AMANI: Reveal (8 page)

              That sounded even crazier than all the alternatives I’d envisaged, but Xander’s enthusiasm reminded me that I had no choice but to follow his directive. I hadn’t seen him this happy since the day he learned he was transforming into a Rascal. And the only way to preserve him that way was to keep him safe from the Protectors. And to do so, we had to leave the country. And to leave the country, unfortunately, we had to strap ourselves to a questionable-looking piece of wood and hope to remain alive until we reached Canadian borders.
             
Dear God…
              I finally lay next to Samera, in the exact middle of the boat, and positioned my feet on the step Xander had talked about, while he strapped a rope made of tiny branches interlaced together around me.
              “How’s your shoulder?” my Blue-self asked before she positioned herself on my left.
              “It still tickles.”
              “Good. We might be able to make it before the pain becomes unbearable. You may sleep if you wish. We have a few hours ahead before we reach our destination.”
              That was far from reassuring.
              Mr. Jensen and Xander lay on the extremities of the boat, possibly to balance out the weight. They were capable of buckling their own rope and, after everyone had put on their swimming goggles, Blue whistled three notes.
              And everything fell silent.
              To my right, Xander and Samera were smiling, excited to experience this new means of transportation, while on my left, Blue and Karl had already lowered their heads and closed their eyes, as if ready to fall asleep. What were we waiting for?
              Silence persisted until something jumped out of the water. A fish? Then two similar shapes jumped closer to us.
              “Guys… What are those?”
              “Whoa,” Samera exclaimed. “I’ve never seen such big sailfish.”
              “In this Dimension, sailfish are our fastest means of transportation,” Blue explained, her eyes still opening lazily. “They can swim up to seventy miles an hour.”
              She opened her mouth to say something else, when four humongous fish wearing slender purple crest on their backs and long slim swords as noses appeared in front of us, startling me. They remained in place, as though waiting for an order.
              “How cute!” Samera cooed.
              Blue slowly raised her head and nodded at the fish, as if greeting them. “Thank you for coming,” she said. “Would you be kind enough to help us go north?” She turned to me. “Have you ever been to Sherbrooke?”
              “Is that a city in Blue?”
              My Blue-self laughed. “No. It is a small city in Amani. No Protector will think of looking for you there.”
              “My wife spoke of this place before,” Mr. Jensen added. “She has contacts in Sherbrooke. When we arrive, she’ll find a safe place for us to stay until we can come back.”
              “Until we find my sister,” I corrected.
              Blue whistled two notes and the fish knocked their long slim nose on the boat before they dove back into the water. Fascinated, I asked my Blue-self where they were going.
              “There is a rope attached to each corner below the boat. They are taking their positions before we depart.”
              Indeed, a slight movement was felt before Blue whistled again, but this time only once.
              And that’s when the boat propelled forward, leaving me grateful for the strong rope ten inches from my face, which I’d already started to strangle with my bare hands.

Ian Cohen

I woke up in someone’s bedroom with a pair of worried eyes over me. Michelle was quick with her explanation. The leaders of the Protectors from other countries had fled HQ after the explosions, swearing that they would do anything to eradicate Rascals from Amani. According to Michelle, they’d looked furious, but we would have to deal with them later.
              The training room had been transformed into an infirmary since Dr. Goldbridge’s office merely contained four beds, which was far from enough at the moment; the first two floors were almost completely destroyed—Protectors had had to explain to the population of New York that the sinkhole in the middle of the Van Cortlandt Park had been caused by water erosion; and the library, the only sacred place, where no disease nor any trace of blood must ever enter, was now the new common lounge for those of us who’d come up intact from the explosions. As for me, I’d been placed into a spare bedroom, my two bodyguards patrolling outside, making sure no one would bother me.
              The news of the hour wasn’t the Protectors’ hallucinations anymore—that had been taken care of—but the fact that Delilah Priam, Amya’s sister, was missing.
              “I am doing all I can to find her, Ian, but there is so much to do here,” Michelle said in a steady voice, though her eyes revealed much concern and fear. “I understand that you just recovered from a concussion, and I wouldn’t be asking if I weren’t so desperate, but I really need your help right now.”
              Still a little dazed, I sat up on the bed and carefully patted the back of my head. “What happened to me?”
              “Oh, you don’t remember?” She mumbled a few words to herself. “We have to inform Dr. Goldbridge of your memory loss… The explosions deactivated the surveillance and security system, which allowed Jonathan to escape. He came into your office and attacked you.” She searched the room with her eyes and when they locked on the phone next to a lamp, she added, “Wait for me one minute, I will call Dr. Goldbri—”
              Before she could take a step away from me, I said, “I remember the explosions and Jonathan, Mrs. Cohen. No need to bother Goldbridge. He must have a lot on his hands right now.” I lifted the corner of my mouth into a half smile. “What I don’t recall is how I injured my head.”
              Saying those words reminded me that Jonathan’s first reaction coming into my office had been to pin me to the wall. And it was at that exact moment that I had started feeling dizzy.
              Michelle looked at her wrist-watch. “I am truly sorry; Dr. Goldbridge said you would be fine when you woke up. I will find somebody else to take care of HQ while I’m gone.”
             
