Welcome to Gaia! ::

Chapter 2

Morning came quickly and Rachel was woken abruptly with a bucket of water thrown over her face.

“Up, girl. The master wishes to have a look at you.” The guard was gruff and insect-like, most likely one of the Rikmona from Latsyrt. I rolled over and got up.

“He wishes to see me… Very well, take me to him,” I said. I was escorted into the throne room and forced to my knees in front of the platform. Gaiden sat upon the throne draped with women, presumably concubines. He was in the form of a bird-like lizard, similar to some of the first dinosaurs to have feathers, his left claw rested on the beautiful orange and fuchsia tail of the large bird standing on the arm of his couch-throne.

“What is your name, Earth woman?” he croaked.

“My name is known to you, Gaiden of the Black Hand,” I replied haughtily. It was hard to remain regal when I was filthy and injured.

“That voice…” he mused, “You are the snake. I believe you called yourself Eve?”

I nodded, “Yes, I can help you finish off the final vestiges of this childish resistance. Their last base is on Cadis.”

“Hmm…” He seemed to think a moment and then said, ”Until that is confirmed you will become my concubine. You humans intrigue me.” He shifted into the form of a virile man and admired his hand.

“As you wish, my Emperor. I have a simple request. After you capture the remains of their pitiful force, have a public execution of the two who were with me? I wish to see their looks when they finally understand that I betrayed them,” I said.

“As you wish, Eve,” he replied, “Guard, take her to the hospital wing. When she is healed, take her to the matron of concubines. She will take over from there.”
The guard stepped from the shadows and saluted the throne. Then he turned to me and took my arm gently, “This way Lady Eve.”

Some aspects of modern medicine are simply amazing. They regenerated the damaged tissue and sent me on my way. I’ll be sore for a few days, but the doctor said that they would inform the kitchen to put something in my food to help the healing process. I’ll let you know as soon as I know anything, but make sure you can get here in less than a day.
Godspeed,
Rachel

I sent the message and returned the comm to its place in my vest. The matron had led me to the black calla suite. It was decorated in beautiful shades of purple and red that seemed to mirror my dark hair. My hair is a dark auburn, and my eyes are a deep turquoise green. I was given temporary clothing until my measurements could be taken, but the burgundy cloth was warm, yet cool enough after I stepped out of the bath. My dinner that night was much more gourmet than the stew I had had earlier, exotic fruit from Jamma, wonderfully roasted kita from Hadith, and refreshing mayana wine from Giewat.

******

“Geeze, they did put us on a hard work detail,” Markus complained as he laid spread eagle on his cot. Gabe walked over to the cots with the night’s stew.

“Here you go Markus,” Gabe said handing the bowl to him, “Prime rib just for you! Actually, I’m worried. They didn’t put us in a dormitory with other laborers, so it seems like we’re slated for execution. How much longer do we have?”

“Well, Raimi says it will take a while to gather a suitable force with all the raids that have decimated our forces. Hopefully we won’t be dead before they get here.”

The ancient fan circled over their heads in the small room. The walls seemed to ooze rust and copper, even some black and red splatters that seemed to be blood from different species. There wasn’t anything in it except for the two welded metal cots, fan, and the high barred window. The cots had thin blankets and flat pillows that weren’t conducive to sleeping at all. They would be woken early in the morning and chained to go out and dig canals with, but away from the other prisoners.

*******

“It’s been two weeks, my Emperor. Do you have word of victory yet? Have we crushed this b*****d rebellion?” I asked.

“You will be happy, Eve. I have just received word that we completely wiped out the main base where you said it was. We tried to take as many prisoners as possible, but most wished to fight to the bloody end,” Gaiden told me.

“Typical,” I told him, “We value our causes far too much. We are stubborn and therefore do not embrace this glorious change you are bringing us. I would far rather embrace it than end up like those fools. Now when shall we execute those sorry excuses for men who were unfortunate enough to be sent with me?”

“Three days hence. The execution will take place when the sun is at its zenith. Is this acceptable to you my dark flower?”

“Quite acceptable,” I crooned, “But now it is late and I wish to retire. Goodnight my Emperor.”

“Good night Lady Eve.”

The conversation took place in Gaiden’s opulent bedchamber. It was covered in light blue silken fabrics, and the walls were hung with Gaiden’s trophy weapons. It was so hard to resist grabbing one and killing him then and there, but I needed Raimi to get here first. As soon as I reached my bedchamber I called Raimi.

