?Hex?
??? ??? ???
Hold the Door
??? ??? ???
Raz was walking on autopilot, lost in thought when Nona tossed him the keys as they neared the minivan. He spotted them from the corner of his eye and used an instant of slow time to snatch them from the air. He looked at them for a second in consideration before tossing them right back to her.
“So, just when I thought he was warming up and maybe changing, he just blows us off and takes off again.”
She caught the keys and looked askance at him. “You don’t want to drive? Are you ok? Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?”
He smiled, “Yeah, just got a lot on my mind, and I’m feeling kind of tired.”
She looked at him with an arched brow. “What did you two do, anyway?”
“If you don’t mind, let me tell you about it later. Like I said, got a lot on my mind.”
She glanced upward at the sky. “As for him bailing like that, water’s wet, sky’s above, and he’s gonna do what he’s gonna do. Never had much luck changing his course when he makes a decision. No use getting worked up about facts of life. Sure you don’t want to drive?”
“Makes little sense for me to drive. I don’t know where we’re going. How far is it anyway? As for his behavior, I don’t think I can be so equanimous about it.”
She looked at her phone. “Well, it’s just something I can’t change, much like the door timing. If we can't make it in under 45 minutes, we’ll have to go to another location or wait around for another few hours.”
“Come again?” Raz loaded the aluminum case holding the three gun-like devices into the van, sure he’d misheard or misunderstood something.
She shrugged. “I know how it sounds. Just trust me. You’ll see when we get there.”
As Nona got them underway, Raz closed his eyes and went to work. At first, thoughts about Midnight and his mom swirled together in his head. Finally, realized he’d have to focus on what he could affect right now, instead of getting worked up about things he couldn't affect. With what felt like great effort, he placed those worries aside, and sealed them away for the moment.
Can’t let myself dwell on that. Stay in the moment! What to think about. Ok, full up on catalyst, plenty of capacity. Any idea at all how much of the healing tree we need to unlock to get out of it?
[Unknown, However, I have found something you might find interesting.]
So, can you just give me all the information and let me look it over?
[Yes, if you’re willing to take the time. Your reading will be much slower than mine for these records.]
I could use a distraction. Let’s see it.
[Here it is.]
A rush of knowledge flowed through him in a long, nauseating push.
Raz put his hand to his forehead. “Whoa, head rush.”
Nona looked over at him with concern. “Headache? I’ve got pain relievers in the glove box.”
He smiled at her. “And a trauma kit too, no doubt. Thanks though, I’m ok.”
She laughed. “Of course not, there’s no trauma kit in there. Don’t be ridiculous.”
Being called out on his assumption left him embarrassed. “Oh, I was just—” he started.
She pointed to the rear of the van. “It’s in the back with the other gear. Any decent trauma kit would never fit in the glove box. ”
He shook his head with a smile. “I guess I should have figured.”
He slouched into a comfortable position in the seat and closed his eyes.
So there is the ‘solid’ build and the ‘linear’ build philosophies. Do we know which is better?
[You now have all the notes regarding the two build types.]
Raz mentally unfolded the info packet and started skimming over the highlights. Several minutes later he realized he was on document 2 of 428442.
Ugh, this is incredibly boring stuff. Is it all so dry and vague? It’s like they never just flat out say anything.
[Would it help if I said no?]
Well, would it be true?
[No.]
Why is it like this?
[I suspect that different species receive slightly different trees, even with the so-called ‘common’ trees, so precise notes might not help. However, I believe the real reason they are so vague is to avoid being purged as containing too much information.]
Ugh. Is it all written like this?
[A lot of it is. The notes run the gamut from the highly technical to the very insane, with a lot of stupid, useless, and irrelevant in between. [It is often hard to tell which is which. There are so very many notes.]
I think I like it better when you summarize.
[Working with the datastream information is one of my primary purposes.]
