Interphase (22 page)

A study of the ghost's energy sample confirmed the report, which meant that whatever link existed between Phoenix and Analath had been forged nearly two decades ago. In the time since that original Crash Storm, something had changed. The effects were different now, far more volatile and unpredictable. Even David's own V-Net signature was different, altered by some sort of foreign code.

Did I start this? Somehow the accident that sent me to Analath changed things. Is what happened at the arena yesterday my fault?

David tried calling Clyde again, but there was no response. He threw the earpiece across the room with a growl and let his head fall back into his hands. There were no orders in the network for trauma drones to be dispatched, but he still had no idea what had happened to Clyde after the trap had closed. The Storm had vanished, but so had he.

And Analara… David felt sick with worry thinking about her. She hadn't met him at the grove for nine days now. Not since the day they'd declared their feelings for one another. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong.

David got up and retrieved the phone from the floor. Jessica answered after the first ring. "I tried calling last night after Thomas told me what happened. Are you okay?" Her voice radiated concern.

"Both the VERAsign and arena modules are completely trashed. No one knows how long it will take to fix them. I guess I get an impromptu vacation," David joked humorlessly.

"While I'm sure they appreciate your work ethic, David, you have to stop chasing all these Crash Storms. You're going to get yourself killed."

"I just hope that I didn't throw off Thomas's groove. He needs a win against the Saturn Ringracers for the Titans to get into the championships."

"David, what's really bothering you?"

He sighed and idly tapped his keyboard. "Jess, can you meet me at my castle in fifteen minutes?"

"That sounds rather ominous."

"I haven't seen Analara in over a week. She hasn't been to the grove, and with this latest Storm… I don't know, I have a bad feeling."

"Okay. I'll be there, but I don't know how much help I can be, unless you got the gateway working."

"I'll figure something out," David said as he transferred some of his research to his V-Net computer. "Give Thomas a call too. We may need him. I'll get ahold of Lucas."

There was a pause on Jessica's line. "David, is there something you aren't telling me?"

David couldn't suppress a wry chuckle. "I'll explain things at the gate. Assuming I can get it working."

It took a few minutes to reach Lucas, but his brother immediately jumped at another chance to get a peek into Analara's "module".

Waiting in the castle, David tinkered with a few solutions for the gateway. Jessica arrived with Thomas in tow, who looked none the worse for wear after the events of the previous day. He and David exchanged a friendly nod. Lucas logged in a few minutes later, and the four of them stepped through the mirror into the command core of V-Net.

David felt three pairs of eyes focus on his back and turned to look at his friends with a melancholy smile. "A clever man would probably have something meaningful to say right now." Shaking his head, he tossed a data-chip to Lucas. "See if you can get the gate to work with that. I'll be back in a moment."

"Where are you going?" Jessica asked.

"Just checking on something," David replied, and stepped across the threshold.

The noon sun shone down on the forest. Without a glance behind, David started down the familiar path, feeling his heart beat a little faster. He hoped that his fears were unfounded, that he would see her waiting at their tree with a smile on her face.

David stepped into the grove and was greeted by an unpleasant sight. Rupu was on the ground leaning against the tree. He tried to scramble to his feet, but groaned and started to fall. A cold shiver ran down David's spine, and he dashed over to catch him.

"I didn't think you would come in time," Rupu gasped, clutching at David's shoulder. He leaned to one side, his hand pressed over a bleeding gash.

"What happened?" David asked. "Where's Analara?"

"In danger. Something attacked the Holy City. The high priest escaped and roused Ilinar. He declared Analara a traitor and an ally of the invaders. She is to be executed at sunset!"

David felt his knees turn to water. He reached out just in time to catch himself against the tree. "No. No, this can't be—"

Rupu pushed David hard, spinning him around so they faced each other. "Tell me you are not our enemy, David." His voice shook with desperation, and frustration burned in his eyes. "Tell me your people did not attack us!"

"They couldn't have. I'm the only one of my kind who can use the gateway." David shook his head, still in shock. "Rupu, I swear to you. I would have never put Analara in danger."

Rupu slackened his grip and nodded. "I know." Pain made him wince and double over. He waved away David's attempt to support him, mastering himself enough to stand again. "We still have time. I can help get her out of the city, if you promise to take her somewhere safe."

David nodded. "I'll take her back to my world. And there are others. I brought friends with me this time. They will help."

Rupu frowned doubtfully. "Are they as powerful as you? Getting past the temple soldiers will not be an easy task."

"I have no choice but to try. Wait here, I'll be back shortly."

"Please hurry." A glimmer of hope kindled in Rupu's eyes. David turned and ran.

Chapter 19

The wind blew from somewhere far away, whistling in a strangely mournful tone. Sounds clashed together like a cacophonous orchestra playing aimlessly without a conductor.

The sound startled Clyde out of a sleep he couldn't remember falling into. He opened his eyes and stared straight into a void of swirling mist. Muted lights pulsed in the periphery of his vision. Dimly, he realized he was lying on his back. He turned his head and watched the mist spin. His gaze began to focus as lights flashed like bursts of lightning—

"Oh shit!" Clyde bolted upright, checking his body for the spot where the Crash Storm had struck him. He felt nothing, no pain, no stiffness. There wasn't even a burn-mark on his shirt. The bolt must have hit just behind him. The memory of the scorching agony still lingered in his mind, and he shuddered. Where the hell was he?

Clyde discovered that he was not alone. A tall robed figure stood facing away from him, watching the Storm. He reached for his launcher but couldn't find it. It took a second to realize that he'd reverted to his real persona. Getting to his feet quietly, he started to sneak away from the stranger.

