The Harvest of Souls

CHAPTER 46

ARKADIA,

14.01.8462 - 9:36 PM

Charlotte was on one of the underground floors of The Crystal, a floor full of desks and workstations that were empty, except for Charlotte, a security guard all dressed in black who guarded the only exit door to the huge room without windows and a woman Charlotte was talking to. The woman was fully dressed in red, had red hair and freckled skin. Charlotte was standing right behind, leaning over her, sitting in a chair controlling a computer connected to six different monitors.

"The PMGI has not identified any relevant movement since your order of border closure. Except for flights activated by special passports issued by you and repatriation flights, nothing has crossed borders. From history, we can see that the Soaring Caravel left Vindobona, heading west, through the Donau, and as soon as it entered the high seas, the PMGI satellites no longer had a range. It could have gone east and ended up in other rivers until it reached the sea, but the path would have been longer, and the chances of us taking the Caravel would have been greater," the woman said quickly, without taking her eyes off the maps displayed on the monitors.

"And since then, there has been no crossing of borders? No planes, trains, ships, caravels, nothing?"

"No, Charlotte," said the woman.

"It doesn't make sense, Eillen. We're leaving something out," Charlotte said when she felt her MC vibrate.

Charlotte pulled the device out of the loose red pants she was wearing and saw a call from Lélia.

"Hello?" She spoke seriously, facing the security on the other side of the underground floor, still guarding the door. "Yes, so what? Are you calmer? That's good," Charlotte listened attentively to Lélia's words on the other end of the line, and then a smile spread across her face. "Pordelemor? Why go so far as to get blood? Can't he be treated with animal blood there in Ástur anyway? I'm sure you could get it at any butcher shop there in Kotakahuana." Charlotte's eyes sparkled with happiness. "Okay, okay then. Everything is fine. Do you need anything else? So that's right, I'll allow your trip to Pordelemor," Lélia continued talking on the other end of the line. "Lélia... Lélia, calm down, calm down. I already understand what you need, send me the names, and I will authorize this trip. Since you're going to use a Phoenyx, do you think everyone will be back in Ástur in less than twenty-four hours? All right then, I will issue the authorization for you and the others," Charlotte looked at the map displayed on the monitors operated by Eillen and tried to locate Pordelemor. "A kiss, good trip, and good luck."

Charlotte turned off her MC and put it back in her pants pocket.

"We haven't thought of a place: Pordelemor. PMGI does not cover that hole, Eillen. Fernand is there, I'm sure," she said in a tone of victory for her agent. "Let's call Globapol. They will take over the case once and for all."

ÁSTUR,

14.01.8462 - 03:16 PM

The trip was arranged in a hurry. Lélia sent a letter to Nahan through one of her cylinders but imagining that it would probably arrive about the same time as the Phoenyx. Richard set up the trip for Lélia and gave some basic instructions on how to operate Phoenyx. Mila, Scarlet, and Mário decided to contradict their mothers and accompany Lélia on the trip. Both Nair and Marta refused to go with their children.

"Are you going to try to rescue Fernand? Don't you think this could bring problems?" Richard asked.

"No. He'll probably remain in Pordelemor, but I need some information."

"Okay, so I wish you good luck."

"Soon we will be back," Lélia kissed Richard's lips. "Thanks for letting us borrow the ship. See you soon," she said, leaving the room while Richard made sure that Vaughan was still sleeping.