said, heaving another sigh. “The central chamber is damaged nearly beyond repair. I must create new control rods and I can find the material I need in only one place. There is an island to the east, far out to sea. I must find a ship and journey there to obtain the stone. We will need the Ark’s full strength in the years to come. Tomorrow I will return to Cajamarca. Liz and Blair will remain. The rest of you will accompany me.”
“Mother,” Cyntia said, clearing her throat before continuing. “I wish to search for Trevor, the friend we lost during the second wave.”
“This is the one you fear may have fallen prey to the deathless?” the Mother replied, smile melting. She rested a sympathetic hand on Cyntia’s shoulder. “It is possible the man you knew still exists, but that is extremely unlikely. You are most likely to find a shattered husk with no memory of the man he once was. If you must seek your lover then do so, but steel yourself for what might come. The path you choose is difficult to walk.”
“Thank you Mother,” Cyntia replied, eyes falling to her bowl.
“So you want me to go with you?” Jordan asked. It was the most uncomfortable Blair had ever seen him. Not surprising. The Mother had ripped his arms off just a few weeks before.
“Yes,” the Mother said, giving a mischievous smile. “I can smell your fear, but you contain it well. I know you remember well our last encounter, but rest assured, you are one of my children now. I would have you serve as Ka-Dun to Bridget. Ka-Ken need the support of a Ka-Dun and I believe Liz has already laid claim to Blair.”
The table fell silent. Blair’s cheeks heated and he suddenly found his stroganoff very interesting.
Chapter 9- Return to Cajamarca
Jordan slung his pack over his shoulders, cinching the straps around his waist and chest. It carried perhaps two hundred pounds of ordinance, enough to make him the center of a massive fireworks display, should it come anywhere near open flame. He studied his reflection in the mirrored door. His close cropped hair was orderly, his black t-shirt comfortably tight. He looked the same. But he wasn’t.
He’d died back there, torn apart by the Mother when she’d shredded Mohn’s forces. Curiously, of the two hundred people she’d killed he was the only werewolf to be found. There were many sets of tracks leading away, but he had no idea where the others had gone or why. Perhaps it was some animal instinct, some survival reflex that made them flee a predator like the Mother. One he apparently lacked.
He touched the smooth stone door and it slid silently open, revealing the colorful corridor he was already growing used to. He strode boldly down the western passage, passing small diamond-shaped lights every ten feet. They afforded an excellent view of the hieroglyphs, though he appreciated them more for the tactical knowledge they might provide than any beauty they might possess. Many recounted battles with the zombies.
“Jordan,” Blair called, trotting towards him. He pulled up a few feet away. “So you and Bridget are heading out with the Mother this morning?”
“Back to Cajamarca, yeah,” he said, falling in beside Blair. The pair made their way towards their hastily erected mess. So odd to be walking next to someone he’d battled to the death only a week before. “Hopefully we can find more survivors and get them to the church. No idea if any will accept her offer, but I suspect a few will be desperate enough to try.”
“Let’s hope so. We’re going to need all the help we can get,” Blair replied. They entered the mess to find everyone else already there.
“Morning,” Bridget called, giving a little wave. She was sitting next to Liz, whose hair was loose today. It looked good on her. The Mother sat across from them, cross-legged on the bench. She ate nothing, eyeing the food distastefully. There was no sign of Cyntia, but Jordan could smell her. She’d probably just
“Mother,” Cyntia said, clearing her throat before continuing. “I wish to search for Trevor, the friend we lost during the second wave.”
“This is the one you fear may have fallen prey to the deathless?” the Mother replied, smile melting. She rested a sympathetic hand on Cyntia’s shoulder. “It is possible the man you knew still exists, but that is extremely unlikely. You are most likely to find a shattered husk with no memory of the man he once was. If you must seek your lover then do so, but steel yourself for what might come. The path you choose is difficult to walk.”
“Thank you Mother,” Cyntia replied, eyes falling to her bowl.
“So you want me to go with you?” Jordan asked. It was the most uncomfortable Blair had ever seen him. Not surprising. The Mother had ripped his arms off just a few weeks before.
“Yes,” the Mother said, giving a mischievous smile. “I can smell your fear, but you contain it well. I know you remember well our last encounter, but rest assured, you are one of my children now. I would have you serve as Ka-Dun to Bridget. Ka-Ken need the support of a Ka-Dun and I believe Liz has already laid claim to Blair.”
The table fell silent. Blair’s cheeks heated and he suddenly found his stroganoff very interesting.
Chapter 9- Return to Cajamarca
Jordan slung his pack over his shoulders, cinching the straps around his waist and chest. It carried perhaps two hundred pounds of ordinance, enough to make him the center of a massive fireworks display, should it come anywhere near open flame. He studied his reflection in the mirrored door. His close cropped hair was orderly, his black t-shirt comfortably tight. He looked the same. But he wasn’t.
He’d died back there, torn apart by the Mother when she’d shredded Mohn’s forces. Curiously, of the two hundred people she’d killed he was the only werewolf to be found. There were many sets of tracks leading away, but he had no idea where the others had gone or why. Perhaps it was some animal instinct, some survival reflex that made them flee a predator like the Mother. One he apparently lacked.
He touched the smooth stone door and it slid silently open, revealing the colorful corridor he was already growing used to. He strode boldly down the western passage, passing small diamond-shaped lights every ten feet. They afforded an excellent view of the hieroglyphs, though he appreciated them more for the tactical knowledge they might provide than any beauty they might possess. Many recounted battles with the zombies.
“Jordan,” Blair called, trotting towards him. He pulled up a few feet away. “So you and Bridget are heading out with the Mother this morning?”
“Back to Cajamarca, yeah,” he said, falling in beside Blair. The pair made their way towards their hastily erected mess. So odd to be walking next to someone he’d battled to the death only a week before. “Hopefully we can find more survivors and get them to the church. No idea if any will accept her offer, but I suspect a few will be desperate enough to try.”
“Let’s hope so. We’re going to need all the help we can get,” Blair replied. They entered the mess to find everyone else already there.
“Morning,” Bridget called, giving a little wave. She was sitting next to Liz, whose hair was loose today. It looked good on her. The Mother sat across from them, cross-legged on the bench. She ate nothing, eyeing the food distastefully. There was no sign of Cyntia, but Jordan could smell her. She’d probably just
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