Ziya to crack the slightest of smiles. Kaihime knew Alli was getting through to the girl. She wished she could so easily interact. But she only knew the concept of human interaction from the television shows she watched from The Aerie. It seemed such behaviors were harder to emulate in reality than they were on the shows. Empathy clearly was a behavior best mastered through interaction rather than simple viewing.
“We are here to help you,” Alli said to the young girl.
This close she seemed even younger than she had before. Ziya chewed at her bottom lip as she studied Kaihime and Alli. Kaihime wished she could have any insight into the girl’s mind.
“Baba and Mama will be worried sick if I leave. They will call the police. They’ll start a manhunt—”
“You can call them after you’re somewhere safe,” Alli said. “But believe me that you don’t want to be here much longer. The police are coming. And our friends in GENESIS didn’t make it on the news when I fought them a week ago. I don’t think the cops will be our friends in this. Maybe I’m wrong and maybe they will take you somewhere safe. But I already know how this town feels about metas. I can only imagine how happy they would be to make you disappear and ship you off with a bunch of paramilitary whackjobs.”
“I—you’re scaring me.”
“Good,” Alli said. “You should be scared, Ziya. Fear will keep you alive. I’m not saying you should run away forever. But I am saying that you need to stay with us. You need to help us. If we’re going to stay free and find my friends, we have to make it clear to GENESIS we will not let them continue to manipulate our lives and make us afraid of our own shadows.”
Ziya stared at Alli and Kaihime. It was clear she was deep in thought. Alli looked to Kaihime. It took Kaihime a few seconds too long to realize she was looking for something else to be said.
“We will do everything we can to get you back to your family,” Kaihime said. “I know how important family is. But right now, we need to move. I have two more names on this list. With or without you, we need to find them. Are you with us or will you stay?”
Ziya looked back to Alli. Alli shrugged. It was clearly a signal, though Kaihime didn’t understand it.
“I’ll come with you,” Ziya said. Her eyes turned cold. “One way or the other, I want to learn why these men attacked me. And I want to make their masters pay.”
Kaihime could only wonder if GENESIS had created a far more dangerous foe than they could have ever imagined.
Showing posts with label Alli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alli. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 24-3
“Need me?” Ziya looked to Alli. “Does all that stuff make her crazy?”
“I—not that I know of.” Alli shrugged. “We haven’t known each other long. But I trust her. She’s proven her knowledge in this more than once. And I’m not going to let anyone take Marilyn, Ian or the others away again. I’m no fighter, Ziya. But sometimes even people like us have to stand up for the greater good. Today’s that day.”
“You keep saying you have a girlfriend. Baba always says women that love other women are the worst kind of infidels. I’m supposed to avoid people like you, lest they corrupt me as well.”
Alli rolled her eyes. “Great, this isn’t what I need.”
Kaihime rested a hand on her Alli’s shoulder. Quietly, she said, “Talk to her. Clearly she understands you better than me.”
Alli nodded, then turned her attention back to Ziya. “I can’t say I haven’t corrupted a few girls in my time, Ziya. But that’s not what we’re here for. I have a girlfriend and you’re a little young to be my type. Also if you’re straight, I’m pretty much out of luck. I don’t know your father, but don’t let outdated bigotry keep you—and him—from safety.”
“I still don’t know. Please, can you just take it away. I don’t want this. I don’t even know how to control it. I can summon the light, but if I get scared, it explodes out of me. I—my house is demolished. How will we ever fix this?”
“Ziya, you need to stay with me.” Alli stepped forward, but the debris shifted beneath her feet. “Please listen to me. Can I come up there? Can we talk more closely? I promise if you want us to leave afterwards, we will.”
Ziya’s skin glowed brighter for a moment. But it faded in just a few short seconds. She nodded.
Alli turned back to Kaihime. “It’s going to be a lot easier if you fly us up the hill. I don’t need to add tetanus to my problems today.”
Kaihime grabbed Alli under the shoulders a moment later. Alli yelped as they came up off the ground. Though their destination was only a few feet away, she acted as though she flew miles up in the air.
Seconds later, Kaihime touched them down on what used to be a hardwood floor. Alli stumbled, clearly a little rattled by the experience of flying.”
“Let’s try not to do that again,” Alli said. She turned back to Ziya. “Like I said, we’re all new at this.”
“I—not that I know of.” Alli shrugged. “We haven’t known each other long. But I trust her. She’s proven her knowledge in this more than once. And I’m not going to let anyone take Marilyn, Ian or the others away again. I’m no fighter, Ziya. But sometimes even people like us have to stand up for the greater good. Today’s that day.”
“You keep saying you have a girlfriend. Baba always says women that love other women are the worst kind of infidels. I’m supposed to avoid people like you, lest they corrupt me as well.”
Alli rolled her eyes. “Great, this isn’t what I need.”
Kaihime rested a hand on her Alli’s shoulder. Quietly, she said, “Talk to her. Clearly she understands you better than me.”
Alli nodded, then turned her attention back to Ziya. “I can’t say I haven’t corrupted a few girls in my time, Ziya. But that’s not what we’re here for. I have a girlfriend and you’re a little young to be my type. Also if you’re straight, I’m pretty much out of luck. I don’t know your father, but don’t let outdated bigotry keep you—and him—from safety.”
“I still don’t know. Please, can you just take it away. I don’t want this. I don’t even know how to control it. I can summon the light, but if I get scared, it explodes out of me. I—my house is demolished. How will we ever fix this?”
“Ziya, you need to stay with me.” Alli stepped forward, but the debris shifted beneath her feet. “Please listen to me. Can I come up there? Can we talk more closely? I promise if you want us to leave afterwards, we will.”
Ziya’s skin glowed brighter for a moment. But it faded in just a few short seconds. She nodded.
Alli turned back to Kaihime. “It’s going to be a lot easier if you fly us up the hill. I don’t need to add tetanus to my problems today.”
Kaihime grabbed Alli under the shoulders a moment later. Alli yelped as they came up off the ground. Though their destination was only a few feet away, she acted as though she flew miles up in the air.
Seconds later, Kaihime touched them down on what used to be a hardwood floor. Alli stumbled, clearly a little rattled by the experience of flying.”
“Let’s try not to do that again,” Alli said. She turned back to Ziya. “Like I said, we’re all new at this.”
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 24-2
Kaihime dropped the shield. She offered a hand to Alli, but the Spirit Cop stood on her own.
“Don’t come any closer,” the young woman yelled. “I already killed your friends. I’ll kill you too if you don’t leave.”
She was clearly Ziya Basara, the woman they sought. But until Kaihime could get an idea of the girl’s powers, she knew she would have to wait.
“Ms. Basara—”
“I promise we’re not with them, Ziya.” As she cut off Kaihime’s words, Alli also took a step forward, putting herself between Ziya and Kaihime. “We came to warn you. To help keep you free.”
“What is this?” Fear was evident on the girl’s face. “What did I do? How am I going to explain this to Baba? He won’t understand. He already doesn’t understand these powers. If he sees this—”
“Your father will be safe,” Kaihime said as she stepped back around Alli. “But you must come with us. If you remain, they will come back for you. Then you could be in real danger.”
“I—please, just make this stop.”
Ziya started to cry. She buried her face in her hands.
Kaihime studied the young woman. Though she wore a fairly traditional hijab over her head and chest, outside the vest, she wore simple American clothes: sneakers, jeans and an oversized sweatshirt emblazoned with S-E-R-C in massive letters. Below the letters in much smaller type, it said Southeast River City High School. It was as Kaihime feared. The girl was much younger than they.
“I’m sorry,” Kaihime said. “It cannot stop. They will keep coming until they have you, or we can stand up to GENESIS together. I know this is not a decision to be made with ease. I know your life has changed suddenly and horribly, but you need to come with us.”
“I don’t even know you. How do I know you’re any better than those men with guns?”
“Because we’re like you. Alli and I have faced GENESIS before. Look at me. They turned me into this. They saved my life in the process, but I am still a woman that can never have a normal life. They tried to take Alli’s girlfriend for their experiments as well. We are together, not because of choice, but because of necessity. Alli’s friends are missing again. They could be anywhere. GENESIS could already have them. And I hate to say this to one so young, but if we’re going to beat them, we need you.”
“Don’t come any closer,” the young woman yelled. “I already killed your friends. I’ll kill you too if you don’t leave.”
She was clearly Ziya Basara, the woman they sought. But until Kaihime could get an idea of the girl’s powers, she knew she would have to wait.
“Ms. Basara—”
“I promise we’re not with them, Ziya.” As she cut off Kaihime’s words, Alli also took a step forward, putting herself between Ziya and Kaihime. “We came to warn you. To help keep you free.”
