“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Inevitability swore under his breath, snatching his keys from his office table.
He made his way out of his office, slightly fuming. As he walked, he dialed another number on his cell phone and put it to his ear. He waited as it rang. There was no answer. When it finished ringing out, he called again.
“Come on,” he growled. “Pick up.”
The familiar clicking sound of someone picking up was like music to his ears.
“Nkechi,” he said, trying for a soft and gentle voice to hide his frustration. “How has it been?”
He really hated small talk.
“I’ve been good,” she answered from the other end. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Chetam.”
“I need a teleport.”
“You have a private jet, Chetam,” she said with a sigh. “Use it.”
“If a private jet was as fast as a teleport, I would’ve used it already. I need to get to a destination in the blink of an eye. What I need is a teleport.”
“Can’t help you,” she said simply.
Inevitability bit down on his irritation. “I know, Nkechi. I need you to help me talk to Vanor. He’ll listen. He’s not picking my calls.”
“That’s because he’s currently on a mission in Zanzibar. He’s clearing out the fire bat’s nest.” There was a sound of shuffling. It sounded like papers being shuffled. “Once he’s done there, there are rumors that a tiger looking monster has begun, somehow, growing a pride of tigers. Who would’ve thought that was possible?”
“It’s called an ambush or streak of tigers, Nkechi,” he muttered, only barely keeping his voice under his breath.
“I’m talking about a pride, Chetam,” Nkechi said. “An ambush or streak is a group. I’m talking about a team of tigers moving around together. Anyway, Vanor is busy, from Zanzibar he’s going to Malaysia. In case you didn’t know, teleporters are kind of hot cakes these days.”
“I know, Nkechi,” he groaned. “Do you have anyone else in mind? Another valid teleporter?”
He got into the elevator. It was his and his alone in the office. He moved to press the button for the ground floor and hesitated. He looked at the button to the roof and wondered if the pilot was around. Going to the helipad would definitely be faster for his plans.
“I don’t have one,” she answered. “Maybe you can use another one of your many contacts, Chetam.”
Inevitability sighed when Nkechi hung up. Nkechi had been his teammate once upon a time, in the earlier days of his life as a Delver. They had been… close. Inevitability shook his head as he pressed the button for the roof.
Helipad it was.
As the elevator rose, he turned his head to the side, stared at the numbers on the interface waiting patiently for him.
[12813km]
How long was the [Visitor] going to wait? Was the [Visitor] here to stay? What did the [Visitor] want? There were far too many questions in his head.
But more importantly, it was safer to assume that the [August Intruder] was there with the [Visitor].
Shitty time to not have a teleporter on hand.
In truth, teleporters were not very easy to come by. And there weren’t that many that could teleport across great distances. He could probably count how many he knew on one hand.
Three. He knew three.
He dialed another number as the elevator came to a stop and put it to his ear. The person on the other end picked after one ring.
“Deoti,” he greeted. “I need your help.”
“Kind of busy right now,” she answered to a backdrop of cheers and grunts. “Who’s this?”
Inevitability rubbed his eyes in exasperation. “It’s Inevitability.”
“Does Madness know you’re talking to me?”
“Madness does not—”
“Bye.”
She hung up on him and Inevitability did his best to hold down his annoyance. This was the problem with talking to those who worked under Madness, in their own ways they were almost just as mad.
It was his fault for taking a roundabout method when… he looked at his contact list and remembered why he had not just called Fendor directly. He did not have the man’s phone number.
He stepped out of the elevator and looked at the helicopter waiting for him there. There was no pilot sitting in place. There was no pilot anywhere.
His day could not get any worse.
Grumbling to himself, he dialed another number as he walked over to the helicopter. He really hoped his jet was ready for take off. Climbing into the helicopter. He strapped himself into the pilot seat.
If you want something done, sometimes you’ve got to do it yourself.
But the rule only applied to some instances. God knew there was nothing he would be able to do about it if he got to the airport and his plane wasn’t ready for takeoff.
Twelve thousand eight hundred and twelve kilometers, he thought. He’d already checked the map. Madness had not been lying, not that he had thought the Oath was lying to him, though. As the chopper rose, he switched apps on his phone while the call he’d placed to the airport continued to ring. He pulled up the map and fixed the exact location.
Tatelat, he thought, already aware of it. Zooming in with two fingers as he steered the helicopter, he looked at the precise location and frowned. This part, he hadn’t known.
Fallen High.
It just had to be a school.
“Let’s hope this visitor is friendly,” he muttered to himself.
…
“Child of my balls,” their father said. “What did you do?”