Take care of HQ…
              “But I’m perfectly fine, Mrs. Cohen!” I said immediately. “I meant, I don’t know what happened after I killed Jonathan. I do remember everything before that. He pushed me against the wall but I hadn’t realized I’d hurt my head. Doesn’t mean I won’t be able to run the place while you are away. I simply did not express myself very well.” Realizing I was rambling, I cleared my throat. “I’m fine, really.”
              Michelle frowned. “Are you certain, Ian? Because I wouldn’t want to ask too much of you, especially after everything you’ve been through. I ordered Dick and Max yesterday to never, ever leave your side again. They will take turns in guarding you during their meal times as well as at night. No one will come near you that you don’t want to. I feel very responsible for you. You know that, right?”
              “Of course, of course.”
              She smiled a little but her eyes were still sad. “Are you certain you don’t need to rest longer? I would understand.”
              Since Michelle did not seem to believe my words, I thrust my legs over the right side of my bed and got up on my two feet. Except for the mild throbbing in my temples, I felt perfectly functional. “See?” I told her, throwing my arms in the air. “Nothing to worry about.”             
              In a sudden exhale of breath, she said, “Thank goodness.” Her shoulders relaxed, clearly free from a heavy burden. “With my husband gone, you are the only person I can fully trust with this task.”
             
Interesting.
“Where is Mr. Jensen?”
              Her features sagged. “Oh Ian, there is so much you do not know.” She gazed at her watch. “I suppose if I can trust you with HQ, I can trust you with this information. But you must promise me you will tell no one.” I nodded quickly, shivering with excitement. “Karl, Samera, and Amya helped Xander Macfrey to escape. They are currently on the run until it is safe to come back at Headquarters. That is in fact the reason why I must go. To find some information.”
              Shock rendered me speechless. Michelle had gone behind every Protector’s back to protect a criminal. I had to bite my tongue in order to prevent myself from speaking my mind.
             
How dare she…?
              “I understand that this information must be kept from those who wish to see Xander dead at all costs,” I said, trying to hide the bitterness from my voice.
              “Yes, Ian. And I trust you will keep it to yourself. Now, it is of utmost importance that you rebuild the two floors destroyed and that you keep searching for Delilah Priam. I notified the President that we would be incapable of helping with other matters for a few days or weeks, depending how long it takes to get back on our feet and find Amya’s sister. He will ask for our help only if he has no one else to turn to, so you won’t be overwhelmed.” She smiled kindly.
              “I must depart right away”—Michelle looked at her watch again—“if I want to catch…” She gazed at me and seemed to weigh whether or not she could disclose where she was going. “Take care of our people for me, would you? We must remain strong for our family in Europe, who’re still suffering from the aftermath of the Rascals’ murders… And please do not contact François, Stephano, and the other leaders for a while. They are very upset about the explosions. It is best we give them some time to recover…”
              These were her last words before she turned around, closed the door behind her, and disappeared in the hall.
              And that was the best news I’d received in… years? With Karl, Samera, and even Michelle gone, I had complete control over HQ. For how long, I didn’t know, but I sure as hell was going to make the best of it. After putting on a pair of socks and my shoes, which lay on the white carpet, I headed directly for my office.
              Several of my colleagues tried to stop me along the way, but I kept my head high and repeated that I needed to take care of something before I could help them. The word had apparently spread; they knew I was in charge. I was pleased to see that walls were already being rebuilt and most of the dust had been cleaned out. It was like looking at an ant colony, everyone busy at their task, and I, well, I was their new queen.
              There was a blood-stain on the wall of my office where my head must have struck and a much bigger puddle of dark red blood next to my desk, where I’d last seen Jonathan. He was dead, finally. One fewer problem to worry about.
              I quickly looked through my left drawer and found the device Meo had given me. My heart was beating in my chest like a rock concert. I held the coop-hole into my trembling hands and took a deep breath to steady my voice.
              Meo answered right away. “What is it again? We’re very busy here. I told you before, you are of no use to us until—”
              “Michelle is gone,” I said, a big smile on my face even though he couldn’t see me.
              “Pardon me?”
              “Michelle, her husband, and her daughter are all gone for—well, I don’t really know how much time I have, but I am currently at the head of all operations at Headquarters.” I spoke so fast, I thought Meo would ask me to repeat again. Instead, I almost felt his grin against the phone.
              “Very well done, Ian,” he said. “You might be useful after all. I will inform my boss of this new turn of events and come back to you soon. Very soon.”
              “Thank you,” I replied without thinking. I felt such joy that it was hard for me to think straight. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”
              At that, Meo hung up, leaving me nearly jumping up and down. I was finally going to make a difference. I was finally going to have a chance to prove myself. And now was the time to start.
              After hiding the device in my sock, in case the Protectors renovating the Headquarters would search my office during the cleaning process, I stalked out of my office and told everyone in the hallway that we were having a general meeting in the library in twenty minutes.
              “Tell your colleagues,” I said. “It is very important that everyone is there.”

