Threshold Shift (22 page)

“Roe,”
Jon said, taking her to one side. “I have to go.”

She
held him tightly, even as he tried to pull away. “OK,”
she said. “But what about the rest of us?”

“Jeremiah
is happy for you to wait in the spaceport,” Jon said. “There’s
food, and you’ll be safe.”

“It
is the least I can do,” Jeremiah added.

Roe
frowned for a moment, before stepping across to the avatar. “Do
it then,” she said. “Heal my leg.”

“I
am happy to,” Jeremiah smiled. “You only had to ask.
Please lie down.”

Jon
helped her, and as her head rested on the grass she saw Jake pull
Andy to his feet. He looked over at her warily, and she attempted a
smile of reassurance. He didn’t appear particularly convinced.

“Don’t
move,” Jeremiah said.

She
felt the warmth of his hands through the bandage as her leg began to
tingle.

*

Jake
stood with Andy as they watched Jeremiah use his healing hands on
Roe’s leg. He was surprised that Jeremiah would waste so much
of his precious energy on a human when he didn’t have to. It
reminded him of when Asher had saved Andy from the fire. He could
have so easily left him. But even that action would not have been
anywhere near as expensive in terms of energy. Perhaps with five
bodies to draw upon, his reserves were too plentiful for him to care,
or Wun was closer than he had been led to believe. Either way it
bothered him, it was not the behaviour pattern he expected.

“I’m
not happy with any of this,” Andy said.

“Neither
am I,” Jake replied.

“They
heal him,” Andy said. “They heal Roe for him. They go out
of their way to please him. Even this negotiation is for him.”

“Yes,”
Jake said. “They do things for Jon that they never would have
done for Jacob. It is curious.”

Andy
turned to him. “Tell me, what was it like, to be Wun? I don’t
understand how you can be so many and yet be one being. I don’t
even understand how you can split off.”

“It’s
not something I can explain,” Jake said. “I’m just
the low grade copy. That’s been made clear to me a number of
times now."

“But
you must know.”

Jacob
shook his head, he did not want to explain, he wasn’t even sure
he could. Over the years he had learnt that the only way he could
live, was to separate Wun from Jacob Klein. They were two distinct
people who occasionally blurred together. He did not like to think
too deeply when that blurring occurred. The memories were like a
crushing weight in his mind that he had to move to one side, to brace
against, or his mind would come crashing down.

Thankfully
Andy did not press for a more concrete answer. Roe was already up and
taking a few tentative steps.

“Amazing,”
Andy said.

Jake
motioned to him, “Come on.” Together they marched over.

For a
minute Roe and Jon were all smiles. Jake even felt the beginning of
one on his own face. “How’s the leg?”

“Good
as new,” Roe replied.

Jake
nodded and turned to Jon. “So, what now?”

“I
have to go to Michael’s compound,” Jon replied. “End
this.”

“I
want to come,” Jake said.

“That’s
not going to happen, Jake.”

“Well,”
he said. “Good luck starting the transporter without the
ignition code, because I’m not giving it to you.”

“Jeremiah
has the code. You’re not coming.”

“Take
me anyway.”

“It
won’t do any good, Jake,” Jon replied. “Jeremiah
will only take me or he won’t go at all. I can’t do this
without him.”

Jake
felt his frustration boil over and pushed past Jon. “Jeremiah!”

“No,
Jake,” Jeremiah said, facing him down. “Just Jon and I,
that is the agreement, I simply cannot protect both of you, and I
don’t want to.”

“You
better protect him,” Jake said. “Or somehow I’ll
find a way to make all five of you pay.”

Jeremiah
smiled. “Of that I have no doubt. Jon, are you coming?"

“Just
a moment,” Jon said and turned to Jake. “I’ll be
OK… Dad.”

Jake
was stunned for a moment. Jon smiled and turned to Roe. A look passed
between them, but she said nothing. When Jon reached out for her she
walked away.

Jake
clapped his son on the shoulder “I’ll take care of her,”
he said. “Just get it done.”

Jon
nodded and then followed Jeremiah to the transporter. Jake watched as
the engine came online and the vehicle was steered back towards the
road. Soon it was gone. Slowly he made his way to where Andy was
comforting Roe.

