Evil Bitch Ch. 16

"They look good on you. So I take it you and Roger haven't had make up sex yet."

"No."

"Ah, I suspect you are still angry with him."

"It's not that simple," she said looking away from me.

"Well you have forgiven him or you haven't sounds pretty simple to me." Silence. "He let go didn't he? At the very last moment he let you fall into the abyss."

"YES!" she said the rage radiating from her like a white hot fire. "He let go of me! He said he loved me! He said so many beautiful things and then... he pitched me into the void." Her lovely hands were clenched in fists of rage.

"Akira, what would have happened if he had held on? You would have been separated in that dreadful place. Imagine calling to one another for ten long years with no guarantee of rescuing either one of you. This way at least there was hope of a rescue."

"I see," she said the anger slipping away. "What should I do?"

"Go down and rape him for all I care," I said. "That is between you and Roger."

"But you rescued me. Don't you want some sort of reward?" she said with a naughty smile.

"Sweetness if you still want to give me a piece of that after we reach Berlin then I will gladly accept. But it will be under my conditions understood? You will do anything and everything I instruct you to perform alright?"

"MMMMMMMMMMM Yes Sir," she purred.

"Oh damn," I cursed. "Now get out of here and go wake Roger up properly."

"Yes sir."

Off she went with that evil little smile, Roger you are most welcome. I chuckled to myself and turned to face the passing countryside. So often we miss the little things in life. I took in the houses and trees and even the children as they waved at the train as it passed.

11:59 and Counting

Noon that day Roger and I held our press conference. We had three hours to prepare his presentation. Man was it going to floor everyone. I wondered if I should warn Nick about this or not. Technically this was all Roger; I was just helping him with the display and all that. Oh hell let the cards fall where they may. Of course I would also be providing him with bodyguards after this as well. The Middle East and other factions would want him dead and soon. But I had other plans oh yes I did. Plans that were already in motion and Roger was just the catalyst.

I stood up and introduced Roger to ten or so members of the press that were present.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, it is my honor to introduce a man who has spent his entire life in the pursuit of science, discovery and history. Today he is going to present to you all three. A discovery that will redefine not only how we look at ancient history, but the future of our own science... I give you Roger Sterling," I said.

There was applause from all over the room as he stood.

"Thank you Jon. What I am about to present has been verified by multiple agencies and labs not only in Egypt but the United States and England as well. The carbon dating places the artifact at the earliest dynasty of Egypt, the time of the Scorpion King. For you unfamiliar with this dating system this item is over five thousand years old. But that is not what makes this object so valuable. It is the fact that it shows very little sign of wear or age upon its surface. We have not been able to determine what the material is made of and it does not show up on the periodic table. Lastly and relic is producing what appears to be a form of low level electrical energy. We believe it is a cold fusion device."

The roar from the crowd was immediate and loud. Camera flashes were everywhere and Roger was smiling like a fucking Cheshire cat. Good for you. Now where the hell was Akira, she would have cinched this entire thing. Once they had calmed down I stood up and produced a hologram of the device.

"For security and safety reasons we have decided to show a hologram of the device for now. However next week certain members of the scientific community will be allowed to study it. Among them will be Professor Hawking and others. This is not a hoax. We plan on building a full scale plant in a year's time in London to prove our sincerity to alleviate the plight of energy users the worldwide. Once that plant is on line others will be built elsewhere. Any questions?"

"Why London," one of the reporters asked.

"I live in London," I said. "And they offered all the resources we required."

"Why not the United States," another reporter asked.

"Which state would it be built in," I asked. "Do you know how long it would take for them to argue about that? No we needed prompt action."

"Aren't you afraid of the Oil nations," a woman in the crowd asked.

"Deathly afraid," Robert said. "That's why I have round the clock security from now on. But we cannot be ruled by fear. We must move forward no matter the cost."

"Well said Robert. Besides if something happens to Robert I promise something equally bad will happen those responsible, mark my words."

"So what are your long term plans," a young man asked.

