The Quantum Objective (19 page)

Rana leaned far out the window on the looping decent to the town below. Beth wanted to scream about seat belts, but didn’t. Her nerves hummed along with the speeding engine. Decker eased off the accelerator as they reached the outskirts of town and Rana sat back for the first time since they’d left the base.
His shuttered gaze met Beth’s in the rear view mirror before flicking to monitor the three vehicles that flanked their car. The jeeps and their passengers bristled with weapons. Beth rolled her eyes.
Not exactly low profile. I thought they were trying to keep us under wraps?
The small contingent rumbled through the streets drawing curious looks. People were milling around outside a church and Beth realised it was a Sunday, probably about noon. No wonder it’s so quiet.
No one spoke.
Leaning back in her seat, Rana had her eyes closed. Why isn’t she looking at the town? Beth wondered if this was going to end up with an anti-climactic return to the base.
The brakes threw her against the seat belt.
What the hell? Before she caught her breath, Rana was out of the window. She stood barefoot on the warm tarmac, ignoring the accompanying vehicles that screeched to a halt nearby. Galen hurried out, leaving Beth to scramble after him.
Rana stared at a hotel that might have been impressive fifty years ago, but looked shabby in the bright sunshine. She walked towards it, her troop trailing behind. At the large double doors she paused, turned and glared across the wide avenue at a corner building. Beth strained to see what she was looking at. A movement on the roof; the long barrel hidden in the shadows was abruptly withdrawn. Rana’s mouth twitched and she pushed through to the large foyer inside.
Halfway across, her steps faltered to a stop. Her head titled to one side and a deep frown scrunched her patterned brow. She turned confused eyes to Beth.
‘What…?’
She slumped to her knees and lifted a palm to her head, small fingers pulling at her hair.
Galen was instantly at her side. Decker and Beth moved forward, the soldiers closed in around them. A man in a cream suit hurried from the reception desk.
‘What’s all this? What’s going on here? Is there some sort of emergency?’
Galen reached out his hand to Rana’s shoulder.
‘Tell me.’
She stood abruptly. The soldiers fell back on seeing her face properly for the first time. The mesh of hexagons glowed blood red.
‘Why have you kept this from me?’
‘What are you talking about?’ Beth threw up her hands.
‘Quiet.’ Galen said. He was facing the high ceiling above. After a moment he lowered his gaze.
‘You’re talking about the music.’
‘Music,’ she whispered, testing the word. Beth could hear it now. The strains of a piano filtered in from another room.
Music was the big deal? Her mind flicked rapidly through Rana’s lifetime. She’s right, there’s never been music around her. No musical toys or radio. Nothing. But she can see people’s thoughts. Did no one hum a tune or think about music in her presence in all these years?
A headache blossomed between Beth’s eyes. Great, just what I need. She rubbed her forehead and looked at Rana who was staring at her with narrowed eyes. Beth opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came.
Am I supposed to apologise for this new and clearly significant failing? Why is it always up to me to think of everything, every possibility? Why is it always my fault?
Rana gave her one last damning look before striding towards the source.
*
The doors to the empty ballroom were wide open; it allowed the melody to drift from the grand piano in the centre to the foyer. The lid, open full stick, shielded the pianist from Beth’s view as she hurried behind Rana. A silk chocolate voice brought Rana to a frozen halt two feet into the room. Everyone stopped. Rana stepped forward then faltered as though losing her balance. She regained her footing as the song swelled, its sweet melody washed over the group.
The emotion in his voice lifted Beth’s fog of resentment.
Rana moved with care towards the piano. Her small fingers trembled as she touched the smooth gloss, head barely reaching the top of the frame. Pale hands clutched the edge and she pressed her cheek to the wood.
Beth’s ever-ready tears sprang forward, then she gasped. A crystal voice rose to blend in perfect harmony with his. There was a frozen moment from the piano. Then the notes flowed again, the voices merged in flawless unison. Beth pressed hands to her mouth as music filled every crook of her soul. Galen sank slowly to the floor.
When it ended the silence was complete. No one moved. Rana’s eyes were closed, face tilted up as though still in sunshine.
