Excelsior (14 page)

Matthew's uncle gestured toward the Denarians slowly rousing. “If you want a second opinion, Radifen's waking up.”

CHAPTER 7

“So what are we doing here?” Jason asked Klierra as he and Matthew stood at the edge of their driveway. Karini and Zorribis stood side-by-side ten apartment houses away, right at the edge of the block. Both Jason and Matthew wore plain white T-shirts, black shorts and sneakers.

Klierra took a deep breath and instructed, “Well, when I say ‘go,’ the two of you have to race from here,” she pointed at the two Denarians waiting for them, “to there.”

“I know what a race is,” Jason snapped. “But what for?”

“We have to see how fast you can be on your own before we add muscular enhancement.”

“Excuse me? What?”

Klierra began to respond, then gave a slight shake of her head. “I’ll explain when we’re finished here. Ready, Matthew?”

Matthew nodded. He looked down and lifted his shirt, showing off his brand-new six-pack. “I never had abs like these before.”

“We’ll see.” Klierra held her arm up. “Get ready.” Matthew and Jason locked their eyes on each other before looking down at their feet. “And...” Klierra dropped her arm. “GO!”

They took off. Jason glanced over his shoulder and yelled, “Check me out, kid! The old man’s still got it. It’s been a while since my track days, but I still got some left in me.”

Matthew smiled back and accelerated past him in a blur and smacked Zorribis’ outstretched hand. His smile grew wider as he bounced on the balls of his feet. The 50-yard dash felt like a stroll to the curb. He turned as he heard his uncle smack Karini’s hand. Jason was making deep, sucking sounds. He staggered a few paces then put his hands on his knees.

Matthew bent over so he was level with Jason’s face. “Since when did you have track days?”

Jason wiped the sweat from his brow and forced his body upright, his face contorted. “Since I wrote about it in the high school paper.”

Karini came over and took Jason’s pulse while looking at something that resembled a stopwatch. One eyebrow tried to vanish into his hairline.

Klierra walked up. “Just how bad is he, Karini?”

Karini’s mouth tightened into a line. He pulled a small receiver from the back of his “watch” and placed it in his ear. Then he started moving the watch over Jason’s chest.

“I thought your medical literature said that a 40-year-old human male should have an active heart rate around 140 beats per minute,” said Karini.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” agreed Jason. “Why? What’s my heart rate?”

“More than 140 beats per minute. But please don’t be alarmed. Your vascular system is in fairly good shape and the plaque in your arteries is surprisingly minimal.”

Jason mopped his crimson face with the back of his T-shirt sleeve. “You got all that from a stopwatch?”

Karini looked at Zorribis, “Stopwatch?”

“Do you have a device that can stop time?” asked Zorribis.

“No, no, that thing,” Jason pointed to the object in Karini’s hand.

The Denarians laughed. “Oh, the Krephth!”

“The what?!” asked Jason and Matthew in unison.

“The Krephth. The tool of a healer,” Karini said as he glanced at Klierra.

“It’s a biologic scanner and activator, set to human physiology,” said Klierra.

“Okay. Why do you call it a…what was it? Kref?”

Zorribis corrected him. “Krephth. Named after the Denarian that designed and perfected it.”

“Okay, so it scanned me. But what does it activate?” asked Jason.

Karini glanced at Klierra. “Is activate the right word?”

Klierra shrugged. “It’s as good as any.”

Jason asked again. “What does it activate?”

Karini turned to Zorribis. “What do you think, Zor? I want to increase his blood supply by 40 percent. Can this Krephth handle that load?”

“I wish I could say. This is going to be the first human we’ve ever tried this on.”

Jason’s face went from scarlet to white. “What?”

“I’ll double its capacity and hope it’s enough. It’s up to you not to shock his system beyond repair, Karini,” said Zorribis running a finger over the face of the device.

Ignoring the dents his uncle’s hand was squeezing into his forearm, Matthew stepped up to Zorribis. “Do you mind if I take a look at that for a moment?”

“This is a sensitive instrument, Matthew.” Zorribis began. Klierra caught his attention and pointed to Matthew with her chin. Her eyes were unreadable beneath her impenetrable shades.

“Ummm... all right.” Zorribis handed Matthew the Krephth.

“Thanks, guys.” Matthew took the device and walked toward the front door of his home. He could hear the conversation continuing among the Denarians and his uncle, who still gasped for air.

“So what are Grannik and Radifen up to in there?” Jason asked, pointing to the house.

“They’re eating the remaining food from last night,” Klierra answered. “Then they’re coming with me to pick up my belongings from my apartment.”

“What? You’re moving in with me, too?” Jason asked. “Just because I live in a house it doesn’t mean there’s room for every Denarian to beam down and set up shop. How do you write ‘No Vacancy’ on a microwave?”

“Do you remember what I told you last night? We don’t have much time before Danaak is fully revived and starts destroying anything and anyone he sees. I need my communicator to alert Acerus that we have found the vessel of Excelsior’s lifeforce.”

“Forgive me Elder Klierra, but he’s more than just a vessel,” Zorribis said, frowning.

“Thank you.” Matthew said as he walked up to Karini, the device still in his hand.

“That was quick,” Karini observed. “Or do you have a question about the Krephth?”

“No, it’s all set,” Matthew replied. “I was able to fix it before I went inside. I adjusted for his lack of physical condition, the deterioration of cartilage in his knees and hips, and tweaked it to increase his heart capacity and percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers.”

Zorribis took the Krephth from Matthew and examined it. “How did you do that? This activator doesn’t have that sort of capacity.”

“It does now,” said Matthew, grinning. The Denarians traded glances.

“Our plan was to increase his blood supply so that there would be more available oxygen for strength and endurance,” explained Karini.