"I am glad you asked," Roger said. "Long term plans are cold fusion plants in every city taking over nuclear power plants, coal, and other forms of electricity. Once online the power generated will be free to all users. We are also going to create other power sources such as car batteries, batteries for electronic devices and so on. Imagine all that we can do. We can go out into space now. We can go to mars and build colonies with cold fusion plants. Send probes further and faster to other worlds. So many possibilities can be opened up. So many new jobs created with this new technology as well."

"I think that concludes our discussion for now," I said. "Well done Roger."

What the Ancients Knew:

We arrived in Berlin with some amount of fanfare. There was a marching band and even the mayor was there to greet us. I delivered that dreaded speech of how nice it was for me and my family to be here in Berlin and the opportunity to help out... blah blah blah, I hate speaking in public.

We were whisked off to the house we would be staying at for the next two months or so. Mom waited about five minutes before she asked.

"Jon, when did you learn to speak German," she asked. "I mean you speak it so fluently."

"Oh geez I don't recall exactly mom," I said. "Sometime after the sack of Rome but more accurately I can't be sure..."

"Smart ass," she shot back.

"Mom I'm not sure he's kidding," Carol said taking her arm.

We rode in silence after that. Colleen seemed caught up in her own thoughts since our little trip from the night before. I hoped she was alright. But once we got to the manse she was fine. The bright green and gold exterior seemed to liven her spirits. And the view from the rear of the house was breathtaking.

The staff was waiting just inside in military formation for inspection. The head of the household was one Frederick Mueller. He was a tall pencil thin man of elder years with a ramrod posture and iron cast disposition. His features reminded me more of a vulture than a human being with his great hooked nose and his permafrost frown. I imagined when he did smile it was meant for dire situations.

"Welcome to Berlin Herr Masters," Frederick greeted me.

"Thank you for such a warm greeting Herr Mueller," I said. "The staff appears in impeccable form this morning. I am sure they will perform flawlessly."

"Oh they will," Frederick promised with a cold tone in his voice.

I almost shivered myself at those three words.

"If you would be so kind as to show the ladies to their rooms," I said. "I am going to stretch my legs and have a drink at the local tavern. Is the Black Stag still open after all these years?"

"Mein Herr you have been to Berlin before," Frederick asked shocked.

"No but an old friend told me to ask about it when I got here," I lied

"Yes it is still open and run by the same family..."

"Fine, if anyone is looking for me I will be there."

I made my way through the streets of reunited Berlin. The last time I was here I had to slip out from the eastern side prior to fall of the wall and the guard towers. It had been worth the risk; well she had been worth the risk in the end. The information I had gathered was invaluable to maintaining the power balance. And the two nights of pure passion I had spent with Svetlana still inspired morning wood to this day decades later. I walked along and suddenly familiar landmarks began to appear here and there. At last I turned a corner and there it was the Black Stag in all its former glory. Someone had spent time and money restoring the exterior to its pre-war splendor. I hurried to see if the interior looked as fine as the exterior did. I stepped inside and my breath was taken away. Even though the set up was different and it was more of a café than a tavern now the ambiance was still the same. The huge stone hearth was still there and the black stag from which the place had gotten its name was still in the same place. I walked in and headed for the ancient oaken bar. The white haired bar keep turned to face me and he smiled as I approached. Though he had lost his sight during the Second World War he still knew my foot fall even after all these years.

"By the gods is that you Jon," he called out.

"Hello Hans," I replied.

He came around the bar and gave me a mighty hug and I returned it. His hands came up and traced the features of my face. Startled at the lack of change I let him delve into the subtleties that lie there that only he could detect. After a few minutes his hands fell to his sides and he returned to his position behind the bar. He poured to pints of beer before he spoke.

"Jon, your face is a mighty strange riddle," he said. "In some ways it hasn't changed at all. But in others dear me it has changed in ways that defy explanation. I expect there are stories you owe me old man."

"I do indeed," I said. "But not here and not now, perhaps after closing time tonight?"

"Aye that would be fine by me," he agreed. "I have a fine something set aside for such a reunion. I will bring it out of hiding."

"You are too kind Hans. How is your family?"

"I am a great-great grandfather now and you," he asked.

"All I can say is that I have a very extensive family," I said with a smirk in my voice.

"Of that Jon I have no doubt," Hans said. "I hear you are here to reopen the Mannlicher Plant."

