Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 7: Rebellion

“What’s going on, Indri?” Andrew demanded.

“Sir! Your brother and nearly half of West Base have disappeared. We received reports that a large group was heading through West Gate. They knocked out the guards on duty at the West Gate and went through. We didn’t get the news until half an hour after they went through. Amory must've disabled the message system he built. If he did, we're going to have to rebuild.”

Andrew gave a sharp hiss of disgust. “We’d better see to fixing that message system then. Any idea where they are headed? Can you track them?”

“No sir. He didn’t take anyone who was wearing any sort of tracking device. All the agents on call or on current assignments have one, but he just took all the troublemakers.”

Andrew wanted to believe that it was a stroke of good luck for them, but he knew it wasn’t. His brother wouldn’t leave for any good reason. Of course, maybe he had misinterpreted Andrew’s request to leave.

But no. That just wasn’t Amory. Amory had always been a plotter. The schemer of the family. He’d taught Andrew how to scheme and strategize too, and he’d been a good teacher. He’d taught his brother how his own mind worked so that Andrew could learn how to think the same way.

One mistake you probably aren’t thinking about, Amory. You taught me how your mind worked, and I still remember it. I can think just like you if need be. I understand you because you were the closest thing to a father that I had. I looked up to and imitated you, and so now, I have the knowledge I need to anticipate your next move. Andrew thought.

“Well, I have a feeling I know where he’s headed. Indri, check the hold. Make sure that none of our valuable stores are missing. If any of them are, make a list and report to me. Also, best to check the magical inventory. Be sure that Amory didn’t take any of those items.

"He told me yesterday he wanted to rule the world, and he invited me in on it. I refused, but he isn’t likely to give up because of it. In order to rule the world, he’d need at least the other half of the Book of Spells. East Base still has one half, but we have the other, and I have a bad feeling that he might have taken it.”

Indri frowned, uncertain. “We had alarm systems installed, Andrew. How could he get past them without alerting us?”

Andrew sighed, and then explained, trying to remain patient. Indri was brilliant, but sometimes simple explanations got past him. “Indri, Amory designed our alarm system. I don’t think that the problem was our message system either, now that I think about it. I think that the issue was that Amory turned off all the security cameras and alarms, knocked out the guards, and left. It took someone half an hour to discover the knocked out guards. Either that or the guards woke up and came and told security.”

Indri gave a grunt of understanding and nodded.

This is a disaster. What am I going to tell everyone?

“Indri?”

Indri looked up, intent and listening.

“Alert East Base to the strange activity. If I know Amory, he’s headed there, and he’s planning to take over.”

***

Nari walked into the office.

Andrew and Indri turned to look at her.

She backed up, realizing she'd walked in on a private discussion. “Oh! I’m sorry. I must have forgotten you canceled lessons today, sir.”

She gave Indri a concerned glance. Andrew knew she was still worried that he would disapprove of her. As much as she disliked Indri’s teaching methods, she looked up to him as a steady, firm commander. She knew he could be relied upon in a bad situation, and she knew that whenever he praised her she’d earned it. She could appreciate that, at least.