Chapter 5
Anton pulled his hummer up to the entrance of the castle his family had owned for generations. He slipped his hand out of the fingerless glove and placed it on the scanner. It flashed slowly, registering the print as he felt the slight prick of the DNA scanner and the flash of the retina scan.
"Cite your name," came the metallic voice of the computer.
He leaned out of the window of the vehicle and up to the mike before speaking, "Anthony Black."
"Welcome home Master Black," the machine spoke as the iron portcullis rose and the ancient, yet perfectly maintained doors swung open into the garden.
A rainbow of flowers rose all around the vehicle as they entered the outer wall. It had been well maintained for centuries. He stopped in front of keep, the part that had been most modernized before the last few weeks when the outer walls were being renovated and all of the security measures updated to Archer Foundation standards and beyond. For intruders it was a giant death trap designed to keep the occupants safe and secure.
"You carry the small one," he said to trouble, pointing at the still unconscious grub as he walked around and picked up Holly, "Damn, she's still bleeding."
He walked up the steps to have the door opened by one of the butlers, standard household servants who stood at attention waiting for him to ask for whatever he wanted at the time.
"Jason," he said to the man as he carried the injured elf through the door, "Get the medical room ready, someone tried to take me out at the cottage, or at least take these people out."
The man nodded as he walked over to a monitor and began to speak as Trouble stopped at the door.
"Errm," he said, "I can't come in unless you invite me in."
"Well," Anton said calmly as he hit a button on the elevator, "Come in then!"
The elf staggered in, carrying his brother in both arms as the elevator opened and they both stepped in.
"Ok," Anton said calmly, though the adrenaline was starting to leave his system, "I know your not human, and I know your not kids, so what on Earth are you?"
"Fairies," Trouble stated matter of factly, "And that's all I can tell you."
The elevator stopped and opened swiftly as Anton stepped out and into an ancient stone hallway.
"Well," Anton said calmly, "I'm assuming that those bullets she got a hit with were some of those new shredder rounds, Iron tipped, designed to spread out after impact."
"Iron would do it," the elf said calmly as Anton entered a room with two medical tables and two maids in nurses gear.
Anton placed Holly on the first table; and Trouble placed Grub on the second.
"I think the small one just needs a rest," Anton said pointing to Grub.
"His name is Grub, and the one you carried in is named Holly," Trouble said as he glanced about worriedly.
"I suggest that we leave this to the professionals," Anton said as he stepped out, stopping only long enough to rinse the blood from his hands, "I'm only good at a few bits and pieces of first aid, these two, "he indicated the two in nursing gear, "Are trained professionals."
Trouble nodded, knowing quite well that those without the right knowledge could do more harm than good to someone injured as Holly was.
"I bet your going to ask me how I pulled off the stunt with the flames," Anton said as he walked into a small kitchenette, pouring himself a glass of iced tea from a fridge and offering one to his companion.
"How did you guess," Trouble said as he took the glass and sat down upon a couch with a view into the medical room.
"Because I have more than just the powers to pull off some of those stunts," Anton said as he sat down on a chair, "I'm a psion, I can do more than play with fire and throw around cars, I can read peoples minds."
He took a drink of the tea and smiled, "Its draining though."
"I meant the whole armored thing," Trouble said coldly, "How did you get armor like that and get rid of it that quickly?"
"Magic," Anton said as he walked back over to the counter, placing his weapons on the counter, "And a relic of a time long gone."
"How long gone?" the fairy asked.
"Several thousand at the least,' Anton said with a slight chuckle, "The blade I wield is a relic forged in Atlantis before it sank beneath the waves."
"Atlantis is still there," Trouble said before catching himself.
"So that explains the readings the Company picked up near Cuba."
"Company?"
"That's something I cannot explain to you, though we could trade information."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Well," Anton said calmly, "I don't really have an answer that would not compromise what promises that I have made."
"I guess that I could trade information," Trouble said as his headset cackled.
"Trouble," the voice said, Trouble cringed as he realized that it was Root.
