Invisible Dawn Page 15

  They passed countless city blocks before the crimson prints dead-ended at a small shoe store. The red and white sign in the window read, “Closed”. Jedd thought back to their last meeting. Her hands were bandaged, and she even wore shoes. This must be the place she stopped. He peered at their surroundings for the first time since leaving the courthouse. The buildings were similar to those in his world, except they were older. Where’d she go from here? he wondered. They must have been heading to that apartment.

  Jedd allowed intuition to lead him and continued in the same direction, but at a jog. He scanned the buildings ahead for a match to his dream. By the time it came into view, Roger was breathing hard. They slowed but did not stop. Jedd scanned the building for its fire escape. The hanging ledge with the broken railing peered back at him in the moonlight, answering his silent question with certainty. Yellow ‘Caution’ tape roped off the alleyway and sidewalk.

  Damn him, thought Jedd, reminded of the fight with Father Leodenin and his unsuccessful attempt to eliminate him. I’ll kill that bastard if it’s the last thing I do.

  He pushed the thoughts aside and turned his attention to Madelin. Time was running out like a cracked hourglass. He sprinted across the street. The skittish desk clerk leapt to his feet as the two men burst in.

  “What do you want this time?” squeaked the man, his hands already reaching for the sky.

  “Sorry to scare you,” Jedd huffed as he sprinted past and up the creaking stairs. Broken shards of a glass crunched under his boots as he approached the apartment door. He tore down the yellow tape barring entrance to room 319. He did not stop to check the room, but folded himself through the apartment window and onto the fire escape.

  Roger followed with a groan. “Damn, I didn’t realize I signed up for a marathon.”

  But Jedd’s focus was on Madelin, and he heard nothing beyond the pounding of his feet on the metal stairway. As he neared the top, he stared where the last few flights had been. Someone attached a construction ladder as a temporary replacement, but it shook worse than the stairs as he flew up to the foot high parapet surrounding the rooftop. The hardened tar coating the flat roof glistened under the cloudless sky. Jedd flipped on his flashlight after leaping the wall and soon found what he was looking for. Dozens of military boot prints obscured the roof’s surface, but just as Roger appeared, Jedd discovered two prints that stood out from the rest.

  “The deep set must belong to Madelin’s large friend,” commented Jedd when he heard Roger approach. “But it’s hard to see. Tons of other prints trampled his. They must have duked it out.”

  Seeing the multitude of prints and pock marked tar, the Cajun replied, “Jeez, I hope she’s alright.”

  Jedd’s scant memories of the fight came to mind. Madelin had sheltered behind the brick smokestack. He rounded the protrusion, and another rift whispered to him from the starlit shadow.

  He glanced back at Roger, who was attempting to decipher the order of events by following in their footsteps. “Hey, Roger. Here we go again.”

  The gambler looked at him with worried eyes that glinted in the moonlight. “Oh no, not again.”

  “We’ve got to. This is where they went. Look at it this way, at least Madelin’s learning to use her talents.”

  “What about the other footprints?” Roger asked in his lilting accent.

  “Those were the PASTOR agents and their own trained shifter, Father Leodenin.”

  “Father?” Roger asked in disgust.

  “He isn’t what you think.” Jedd assured him. “PASTOR adopted the persona so that their shifters would get immediate respect from the people they encounter.”

  Roger chuckled, thinking back to the embarrassing church fiasco that had recently become a hot news topic. “Respect, you gotta be kidding me.”

  “Yes, respect. Even now, how do people treat a man of the cloth when they first meet him?”

  It did not take long for the answer to percolate into Roger’s thoughts. Seeing the usefulness of the ploy and the obvious insult to every faith, he spat, “Now, if anyone deserves to go to hell, that should get you a one way ticket.”

  Jedd nodded. “Ready?”

  “No, but I know you’re gonna do it anyway, so be my guest.”

  Jedd reared back and thrust his hand through the scar. The effect was the same as before, but Jedd was able to fight off the banshee’s control. He bottled the pain inside with gritted teeth, but a guttural moan still escaped his taut lips. Shafts of gleaming light spilled out around his deadened hand, and the pain coursed up his arm to the shoulder, accompanied by the black flood.