“What is this?” Fear was evident on the girl’s face. “What did I do? How am I going to explain this to Baba? He won’t understand. He already doesn’t understand these powers. If he sees this—”
“Your father will be safe,” Kaihime said as she stepped back around Alli. “But you must come with us. If you remain, they will come back for you. Then you could be in real danger.”
“I—please, just make this stop.”
Ziya started to cry. She buried her face in her hands.
Kaihime studied the young woman. Though she wore a fairly traditional hijab over her head and chest, outside the vest, she wore simple American clothes: sneakers, jeans and an oversized sweatshirt emblazoned with S-E-R-C in massive letters. Below the letters in much smaller type, it said Southeast River City High School. It was as Kaihime feared. The girl was much younger than they.
“I’m sorry,” Kaihime said. “It cannot stop. They will keep coming until they have you, or we can stand up to GENESIS together. I know this is not a decision to be made with ease. I know your life has changed suddenly and horribly, but you need to come with us.”
“I don’t even know you. How do I know you’re any better than those men with guns?”
“Because we’re like you. Alli and I have faced GENESIS before. Look at me. They turned me into this. They saved my life in the process, but I am still a woman that can never have a normal life. They tried to take Alli’s girlfriend for their experiments as well. We are together, not because of choice, but because of necessity. Alli’s friends are missing again. They could be anywhere. GENESIS could already have them. And I hate to say this to one so young, but if we’re going to beat them, we need you.”
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 24. Kaihime
Kaihime’s cybernetics gave her reflexes just above a normal human. If it wasn’t for that reaction time either she or Alli could have been seriously injured. She quickly threw up a force shield just as the shockwave from the explosion hit them. Her teeth rattled, but she was alive as the billow of dust and smoke surrounded them.
Alli looked up at her, the shock apparent in the other woman’s eyes. She clearly didn’t grasp they were in a war. People would get hurt. GENESIS wouldn’t rest until they had what they wanted.
“What the hell happened?” Alli choked as she delivered the words.
The air was still filled with dirt and soot despite the field around them. Kaihime’s shields were meant to allow oxygen through. Clearly they weren’t perfect for blocking the aftermath of an explosion. Still, the alternative seemed much worse.
The circuits around her neck shifted and formed a rebreather over her mouth, complete with a voice modulator.
“For some reason, the home exploded as we approached. Whether it was GENESIS or the young woman we seek, I cannot answer.”
“GENESIS is already here?” She coughed again, but this time she clearly breathed through it.
The air was clearing as the smoke slowly wafted off the damage from the house. Still the billowing clouds around them made sight almost impossible.
“They could very well have the same information we have. We don’t know how far into the Codex they have accessed. We’re honestly lucky GENESIS’s private army hadn’t went after them as soon as they failed to take your friends.
“Fuck,” Alli said. “We’re already too late.”
“Not necessarily.”
Kaihime pointed through the smoke ahead of them. Though vision was still limited, a single female form seemed to glow from the other side of the damage. She was thin, barely a slip of a woman. As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, they could see she was barely a woman at all. She looked much younger than Kaihime was herself, barely eighteen if even that. Everyone else GENESIS was after had at least reached their twenties. She wasn’t sure what to make of the young woman in front of them.
From here, they could also see the armored men at her feet. Though their flak jackets and helmets were burned and cracked, their uniforms were easily recognizable. Whatever had happened here, GENESIS had indeed beat them to the punch.
Alli looked up at her, the shock apparent in the other woman’s eyes. She clearly didn’t grasp they were in a war. People would get hurt. GENESIS wouldn’t rest until they had what they wanted.
“What the hell happened?” Alli choked as she delivered the words.
The air was still filled with dirt and soot despite the field around them. Kaihime’s shields were meant to allow oxygen through. Clearly they weren’t perfect for blocking the aftermath of an explosion. Still, the alternative seemed much worse.
The circuits around her neck shifted and formed a rebreather over her mouth, complete with a voice modulator.
“For some reason, the home exploded as we approached. Whether it was GENESIS or the young woman we seek, I cannot answer.”
“GENESIS is already here?” She coughed again, but this time she clearly breathed through it.
The air was clearing as the smoke slowly wafted off the damage from the house. Still the billowing clouds around them made sight almost impossible.
“They could very well have the same information we have. We don’t know how far into the Codex they have accessed. We’re honestly lucky GENESIS’s private army hadn’t went after them as soon as they failed to take your friends.
“Fuck,” Alli said. “We’re already too late.”
“Not necessarily.”
Kaihime pointed through the smoke ahead of them. Though vision was still limited, a single female form seemed to glow from the other side of the damage. She was thin, barely a slip of a woman. As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, they could see she was barely a woman at all. She looked much younger than Kaihime was herself, barely eighteen if even that. Everyone else GENESIS was after had at least reached their twenties. She wasn’t sure what to make of the young woman in front of them.
From here, they could also see the armored men at her feet. Though their flak jackets and helmets were burned and cracked, their uniforms were easily recognizable. Whatever had happened here, GENESIS had indeed beat them to the punch.
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20-6
Alli fell silent as she brought the Spirit Mobile around another corner, she saw the beginnings of Watt Hill. The aging infrastructure marked the community’s history, but the large project housing towering over the classic buildings most symbolized the neighborhood. Run down in the fifty years since they were built, they were festering pits where innocence died in the face of brutal gang warfare.
While other neighborhoods in the city were gentrified into something livable, Watt Hill seemed to be confined more and more, a cut off area of the city where the criminal element could dwell away from the ‘upstanding’ parts of the city. Alli knew that to be a joke, but it was the kind of fairy tale that allowed River City’s residents to sleep a bit easier at night.
King Drive was fairly well maintained up until it hit the edge of the Hill. From there, it started to degrade into a series of bigger and bigger potholes. The city would quickly black top over them every few years, but even the transit board had given up on the area for the most part. As soon as she turned off King Drive and onto Willow Avenue, the streets were so damaged she might as well be driving on gravel. She slowed down to spare the Spirit Mobile’s suspension, but the ominous figures on the edges of the street made her worried.
It also made her feel bad. Watt Hill was mostly a black neighborhood, with populations of Arabian and Eastern European immigrants mixed in. She knew she shouldn’t assume violent behavior from everyone here. She knew most of the Hill’s residents were basically good people, but she also watched the news. Bad things happened daily in the Hill with random murders and drug related violence being a regular occurrence.
She kept an eye on house numbers s she moved down Willow Avenue. Ziya’s address was a few blocks off the regular route, but she saw it was just ahead on her right. She found a parking spot just a few houses down and pulled the Spirit Mobile in. With a deep breath, she turned off the car’s engine and opened her door. Kaihime followed her.
They reached the end of the walkway to the rundown two story bungalow just as some kind of light flashed inside. Alli noticed the door was askew, hanging open and broken on the top hinge. She started to say something, but never got a chance.
Blinding light ripped from the windows of the house and turned the world white around them. It washed over them both even as they heard the sound of the house exploding before them. Alli didn’t even have time to scream before a wooden plank struck her and sent her sprawling to the ground.
While other neighborhoods in the city were gentrified into something livable, Watt Hill seemed to be confined more and more, a cut off area of the city where the criminal element could dwell away from the ‘upstanding’ parts of the city. Alli knew that to be a joke, but it was the kind of fairy tale that allowed River City’s residents to sleep a bit easier at night.
King Drive was fairly well maintained up until it hit the edge of the Hill. From there, it started to degrade into a series of bigger and bigger potholes. The city would quickly black top over them every few years, but even the transit board had given up on the area for the most part. As soon as she turned off King Drive and onto Willow Avenue, the streets were so damaged she might as well be driving on gravel. She slowed down to spare the Spirit Mobile’s suspension, but the ominous figures on the edges of the street made her worried.
It also made her feel bad. Watt Hill was mostly a black neighborhood, with populations of Arabian and Eastern European immigrants mixed in. She knew she shouldn’t assume violent behavior from everyone here. She knew most of the Hill’s residents were basically good people, but she also watched the news. Bad things happened daily in the Hill with random murders and drug related violence being a regular occurrence.
She kept an eye on house numbers s she moved down Willow Avenue. Ziya’s address was a few blocks off the regular route, but she saw it was just ahead on her right. She found a parking spot just a few houses down and pulled the Spirit Mobile in. With a deep breath, she turned off the car’s engine and opened her door. Kaihime followed her.
They reached the end of the walkway to the rundown two story bungalow just as some kind of light flashed inside. Alli noticed the door was askew, hanging open and broken on the top hinge. She started to say something, but never got a chance.
Blinding light ripped from the windows of the house and turned the world white around them. It washed over them both even as they heard the sound of the house exploding before them. Alli didn’t even have time to scream before a wooden plank struck her and sent her sprawling to the ground.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20-5
Alli shook her head. “So what are you saying? Someone out there has distributed this information? Why?”
