Birth of the Alliance Read online

  Hope shrugged. “I guess that’s a possible answer, but I’m not convinced.”

  “He said finding Eva was the most important thing we could do, more important than even our research. Not more important than the cure itself, but the research for the cure. How could it be more important than the research for the cure? What if the time spent doing the research was keeping us from finding someone who already knew the answer?”

  Hope’s face softened a bit.

  “There’s one more thing he told me that day,” Will said. He watched her. Normally, when he tried to talk about what Adam had said, Hope would change the subject, and Will waited for her to do so now. But she said nothing, her face bearing a look of interest. “He made me promise to protect someone.” He took a deep breath. “His son.”

  Hope gasped, her hand shooting to her mouth to cover her exhalation. “What?”

  Will nodded. “That’s the last piece of the puzzle, isn’t it? Adam said he killed Ambrose because Arthur could use that knowledge as a weapon. That doesn’t mean that Eva didn’t get to Ambrose first and learn the secret before Adam made sure no one else did. She could have given him the cure and that’s how he was able to father a child. Those clues alone mean nothing, but taken together?” He shook his head. “I can’t see what else it could all mean.”

  Hope shook herself, still feeling the shock of the news about Adam’s son. “I… can’t either, actually. But I’m still confused.”

  “So am I. What are you confused about?”

  “Why didn’t he tell us that he’d figured that out? Whether he knew the actual secret, or knew that Eva did… wouldn’t it make sense to tell us that he knew? How long ago might his son have been born before Adam told you? Years? Decades? Centuries? How much time have we lost and wasted?”

  Will shook his head. He’d wondered that as well. “Perhaps he didn’t tell us because there was value in doing our research, even if it hasn’t—and never would—find the specific answer we sought.”

  Hope scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Will glanced up. “In a few years, people—humans—will send something they’d built into space. They’ll soon follow up and send people into space. That research, completely focused on the goal of having people survive in an air vacuum and zero gravity, will spawn new products people will use in their daily lives. New technology, new ways to preserve and prepare food, improvements to air travel in general… none of those were specifically sought by the people who wanted to launch a person into space. But those advances will come anyway. And people’s lives will be vastly improved as a result.”

  Hope wrinkled her nose. “You’re saying that happened with us as well? While we were trying to reverse the effects of ambrosia?”

  Will nodded. “We wanted to be able to see inside cells, so we built better microscopes we’re now able to use to see inside the body and cells. We built machines that could travel into cells and see what was happening, and now we can use those machines to heal our new recruits of all manner of illnesses. We needed something on those machines that could take pictures and video of what was happening in those cells, and now we have miniature cameras and microphones and other sensory recorders that allow us to relive experiences in full detail.” He shook his head. “All of that was worth doing, but would we have pushed so hard to achieve those breakthroughs if we, and others, weren’t so desperate to find that cure? If we’d succeeded right away, what would we have failed to accomplish?” He shook his head. “I’m not saying I agree with his decision to withhold that knowledge from all of us, whether he knew it himself or just knew that Eva did. But a lot of good has come from his manipulation.”

  He shuddered. Adam had manipulated him in the distant past of his memory, four centuries into the present future, and had done so even now.

  And Will wouldn’t have changed a thing.

  “I wish he’d told us Eva was still alive before now,” Hope said, her voice a whisper. “Even if he didn’t let us know she knew the secrets of ambrosia, just knowing she was around…” Her voice trailed off. “It’s been a long time since I looked with any great intensity. I think it was my way of admitting what I thought to be true, that Eva must surely be dead if neither of us had seen her in so long. But now I know I was wrong, and I want to find her more than anything else.”

  They’d had that conversation years ago, and still Eva eluded them. The two of them had struggled on in private, working to decipher the notes and plans Adam had been preparing to deal with all of the events of the future. They quietly agreed to limit their efforts in searching for the ambrosia cure in the lab. The cure would be found when they located Eva.

  She’d remained impossible to find.

  Hope had at one point speculated that Eva might know where Adam’s son was living, a suggestion that added motivation to the search for Will. He was well aware that he was unable to fulfill his promise to protect if he couldn’t even find the one he was supposed to protect. At this point, even if the child had been born shortly before Adam’s death, he’d still be a man. He might be far older. For all he knew, the child had been born before they’d discovered and distributed ambrosia, meaning the “child” might be nearly as old as Will.

  He didn’t even know his name. How could he find Adam’s son?

  Hope was right. They needed to focus on finding Eva, and through her, find the “child” Will had promised to protect.

  They’d both increased their travel Outside the Cavern. For Hope, the Shadow, that was the norm. For Will, it was a noticeable change; he traveled Outside only once every three or four years to recruit, and would usually only be gone a few weeks. He had adapted, spending months at a time away, focusing on looking for any sign of Eva, “listening” for the sound of her Energy.

  He found nothing.