“The
tower,” he said simply.

Roe
bared her teeth and then slung her rifle over her shoulder and began
walking.

Jake
and Andy followed.

Chapter
Fifteen

Jon
secured his seat harness as Jeremiah turned the transporter around
and headed back out of the field. It was a bumpy ride along the
uneven ground, and Jon rocked back and forth in his chair until after
one last impact, they were back on the road.

There
was just over a hundred and fifty kilometres to cover in order to
reach Michael’s compound, and while they were extremely
unlikely to meet any other human driven vehicle, Jon did wonder what
the Threshian reaction would be, especially as Jeremiah now resembled
his father.

“Does
Michael know we’re coming?” he asked.

“I
am talking to him at this moment via my ship’s communicator,”
Jeremiah replied. “He is not happy, but he has promised to make
arrangements for our safe passage.”

“Good.”

“We
should be there in around three hours,” Jeremiah said. “Enjoy
the scenery.”

Jon
sat back, aware of how the tinted windshield subdued the early
afternoon glare, and watched the surrounding fields give way to the
thin young trees that encroached just a little too close to the
highway. The sight of them became monotonous soon enough and his
thoughts quietly drifted to the task ahead. How could they convince
Michael to let humanity leave Threshold in peace?

The
sight of smoke billowing into the atmosphere distracted him.
Homesteads and farms were readily being destroyed as they passed by.
They needed to resolve this quickly, before there was nobody left to
save.

“We
could have used your ship,” Jon said.

“No,”
Jeremiah replied without turning his head. “The ship may be
required elsewhere at short notice. I am afraid I can only indulge
you so much, little brother.”

Jon
frowned. Jeremiah’s words made his fears seem more real. “Is
that what this is, an indulgence?”

Jeremiah
chuckled. “I do not believe Michael will change his mind. He
has the bloodlust and it must be sated. Whatever you or I say will
not change that.”

“Then
why are you even doing this?” Jon asked.

“Because
Asher wanted me to, because you asked me to, and because I have some
small latitude in the task set for me by Wun.”

Jon
stared grimly into the distance.

“It
is not too late to go back,” Jeremiah offered. “I promise
you and the others safe passage from Threshold when it is convenient.
You do not have to do this.”

“Yes
I do,” Jon said. “Help me.”

“I
thought I was.”

“Michael
needs your support. You could threaten to withdraw it.”

“No,
Jon, I cannot. I am sorry. Wun requires a supply of Larson ore and. I
will not risk losing that supply. You cannot use my involvement or
Wun’s, as a bargaining chip in the negotiations.”

“Then
how can we convince him?”

Jeremiah
shrugged. “I have some ideas, perhaps Michael will surprise me,
but I doubt it. Perhaps you should think of an argument yourself. You
have a few hours left to figure it out.”

Jon
gritted his teeth and turned away. Jeremiah was not Asher. He was
sure Asher could have been convinced to do more, but Jeremiah, he was
still intent on his mission to the detriment of everyone and
everything else. Jon needed to break through that somehow. If Asher
had not died… But Asher hadn’t died, he was somewhere
inside Jeremiah. Jon just had to get through to him, somehow.

Jon
turned back to Jeremiah and was startled to find his father’s
face gone, replaced by the unformed features Jeremiah had possessed
before Asher’s absorption.

“What
have you done?” Jon asked.

“I
do not think Michael would take kindly to that face,” Asher
explained. “So I have reverted for the meeting.”

“You
can do that?”

“Can’t
you?”

Jon
shook his head. “My face was set a long time ago.”

“So
I see,” Jeremiah replied.

The
transporter continued for over an hour, in that time Jon saw little
sign of either Threshians or humans, but even from within the
confines of the transporter he could smell the acrid air. Then the
transporter came to an abrupt stop, the road was blocked by a fallen
tree.

“It’s
not too big,” Jon said. “We can move it.” He
reached over to unlatch the passenger door.

Jeremiah
placed a hand on Jon’s shoulder. “Do not leave the
transporter, the Threshians are close, and they are hunting.”