Kaihime shrugged. “I do not have that answer. Whoever or whatever did it, they’ve never left any clues to their origins or their ability to manipulate the internet at the level they showed when they erased the file from every source. Such a thing shouldn’t have been possible, yet it happened, making the Shadow Codex barely a myth on the modern web. But I recognize the coding of the first levels of the files. It cannot be anything other than the Codex. Mother and Father didn’t know, but I accessed the Codex when I first started to test my cybernetics. I would recognize it anywhere, even if I hadn’t been able to access the time locked files at the time.”
“It still doesn’t make sense. How can this file have information about the others before most of them were born?”
“Nothing about the Shadow Codex makes rational sense, Alli. I can only guess some kind of metahuman is responsible for it. But how they gained the knowledge or why they chose to distribute it the way they did is a complete mystery, even to me.”
Alli didn’t know what else to say. Her stories of the Court of Shadows and GENESIS were hard to believe, but grounded in reality. But this Shadow Codex seemed impossible. It would take an oracle with access to technology beyond even the most invasive government in the world. She couldn’t wrap her head around what that could mean. If what Kaihime said was true, her entire life could be an open book to this mysterious figure, from her birth to her death. She felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought.
“You seem worried,” Kaihime said. “At least I think you do. I’m still not good with emotional responses.”
“No. Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know. I just can’t fathom the idea of some kind of internet oracle without a bit of trepidation. It’s a terrifying idea.”
“You amuse me, Allison Finch. You fear the unknown, but you surround your entire life with it. I do understand this dichotomy, yet it fascinates me.”
“I guess I’m glad for you. At least one of us should be happy.”
“Happiness is relative. But I am excited to live life among real people, even if it means a battle for the very existence of mankind. GENESIS must be stopped.”
Kaihime shrugged. “I do not have that answer. Whoever or whatever did it, they’ve never left any clues to their origins or their ability to manipulate the internet at the level they showed when they erased the file from every source. Such a thing shouldn’t have been possible, yet it happened, making the Shadow Codex barely a myth on the modern web. But I recognize the coding of the first levels of the files. It cannot be anything other than the Codex. Mother and Father didn’t know, but I accessed the Codex when I first started to test my cybernetics. I would recognize it anywhere, even if I hadn’t been able to access the time locked files at the time.”
“It still doesn’t make sense. How can this file have information about the others before most of them were born?”
“Nothing about the Shadow Codex makes rational sense, Alli. I can only guess some kind of metahuman is responsible for it. But how they gained the knowledge or why they chose to distribute it the way they did is a complete mystery, even to me.”
Alli didn’t know what else to say. Her stories of the Court of Shadows and GENESIS were hard to believe, but grounded in reality. But this Shadow Codex seemed impossible. It would take an oracle with access to technology beyond even the most invasive government in the world. She couldn’t wrap her head around what that could mean. If what Kaihime said was true, her entire life could be an open book to this mysterious figure, from her birth to her death. She felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought.
“You seem worried,” Kaihime said. “At least I think you do. I’m still not good with emotional responses.”
“No. Yeah. Maybe. I don’t know. I just can’t fathom the idea of some kind of internet oracle without a bit of trepidation. It’s a terrifying idea.”
“You amuse me, Allison Finch. You fear the unknown, but you surround your entire life with it. I do understand this dichotomy, yet it fascinates me.”
“I guess I’m glad for you. At least one of us should be happy.”
“Happiness is relative. But I am excited to live life among real people, even if it means a battle for the very existence of mankind. GENESIS must be stopped.”
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20-4
Alli grabbed the keys to the Spirit-Mobile “Alright, you win. Let’s go. But I want answers.”
A minute later, they were streaking back out onto the darkening city streets, on their way to an address a bit too close to a previous visit. This Ziya lived not far from the shop they first encountered Smith, a seeming ally that was secretly the Greek god Hermes. She doubted they were off to meet another deity in disguise, but the neighborhood was choppy at best. Going there this late in the evening could come with trouble.
As she cut from Hoover Avenue to MLK Drive, she glanced Kaihime’s way. The cyborg didn’t meet her eyes. This was body language Alli could understand. She didn’t know why Kaihime wasn’t comfortable with sharing this specific piece of information after all she revealed about Doppelganger’s employers.
“Why don’t you want to tell me about the flash drive? What do you know about it?”
“I do not know that much. It was something of a legend among my parents and their peers. They called it the Shadow Codex. It appeared on certain bulletin boards back in 1985, long before the internet was a common concept to anyone. At the time it had several more layers, layers which have vanished over time. The first layer contained information on the Court of Shadows itself, which drew the ire of the higher echelon of the court. They sought to eradicate it from everywhere it was placed, even wiping out entire boards in order to erase it. But it kept popping up again and again. They couldn’t edit it nor could they stop it from appearing. So they set out to take control of the early internet. But they didn’t understand the anarchic nature of those boards. Many early adopters were already terribly paranoid of government oversight, so they only managed to disseminate the information even wider.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t everyone know about the Court of Shadows then?”
“Agents of the Court realized they couldn’t stop the information no matter how hard they tried. Instead they created bundles of false information, similar to the Shadow Codex. They were basically games built for hackers and cryptographers, but were far easier to unlock than the true Codex. By the time the world wide web started to take over for the boards, they were basically considered all works of fiction. Then the Shadow Codex disappeared entirely in early 1995. Again the Court didn’t know how such a thing was possible, but they maintained a copy for their own records. They’ve researched it ever since, even as time locked portions of it suddenly started to open. That’s the only reason they have your records. They were never able to open more than a few bits of information on their own. And so it sat until your friend Ian stole the information from them.”
A minute later, they were streaking back out onto the darkening city streets, on their way to an address a bit too close to a previous visit. This Ziya lived not far from the shop they first encountered Smith, a seeming ally that was secretly the Greek god Hermes. She doubted they were off to meet another deity in disguise, but the neighborhood was choppy at best. Going there this late in the evening could come with trouble.
As she cut from Hoover Avenue to MLK Drive, she glanced Kaihime’s way. The cyborg didn’t meet her eyes. This was body language Alli could understand. She didn’t know why Kaihime wasn’t comfortable with sharing this specific piece of information after all she revealed about Doppelganger’s employers.
“Why don’t you want to tell me about the flash drive? What do you know about it?”
“I do not know that much. It was something of a legend among my parents and their peers. They called it the Shadow Codex. It appeared on certain bulletin boards back in 1985, long before the internet was a common concept to anyone. At the time it had several more layers, layers which have vanished over time. The first layer contained information on the Court of Shadows itself, which drew the ire of the higher echelon of the court. They sought to eradicate it from everywhere it was placed, even wiping out entire boards in order to erase it. But it kept popping up again and again. They couldn’t edit it nor could they stop it from appearing. So they set out to take control of the early internet. But they didn’t understand the anarchic nature of those boards. Many early adopters were already terribly paranoid of government oversight, so they only managed to disseminate the information even wider.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t everyone know about the Court of Shadows then?”
“Agents of the Court realized they couldn’t stop the information no matter how hard they tried. Instead they created bundles of false information, similar to the Shadow Codex. They were basically games built for hackers and cryptographers, but were far easier to unlock than the true Codex. By the time the world wide web started to take over for the boards, they were basically considered all works of fiction. Then the Shadow Codex disappeared entirely in early 1995. Again the Court didn’t know how such a thing was possible, but they maintained a copy for their own records. They’ve researched it ever since, even as time locked portions of it suddenly started to open. That’s the only reason they have your records. They were never able to open more than a few bits of information on their own. And so it sat until your friend Ian stole the information from them.”
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20-3
A minute later, Kaihime turned around with a knowing nod. “There, I’ve got access. I will call the information up on the screen so that you can read it.”
A simple desktop folder appeared on the screen. It contained three text files. One was marked List while the others were simply called A and B.
“I’ve scanned them all. No sign of viruses. List looks the most promising however.”
Without touching the keyboard, Kaihime opened up the file called List. A text window filled the screen. The three entries were quite basic, simply names and addresses of three more River City residents. It looked exactly like the list Ian pulled Marilyn and the others’ names from. She recognized all the streets, but none of the names. Still she read them out loud, her eyes narrowed in curiosity.
“Ziya Basara. Eliasz Kucharski. Hope Le Roi. Doesn’t give us anything else to go on. How can we be sure they can help us?”
“We can’t,” Kaihime said. “But we know they are names chosen for a reason. They were hidden on here for a reason. We must have faith those reasons will help us find a way to stop GENESIS.”