*****

“I can’t believe she’s got him at her beck and call,” Raimi said to himself after their conversation, “Right, I’ll just send this message to Markus and Gabe and the final phase will begin.”

A tall lizard like alien loomed over Raimi’s chair.
“So, Raimi, are we finally going to move from this place?” it asked.

“Yes Adrana, we’re going to infiltrate the palace on Krait in three days. We’ll free all of our forces and rescue Markus, Gabe and Rachel. Go and get ready,” Raimi said over the back of his chair.

Chapter 4

The seats behind where the emperor sat exploded as the freed rebels fired on the heads of the army, and shrapnel ripped at Gaiden’s writhing body. The citizens who had come to watch were fleeing in terror. The military members who weren’t severely wounded where attempting to fight back but were overwhelmed because they had dress weapons instead of normal ones. A few rebels went down to the scaffold and freed Markus and Gabe.

When Raimi saw the two of them headed toward the chariot he had them stopped. He walked over himself and saw Rachel lying on the ground next to the harness for the cats. The crash had broken several of her ribs and given her a concussion. “I need a medical team. We have broken ribs, a concussion, and a prior shotgun wound.”

The medical team took care of her, and when she woke up in a hospital room, on earth, her chest and head had been bound. There were armed guards outside her door, but there was a window, and a bag of clothing in the closet. By the time Raimi and Markus made it to her room, all that was left were three notes. Markus opened his, but didn’t get two words into it before he crumpled it up in anger and pushed his way out of the room. When Raimi opened it, all it said was “I’m Sorry.” His own was “I have to go away. Sorry.” He decided to not open the one for Gabe. It was thicker, and Raimi didn’t want to read something that could be private. Where was she going?

*****

“Why child! What made you come to see an old lady like me?” Amma exclaimed when she saw Rachel.

“They don’t understand and they don’t want to. They aren’t grateful, Amma,” Rachel said and practically collapsed in the doorway of Amma’s house on Hiadt.

“Come, Come in and stay with me, daughter. I at least am grateful to you,” Amma said and ushered Rachel into the humble dwelling, “I don’t have much, but what is mine is now yours as well.”

Amma was kind to Rachel, feeding her, washing her clothing, giving her motherly love. Rachel helped around the house, but kept to it and the woods behind the house. If there was need to go into town Amma would do it, for Rachel was right, people thought her a traitor. Rachel didn't need their hate, and Amma understood.

One night after dinner, when Amma was stitching a new shirt for Rachel, she spoke from her reverie.

“Amma?”

“Yes child?”

“My brother shunned me after our rescue. He wouldn’t read my note, or listen to Raimi, our friend who helped create the plan. Why? Why wouldn’t he listen?”

“Oh Rachel,” Amma understood better. It wasn’t just society that had shunned her, the last of her family had too.

“Sometimes when one has been hurt, it takes a while for them to open their hearts again and listen to understand.”

Rachel stood up and walked out the door. Amma had given her something to think about.

*****

“Damn it, Markus! Do you even care how much you hurt her? Those months when our “plans” were being foiled left and right, yes, Rachel was telling Gaiden, but it was ripping her apart. Having to betray you was an act that almost broke her heart. I understand that you were angry and hurt, but she was trying to explain what she did! You shattered what was left of her spirit then!” Raimi yelled. Markus was sitting in Raimi’s office and across from Raimi’s smoldering violet eyes. His own yellow ones were trained on the smooth wood of the desk between them.

“I’ve been thinking about that, Raimi,” Markus said, “And I want to understand now.”

“Oh, so now you want to understand?” Raimi spit, “Even I don’t know where Rachel is now, and she’s sure as hell not going to want to talk to you.”

“What do you mean, Raimi? Surely you know where she is.”

“You remember when we went to her hospital room here in Tokyo? All that was there were three little notes for us? Well mine said ‘I have to go away. Sorry.’ She didn’t even say where she was going. I know yours said ‘I’m sorry,’ so you can’t say you didn’t read those two words. What do you really want to do, Markus? Pay her back for the pain she caused you? Well, I won’t be a party to it. Now leave my office or I will be forced to have you escorted from the premises.” Raimi pointed at his door and stayed that way until Markus had left. Then he slumped in his chair, thinking. He pressed a button on the intercom unit on his desk and said, “Hart, have we had any luck tracking or tracing Rachel at all? As soon as you know where she is let me know.”

“Yes sir,” A female voice answered through the unit.

Two weeks later Raimi was startled by his secretary, Hart, “Sir, we’ve found her. She’s on Hiadt in a town near the spaceport. A team has been sent to retrieve her.”

