YP – B3: QtnoWLM – Chapter 13 (Chapter 110)

185 Days Until Wonder And the Uncertain End (part 2) 

Heia watched as the maps were laid out. Zeydar and her younger siblings were off a bit further away practicing magic. Fighting practice would take place soon, but for now Uly was collecting the notes from the second team who had returned and placing their markers on the maps before the group.

“We can assume that the base will be easy to see when we get close.” Uly sighed looked at the map. There had been more graveyards with those of the dead, recently and long dead. They were moving through kill zones of their governments. Evester’s suggestion to get supplies and another car had been better than any of them wanted to admit. That was why, when Evester made suggestions. They listened.

“I feel like we should head this way.” Evester pointed through the fields.

“Why?” Shawn asked, as perhaps the only one who would question Evester. It was a good thing, Heia decided, because they needed more information than just a suggestion.

“They are protecting something.” Evester explained pointing to the other X’s on the map. “Why else would they have these deterrents.”

“To say that…” Rayda looked at the map again. “Are you saying they aren’t clearing it because…”

They were clearing it enough to make it clear people were there, but not to actually move the bodies. They were making people move in a specific direction.

“What would they be hiding?” Kim asked.

“Now, isn’t that a great question.” Evester opened his notes. “We have three options. The Aralax strong hold on the continent, The location of the discarded Space program or…” The air was filled with a silence as Evester tried to place the words. “What happens to those taken by Unwanted Guests?”

Heia was at a loss for words. She’d always assumed that those who were taken were sold, but sold to who? Anyone would know of a slave trade. Yet there were never any bodies or those found. When they had raided the Unwanted Guest city, they had found supplies and food, but no people. Even if they hadn’t been searching for people, they hadn’t run into anyone either.

“You think the Military Mages are involved in human trafficking?” Shawn voiced the question that everyone was thinking at that moment.

“Think about it this way.” Evester placed his notes down. “If the Superiors need to make sure we can get to space and survive… wouldn’t they need tests to make sure they don’t die? Tests of people who no one would care if they are missing.”

“And the sick.” Phil’s tone was everything that Heia needed to hear, to know they thought something. It was devoid of all the humor he typically had, a seriousness to it that made her shiver. “In a world where they could be injured or hurt once they leave our planet… They’d want a stock of blood, of replacement organs, of things they could have in case they were hurt.”

“And who better than young people?” Evester concluded. “Its the young who are more likely to be taken, no?”

For a moment, Heia wanted to disagree. She wanted to say it was nonsense that no one could be so evil. Only she thought back to Arcadia. To Valaria. To a boy who was drugged for his entire life out of control. “Yes. They would.”

“If we aim to go in,” Uly started to calculate the time. “We would need to be extra careful. Zeydar would…”

“Have to hide us.” Evester looked to the field where Zeydar stood. Heia followed his gaze to see Zeydar working with Kony on magic, Kori asleep on the ground and Karla watching them. “But we could also hide the vehicles and move by foot.”

“That’s dangerous.” Crass reminded him.

“What’s dangerous, is us losing our vehicle by those who want to be saved.” Evester disagreed pulling Heia’s attention back to the others where she saw Kim looking at her. Their eyes connected and they were back in with Evester’s words. “What’s dangerous is letting them get away with this.”

“What are you planning?” Onyx asked.

“We have the cameras. We have the access. We contact the X’s army. We start a war. We record it all. No. Live stream it all.”

Heia felt her heart beating rapidly. “Are you insane?”

“Heia.” Evester glared at her. “Do you want them to get away with it?”

“To make it into entertainment?” She went on, when she heard a crash. The room went silent as all eyes went to Kony and Zeydar. There was silence for a moment as we watched. It was short lived as Zeydar handled the moment and they were back to their conversation.

“What’s the point of a platform if you don’t use it. Millions of people watch us, and if we can show them, then perhaps the other armies will attack back.” Evester sighed out.

“If they aren’t already corrupted.’ Shawn disagreed. “I trust the X Army as much as you all, but you have to remember. They were leaving cities to die. They were making shady deals. I left because they weren’t trying to save anyone.”

“Then.” Onyx placed her hand down not the map. “You know what this is.”

“A revolution.” Crass spoke slowly. “A revolution that may not work?”

“It will work. My mother will make sure it works if the people rally behind her.” Evester answered.

“How are we to take down a military base?” Heia asked them. “Saving them yes, but if we are without the military… We can’t kill them on a live stream. That would turn people against us.”

“Perhaps you forget.” Evester pointed to the field where the world was moving in slow motion. The wind was spinning around Kony as Zeydar steadied Kony’s magic. Then Zeydar moved to take Kony’s eyes and closed his eyes. It was as if color was melting, and splitting into another form. Heat radiated around them despite the chilled air of the fall. The world was spinning then, flipping in on itself and the air was sucked from her lungs as she watched. Power. This was power and what she felt was fear. What may have lasted thirty seconds, was cut off by Zeydar falling to his knees in panic.

“He’s powerful, yes, but unpredictable.” Phil whispered to Evester. “Sweet Dreams…”

“Curbs his magic and his sensitivity to it.” Evester shook his head. “He is better than when he saved Valaria. He saved Valaria.”

“So we have a Nuclear weapon that is ticking away, and a team of individuals who may or may not be able to pull this off when he explodes.” Shawn looked over his gun. “Our odds are relatively good. Where is this military base?”

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