Berserker (Messenger Book 2) Read online

  “Wait a minute,” she said. “Pierson Cutter... of the Xenolists? My friends were looking for you. They were afraid you had been killed.” The rage continued building within her at the sight of the exosuit captain's smug face. “You mean to tell me the reason they lost contact with you was because you betrayed them to side with the Xenolists?”

  “I've done only what I know to be right,” Pierson replied. “My former comrades mean well, but they are misguided. Their actions only plunged Chalice further into the throes of tyranny, and then they embraced exile on a Union space station, refusing to take responsibility for what they had wrought. Only the Xenolists understand what must be done to end humanity's cycle of hatred and meaningless wars.”

  “You're nothing but a lunatic cult,” Janice shouted. “What do you freaks want with me, anyway?”

  “You have a very special power, Janice.” Pierson reached out to help her disembark from the exosuit. “Without guidance, that power could consume you. We want to help you realize your full potential so that you can control it instead of being crushed by it.”

  At this point, Janice saw no point in trying to deny the existence of her power. Instead, she focused on another question.

  “How do you even know—”

  Once again, she realized the answer before she had finished asking the question. “You got my genetic data. That's how you knew.”

  Pierson smiled. “You're a rare treasure, Janice. A precious jewel amidst a vast ocean of mediocre humanity. We're just a failed species rushing toward its own destruction, but your kind can chart a new course into the future and save us all from annihilation.”

  “Reject your humanity,” the Voice inside Janice whispered. “Bring the monster into yourself.”

  This time, Janice gave in to the murderous impulse without hesitation. “I have bad news for you, Pierson Cutter,” she screamed. “Your future is annihilation!”

  She flung herself out of the cockpit onto the exosuit captain, knocking him to the ground. She straddled Pierson and raised her hands to his face, intending to claw his eyes out, when someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her off. She was slammed into the ground and her arm pushed up behind her back, restraining her. She cast a furious glance over her shoulder and saw a young woman of diminutive stature, with auburn hair in disarray and pouty lips twisted into a snarl.

  “How dare you strike the captain, you bitch,” the woman snapped.

  “Don't hurt her, Aksinya.” Pierson regained his feet, seemingly unfazed by Janice's berserk attack. “It's only natural for her to be confused.”

  “She tried to kill you, Captain.”

  “That's only because of her inability to control her burgeoning powers. It seems that we took custody of her just in time.” Pierson called to someone Janice could not see. “Bring the tranquilizer. We should be able to forcibly disconnect her from the Xenowave.”

  A moment later, Janice felt a needle being pressed into her arm. Aksinya kept her restrained, and after a moment she felt the unnatural fury draining away. Finally, her muscles relaxed and she found herself panting with exhaustion.

  “That's better,” Pierson said. “You can let her up now.”

  “Are you sure it's safe?” Aksinya asked.

  “She just caught me off guard before,” Pierson said. “She has no training. Without that unnatural rage, she can't do anything to us.”

  Aksinya released Janice and backed off. “We lost Sir Larc and Lieutenant Nhean to recover this girl. There had better be a lot more to her powers than this.”

  “She hasn't even awakened yet,” Pierson replied. “This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

  Janice slowly pushed herself to her feet. In the absence of her rage, she felt only fatigue and resignation.

  “What do you want with me?” she asked, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “This evil power can't bring anything but death.”

  Pierson placed a hand on Janice's shoulder and smiled kindly at her. “That's where you're wrong, Janice. Everything will be made clear in time. But first, you need to recover your strength. You've been through quite an ordeal, haven't you?”

  Janice had no strength to resist. She let Pierson escort her out of the drab, windowless hangar, conscious of Aksinya's suspicious glare and curious gazes from the guards and maintenance crew. Once out of the hangar, Pierson guided her through a series of equally bleak, claustrophobic corridors. She didn't see a single window or touch of decoration anywhere.

  Finally, Pierson ushered her into an infirmary where a doctor gave her a cursory examination. He pronounced her to be suffering from mild malnutrition, but otherwise in good health. He gave her an injection, recommended rest and plenty of hearty meals, then returned her to Pierson and Aksinya's care.

  She was taken to a small room—windowless, like the rest of the base—with basic furnishings and an attached bathroom and shower. The room was austere and devoid of decorations, but even the cramped, lumpy bed looked inviting after spending almost every day for the last month sleeping on the ground.

  “Dame Aksinya, please see to Janice's needs,” Pierson said. “It would be more appropriate for a lady to look after her. Get her a change of clothes and some food. This evening, she can join us in the officer's mess for dinner.”

  “As you wish, Captain,” Aksinya replied without enthusiasm.

  Pierson departed, leaving the two women alone. Aksinya said simply, “I'll be back,” then left and locked the door behind her. Janice tried the door and found that she could not unlock it from the inside, confirming that she was their prisoner, no matter how politely Pierson treated her.

  Soon, Aksinya returned with a cup of water, a plate of steaming stew which looked surprisingly appetizing given the often disgusting fare Janice had eaten on her journey, and a chocolate bar. Despite her anxiety at having been captured by a militant cult, Janice devoured the meal with vigor. When she was finished, Aksinya handed her a pile of black robes embroidered with abstract designs that included many eye motifs.