  Determined to find her, Jedd curled his fingers around the lip and ripped it apart. He stumbled backward again, but Roger caught him before he tripped over the low wall. The gambler steadied him as the sickness forced everything that remained from his stomach. The black taint grew, consuming Jedd’s consciousness. Roger lowered him to the ground and shook him awake.

  His eyes drifted upward, searching for Roger’s face. Through a clouded haze, Jedd mouthed, “Thanks.”

  Roger watched the venom course back down his arm, entranced by the laws of nature it seemed to break. His brows furrowed as the infection left his forearm black to the elbow. It was like the arm had been dipped in paint and left to dry. He gave Jedd a few minutes to gather himself while propped against Roger’s shins.

  After a short time, Jedd shook off the anesthesia that infused his body. Propping himself up with a hand, he rose to his feet and met Roger’s gaze.

  “Thanks again, Roj. You’re a lifesaver.”

  Roger swallowed his fear. “Any time, partner. Your arm still okay?”

  Jedd flexed his fingers, but refused to look at the appendage. “Yeah, seems to be.”

  “You sure?” the gambler asked again, his voice tinged with concern.

  “Yep,” was Jedd’s curt reply.

  The bluntness of his answer told Roger all he needed to know. He nodded, understanding that neither answer would affect the path that lay ahead.

  Jedd stepped up to the portal. The edges fluttered in the unusual breeze, revealing a moonlit forest through a crimson haze. He glanced back at the gambler, asking a silent question.

  Roger nodded.

  * * * * *

  Chapter 15: Family Reunited

  Thursday, June 22nd

  When exhaustion sets in, the world becomes a dream and each person a figment of your imagination. Dreams can go on forever…

  ~Excerpt from the Journal of Madelin Boatweit~

  A cooling sensation swept through Jedd as he stepped through the frosted veil, but his arm refused to acknowledge the feeling. It reminded him of his sacrifice, voiding his attempt at ignorance. He harrumphed in frustration, but said nothing more, suppressing the endless questions that filtered into his thoughts. His hiking boots sunk beneath the tepid water. Cool night air caressed his face and the woodsy scent of mildew drifted under his nose. He stepped aside and allowed Roger to follow through the portal. The Cajun’s face contorted in disgust as his feet slipped into the shallow water. Ignoring the slight discomfort, Jedd’s gaze drifted upward through the canopy of trees to admire the three moons above.

  A smattering of clouds marched across the sky, attempting to mask the intentions of each orbiting object. But the prevailing winds thwarted their attempts. The unmasked moon he knew stood high above, beaming down with a yellow luminescent glow.

  Jedd shifted his attention. Another moon loomed off to the side. It gave off a soft, but bloody hue and cast the world around them in a grotesque, post massacre façade. The orbiting addition to this world was unusual, but was not what sought out Jedd’s attention.

  Another, more subtle moon hung low on the horizon. Its muted turquoise haze coated everything in a silken blue blanket. The glow called to him like the lulling voice of an infant’s mother. The hazy moonbeams interwove, caressing the planet in shifting colors.

  In the distance Jedd watched the rays interact with a host of solid
glowing lights. Each one moved through the trees, unaware of his existence. After the first few came into focus, others fought for his attention. Two in particular stood out. They were much closer, but the trees still hid their physical shapes.

  One showed brighter than the others, as though it were a rare emerald. Jedd knew without question that this was Madelin. How he knew was a mystery, but he was certain it was her. Next to her was a subtle gray light. Focusing on the orb caused the memory of the veteran soldier to stand out in his mind. A smile crested his face at the reassurance of Madelin’s safety.

  Her luminous light moved across his vision in slow motion, followed by a third distinct orb. It was a dark smudge on the horizon. Jedd knew who this lavender light belonged to. Calling out from the blackness, was Father Leodenin.

  I just can’t get rid of that man, thought Jedd. His days are numbered. This time I’ll get him if it’s the last thing I do.

