’d seen when he woke, and put conscious thought toward solving yet another mystery.

  It was a very good thing that he was immortal. He had a feeling it might take centuries to figure out who, exactly, owned the single platinum blond hair floating on the surface of the water.

  XI

  Power

  1826 A.D.

  Passengers crowded the railing of the ship, eager to get their first look at their new home. After weeks of rolling waves, storms, cramped quarters, and bouts of seasickness, the sight of the city of Philadelphia on the horizon brought tears of joy to many. As the ship moved toward the dock, they retrieved their generally meager belongings, aided by the crew.

  The ship thumped against the dock with surprising gentleness, and dockhands tied and anchored the vessel. The sounds of the bustling harbor were an assault on ears long attuned waves and birds; the scent of salt and nausea and nervousness replaced by horses and eagerness and even greater nervousness. Many of the new arrivals spoke no English outside the few phrases assimilated during the long journey. Even those familiar with the native tongue lacked the basics as they stepped off the ship: friends, lodging, or connections for employment. Still, the promise, the stories told of this country, still in its infancy, helped obliterate those concerns and compelled those preparing to disembark to abandon their native lands for the opportunity she promised.

  The plank was lowered, and the crew assisted the passengers in carrying luggage to the dock. Several passengers dropped to their knees once ashore, kissing the ground in gratitude. Others stumbled, their footing unsure on ground that didn’t move beneath their feet. They gradually moved forward with their fellow travelers, logging their names for posterity before moving into the city to start developing their futures and fulfilling their destinies.

  With the passengers ashore, the crew spent several hours cleaning the ship, and then gathered for their final payday before heading into town for well-earned shore leave. The quartermaster found himself with one extra bag of money. He glanced around, frowning. “Did we miss someone?”

  They’d not noticed that one of the sailors, a tall man with jet-black hair and green eyes, had left the ship with the last of the passengers. They’d not recognize him even if they saw him in the future.

  Will had piloted one of the single-passenger submarines under a common path for ships carrying immigrants to the United States and, once he'd verified no Aliomenti presence, had teleported aboard. The crew believed he'd been there from the start of the journey, and were amazed at the relative lack of sickness and discomfort throughout the journey. The trip took less time than expected, and the captain cited unexpectedly favorable winds.

  He’d arrived on July 5, 1826, in time to meet up with Adam, just as they’d agreed nearly fifty years earlier. Philadelphia’s explosive growth had continued. When he’d first visited in the early eighteenth century, the city’s population had numbered barely ten thousand; the city now boasted seven times that number. The noise and smells were exaggerated with the masses of people now present, their number incremented with the passengers of the ship Will had left.

  Will moved past those documenting the new arrivals as though invisible, sliding onto the busy streets of the city as if a ghost, unseen by those around him. Horses and carriages moved by with the requisite clopping of hooves and periodic deposits of excrement, adding to the malodorous aromas on a blistering hot summer afternoon.

  Will moved toward Independence Hall. They’d not set a specific site to meet, but he suspected Adam would look for him there. His predictions of events over the half century between meetings would suggest this site for a reunion. Will stood and looked at the Hall. It wasn’t an imposing or impressive building, yet one of the most pivotal documents in history had celebrated its birth within those walls.

  “A new government with a written constitution emerges from a convention meant to fix a few minor issues with the old.” Adam’s voice sounded behind him, and Will smiled without turning. “John Adams elected the nation’s second president. Thomas Jefferson defeated him to become the third. I suppose you might have suspected they’d try something like creating an entirely new document if you had inside information, or could read minds.” Adam chuckled. “If you believed that, those two had reasonable odds to succeed General Washington in the office.” Will turned around to find Adam shaking his head. “How did you know they’d both die on the same day, though? That one I can’t explain. What’s your secret, Will? Have your extensive Energy stores given you visions of the future?”

  Will laughed, shaking his head. “No such luck, Adam, at least not that I can tell.” He motioned with his head, and the two men walked off, not wishing to be overheard. “But it’s a curious thing. Four predictions made for events that would occur over the course of nearly fifty years. All of them were accurate. How could that be possible?”

  Adam sighed. “I hope you aren't going Aliomenti on me.”

  Will startled. “Meaning
… what, exactly?”

