Tridas (19 page)

"What?"

"I just want to know how
far ahead of him we are as I coordinate with the helo lift out to our warship
off the coast in international waters”. Hoyt justified his question.

"When I focus on Sihamuni,
I simply see flashes of him with the soccer team. No definitive landmarks".

"So that's how it works,
you just focus on your subject and Wa La?"

"Wa La what?" Kava
was now rather agitated.

"How your clairvoyant, ESP
vision quest works”. Hoyt popped, flippant as always.

"Maybe we should talk
about something else”. Kava was growing impatient by the second.

"I was just curious”, sheepishly.

"Just make sure all the
details are in place, when we land. I don't want any delays out to the
island".

Kava lifted her headphones on
and returned to her texts with Aven, blocking out Hoyt as he attended to their
travel arrangements.

KAVA: Scout some nice beaches
for us in Malaysia?

AVEN: The beach with you sounds
perfect... what bikini will you be wearing?

KAVA: I hear the beaches are
very private... ;)

AVEN: No bikini then! I'm
liking Malaysia more and more!

KAVA: Me too! Especially since
I am just hours away from the arid, dare I say polar temps of the Patagonia. I
thought we agreed no more winter vacations!

AVEN: Ha Ha Ha... glad to hear
you consider these trips as vacations. You be safe. I love you.

KAVA: No trip is a true
vacation without you! You be safe too. Yours forever.

Kava drifted off to sleep for
the remainder of the trip. She was awakened abruptly by the rough landing. Slowing
down a jet traveling at 1334 mph takes a couple of hard contacts on the runway
before the shoots deploy to even have a chance to slow the aircraft.

"Bumpy, but fast".
Hoyt offered up as they came to a gradual stop.

"Just like you like it
huh?" Kava quipped. Hoyt looked a little shocked.

"What? You think you are
the only one with a sense of humor".

Stepping towards the jet way,
the air was even more crisp than Kava had imagined. A shiver shot through her
body.

"What did you expect? We
are arguably in the most southerly city of the world, after you". Hoyt
gestured for her to go ahead.

"Always the consummate
gentleman when it comes to ushering a poor girl out into the frigid cold I
see".

"Trained in the masterful
arts. I appreciate you noticing". Hoyt puffed up.

"You are lucky Aven isn't
here. Where are our coats?"

"Parkas to the left,
full-on snow suits to the right". Hoyt always the jester.

Kava lifted the safety handle
on the compartment to the left and was pleased if not completely elated to
actually see Parkas, fur lined hoods and all. She donned the coat, raised the
hood over her head and quickly zipped in the warmth.

"It's not like we are
trekking to Antarctica". Hoyt laughed.

"Night time temps go below
20, might as well be Antarctica for my Seattle blood. Point me towards the
Starbucks".

"We will grab some coffee
and then ride sleds to the helicopter landing pad". Hoyt said still
smiling.

"Coffee and sleds, add
some Fireball and it sounds like my family winters." Kava said under her
breath. Hoyt completely missed it.

The helicopter was relatively
close by sled, but the blades were stirring up the snow creating a raging
blizzard. There was not a moment of hesitation as Kava brought the sled to an
abrupt stop and shot into the chopper. They were airborne immediately. She
grabbed the headset to muffle the noise. The earpieces as well as the compact
quarters held heat nicely. What might have felt like confined quarters,
suddenly felt cozy.

The coms went live, as the
pilot spoke into the microphone, "Naval Station Mayport, this is Iroquois
1. I am in possession of the pearl and her escort. We are in the sky, please
advise on final coordinates for warship drop”.

"This is Rear Admiral Alliance,
Southern Command for the U.S. Fourth Fleet. The USS Ronald Reagan and Carrier
Strike Group Nine are deployed in your area on loan from the Third Fleet. The
USS Fletcher has been dismissed from destroyer squadron five, is off the Tierra
del Fuego coastline at 54 S 72 W and waiting your arrival".

Kava de-pressed the button on
her headset, so only Hoyt could hear her comments, "Good work pulling this
little trip together so quickly. Sounds like you carry some weight in your
circles".

"Anything to save the
world", Hoyt replied back in his cynical tone.

"If I'm the pearl, does
that make you the clam?" Almost snorting she was laughing so hard. Hoyt
had no comeback.

The flight to the destroyer was
short. It would carry them to international water near the Sandwich Islands
coastline. The chopper would be refueled and ready for aerial exploration of Zavodovski Island at first light.

Kava studied the images she had
saved to her computer of recent sonar maps identifying the biological hotpots
on the island. The scientific implications of the discovery of these huge
volcanoes rising from the seafloor were intriguing, but she ultimately believed
the real truth would come from a spiritual connection once she touched foot on
the surface of the island. She checked the bars on her cell – only one. She
sent what would likely be the last text to Aven.

KAVA: I miss you. Hearing you
sigh as I lay next to you and falling into your arms makes me feel so safe. You
are the safe place for me to land.

AVEN: I will never deserve you,
but I am so thankful you love me. Please rest today. You are my world. I need
you to be safe. I hope my love leaves you a little more refreshed this morning.

The island was completely
barren, except for the huge colony of chin strap penguins. They surveyed all
six points of the island, flying over the large crater in multiple sweeps. It
was decided Acrid Point was the safest landing spot to begin the exploration of
the hotspots. Kava and Hoyt would set up a base camp at the foot of the main
basin. Kava believed the cavity itself might be her true point of connection.
Descending, the air became pungent and upon opening the helicopter doors the
fumes became, even more bitter. They had prepared themselves with masks, but
the stench was more noxious than anticipated.

"This place Reeks”. Hoyt
proclaimed, muffled by his mask.

