Chapter 6

            Zack sat up awaking from his dream. He frantically looked around and saw that he was in a regular room. He thought he was still in the dream so he pinched himself to make sure. It hurt and he was glad of it. He felt like he was awake. Then the girl in the dream came to him. There were two things that Zack noticed the most when he saw her in the dream.

            She says ‘this one’ instead of I and her eyes aren’t exactly the most normal thing I’ve ever seen. He murmured to himself. He looked around the room again remembering that he was left in a chamber. Just then there was a knock on the door. Zack figured it was Rican or Melissa but the person that walked in took Zack’s breath away.

            “Lara? Is it really you?” She looked at him hesitantly.

            “I’m sorry?” Zack noticed that she looked puzzled. He also noticed that she looked a little different. The girl had deep emerald colored eyes. Her hair was red like Melissa’s and was put into pigtails that ran down to her hips. She looked a little more mature look about her but otherwise everything else was the same. Her rounded face, her thin five foot figure, and even the way she looked at Zack when she was confused.

            “I don’t think there’s any possible chance that we could have me.” This time it was Zack’s turn to look puzzled. “I guess it’s just that you look surprising similar to someone I know.”

            “I see. I guess I understand.”

            “Are you a cousin or niece? I could have seen you at a family reunion.” The girl scoffed.

            “Of course not. Today is the first time I’ve met you.” The girl looked at a clipboard that Zack hadn’t noticed before. It looked like it was made of glass. There were no papers that Zack could see but the girl looked like she was focusing intently at the board.  “So you were from the year 2005? You were born in 1990.” The girl took a deep breath and gave Zack a defensive look. “I was born in 2072. That means this year is 2086.” Zack felt his jaw drop. “But the regeneration of the world…” She said still looking like she was expecting Zack to go crazy any second.

            “It already happened. The world finish half a century ago.” There was another knock on the door and another girl walked in. It was Melissa.

            “Excuse me, Mei, but I need to do a check up on him since he has finally awakened.” The girl came to Zack and opened his mouth using a flat stick.           “Hmmm. It seems that he is healthy and there aren’t any side affects that I can see.”

            “I see. Send Rican in.” Mei left the room and returned with a man in another traditional Chinese outfit.
            “So this is the boy that those two wanted to save so badly?”

            “You’ll find out why in due time, Mei” Rican answered. Zack thought he might be a captive by an enemy in some unknown war but when he looked at their faces he saw that they didn’t have a menacing look about them. Rican turned his attention to Zack. “How was your sleep?” Zack shrugged still shocked by what Mei told him. “I guess it was pretty good considering the fact that I was asleep for eighty-0ne years.” Zack looked at Melissa and she gave him a warm smile. “But if it weren’t for you two I would probably not be here right now. I mean alive�"you know what I mean. They brought me here with them to this year when I could have died back then.” Mei seemed to be shifting her glance from the clip board to Zack frequently.

            “And why does this girl look and act like my sister?” Rican chuckled. “That’s because this girl is your niece, I guess.” Both Zack and Mei looked at each other, shocked. “Well sort of.” Rican added in. “According to personal records Zack’s mother survived the regeneration hazards by the same way Zack did. She then had you, me, and I married this lovely woman.” Rican put his arm around Melissa’s waist. “That’s when Mei was born. We changed our last names to Herb, as in healing. No one really kept their old names. It was to symbolize our new beginning�"to start anew. After all, most of the companies and organizations had to start fresh so it was like a ‘what the heck’ type of thing.” A look of sorrow came to Rican’s face. “Unfortunately, the other Lara died early in the regeneration process due to a safety building collapsing on top of her. Tragically, your mother as well as my birth father came down with a deadly disease that had formed during the regeneration process, which was incredibly fatal at that time. She died only seven days after my birth. My father died a couple of years ago.”

            Zack could see that Mei was silently crying and found that he had wet streaks on his own cheeks. He quickly wiped at his face. “So that mean’s we are brothers? And if you were born after the regeneration thing then how did you end up in the time before it happened to save me.” Rican looked at Zack hesitantly.

            “If you don’t want to tell him then I will.” Melissa said quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder, and Rican shook his head.

