The TWILIGHT OF THE GODS -- Chap. 9

A Story of Mantra and Black September

By Aladdin and Christopher Leeson

Posted 09-16-24

You can easily judge the character of a man
By how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Just what do you expect to accomplish by coming here?" Tark asked suddenly.

"I came to find someone," I said. "We have good reason to think that a powerful ultra will soon be stopping here."

"Is there a lot of this dimension-jumping going on?"

"More than you'd guess."

"Who's the 'we' you're referring to?"

I didn't want "King Warstrike" to know too much and especially didn't want to start a manhunt for Gabriel. I still didn’t know if this version of Brandon Tark could be trusted, and tyrants are notoriously double-dealing.

"I'm helping a group from the Godwheel – a race of super-scientific geniuses. They’re trying to catch up with a female ultra who they think can help us, but up to now, she's been a loose cannon. We have to convince her to join the team and take our advice.”

He thought briefly and said, "Okay, you just do that. I'm more concerned with the mess that's going on right here. But somehow I get the idea that things aren't going so well in your universe, either."

"That’s for sure!”

“Do you suppose that your Deep State is going to do your world in, too?"

"It's possible; those bastards are capable of anything. But our biggest problem right now doesn’t have anything to do with the Deep State. If we survive the catastrophe we’re currently dealing with, maybe I can turn my attention to that gang of psychotics, mass murderers, and traitors."

There came a tapping at the door.

"It's open!" Warstrike yelled.

A uniformed man stepped over the threshold followed by a girl who wasn’t Evie.

"Daddy?" she said to Warstrike.

"Shut the door behind you, Maverick," he told the guard. Then, to the child, he said, “Come here, Jamie.”

This was Jamie, the daughter of Warstrike and Mantra! She was looking at me with her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"This lady," the child said, "she's dressed like pictures of ..."

This is your aunt, Jennifer," her father lied. "She's your mother's twin sister."

Jennifer? That was my least favorite name for a woman -- and Warstrike knew it!

“I didn’t know Mommy had a twin,” she said.

“Ah, yes she did,” Brandon answered. “Your mom and I thought Aunt Jennifer died years ago. That was sad, and we didn’t want to tell you about things that would make you sad. Why don’t you give your auntie a nice big hug?”

She looked at me uncertainly and then came my way. I knelt so that I could look into her eyes. They were just as blue as her father’s.

And her mother’s.

Jamie put her arms around my neck and gave me a long, strong hug.

“You look just like Mommy! And you look like my sister Evie, too!”

“I look like Evie?” I said. “What a surprise!”

I was wondering about my specific relationship with this child? If her mother was a clone she would have the same genetics as I. If I looked at that clone as being my twin sister, that would make me Jamie's aunt. I liked that idea; it made the two of us close, but not so close as to create a messy situation.

I looked up at Warstrike. "Brandon, we have to talk about grownup things. Maybe Jamie shouldn’t have to listen to all that."

He nodded and said, "Jamie, your aunt is right. You should go back to your room with the guard."

"Can I tell Evie and Gus about seeing Aunt Jennifer?" she asked.

Tark sent me a questioning look.

I said, "Maybe you shouldn’t tell your brother and sister about me until suppertime tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to meet them at a super-secret surprise party!”

Jamie smiled, liking the idea.

I was trying to delay the meeting until I was gone from this world and everyone in it would be….dead.

Also, if the kids knew I was here, they’d tell Jamie I was lying. Eden never had a sister, much less a twin sister.

Laughing, Jamie said, “Okay!” Then her dad took her by the hand and led her to the door.

When Tark and I were alone again, I asked, "Why did your version of Mantra marry you? I never would have.”

“Why? Am I so bad a catch?”

“Maybe it's just that your Mantra lived as a woman longer than I have. So far, you haven't started looking like my type.”

"The main reason we got married was because we had a baby on the way."

"Perfect," I said sarcastically.

"Those were terrible times,” he said. “We found ourselves avoiding close ties with everyone because frightened people need to think of their leadership as strong. If we leveled with them, they would have realized that we were just as messed up as everybody else. Eden and I needed each other because we didn’t have anyone else to turn to."

"I get the picture," I said, wanting to drop the subject. “I'm just glad Mantra wasn't to blame for starting this civil war!"

"Exactly how different are the two of?" he asked.

"Plenty different. I haven't gone through the same hell that she did. Back home, you and I were just good friends, and that's the way we wanted it."

“Mantra and I started as good friends, too,” Tark replied.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

He suddenly changed the subject. "Jamie isn’t good at keeping secrets. What will you say to the kids when they show up wanting a look at you?"

"I hope I can avoid that. My job is crucial. If it fails, things are going to get soooo bad. It will be like the whole Big Bang never happened."

"You come from the Dark Ages, Luke. Since when did a half-Polish Visigothic barbarian like Lukasz Theordoricson start believing in the Big Bang?"

“Not until the Twentieth Century, actually."

“Do you think Twentieth Century people were smarter than people living before them?"

“Well, no,” I had to admit.

“Okay, skip the subject,” Warstrike said. “What about that woman you’re looking for? Who is she? Anyone I’ve heard of?"