“Look, Kaihime. You’ve asked me to take way too much on faith already. But you act like this drive is some kind of oracle. You already said it was written before we were even born. None of that makes any sense. You can’t have me believe—”
“Does speaking with ghosts make any sense? Yet a Spirit Cop exists in this city to help people commune with the lost. How about a woman hidden beneath a city development, surrounded by the corpses of people missing for fifty years. Or a Greek god walking among humanity while his family live quietly in Rhode Island. Are any of your stories so far beyond belief that you cannot believe what I tell you?”
“I—I don’t know. Look, my life has been nothing but a giant complication for the last week. I lost my best friend. My girlfriend has disappeared on me not once, but twice. All I need is some answers. Where did these files come from?”
Kaihime withdrew the filaments from the computer and turned towards Alli. Her face was a puzzle as she studied Alli’s own. The cyborg offered very little expression to indicate at all what she was thinking.
“You will have your answers, but we will have to talk about it as we go. We must find these people before GENESIS does. We have the drive now, but there’s no way to know how much of the information they were able to copy, encrypted or not.”
A simple desktop folder appeared on the screen. It contained three text files. One was marked List while the others were simply called A and B.
“I’ve scanned them all. No sign of viruses. List looks the most promising however.”
Without touching the keyboard, Kaihime opened up the file called List. A text window filled the screen. The three entries were quite basic, simply names and addresses of three more River City residents. It looked exactly like the list Ian pulled Marilyn and the others’ names from. She recognized all the streets, but none of the names. Still she read them out loud, her eyes narrowed in curiosity.
“Ziya Basara. Eliasz Kucharski. Hope Le Roi. Doesn’t give us anything else to go on. How can we be sure they can help us?”
“We can’t,” Kaihime said. “But we know they are names chosen for a reason. They were hidden on here for a reason. We must have faith those reasons will help us find a way to stop GENESIS.”
“Look, Kaihime. You’ve asked me to take way too much on faith already. But you act like this drive is some kind of oracle. You already said it was written before we were even born. None of that makes any sense. You can’t have me believe—”
“Does speaking with ghosts make any sense? Yet a Spirit Cop exists in this city to help people commune with the lost. How about a woman hidden beneath a city development, surrounded by the corpses of people missing for fifty years. Or a Greek god walking among humanity while his family live quietly in Rhode Island. Are any of your stories so far beyond belief that you cannot believe what I tell you?”
“I—I don’t know. Look, my life has been nothing but a giant complication for the last week. I lost my best friend. My girlfriend has disappeared on me not once, but twice. All I need is some answers. Where did these files come from?”
Kaihime withdrew the filaments from the computer and turned towards Alli. Her face was a puzzle as she studied Alli’s own. The cyborg offered very little expression to indicate at all what she was thinking.
“You will have your answers, but we will have to talk about it as we go. We must find these people before GENESIS does. We have the drive now, but there’s no way to know how much of the information they were able to copy, encrypted or not.”
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20-2
Alli didn’t care for how Kaihime brushed off the question, but the cyborg didn’t pay attention to her annoyance. Her focus turned to the computer. Kaihime worked her fingers across the keyboard, but even as she did so, thin strands of wiring emerged from beneath her blouse. They snaked into every access point on the computer tower. Alli felt her skin crawl at the sight of it, but she restrained herself from stepping between her new ally as she went to work.
The screen flickered across several screens as Kaihime worked. It quickly switched to a run menu as Kaihime started to input hundreds of DOS commands faster than Alli’s eyes could follow. She was no computer expert by any means, but she didn’t understand the first thing Kaihime was doing.
I’ve came this far already. I might as well trust her now.
“What are you doing? This all looks like gibberish to me.”
“I’m accessing the encryption of the files. It is set in layers, each one more complicated than the last. The keys are different for each one, and in order to access each, I have to first unlock the one before it. It is an ingenious system, designed by a master cryptographer. The first two layers are already open, the ones containing your friends’ names as well as the second layer with information on Ian and the man you knew as Smith. The third layer seems harder to access than it actual is. The key here is a complicated substitution cipher, but I am already well on my way to unlocking it. Give me just a moment longer.”
Alli didn’t even know what to say to most of that. She only knew what cryptography was from movies. She certainly didn’t have any clue on the nature of how to use it, nor of breaking codes. She didn’t have a clue what a substitution cipher was, nor did Kaihime seem to have any intention of explaining it. The mysterious woman certainly was knowledgeable, but she didn’t seem to understand most people didn’t know as much as she did. It made her talk over people easily, and did little to make Alli feel like an intellectual equal. She had to remind herself Kaihime didn’t do it on purpose. Her knowledge of human interaction was based on television and film, far from reality.
Cut her some slack and remember I’m smarter than I feel right now.
The screen flickered across several screens as Kaihime worked. It quickly switched to a run menu as Kaihime started to input hundreds of DOS commands faster than Alli’s eyes could follow. She was no computer expert by any means, but she didn’t understand the first thing Kaihime was doing.
I’ve came this far already. I might as well trust her now.
“What are you doing? This all looks like gibberish to me.”
“I’m accessing the encryption of the files. It is set in layers, each one more complicated than the last. The keys are different for each one, and in order to access each, I have to first unlock the one before it. It is an ingenious system, designed by a master cryptographer. The first two layers are already open, the ones containing your friends’ names as well as the second layer with information on Ian and the man you knew as Smith. The third layer seems harder to access than it actual is. The key here is a complicated substitution cipher, but I am already well on my way to unlocking it. Give me just a moment longer.”
Alli didn’t even know what to say to most of that. She only knew what cryptography was from movies. She certainly didn’t have any clue on the nature of how to use it, nor of breaking codes. She didn’t have a clue what a substitution cipher was, nor did Kaihime seem to have any intention of explaining it. The mysterious woman certainly was knowledgeable, but she didn’t seem to understand most people didn’t know as much as she did. It made her talk over people easily, and did little to make Alli feel like an intellectual equal. She had to remind herself Kaihime didn’t do it on purpose. Her knowledge of human interaction was based on television and film, far from reality.
Cut her some slack and remember I’m smarter than I feel right now.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 20. Alli
Spirit Cop Headquarters seemed eerily quiet as Alli and Kaihime stepped into it. As night fell over the city, the loss of Peach and her friends seemed even more poignant as Alli walked into the empty building. She still wasn’t sure about the mysterious cyborg. She felt lost without Marilyn or Peach around to talk her questions out.
But Kaihime had revealed secrets about their attackers. Doppelganger was part of a far larger conspiracy and they would have to do something to stop GENESIS from bringing to fruition everything Kaihime claimed they had planned.
Alli walked her new ally up the stairs to the secondary computer Ian and Peach had used to try and unlock the files he stole when he first escaped GENESIS. Alli didn’t know how Kaihime planned to access them, but a cyborg certainly seemed like a go-to source for computer expertise.
“Are you sure we can’t take this to F.O.R.C.E.?” she asked as she pointed the desktop out to Kaihime.
“I am sure. The Court of Shadows have a long reach. I cannot be sure they do not already have agents in the Federally Organized Response for Critical Engagements. If they do, they could hide GENESIS long before they could be stopped. Our only hope is to work against them ourselves and for that we will need the assistance of others.”
“And you think the hard drive has more names on it. How have GENESIS not accessed those names?”
Kaihime stared down at the tiny flash drive extended from the computer’s USB port. “This drive does not simply contain an archive of GENESIS’ work. GENESIS may be part of a larger conspiracy, but even they don’t have the means to track a large number of metahumans and supernatural beings over the course of a city or beyond. These files were taken by them, but even they don’t have access to all of them. They only have bits and pieces of a greater set of information. The encrypted files on here are older than you think. Far older than they should be. If they are what I think they are, these files date back to before you and your friends were born.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Everyone’s name was on them but mine. If they were written before we were born, how could that be the first file open here.”
“Indeed. But that is a mystery for another time.”
But Kaihime had revealed secrets about their attackers. Doppelganger was part of a far larger conspiracy and they would have to do something to stop GENESIS from bringing to fruition everything Kaihime claimed they had planned.
Alli walked her new ally up the stairs to the secondary computer Ian and Peach had used to try and unlock the files he stole when he first escaped GENESIS. Alli didn’t know how Kaihime planned to access them, but a cyborg certainly seemed like a go-to source for computer expertise.
“Are you sure we can’t take this to F.O.R.C.E.?” she asked as she pointed the desktop out to Kaihime.
“I am sure. The Court of Shadows have a long reach. I cannot be sure they do not already have agents in the Federally Organized Response for Critical Engagements. If they do, they could hide GENESIS long before they could be stopped. Our only hope is to work against them ourselves and for that we will need the assistance of others.”
“And you think the hard drive has more names on it. How have GENESIS not accessed those names?”