Melmarc looked down at Veebee. Veebee was looking around, taking it all in like a child at a new playground. For some reason, while his expression was bland, Melmarc could tell that it was excited.
For a moment, he considered being vague with their father, maybe even lying.
“You know those creatures that you see in portals before you get your quest?” he asked.
His father grunted. “I know them.”
“I think I just summoned one.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
There was a beat of silence. Melmarc assumed his father was using it to think. It wasn’t long before he answered.
“Spawn of mine,” he said.
“Yes, dad.”
“Open the window.”
Melmarc hesitated, then looked from side to side. Ark gave him a curious look. He cocked his head to the side, abandoning his interest in Veebee for a moment.
“Go on,” he said.
Melmarc got up and walked over to the nearest window. He opened it. “It’s open.”
“Thank you,” their father said, then he hung up.
Melmarc and Ark looked at each other.
<> Veebee observed.
Ark chuckled. “You should see us in parties. We are a wild b—”
The world tore somewhere in the room. Blackness appeared and Melmarc and Ark turned to look at it. Veebee ignored it as if it was unimportant, walking up to touch one of the other beds in the room.
Their father stepped out of the blackness in a pair of pajamas and the portal disappeared. Ark looked at Melmarc a little confused.
“Did you know dad could teleport?” he asked.
Melmarc shook his head.
Their father walked up to them, completely ignoring Veebee who was now looking at him with what looked like a scowl. When he reached them, he placed both hands on their heads. For all their size, their father still had massive hands.
“How are the children?” he asked.
Melmarc and Ark nodded. “Fine,” they answered together, not new to his different ways of addressing them. In fact, this was one of the saner ways he had used.
“That is acceptable,” he said, then released them.
He turned to Veebee, walked up to the creature and squatted down so gently with levels of care Melmarc could not remember him using on them since they were children.
“[Visitor],” he said.
Veebee cocked his head to the side. <>
Their father nodded once, picked Veebee up like a child, cradled in both hands. Melmarc and Ark looked at each other. Information passed between both of them immediately.
Their dad walked, still cradling Veebee.
“I’ll get dad,” Ark said.
Melmarc was already moving. “I’ll get the window.”
They moved faster than their father. Melmarc was already at the window, closing it, while Ark stood between their father and the window.
“Hey, dad,” he said with nervousness. “Can we put the little guy down?”
Veebee looked from Melmarc to their dad. He returned his attention to Melmarc, then pointed at their dad. <>
Melmarc juggled the word in his head. Didn’t bloodline mean someone’s descendant? Did it apply in the opposite direction?
He wasn’t sure. So, he said, “Family. Bloodline, kind of.”
<> Veebee nodded, then levitated from their father’s arms. He paused took in Melmarc’s position, then their father’s. <>
Melmarc gave him an apologetic smile. “Maybe.”
“Yes,” their father said simply.
<> Veebee said simply. <>
Madness stepped forward, towards him. Ark placed his hand on his chest. “Dad. Let’s not kill the innocent creature. He’s here to help Mel.”
Their father turned his to Melmarc very slowly and Melmarc nodded in confirmation. It made their father grunt in disapproval.
“Don’t cook the chicken too long,” he said, then turned to face the entrance.
Melmarc nodded. “I won’t let it get overcooked.”
Ark looked at him and made a vague gesture. “I don’t understand,” he whispered.
“Oh.” Melmarc paused. “He’s saying that I shouldn’t let Veebee forget his place.”
“How—and I say this in the most loving way possible—does that make any sense?” Ark asked. “Explain it to me.”
“Well, if the chicken is cooked too long,” he began, “it means that the cook forgot that the chicken’s place is not meant to be in the pot cooking, so the cook let the chicken forget its place.”
Ark’s jaw dropped. “Oh my God you speak dad.”
“We’ve always spoken dad, Ark,” Melmarc argued.
“No.” Ark shook his head. “We’ve done our best to understand dad while he did his best to make us understand him. We never spoke that. Oh my God this is so trippy.” Ark paused. “Why does dad have an axe?”
Melmarc turned and looked. Their dad stood facing the door with a massive battle axe in one hand and a greatsword held like a simple longsword in the other.
“Dad,” Melmarc said carefully.
Veebee blinked, hovering next to Melmarc in the air. <> he asked.
“I’m sorry?” Ark said.
<> Veebee explained. <>
Was that what was happening? It made some level of sense. If their dad knew that Melmarc had done something, it would only make sense that the other Oaths would know, too. Did this mean that they knew his location?
Melmarc turned to Veebee. “How long before they get here?” he asked.