"That says a lot, coming
from you". Kava had become comfortable with Hoyt, like a lost brother,
enjoying his company, but in controlled spurts. They gathered the rest of their
supplies quickly and the helicopter was airborne again before any ice damage
could set in. They could alert the chopper by flare, but there was no set time
in play for their return. Kava didn't know how long it would take to gather the
information she needed.

Hoyt and Kava began setting up the
base camp, a traditional system for any summit exploration. They were traveling
lean, but their equipment was designed for the harsh conditions. The igloo like
tent was built to withstand merciless conditions in the Himalayas. Hoyt hoped
it could simply buffer the strong smell. The cold was actually more bearable.

"Let's start the
ascent". Kava eagerly instructed. The strato volcano Mount
Asphyxia was only 1,808 feet, but except for a
handful of boulders, the face was a sheer cliff of tephra making the hike a bit
more strenuous.

Hoyt pulled
out a launcher and a grappling hook straight out of
Flash Gordon.
"Ready
when you are".

"This
isn't much higher than Little Si, a trail I run back in Seattle. Do you think
that is really necessary?"

Gesturing to
the volcano, Hoyt replied, "Is your little hike straight up?"

"Actually
it is switchback, straight up the mountainside. But I know,
boys with their
toys..."

Hoyt fired
the hook, good way up the slope. Although the tephra had some natural terraces
in the wall from the lava flow, Kava did appreciate the taunt rope to leverage
and maintain her balance. Even just a few minutes in they could feel the
temperature increase as they neared the crater mouth. Temptation to remove the
fire retardant garb was high, but random spews of smoke from the volcano made
the discomfort somehow more acceptable. The snow started to feel mushy and the
melt was actually creating a rather slick yet soft surface. They kicked off
their crampons, to opt for the traction of their boots. Visibility was limited
by the thickness of their masks, but the fumes would be suffocating without.

"There
is a strong spiritual presence as we climb higher". Kava explained over
the com link in her helmet. "Wait here. I will complete the final summit
solo".

Hoyt fell
back onto the snow placing his arms behind his neck, striking the pose of
lounging on the beach, "Go get what you came for Sweetie".

Kava had a
gesture for her guardian companion, but it was lost in her high terrain lobster
mittens. Hoyt still got the point as his boisterous laugh filled her earpiece.
"Make yourself comfortable".

Proceeding
to the crater edge, she could feel the now common trance opening her
consciousness to a greater world. Kava could see images of the end game, of
Sihamuni and Captain Vasily. Suddenly everything went dark. She felt herself
falling towards the mouth of the crater. Quickly spinning, incorporating
falling techniques she had learned from a tumbling class, Kava tucked and
hooked her legs. She landed hard, partially dangling, but more shocking was the
sight of Hoyt recoiling from striking her with the butt end of his launcher. He
tossed the device to the side and came at her switchblade in hand. Assuming her
unconscious behind the mask, he did not expect her foot to his chest as he
attempted to deliver his fatal stab. She used his weight against him as the
momentum flipped him to the ground. She pulled herself to her feet. Hoyt was
winded. He had not expected a struggle and the surprise had given him little time
to brace his fall, but he was a trained professional. Hoyt departmentalized the
pain and Kava used the extra moment to separate herself from her recent enemy.
Her adrenaline was pumping and in this place her natural powers were at full
capacity. She was ready. Hoyt had missed his opportunity and now he would pay
for it, but not until she fully understood this turn of events.

326 B.C.

Kavani had
spent the last few months giving herself minute doses of the aconite nectar,
unbeknownst to Antipater, in an attempt to build immunity, similar to the Irpini
Tribe. The life giving potential captivated her mind. She carefully saturated
thorns of the medicinal acacia shrub with the nectar and then pricked her skin
with the thorn. She believed the healing condensed tannins of the acacia would
counter the toxin, yet still enter her bloodstream and the thorn proved the
perfect instrument for injection. She apparently was right, since she had not
seen any ill effects from months of increased exposure.

She knew the
toxin alone would not produce the result she was seeking. An incantation
combined with the strongest, but still safe portion of aconite was necessary to
preserve life. Pouring over manuscripts from Babylon, Greece and Egypt she
believed an answer would be revealed.

"Legio's
skills are increasingly impressive". Antipater stated proudly as he burst
into Kavani's tranquil quarters. Covered in sweat and exhausted from the
sparring matches, he collapsed onto a chaise.

"Are
there any other soldiers who can offer him a challenge or is the training
exclusively between the two of you?" Kavani asked as she stepped away to
grab them water.

Antipater
quickly grabbed one of the thorns from her table and stabbed his arm. He had
been doing this for weeks outside of Kavani's watch. "None can match his
natural abilities, but dueling others has proven positive for his mimicking
fighting styles. Trying something unnatural leaves him vulnerable as he
stretches his technique, but soon, nothing will surprise him and every muscle
will be at his disposal, especially his mind”.

Kavani
returned with fresh, cold skins of water. "I'm still nervous for
Alexander's arrival. It is only days away now. Do you fear someone in the crowd
will recognize Legio and raise suspicion?"

"His
helmet will serve as a mask. Besides, Legio is unknown in Rome and my identity
is more a name than a countenance. What about your contingent plan, how goes
the experiments?"

"Still
some missing ingredients”. Kavani answered vaguely.

"So no
chance of turning Legio into a wolf man?" Antipater replied almost
maliciously.

 "I
think you might be a little jealous". Kavani snapped back. "And
perhaps justly... with Legio's fighting prowess, if I was able to give him an
edge – Rome might have a new champion. A new wolf to cheer on".

Antipater
was purposefully downplaying her role in hopes of her not discovering him
exposing himself to the aconite, but her words genuinely hurt. He knew his
earlier tone deserved her cutting remarks, but any rift between them for any
reason left Antipater unsettled.