Chapter 6: Anybody Listening

There's more to life than what we have known
And I can't believe I've spent so long
Living lies I knew were wrong inside
I've just begun to see the light

Josh stood on the bank of the gorge eroded by the flow of the Rio Grande River and watched the four dots flying from the opposite shore grow larger. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun that was slightly past its zenith. Within a few minutes, he could make out individual angels and their passengers. Gabriel with Virdon were in the lead, followed closely by Nethaniah with Matthias. Jedediah, carrying Kezia, lagged a short distance behind, flying next to an unencumbered Ezekiel.

"Why is it," Galen asked as he emerged from the hovercraft just behind Josh, "that no matter how hard I try to stay on the ground, I keep ending up in midair?" The skin around his muzzle and eyes still had a gray cast, and he held onto the side of the hovercraft for dear life.

"Oh, I don't know, Galen," Josh replied with a smirk, sparing only a glance at him, "you should try it with one of those guys. It's pretty exciting stuff."

Galen's face went even paler and he closed his eyes dramatically. "Oh, no, no, no, I don't think it'd be anything of the sort."

Gabriel set Virdon down on the ground then alighted behind him. "How bad are they hurt?" Virdon asked anxiously as the others landed.

"Nothing serious. Pete's got a sprained wrist and Eliana has a cut on her head." Josh trailed off as a look of concern crossed his face, and he pushed past Virdon. Jed and Zeke had just touched down, and Zeke doubled over as he gasped for air, his features twisted with pain.

"Damn it, Zeke," Josh swore, slipping his arm under Zeke's uninjured shoulder. "Why didn't you say you weren't up to flying that far? You should have ridden with us."

Zeke straightened up and took a deep steadying breath, the tightness in his jaw and brow relaxing with a conscious effort. "I saw that landing." He nodded toward the craft. "Any more weight, and you wouldn't have made it." He waved Jed away when the healer reached for his weakened wing. "Go tend the others inside. I'm just outta shape from sitting around on my ass too long."

Jed frowned, but turned to climb the steps to the transport. Virdon, Galen and the others followed right behind him.

Zeke leaned on Josh until they reached the side of the craft, then he pulled away to run a hand over the armored hull. "Is she damaged at all?"

"'She'?" Josh quirked an eyebrow.

"Pete says all flying ships and fast cars are 'shes'."

Josh smirked. "Figures." His expression turned serious. "The computer says there's no damage to the propulsion engines or repulsor plates. The only thing we lost was a coat of paint. We can head out whenever we want."

"Good." He started up the steps, then paused and turned to clap Josh on the back. "Nice work, little brother."

Now that Zeke's breathing had returned to normal, he finally went inside. He didn't want Burke to see how much the short flight across the river had cost him in physical exertion. His wing still ached, making him glad that he was the empath and not Burke. But he could sense the worry in Josh and Jed.

Jed knelt in front of Eliana, running a dermal regenerator over a nasty cut on her forehead. A pinkish layer of foam that would accelerate the growth on new skin filmed over the gaping laceration. A small patch of dark blood stained the collar of her uniform. Next to her, Burke nursed his left wrist, his face pale. Zeke could feel the anxiety still radiating off him.

He crouched next to the injured man. "Hey, you okay?"

Burke barked out a wry laugh. "Not my best landing, that's for sure. I think I got a zero from the East German judge."

Zeke laid a hand on Burke's shoulder, subtly projecting a calming aura. "Everyone and everything is in one piece. I think you did just fine."

Burke frowned. "Yeah, but I'm going to have to do it again on the return trip, and now I've got a bum wrist. I don't think I can even drive right now, let alone perform another stunt like that."

Jed finished with Eliana and shifted to Burke. "You'll be good as new in a few minutes." He ran a scanner over Burke's wrist and clucked his tongue. "Yep, a bad sprain. Nothing broken." He turned the device off and set it down on the floor. "Gonna do this the old fashioned way."

Jed gingerly took the injured wrist between both his hands and closed his eyes in wrapt concentration. Burke grunted in wonder as the pain slowly dissipated. After a few minutes, Jed opened his eyes and released Burke.

"How does it feel now?" he asked, staggering back to slump into one of the chairs.

Burke flexed his wrist experimentally. "Still a little stiff, but the pain is gone. That's amazing, Jed."

"Good. Just take it easy for a while. Don't get into any wrestling matches." He yawned hugely, covering it with the back of one hand. "If we are ready to move on, I'm going to take a little nap."