"Do not step any farther," the figure said in a feminine voice, without turning. "You are standing at the edge. I can not pull you back if you fall."

Clyde stopped himself from taking the next step and looked out at the endless void in front of him. Cautiously, he backed away.

Who was this woman? Caught by curiosity, Clyde approached the silver garbed stranger. She turned, and a curtain of black hair slid across her shoulder. Her blue eyes pierced him to the core.

Clyde felt defenseless beneath that gaze, a feeling he loathed, and he suddenly had trouble organizing his thoughts. "Where are we?" he finally blurted.

The woman walked toward him, a smile teasing the corner of her mouth. "Within your mainframe. You successfully trapped the Crash Storm inside of it, though I do not think you intended to come along for the trip."

"The lightning strike threw me into… wait. Trapped in an enclosed area with a Crash Storm, shouldn't I be dead right now?"

The woman shrugged.

"You saved me?"

"You are too important to lose in such a trivial manner."

Clyde bristled. "Too important? Who the hell are
you
to judge me?"

"Do you not value your own worth?"

"Yes, I do! As far as I'm concerned, I'm the only one with a right to."

The woman's smile vanished. Her expression was subtle and hard to identify. It looked like sadness. A pang of guilt stabbed through Clyde's stomach, surprising him. He was unused to feeling pity for anyone. There was something about the way she wore her sadness, a softness to it. Feeling confused and awkward, he raked his fingers through his hair and scowled. "I guess I should thank you for saving me."

"You are welcome."

"Will you at least tell me your name?"

The sadness melted away, and she smiled again. "Mierva."

Clyde nodded and looked around idly. "What are you anyway? Some kind of safety response protocol?"

Mierva smirked. "Something like that. I have taken an interest in the Crash Storms. When I saw that you were in danger, I decided to help."

"Any chance you can get me out of here?"

"I was planning our escape when you awoke." Mierva looked around the swirling vortex. It was beginning to feel like a prison. "We are near an entrance point into the mainframe. Thankfully you landed in a calm pocket of the Storm. I believe I can shield you from the energy long enough for us to make an exit."

"You believe?"

Mierva shrugged and smiled again. "I have never tested my powers against a Storm. There is some risk involved."

"That's life, I guess." Clyde tried to activate his wrist-computer, but the system didn't respond. The Crash Storm had probably annihilated all of his personal data. He sighed and glanced back at Mierva. "Looks like I don't have a choice in the matter. What do we do?"

Mierva raised her hands, fingers splayed as if she held an invisible ball. She drew them apart, and a translucent golden pyramid began to float around her. She lowered her hands, and Clyde saw that she now held a glowing orb. "Come here," she told him.

Crossing through the barrier, Clyde felt a tingling sensation move across his skin, and a shiver ran up his spine. "What is this?" he asked.

"A diversion. It should prevent either of us from being directly struck when we venture out." She gestured at the blasted landscape. "We will have to move quickly. The exit can only be opened for a short while without risking the release of the Storm back into the network."

"Just get me there, I'll take care of the rest. I'm the best at this sort of thing, you know."

Mierva smiled widely but did not respond.

They watched and waited as a hail of lightning bolts blasted down along their intended path. Clyde felt his heart race, and he readied himself for the mad dash to freedom. The bolts ceased for a second, and Mierva shouted, "Now."

Clyde sprinted across the ground. The broken landscape blurred past as he threw everything he had into the run. The golden shimmer followed, and he stared in amazement as Mierva raced alongside him, her limbs moving effortlessly to keep pace.

Lightning lanced from above, and Clyde instinctively covered his head to guard against the blast. A faint tone echoed through the air; the bolt struck the ground to his side, deflected by Mierva's barrier.

The momentary distraction cost Clyde his speed and dignity as his foot caught on a chunk of debris, and he tumbled to the ground.

Several blasts of energy leapt from the clouds, as if to finish him, but they diverted on contact with the barrier.

Mierva offered him a hand and pulled him easily to his feet. Clyde blinked; in spite of her delicate appearance, she was quite strong. She closed her eyes and tilted her head as if listening to a silent message. "Come, Clyde, this way. We must hurry."

They set off at a quick pace, though not the breakneck dash from before. Rounding a scarred mound they stopped before an awesome sight.

A massive wall of crackling electricity lay directly across their path. Through small gaps in the field, Clyde could see the exit port. Escape was close, but out of reach. Frustrated by his powerlessness, he glanced up at Mierva.

Her face bore an odd expression, and once again it took Clyde a moment to decipher it. Doubt. Noticing his gaze, she quickly masked her feelings behind a smile. "I can open a path, but you must go through with all haste."

Clyde was about to say something when she suddenly threw the orb into the lightning wall. It flared a brilliant blue, and a field of calm radiated from it, pushing the lightning flow above their heads.

Racing through the gap in the energy stream, Clyde turned back to see if Mierva had followed. She stood still, a look of intense concentration on her face. "I'm through. Hurry up and get over here," he yelled.

Mierva started to walk toward him and stumbled as she reached the orb. A pulse ripped along the lightning beam, and she cried out. The orb's field slowly contracted.

Clyde ran toward her, but she held her hand up at his advance, and his movements halted, stopped by an unseen force. "Mierva, get out of there!"

"No. You have to escape now. Your friends need you."

"What are you talking about? I don't have any friends. Who needs me?"

A faint smile slipped through her expression of pain. "Thank you for your concern, Clyde, but I can not go any farther with you." She closed her eyes, and the orb vanished.

The beam fell back into place; her form disappeared. Behind Clyde, the exit portal opened.