Veebee shrugged. <> he frowned at Melmarc suddenly confused. <>
“No,” Melmarc said, taken aback by how Veebee said it as if it was supposed to be easy. “Melmarc not subjugate Oaths.”
<> Veebee said, looking at Ark.
Ark was impressed. “You can tell?”
<>
“Hold up, what do you mean not safe? Not safe for who?”
<
“What might happen to me?” Ark asked.
“Ark,” Melmarc said carefully, “not to get in the way of your life threatening situation, but shouldn’t we be paying more attention to dad? What happens if someone walks in?”
<> Veebee explained suddenly giddy. Then he smiled mischievously. <>
Melmarc sighed. “Veebee.”
<>
“What did I say about killing?”
<>
“Yes. So, do you really not know where the Oaths are?”
Ark walked up to their dad and was looking at his weapons. Melmarc made a note of not paying attention to them as he talked to Veebee. For now, Ark had it well in hand.
Veebee nodded. <>
“Anytime?”
<>
“Dad’s not putting the weapons down, Mel,” Ark called out. “Call mom.”
“No,” their dad said. “Do not call the one who chose me.”
Melmarc paused. “Why?”
“I… I’m hiding,” their dad said.
Ark and Melmarc paused. “From mom?”
The hand holding the axe twitched a little. Melmarc watched Ark smother a laugh. It brought a memory to Melmarc’s mind that gave him an idea. He picked his phone and dialed a number very quickly.
<> Veebee asked, suddenly panicked. <>
“I’m not.” Melmarc had no idea who or what the beginning was. “I’m calling someone else.”
The person picked on the first ring. It was a video call.
Melmarc turned the phone to face their father immediately.
“Tell him to stop,” he said.
“Dad, what are you doing?” Ninra asked.
Their father stiffened suddenly, and Ark burst into laughter. Their father turned very slowly, like a child caught in a bad act.
“Drop it,” Ninra said, as if scolding a pet. Melmarc never understood how she had their father wrapped around her fingers.
Their dad hesitated. “They are coming,” he complained.
“I’ll be coming if you don’t stop what you are doing,” she said firmly.
Their dad looked at Melmarc. There was an imploration in his eyes, as if he was begging for help. That surprised him. Their father wasn’t one for expressions.
Ark was still laughing.
Veebee came to hover next to Melmarc. <>
“My sister,” he answered while their dad struggled to obey. “She’s fun.”
<> Veebee pointed out.
“He cares for all of us.”
Veebee shook his head. <> He moved closer to Melmarc. <>
“Oh what?”
<> Veebee’s line of a mouth widened as if he had just found out a secret being kept from him. <>
“No,” Melmarc said without missing a beat. “My family will not be used for anything. Is that understood?”
Veebee flinched away for a moment, then nodded timidly. <>
Melmarc returned his attention and found their father standing in his checkered pajamas. He was unarmed and looked ats if he was supposed to be pouting. “They are coming,” he muttered.
“Who is coming?” Ninra asked, then paused. “Mel, what is that?”
“What is what?” he asked.
“I just saw something at the edge of this video. And it’s not Spitfire.”
“Oh. That’s Veebee.”
Veebee moved into view and waved. <>
“Uhm…” Ninra looked very confused. “Hi, Veebee?”
Veebee beamed at her. <> He looked and sounded so proud.
Ninra sighed. “Can I speak to my brother, Veebee?”
<> Veebee nodded, then hovered away from the screen while their father continued to stand in place like an annoyed child.
“Mel,” Ninra said when she was alone with Melmarc once more.
“Yes, Nin?”
“What shit have you gotten yourself into this time?”
“I summoned a—” Melmarc looked up at the sound of voices. He wasn’t sure what the voice was saying but he knew.
The weapons were suddenly back in his father’s hands. He faced the door, somehow emanating rage and hate.
When the door opened, Pain burst in with a confused look on his face and a spear in his hand. “Is it a threat or…” his voice trailed off at the sight of Madness.
“Take another step,” Madness said very clearly, “and it will be your last.”
Pain blinked, looking from Melmarc to Madness and back. “Uhm… what’s going on?” He looked at Melmarc. “Why is he…” his voice trailed off, his confusion deepened. He put a hand to his head as if trying to figure something out, as if there was no way Melmarc and his father could be in the same place. “I don’t.”
Veebee moved up to the back of Melmarc’s head. <> he whispered. <>
Melmarc nodded, choosing to trust Veebee.
Then Veebee rose from behind him, elevating high. Melmarc had a bad feeling the moment Pain’s eyes left them and settled on Veebee. Then Veebee spoke in a loud and deep voice.
<> he announced,<>
Madness lunged at Pain.