Rustling from the piano, then a shock of dark curls. In wild disarray, they framed a caramel face lit with bright blue eyes. He blinked at Beth and frowned, clearly disappointed that hers was the voice he’d sung with.
Beth smiled at his translucence. This boy couldn’t hide a thought if his life depended on it. He couldn’t be more than eighteen.
Rana was smiling too. I wonder what she sees?
He stood to greet his strange audience and caught sight of her. Brows flew to his hairline.
‘Oh…hello, everyone,’ he lifted his fingers to wave then stopped and returned them to his side. Rana didn’t move. When no one responded, he came round to her and put hands on knees. He gazed at her face for a long moment.
‘Was that you singing? You’re mega-talented. How old are you?’ He spoke in the soft sing-song voice one uses with small children. Beth stepped forward to stop him getting blasted.
‘What are you doing here, Kade? You only get paid for weekend dinners, remember?’ The manager barrelled past. Kade straightened.
‘I just felt the urge to play. You don’t mind do you, Mr. Reynolds? I don’t expect any pay.’
‘Well, that’s ok then. I don’t know who these folks are but…’ he turned to Decker, ‘if my guests see all these guns, they’ll be frightened. Is there a reason you’re here?’
Decker was watching Rana closely. He didn’t respond to the man’s question. He was waiting for her to make her next move. On cue, she opened her eyes and trained them on Kade.
‘You, play again.’ Her tone brooked no argument. He stared at her for a long moment and then frowned.
‘What’s the magic word?’ he asked in a stern voice. Galen, Beth and Decker all started towards him.
‘Please play for me.’
Surprise stalled their advance. Beth’s mouth hung open. She shut it. Rana stood patiently waiting, arms behind her back. Kade looked at the soldiers, then back at Rana. With a sigh he returned to the bench and began to play the first bars of a melody, but Rana stopped him with a gesture.
‘Another.’
He looked askance and caught Decker’s warning look. He started a new piece but a few bars in Rana halted it.
‘Another.’
He turned in consternation to the little girl standing close to his side. They locked gazes and Beth could feel the tension increase. Kade reached out a slim finger and touched the glowing pattern on her head.
‘Please,’ she said.
He turned back to the piano. Familiar notes began to pour from the instrument. She didn’t stop him this time. Instead she swayed in rhythm with the tune. She embodied a strange angular grace; spinning across the floor, light as air, yet awkward jerking twists peppered the dance. When he stopped, she clapped her hands and laughed.
Beth sank to the floor in exhausted wonder. Who is this person? Galen plunked down next to her and grinned.
‘Isn’t she wonderful?’
Beth peered irritably at his shining smile.
‘Hey…’ Kade protested as he was nudged off the bench. Rana knelt on the seat and scrutinised the piano. Then she closed her eyes and cautiously reached out her hands. Her fingers rested on the keys, she adjusted their position and began to play. The music was unfamiliar, but flawless. Her speed and dexterity was matched only by the utter disbelief on everyone’s faces. Kade’s eyes bulged as her small hands wrung joy from the grand.
Beth sighed, oddly unsurprised by this new miracle. How is this any different to what Galen does? Perhaps music is her gift.
Throbbing pain blossomed again behind her eyes. She rolled down onto her back and let the music flow through her. She could feel the notes on her skin, tingling; tugging at her mind. The pain increased and Galen’s hand touched hers.
‘You’ll be ok mum.’ The pain eased with the quiet. Kade clapped enthusiastically along with Galen.
‘Where on earth did you learn to play like that? And what was that? It sounded like Mozart, but I don’t know it.’ Kade stared at Rana. She looked impressed.
‘You are clever. It was shaped through the entity you speak of.’
‘The entity I…’ Kade looked at Galen who looked at the floor.
‘But…it can’t be Mozart,’ Kade said, ‘I know his work,’ he smiled down at her. She sighed and slipped off the bench.
‘You know only some of the work. This was unwritten. It wanted to be heard.’
Kade took a long step back, as though it had just occurred to him that she may not be normal. Beth sat up.
‘Are you saying the music is self-aware?’
Rana contemplated her mother for a long moment.
‘You need help.’
No shit. How’s this news?