Kaihime stared down at the tiny flash drive extended from the computer’s USB port. “This drive does not simply contain an archive of GENESIS’ work. GENESIS may be part of a larger conspiracy, but even they don’t have the means to track a large number of metahumans and supernatural beings over the course of a city or beyond. These files were taken by them, but even they don’t have access to all of them. They only have bits and pieces of a greater set of information. The encrypted files on here are older than you think. Far older than they should be. If they are what I think they are, these files date back to before you and your friends were born.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Everyone’s name was on them but mine. If they were written before we were born, how could that be the first file open here.”
“Indeed. But that is a mystery for another time.”
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Casting Call: Alli
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| Image Credit: Nylon Magazine |
In the last couple years, Shailene Woodley has risen to fame as a major star in Hollywood. She might prove beyond any budget a Walking Shadows film might get, but the Divergent and Secret Life of an American Teenager star would be nearly perfect to fill the role of Alli. Perhaps a character as out of place in a standard super-film as Alli is might prove a challenge for the up and coming star.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 11-4
“You say this is the future, but can it be stopped?”
“I don’t know for certain,” Kaihime said. “I can spout quantum theories at you, but I’m not a time traveler by nature. I don’t know what it means. But I knew that I could trace the rise of GENESIS to this moment, when they sought to secure a group of powers unlike their previous victims. Your friends. If we can stop GENESIS now, we might be able to make it too much of a liability for the Court of Shadows to continue their work.”
“How? This is too big, Kaihime. I hunt ghosts. My friends have powers, but none of us are heroes. We can’t fight an endless army.”
“Then the world is lost.”
“What about F.O.R.C.E.? Why not go to them?”
“A government entity? The Court’s reach is long. They have agents on the inside. They would tip off GENESIS before F.O.R.C.E. could do anything. No, we have to do this ourselves.”
“It’s too much,” Alli said.
“I know my words are terrible. But the mission must be completed, one way or another.”
“But what if we can’t find Marilyn and the others?”
“Then we have to find someone else to help us. And for that we need to return to Spirit Cop Headquarters.”
“Why?”
“I believe you have files in place. We must unlock them and find the rest of their metahuman database. River City has more metahumans. We can only hope they will come to our aid in our time of need.”
“Alright. You make it sound like I don’t have much choice. But when this is over, you need to help me find Marilyn.”
“You care about her a great deal,” Kaihime said. “Is this what you call love? It’s an emotion I can fathom, but I’m not sure I fully understand.”
“Yes, I would call it love,” Alli said. “And maybe someday you will get a chance to understand it, Kaihime. But it sounds like we’ve got a lot to do before then. Let’s get you to those files and see what you can do with them. Then we find my friends and stop this GENESIS once and for all.”
Kaihime could only nod her head in agreement.
This was going even better than she could have hoped. She thought she would face far more resistance to her revelations. But Alli believed her every word. She would follow and help her find the others and stop GENESIS. And when all was said and done, Kaihime knew her real plan could begin.
“I don’t know for certain,” Kaihime said. “I can spout quantum theories at you, but I’m not a time traveler by nature. I don’t know what it means. But I knew that I could trace the rise of GENESIS to this moment, when they sought to secure a group of powers unlike their previous victims. Your friends. If we can stop GENESIS now, we might be able to make it too much of a liability for the Court of Shadows to continue their work.”
“How? This is too big, Kaihime. I hunt ghosts. My friends have powers, but none of us are heroes. We can’t fight an endless army.”
“Then the world is lost.”
“What about F.O.R.C.E.? Why not go to them?”
“A government entity? The Court’s reach is long. They have agents on the inside. They would tip off GENESIS before F.O.R.C.E. could do anything. No, we have to do this ourselves.”
“It’s too much,” Alli said.
“I know my words are terrible. But the mission must be completed, one way or another.”
“But what if we can’t find Marilyn and the others?”
“Then we have to find someone else to help us. And for that we need to return to Spirit Cop Headquarters.”
“Why?”
“I believe you have files in place. We must unlock them and find the rest of their metahuman database. River City has more metahumans. We can only hope they will come to our aid in our time of need.”
“Alright. You make it sound like I don’t have much choice. But when this is over, you need to help me find Marilyn.”
“You care about her a great deal,” Kaihime said. “Is this what you call love? It’s an emotion I can fathom, but I’m not sure I fully understand.”
“Yes, I would call it love,” Alli said. “And maybe someday you will get a chance to understand it, Kaihime. But it sounds like we’ve got a lot to do before then. Let’s get you to those files and see what you can do with them. Then we find my friends and stop this GENESIS once and for all.”
Kaihime could only nod her head in agreement.
This was going even better than she could have hoped. She thought she would face far more resistance to her revelations. But Alli believed her every word. She would follow and help her find the others and stop GENESIS. And when all was said and done, Kaihime knew her real plan could begin.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 11-3
“GENESIS does numerous experiments of a questionable nature. One of their areas of research is into replication of extranormal powers. But such research requires subjects, individuals with powers. Individuals with few connections to society are the most convenient. They constantly research internet records, police records and whatever other network they can access to find individuals that fit that pattern. Individuals like your friends.”
“Doppelganger works for this GENESIS?”
Kaihime nodded.
“But if they want us so bad, why haven’t they tried again already?”
“Their attempted capture of you was not their original plan. GENESIS operates in secrecy. Five disappearances would have caused the police and the news to find a pattern. Their hand was forced when Ian escaped their clutches. So they tried to capture all of you, even though they only managed to secure your friend Rosa.”
“How do you know all this?”
Kaihime tapped the side of her head. “I have access to the GENESIS communication channel. They keep most of their most important information off the line, but they use it regularly during strikes on targets. That’s how I knew who all of you were. A few internet searches followed by a hack of the city’s CCTV system, helped me find your vehicle. I had hoped you could lead me to the others. What about the one you called Stomp?”
“If the radio in the car is telling me the truth, he’s dead. He died in an explosion on the pier while I was...away. I’m not sure what happened. I figure Rosa has the answers. I have nothing. I’m just stuck trying to figure out where the hell everyone went.”
“This bodes ill. If your allies are already gone, GENESIS could already have them. And if GENESIS has them, they could—” She stopped short as she realized she said too much.
“They could what?”
“I—it is dangerous for me to say too much. When I started to research coming to your world, I experimented with the connection point between the Aerie and this world. In the process, I managed to unlock the ability to shift the Aerie through time. I saw the future. And in the future, GENESIS has conquered the world. Billions are dead. They rule with an iron fist, perpetuated by an army of superhuman soldiers that can download any power necessary at a whim. The rich have powers of their own while the poor scramble to support the culture of excess. And anyone that steps out of line dies.”
“Doppelganger works for this GENESIS?”
Kaihime nodded.
“But if they want us so bad, why haven’t they tried again already?”
“Their attempted capture of you was not their original plan. GENESIS operates in secrecy. Five disappearances would have caused the police and the news to find a pattern. Their hand was forced when Ian escaped their clutches. So they tried to capture all of you, even though they only managed to secure your friend Rosa.”
“How do you know all this?”
Kaihime tapped the side of her head. “I have access to the GENESIS communication channel. They keep most of their most important information off the line, but they use it regularly during strikes on targets. That’s how I knew who all of you were. A few internet searches followed by a hack of the city’s CCTV system, helped me find your vehicle. I had hoped you could lead me to the others. What about the one you called Stomp?”
“If the radio in the car is telling me the truth, he’s dead. He died in an explosion on the pier while I was...away. I’m not sure what happened. I figure Rosa has the answers. I have nothing. I’m just stuck trying to figure out where the hell everyone went.”
“This bodes ill. If your allies are already gone, GENESIS could already have them. And if GENESIS has them, they could—” She stopped short as she realized she said too much.
“They could what?”
“I—it is dangerous for me to say too much. When I started to research coming to your world, I experimented with the connection point between the Aerie and this world. In the process, I managed to unlock the ability to shift the Aerie through time. I saw the future. And in the future, GENESIS has conquered the world. Billions are dead. They rule with an iron fist, perpetuated by an army of superhuman soldiers that can download any power necessary at a whim. The rich have powers of their own while the poor scramble to support the culture of excess. And anyone that steps out of line dies.”
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 11-2
“The circuitry?”
“Yes. They embedded my body with a new neural network. It controls millions of nanite antibodies in my blood that keep the cancer from returning. But without it, I would have no immune system and no nervous system. I live, but I am as much machine as woman.”
“But you live and that’s something.”
“It is,” Kaihime said. “After my parents found my cure, they freed me from my slowed time statis. I was approximately eleven in my own frame of time reference, but they spent over thirty years finding the answers they sought. I watched my parents age every time they visited me, far faster than anyone should. By the time I joined them, they had already made the decision to remain in the Aerie until they died. I stayed with them, learning about your world through our connection with your computer networks and your television.”
