Absolute Power (Book 1): Origins (14 page)

After passing out, he woke on his back, staring at the sky.  Robert shifted slightly to see how badly he was hurt; broken ribs, dislocated arm, concussion and a variety of lacerations.  There was no point trying to get up, he trusted his people would find him shortly.  He had to assume the tornado had been diverted because the sky was clear.  As he lay there, he struggled to find the right emotions.  Robert thought that Alex might have survived, but knew it was only his brain trying to ease the suffering.  The thoughts that it was his fault... Well, those could be argued either way.  Then there was the anger, sadness and after that, came the duty.  Robert grasped onto that thought as he formulated the words he would say to the others, how he would tell them Alex was dead.

The concrete sidewalks and black tar streets sizzle under the summer sun.  Heat waves rippled on the horizon of the quiet city.  Those who could stay indoors took siestas.  Alison Cortez sat on a soft sandy white beach.  She let the sun bake her skin brown.  As the new Sergeant of the First Platoon, Sierra Company, Southern Battalion, First Rescue and Relief Regiment, she had a lot of new responsibilities.  But for this weekend she could avoid them.  Their vacation was a welcomed reprieve.

Alison fiddled with her swimsuit in an attempt to avoid tan lines.  She was watching Angie and Henry, who were standing near the water.  The plan was to come to the beach and relax, but Henry had made some comment about Angie getting soft.  It was enough to provoke an argument that escalated into a challenge.  Angie was wrapping her hands in a length of cloth.  As always she was sensibly dressed, even for vacation, in cargo shorts and a white shirt.  Her dark brown skin glistened with sweat.  Henry, on the other hand, was wearing bright yellow board shorts.  He had long since upgraded his body.  Over the metal fiber weave, he had adhered a hyper-flexible polymer that conformed to his limbs.  It gave him a more human look, except for the fact that he had dyed the polymer blood red.  Henry said, along with the scars from the cybernetic surgery, it gave him an intimidating appearance.  Still, he couldn’t help goofing off as he took the Karate Kid stance.

Angie ignored him.  “No powers,” she said.  “First one unconscious loses.”

“Winner gets a kiss,” Henry smiled.

“Winner is the winner,” Angie retorted.

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Henry said.

Angie swung her arms in a circle to loosen them up.  For all their petty fights, the two of them might as well have been best friends.  They had nothing in common, except that neither cared what the other said, so they could say anything.  And then there was the sparring.  Both of them could go full on without holding back.  Angie because she was well trained and enjoyed a real fight.  Henry because he was mostly machine, and what he lacked in skill he made up in knowledge.

When Angie was ready, she faced Henry and bowed.  Henry returned the bow and the two of them began, each circling the other looking for an opening.  Henry struck first with his long limbs, landing a glancing blow.  He tried again with a kick, but Angie was ready.  She spun into him striking his inner thigh with her fist.  Alison heard the loud slap from where she sat.  She was so engrossed in the fight that she hadn’t heard the footsteps behind her.

“So I get this strange message to get on a helicopter,” Jess Lang was standing in Alison’s sunlight.  Her skin was coated with sunscreen, and the hat she wore was comically large.  “I get on it because this message comes from Colonel Porter himself.  Then low and behold I’m in Cuba on leave.”

“Hey, Jess,” Alison smiled.

“Do you know anything about this?”  Jess asked.

“Sounds like the Colonel pulling some strings,” Alison replied.

“So now what?  I have to entertain you?” Jess said.

Alison laughed then said, “I was going to ask if you could complain about a vacation, but I guess you can.”

“Ha, ha very funny,” Jess said as she sat next to Alison.  “I heard you made Sergeant.”

“Yeah,” Alison said distantly.

“You afraid you can’t handle being in charge of people?”  Jess asked.

“The only person I’m in charge of is Henry,” Alison replied.

Jess shaded her eyes from the sun and watched Alison’s face.  “Robert hasn’t chosen a replacement yet?”  She asked.  “You can’t let him brood, you know.  That’s how he got this way to begin with.  Every time he’s faced with his emotions he closes himself off.  You’ve known him four years, and you still haven’t figured that out?”