‘You are too slow. Now that I have the music, the code will be easier.’ She turned to Kade, ‘You will stay with me now. You will help me.’
‘I um…what? I’m not sure I…’
She turned the full force of her gaze on him. He swallowed hard.
‘Where are we going?’ he said.
Hah! Welcome to our world, Sunshine. Beth stepped in front of her daughter.
‘Hold on. What has the music got to do with the code and…what code?’
‘The code will release him; they will help.’
‘Who’s they?’ Galen said.
‘The twain.’
‘The twain? Two together – you mean the twins,’ Beth frowned. ‘The twins want to release…Avireri? Is that it? Using a code? Like a mathematical formula?’
‘You are mistaken. I will help you. It is why I am here.’ She started to walk away but turned back to Beth. ‘You must stop blocking the music,’ she admonished. ‘It will delay us. The memories of Gia will not kill you.’
The floor tilted under Beth’s feet and a dark curtain tumbled over her. One word ripped through her mind as she crashed into unconsciousness.
Mother.

Los Angeles
The phone shattered against the wall. Wesley He dragged his hands up and down his face so hard his skin burned. A low snarl rolled from his throat. He heard the door open and then quickly close again. His secretary knew better than to ask questions.
He still couldn’t believe it.
A more powerful child? How was that possible? Why did Annabelle have nothing to offer? He snatched up the silver frame and stared at his daughter. Twelve years old tomorrow…nothing but damned ponies.
The frame followed the phone to the wall.
He jabbed his cell and Rob’s voice mail answered.
‘The jet is en route; get on it. Victory is imminent.’ He clicked off. His fingers hovered over the keypad then withdrew.
In a minute; first he had to calm down. He strode to the frame, binned the shards of glass and repositioned it on his desk. He’d prepared for this his whole life and now he must be ready for the moment of truth. His faith was simply being tested, as it should be. He had to demonstrate his worth. It would be him. Of course, he was the only one capable. Rob was at base a weakling. Jamie - he shuddered - would never get it. Not ever. Jamie would get dead and go to hell.
Wesley took in the cocaine yachts glistening in the harbour and filled his lungs with a deep breath. He tapped the buttons.
‘Yeah?’
‘It’s game on buddy boy.’
He hung up and turned a welcoming smile to Jamie.
*
Colorado
Decker pulled his gaze away from the glowing honeycomb pattern with difficulty. It seemed to catch and hold him like a web leaving the uneasy sensation he was going to be someone’s lunch.
He blinked in the bright sunshine and slipped his gaze left, but she was slumped. The project seemed to be on 24/7. No one had gotten much rest since the piano fiasco.
He’d stamped pretty hard on the squirting sensation in his chest at the news of her arrival. She was a dime no doubt, but he regularly had to stop himself breaking her neck. Mimi Milne was trouble he could do without.
‘So this generation of…specials, were not the first?’ Dr. Graeves peered at Rana. She was drawing; had been doing so for six days, ipod firmly fixed in her ears. Reams of paper told an outlandish tale in astonishing images, but this visual language was proving tricky, even for Mimi.
‘His desire to be liberated isn’t new, Gravy. You think it just happened on our watch?’ Mimi was barely audible through her pillow of arms. Chris Pike nudged the latest psychologist who was drifting off in her seat. She straightened and shook her head at her notebook. Graeves wanted daily updates.
‘Ok, we understand that this attempt at releasing Avireri won’t be the first, indeed there had been considerable progress made in other humans, but the stone with the essential code proved elusive.’ She rubbed her face. Her monotone spoke of years listening to absurd fantasies and too little energy today to hide her disinterest. ‘The stone and DNA samples used to seed Earth came from a galaxy called Doohat -’
‘Duat’ Mimi mumbled.
‘- sent by Apep who had created within himself the penultimate stage of Avireri’s return. At the final step something went wrong and his galaxy was consumed by a…black hole. Is that what we decided it was?’
‘Does it matter? The image indicates it went bye bye.’