  “Get yourself cleaned up and change out of those rags,” she said. “You're disgusting.”

  With a toss of her auburn mane, Aksinya stormed out of the room, again locking the door behind her. Janice entered the bathroom with her new clothes and was shocked at the sight that greeted her in the mirror. She had not gotten a good look at herself in weeks, so she was unprepared for the dirty visage with red-rimmed eyes and tousled hair staring back at her. Her clothes were filthy and her once beautifully slender figure had withered to mere scrawniness.

  Her momentary shock at her appearance soon gave way to delight when she turned the shower handle and was rewarded by a stream of hot water. She spent a long time washing off a month's worth of dirt and grime, then brushed her teeth and arranged her hair into something resembling presentability. Even stuck in the hands of the Xenolists, simply feeling like a human being again boosted her spirits.

  Next she changed into her new attire. The cultist robes were baggy but comfortable, and she could not help but think that, with a few modifications, they would have made a good stage costume. Dark colors had always complemented her well.

  Then she stepped back into the small suite, and the reality of her situation dashed her brief indulgence of frivolity. However humanely they might have been treating her for the moment, the fact remained that she had been abducted by a cabal of sectarian lunatics for unknown purposes. She wanted nothing more than to banish the dark power that had been growing within her, but these cultists seemed to want to draw it out instead. The thought of what might happen if the unholy Voice gained even greater control over her thoughts terrified her.

  Aside from the bed, the room also contained a small desk with a console. Despite her exhaustion, Janice resisted the urge to succumb to sleep. Instead, she sat down and activated the console, hoping that she might be able to glean more information about her captors.

  An emblem of three eyes arranged in a triangular formation shimmered briefly over the desk before gi
ving way to an image of Saris floating in the darkness of space. The camera zoomed in slowly on the twin planet sized storms known as the Eyes.

  “The Xenowave,” a man's voice narrated in a tone of quiet intensity. “The name given by Theran scientists to a hypothetical intelligence that communicates via the radiation waves emitted by Saris. But it is hypothetical no longer, for we have spoken to it. The Xenowave is real.”

  The video went on to explain how the Theran Union had been conducting research to enable humans to communicate with the Xenowave, but kept its findings hidden from the public so that the elites could reap all the benefits for themselves. After the Concord gained control of Chalice, it acquired some of the Union's secret Xenowave research, but continued the policy of keeping the public in the dark.

  “Our goal,” the narrator continued over images of scientists operating exotic communication instruments, “is to conduct our own research into communicating with the Xenowave in the hope that we can publicize our findings and initiate a dialogue with this fascinating alien intelligence on behalf of all humanity. The benefits to be reaped by understanding and communicating with this extraordinary form of life are potentially infinite. We already know that some human beings touched by the Xenowave attain enhanced mental capabilities similar in character to extrasensory perception. What other incredible gifts might be gained if we can deepen our relationship with this intelligence?”

  “Oh, I don't know,” Janice muttered. “Insanity. Death. Extinction.”

  The presentation concluded by showing the Xenolist logo again, along with the tagline, “At the forefront of first contact.”

  The video flickered off and was replaced by a menu allowing the user to explore the organization in more depth. The presentation had mentioned nothing about paramilitary operations or abducting research subjects who showed high potential for communicating with the Xenowave. Clearly this was nothing but a recruiting tool, intended to present a benign face in order to entice more followers into the ranks. Janice would find nothing about the Xenolists' true objectives here.

  She shut down the console and flung herself onto the bed. Even with her throbbing fear, she could not resist her exhaustion any longer, and soon her consciousness slipped away, granting her the release of temporary oblivion.

  *

  Janice was awakened sometime later by a buzzer. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes when Pierson's voice emanated from a speaker next to the bed.

  “Ms. Runner? May we come in?”

  Janice fumbled with the speaker until she found a button to reply. “What if I say no?” she slurred.

  “You can't stay cooped up in your room forever,” Pierson said. “We've prepared a feast—well, a feast by our meager standards—and we would be honored if you joined us.”

  A rumble in Janice's stomach told her that she had finished digesting the stew and chocolate from earlier and her malnourished body still demanded more. She supposed they would just force her into compliance if she took her refusal too far, anyway.

  “All right,” she conceded. “Give me a minute.”

  After a brief trip to the bathroom, she approached the door and stopped when she realized it was still locked from the outside. She opened her mouth to tell Pierson that he could enter, but the door opened before she could speak. Pierson and Aksinya were standing in the hallway.

  “Good evening, Ms. Runner.” Pierson gave a slight bow and offered her his arm. “Would you care to accompany us to the officers' mess?”

  “Fine.”

  Janice ignored Pierson's arm and stepped out into the corridor. Pierson showed no reaction, but simply let his arm drop and started down the hallway. Janice and Aksinya fell into step behind him.