“You sent a retrieval team without my authorization?” Raimi said incredulously, “Tell them to stand down and wait for my arrival.”

“Yes sir,” She said and left the room. Raimi threw on his jacket and went out the glass doors of his office to the hover waiting on the balcony.

“The director said to proceed, but with extreme caution. She is a traitor, and a highly trained assassin. Good luck and be careful,” Hart said into the microphone and turned off the screen, “I hope you burn for what you did. The glorious empire is in ruins and no one can resurrect it, but you will pay for its downfall.”

The retrieval team started down the road as Raimi sped toward the spaceport on earth. Using the ship provided for him he could be there in a couple of hours, but it would take at least that long if the retrieval team didn't have transport to the house where Rachel was believed to be staying. The retrieval team made its way down the road on foot not an hour behind Amma’s daily trip home from the market. Rachel was on her way home from hunting with fresh kill. It would be approximately half an hour before Rachel got back to the house and more like an hour and a half before Amma returned.

Chapter 6

Rachel’s bag buzzed. She stopped long enough to find her comm, and then kept walking. Her thumb hovered over the buttons before she punched the one labeled receive.

“Adrana?” she asked.

“Rachel. Where are you? Raimi and I just got to the house where you were staying. We are sorry that his secretary sent that retrieval team after you. Would you please come back with us?” Adrana said.

“What, just so that you can have your little philanthropic moment? No, it seems that I’m the only one who can take care of me now. Good bye.” Rachel dropped the comm into the river she was walking by.

“Rachel? Rachel! Damn it! You have no idea.” Adrana said sadly.

Rachel followed the path that wound through the forest across the river and up the cliff. Then she took the time to rest and take stock of her wounds. Her right pant leg was half drenched in blood from her knee and her shirt was bloodied from the gunshot wound in her right shoulder. She pulled it off and cut her pant leg above where she was cut. She ripped these up into strips and bound the wounds.
“I’m lucky that idiot was a bad shot,” she thought as a small purple cat-creature with three eyes crept up to Rachel and leapt over her head, landing gracefully in her lap. It lapped at the blood that was caking on Rachel’s leg and looked up at her. She tentatively began scratching it behind the ears. It closed its eyes in pleasure and began rubbing its face against her hand.

“You’re cute,” Rachel said, “You must also be tame. Do you have a name? I guess I can’t ask you. I think I’ll call you Arie,” she said.

The cat stopped for a moment, cracked its eyes and then rubbed up against her hand again. She laughed and picked it up as she stood up. She picked up her bag and kept walking. The cat clawed out of her arms and onto her shoulder.

After walking for hours, she stopped and sat down on a large rock near a pond. She sat down and Arie drank some water from the pond. Rachel pulled out a bag of jerky and chewed thoughtfully on it.

“Arie, do you want some?” She asked. The creature came over and sniffed at the piece and then took it from her, nipping her fingers in the process.

“You’re hungry aren’t you,” she laughed.

“Who are you…” a deep voice filtered through the trees.

“I’m just passing through, and you, show yourself! I don’t like talking to phantoms.”

“If you want to talk to my face, come to the north side of the pond.” The voice said solemnly. Rachel stood up and put the jerky in her mouth while she picked up her bag. She walked over and saw a very old sunken lizard.

“Human child, what are you doing out here? This is not the place for you,” it said.

“It was the only place I could come to. Everywhere else I was a traitor, something evil to be killed. No one wanted to take the time to help me or try to understand, except Amma. She’s dead, killed by a retrieval team come to find me. I am alone, and only alone will I be safe.” Rachel said.

“I have a piece of advice. Go to the place where you know yourself, if you find what you are looking for, then you will know the truth.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? And how am I supposed to get there? All I have are my clothes, a little food, and Arie.” Rachel said.

At it’s name, Arie sauntered up and twined around Rachel’s legs.

“You found a bantirre? Those are rare creatures. I am surprised. I will give you my name, Harames.” It said.

“Thank you Harames, but in all honesty Arie found me. I don’t know where she came from.” Rachel said and sat down.

“Bantirre are companions that only listen to one creature its entire life. It seems that Arie, as you call her, has chosen you. You are lucky because you won’t ever be completely alone, she will always be with you. There is a ship in the cave near here. You can leave this place with it. It’s old, but perhaps you can fix it.”

“Thank you Harames. Here’s some of my jerky. Take it as my thanks for your help. My name is Rachel.” She set the pieces next to his hand and walked away.

