Redemption (The Alliance Series Book 1) (21 page)

              Her last words were followed by lightning and thunder from all around the surrounding clouds. The lightning reached out and hit me from every angle. I felt something I didn't know was missing settle back into place. It felt right. Like when you lose your watch and you feel it missing, then you put it back on and all feels normal again. I still hurt. Knowing that I had been used, but it wasn't debilitating anymore. Whatever psychological, spiritual damage had been done by years of the Cols. influence had not been eased. I wasn't cured. The pain was still there and the hurt, but I wasn't lost anymore. The effects of what the Col. did couldn’t be eradicated that easily, they were a part of my being. What Ani did for me was to allow me to live and function; giving me the ability to find a path that could eventually heal my wounds.

              I opened my eyes having not realized I had closed them. Ani was gone. I was still on the path in the open area. I looked across and in the clouds I saw more flashes of lightning, only this time they formed a shape. The shape of a large bear on his hind legs was visible for an instant.

              The after image of the light showed him clearly in my mind’s eye as it slowly started fading. I understood. I looked all around at the clouds certain that my words would be heard.

              "Thank you Ani Hyuntikwalaski, I am forever in your debt." I said solemnly.              

I bowed my head in respect, then turned and walked back the path I had come. I don't remember when exactly, but I was suddenly coughing, my eyes were watering and stinging from the smoke. I was sweating and half-naked. I heard Nathan’s voice. “It’s okay, let’s get outside, and get you some fresh air."

              I tried to say okay, but it came out as a series of coughing fits. Nathan helped me get outside and as the refreshing clean air cleared the smoke from my lungs I was able to breath and my eyes were cleaned out enough so that I could see.

              I saw a flash of light and realized that a huge thunderhead was over us. A few seconds after the lightning there was a loud peal of thunder and raindrops began to pour in large drops.

              Soon I was soaked.

              I looked up at the sky and opened my mouth, laughing, thank you Ani. I stopped and turned to find Nathan looking at me with a large grin on his face.

              "I guess you found your path?" Nathan asked.

              "I found the beginning, are you up for it?" I asked.

              Nathan looked at me gravely. "Where do we begin?" He asked.

              I looked back smiling slightly. We both said together in sync. "The Bear."

Chapter 18

I stood there for a few long minutes, letting the rain wash away the smoke induced tears and grime that had gathered on my skin, enjoying the rainfall. I could sense people gathering around me. I brought my head back down into a level position and looked at those that had come to meet me. Three men stood before me, wisdom and age evident on their faces. They would have had the long black hair that is the trademark of Native Americans if age hadn't had bleached it a uniform white. They wore button up shirts with the sleeves rolled up and those skinny string ties. Their features similar to Nathan’s.

              "Grandfather, this is John, John this is my grandfather." Nathan said as he stood next to me.

              I looked at him and said with respect. "Nice to meet you sir."

              Holding out my hand, he took it and shook it with a far firmer grip than I would have imagined. He stared hard at me searching my eyes. I didn't lose eye contact with him. He nodded and said. "It seems you have found yourself."

              "I hope so." I answered. Nathan introduced the other two men as uncles of his. We exchanged handshakes. A thought hit me and I turned to Nathan grabbing his arm, "We have to call Peotr, he's in danger." I said.

              "I have already called him. He is aware of the situation." He said.

              Letting go of his arm I visibly relaxed. "Good" I said. "I have to go to him, it's partly my fault that the Col. was able to find him and I can't let him stand alone." I added.

              "I know, John. You wouldn't be the man I know you to be if you allowed that. When do we leave?" Nathan asked.

              I smiled, he smiled back. I turned and said to Nathan’s grandfather. "I hate to smoke and run, but there’s a friend of mine that needs me, thank you for allowing me the use of your land and hospitality." I said.

              He nodded turning to Nathan. “Go, it seems you are needed elsewhere."

              Nathan went to him and gave him a hug. He went to the Tundra and got out my clothes, tossing them to me. "You can’t go into battle looking like that." He said.

              I looked down, having totally forgotten about my dress. I was shirtless; my chest had strange swirling designs on them. They were already unrecognizable from the rainwater. Nathan tossed me a rag and I quickly rubbed my face, seeing the same color as the chest designs coming off onto the rag. I was wearing a small leather skirt, the kind that was slit on both hips. It was apparently the proper attire for a spirit journey ceremony.

              I got dressed, pulling on my boots last. We jumped in the truck, Nathan driving as I finished lacing them up. I looked in the rearview mirror seeing the three elders standing, watching us leave.

              We drove for about twenty minutes through the northeastern corner of Kansas. Eventually leaving the reservation and getting on I-70 west heading towards Denver. We didn't have to worry about someone tracking us after the Col. took the gem.

              I was watching everywhere for a large centaur and a nasty band of elves. The Col. never mentioned them in his plans. That meant either he forgot about them or they were operating under another agenda. I tended to think the latter. The Col. doesn’t forget things.

              I was hoping that I had hurt the centaur enough to keep him out of my business for good. Had I known he was going to get away before I got any information out of him I would have just killed him and been done with it. Now there was a hurt and most likely extremely pissed off centaur out there, and a bunch of vicious elves, all looking for revenge.