“You’ve watched us.”
“My parents were scientists for a group known as the Court of Shadows. They were a secret society of men and women that sought to protect humanity by controlling it from the shadows. They did this by hiding technologies they considered humankind not ready to handle. My parents researched this technology and they stole it when they built the Aerie to save my life. They eventually died for it when the Court found them during a supply run. I watched them die from my home as my mother cut off the portal between worlds. I was left alone in The Aerie with my only escape wired into my own hardware. And I knew I had a purpose. I had to stop the Court of Shadows from hurting anyone else.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Alli said. “But what does any of this have to do with me or Marilyn or the others?”
“The Court of Shadows has many branches though in my research I’ve learned they are only one of many such societies seeking to force their influence over mankind. But one of those branches is a research group called Genetic Enhancement and Neurological Improvement Systems Analysis Group. They call themselves GENESIS, because there is nothing the Court loves more than a good acronym.”
“I don’t think I like where this is going,” Alli said.
“Yes. They embedded my body with a new neural network. It controls millions of nanite antibodies in my blood that keep the cancer from returning. But without it, I would have no immune system and no nervous system. I live, but I am as much machine as woman.”
“But you live and that’s something.”
“It is,” Kaihime said. “After my parents found my cure, they freed me from my slowed time statis. I was approximately eleven in my own frame of time reference, but they spent over thirty years finding the answers they sought. I watched my parents age every time they visited me, far faster than anyone should. By the time I joined them, they had already made the decision to remain in the Aerie until they died. I stayed with them, learning about your world through our connection with your computer networks and your television.”
“You’ve watched us.”
“My parents were scientists for a group known as the Court of Shadows. They were a secret society of men and women that sought to protect humanity by controlling it from the shadows. They did this by hiding technologies they considered humankind not ready to handle. My parents researched this technology and they stole it when they built the Aerie to save my life. They eventually died for it when the Court found them during a supply run. I watched them die from my home as my mother cut off the portal between worlds. I was left alone in The Aerie with my only escape wired into my own hardware. And I knew I had a purpose. I had to stop the Court of Shadows from hurting anyone else.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Alli said. “But what does any of this have to do with me or Marilyn or the others?”
“The Court of Shadows has many branches though in my research I’ve learned they are only one of many such societies seeking to force their influence over mankind. But one of those branches is a research group called Genetic Enhancement and Neurological Improvement Systems Analysis Group. They call themselves GENESIS, because there is nothing the Court loves more than a good acronym.”
“I don’t think I like where this is going,” Alli said.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 11. Kaihime
Kaihime still wasn’t sure what to think of the carbon spitting locomotion Alli drove through streets filled with hundreds of other similarly poisonous vehicles. She knew that this world was far more noxious than she could see from their broadcasts. Thousands of articles existed to discuss the harm this transportation did to the air of a city this size. But no one seemed to care as they drove them to and from work or school or even nowhere in particular. She couldn’t quite understand why people would be so disinterested in their own well-being. Even if their technology couldn’t be made cleaner, some means of well maintained public transit would be far wiser for their continued well-being.
“Look, Kaihime. It’s time you stopped staring out the window. I told you I need answers if I’m going to keep driving around this city on a wild goose chase.”
Kaihime turned back to the other woman. “What do geese have to do with this mission?”
“Nevermind that. What is this about?”
Kaihime studied the intricate pattern tattooed onto Alli’s shoulder. It poked out from under a sleeve and traveled down to her elbow. The ink braided into skin reminded her of the circuitry bound to her own form. She wondered if the tattoo was anywhere near as painful as her own transformation.
“I come from a place called The Aerie. It is not of this world, but adjacent to it. I believe the best term I could use in English is a pocket dimension. It is a space made separate of Earth society where I could be raised in isolation.”
“Okay, that’s certainly not anything I can begin to comprehend and I talk to ghosts, lady.”
“It is nothing unusual for me. It was the way of my life. I was born with a deadly illness, a cancer that ate away at every ounce of my body from the day I left my mother’s womb. Exposure to this atmosphere would have made it far worse. My mother and father sought a way to raise me outside of normal time where they could retard the cancer’s growth until they could find a way to destroy it. In The Aerie, I could be kept in a state of slowed time while they would be able to use the intervening years to find the answers they need to keep me alive.”
“Look, Kaihime. It’s time you stopped staring out the window. I told you I need answers if I’m going to keep driving around this city on a wild goose chase.”
Kaihime turned back to the other woman. “What do geese have to do with this mission?”
“Nevermind that. What is this about?”
Kaihime studied the intricate pattern tattooed onto Alli’s shoulder. It poked out from under a sleeve and traveled down to her elbow. The ink braided into skin reminded her of the circuitry bound to her own form. She wondered if the tattoo was anywhere near as painful as her own transformation.
“I come from a place called The Aerie. It is not of this world, but adjacent to it. I believe the best term I could use in English is a pocket dimension. It is a space made separate of Earth society where I could be raised in isolation.”
“Okay, that’s certainly not anything I can begin to comprehend and I talk to ghosts, lady.”
“It is nothing unusual for me. It was the way of my life. I was born with a deadly illness, a cancer that ate away at every ounce of my body from the day I left my mother’s womb. Exposure to this atmosphere would have made it far worse. My mother and father sought a way to raise me outside of normal time where they could retard the cancer’s growth until they could find a way to destroy it. In The Aerie, I could be kept in a state of slowed time while they would be able to use the intervening years to find the answers they need to keep me alive.”
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 9-3
She reached out to take her girlfriend’s arm, but her hand just passed straight through it. Marilyn quickly turned back to Cyrus, her eyes wide in shock. He rushed over to her and pulled her back. But she resisted just long enough to cause him to stumble. He fell straight towards Alli—and straight through her as well.
“No, this isn’t right,” Cyrus said. “This is very, very wrong.”
“What is happening?”
“I’m not sure. But it shouldn’t be happening. Apparitions aren’t living people, just shades left behind by those that have passed.”
“Apparitions? You mean ghosts? That can’t be right. If we were ghosts, Alli would still be able to communicate with us.”
“I don’t know,” Cyrus said. “But you meet a lot of ghosts when you’re the son of the death god.”
Alli turned back to the other woman. “I guess our next move is to head back to Spirit Cop. We have to find the others somewhere.” She turned back to the apartment door and opened it again.
“We must hurry,” the other woman said. “We are all in grave danger.”
“So you’ve said, but you’re going to explain it to me in the car. I’m not driving all over this damn city without a good reason.”
“Of course,” the mystery woman said as the door closed behind her.
Marilyn didn’t know what to do as they stood in the otherwise empty room. She leaned in to Cyrus. He wrapped his arms around her, a comforting gesture as she tried to resist the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She nestled her head into his chest.
“What do we do?” She resisted the urge to sob as she said the words.
“We have to figure out what did this to us. We didn’t die, so someone or something must be responsible for pulling us out of sync with the living world.”
“But what? And how? Why can’t Alli detect us when she talks to ghosts on a regular basis?”
“I don’t know,” Cyrus said. “I wish I did.”
She pulled away from him. She took a deep breath and forced down the worries that raced through her mind. He was right. They needed answers and she would be strong. She survived a fight with an insane god with him. She would survive this as well.
She turned to the door. “Where do we go to find help?”
“No, this isn’t right,” Cyrus said. “This is very, very wrong.”
“What is happening?”
“I’m not sure. But it shouldn’t be happening. Apparitions aren’t living people, just shades left behind by those that have passed.”
“Apparitions? You mean ghosts? That can’t be right. If we were ghosts, Alli would still be able to communicate with us.”
“I don’t know,” Cyrus said. “But you meet a lot of ghosts when you’re the son of the death god.”
Alli turned back to the other woman. “I guess our next move is to head back to Spirit Cop. We have to find the others somewhere.” She turned back to the apartment door and opened it again.
“We must hurry,” the other woman said. “We are all in grave danger.”
“So you’ve said, but you’re going to explain it to me in the car. I’m not driving all over this damn city without a good reason.”
“Of course,” the mystery woman said as the door closed behind her.
Marilyn didn’t know what to do as they stood in the otherwise empty room. She leaned in to Cyrus. He wrapped his arms around her, a comforting gesture as she tried to resist the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She nestled her head into his chest.
“What do we do?” She resisted the urge to sob as she said the words.
“We have to figure out what did this to us. We didn’t die, so someone or something must be responsible for pulling us out of sync with the living world.”
“But what? And how? Why can’t Alli detect us when she talks to ghosts on a regular basis?”