The cavern was easy to find, and the ship was old, but in good shape. It was a small craft intended for at most a crew of 15 who ate a lot more than Rachel and Arie would. It was blue, but had no registration or name. Rachel went up the boarding ramp and explored it. The ramp led to a main corridor with crew quarters, and a large captain’s suite next to the door to the bridge. The bridge was relatively small, with consoles close together a view screen and a chair for the captain to control everything if she needed to. Down a ladder was the engine room with specs and a manual on how to fly the craft, and the galley where there were deep freezers filled with frozen food, boxes of dried food, and every cooking utensil imaginable. Rachel went back up to the captain’s suite with the flight manual, and read until she fell asleep in the large comfortable bed.

Chapter 8

Raimi eased into his armchair. His office was almost home; he spent so much time there. He picked up the envelope on the table next to him addressed to Gabe and looked at it. There was a knock on his door and Jacob entered, “A Gabe MacFarlane to see you sir.”
“Send him in, Jacob. Thank you,” Raimi said. Gabe walked in looking disheveled. His leather jacket and boots were scuffed and dusty.

“Well, Gabe, you don’t look so good,” Raimi said as he stood up.

“Yeah, apparently, Hart is one to hold a grudge quickly.”

“Here, Gabe. Rachel left this for you.” Raimi handed the envelope to him. He carefully opened it and began reading.

Dear Gabe,
I want you to know how sorry I am that I had to say what I did. Raimi and I had concocted this plan to kill Gaiden so that we all could be free of him. I guess we are now, but it took a lot of nerve and guts to continue through the plan for all of the months it took to come to fruition through our capture. I’m not proud of what I had to do to get close enough to kill him. I’m not proud of what I said to you and Markus at your “execution.” I simply want you to know that I’m sorry and that I love you too. I knew from the time we three were separated that you did, because Markus told me. I’m going away now, because no one is willing to hear the truth, except Amma. She was the matron of concubines, and she helped us.

Goodbye,

Rachel

Gabe reached up and wiped his eyes as he finished reading the small hospital pad that was inside.
“Amma,” he said, “where is she, who is she? Rachel went to stay with her, right?”

Raimi nodded, “She was hurt when Hart sent the retrieval team, she’s in our care unit right now. I can take you there if you wish to talk to her. She also let Adrana and I into the palace and opened the cells so that we could come up and rescue all of you.”

“I’d like to thank her. I can’t say that I’m completely over the incident, but at least I understand a bit better.

*****

I woke up and took a shower in the bathroom of the suite. Arie wasn’t there, but was probably exploring the ship. The blood washed off my shoulder and knee, and as I turned off the water, I was aware of the smell of eggs cooking. I changed quickly and grabbed my hunting knife out of her bag, crept along the metal flooring and stormed into the kitchen to find a strange little girl making scrambled eggs. Her violet right ear twitched and she turned to look at me after turning off the burner the eggs were on.

“Hungry?” she asked. I lowered the knife and asked, “Who are you?”

“Arie,” was the simple reply. The girl had three eyes like the cat, and her ears were the same color as Arie.

“I don’t understand,” I said. Arie shook her head slowly and then morphed into her cat form and back, she shrugged her shoulders and said slowly, “No words yet.”

“You mean you don’t have the words to explain it to me. I guess I can handle that for the moment, but you’ll need to tell me once you do,” I said, “Those eggs smell delicious.”

“Eggs?”

“What you cooked. They’re called eggs.” Arie nodded furiously and I rummaged through the cabinets for plates and silverware. After eating, I had been thinking, “Arie, we need to find you something to wear.”

“Hmm?”

“Come on, let’s find you something out of my bag.” We went back to the suite together and I put a tank top on my new friend.

“There, that will have to do until I can get you something that fits,” I sighed.

Arie looked comically small in my tank top, but there wasn’t anything that could be done until we reached Earth. I needed to put a plan into motion, an emotional campaign of sorts toward retired General Astor. His daughter Laura was a bright young girl, and could be used effectively against the general without having to harm her. He was a family man, and had retired from the army when Laura was nine, just after he had approved the plan Raimi and Rachel had put forth. After he retired, he saw me effectively exiled as a traitor and he was just the man to set it straight.

“Thinking?” Arie asked.

“Yep, and perhaps you can help me,” I told her. I pulled a brush from my bag and beckoned with my free hand, “Come here, your hair needs brushing.”

“Brushing?”