  His father was born. Will wandered into the neighborhood periodically; trying to find the events that turned his father into the cold, distant man he’d known. But his father was a happy youngster. His mother was born a few years later. She learned to walk, giggling, pigtails highlighting her huge green eyes. Will remembered seeing the faded picture he watched his grandmother snap in the park. Hope was there, of course. Her mission was effectively complete. Now, she wanted to know as much as she could about his life before they’d meet in the twenty-first century. It would help her to help him heal from his childhood; prepare him for the massive responsibilities he’d face as the leading industrial figure of his era. And it would help him be prepared to deal with the world-altering events that would commence on the evening of his thirty-fifth birthday.

  New recruits were found from the human world and were escorted to the Cavern for their education in the ways of the Alliance. They were still able to whittle away at the Aliomenti numbers, isolating and incapacitating Aliomenti just long enough to remove the tracking devices and internal mental programming implanted by Arthur. Most of those cured of those afflictions opted to join the Alliance, but not all did. Some went back to the comfortable and continued to act as if nothing had happened. A few brave souls returned to Headquarters to practice the techniques in-house, creating minor disruptions that occupied the Hunters’ time. Will wondered how many human lives were saved through their courageous acts.

  As the Alliance numbers grew, their subtle influence spread, and technology began to advance. Humans no longer acknowledged previous barriers limiting their thinking. They began to seek new ways to use technology. They looked at aircraft and asked how they might be made safer, how they might travel farther and faster through the use of new types of engines. They looked at automobiles and asked how they might be made simpler and more convenient, and so they invented automatic transmissions and power steering and interstate highways.

  They looked at the moon, and asked why they couldn't travel there as well.

  Will was in Plymouth, England, monitoring the tourist town for potential recruits while remaining alert for any Aliomenti presence. His small personal submarine remain
ed hidden at the bottom of the English Channel five miles offshore, and it boasted the invisible skin all Alliance craft boasted. Human radar and sonar sensors had improved, and the invisibility “skins” now included the ability to pass those frequencies through the craft. Will wore a small homing device on his arm he’d use to locate the submarine under the cover of darkness, when he’d use the nanos to transport himself through the water to the craft to avoid being seen.

  Will turned his focus to the young man walking across the street. He’d studied the man on several previous trips to Plymouth, keeping his distance and using discrete bits of Energy to develop a character profile. That profile indicated a strong match to the ideal characteristics for members of the Alliance. Young. Idealistic. No familial attachments. Intelligent. Strong character. A willingness to suspend disbelief. The courage to stand by one's convictions in times of stress.

  Today, Will would make contact.

  He'd ensure the young man knew what Energy felt like, gauge his interest in moving far away and step out of the realm of humanity for many years. With the marvels of technological advancement in recent years, Will had expected Alliance recruiting efforts to meet more resistance, expected that people would see too much opportunity to see the amazing in their current existence, would see no need to risk a long journey with a complete stranger to experience what might well unfold right in front of them. But there was a deep, as-yet unvoiced sense of unease in the general population. It was a sense that an era of prosperity and progress was coming to an end, despite all the tremendous advances, a belief that their lives would become progressively worse over time. Will suspected that those beliefs were encouraged by broadcasts of empathic Energy by the Aliomenti, though he’d been unable to prove his theory. Regardless of the source, those negative emotions helped the recruitment efforts of the Alliance and the Aliomenti, who were able to cite the chance to improve health, develop skills, and amass wealth beyond their wildest dreams.

  It was an opportunity few wanted to pass up, and a risk many were willing to take.

  It wasn’t until he’d gotten within ten feet of his target that Will sensed the problem. The young man had already been claimed by the Aliomenti. He could sense the beginnings of Energy development, and could feel the taint of Energy from those Aliomenti who had initiated the youngster into the organization. Will was angry. This had happened before, and in each previous case he'd simply walked away and started looking for the next recruit. But something compelled him to refuse to let go. He wouldn't just walk away this time. He was determined to free the young man from the mental reprogramming he’d undergone.

  The young neophyte moved toward an area known as Central Park and headed into a patch of trees. Will slipped in after the youth, sensing the welcome embrace of feedback Energy, feeling a slight breeze on his cheek as the temperature cooled and the direct sunlight was intercepted by the tree canopy.

  “Why are you following me?”

  “Because you’ve made a mistake, Dane,” Will replied, taking care to keep his voice calm.

  “How do you know my name? And what do you mean I’ve made a mistake? Are you some kind of stalker?”

  “They lied to you, Dane. They told you you’d be rich, didn’t they? Powerful? Almost a sorcerer?” Will took a step closer to Dane. “They did, didn’t they?”

  Dane’s face betrayed the truth. “I… don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Stop trying to fool yourself, Dane. Let me tell you something you don’t know. Do you remember when they gave you that mixture and you went through the pain that followed, and you passed out and woke with that wonderful feeling of warmth?” Dane looked startled. “Of course you do. What you don’t know is that while you slept, your brain was rewired. You’re no longer your own person, no longer able to act of your own free will. You’ll always do what The Leader tells you to do, even if you know it’s wrong. Is that what you want from your life?”

  “Who… who are you?” Dane asked. “Why are you telling me this? Are you one of the… the rebels?”

  Will chuckled. “I’m just someone who’s interested in the truth, Dane. And the truth is that they’ve put something in you that will tell them exactly where you are, and if ever they decide that you’re not acting in their best interests, they can knock you out cold again… or kill you.” Dane’s eyes widened. “And it will all happen without you ever knowing the process had even started.”