“We
were promised safe passage,” Jon protested.

“Accidents
happen,” Jeremiah countered. “Michael is a leader, but he
does not control all the actions of his people, no leader can.”

“We
can’t just stay here,” Jon said.

“Patience,
little brother, the road block will be removed shortly. I have
arranged it.”

Jon
sat back. All he could hear was the distant twitter of birdsong. The
road was empty. He was taken by surprise when two Threshians abruptly
landed either side of the tree trunk.

“Watch,”
Jeremiah said. “They will remove it now.”

The
two Threshians lifted the tree trunk easily between them and then
sent it hurtling into the undergrowth.

“You
see?” Jeremiah said. “I am in constant contact with
Michael, and he knows there will be dire consequences if anything
happens to us. He has just made those two aware.”

The
Threshians snarled bitterly as they walked away, and then quite
suddenly, one of them roared. Jon tensed up at the sound, but
Jeremiah appeared unaffected, almost amused. “Why, Jon,”
he said. “They have a charm all of their own.”

The
transporter surged forward.

“I
expect there will be more ambush areas ahead,” Jeremiah said.
“Please do not attempt to leave the vehicle again.”

Jon
nodded and carefully made sure his door was locked. During their
journey they were forced to stop another three times before reaching
the borders of Michael’s compound. The delays were almost
welcome as all the arguments in Jon’s head sounded strangely
hollow. The words wouldn’t come because he knew words wouldn’t
be enough. He needed something more.

As
the transporter approached a set of electrified high wired steel
framed gates, Jon realised time had run out. Michael’s compound
lay beyond, a testament to the wealth and power he had amassed in the
decade since the last uprising.

Jon
shivered and absently rubbed his hands together.

Jeremiah
looked over and smiled. “You have nothing to worry about, Jon,
I promise”

The
gates slowly opened and several guards approached, one of them
climbing up to the driver window to peer inside. Jeremiah waved
pleasantly. Jon could not read the expression locked in those
Threshian hourglass eyes, but he imagined it wasn’t friendly.

Jeremiah
retracted the window. “Hello, Seth. Michael is expecting us.”

“You
will surrender the vehicle,” the guard replied. “We will
conduct you to the house on foot.”

“Well,”
Jeremiah said, turning to Jon. “Are you ready?”

“Now,”
the guard ordered.

Jon
nodded, and the two exited the transporter on either side. Jon was
roughly searched and quickly relieved of his gun. The feeling of the
empty holster flapping at his side was not a comforting one. With
guards in front and behind, he and Jeremiah were conducted from the
road to a rocky path uphill. It soon opened out into the ornate and
carefully tended gardens that surrounded Michael’s mansion.

“Permit
me to initiate the negotiations, little brother,” Jeremiah
said. “Michael and I may not be friends, but I believe I have
his respect, if nothing else.”

“Fine,”
Jon replied. The response resulted in a violent shove from one of the
Threshian guards behind them. Jeremiah remained untouched. Perhaps
that was the ‘respect’ he had been referring to.

*

The
mansion was a large marble columned building with three floors, nine
balconies, and an array of stained glass windows depicting scenes
from what Jon presumed to be recent Threshian history. They were
beautiful, the reds, greens and yellows, shining brightly in the
sunlight. Jon briefly wondered if they had been completed by human or
Threshian hand. If completed by the latter, then perhaps the reptiles
truly had evolved.

As
they approached, he noted several of these scenes depicted a
Threshian on all fours in a swamp during an orange sunset. A human
man approached from the left in brown robes carrying a silver collar.
In the following scenes the collar was snapped shut around the
Threshian’s neck and it was helped to stand upright on two
feet. The man raised his hands and sunlight erupted from them. Below
him the Threshian was bowing at his feet.

Jon
had never seen such images before, but he understood it to be a very
basic telling of how the Threshians had been discovered and
subsequently uplifted by humanity. It confused him that Michael so
readily had this story displayed around his home. It didn’t
fit. He had little time to ponder it any further as the guards
happily manhandled him through a large ornate door into a darkened
reception room. He was very aware of a loud ticking clock.