"Oh, yes, you certainly know her. She’s called Amber Hunt."

"Whoa! Amber Hunt?! That nut case almost cauterized the entire planet with gamma radiation. How can you depend on someone like her to save the multiverse you believe in?”

"I’m working with people who think she’s salvageable. Amber was just an ordinary college girl before the Exiles got her involved in some risky science that went out of control."

“Even if that's so, is it smart to trust her? A mad dog isn't responsible for getting sick, but it still has to be put down,” he said.

Then his expression changed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I saw Amber Hunt in the skies over Los Angeles. She was glowing. Is it possible that a child might see the same thing and describe her as a 'Flaming Woman'?"

"I suppose it’s possible. Why?"

"My daughter keeps dreaming about somebody she calls the Flaming Woman."

My brow furrowed. "Tell me more."

"Jamie’s been saying things that make me think she’s inherited my power of precognition."

"If she’s predicting the arrival of a 'Flaming Woman,' why haven’t you?”

“You know how quirky my power can be. Or is your Tark different?"

"No, he’s no different."

Warstrike shrugged. "Anyway, Jamie has been dreaming that a Flaming Woman is coming to do away with me."

"That’s pretty specific. What does Amber Hunt have against you?"

"I don't know. Did she have a bad relationship with your Brandon Tark?"

"Not as far as I know."

“If she’s after me, maybe I should kill her before she kills me."

I shook my head. "No, don’t think that way! We need Amber Hunt. Otherwise, the whole universe is going to be lost.”

“And you know this because you’ve seen it while time-traveling?”

“I’ve actually seen that final battle. If things play out the same way in my time-dimension, we’re all doomed.”

"I don't know if I should listen to you, Luke. I've survived as long as I have because I've been taking out my enemies as soon as they show their hand."

"Look at it this way. My friends and I want to escort the girl out of this universe as quickly as possible. She can't hurt you then."

Tark clenched his teeth. "You're tackling a big job, but you don't seem to have any ideas about fixing the much smaller problems we have here."

I didn't dare tell him that his problems were much bigger than he knew. Instead, I said, "I wish I could suggest something. Have you offered the opposition peace terms – along with the offer to relinquish your authority?”

"If I did that, my people would turn against me. I'd become everybody's fall guy. You've lived long enough to know what happens to ex-kings during violent times.”

"Well, I can’t argue with that,” I said. "Listen, I'll make you a deal.”

"What kind of deal?"

"I'll let the other side know about the Flaming Woman. I'll explain that we need a truce until we can get rid of her."

“Well, if they were sane, it might be worth trying."

"I can't just stand around doing nothing. I have to get into contact with the other side as soon as possible. Am I free to do that or am I a prisoner here?” If you want me to talk to your enemies, I’ll need freedom of movement."

"I see your point," he said. "Do what you can do.”

"I’ll be winging it, but I promise I'll do my damnest to be an honest broker. But remember, my focus has to remain on corralling Amber Hunt."

“She's powerful. Are you ready to take her on?"

"Like I said, I'll do my best. What's next?"

"You're free. Do you want a bodyguard detail for your truce talk?"

I wondered whether that would make things safer or less safe in a situation so volatile.

A tapping at the door interrupted me. I read the bio-signature on its other side and it turned out to be a familiar one. Very familiar. A shiver ran through me.

Warstrike walked to peer through the security slot before he lifted the latch.

The door opened upon a dark-haired girl in her middle teens.

It was Evie Blake.

Her eyes widened when she caught sight of me. My eyes must have been pretty wide, too. Jamie’s big sister was the image of Eden Blake at her age. I was seeing my second-grade daughter as a nearly grown woman.

I was glad to see that she wasn’t too shabbily dressed, and didn’t look underfed.

Behind Evie, stood an excited Jamie. Tark had been right; his daughter was not good at keeping secrets.

"Jamie – Evie, come in," Warstrike said. He took Jamie’s hand as she entered. "Sweetie," he said, "have you dreamed about the Flaming Woman since we last spoke about her?"

She nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I didn’t tell you because I got so excited when I met Auntie Jennifer."

"Mantra has seen the Flaming Woman, too. We have to find out as much about her as we can before she arrives."

The little girl veered my way. "Mantra, is the Flaming Woman coming to hurt us?"

I drew a deep breath. "I believe she's coming, but maybe it's not because she wants to hurt anybody. I hope she'll want to give us some help."

Jamie frowned. "How can she help us? She's bad, isn't she?"

I tried to smile. "I don't think she wants to be bad. Sometimes a person who gets confused and afraid will act like someone bad. I need to talk sense to the Flaming Woman, so she'll agree to help us save a lot of innocent people."

"Will she save Daddy and our friends?"

"Yes, and other good people, too." That wasn’t true, but why would anyone care to help me if they knew they were going to die tomorrow?

"You’re not any aunt of mine!" Evie suddenly shouted.

I glanced her way. I'd never be able to convince her that her mother had a sister. Unfortunately, I didn't think it would be easy to convince her of the truth either.

CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 10