Anton pulled his hummer up to the entrance of the castle his family had owned for generations. He slipped his hand out of the fingerless glove and placed it on the scanner. It flashed slowly, registering the print as he felt the slight prick of the DNA scanner and the flash of the retina scan.
"Cite your name," came the metallic voice of the computer.
He leaned out of the window of the vehicle and up to the mike before speaking, "Anthony Black."
"Welcome home Master Black," the machine spoke as the iron portcullis rose and the ancient, yet perfectly maintained doors swung open into the garden.
A rainbow of flowers rose all around the vehicle as they entered the outer wall. It had been well maintained for centuries. He stopped in front of keep, the part that had been most modernized before the last few weeks when the outer walls were being renovated and all of the security measures updated to Archer Foundation standards and beyond. For intruders it was a giant death trap designed to keep the occupants safe and secure.
"You carry the small one," he said to trouble, pointing at the still unconscious grub as he walked around and picked up Holly, "Damn, she's still bleeding."
He walked up the steps to have the door opened by one of the butlers, standard household servants who stood at attention waiting for him to ask for whatever he wanted at the time.
"Jason," he said to the man as he carried the injured elf through the door, "Get the medical room ready, someone tried to take me out at the cottage, or at least take these people out."
The man nodded as he walked over to a monitor and began to speak as Trouble stopped at the door.
"Errm," he said, "I can't come in unless you invite me in."
"Well," Anton said calmly as he hit a button on the elevator, "Come in then!"
The elf staggered in, carrying his brother in both arms as the elevator opened and they both stepped in.
"Ok," Anton said calmly, though the adrenaline was starting to leave his system, "I know your not human, and I know your not kids, so what on Earth are you?"
"Fairies," Trouble stated matter of factly, "And that's all I can tell you."
The elevator stopped and opened swiftly as Anton stepped out and into an ancient stone hallway.
"Well," Anton said calmly, "I'm assuming that those bullets she got a hit with were some of those new shredder rounds, Iron tipped, designed to spread out after impact."
"Iron would do it," the elf said calmly as Anton entered a room with two medical tables and two maids in nurses gear.
Anton placed Holly on the first table; and Trouble placed Grub on the second.
"I think the small one just needs a rest," Anton said pointing to Grub.
"His name is Grub, and the one you carried in is named Holly," Trouble said as he glanced about worriedly.
"I suggest that we leave this to the professionals," Anton said as he stepped out, stopping only long enough to rinse the blood from his hands, "I'm only good at a few bits and pieces of first aid, these two, "he indicated the two in nursing gear, "Are trained professionals."
Trouble nodded, knowing quite well that those without the right knowledge could do more harm than good to someone injured as Holly was.
"I bet your going to ask me how I pulled off the stunt with the flames," Anton said as he walked into a small kitchenette, pouring himself a glass of iced tea from a fridge and offering one to his companion.
"How did you guess," Trouble said as he took the glass and sat down upon a couch with a view into the medical room.
"Because I have more than just the powers to pull off some of those stunts," Anton said as he sat down on a chair, "I'm a psion, I can do more than play with fire and throw around cars, I can read peoples minds."
He took a drink of the tea and smiled, "Its draining though."
"I meant the whole armored thing," Trouble said coldly, "How did you get armor like that and get rid of it that quickly?"
"Magic," Anton said as he walked back over to the counter, placing his weapons on the counter, "And a relic of a time long gone."
"How long gone?" the fairy asked.
"Several thousand at the least,' Anton said with a slight chuckle, "The blade I wield is a relic forged in Atlantis before it sank beneath the waves."
"Atlantis is still there," Trouble said before catching himself.
"So that explains the readings the Company picked up near Cuba."
"Company?"
"That's something I cannot explain to you, though we could trade information."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Well," Anton said calmly, "I don't really have an answer that would not compromise what promises that I have made."
"I guess that I could trade information," Trouble said as his headset cackled.
"Trouble," the voice said, Trouble cringed as he realized that it was Root.