  Adam paused for a moment before responding. “It’s been an interesting fifty years. Most of them are still congregating in and concentrating on the nations in Europe for growth and recruiting. While there are a handful of Aliomenti living here, it’s nothing worth concerning yourself over. And they know you’re here, which is the strangest part of the whole thing. If this was a declared war, Will, the older Aliomenti seem content to cede you the former Colonies for now. But the younger generations are becoming incredibly restless while they remain entrenched there. It won't be long, maybe a century, maybe less, before they start to expand their numbers here in droves.”

  Will snorted. “Why would they cede this to me, even metaphorically speaking? Seems completely unlike Arthur to call a strategic retreat and pull back.”

  “At the moment, there’s nothing here for them to exploit. The Aliomenti have moved past any type of manufacturing or mining business concerns. Remember all those years ago when Arthur and I were so reticent to get involved in the money lending business, and so instead we traded capital for future shares of profits?”

  “Of course.”

  “He’s gotten over whatever concerns he had about lending money. He’s not focusing on lending to business or individuals now. Instead, he’s lending to kings and queens and czars and other royalty.”

  Will didn’t like the sound of that. “Why would he do that?”

  “Far larger sums of money are involved. Why loan out five thousand gold coins to a hundred different businesses when you can loan half a million to a king who needs to raise money to fight a war? It takes a great deal of effort to track those hundred people and ensure you get paid back. It’s far easier to track down a single monarch, especially with our… advantages.”

  “Let me guess,” Will said. “Arthur’s the only one who can produce the amount of gold they need. He probably goes through intermediaries though, others in the banking business who use him as a source of capital. They get signatures for usurious rates on loans which can never be paid back.”

  “Exactly. And when the contract is ignored by a monarch who can’t pay the loan back, probably because he lost a war against someone else Arthur’s funding… well, that’s when those monarchs find out that not everyone who looks human actually is human. Payment terms are often changed to include favors as well as money to cancel the debt.”

  Will felt a chill despite the blistering heat of the day, and shuddered. “What kind of favors, exactly?”

  “Passing laws the Aliomenti find favorable. Gifts of land, titles of nobility, or both. They’ve been gifted control of land in rather obscure places now, one of which is far closer to the Colonies than any of the existing outposts.”

  “Where?” Will asked. Even before Adam replied, his memory spun up the answer.

  “They’ve gotten control of a handful of islands to the south of the North American mainland. Arthur’s supposed to be visiting them in the next decade or so. A few scouts have told him that the weather is fantastic. Those who have made the journey have told Arthur that they’d love to turn those islands into a place just for Aliomenti, where we can be Aliomenti without worrying about humans noticing what we are and what we can do. Arthur seems intrigued by the idea. If that happens, you can expect it will mark the aggressive entry of the Aliomenti into this country’s financial markets and governments.”

  Will sighed. “The only reason they aren’t here yet is because those markets are still forming, and the governments borrow very little. Not much business to be had unless and until that starts changing. If there were huge profits to be had, they’d be here, no question, whether there’s some nearby island outpost or not.”

  “Or they just don’t have enough people yet,” Adam replied. His face tightened into a grim smile. “Infiltrating a dozen governments to exert and extort control from the shadows while extracting large fortunes is rather labor-intensive, you know.”

  Will snorted. “I’m sure.” Then he smiled. “For our part, we’re doing what we can to ensure that we continue to seem mere shadows to Arthur and his team, and mask our true numbers.”

  Adam brightened. “Do tell.”

  “We’re working on a lot of technology that will allow us to do Energy-style activities without using Energy,” Will explained. “Our primary concern is to operate without detection. If we’re seen or heard—detected with human senses—there’s not much we can do about that. We want to make it as difficult as possible for the Aliomenti to find us and try to overwhelm us with their superior numbers and their unique talents.”

  “Wise idea,” Adam said, and they stepped to the side in unison, avoiding a carriage that rattled through their walking lane a moment later. Both turned to observe the angry faces and violent shouts directed at the driver. “I’m doing what I can to keep the large influx of Aliomenti at bay. I’m speaking in support of the idea of maintaining primary presence in Europe, and I can make plausible arguments that will carry some weight. My hope is that you’re able to grow your numbers sufficiently before the invasion of this continent begins, and that you can withstand whatever they dish out.” He glanced at Will. “How are you avoiding detection?”

  “New skills and new technology,” Will replied. “We’ve learned of a technique to prevent excess Energy from leaking out. Essentially, that means that if we’re not actively using any Energy skills, we’ll seem human to any Aliomenti who happen by.”