"Yes, we are turning fiction into reality next week."

"I don't understand," Hans said.

"Ever hear of a Gauss Rifle," I asked him.

"Oh sure, the Russians were trying for years to create one but gave up years ago. So I take it you discovered a way of doing it Jon?"

"Not me per se but some very bright people I work for. I'm just the guy cutting the ribbon. The real people involved are working on the next generation of power plants for us."

"What kind of power plants?"

"The kind that doesn't use fossil fuel," I said. "Imagine in the next ten years low cost energy for everyone."

"Boy, will that shake up things," he said.

"That's the idea."

"I hope you have great security on your research team," he said.

"The best," I said. "I... what the hell is that?"

"I feel it too," Hans said.

We both turned to face the door. A plain looking girl entered the tavern. She wouldn't have stood out anywhere. That was until she drew out the very large and impressive looking pistol from her backpack. There were cries of panic from everyone and everywhere, well almost everwhere.

"I'll handle this," I said.

I slowly walked up to her with my hands up.

"What's wrong," I asked her.

"It's you," she said as if recognizing me.

"Do you know me child?"

"No, they sent me to you."

"Who sent you?"

"That's not important only the message is important."

"Okay, what is the message?"

"The lines, they showed me the lines. They are waking up."

"What lines, what kind of lines are they?"

"The Ghost Lines they call them. They run and they jump and they cross one another. Do you know what I am talking about?" She asked me.

"Unfortunately I do. The Chinese call them the Dragon Lines and the English call them Ley Lines. They have been idle for a very long time. Why are they waking up girl? Something must be waking them up, what is it."

"They only repeat one word over and over again," she said.

"What," I said getting closer. "What is the word?"

"Nemesis," She says as she swings the gun towards one of the customers.

I pull the weapon back towards me as hard as I can with my telekinesis even as she pulls the trigger. The bullet bites deep into my shoulder.

"No," the girl screams. "I was not supposed to hurt you. They want you alive."

"Who wants me alive?"

"The Thanatons..."

She spun and ran even as the police arrived. Gunshots erupted and the girl is cut down in a volley of gunfire.

"She never had a chance," Hans said.

"She never gave them a chance," I said.

"What do you mean," he said.

"She was dead the minute she left here. Whoever sent her here meant for her to die, one way or another."

"How sad," Hans said.

"Yes," I agreed.

"Do you need an ambulance?"

"Nah," I said. "I've had a lot worse than this. I guess I'll head back to the manse before the police start asking all those pesky questions. See you tonight. Where's the bathroom?"

"Right back there," Hans pointed out.

"Okay," I said.

I hid the sound of my teleportation with the flushing of the toilet. Let them figure that one out, they were detectives after all.

The bullet was removed with little difficulty and my wound sewed shut. I learned from Roger that several world classed physicists wished to view the artifact at his earliest convenience. I believe when they had seen the accreditation from the labs they believed what had been said at the news conference. Even now a lab was being set up in one of the larger of the empty rooms.

Of course I got an urgent call from Nick via hologram.

"JON, what the hell man," Nick hollered.

"This was all Roger," I said.

"So you had nothing to do with this," Nick asked.

"This was an archaeological matter," I said. "I only helped with the presentation. "He was way nervous and asked for my help on this."

"You are building this in London," he accused.

"That was a political matter only," I replied.

"Okay," he said. "I was just a little shocked was all?"

"As was most of the world," I said. "I have already made plans to hook Numenor into this trust me on this. We will have all the computer assets when we work on the space projects."

"Sounds great," Nick said with a smile. "But watch your back; this will make you some bitter enemies."

"It's okay; I already have things in place in case this gets hostile."

"Wow, I hope it doesn't go that far."

"Me too," I said.

"Good luck," Nick said before his hologram winked out.

"Storm," I said.

"Yes Sir," he said as he appeared. "There is no mention of Thanatons in any reference material that I can find from any material either written or digital. They are not from earth. Shall I expand my search?"

"Yeah, do the full work up. I'll leave you alone for a while."

"Thank you Sir. I estimate it will take me several weeks to scan the entire archives."

"Have fun, and if you find anything relevant..."