            “No, I’ll tell him. If I can please have a word with him alone.” Melissa nodded and she walked out of the room followed by Mei. When the door closed Rican picked up a chair from a small table in the far corner of the room and set it next to Zack’s bed. “Did you ever notice anything exceptional about Mother?” Zack shook his head. “I see. Father told me that she was different but in a special way. She could do things others couldn’t. She knew what was going to happen to the world long before it happened. Our mother was a seer.”

            “Hold on a minute.” Zack interrupted. “Are you telling me my mother can see into the future?” Rican nodded his head smiling.

            “Actually, the reason why I was able to get to you was because of her abilities. Even though she was in the realm of the afterlife she was still able to contact me which states just how powerful of a seer she was. She came to me in a dream that was very much like reality. What was the bizarre part...” Rican reached into his pocket and pulled out an orb. The object shone a magnificent deep blue shade and seemed to react as if liking the attention.

            “I think I’ve seen this before. But I don’t exactly remember where.”

            “Maybe you saw this jewel in a dream as well. Our family is connected to it somehow.”

            “How did you get it?” Zack asked.

            “That’s the weird part.” Rican leaned back in his chair. “In the dream I had of Mom, she gave it to me and when I woke up it was in my hand. I remember her telling me that there was another orb just like this one. Except that where this one has a soothing effect when you look at it the other has the exact opposite effect. It reminds me of a gentle snow fall and a raging fire.”

            “So, what does it do?” Zack asked and Rican gave Zack a big grin.

            “This orb can do things that even your wildest imaginations cannot fathom. It is this very jewel that allowed me to get you to safety.”

            “Then why couldn’t you use it to bring us back.” Rican put the orb back in his pocket and shrugged.

            “It wouldn’t work in your time. I’m guessing it was because that the orbs didn’t exist then and so it’s like they never existed. There are too many possibilities but I was lucky that I could find the organization that your mother father worked for.”

            “What organization?” Zack glared at Rican. Zack himself didn’t know much about his father. His mother only told him that he was a scientist that had gone missing. Zack never thought much about the “missing” part because he was little when he heard the story and he never asked again.

            “It’s an organization that your mother started when she learned of the crisis. She wanted to save as many people as possible so she started the cryogenic project. Unfortunately, she left the project up to, what she thought were trusted people that were equally as enthusiastic about saving everyone as she was. The reason why she left was because she was starting a family. That’s when she had you. She already had married you father by this time of course. So that’s why the organization went downhill. The people that were in charge got scared when they found out that what your mother said was true and instead of doing what they were supposed to do the majority of the cowards just saved themselves and their family. Some were saved in other countries where there were other branches but no where near as much as there was supposed to be. Unfortunately, there was no word as to whether your father survived or not but, rest assured, he was a good person and stuck with Mother one hundred percent.”

            Rican stood up and stretched.

            “I think that’s enough babbling for me. I trust that you got enough sleep. After all you’ve been asleep for three days straight since you got out.”

 

 

 

            Zack followed Rican into an immense control room. It was busy with activity of people talking on phones, working on computers, and discussing whatever was important at the time.

            “What is this place?” Zack asked taking the activity in.

            “Welcome, Zack, to E.D.G.E.” They were on a balcony that overlooked the entire area. “This is only one area of the building but this is probably one of the most important. Here, we do what we are designed for�"to protect the city from any hostile threats. We range from land to air and even water specialty.”

            “Wow, who’s in charge of all this?” Zack asked surprised.

            “You’re speaking to him.” Zack stared at Rican with wide eyes.

            “Are you serious?” Rican nodded his head and Zack could swear he saw a smug look flash across Rican’s features.

            “I inherited this company from my father.” Zack nodded his head still trying to digest the fact that he now had a brother�"a brother that is older than me but would I still be considered the eldest since I was born before him?

            “What do you do?”

            “We do all sorts of things but we specialize in high ranked missions in capturing dangerous criminals and dealing with risky situations.” A woman with red rimmed glasses and light brown hair came up to Rican.

            “Sir, we have new info on the two fugitives.”

            “Do you now? Show them on the big screen.” The girl seemed to spawn a see through floating keyboard out of nowhere and began typing rapidly on it. Zack looked at the action with his mouth agape and realized what year it was and tried to swallow the fact that there were probably a lot of high tech breakthroughs in the time he was asleep. Then the whole room dimmed and a large monitor in the front of the room lit up.

