Harmonizer's Evolution (Balancer's Soul cycle) (89 page)

Poseidon smiled as he put his key into a slot in the elevator and turned it. Then he pushed the button labeled 102. Apparently the key made it an express elevator because it didn’t stop
until
thei
r destination was reached.

When the doors finally opened
,
the room was alive with the worke
rs of the station. Immediately Sarah
saw three faces that were pictured on the wall. These pictures
were extremely old fashioned. She
remembered it took four or five minutes to take the photograph
back in the day
and you couldn’t move
at all
or else the picture needed to be done over again.

Before
her
sat
the three pictures of Posei
don, Amphrite and someone else she
didn’t recognize. Amphrite saw
her
staring and
explained
that the third person was a human child they raised once. He was a
famous
news caster for the radio, but he died in the sixties. Apparently his grand and great grandchildren still work here.

They
took not five steps into the hallway when someone yelled “My Lord and Lady?!” a middle
-
aged and plump
looking
woman
almost ran up to
them
. The room quieted drasti
cally as the woman approached
. She stopped not five feet away and bowed deeply. “Please forgive me, I wasn’t told that you were coming. If I were I’d have thrown a proper reception.”

People were whispering and they soon realized who stood before them. Apparently everyone in this room knew exactly who Poseidon and Amphrite truly were. Everyone stopped what they were doing to bow down to the elders.

Amphrite dropped her bag and
sent
the sound of metal clash
ing
through the
silent
room. The Head Elder didn’t disguise her
ancient
accent as she spoke happily. “Ah
little
Margret. It is good to see you again. Please rise…everyone.” The woman and the other workers raised themselves up and were looking at the ancients with wonder. “Margret, it has been what… seven years since you’ve become the boss of this floor?”

Margret’s
voice quiet
ed
as she corrected “It has been eleven years
since I’ve seen you
, my Lady
, but only three since Lord Poseidon has graced us
.
”

“So it has.” Amphrite said lightly. “I trust you have kept our quarters just the way they were?”

“It is because I’m the only one who is allowed in to clean it.
I’ve only added a new television as directed by your husband.
”

“Very good.
You have done a great service for us. When all is said and done, I shall give a bonus to you and your hard workers.
” Then Amphrite stepped back and grabbed the bags again.

“Thank you, my Lady.”
Before
Amphrite
took another step Margret asked “Might there be anything I might be able to get for you and your companions?”

Amphrite looked to Poseidon and he understood. He said “Yes there is something that we will require. Please order…hmm…two hundred large pizza’s with everything on them, minus the anchovies. Take the money from the
usual
account.” She turned quickly to get to w
ork, but Poseidon said “Wait…” S
he turned around and
Sarah noticed
everyone
else
listening in. “Margret, I want you and your staff to act like nothing is different, but when your shift is over, either go home or leave the city for a few days.
N
o one is to come to work tomorrow. If there are any problems tell everyone they will get paid
as if they worked their shift.”

Margret spoke with something between unsure and worry. “My Lor
d, is something going to happen?
”

“Nothing you
need
concern yourself with. Just stay safe and enjoy your
fourth
of July. Now we wil
l go and don’t forget our pizza
s.” He smiled and began walking down the main hall.

Sarah
followed, with
her
family, down the silent hall as people bowed as the Elders passed. They led
them
to a massive mahogany door that
had been
well waxed
and glossy
. The only difference that showed who the room belonged to was
the
engrav
ing
on the doorknob. On the round handle was
engraved with
a pentagram. Poseidon put one bag down to take out another key and opene
d the door. Once he opened it they
all entered.

The room itself was rather large and no one could see inside
,
from outside the doors.
The room held a large meeting table on one side and the other held a large sofa that looked to be in great condition while also being decades old.
On a far wall held a flat-screen TV that was turned off.
A
nother door
stood on an ajoining wall,
that led to a bathroom and on the opposite wall led to what
she
guessed to be a bedroom. Then there was the enormous window that stood before
them
all.