‘So this Apep character, not being stupid, had sent off a keystone along with modified DNA samples. A kind of resurrection kit.’ She gestured towards the makeshift storyboard pinned to a display stand. Lined up were pencil drawings so photographic Decker wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t watched them develop under Rana’s quick hands. In the centre was the stone. He didn’t know why they all kept calling it that. He’d been expecting a rock with hieroglyphs. It looked like a snowflake. A clear hexagonal plate grooved with elaborate symmetry.
‘The cypher is embedded within it. We think it can be used only by one whose DNA is already sufficiently close to Avireri’s and understands how it functions.’
‘So whoever has it isn’t far from the prize, genetically speaking. Question is, why this sudden explosion of candidates?’ Mimi lifted herself straight and groaned at the sun. She pulled a ludicrously large pair of sunglasses from her jacket pocket. Decker couldn’t hold back a snicker. She pushed them higher with her middle finger, he laughed. Galen smiled and turned back to the pile of drawings on his lap.
‘I think the process has been boosted by the stone. I think someone had the stone, knew what it was and used it to experiment with. They misunderstood how it worked and tried to grow Avireri from birth. I think that’s what happened to my dad and his group. Probably others too.’
‘Ok. So why does Little Miss Sunshine here think she can succeed where all others have failed?’ Mimi wagged her thumb in Rana’s direction. She hadn’t lifted her head in two hours. Her hands slowed their rapid strokes and she paused.
‘It would not be my success. His return will be the work of the Lightshapers.’
Mimi let out what sounded like a sob.
‘Who?’ Galen said.
‘The Lightshapers are helping us. They will show me how to do it.’
‘But why will they show you and no one before?’ Mimi said.
Rana gazed into the sun. Decker squirmed when the iris in her violet eye opened to the light. The other eye was too black to tell. Her web glowed and vulnerability crept over his skin once more. It was weird. He didn’t feel afraid, just spellbound.
‘They want him returned.’
‘Do they say why?’
‘No,’ she resumed her drawing.
‘Fabulous. We follow orders and get no intel. Sound familiar?’ Mimi’s lip curled.
His jaw tightened. Her father was a Major for God’s sake; she could show a little respect…
‘They may be keen to have him back, but why should we help?’ Beth stepped into the small compound and approached their table. She was pulling on a sweater and looked better than he’d ever seen her. She’d always been a little wired. She looked drained of the tension that had so often pinched her mouth.
‘What do you mean?’ Graeves said.
‘All previous attempts at releasing Avireri resulted in failure or disaster. Perhaps there’s a reason for that. We’ve no idea what we’re dealing with. He’s not omnipotent, not God, not even all good from what I can gather. He has enemies. If we revive him to full force, will they not become our enemies? We’re only getting one side of the story. We may be of him, but we are not him. We are separate entities who can make our own choices. If we had no free will, the job would be done already.’ She rubbed her arms and frowned at Rana’s bent form.
‘So you’re suggesting what? We walk away? Is she going to do that?’ Decker pointed at Rana.
‘Isn’t this the reason for our abilities?’ Galen said
‘Our skills serve Avireri’s purpose, not necessarily ours. Just because Lightshapers or fairies, aliens, angels, ghosts or demons from another dimension say we should do their bidding, doesn’t mean we stop thinking for ourselves. Why do we assume they know better than us?’
‘Perhaps you would like to do all our thinking for us?’ Rana said without lifting her head. ‘You doubt the guardians and want us to listen to you instead?’
‘You don’t have to listen to me, you never have. However, I have the right to my opinion and at least I’m thinking, not following blindly like a lemming. I’m saying we need more information.’
‘So more data might change your opinion? How will you know good data from bad? How could we possibly judge that?’ Mimi said.
‘I don’t know.’ Beth sat down and pulled Rana’s untouched breakfast towards her. ‘When did you last eat?’
Rana ignored her.
‘Four days. Only two litres of water taken.’ Chris said.
‘What…why?’
‘She seems to be drawing energy from the sun. We tested her last night,’ he wriggled, ‘she’s showing no ill-effects; in fact she was exhaling oxygen. We think it’s a form of photosynthesis.’ He grinned, ‘purely speculative of course, but we think this is going to boost her powers tremendously.’
‘Wonderful. Just what we need.’ Beth closed her eyes and lifted her own pale face to the sun. ‘Where’s Kade?’