***

The first two floors of the library were brimming with curious faces. Hushed voices echoed on the painted ceiling and ancient walls. My hands clenched and unclenched as I tried to figure out just how much those ignorant people needed to know in order to trust me. I couldn’t discuss the matter of Karl helping Xander out of HQ or it would most likely create a riot. I had no idea where Michelle had gone. And Meo could be needing my help in the near future. All in all, I had to appear in control of the situation, busy helping everyone back to their jobs, and most importantly, more efficient than Michelle had ever been.
              As soon as I felt like everyone had arrived, with dozens of Protectors waiting for me to explain the situation, I stepped toward the microphone someone had set up and silence befell the eager crowd.
              “Hi, everyone,” I said and then cleared my throat.
You are in control,
I repeated to myself,
so act like it.
“Thank you all for coming.” I paused, looking at their questioning faces. Who was I to give them orders? I was disliked by many and probably unknown to others. How was it that I could make them like me? “I understand that some—if not all of you—are wondering what is going on. Many of our colleagues are still at the infirmary and most of us mourn our lost friends and family members. This is a hard time for all of us.” There were murmurs and sharp looks.
              “I did not gather you here today to state the obvious. Pain and death is part of life and”—I saw a woman in tears to my right, shaking her head—“I cannot even begin to understand what some of you are going through at the moment. But there is one thing I am certain. It’s that we are all members of this large family of diverse races and religions, sexes and opinions. And I assure you that we are stronger together than we are as individuals. Each and every one of you has a specific talent that makes you unique. And if we want to get through this rough day, if we want to get back on our feet stronger than we were before, we need to stick together as a whole and use all possible resources to make it happen.”
              At last, I could perceive people nodding and whispering in agreement. “Many of you might know that Michelle has gone on a special quest—” At that, shouts of surprise and consternation were heard. “But that
doesn’t
mean we cannot handle ourselves!” I spoke over the growing voices. “I am here to make this transition as painless as possible…”
              But the cries were too loud now.
              “Who are you?” I heard.
              “We deserve an explanation!”
              “Where’s our leader when we need her?”
              My hands turned into fists as warmth rose up my neck and cheeks. Who was I kidding? No one wanted to hear soothing words. The Rascals’ attack on the Protectors’ home was an act of war, nothing less. And they were perfectly right to be angry at Michelle for leaving.
              “All right, I understand…” I started to say.
              “No you don’t!”
              “You can’t replace Michelle!”
              “Where is she?”
              The insults piled as I felt like my head would explode. Some people on the second floor above pointed their fingers in my direction. A man on the first floor was marching toward me looking utterly angry. The world started spinning and I had to close my eyes to prevent myself from collapsing. There was nothing I could do to calm their anger. I knew from personal experience that those hurtful words directed at me were only a mechanism to cope with the disconcerting situation, but it hurt all the same.
              I focused on steadying my breath, but couldn’t concentrate with the shouting and the hatred surrounding me. I felt my nails carving into my palms, and my jaw was so tight I thought it would break.
             
How would Meo react to a situation like this?
I hastily pondered. He’d laugh like he always did, but now wasn’t the time. Laughing would only anger the Protectors even more.
              I focused on an alternative and wished I could just block out the cries and complaints around.
              I wished I could press a button and mute the entire room.
              Rage boiled in my veins.
             
Make them shut up
.
              But the room was too loud; I could barely think anymore.
              My ears were buzzing like a boiling kettle.
              I pressed my fists to my head and exploded at once.
              “SHUT UP! JUST—SHUT—UP!”
              When I opened my eyes again, the room was silent. All I could hear was my own breathing projected through the microphone. Gasps and wide eyes occupied most faces, while others were frowning and crossing their arms over their chest. I had to say something. And fast.
              “If I must be completely honest with you,” I snapped. “I don’t believe it’s going to be fine either. I don’t think you”—I pointed to the crying woman—“will grieve faster by working with us on rebuilding our Headquarters. I have no idea if the Rascals plan on destroying us all in the near future. And I honestly don’t know what crossed Mrs. Cohen’s mind when she decided to leave us all to this mess and put me in charge. I’m as upset and lost as you all are. The only difference is that I know complaining and shouting at one another won’t help!” That last sentence came out louder than I had expected, but looking at their surprised expressions, I saw that it had the desired effect. “I’ve never had to care for so many people at the same time and I must admit that I’m a little scared I’ll simply make things worse.” Some actually grinned at that. “But you know what? It is my duty to try and make the best out of this terrible situation! I don’t care if you don’t like me. That is your problem. Because, unlike Michelle, I intend to stay right here with all of you until this place is whole again!”