“I don’t know,” Cyrus said. “I wish I did.”
She pulled away from him. She took a deep breath and forced down the worries that raced through her mind. He was right. They needed answers and she would be strong. She survived a fight with an insane god with him. She would survive this as well.
She turned to the door. “Where do we go to find help?”
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 9-2
“I don’t think that’s the only reason.”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt that I like you quite a bit, Marilyn. You intrigue me. And you know what you’re doing. Not all girls can say that.”
She just shook her head and bit her lower lip as she felt another climax coming.
Cyrus stopped suddenly just as she nearly peaked. His eyes were wide beneath her, his head up and alert.
“What?”
“The door. A key—”
She turned her attention to the front door. She heard it now. The click and the turn of a key in the lock. And only one other person had a key to her apartment.
She lowered her voice. “Shit! Get in the bathroom. Now. I’m not quite ready to have this conversation yet.”
“Wait, who is it?”
She stepped off the bed and gathered the ball of his clothes. She threw them into his arms. “Go! Now!”
Cyrus looked perplexed, but he took the wad of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. Marilyn turned back to the door and rushed towards it.
Clothes formed over her body as she bounded towards the door. A pleated black skirt and a simple blue sweatshirt formed over her. Her feet stayed bare as she never hardened them into shoes in her house. Her hair straightened into her normal style, the classic look of her namesake.
She sat up in the bed and composed herself just as the key clicked and the door swung open. She gave Alli a smile.
Alli looked around the room a couple times and then let out a sigh. Another girl, this one with some kind of circuits seemingly interweaving her skin, entered after her.
“Marilyn!”
Marilyn’s eyes narrowed. She couldn’t understand why Alli was calling out for her. “I’m right here.”
Alli turned to the other girl as if she hadn’t even heard Marilyn. “Well, from the state of the bed she clearly slept here, but she’s not here now. Damn it, where did she go?”
“I’m right here!” Marilyn yelled the words, but the other women still didn’t seem to hear. With panic, she turned back to the bathroom. “Cyrus!”
He stumbled out, his clothes a mess. “Alli, hi, uh, who’s your new friend?”
Neither Alli nor the other woman took any notice of that question either.
“Cyrus, it’s like they can’t even see us.” Marilyn climbed out of the bed as Alli threw up her arms in frustration. “Alli, I’m right here.”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt that I like you quite a bit, Marilyn. You intrigue me. And you know what you’re doing. Not all girls can say that.”
She just shook her head and bit her lower lip as she felt another climax coming.
Cyrus stopped suddenly just as she nearly peaked. His eyes were wide beneath her, his head up and alert.
“What?”
“The door. A key—”
She turned her attention to the front door. She heard it now. The click and the turn of a key in the lock. And only one other person had a key to her apartment.
She lowered her voice. “Shit! Get in the bathroom. Now. I’m not quite ready to have this conversation yet.”
“Wait, who is it?”
She stepped off the bed and gathered the ball of his clothes. She threw them into his arms. “Go! Now!”
Cyrus looked perplexed, but he took the wad of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. Marilyn turned back to the door and rushed towards it.
Clothes formed over her body as she bounded towards the door. A pleated black skirt and a simple blue sweatshirt formed over her. Her feet stayed bare as she never hardened them into shoes in her house. Her hair straightened into her normal style, the classic look of her namesake.
She sat up in the bed and composed herself just as the key clicked and the door swung open. She gave Alli a smile.
Alli looked around the room a couple times and then let out a sigh. Another girl, this one with some kind of circuits seemingly interweaving her skin, entered after her.
“Marilyn!”
Marilyn’s eyes narrowed. She couldn’t understand why Alli was calling out for her. “I’m right here.”
Alli turned to the other girl as if she hadn’t even heard Marilyn. “Well, from the state of the bed she clearly slept here, but she’s not here now. Damn it, where did she go?”
“I’m right here!” Marilyn yelled the words, but the other women still didn’t seem to hear. With panic, she turned back to the bathroom. “Cyrus!”
He stumbled out, his clothes a mess. “Alli, hi, uh, who’s your new friend?”
Neither Alli nor the other woman took any notice of that question either.
“Cyrus, it’s like they can’t even see us.” Marilyn climbed out of the bed as Alli threw up her arms in frustration. “Alli, I’m right here.”
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 8-2
Something was definitely different about this woman, but Alli knew Kaihime wouldn’t give her any answers until she found the others. She still didn’t know why they weren’t answering the landline back at Spirit Cop Headquarters. Nor could she understand why neither Cyrus nor Marilyn picked up their cells. But she knew they wouldn’t have long to find out.
She pulled into the parking lot of the tiny lot in front of the brownstone that housed her business. Alli still wasn’t sure how she would keep the place afloat without Peach’s assistance. But that wasn’t what was on her mind now. She needed answers and she would get them soon.
She climbed out of the car and rushed to the door. She slammed into the locked front door and stared blankly at it before she fished her keys out of her pocket.
She didn’t know why the door would be locked, but she quickly got her answer as soon as she walked inside. Phoebe and Ian were gone. Next to the phone, she found a note scrawled on the “while you were out” notepad. It said simply “Went to see Rosa.”
“Shit,” Alli said. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”
“I understand this ‘shit’ to be an expletive of frustration or anger,” Kaihime said. “Have we arrived too late? Have your friends been taken?”
“I don’t know,” Alli said. “But they’re not here.”
She started back towards the front door, her cell phone already out and dialing Rosa’s number.
No answer came from Rosa.
Of course, there’s no answer. Because every time I think anything is going to slow down and get back to a modicum of normal, things get crazy again. This bullshit has got to stop.
“Your friends are in danger,” Kaihime said. “We must find them as soon as possible.”
Alli dialed Marilyn’s number again, but it again went to voicemail.
“We need to find Marilyn and Cyrus first,” Alli said. “They might know where the others went.”
“The longer we wait, the more danger your friends could be in. We must hurry.”
“I can only hurry so much in River City traffic. This cisty is built for anything but hurrying in fact. Wait—how much can you carry?”
“I am not sure,” Kaihime said. “Perhaps five hundred to six hundred pounds. I have never tested my carrying capacity in flight.”
“Five to six—” Alli shook her head. She didn’t need to ask details about this woman’s powers.
Kaihime would probably obfuscate them anyway. She needed to find Marilyn and Cyrus, and she needed to find them quickly.
“Nevermind. Can you fly me? If we go by air, we can move faster. We can get to Marilyn’s apartment and figure out our next move from there.”
“This is very wise,” Kaihime said. “Let us go, Alli Finch. We have no time to lose.”
She pulled into the parking lot of the tiny lot in front of the brownstone that housed her business. Alli still wasn’t sure how she would keep the place afloat without Peach’s assistance. But that wasn’t what was on her mind now. She needed answers and she would get them soon.
She climbed out of the car and rushed to the door. She slammed into the locked front door and stared blankly at it before she fished her keys out of her pocket.
She didn’t know why the door would be locked, but she quickly got her answer as soon as she walked inside. Phoebe and Ian were gone. Next to the phone, she found a note scrawled on the “while you were out” notepad. It said simply “Went to see Rosa.”
“Shit,” Alli said. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”
“I understand this ‘shit’ to be an expletive of frustration or anger,” Kaihime said. “Have we arrived too late? Have your friends been taken?”
“I don’t know,” Alli said. “But they’re not here.”
She started back towards the front door, her cell phone already out and dialing Rosa’s number.
No answer came from Rosa.
Of course, there’s no answer. Because every time I think anything is going to slow down and get back to a modicum of normal, things get crazy again. This bullshit has got to stop.
“Your friends are in danger,” Kaihime said. “We must find them as soon as possible.”
Alli dialed Marilyn’s number again, but it again went to voicemail.
“We need to find Marilyn and Cyrus first,” Alli said. “They might know where the others went.”
“The longer we wait, the more danger your friends could be in. We must hurry.”
“I can only hurry so much in River City traffic. This cisty is built for anything but hurrying in fact. Wait—how much can you carry?”
“I am not sure,” Kaihime said. “Perhaps five hundred to six hundred pounds. I have never tested my carrying capacity in flight.”
“Five to six—” Alli shook her head. She didn’t need to ask details about this woman’s powers.
Kaihime would probably obfuscate them anyway. She needed to find Marilyn and Cyrus, and she needed to find them quickly.
“Nevermind. Can you fly me? If we go by air, we can move faster. We can get to Marilyn’s apartment and figure out our next move from there.”
“This is very wise,” Kaihime said. “Let us go, Alli Finch. We have no time to lose.”