Rana’s motions slowed. She definitely took a shine to that kid, Decker noted.
‘Sleeping,’ Galen said. ‘It took some time. One too many Matrix Moments, as he put it.’
Beth squinted askance at him; he shrugged.
‘His report is here if you want to see.’
Beth scanned the pages and stared at her daughter.
‘Jesus.’
‘I know. It could be the music sits out there waiting for someone to tune in. It’s the only way she could do it. She seems to act as a receiver for stuff already written rather than creating original work.’ Mimi waved at the drawings scattered about. ‘It also makes me think this stuff isn’t original either, she’s just channelling images of things that exist already.’ She bit her lip, ‘this stuff is really real, Honey B. I mean, no kidding.’
‘Did you think it wasn’t?’ Beth laughed and put her feet up on a chair.
Decker wasn’t sure he liked this new, relaxed Beth. Was she just coping better now the suppressed mother thing was out, or had she just gone quietly over the edge? He’d talk to Chris about getting her assessed.
‘So the next step is to get the stone? What’s the message about that?’
All eyes turned to Rana.
‘It is held by one who cannot use it. We see him with many eyes. He hides behind the little king.’ Rana lifted a paper.
‘What is that? Sperm?’ Chris said.
‘I know this! It’s Leo, as in the zodiac. Can never resist reading that gumph,’ Mimi said.
Beth tilted her head. ‘Constellation of Leo…Regulus, designated Alpha Leonis, is one of the brightest stars in the sky, magnitude 1.34, 78 light-years from Earth, give or take. Its traditional name means the little king. Please tell me we’re not looking for this stone out there.’
Rana shook her head slowly.
‘Do you know where it is?’ Chris said.
‘No…but he does’. Rana’s finger was pointing to his chest.
Decker’s heart dropped into his stomach. This mind reading was going to blow everything wide open.
‘I don’t. It’s exact location isn’t confirmed.’
‘You’re kidding me, right?’ Mimi pulled off her glasses and crossed her arms.
Decker grit his teeth. Shit.
‘I’ll organise a briefing. Give me two hours.’
*
The image of a lion-faced sun sprang large onto the screen sending whispers through the group.
‘Providence?’ Mimi’s eyes widened. What the hell?
‘This is Mr. Edeson. He’s from MI6 and has been overseeing a globally organised surveillance mission for some years. As most of you will already be familiar with Providence, I’ll let him get straight to the point.’
‘What’s Providence?’ Beth said.
‘A notorious, super-wealthy cult; huge in Hollywood,’ Mimi said.
‘Thank you Ms. Milne,’ Edeson said. She sat back and he stepped up to the screen.
‘We’ve been monitoring the leadership for over a decade. There are three main players. The first,’ the screen flicked to a silver-haired man, ‘Wesley Kane is the head of the organisation. He’s a guarded man, top dog for decades. Took over the organisation at nineteen and rarely makes public appearances anymore.’
The image changed to a rugged man with a blinding smile. ‘Rob Larson, a successful actor. He’s seen as the familiar face of the organisation and it’s around him that most controversy circles. The third, James Elliot, is a lesser celebrity who, while also a long-term member, plays no active part in the promotion of the organisation.’ A handsome blonde man now smiled seductively from the screen. Mimi had to hold back a laugh.
‘These three figures are rarely seen together, least of all the two actors. We might speculate that one if not all three may be gifted as you are. We’ve suspected for years that there was more power behind the organisation than just its large following. They’ve earned a reputation for covert violent action against their perceived enemies and have accrued immense wealth in property with numerous secure vaults scattered around the globe. There’s no saying where the stone or crystal might be. However, something of such value is likely to be close to Wesley. He is a perfectionist and controls everything and everyone, or at least tries to. We believe James is the wild card of the team and we’ve had feedback of issues between him and Wesley.’
Edeson walked over to a table covered in large sheets of paper.
‘We’d kept a strategy for raiding the headquarters in Tampa, Florida on ice till we had better Intel and a reason to actively move against them. Here are the building plans and three special-ops units are already in transit. We’ll be ready by tonight.’
‘What?’ Beth gaped. Rana smiled. Mimi quelled a wash of dread.