"I will set it aside as I always do."

Just then Colleen walked in.

"Hello Storm how's it going," she asked.

"I was just leaving," he said.

"Leaving," she said with a pout. "Was it something I said?"

"No, I am doing research for Master Jon."

"Research, that shouldn't take you very long seeing as you are so very smart and all," she said.

"Oh this will take two months."

"Two months," Colleen gasped. "Geez what are you looking for?"

Storm looked at Jon and Jon nodded.

"We are looking for a reference for people called the Thanatons," Storm said.

Colleen went pale.

"The Thanatons are sleeping; The Thanatons are dreaming... the Thanatons are hungry..."

"What did you say Colleen," I said.

"I've been having these scary fucking dreams. Ever since we got on the train, there are these dark dreams about whispers in the night. I am walking in this frozen wasteland. I am naked but I am not cold. I can feel this vibration beneath my feet. Then something pushes up from the blue-black ice. It's a thin spear of black metal, at first. Then it's a six foot tall stone marker. Then it's a black tower. Finally it's this massive black monolith and it is glowing with this sickly green energy. Then there is this hoard of things pouring from the monolith. An army that wipes out all life... the Thanatons..."

"Okay we need to make sure that you are safe," I told her.

"When I am dreaming," she asked. "How the hell are you going to pull that one off?"

"With this," I said pull a small crystal from my pocket. "It is a special avatar stone. This one doesn't plug into a watch or device, it plugs directly into the user."

"What," she exclaimed. "How does it work?"

"It monitors all of your physical and mental statistics as you experience them. But more than that the avatar feels what you feel and keeps a log of it."

"Wait a second, what about private stuff like... well you know."

"I am afraid even that will be recorded, sorry kitten."

"The main this is your dreams and your safety. If someone tries to do you any harm we will be there in a heartbeat okay."

"Okay, what about Carol, does she get one?"

"Is she having the dreams?"

"No, or if she is she is keeping quiet about them."

"Well, I'll give her one too just in case she isn't saying anything."

"Thanks big brother," Colleen said. "So how does this thing go on?"

"Just like this," I said as I centered the crystal on her forehead and pushed. There was a slight stinging sensation and then it was done. "There you go. Now just think activate to wake up the avatar."

Suddenly a gorgeous toga clad woman appeared and looked around.

"I am Nyx Goddess of the Deep Darkness how can I be of assistance."

"I am Colleen and I need you to watch over me in these dangerous times."

"I will do so without fail," Nyx said and vanished from sight.

"Well said sis," I told her.

"I can feel her in my head. It's like she is rifling through my memories."

"She is getting to know you and your habits. If she is going to protect you she has to anticipate you."

"I get that. It's just going to take a little getting used to is all. So how is this free power thing going?"

"A nightmare, we have received death threats from all over the Middle East and the United States."

"You're not surprised are you?"

"Oh no not really," I said. "But the sheer volume and how quickly is a little overwhelming."

"What was Nick's spin on things?"

"He wanted to know if I had anything to do with it," I said.

"So you lied."

"Of course I did. If he even guessed how much I already had in placed he shit bricks."

"Jon, how much do you have in place?"

"Want a sneak peak?"

"You know I do."

With a gesture I brought up a holographic screen. I double tapped the center to bring up a keyboard. I entered a password. A few seconds later we were looking at a live feed from a satellite looking down over the continental United States.

"Designate target cities," I said and blue lightning bolts appeared over the live feed. "Those are the cities that will receive fusion power next year."

"So you are in the process of building power plants in those cities," Colleen asked.

"No, those are cities that already have fusion power plants built there."

"Wait, I don't understand. Roger Sterling just discovered an ancient artifact that showed that ancient Egyptians possessed fusion power."

"That is correct kitten, who do you think gave it to them?"

"No fucking way!"

"Way," I said. "Those blue lightning bolts indicate fusion plants 'below' the surface of the city. Each of those sights is abandoned factories or warehouses or some such location. Just before they go online, the site will be demolished and cleared away. Then the plant will rise miraculously from the earth overnight. By noon it will be online and providing free power to the surrounding area. This, by the way, just happens to be a dense urban area or high usage business location."