              I couldn't worry too much about them, if they were going to come for me there was nothing I could do about it. I would just have to cross that bridge when I came to it. Thankfully, they left us alone as we sped across the middle of America.

              It took us the better part of a day to get from Kansas to Peotr’s. Counting the day it took to get me to Kansas and getting my head back on straight meant we only had about three days until the Col. was going to show up guns blazing.

              We approached Peotr’s by the same front entrance, the two towering bears where still keeping guard. The gate itself opened for us before we had even stopped, allowing us to drive straight towards the main entry. I immediately noticed that there was a lot more people than the last time I was here. Everywhere I looked, I could see individuals or groups of people rushing here and there.

              I also noticed someone had brought out large earth moving equipment and was busy pushing the ground up in large berms at differing intervals around the cabin. Others were spreading barbed wire between open areas and still others were on the roof mounting heavy caliber weapons.

              It looked, for all intents and purposes, that Peotr was preparing for an oncoming siege. We stopped at the main entrance to the cabin and watched as Peotr came to us, after detaching himself from a group of men who were looking at maps and paperwork. He waved them off and hurried over to us.

"I had a feeling I might not see my Mule again." Peotr said jovially.

              He came to us, administering hugs.

"It's good to see you. I bet you have lots of questions." Peotr said. "Seeing as how you are both here means that you have survived your encounter with the Col. Getting past the gate without being attacked also means you are not compromised. Your intentions are not hostile and you wish to help. Is that correct?" Peotr asked.

              "Yes, Peotr. I think I may have inadvertently given the Col. a way for him to find you. I am here to offer my services to make up for that, but first I have some questions that I need answered." I said.

              "I would also like to help." Nathan said.

              Peotr looked at us both for a minute. He then said. "It is a dangerous game we play. I have not been fully open with either of you. I have my reasons and I'm sure you will understand them. First, I would like to get everything in the open. I do not know how much the Col. told you. So ask me questions and I will answer them honestly. Listen to my answers, and then you both can decide if you still want to stay and help."

              I thought about it for a moment. There were hundreds of things I could ask, some more important than others. What we needed now was trust.

              The Col. had said that Peotr had been upsetting the planning and operations of Frankenstein. That was a good place to start.

              "How long have you known about Project Frankenstein?" I asked first.

              "For almost two years." Peotr said without hesitation. Anticipating what my first round of questions would be.

              "Why did you lie to us?" I asked.

              "You cut right to the chase, John. Good." Peotr answered.

              "I found out about Frankenstein around the same time I figured out that the Col. was an Influencer. I have many contacts; many trusted people placed in areas that are useful."

"I was alerted to some disturbing news about transportation of soldiers and false reports about casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. Someone was allowing soldiers to be reported as dead."

“This, I found very interesting. I began investigating, slowly. I found out that hundreds of soldiers were being shipped to top secret facilities and were not leaving."

              "What better way to hide the kidnapping of soldiers than to claim them as casualties of war. When we lose thousands, whose going to miss a hundred?"

              "Nothing happens in this world without money. So, when these things did not add up I began looking into the funding for these unknown projects and found some very powerful politicians behind it."

              "I happened to be quite friendly with one in particular, so I went to pay him a visit, a Senator from Illinois that was on the Appropriations Committee. I met him when he worked for the C.I.A., before he ran for office. My dealings within the U.S.S.R. have allowed me to develop relationships with various people of high standing within the U.S."

              "I knew him, his mannerisms, and his personality. When I went to talk to him, he seemed off. Not loopy or weird, but off. His answers to some of my questions were vague for someone with his level of clearance. I do not even think he knew he was doing it. That made me even more curious."
              “ I went home and retrieved some things I intended to use at our next meeting. I scheduled another one in a few days and this time when we talked I was ready."

              "You have already seen I am good with enchantments, I have had a long time to perfect them. I took a particular pair of glasses that I designed to allow me to see mind manipulation magic. It also can see spirits and ghosts when the sun is down. I do not use it for that though. I think it was a side effect of my tinkering."

              "Sure enough, I could tell that the Senator was being influenced. It leaves a special mark, but only when the working is done in haste. An Influencer can hide his work when it is gradual, but when it is rushed or more force than necessary is used the workings can be traced by those with enough skill. I think the Col. had to be rough with the Senator for him to leave a mark like that."

              "Reviewing the letters to the families of the soldiers who were listed as K.I.A., I found something that led me to the Col. His name was on every one. He had signed off on the letters and, he had also signed for the release of the vehicles that were used to transport them."

              "It didn't take me long to figure out that the Col. had been influencing the Senator and others to fund his secret little operation."

              "I still didn't know what he was doing. I did not care. I began to use my resources to throw a monkey wrench into his plans. I sabotaged his trucks. My people actually stole a truckload of soldiers and brought them here. I posted information about funding practices online to make them redirect funds, I reported on anything I thought would hurt their operation. I generally became a real pain in the Cols. zhopa."

              "Then I began to get reports from an asset about the nature of his work. I got information about biological experiments with cybernetics. I was sent videos showing some of the things they did to the soldiers, horrible things. I was sent the video you and Nathan found."