  Dane shook his head. “It’s a lie. They wouldn't do that.” He was trying to be brave; Will could see that. But Dane had seen enough inconsistencies that, out here, away from the rest of them, he could briefly admit to himself that what Will said just might be true.

  “Are you sure?” Will asked. “Are you absolutely sure they wouldn’t jail you for going on a date, or kill you for wanting to have a child of your own some day? Don’t you remember those Oaths you swore to the Leader? Do you think only rebels would be punished for breaking the Oaths? Have you met Aramis, yet? Don’t you think he’ll find something you’ve done wrong, no matter how minor the infraction, if they decide you’re a risk to their plans?”

  “He does seem a bit strange,” Dane muttered. “But, if what you say is true—and I’m not saying it is—how do I undo what they’ve done to me? I want to be able to make my own choices, and if I do what they command at least I’ll know I’m doing it because I agree to go along with their orders.”

  Will nodded. Dane was proving to be a definite Alliance candidate. He valued his freedom, his ability to be of his own mind on critical decisions. “There’s a small chip inside you, about the size of your fingernail. That little chip transmits a signal that allows them to find you, much like Porthos can sense Energy. That chip also has two drugs inside it. One will knock you unconscious. One will kill you instantly.” Dane’s look of terror was genuine; he’d broken into a deep sweat, and Will could smell his fear. “We need to get that chip out of you first. Once that’s done, I can reverse the brain rewiring. You may not like me or trust me afterward, but at least you can know that your assessment is made without anything unnatural driving your decisions.”

  Dane fixed Will with a shrewd look. “If you can fix all of that, how do I know you aren’t just going to change it so I do what you want me to do instead?”

  “It’s wise to be skeptical,” Will said. “I could also be an agent of the Aliomenti sent to test your resolve, too.” Dane started to back away, but Will held up his hand. “You can scan me with your Energy and decide if I’m telling the truth. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll leave right now. Just say the word and I'm gone.”

  Dane watched him carefully, and Will stood still, waiting patiently. He knew Dane would be able to tell if Will was trying to influence him, and so he focused on one of the trees nearby. A few of the leaves had turned brown, possibly due to a lack of water. On instinct, Will released a trickle of Energy to the three, and the leaves started to regain their natural coloring.

  After a moment, Dane nodded. “OK, I trust you. What do we do?”

  “You need to stand still,” Will replied. “I need to get that chip out of you.”

  Dane’s eyes widened. "You're going to do that now? Here?”

  Will nodded. “If I take you someplace, they’ll be able to tell and track me with your chip. It’s best to handle it here. But you won’t feel a thing. And if you don’t want to go through with this, just say so and I’ll stop.”

  Dane shook his head. “No, I trust you. It’s just… I guess I thought it would be… messier.” He closed his eyes, as if expecting to experience pain.

  Will trickled a bit of Energy into Dane, using it to locate the chip inside the man’s body. The Aliomenti were risk takers; he found the chip implanted along Dane's spine, next to a major artery in his back. If they need to operate the remote sedative or poison, it would take little time for the substances to take effect.

  “I found the chip. It’s in your back, next to your spine, right near the bottom of the ribcage. Do you s
till want me to take it out?”

  Dane didn't respond.

  Will released his focus on the chip and moved around to look at Dane’s face. “Are you okay with me taking the chip out?”

  Dane’s eyes were wide open, as if he’d seen or experienced something terrifying. His hands went to his throat, signifying that he couldn’t breathe.

  Will cursed. The Aliomenti had set the chip to detonate the enclosed poison if unknown Energy touched it in a prelude to teleporting the chip out of the body. It was a self-destruct mechanism the Alliance had never before encountered. The technology was new but effective. He needed to act quickly.

  After moving the man to the ground, Will teleported the chip out of Dane’s body into his own pocket for later analysis. He used Energy to find the poison, and immediately started teleporting the substance from Dane’s body. He noticed Dane’s body relaxing out of the corner of his eye, but his focus remained on completing the job. The relaxation must mean that his body was recovering from the poison as the substance was removed.

  With the last of the poison tracked and removed, Will turned to Dane to check his condition.

  Dane’s eyes were wide and unseeing, and a quick check of his pulse revealed the awful truth.

  Will stared at the young man. How was it possible? Will had accidentally triggered the poison, but he’d removed it before it should have had a chance to circulate far enough to cause death. Had the chip had triggered the poison even before he'd started his Energy surgery? If that was true, then the poison had operated longer than he’d realized. They’d need to examine the chip to figure out the truth. For Dane, though, it didn't matter. He was dead regardless of when the poisoning had started.

  And Will had, unintentionally, been the one to trigger it.

  His internal sense of alarm skyrocketed. If the chip had fired before Will had started the operation, before the Energy had triggered a response, it meant one of two things. The chips were sufficiently advanced to recognize when an Aliomenti had an extended conversation with a member of the Alliance. Or the Hunters and The Leader had known of Will’s interest in recruiting Dane and had triggered the poison long before it would otherwise be activated. Either way, it meant the same thing.