  Adam looked intrigued. “You'll have to show me that one. If I can ‘tune out’ my Energy, I’d probably be able to physically overhear conversations I’m not supposed to hear. It would be beneficial to be able to move around undetected like that.”

  “I can teach you the technique in just a few minutes, but it takes quite a bit of time and practice to keep the Energy leaks shut down,” Will explained. “We’re teaching people that the best way to help human beings is to act as humans whenever possible. That means that we conserve our Energy. We don’t teleport everywhere, or fly, or use telekinesis to move everything we need to use. It’s difficult to understand the challenges humans face when you resolve their issues with skills and resources they don’t possess. Someone struggling to make enough money to eat can’t fix that by using telepathy to gain an advantage in a transaction. Someone who finds themselves in the midst of a fight they can’t win isn’t able to fly or teleport away as we can. Our people are learning how to survive without their skills, to use them as supplements only when absolutely necessary. It’s a challenge, to be sure. We teach everyone everything, how to increase their Energy, how to control their skills, and then when they head out into the world to make it a better place, they’re better able to help those they want to serve.”

  “How well do they respond to that requirement?”

  "With some deep concern,” Will admitted. “But we take the time to talk about why the approach makes sense, and over time our people understand. They aren’t prisoners, mind you; it’s not as if we tell them that they can’t leave until they swear an oath not to make a spectacle of themselves. It’s helpful that people come back to our main location after they’ve lived in a human city for a time; people stay until their lack of aging becomes an issue. Those who return from those trips to human settlements are able to talk to our newer recruits, explain what they’ve done, how they’ve changed the lives of a small handful of people for the better, and the effect their work has on the larger community. Rarely have the benefits they’ve described required large uses of Energy, and usually they expend no Energy at all. The peace of mind the approach provides is what most often makes the difference. It’s easier to work in a human city when you aren't worried about Sebastian showing up in your room with Tacitus in tow to haul you away.”

  Adam nodded, thoughtful. “You mentioned other means of avoiding detection, with technology?”

  “That’s right.” Will reached into his pocket and retrieved an armband. He handed it to Adam.

  Adam looked at the armband, turning the clear m
aterial over in his hands, and frowned. “What is this, exactly?”

  “It’s a piece of clothing. We wear them on our arms back in our main space, generally lower on the arm near the wrist, so that they’re visible to others. In the cases when we’re not at our main location, we wear them under our clothing. That material, which we call an armband, is able to measure the strength of your Energy, and the band will actually change color accordingly. The colors are based upon the colors you see in rainbows; pink and red are the weakest, while blue and purple are the strongest. The colors tell an individual which skills they should be able to perform. The riskiest skill is teleportation, because if someone does that without knowing it’s possible, they won’t know where they’ll end up. These bands help us to make sure each of our people know when they’re gaining sufficient strength to teleport, and they’re able to work with someone more experienced to go through the steps and keep things under control. It’s something of a rite of passage; we’ve found that it’s best for our people to stay at our main location until they’re able to teleport, because even though we’d prefer they not teleport on a regular basis, it’s the best way of escaping a difficult situation quickly. If there are Aliomenti nearby, as is often the case for those who travel to Europe, those difficult situations are quite likely to develop. It's the ultimate defense mechanism."

  Adam pushed his sleeve up and pulled the band on to his arm. “It's warm!” he exclaimed, watching in awe as the material turned a deep green in color. Several passersby gave him an odd look at his outburst, and Adam quickly sent a small bit of Energy out to encourage them to forget what they’d seen and heard and move along. He wiped some of the sweat from him brow. “How… what… can you explain that?”

  Will chuckled, dabbing at his own forehead, and breathed in the aroma of fresh-baked bread from the bakery they passed on their walk. “Our technological development is progressing at an incredible pace. The warmth you feel from the band is alerting you that your Energy is leaking. If someone like Sebastian is nearby, and the band is warm, he'll be able to find you. If it’s hot enough, and any Aliomenti happens by, they’ll sense that you’re an Energy user. That’s the primary reason we wear the bands—inside our clothing to avoid curious looks—when out in public. It’s better to know that your Energy is leaking from a bit of warmth on your arm than Sebastian showing up in front of you. The green color you see means you're an incredibly strong Energy user. If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect you’d been working on building your Energy for five centuries or more.” He arched an eyebrow. “You must be pretty old, Adam.”