Ever After #7: Waves of Scales

Chapter 15.2 The Weapon

"THIS IS THE closest area we can have without catching the military's attention," Fatima said as she turned off the engine after an hour of flight and another hour of driving. "We obviously can't bring this car right through their doorstep."

They stopped at the silent roadside, they were surrounded by woods, and only a few strands of light were passing through the thick branches and leaves. It was a different world for there was no noise of the civilization, only nature spoke at that moment: leaves rustling, birds chirping, and insects making noises. Asceia pushed the door open and stepped outside. She looked around and took a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she heard the distant sounds made by humans and smelled the scent in the air carried by winds.

"We need to keep going, the light is dying."

Fatima led the way with the aid of a map on her smartphone, the two just followed her and they were all swallowed by the woods. Every step, dried leaves, and twigs were crushed and broken into pieces. Asceia hummed the Song and started collecting the moisture of the area. She channeled every drop of water to her hands and let it circulate and sway around her fingers and arms. It became thicker with each second that passed by. The two were silent the whole time, none of them bothered to break the silence as they were too indulged in listening to nature and Asceia singing.

Until Asceia suddenly stopped walking that also made Troy stop. Fatima on the other hand noticed that she was the only one making small noises, she immediately stopped and turned around. She was about to ask a question when Asceia pressed her index finger against her lips. She quickly got what she wanted to say, specifically the slight tilting of her head to the right.

In one swift movement of Asceia's right hand, the water surrounding her arm was blasted away, it formed like a spear and targeted the pile of dead leaves. A loud grunt came out of the mouth of a man in hiding that was thrown away by the force of water. He rolled over the ground for a second until he found a way to take control of himself and pointed his rifle at them. But before he could even pull the trigger, Asceia manipulated the water again and choke the man to his death.

••°°••

IT WAS ALREADY dark when they reached the boundary of the grounds of the military base. They remained hidden in the darkness of the woods surrounding the camp and watched the men going in and out of the tents, walking around, talking, and working on something. The camp was the only area with no trees, the antennas that were pointing at the night sky full of stars and poles with solar-powered light bulbs were the only ones standing tall.

"You both stay here and cover your ears. Let me handle this." Asceia stepped out of the darkness and walked towards the men.

"Stop right there, miss!"

"Hands in the air!"

"Stay back!"

"Stay back or we'll shoot!"

Several men stopped and surrounded her with their guns pointing at her. One of them raised a device that emitted light, scanning her whole body.

"She's positive...she's one of them."

"We've got an alien in our base!"

Asceia's patience ran out. She opened her mouth and spoke, "shut your mouth and don't move." The armed men in uniform who heard her froze in their position. She continued walking and just passed through them. Right there, another group of men came in close and were about to shoot her. "Throw your weapons away, don't speak, and don't move," she said loudly, affecting anyone who heard it.

She didn't stay outside for long and went into the main and the biggest tent in the area where she heard the heavy breaths of a man. Inside, an old man stood beside the table, unable to move, sweating, both eyes were red and watery due to the failure of blinking, and his muscles were shaking because of his uncomfortable position. She looked into his eyes and established a telepathic connection.

"I take you're the man in charge here," she said while staring at the badges hanging or attached to his uniform, "you called the assassination of the mutated president and waged a war against my kind." She went around the table and sat on his chair. "You know, I can bend or break this world to my will, but I didn't because I have compassion and I am not that cruel to your kind. We have the same enemy, the sercean who possessed your president and destroyed your vessels and ships is the one trying to take my powers. Imagine what she could do if she will have this. That's why I am here, proposing a truce. I will help save your people in exchange for standing beside me and fighting whatever threat that will come." She looked at him through his teary eyes that were still focused on the entrance of the tent. "Stand straight, fix yourself, look at me, and speak."

The man grunted as he repeatedly blinked to ease the burning pain in his eyes. He gasped for air and stood straight. He looked at her with rage and his shaking lips opened. "Fuck you...I swear to God, I will hunt your kind until no---"

"Such pride will never save your kind. With or without your approval, I will take your army." She stood and scoffed. She was about to take a step when she was stopped by his sudden change of thoughts.

"Okay wait...If I will agree, how will I know for certain that you will not betray us?" He was hesitant, his pride was bruised.

"Let's start at the fact that I walked in here and left your people outside unharmed. If that is not enough, then I guess you will just start trusting me." She smiled. "What do you say?"

"Agreed," the man said bitterly. He gulped and sighed heavily.

"That's what I want to hear. Now, call off the attacks on innocent serceans, and let's focus our force on the only threat in the ocean, Yrevia. Taking her out will end this. Both kinds will be safe."

"I'm afraid I can't call off the attack. My men are prepared. We spotted a group of your kind working at the base of the mountain approximately sixty kilometers from here. They are building a machine, a weapon to be exact, and that's what we want to stop." His focus shifted down to the table. "Check under the papers."

She moved the papers aside, revealing the stack of various images of a spot where a massive weapon was built. Several humans, surely mutated into serceans, were working on it. She doesn't have any idea what it was designed for, but certainly, this is part of Yrevia's grand plan.

"Now we've got something to work with. Let's stop this from being used."