  Leodenin was definitely pursuing Madelin. Seeing him this close sent a chill down Jedd’s spine. They would have to work fast if they were to reach her before the corrupt Father and his minions. The memory of the other agents nagged at the back of his mind. He focused on the dark light and saw nothing more around him.

  Where are they? He wouldn’t leave them behind, would he? wondered Madelin’s godfather.

  It was as though the operatives accompanying him did not exist. Jedd doubted even a man as pompous as Leodenin would leave his entourage in his wake.

  Jedd glanced at Roger. The dull picture of a man looked back, but nothing shone around him. Jedd surmised that the turquoise light must interact in different ways with certain people; something Madelin, Leodenin, and the soldier somehow shared.

  There must be more to that scarred soldier than I thought, Altran surmised.

  “So what’s goin' on?” asked Roger.

  After a moment of contemplation, Jedd turning back to the open portal. “Well, this is an odd place.”

  Roger shouted in exasperation. “Hell yeah it is, with three moons and not even a dry spot to sit on…”

  Jedd gritted his teeth and sealed the last window. His arm throbbed and the black tide settled inches higher, above his elbow.

  “I can see Madelin, her friend, and even that damned Father that tracked her here.” The last description was accented with hatred.

  “Where? I don’t see them.”

  “A ways off. Sight is kind of different here for me.”

  Roger stopped searching the woods and turned back to Jedd. “Can you see me?”

  “Yeah, and other things off in the woods. But we’ve gotta work fast, Leodenin’s gaining on them. We need to make our way around him and get to Madelin first.”

  Roger shook his head in agreement, but was still rattled by the new experience. His eyes shifted back and forth, searching for new surprises. There was little he understood about the last twenty-four hours. His brows lingered in furrowed meditation, as though intent on making themselves at home. Hefting his bag, he placed his trust in Jedd and prepared to set off through the muck.

  Jedd pointed in the direction they needed to head, one that would steer them around the false father and closer to Madelin. They began their trek through the wilderness with large suctioned steps.

  Roger whispered as they traveled. “So after we find her, are we gonna head home?”

  “I’m not sure. It’s up to Lady Luck, especially with Leodenin so close. Let’s hope the lady’s with you today.”

  Roger peered back at him. Considering his less than stellar track record with the feminine essence, he was disheartened by the response. “So far, she hasn’t done a bit of good for me,” he replied. “I hope you aren’t depending on that.”

  Well someone’s luck’s gotta change, and I doubt it’ll be mine, thought Jedd. If not, we might as well walk up to them waving a sock on a stick. I doubt they’ll go for it, but if things don’t change we might be better off just saying, ‘Hey, you mind laying off Maddy for a while? We could really use a break.’

  The sarcasm in his thoughts vanished the instant Leodenin came to mind, within arm’s reach. His anger surged. Something’s gotta change.

  “Luck’s never been one of my strong suits, but ‘Hope’ I never seem to run out of,” Jedd replied, attempting to mask the defeat in his thoughts. “I just hope we can take care of whatever comes our way. Outside of that, we just have to roll with the punches.”

  His determination and subtle optimism was clear, but Jedd could tell that the answer did little to raise Roger’s spirits. Fortunately for them both, the colored moonbeams masked some of the Cajun’s concern in carnival-like stoicism. Depression could be contagious.

  The two men progressed through the marshy landscape at a slow, grueling pace. Jedd scanned the plant life and animals around them as they progressed. Much was different in this world. Most seemed to exist separate from the odd moons above, but one fungus caught his attention. A cluster of mushrooms stood out against the base of a few ominous trees. The white-capped fungus stood out under the scant rays that reached through the tree’s canopy. The edges of the mushrooms were rimmed in deep blue and soaked up the turquoise glow around them, much like the orbs of light pulsating around Madelin and the others.

  With enough time, I might find a use for these things, thought Jedd. Who knows what mysteries they hold?