In front of them, Angie had gone into a flurry of kicks that put Henry on the defensive.  One after another, he blocked them without getting a second to retaliate.  Then finally Angie hit him full force in the chest knocking him head over heels.  Henry spat the sand from his mouth while laughing.

Alison turned back to Jess.  “It’s hard to think straight lately,” she said.

“Lucky for me I took those advanced psych courses,” Jess said.  “You need a friend and councilor.  And I like vacations.”

“It’s not just about Alex,” Alison said.

“It never is with you,” Jess said.  “
Your
pain is never as important as everyone else’s.”

“Jess,” Alison said pleading for some sympathy.

“Look at your career with SHT,” Jess said.  “You get sent off to the middle of nowhere because you feel bad for some Free Flights.  Then you throw a tantrum to get Shruti brought back to the States.”

“Why are you being so mean?”  Alison asked.

“Because you’re being so stupid,” Jess replied.  “You are who you are, and I love you for it.  So why not try to accept that the problem isn’t your pain, it’s someone else’s.”

“What are you talking about?” Alison was confused.

Angie and Henry turned to grappling.  They each had a hold of the other and were spinning in a circle until they plunged into the water.

“Just think about what I said,” Jess replied as she got up.  “I made dinner reservations for all of us at eight.”

“But I don’t understand,” Alison called after her.

Jess didn’t bother to respond.  It wasn’t standard practice to outright tell a patient what the problem was.  Of course, she was also a friend caught between two emotional idiots.

The hotel was within easy walking distance to the beach.  She knew for a fact that Robert was in his room because she’d sent Fugen to scout.  When she was close, Fugen swooped down from a tall palm tree to land on a light pole.

“Is he still in his room?”  Jess asked.

Fugen replied with an affirmative.

“Then you can go play,” Jess told him.

She went into the hotel.  It was in decent condition despite its lack of American tourism.  Even still, the staff spoke English, Spanish and terrible Japanese.  Jess had gotten a good laugh earlier when the bell boy had showed her to her room.

The elevator took her to the fifth floor, and she quickly found Robert’s room.  He answered the door still holding his laptop.

“That better be porn,” Jess said.

His embarrassed look told her it was just work.  “The Colonel got you out here pretty fast,” he said showing her into the room.  It wasn’t fancy but had an incredible view of the ocean.

Jess went directly to the window to look.  “Seriously, Robert,” she said, “what is so important on that computer that it can’t wait?”

He shut the laptop and tossed it on the bed.  “New orders,” he said bleakly.  Jess turned at the tone of his voice.  “There pulling the platoon off of active duty.”

“They’re benching the great Robert Day?”  Jess said sarcastically.

“You know I hate that poster boy stuff,” Robert said.

“Is all of this about Alex?”  Jess asked.

“I have to assume so,” Robert replied.  “I think that they lost confidence in me.”

“I think that you lost confidence in yourself,” Jess retorted.

“I know why Colonel Porter sent you,” Robert said accusingly.  “Don’t waste your time.”

Jess turned away for a second because she couldn’t resist smiling.  Then she turned back and said, “Okay, we won’t talk about Alex.”

“Thank you,” Robert said and sat on the bed.

“I was talking to Alison earlier,” Jess said.

Robert’s body went tense.  “They still at the beach?”  He asked.

“You should have joined them,” Jess said.  “When you get promoted to Captain you won’t be able to be friends with your subordinates.”  She gave him a knowing look.  “Or is that the plan?  Keep them at a distance.”

“I thought we weren’t talking about Alex anymore,” Robert said.

“I’m not talking about Alex,” Jess said frustrated.  She picked up the nearest thing, which was a pen and threw it at Robert.  “I’m talking about the people that are left.  We all have to have friends and people we can be close to.”

“You can’t tell a subordinate that you don’t know what to do anymore,” Robert raised his voice.  “You can’t let them think you have any doubt.  Especially me, the boy wonder, who’s all-knowing and perfect.”

“And one day when you make General everyone will be your subordinate,” Jess roared back.  “Then you won’t be able to say anything to anyone.  This soldier routine Colonel Porter raised you on isn’t the solution to everything.  Look at Angie, at least she has an outlet.  I suggest you rethink your strategy before you lose your options and your friends.”  As she stormed out of the room she shoved Robert, who didn’t actually budge, but it made her feel better.  “And dinner is at eight,” she said then slammed the door.