Sarah
dropped
her
bags
,
along with everyone else,
by the front door. Then she
walked up to the window to peer over and around the city.
Her parents
didn’t like heights, but they did enjoy the view. Unfortunately it wasn’t suited to
her
tastes. There were too many buildings and not enough nature. The crime rate was huge and there were just too many people.
It was also so noisy
and confusing
, but up here all sounds blended together with the updrafts.
Thin
kin
g about all this really made Sarah
miss
her
quiet and peaceful home. But all these people were innocent and were going to be slaughtered if
they
didn’t do something.
Lucky for them they
are here for that very purpose.

In less than an hour
the pizza
s arrived and Margret also brought a large wheeled tray filled with an assortment of drinks to the table.

During the
meal together Amphrite gained
her
attention. “Sarah, something has been nagging
at me in the back of my mind. When we were given rides on the Keeper’s, I saw Head Elder Sorono looking strangely
.
I assume
d
you and Connor were speaking with him using your telepathy.” She took a drink to swallow the rest of her pizza. “My question is; What was said?”

“Connor,” She
sighed and noticed everyone looking at
her
. “is about to do the most foolish thing
in the world,
that very few have
had
the guts to even think about. His plan scares me, but
I know he has thought this idea
through thoroughly.” She
sighed again and could sense that he was reassuring
her
through
the
b
ond. “He’s going to
practically
kidna
p
…”

There was a sudden pressure against
his
ribcage.
“Connor, it is time for you to awaken.”
Then the pressure eased.

Hi
s
eyes slowly opened and focused
in the night
. To
the
right stared Soro
no
,
staring
straight at Connor
and it made
him
realize that
he
had fallen
asleep
up
on a tree branch.
He
looked around and saw that just about every Keeper that laid on the ground
remained
fa
st asleep. Looking at the moon he
knew
it was the right time
. Sorono had
woke
him
up at four in the morning, as promised.

Jumping down from the tree
,
Connor
quickly remembered what
recently
happened before landing on the untamed ground.

After Sarah and the other Balancers left
for New York City
two days ago,
Sorono helped
him
in carrying the crate that Sarah left behind.
All of the Keepers and
Connor
flew
straight
from Pennsylvania to Virginia.
Just like before
,
they
made a raincloud to disguise
their mass
descent into
the Pocahontas State Park. They
chose this location because there were plenty of trees
and it would be a great place to hunker down for two days
and regroup
.
They
kept close and the Keepers all became
coldblooded
so as to not draw suspicion incase there w
ere any
infrared sweeps
to give away their
location
.

While they remained
in the large group
they
didn’t make any fires that created smoke.
A
ll ate and rested
during this time
. Flying so far had reduced all of
their
energies
by a degree
so the crates were opened and cooked by
their
abilities. What
they
had to
do was recharge
their
energies by
rest
ing
and relax
ing
for the coming event
.

There were many hikers and campers in the state park, but
their
force kept clear of the main trails and campsites. There were a few close encounters, but
they
managed to evade human eyes and
had them
remain
oblivious to their surroundings.
The Immortals
needed to
remain
inconspicuous for the time being.

On the ground Connor
felt Sarah
’s climate
and
found her
fast asleep because
her emotions were calm and un
stressed
at the moment
.
There were several Keepers who remained awake because they turned their heads to look at
his
sudden movement. Once they understood
,
they went back to doing what they wanted.

Not wanting to startle anyone
,
since Sorono was still in his
mind
,
Connor
thought
“Well, I’ll get going
,
once I top off my energy one last time.”
Sorono then nodded in silent agreement.

Sorono and Connor
silently made
their
way through the maze of tails, claws and snores to the covered crates and grabbed two handfuls of
dried
ground beef. Connor
packed the meat into a single ball and
pulled the moisture in the air to rehydrate the meat. Then
he
used the surrounding heat to cook the food thoroughly so that
the last
morning meal
was no longer pink. Once it finished
cooking
he ate the
meal. By the last swallow
,
Connor
couldn’t eat another bite.
His maximum
energy topped off, but it wasn’t painful like it would be for a human who overate and developed a stomachache.
It was a satisfied
and relaxing feeling
that
made him
feel stable.