  To appease his curiosity, he gathered a small bundle of glowing mushrooms and stored them in a side pocket of his bag, while Roger droned on, absorbed in a story about tragedy and Lady Luck’s abandonment.The one-sided conversation died off as lightening flared in the distance, foreshadowing the reverberating crash of thunder that followed. They began to drift further away from Madelin and the others, so they quickened their pace, sloshing through the soggy landscape without concern for who was watching. With each step, Jedd’s legs stiffened. He fought the growing weariness in his waterlogged feet, but the strain infuriated his muscles. He ignored their aggravation and pushed onward, but their fury turned to screams of pain that shot up his body with each labored step. Jedd let his willpower carry him forward in agonizing silence.

  Roger said nothing and loyally followed behind. A glance back spoke volumes for his character. Roger was focused, eyes glued on something ahead. He was alert to some unseen goal and possessed strength of will that proved contagious. It motivated Jedd to keep going.

  The storm swarmed over them in unprecedented swiftness. Torrential columns of rain poured down as though the flood gates of heaven had been released. The varied lights were reflected through the forest, casting tributaries of luminescent rain drops. They looked like steps leading up to each planetary object. The colors shimmered through the stands of pines and cascaded off tree limbs as the men continued their journey, undeterred.

  Jedd watched the glowing auras surrounding familiar people in the distance, but neither group stopped. Time crawled by as they passed through the endless deluge of water. To his dismay, the distance lessened between Madelin and her threatening pursuer. It soon became apparent that they would not reach her before Leodenin.

  Jedd considered their options and came up with a plan. It was risky, but he saw no alternative. He turned to Roger and explained. Exhausted and aching for respite, the Cajun agreed with the last ditch effort. After a few minutes searching, they found a place of sanctuary under a copse of trees. A mound of earth had built up atop a collection of roots and the two hunkered down for the initial and most crucial step in their plan. Jedd settled himself on the soft mound for a strenuous attempt to reach Madelin.

  It did not take long to drift off to sleep, but maintaining his focus proved difficult. His body and mind would rather lapse into unconscious bliss. Fighting through his exhaustion, he found himself in a short tunnel ride of twists and turns. Afterwards, Jedd appeared in marshland similar to what he had just left. One difference was the figures stumbling through the swamp ahead of him. Madelin was dragging a limp veteran alongside her. Jedd rounded on them and Madelin jumped.

&n
bsp; “Jedd?”

  She stood shaking in the knee-high waters, more scantily clad than before. Her tattered white kimono did little more than accentuate her slender form, and her soaked, cropped hair gave her the look of a drowned rat.

  Seeing her safe and unharmed, however disheveled, was enough to bring a smile to his face. “Yes, dear, it’s me.”

  “But how,” she asked, “and how is it that I can see you?”

  “I followed you. As for the other, I believe it has to do with this place,” he replied looking around. “But enough of that, Leodenin’s gaining on you. Can you see him?”

  “Yes, but I can’t run. I owe Daniel everything.”

  The reminder of loyalty and indebtedness triggered memories of her parents. His own pledges came to mind. It was enough of an answer. “I understand. I’ve got a plan. Can you see me off in the distance?” He pointed in the direction from which he came, but he could no longer see it. Jedd stopped mid-sentence and reconsidered his words. “You’ll see me when I wake up. Circle around to meet up. If Leodenin follows on your heels, we can come together before the bastard catches up. We’ll be able to put up a better fight than you and Daniel can alone.”

  But if Leodenin tries to cut you off, we may be in some trouble, thought Jedd, but he chose not to voice the concern. There was nothing either of them could do about it.

  Madelin nodded, comprehending the plan. Daniel tilted his head, the one-sided conversation having woken him from his vertical slumber. “Is that your friend?” he mumbled through chattering teeth.

  “Yes,” she replied. “He has a plan and I think it might work, but we’ll have to stay out of the agents’ reach.”

  Daniel gave a fatigued nod and attempted to stand on his own. He stood straight and stared into the wet world, only using her shoulder to steady himself.

  Jedd’s voice spoke up once more before disappearing into the night. “Okay, now get moving. They aren’t far behind.”