Burke made to get up, ready to retake the pilot's seat. Virdon pushed him back down. "You heard the man. Take it easy. My turn to drive," Virdon said with a smirk.

"Yes, mother."

The concrete lip of the bunker peeked out of the scrub-covered hillock like old bones half buried in the desert. A drift of sand and rubble obscured most of the door. The bulk of the hovercraft stood between the desert and the area where they would soon be working to clear the entrance. It cast a long shadow from the setting sun.

Virdon surveyed the blockage with Josh. "And we're sure this entrance will connect with the main complex?" Josh asked him.

"According to the schematics, it should. Assuming nothing is caved in. In my time, this was the entrance to the research area." He pointed to the south toward a flat area of sand. "That was a landing strip for visiting brass. There used to be a hangar over there." He pointed a little closer, then turned toward the east. "And the motor pool was there. This entrance was also used by airmen going on leave to the city."

Virdon remembered the last time he'd been to the base, before his first mission into space. He been sent as part of the team to test the design of a lander for possible exploration of Venus. Based on the successful Soviet Venera program, the Aphrodite was to be NASA's first attempt at a landing on Earth's nearest neighbor in space. They'd spent a month in the desert running the lander over every terrain available—sand, rocks, even off of sheer cliffs—to determine if its suspension could handle the rugged conditions on the surface of Venus.

That was his lasting impression of Albuquerque and Kirtland—sweltering heat at the height of summer, with temperatures at night that plunged into the fifties and sometimes even forties. Although the administration area and barracks were located in a compound on the northern edge of the base, the research labs, testing grounds, and storage areas were buried deep in the rocky foothills southeast of the city.

Once they cleared away the debris, they still faced a significant challenge to getting into the base. In Virdon's time, all hatches leading to the outside were foot-thick hardened steel, and it was unlikely that the previous residents had left the door unlocked. They'd have to cut through the door with a laser, unless Gabe could find a way to disable the lock.

"Well, we should get started first thing in the morning clearing this rubble," Josh said. He looked furtively around the quickly darkening desert. "Eliana wants everyone buttoned up inside the transport before the sun goes down. Just to be safe."

Virdon nodded. The trip through the city had been disturbing. While he was driving through the city east of the Rio Grande, he spotted deeper shadows flitting through the dark places in the ruined buildings. But when he tried to look more closely to see what was moving, they melted into the background. At first, he thought his imagination was producing boogeymen based on the Misha's dire warnings about things living in the city that were no longer truly human. Then Josh had leaned over the back of Virdon's seat and murmured sotto voce, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Alan?"

"I was beginning to wonder if I was really seeing it at all," he'd replied just as quietly. "What is it? Animals? Or people?"

"Let me see if I can tune the sensors to find out." He'd returned to the seat at the computer console.

"What's going on?" Eliana had asked from behind them.

Before Virdon could answer, Josh had spoken. "We are seeing some movement in the ruins. I'm recalibrating the sensors to see if I can figure out what it is."

"It is the Shedim," Misha had interrupted. All heads had turned toward him. "They are the animals in human form who live in the Desolation. They do not think, do not build, do not create. They know only killing and eating and destroying. These are the creatures that we hunt for food and to control their numbers."

After that, the atmosphere inside the hovercraft was more subdued, with a tense undercurrent as everyone scanned the view outside trying to glimpse the Shedim. Misha couldn't tell them how far outside of the city the Shedim might roam, since none of the gorillas had ever been east of the city. Josh had reprogrammed the sensors to check for life signs; they detected that something lived in the city, but nothing ever approached the hovercraft. And the computer had stopped sensing anything of significant size once they left the eastern edge of the ruins. It would give them warning if anything approached.

Virdon rested his hand on the firearm at his waist as he watched the sun touch the horizon. Coyotes and snakes weren't the only wildlife they needed to be wary of in the nighttime desert.

"What do you think, Gabe?" Eliana asked the fair-haired angel as he crouched in front of the door's locking mechanism. Clearing away the sand and rocks had revealed a large steel hatch. Bits of white paint still clung to the metal near the bottom where the obstruction had protected it from the scouring desert wind. Further up, the bare metal shone through, largely free of any rust or corrosion, courtesy of the dry, arid environment. The edge of the door was flanged, providing a seal that kept out the sand that insinuated itself everywhere.

