SAR ASCENDANT / Book 1: Incursion of the INDEN

Chapters 42 to 44

Part Four: Ascension

Chapter 42

Hazel is thrown off me. She springs to her feet, reaches down. She pulls me up.

"I don't understand you!" I cry.

"No time," she says.

"You are cruel, Hazel! You did all this only for yourself, for your need to keep your promise. You've done it all wrong."

"No time!" She spits out. "We're under attack." Her mouth is set, her eyes are hard. "Did you and Allgo destroy the boat?"

"I don't know where the boat is," I say despondently. It's the last thing on my mind.

Hazel forces a smile. "That means it's still viable. But I doubt Willow will be on the boat right now. Allgo would not allow that. Did you and he find the WristComm?"

"No." Despite myself, I am drawing the same conclusion, trying not to focus on Anny's remains, trying to ride the arrow of Hazel's thoughts. Willow has found another way off the island.

"Come," Hazel commands, and she yanks me by my arm, out into the hallway. I resist but uselessly; she is beyond strong. She pulls me along and pounds on the bedroom door in passing, to rouse Jona and Jax. "Get up! Bring your packs!" she cries.

By the time we enter the lab, Allgo is out of Regen and Jona and Jax are hustling. They stand close behind us, waiting. The room shifts again. Jona cries, "What is it? What's happened? Where've you been, Sar?"

Allgo cocks his head, mimics Hazel's words. "We are under attack," he says.

Hazel admonishes him. "We need to bolster defences. Raise the EnerShield right now."

Allgo gets to work. He is still, whirs for a few seconds, says, "That will do it. I had to divert energy from the ShimmerShield's time loop, though. Whatever happens outside will be seen."

"What's going on?" Jax cries.

"It's the CorpPlex, isn't it?" Jona is grim. "They've come to call. Damn Willow!"

Hazel approaches Allgo and does something extraordinary. She embraces him. She says, "Take them to safety, my son. I know you like backups."

"What? What?" I'm in another dimension. I'm sure of it. The dimension of mothers come and gone, of mothers beyond understanding. I glance at Jona and I think, this is crazy, this life. Where do we fit in?

Allgo uses his HoloTats, and his human face emerges. "I am sorry about Anny," he says, and returns Hazel's embrace. A tear courses down his cheek. "I will do as you wish." He releases her and turns to me and spreads his arms wide. "Follow me," he says.

"Hazel!" I cry. "You have a lot to explain."

She regards me with sadness on her face. "I have you to thank, Sar. Now I know how to single out Arrend's code, how to render it inert."

"No!" I shout. "You are coming, so we can sort this all out. THAT is an order!"

She smiles. "Take that determination with you, Sar, and use it. Take Anny's love, take my intelligence, and never, don't you ever forget who you are."

Hazel sits down at the CompArray.

"What will we do!?" Jax wails.

Jona comes out of a funk, acts more like himself. "Come on," he says encouragingly and his arm encircles my brother.

"Those were PlasBombs," says Allgo. "Our ShimmerShield would not have have survived more than a few more blasts, but the EnerShield will endure for approximately two hours, on a probability scale of greater than ninety percent. I have strengthened our defences considerably."