“Yeah, here I’ll show you,” I ran the brush through my own hair and held it out for inspection, “Will you let me brush your hair?” Arie nodded and sat down in front of me.

*****

Back on Earth, another girl was brushing her blonde hair and humming off key. The door to her right opened, and a maid came in to straighten the room.

“Miss Laura, you really need to give up this silly crusade,” she said as she straightened the papers on the desk, “You must understand that Rachel betrayed us, and she’s disappeared, she doesn’t know about loyalty.”

“You don’t understand,” the twelve year old said, “Rachel was ordered by my father to do that, I just know it. He’s to blame for letting the citizens of Earth think that our greatest hero is a traitor. I just wish I had more clearance to get to the information I need.” She finished putting her hair up into pigtails, and left the room.

*****

“Markus, Gabe, it’s good to see you again,” Raimi said as he stood up from his desk.

“It’s good to see you too, Raimi,” Markus said, “I just want to help my baby sister, you understand.”

“Of course, we all want to help her. The fact that a year after Gaiden has been killed hasn’t diminished the public’s remembrance of what happened is disconcerting. Rachel is unwelcome everywhere she goes. This is reminiscent of 9/11/2001, except, we just ended a war. General Astor, you might remember him, has retired now, but he hasn’t come out with the truth that she was a government agent, and was working in our best interest,” Raimi sat down across from them, “I am hoping to exert pressure on him to tell the truth to the media soon, but he is being stubborn as usual. I’ve even heard that his daughter, Laura, is attempting to find the truth as well. She always did like Rachel. I’m only afraid that Rachel will use Laura to try to get him to confess, and he won’t react well to that sort of threat, real or imagined.”

Chapter 10

“Sis, Why did you come here?”

“Markus, I need some help. And, your new bouncer is an idiot.”

“Well, maybe if my baby sister didn’t wear her disguises to my club…”

“I take it you’ve forgiven me?”

“I want an explanation, but once you’ve given me that I think I can forgive you. Who’re the kids?”

“Laura is General Astor’s daughter, and Arie is a Bantirre, she found me before I came back to earth. Where’s Alex?”

“Still asleep. You kind of caught us at a bad time.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Can I change out of this damn dress?” she pulled off her wig, “Cause it’s itching me almost as bad as that time we hid in the hayloft.”

“You know where the bathroom is, don’t let me stop you.”

Rachel bolted and left the two girls with Markus in his kitchen.

“So,” Markus said, “You’re General Astor’s daughter.”

“Yeah,” Laura said shyly.

‘Oh man, pre-pubescent girl, how awkward.’ Markus thought. Arie had changed forms and jumped up onto the counter. Markus caught her in the middle of changing back to her humanoid form.

“Wait, are you thirsty, Arie,” he asked. She nodded.

“Here, go ahead and get off the counter and I’ll get you a glass of water, alright?” Arie stayed on the counter while Markus got a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water.

“Here,” he said and held out the glass until she took it from him. A redheaded man stumbled through the door in bright green pants, a purple t-shirt and a fuchsia cardigan, “I didn’t know we had guests, Markus.”

“I’m sorry, love, did we wake you up?”

“Well I had to go to the bathroom, but someone happens to already be in there.”

“Why do you wear that color? You know I hate it on you.”

“To make sure you’ll notice me.”

“Alright, alright. Do you want some coffee?”

“Yes please.”

Rachel walked into the kitchen in dark jeans and a turquoise tank top with a black leather jacket. When Arie saw her come in, she quickly set down the glass on the counter.

“Arie, if you’re thirsty, you need to ask someone, not try to get it yourself in a strange kitchen, alright?” Rachel said, “Now put your clothes back on. I’m sorry, Alex, we didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“Well, while the coffee is brewing, I can finally go to the bathroom. It’s fine, I woke up on my own, I could hardly hear you from the bedroom.”

Laura sat on the couch bug-eyed, ‘are they… This is so confusing…’

“Laura,” Rachel asked, “Are you alright? You seem like you can’t grasp something.”

“Yeah, What kind of relationship is going on here?”

“Um…” Rachel laughed, “Alex and my brother are gay. It’s not that hard.”

“Oh, ok.”

Rachel and Markus looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“Ok, now what’s so funny?” Laura asked indignantly.

“Oh… Oh man. You’ve really been sheltered, haven’t you?” Markus asked.

Alex came back in and got a coffee mug from the cabinet and looked around. “OK, what did I miss?”