"It's an electric lock with a rotating encryption key. If we hook up an external power source, I think I can tweak the mechanism to override the code. It'll take a little while, but we should be able to get in without cutting open the door." He looked up at Eliana. "Which also means that we can close and lock it behind us, to keep... ah... anything from following us in."

"Good. We'll secure the transport and set up an alarm in case anything disturbs it." She shifted the armored vest covering her torso so it settled more comfortably on her shoulders, then touched her link bracelet. "Alan, how's it going in there?"

Virdon's voice came through a moment later. "We are just about good to go. Everyone is geared up, and we've distributed the other equipment between us."

"All right. Gabe will have the door open shortly, so let's start assembling everyone." She wanted the team ready and alert before the door was open, in case any nasty surprises were waiting for them inside.

Meanwhile, Gabe was on his own communicator. Shortly, Josh and Burke emerged from the transport; Josh carried a small metal case. He crouched next to Gabe, and they began hooking up the power supply.

Burke stopped next to Eliana, one hand on his hip as he rested the butt of his needler rifle on the ground. He jerked his chin toward the other two. "So, the wonder twins here figure this thing out?"

"Yeah, they should have it open in a few minutes." She touched the bandage on her forehead self-consciously. "How's the wrist?"

Burke flexed it and smiled. "Good as new." He hefted the weapon with two hands. "Just in time, too, if I'm gonna have to carry this thing for very long."

"Just a precaution, as is the body armor." They both turned as the rest of their companions filed out of the hovercraft and gathered around them. "Once we get inside," Eliana addressed them all, "no one goes off alone. And keep the chatter on the link to a minimum. We're going to limit our initial exploration to six hours. That should give us enough time to scope out if the area is safe from radiation hazards and narrow down the areas that warrant further investigation. But I want to be out of there long before the sun sets."

The others nodded. Malachi and Levi had insisted during the check-in last night that they not remain in the base after dark. Just in case any of the desert's nocturnal residents got curious.

A loud click drew their attention back to the door, which stood slightly ajar. Eliana tucked her weapon into a ready position as Josh packed the power supply back into its case. Once both he and Gabe were on their feet, she gave Gabe a nod. He tugged on the handle to the door, eliciting a loud squeal from the metal hinges as it slowly opened. They could hear the sound reverberate down the corridor inside.

Eliana flicked on the light integrated under the barrel of the rifle and pointed it into the doorway. The light from the still rising sun, just above the horizon in front of them, did not penetrate very far into the dark corridor. The powerful light source illuminated forty or fifty yards, but all it revealed was a straight corridor that continued into the darkness.

"We find any orcs or a magic ring in this place, I'm not going to be the one to try it on," Burke declared in a loud pseudowhisper. "The precious!" he screeched in a gravelly falsetto. Everyone looked at him strangely. "Wow, I guess the classics aren't so classic anymore. You guys need to read more."

The corridor was wide enough that a small vehicle could have travelled along it. The cement floors and metal walls, as well as the high ceilings, amplified the echoes of their footfalls, making everyone self-consciously tread more quietly. Eliana and Virdon took the lead, with Matthias and Kezia watching their rear. Ranged in the middle, Josh and Gabe operated sensors that would detect motion and heat signatures, to give them some advance warning if anything was living in the base.

After two hundred yards, the corridor branched at a four-way intersection. Eliana walked to each exit and pointed her light. "Which way?" she asked Virdon.

"Straight ahead. That should lead us to the center of the base; hopefully we can find the command center."

"All right, keep sharp now. I don't want anything coming at us from these side corridors once we are past."

After a while, they found a series of several small rooms off the main corridor. Each one was given a perfunctory search for anything of interest, and then the doors were closed and secured. Another couple of hours passed during the room to room hunt. As they finished with a storage room full of ancient electronics components, Eliana called for a brief rest stop. She looked at Jed. "How are we doing on radiation exposure?"

"Nothing above normal background at this point," Jed answered after consulting his equipment. "I'll let you know if it starts to rise."

She quickly checked with the others to make sure everyone managing well. When she got to Misha, he put a hand on her arm, drawing her closer. "We are not alone here," he said with nervous glances up and down the corridor.

Instinct brought her weapon up and ready as her head whipped around. "What do you mean?" Before Misha could answer, she turned to Josh. "Josh, any readings on life signs?"

Josh pulled up the sensor slung on his belt and peered at it closely. "Not a peep other than the twelve of us. Not even a mouse."