            “These two are Zim and his sister Keytara.” The woman began. “Light brown skin and their origins are unknown. Ages 17 and 16. Witness reports include the following: Red eyes that change to yellow in intense situation and that they seem to be somewhat feline-like due to nails extending, the eyes, and growth of the teeth. That is all the information I have on these two thus far.” Zack herd Rican chuckling and then he burst out laughing. The woman’s eyebrow twitched. “Excuse my outburst but I don’t see what’s so funny about these two.” Rican stopped himself and cleared his throat.

            “That’s because you don’t know these two like I do. I met these two long ago. They couldn’t harm a fly let alone commit several robberies.” Rican put a hand on his chin and thought for a little bit. “That must mean they are either doing this for an important cause or they are being forced.” Rican turned to the woman. “Could you please find out their motives?”

            “Yes, sir.” The woman said with uncertainty and turned to walk back to her work station.

            The girl in Zack’s dream came to his mind. “Uh, Rican, could you find a person based on their description?” Rican looked at Zack with questioning eyes.

            “Yes, why do you ask? Do you have someone in mind?” The strain in Zack’s voice could clearly be heard.

            “Yeah, it was a girl from my dream but I’m sure that she is out there somewhere.” He said quickly. His brother just smiled.

            “Alright we can try.” Rican walked them over to another person’s work station and asked Zack to describe as best as he could so not only would the worker comes up with a picture but maybe any possible information. It was by some miracle that when a photo was printed out Zack received a picture exactly like the girl that was in his dreams.

            “Sorry, sir, but the only information we have is that she exists. I couldn’t find out where she is or even if she is alive right now.” Rican patted the man on the back.

            “That’s alright. You helped us out a lot. Thanks.” Rican and Zack walked back up to the main desk. “So we know that this girl at least exists or had existed at one time.”

            “Thanks, Rican. I just had to know. I’m sure that she is still alive somewhere.”

            “And what makes you so sure?” Zack shrugged. He really didn’t know. Maybe those dead on instincts still worked after being in a cryogenic sleep for decades. Zack just stared at the photo of the girl. The angle that the picture was taken made it impossible to see where it was taken at. The girl was clearly visible but only from a distance. She was a decent length from the camera when it snapped the shot. The girl from before walked up to them looking sorry for being rude earlier.

            “Sir, it seems like there has been another major hacking into the national bank’s security. We suspect it is Xenia.” Rican thought to himself for a moment.           “Okay, we have to catch this person but we can’t rely on firepower only. We need to have someone with brains on our side as well. Not only that but someone to cooperate with. So that the smart person can guide their partner through whatever traps Xenia might have and get to her. We can deal with Zim and Keytara later.” Rican looked at Zack. Without even looking away Rican ordered, “Could you please go get Mei for me and bring her here?”

            “Right away, sir.” And the woman walked off. Zack wondered what Rican was up to.

            “What’s on your mind? You weren’t talking about Mei and me were you?” “I do and I feel that you two will be perfect partners.”

            “Partners? For what?”

            “Now don’t you think that you appearing here was more than a coincidence? There has to be a reason and besides, you’re family! Don’t think we are just your old fashioned government owned corporation. We are a stand alone complex. We deal with people that are ‘special’ in their own ways. Like those two you heard of earlier. They have unique abilities as well as Xenia.”

            “By special you mean…” Zack let the sentence trail off so that Rican could finish.”  

            “Xenia is the best electronics person I’ve ever encountered as well as one of the greatest minds. We’ve never been able to capture her because she’s always three steps ahead of us. With you help this time that will change. You and Mei are also gifted in your own ways. Mei is smart enough to guide you to wherever Xenia is, which is always in an abandoned building closest to where she has hit or hacked. You can get to her easily but you just need to keep an eye out for the traps which Mei will guide you through.”

            “Okay, but tell me, what is this Xenia person’s ‘special’ ability?” Zack asked in a heightened voice. Rican looked off to the side to see Mei.

            “Xenia’s ability is that she can manipulate electronics. Make the whole ‘computer, microwave, and washer things coming to kill you’ a reality.” Rican’s assistant brought everyone’s attention to her by coughing once she and Mei arrived.

            “Okay, everyone, listen up.” Her voice was a little light to be sounding all commando and Zack had to suppress the eager to smile. I have already informed Mei on what she is going to do.” Zack looked at Rican.

            “So you already figured I was going to go along with this.” Rican played an innocent face and shrugged.

            “I guess I know how you think. After all, we are brothers.”