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 8. Alli
As they drove slowly down the street back to Spirit Cop Headquarters, Alli wasn’t quite sure what to make of the strange woman in her car. This Kaihime clearly knew her somehow, but she stopped talking as soon as she sat down in the Spirit-Mobile. Once inside, she just stared both at the inside of the car and the outside world slowly passing by. She rubbed the dashboard and the seats as if they were something foreign and mysterious.
“Where are you from?” Alli finally asked after the fifth rubdown of the car’s interiors. “Why did you have to make such a dramatic appearance? I have a phone after all.” She waved the cell phone in between them as a reminder.
“I am sorry,” Kaihime said. “I’m a bit unsure of this world. It is...different than I expected.”
“What do you mean ‘this world’? Are you an alien? Because I think I’ve already had my share of those.”
Kaihime shook her head. “No, I simply come from somewhere else. I’m not sure what I can tell you. If I say too much I might endanger the ti—It might be dangerous.”
“Endanger the what?”
“I may have already said too much.”
“What is this about? You said something about Doppelganger. You said he’s alive and targeting us. But we all saw him die. We checked the body. He was definitely dead.”
Kaihime looked out the window again as they whisked by a dilapidated liquor store. “I must tell the others as well. The more often I speak, the more danger I may bring. Please just hurry.”
“You’re not making any sense,” Alli said. “What danger? What problems? You tell me Doppelganger is alive somehow and back after us, but you can’t tell me anything else. I need something to work with here.”
“Bring me to the others. I can give you answers then.”
Alli didn’t much care for the stranger’s attitude, but this Kaihime clearly presented at least an air of truth. The circuits integrated into her skin marked her as something more than human. Alli knew technology-based metahumans existed in the world, but Kaihime seemed completely unlike any of them. The tech in her skin was several generations ahead of anything on the market. And the way the circuits laced into her skin looked like some body modification gone horribly wrong.
“Where are you from?” Alli finally asked after the fifth rubdown of the car’s interiors. “Why did you have to make such a dramatic appearance? I have a phone after all.” She waved the cell phone in between them as a reminder.
“I am sorry,” Kaihime said. “I’m a bit unsure of this world. It is...different than I expected.”
“What do you mean ‘this world’? Are you an alien? Because I think I’ve already had my share of those.”
Kaihime shook her head. “No, I simply come from somewhere else. I’m not sure what I can tell you. If I say too much I might endanger the ti—It might be dangerous.”
“Endanger the what?”
“I may have already said too much.”
“What is this about? You said something about Doppelganger. You said he’s alive and targeting us. But we all saw him die. We checked the body. He was definitely dead.”
Kaihime looked out the window again as they whisked by a dilapidated liquor store. “I must tell the others as well. The more often I speak, the more danger I may bring. Please just hurry.”
“You’re not making any sense,” Alli said. “What danger? What problems? You tell me Doppelganger is alive somehow and back after us, but you can’t tell me anything else. I need something to work with here.”
“Bring me to the others. I can give you answers then.”
Alli didn’t much care for the stranger’s attitude, but this Kaihime clearly presented at least an air of truth. The circuits integrated into her skin marked her as something more than human. Alli knew technology-based metahumans existed in the world, but Kaihime seemed completely unlike any of them. The tech in her skin was several generations ahead of anything on the market. And the way the circuits laced into her skin looked like some body modification gone horribly wrong.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Walking Shadows Book 3 Chapter 1-2
Phoebe walked to Ian’s side and rested a hand on his shoulder. “My powers may be of little use in rescuing your friend, but they can help you unlock the secrets of your mind, Ian Page. Perhaps in time, I can help you find out why your memory has left you and give you back your lost memories.”
“I—thank you, Phoebe. I appreciate it.”
Ian turned to Alli. She wore another of her work uniforms, the odd jumpsuit emblazoned with the Spirit Cop logo over her heart. She looked away from them and it was clear that something else bothered her.
“This is about more than Peach,” he said. “I didn’t even expect to see you today. I expected you to take a day with Marilyn. Our rescue wasn’t much of one, but I know you’re happy to be reunited with her. So why are you here?”
Alli didn’t say anything for several long moments. She just looked away as if lost in thought.
“You don’t have to fear us,” Phoebe said. “You can talk to us. We’re not your enemies.”
“Don’t read my mind,” Alli said.
“I wouldn’t. If I tried to pickup anything more than surface thoughts, you would know. But I don’t need my powers to know something sits poorly inside you. Let it out. Let us help you.”
“I’m not really sure what’s bothering me,” Alli said. “Everything seems different now. I let her go with Cyrus. I let her get kidnapped. And when I went to rescue her, I let a mad god out to menace the universe. I’m lucky he didn’t kill me. And I didn’t do anything to stop him. I was transported from one world to the next by that monster, and I was unconscious the entire time.”
“It’s not your fault,” Ian said. “I’m sure Marilyn doesn’t blame you for anything.”
“I know. But I still blame myself. And that makes it hard to just be present. It’s like my mind is constantly going back there. So I came to work today, but when I saw Phoebe, I just couldn’t control myself. All my frustration just seemed to explode out of me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No one expects you to be perfect, Alli. I’m a man with a broken mind and a deadly power that scares the crap out of me. I’m not the first one to throw stones.”
She nodded. “I raised myself for the most part, Ian. Having my mom around was always great, but she wasn’t all that useful in keeping me alive. So I had to learn on my own. I guess that makes me more ready to take the blame when I do something wrong or let something go to pot. But I think you’re right. I need to refocus and concentrate on the matters at hand.”
“You’ll be alright in time,” Phoebe said. “Now go see your love. Let her know how you feel. This is the time for love in your life. Embrace it.”
Alli nodded. “I—I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Phoebe said. “I am here in this world now. I have to find my path. If all I ever accomplish it to help you along yours, I will at least count one success. Good day, Alli Finch.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Alli gave Ian one last quizzical look as she started back towards the door. “Ian, while you two talk, you might want to work on her modern English skills.”
Phoebe turned to Ian as the door closed. “What does she mean? I gleaned my knowledge of your language from your minds. The language I use is common American English. Is there something wrong with my words?”
“Not exactly wrong,” Ian said. “You just don’t sound natural. But we can work it out. Come on. Let’s see what food we can scrounge up.”
“I—thank you, Phoebe. I appreciate it.”
Ian turned to Alli. She wore another of her work uniforms, the odd jumpsuit emblazoned with the Spirit Cop logo over her heart. She looked away from them and it was clear that something else bothered her.
“This is about more than Peach,” he said. “I didn’t even expect to see you today. I expected you to take a day with Marilyn. Our rescue wasn’t much of one, but I know you’re happy to be reunited with her. So why are you here?”
Alli didn’t say anything for several long moments. She just looked away as if lost in thought.
“You don’t have to fear us,” Phoebe said. “You can talk to us. We’re not your enemies.”
“Don’t read my mind,” Alli said.
“I wouldn’t. If I tried to pickup anything more than surface thoughts, you would know. But I don’t need my powers to know something sits poorly inside you. Let it out. Let us help you.”
“I’m not really sure what’s bothering me,” Alli said. “Everything seems different now. I let her go with Cyrus. I let her get kidnapped. And when I went to rescue her, I let a mad god out to menace the universe. I’m lucky he didn’t kill me. And I didn’t do anything to stop him. I was transported from one world to the next by that monster, and I was unconscious the entire time.”
“It’s not your fault,” Ian said. “I’m sure Marilyn doesn’t blame you for anything.”
“I know. But I still blame myself. And that makes it hard to just be present. It’s like my mind is constantly going back there. So I came to work today, but when I saw Phoebe, I just couldn’t control myself. All my frustration just seemed to explode out of me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No one expects you to be perfect, Alli. I’m a man with a broken mind and a deadly power that scares the crap out of me. I’m not the first one to throw stones.”
She nodded. “I raised myself for the most part, Ian. Having my mom around was always great, but she wasn’t all that useful in keeping me alive. So I had to learn on my own. I guess that makes me more ready to take the blame when I do something wrong or let something go to pot. But I think you’re right. I need to refocus and concentrate on the matters at hand.”
“You’ll be alright in time,” Phoebe said. “Now go see your love. Let her know how you feel. This is the time for love in your life. Embrace it.”
Alli nodded. “I—I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch. Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it,” Phoebe said. “I am here in this world now. I have to find my path. If all I ever accomplish it to help you along yours, I will at least count one success. Good day, Alli Finch.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Alli gave Ian one last quizzical look as she started back towards the door. “Ian, while you two talk, you might want to work on her modern English skills.”
Phoebe turned to Ian as the door closed. “What does she mean? I gleaned my knowledge of your language from your minds. The language I use is common American English. Is there something wrong with my words?”
“Not exactly wrong,” Ian said. “You just don’t sound natural. But we can work it out. Come on. Let’s see what food we can scrounge up.”
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