Aliomenti Saga 6: Stark Cataclysm (44 page)
Read Aliomenti Saga 6: Stark Cataclysm Online
Authors: Alex Albrinck
He smiled. “Then, my son?
Then,
and only then, will we finally live in true freedom.”
XXV
Preparation
2219 A.D.
The private airplane touched down on the runway, tires squealing as they contacted the recently paved surface. The engines reversed, slowing the craft by propelling the craft backward. The plane slowed until it reached cruising speed. Moments later, the sleek aircraft came to a halt. A pilotless ground-level hovercraft glided noiselessly to wait at the bottom of the steps rolled to the door of the plane. When the door opened, the single occupant stepped out, glanced around, and pulled his overcoat a bit more tightly around him, protecting against the late evening chill in the air.
He moved down the steps of the plane and slid through the open door into the empty hovercraft.
Welcome to Pleasanton, Mr. Lowell.
Arthur pushed his hair out of his eyes and didn’t respond.
The door slid closed and the craft moved along its preprogrammed path.
His contact would meet him here in person. The contact said that there was no suspicion about them, that the communications they’d held over the past twenty-two decades were a secret both of them would take to their graves. Arthur doubted that; a secret held by more than one person wasn’t a secret at all. In their world, where minds were open books, the mere hint that a secret might exist would be its revelation to the world.
The craft meandered through the streets of the city Will Stark and his family had once called home. The city had collapsed after Stark’s disappearance, but in the human renaissance of the past century, the city had regained a bit of its former glory. The car moved past the old Stark residential community, and Arthur shivered. That night back in 2030 had proved to him that his contact’s story was true. That crazy, impossible story was true.
Today, the contact would provide further information as part of their bargain.
The restaurant featured dim lights and loud music that made private conversation possible. Energy users could track their conversation. Spies might employ old human listening devices to overhear the details. But no one knew who they were. No one knew that this conversation might prove the tipping point in human history.
Arthur gave the name his contact provided to the host, who escorted him through the tables to a private corner booth. He flicked his eyes around. No one would see them. His Energy senses picked up no signs any patrons noticed he’d walked by, let alone recognized him. That was a good sign.
He slid into the booth. His contact was there already, buried under a heavy disguise. It was clear the person now regretted the association with Arthur. The Leader of the Aliomenti gave a grim smile. “Hiding from someone?”
“My people are more likely to live in this place than yours, Arthur.” Even the voice was disguised, impossible even to identify as male or female. “It is imperative that I not be seen.”
Arthur shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
The server arrived, took drink orders, and departed. “So it’s done then.”
The contact nodded beneath the brim of the large unisex hat. “Stark has entered the time machine and gone back to begin his journey once more. Now freed of the burden of living to the dictates of future history, the ancient Will Stark has emerged from hiding and has counseled a proactive attack against the Aliomenti.” There was a pause. “There have been no further conversations on what form that might take, however.”
Arthur studied the person seated opposite him. His drink arrived, and he stirred the mixture idly while waiting for the server to leave. “You’re lying. You know quite well what the plans are.”
“I know nothing as nothing has been discussed.”
Arthur snorted. “If Stark’s come up with an idea, how can
you
not know?”
“As already noted, Stark has no defined plan yet.”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Stark has plans before he leaves bed each morning. He’s had an eternity, knowing this time was coming, to figure it out.” His eyes narrowed. “Stark has a plan. That means either you’re reneging on our agreement… or they’re on to you.” He nodded. “That’s it, isn’t it? They’re not confiding in you, not telling you what’s coming. They suspect what you’re up to.”
“That’s
not
true.” Arthur sensed the Energy stirring. “They are still traveling to a predefined gathering space.”
“Predefined gathering space?” He rolled his eyes. “This is the mythical hidden city of Stark’s so-called Alliance, isn’t it? The one you’ve never before revealed to me? Tell me… why should I trust you?”
“My information has never been wrong before.”
“True, true. Your information has never been
wrong
. But it
has
been incomplete. Just enough to make sure that we aren’t the ones to throw off the future history that sees me survive to this time, to ward off anything that might threaten my control and power. Yet you failed to warn me of the Cataclysm unleashed by a member of the Alliance. I’m still recovering from that.”
“No one knew. That wasn’t something revealed in our communication from the future.”
Arthur laughed. “Whatever.” He stood up. “I’ve lost my appetite. How about you?”
“My appetite is fine. I—”
The hands went to the throat, and seconds later the contact lost consciousness and collapsed back into the booth.
Seconds later, Porthos and Athos emerged from a nearby table. The restaurant owner had received sufficient payment to look the other way as Porthos had slipped the sleeping potion into the contact’s drink. They continued to look the other way as the Hunters floated the unconscious person through a back door and into Arthur’s waiting hovercraft.
The three men scrambled aboard. Thirty minutes later, they were in the air, heading back to Aliomenti Headquarters.
The Alliance were finally freed of the constraints of history.
Unbeknownst to them, the Aliomenti were as well.
Arthur sipped at the drink he’d taken from the restaurant.
War was coming. He intended to win.
He glanced at the unconscious person in the back seat. He’d fired the first salvo.
The first victory in the coming war belonged to the Aliomenti.
~~~~~#####~~~~~
The seventh and final book of the Aliomenti Saga is being written at this time.
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