"Exactly," Misha said mysteriously, bringing Eliana's attention back to him. "There are no vermin. No sign of even their spoor. No dust, no cobwebs. My people have explored enough ruins in the city to recognize areas that are abandoned and those that are occupied. Someone is living here."

Virdon shook his head. "If the base has been sealed, maybe the environmental systems keep it clean. Or there could be an automated cleaning system." He thought of the small maintenance robots who scurried around Alba scouring any dirt or trash.

Misha's brows knit together in thought. "I suppose it could be," he admitted, although he sounded skeptical. "But there are other things. Jed says our hearing is more sensitive than yours. There are... noises that are not regular like the sounds of machinery, but so quiet, like whispers."

"I've noticed the sounds, too," Galen added, wide-eyed. "But the air doesn't smell of occupation. It's old smelling, stale, but not the musky scent you get when there are animals living in a place."

Eliana considered these statements, then made a decision. "All right, we are going to proceed as if the place is occupied. I want everyone on full alert, weapons ready. Josh, keep a close eye on that equipment and give a yell as soon as you see anything. Assuming we are talking about sentient beings and not animals, I want to try to make peaceful contact if possible. But I also don't want to take any chances that they may be hostile."

The hallway narrowed as they approached another thick, vault-like door that stood open. Leading the group, Burke and Virdon pointed their rifles through the door, shining their lights into the darkness beyond. The light was swallowed by a larger space that opened on the other side. If their schematics were accurate, they may have reached the command center of the complex, where they were most likely to gain access to any information that might still be stored in ancient computer banks. Burke cast a nervous glance at Virdon. Exploring the complex had become an entirely different mission once they discovered it was still inhabited. Eliana had shifted to the middle of the group so she could confer silently with Josh as they moved.

Virdon held up a closed fist—a signal to halt. He pointed at his eyes then at Burke and himself, and finally made a circling motion with one finger at the others. We'll go in and look; everyone else follow once we know it's clear. Burke went first, rushing through the door and flattening himself against the wall just inside. Virdon followed, ending up pressed against the wall on the opposite side.

Virdon pointed at Burke, then at the ground. He turned the finger at himself and then deeper into the room. Stay put and cover me; I'm going to check it out.

The giant shadow he cast as he moved in front of Burke's light slowly grew smaller as he edged step by step into the room. Virdon swept his gun back and forth to illuminate as much of his surroundings as he could. When a desk came into view, he pulled the light back to it and walked closer. The top was covered with a glass screen and a keyboard integrated into the surface. Another sweep revealed a cluster of several desks nearby. Virdon leaned his rifle against the table and called out, "Come on in. This is it."

Burke waved the others into the room before he jogged over to join Virdon. He tucked his rifle under his arm so the light focused on the keyboard. Virdon scanned the entire thing for a moment, then punched a couple of buttons experimentally.

They both jumped when the screen lit up, accompanied by a beeping sound that reverberated loudly in the large room. Then they exchanged looks of unbridled excitement.

"It works!" Virdon exclaimed.

"Look at that!" Burke thumped Virdon on the back.

Burke took a few steps back toward Eliana and others. "This place has power. Look around on the walls, see if we can find a light switch."

They scattered toward the perimeter of the room to search. Burke was examining a panel of controls on the wall when he heard the sound of scuffing footfalls, the clatter of metal on metal, and a pain-filled grunt. He immediately slotted his rifle against his shoulder and pointed the light back toward the center of the room.

"Hostiles!" he heard Eliana shout.

Bodies flashed through the path of this light, too fast for him to distinguish friend or foe, other than the absence of wings.

"Everyone back to the door!" Eliana commanded, but Burke was already moving toward where Virdon had stood at the console—where a rifle layed on the ground, abandoned.

"Alan!" he screamed. He heard a muffled yell that sounded like his name just before a band of strong arms clamped around his chest, pulling him up short.

"Too many!" Zeke said in his ear, his voice full of quiet desperation. Burke continued struggling as Zeke pulled him backward toward the exit.

"Alan! Alan!" he shouted again, trying to twist out of Zeke's grip, but the angel was too strong.

In a flash, he was jerked through the doorway, and the thick hatch slammed shut. Josh spun the wheel to engage the latch.

The stricken looks of anguish on the faces of the rest of the group were enough to tell Burke all he needed to know. He sagged against Zeke, the only thing keeping him upright.

Virdon was gone.