Robert didn’t dare arrive late though he didn’t have any appropriate clothes.  He settled on a white button up shirt and tan cargo pants.  As he walked into the restaurant, he saw that the others had the same dilemma.  Angie hadn’t changed from earlier.  Robert gave her a wry smile over their matching outfits.  Alison was wearing a soft yellow sundress with a low neckline.  The smile on Robert’s face broadened.  He tried to say something, but couldn’t find the words.  Instead, he took a seat next to Angie.  Jess, who was watching from the corner, casually crossed the room and took Alison by the arm.

“Told you,” Jess whispered as she led her to the seat opposite Robert.  Then she sat at the head of the table.  “Where’s Henry?”  She asked.

“He said he was going to be late,” Angie grumbled.

Jess raised an eyebrow, but let it go.  “Then lets order drinks,” she said waving a waiter over.  “Can we get two bottles of house red and anything they want,” Jess said, and then to the others, “Don’t worry the Colonel is paying.”

“In that case I’ll have a double of your best scotch,” Henry said.  “Ladies and gentlemen I have arrived.”  He bowed slightly.  “But hold your applause until after the awards.”  There was a large bag in his hand, and he began rummaging through it.  “The award for the most beautiful hostess goes to Jessica Lang.”  From the bag, he pulled out a potted plant.  It was a strange long stemmed flower with purple petals and a red center.  He set it in front of Jess who sniffed it instantly.  “Next, for the best new Sergeant,” Henry said as he pulled out a small wood box.  The outside had been hand carved with an intricate pattern.  Alison took the box, and when she opened the lid, a tiny dancing girl popped up.  The figure was fully animated, and it moved to a sweet melody.  “For the Lieutenant of the decade,” he announced.  He had a small cylinder in his pants pocket and tossed it to Robert.  Inside was a hand rolled cigar.  “Last but not least,” Henry said.  “To the victor of today’s duel.”  He put a softball sized stone down on the table.

Angie picked it up and examined it.  “It’s a rock,” she said, not amused.

“Well, if you don’t want it,” Henry snapped.  He snatched the rock back and with his cybernetic hand crushed it.  Alison and Jess both gasped.  Then he set the remains back down so they could see.  It was a geode; the inside was filled with bright green crystals.

“Thank you,” Angie said to everyone’s amazement.  “Every time I see it I’ll think of your head; hard and hollow inside.”

That made everyone laugh which in turn made it difficult for the server to take their drink order.  The poor man tried to get their attention, and when he’d nearly given up, he was startled by a loud bang.  The noise silenced the entire restaurant and then the waiter dropped dead.  Four men had come in through the back of the restaurant carrying guns.  From the front, a single man approached.

Angie was ready to leap into action, but Robert caught her by the arm.  “We can’t risk a fight with this many civilians in the room,” he said.  “Wait.”

The man stopped behind Jess’s chair and leaned against it.  He was dressed the same as the other men, in a t-shirt and jeans.  “If it isn’t the mighty One,” he said in a thick accent.  “Heroes of the world.  You come here to take me, but I turn the tables.”

“Take you?”  Robert asked.

In response, the man raised his arm and showed them.  His skin changed to a pale white, then hardened, and he became metal.  A second later it changed color again and looked to be made of rock.  “I’m comfortable here.  I don’t want to leave,” he said.  “I make good money.  I like money.  You’re American, you understand.  So I’ll take your women, and we’ll see how much your people will pay to get them back.”  He signaled to his men.

One of them grabbed Alison and yanked her out of her seat.  Robert stood, but stopped at the point of a gun.  Another man went for Angie, who wasn’t going to go quietly.  She slapped the man’s hand away and jabbed her claws into his thigh.  He instantly retaliated, slamming the butt of his gun into her head.  The blow knocked her unconscious.  Again Robert made to move, but he couldn’t get the drop on them without getting shot first.

The Free Flight man pulled Jess out of her seat.  “Olvídate de ella,” he ordered.  “Vamonos.”  Carrying out their injured companion and with the two girls, the men left.

“Follow them,” Robert told Henry, “discreetly.”  He was already checking Angie’s skull for any fractures.  There was a lump and a touch of blood, but nothing serious.