“We were just realizing how sheltered Laura has been,” Markus said, “The coffee is almost ready. Rachel, I know you needed more than just a place to change your clothes. You want to tell me more?”

“Well, I want to convince General Astor to tell the world that it was his idea for me to get close enough to Gaiden that I could assassinate him. Unfortunately I had to be convincing up to the point that Raimi could extract us. Then when you wouldn’t understand, I left Earth, went to Hiadt and stayed with Amma, the matron of concubines for Gaiden. She helped me get what I needed to kill Gaiden… Gaiden killed her son, and I became a replacement for her. She was … killed by a retrieval squad…” Rachel stopped, tears in her eyes.

“They were coming for you, weren’t they,” Markus stated. Rachel nodded silently.

“Oh, honey, we’re sorry,” Alex said, “If I could have been there… I mean, I was the one who convinced Markus to go talk with Raimi, but he didn’t know where you were.”

“You know, Raimi said that whatever you two are going to do won’t be taken well by the general. Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Markus asked.

“Yeah, I’ll have a little more help, we’re going to go see the Lioness. I really just want to talk with Sparky,” Rachel replied.

“Well, that’s your can of worms. I hope we’ll see you again, sis.” Markus said.

“Yeah, me too.”

*****

Rachel had picked a fight with some members of the Lioness’ gang, the Lady Cats, but it looked like they were winning, they got in a lucky shot and had her bent over breathless.

“You have some nerve, girl, coming here. You’re gonna have to hear the Lioness roar now.”

They dragged the three of them into an opulent throne room, completely decorated in lavish burgundy red and real gold. The woman on the throne motioned with her hand to allow them to step forward. When Rachel got close enough, the woman motioned for the guards to leave the room.

“So the Black Angel comes to visit me. I trust my girls didn’t rough you up too much,” the woman said.

“Lioness, I’ll live. I wanted to speak with Sparky, is she here?”

“Why do you want to talk with her?”

“Livia, please, I need to give the man who got me into this mess a message that he needs to tell the truth. I am not a traitor, and he knows it.”

Livia summoned one of the guards “Take the girls to see Sparky, but stay with them until I come with the Black Angel.”

The guard bowed and motioned for Laura and Arie to follow her.

“So, Rachel, what’s the story about this man?”

“Livia, I’m sure you’re familiar with retired General Astor, Laura’s father. He sent me on a mission to get close enough to Gaiden to kill him. Unfortunately, now he’s decided to let me take the fall for my good deed. Well, you know that old saying no good deed…”

“Goes unpunished. I see, you need an explosive from Sparky, and Laura is your bait to get him to tell the truth, right?”
They were walking through the corridors of the mansion, on their way to the warehouses on the edge of the compound.

“Right, but lucky for me, Laura’s on my side. She’s always looked up to me when I’ve been to the general’s house. She didn’t like the tone in the house about me after my mission was fulfilled. She’s a good kid.”
The two women passed the garden and walked through the middle of the warehouse compound and stopped at the sheet metal sign that said ‘Sparky’s knock or be detonated!’
“Well I see Sparky hasn’t lost her sense of humor…” Rachel said chuckling at the reference.

******

“You two are going to go to the master. This is as far as you girls go with that b***h.” The guard said, and closed the closet door.

*****

Rachel knocked twice and went through the door with Livia in tow. A small explosion went off inside, and the two women were careful to walk around the shelves piled with pieces of metal and wire, half finished incendiary devices, and trays of powders.

“Great… Just great!” a female voice echoed through the metal structure, “That was my favorite headband!”

“Oh, come on Sparky, you know as well as I do that you’re always setting them on fire or getting acid on them…” Rachel called as they walked toward the voice.

The woman came into view as she said, “Hey, that one lasted me a month… Rachel, I thought you’d disappeared, how are you!”

“I’m alright. Sparky, did the girls get here o.k. ? They aren’t bothering you are they?”

“Girls? I haven’t seen any girls…”

Rachel looked at Livia, “You sent them with a guard, right? I hardly believe that they would make trouble. Was your guard trustworthy?”

“Honestly?” Livia met her gaze, “No. That guard is new, and it seems that General Astor was wrong in recommending her.”

“General Astor? If the General recommended her, then she’s really in his pay and follows his orders. And, since Laura is his daughter and he has an interest in ‘recapturing’ her, I’d say we need to find them. Sparky, we’ll be back, I’ll need something from you.”

Not actually, Chapters 6 and onward are mislabeled, sorry! I'll fix that.

Very good, but very long. There is a few grammer mistakes, read through and check.