“The blood of a typical Denarian has a much greater capacity to carry oxygen, right?” asked Matthew.

“Right,” Klierra responded.

“So it makes sense to want to improve Jason’s physical condition. But you need to do it in a way that won’t overwhelm Jason’s body. I made some adjustments that will improve Jason’s entire physical condition and overall health – among other things.” He winked at his uncle. “Don’t worry, you’ll thank me later.”

Jason gulped as Zorribis nodded and handed the watch to Karini.

“Remove your shirt, please.” He motioned to Jason’s damp T-shirt.

“Out here? On the street?” he demanded of Karini.

“We need you to run outside your dwelling,” Karini answered.

Jason turned to Matthew: “You’re sure this is going to work? Is it safe? Did you test it on yourself or something?”

Matthew shook his head. “I didn’t have to.”

“What do you mean, you didn’t have to?” Jason’s voice carried a touch of panic.

“I saw what had to be done,” Matthew answered. “You’ll be fine, and you’ll thank me later. Just do what they tell you to do.”

“Are you absolutely sure this is necessary?” Jason demanded.

Klierra was quick to answer. “Do you have some other way to increase your physical capacity without weeks of intensive training? Is there a life force within you that is quickly manifesting itself and forcing you to be taller, faster and stronger?”

“N-o-o-o,” Jason answered.

“Then it is necessary. Healer Karini, if you please,” she said.

“Do I activate the Krephth in the same manner as before?” Karini asked Matthew.

“Yup.”

“All right then. Get that top off, Jason.” Karini fiddled with the device then held it up like a camera. Jason stripped off his shirt and tossed it to Matthew, who jumped back and let it fall on the ground.

“Matt!”

“What? It’s all soaked in sweat. I’m not touching that.”

“The savior of the universe is afraid of a little sweat?”

“Hold perfectly still, Jason,” said Karini who still held the Krephth up to his eye. He clicked what looked like the stem and a round patch appeared on Jason’s chest.

“Hey! What’s that?”

“A contact point. They will disintegrate when we’re finished. Now stay still.” Karini clicked several more times and more quartersize patches appeared on his chest, abdomen and arms. “Now lift up your short pants, please.”

“They’re called shorts.”

“Isn’t that what I said?” asked Karini. Jason lifted his baggy shorts and Karini added patches to his calves and thighs.

“I think we’re ready, Zor,” said Karini handing the device to Zorribis. He looked over the patches and checked Jason’s pulse. “I had no idea how much you would need this. I am so glad you suggested it, Elder Klierra.”

Jason gingerly poked one of the brown discs. “So what’s next?”

“Just start running at a moderate pace and the Krephth will begin the enhancement sequence,” said Zorribis, handing Jason his sweatshirt.

“You're going to experience a tingling sensation that might make you want to stop when you feel it. Don't. Just keep going and your body will do the rest.”

“Okay.” Jason started to jog in place. “You ready, Matt?”

“If you’re ready to keep up with me.”

“Wait!” Karini said. “This isn’t a race. Don’t force Jason to burn himself out, Matthew. This is just to get his circulation going.”

“Right. You’re right,” Matthew responded. “Sorry. Just wanted to see some more of what he could do from his track days.”

“No one likes a smartass,” Jason retorted.

“Ready?” Klierra lifted her arm.

Matthew and Jason lined up beside each other. “Ready,” Matthew answered.

“Go!” she yelled, and they took off running.

“Too fast, slow down!” Karini yelled.

Matthew and Jason passed their original starting point and kept going around the corner, both of them having worked their pace into a steady jog. Once again, Matthew moved with very little effort, surprised at how easy the running felt. Jason’s breathing was steady this time and he kept pace as they moved around the block.

"Whoa," Jason exclaimed. "They were right about the itching."

"Don't stop!" Matthew instructed. "Your body will take care of itself."

Jason started pumping his arms faster and flexed his fingers. “I think it's actually working."

But Matthew didn’t respond. The more he jogged, the less he saw of the street ahead of him. Everything around him dissolved away and he heard cheering from a distance. He slowed his pace from a jog to a power walk, but kept moving as instructed. The cheering grew louder the more he walked, and he could see a mob of people waiting for him. They were cheering for him, pumping their fists like fans at a rock concert, and most importantly, they loved him.

Matthew picked up his pace to get closer to the men, women and children waiting for him. Soon he felt a tidal wave of hugs. People handed him their kids, who also hugged him. Matthew returned the affection, drowning in a sea of love. Were these people cheering for him? He looked down at his hands and saw he had on gloves. The chanting grew louder.
“Excelsior! Excelsior!”

Inexplicably, he heard another voice, one so low that he shouldn’t have been able to hear it over the crowd. “Don’t kill him,” he heard the voice whisper.

Excelsior looked behind him for the source of the voice, but he could only see Denarians reveling in the return of their savior. He tried his best to put on the smile he had worn before and walked on with the crowd as they continued their celebration.

Just as he began to relax, he heard another low and sinister whisper. “He wants him alive.” Excelsior felt a chill go up his spine as he looked around again. Nothing out of the ordinary.

“What’s the matter?” Excelsior turned to see Jason jogging beside him.

“Are you all right?” asked a small voice. He looked a second time. Instead of Matthew’s uncle, he saw a five year old with big curious eyes and an eagerness to be as close to Excelsior as possible. “Are you okay?” he asked again.

Excelsior hesitated, then spoke. “Yes. Yes, everything’s fine. How are you?”

“I’m fine now,” the boy replied. “It was really scary before you showed up. The Krunations were really angry and they just kept on shooting.”

“How did you stay safe?” Excelsior asked as he continued his pace.

“My mother helped me. She pushed me out of the way just before, before…” The boy couldn’t finish and his eyes grew shiny with tears.