  After several turns through the winding corridors, they entered a spartan dining room. Several officers whom Janice did not recognize were seated around the room's single table. Pierson sat in the middle of three vacant seats, gesturing for Janice to sit on his left while Aksinya took the seat on his right. Janice reluctantly complied. There was nothing to drink but water, but there was an appetizer of soup and crackers. Although she did not care for the company, Janice gladly partook of the food, which like her earlier meal tasted luxurious after weeks of dumpster diving and small game.

  “So,” a bearded officer said, “this young lady is the prize for which you lost half of the First Knights, Captain? Would you care to introduce us to your guest?”

  “Her name is Janice Runner,” Pierson answered.

  “The entertainer,” the bearded officer said. “Surely the Regents did not authorize the expenditure of so many military resources so they could arrange a private concert. Even if they did, they would have better taste.”

  And what kind of crap do you listen to, Janice thought. Probably those gravel garglers that mistake agonized shrieking for music.

  “I'm not at liberty to explain,” Pierson said. “I'm sorry, Commander.”

  The bearded officer grunted and returned to his soup without enthusiasm.

  Janice took a moment to work up her nerve, then said, “I'm a little confused myself. The Messenger pandemic is raging across Chalice and claiming thousands of lives. Is this really the time to be carrying out a kidnapping racket?”

  “It's the perfect time,” Pierson said. “I can't say too much here, but studying you can unlock new insights into how Messenger syndrome works. That information could prove invaluable in fighting the pandemic.”

  Janice searched Pierson's gaze for signs of deception, but his friendly expression served as an impenetrable mask. She had no way to tell whether he believed what he was telling her—or whether it was true even if he did believe it. The one thing she did know was that this man had betrayed his former comrades and attacked her friends before forcibly abducting her.

  “So you want to 'study' me,” she said. “Is this the strap me down on a table and cut me open while I watch kind of study, or what?”

  Pierson laughed. “Of course not. You're of great value to us. It's in our own best interest that you remain in perfect health.”

  “What, then?”

  “You'll be taken before the Regents. Our leaders. They will explain everything to you. Then we'll perform benign medical tests to learn more about the mechanism behind your powers; and finally, we'll use that knowledge to bring out your full powers and give you greater control over them.”

  Janice could not suppress a venomous glare. “You don't even begin to understand my powers. The Voice in my head is pure evil. You saw what it made me try to do to you in the hangar. You play with that kind of fire and you're going to get burned.”

  Aksinya leaned forward to glare at Janice around Pierson. “Is that a threat, little girl?”

  Pierson silenced her with a wave of his hand. “With all due respect, you're the one who fails to understand your powers. When you hear that Voice, you're touching the surface consciousness of a superior being. I can't even begin to tell you how envious I am of your ability. When you learn to harness your powers more fully, you'll be able to pierce through the surface into the depths of a transcendent intelligence.”

  Into the depths. Janice shuddered.

  “I don't want this,” she whispered. “I just want to be left alone.”

  “Alas, that is a request that I cannot grant.” Pierson paused to take a drink of water. “Your value to humanity is too great, Janice. You're frightened now, but in time you'll see what a gift this is, and then you will thank us for helping you realize your potential.”

  After the soup, a server brought out a main course consisting of chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. Janice's stomach appreciated the infusion of calories and nutrients, but she ate without enthusiasm. After the meal, everyone stood up and Pierson and Aksinya escorted her out of the dining room.

  “You should rest up while you can,” Pierson said. “We'll be heading out in the morning, and you'll want to be at your best for your audience with the Regents.”

  Janice was taken back
to her room, and yet again she heard the metallic click of the lock behind her. She did not bother to turn on the light or climb into bed, but instead collapsed against the wall and slid down to the floor, staring into the darkness. Soon enough, the Voice began whispering in the depths of her mind. She could not quite make out the words, but she knew what it was saying. It was telling her to transform into the incarnation of her fellow man's fears and spread the darkness to her whole wretched race.

  I should get used to this, she told herself. If the Xenolists have their way, then I will live the rest of my life cut off from the light.

  Twentieth Escalation

  between you and me

  The choppy staccato of rotor blades cut through the frigid air. Moments later, a helicopter appeared, bathed in pale sunlight. Vic and the others ran out into clearing at the bottom of the glen and signaled the chopper. After circling once, it descended into the valley, sending concentric ripples through the grass.

  An Aqualung soldier disembarked from the helicopter to help the refugees aboard. First they loaded the covered bodies of Regalado and Katar, then delivered their silent prisoner into their rescuers' custody, and finally boarded the craft one by one. Hector went first. Despite his grievous injuries, he had not only survived the sleep cycle, but was still strong enough to move under his own power.

  The helicopter flew north for several hours, then put down next to a deserted cove. An amphibious armored personnel carrier emerged from the water and parked next to the helicopter. After Vic and the others were transferred into the A.P.C., it drove back into the water, retracted its wheels, and deployed screws for underwater travel.

  The carrier had no viewports, so the passengers had no indications of their progress save for the hum of the engine. Finally, a series of clangs and abrupt shifts in velocity followed by a cessation of movement indicated that the carrier had undergone a docking procedure. Then there was another clang, followed by the sound of rushing water.