“From Sarlun, the Gatekeeper of the Shandra on Shimmal.” I didn’t flinch. This seemed to flummox him even more.
“Then it’s out.” He sank back in the pillow, almost disappearing into the bed.
“Is that such a bad thing?” Mary asked.
“We spent a lot of hard work to isolate the portals. We blocked off all that we could. The Theos were short-sighted creating these back-door accesses into so many worlds. It was like giving the Kremlons a key to the barn,” Kareem said, his reference not hitting home, but I imagined it was something like giving a fox a key to the hen house.
“We need the portal to the Bhlat homeworld.” I leaned forward as I spoke. I said the words just loud enough for Kareem to hear them.
“Preposterous!” he yelled, sending his frail body into a coughing fit. When it finished, he wiped his thin lips with a slender arm. “What would that accomplish?”
I told him our plan, and he didn’t interrupt once. A few times, he looked like he would interject, but each time he changed his mind, and sat back. When it was over, he looked at Mary. “You agree with this plan?” he asked her.
She nodded, but I noticed a hesitation to it. “What choice do we have?”
“There’s always a choice. There’s always…” He coughed a few more times. “A choice.”
“I think it’s our best bet. Unless we can rally enough support from your allies out there.” Magnus, Mary, and I had discussed this, but ultimately, we didn’t have the contacts or time to attempt such an endeavor.
“Their portal was blocked off centuries ago. The Theos Collective fought us on the decision, but the long-running religion ended up dissipating as the years went on, and eventually, they forgot about it, just like everyone else. Now there are only a handful of races that even know of their existence. Your friend Sarlun is one of the last remaining Gatekeepers in the universe.”
“Something’s been bothering me. If there was a portal on Earth, why didn’t you use it to help your cause with the Kalentrek?” I asked.
“How do you think we got it there? Through the portal. We were a captured race, so few of us were left outside the Kraskis’ clutches. All we could do was wait for the right time.” His face took on a look of heavy loss. He noticed my reaction and spoke to me softly. “Dean Parker, you are an honorable man. I don’t blame you for the destruction of my people. The plan was to rid ourselves of the Kraski with your help, not destroy you all and take your world. We deserved our fate.”
“You’ll help us?” Mary asked.
“I will. But you have to do something for me first.” Kareem’s words gave me pause. We didn’t have time for favors.
“What? We’ll do anything,” Mary answered before I could counter.
“You told Leslie and Terrance that you’d get their people here.” He looked me in the eyes. “Your people now by blood.” He sniffed the air, and I wondered if he could smell the hybrid blood running quickly through my veins. “Go get them. Use the portal and bring them here, to their new home.”
“We don’t have time for this!” I stood up, knocking my chair over. A guard came in, gun pointed at me.
“It’s okay. We’re fine. Just having a discussion,” Kareem said to the guard. “Aren’t we, Dean?”
I righted the chair and sat back down, getting a glower from Mary.
“We’ll do it,” she said firmly.
“Wait.” I started to speak, but she set a hand on my knee.
“I said we’ll do it. We owe them that much. We left them there when we took off, and it’s weighed on us long enough. They need our help too,” Mary said. Instantly, I knew she was right.
“Sarlun showed me Earth’s icon but didn’t know if it was still functional. Is it?” I asked, sweat forming under my arms.
“It is.”
“Where is it?” Mary asked.
“You call it Egypt. Under a large pyramid. The Theos planted it there before humans wandered the dust, and when it was discovered by your people many years ago, they built a tower to protect it. They didn’t know what it was, only that it was clearly ancient, and alien,” Kareem said. “Do you have your…?” He left the question unanswered, his eyes glancing at the pin on my uniform’s lapel.
I almost barked out a laugh. For so long, we’d imagined the pyramids had a link to aliens, and they did. Machu Picchu was rumored to involve aliens, and it did. I wondered what other rumors were true. Area 51?
“From the pyramids to a Russian war camp. We’re going to need help,” I said.
“Patty told me to contact Jeff Dinkle if we ever make it to Earth and need someone on her side. Magnus knows how to reach him.” Mary looked ready to leave.
I turned to the door as I heard a familiar voice demanding to be let in. Terrance came pushing past the guard, toward us.
“Not in here!” Kareem called, stopping the angry hybrid in his footsteps.
“Where are they?” he asked, his face dark red.
“Earth,” I said, ashamed I didn’t have better news for the man. “We’re going to get them now.”
“I’m coming with you,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said, but Kareem spoke up.
“Take him. He’ll be helpful. Bring them back, and I’ll expose the secrets my people worked so hard to hide. I want the secret to be yours, and yours alone. It will die with you, do you understand?” he asked, a grave look over his gaunt face.
I did understand and told him as much. He nodded and closed his eyes. He didn’t speak again, and we stood up to face Leslie and Terrance. Leslie had shorn her hair short, but otherwise was the spitting image of my now dead wife, and of Mae. My heart ached for a second as I looked her in the eyes. “Let’s go. If you’re coming, can you fly us back to the portal?”
“What portal?” Leslie asked.
“Come on, we have a lot to talk about.”
SIXTEEN
“Are you sure you can make this trip with us? What about Natalia and your boy?” I asked Magnus.
“She wants me to go. She said if she can’t be there to protect you guys, I’d better be.” Magnus opened the transport’s door, and the cool air rushed inside. It was still cold by Terran Five standards, but it was in their spring season. Snow was melting, leaving a sloppy mess near the cavern entrance that would lead us to the portal.
Leslie and Terrance were suited up and hadn’t spoken much on the cramped ride from Terran One to the mountainside. They were anxious to help their friends, and I could completely understand the feeling. We all got out, bringing a vast array of supplies. The small Kalentrek device was in my breast pocket, though I didn’t expect to have to use it yet. Mary was the last to get out, from the pilot’s seat, and I gave her a kiss as she stepped onto the slushy ground.
“One thing at a time. We can do this, get the Bhlat world icon, and finish this once and for all. What do you say? Another ass-kicking mission for old time’s sake?” I asked.
Magnus gave a hoorah and stuck his hand out. I settled mine on his, flat-palmed, and Mary followed suit. Terrance rolled his eyes but joined in, followed by Leslie. “Let’s go kick some ass!” Magnus said. We all repeated “kick some ass!” and raised our hands. It felt good to be part of a team, even a desperate stitched-together one, off doing someone else’s mission. I reprimanded myself for thinking that. I had promised to help the hybrids, and I was about to follow through on that. Their lives were just as important as the people of Earth’s.