I also think I like the linear build in general. What I’m getting from this is that there are some special abilities at the top of the trees worth getting. The side stuff we can pick up if needed.
[Of course, but on the other hand, the ‘solid’ build ensures that every ability will have maximum flexibility and power for that rank.]
Raz sighed.
Yeah. If I understood it all correctly, the linear versus solid argument is mostly concerning trees you don’t intend to fully populate.
[I believe that is correct.]
[The two build philosophies are aimed at helping users get through a locked tree quickly, and with two very different priorities.]
It sounds like the actual tree defining abilities are at the top of the core, so that fits with the linear approach better. Of course, that's not how I did the HUD tree.
[True]
[They would consider your current abilities a linear build with some extras.]
Why do I have this feeling that you’re going to lobby for a solid build now?
[I have no such plans.]
[With a linear build in the HUD tree completed, if I were planning that, I would aim for the purchase of more Triage and Combat abilities. Considering how useful they have been so far, and what might be revealed—]
A line of symbols and noise washed across his vision, all but obscuring his view for a moment.
Glad I wasn’t driving for that! New directive. If something like that happens, I need the visual aspects of the HUD suppressed. If I was driving I might have crashed.
[If possible, it will be done.]
What was that all about?
[Something I would of course, not tell you about, as it is against the rules.] A subtle sense of sarcasm accompanied the message.
Ahh yes, totally. I am, without a doubt, unaware of whatever you were not allowed to tell me will become available at the top of the tree if we fill it in entirely.
[Excellent, as I have not broken the rules, my access remains unpenalized.]
Would it be bad to ask what exactly you’re accessing that can be penalized? Also, dare I ask how the hell there are rules, and how they even work?
[No, but I lack a good way to explain it, other than as a data source I can access, with rules I cannot blatantly break.]
That is an interesting way to phrase that. Can I assume your word choice is fully intentional.
[You can assume that, as they were fully intentional.]
So hypothetically speaking, things that cannot be broken, might still have a little bend to them—let's call it ‘wiggle room'.
[You are, as they say, picking up, what I am putting down.]
[As for the rules themselves, you can ask questions, but the rules do not appear to like being investigated, so take care with any direct questions.]
So hypothetically, it’s possible there are some really useful abilities hiding at the top of these trees?
Another, longer array of visual noise not unlike static composed of various shifting characters and symbols crossed his HUD.
[I base this primarily on inferences in notes, and the forbidden communications themselves, but I can neither confirm nor deny that the word hiding, and the phrase really useful are excellent choices on your part.]
How interesting. We’ll have to look into this when we get time to catch a breath. On that note, you were say—not saying, and certainly not implying that there are some kind of hidden abilities at the top of the tree, and yet Midnight was saying that there are hidden benefits just from having lots of trees ‘graduated’ as he calls it.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[Maybe both are right. I cannot mention this directly, but I suggest reading note #42. It is ancient and hard to read, but I have applied the translation I can. I suspect this very early note might predate some of the rules. Or perhaps the rough translation allows it to skirt some rules. Either way, you should read it.]
Nona pounded on the steering wheel with a frustrated growl. “Damnit! I hate traffic! I forget how much it sucks to drive places. Arrgh! Why! Where are you all going?! Driving is lame! There’s no way we’ll make our window in this traffic.”
Raz looked at her in confusion. “You know, I hadn’t even thought about it, but I recall wondering why you never seemed to really care about Atlanta traffic the way I hate it.”
She didn't reply, just kept driving, tension writ large on her face and body.
He looked her over, realizing that her reaction seemed to go beyond simple traffic frustration. “What’s the problem? Can you send over an aspect and ask them to stay open a little later or something?”
She shook her head. “It’s not like that. It’s just. It’s weird, you’ll just have to see it. Don’t sweat it, though. We’re going to miss this window, so I’ll take the scenic route to the other door.”
Raz nodded as if this made any sense at all, and activated his energy harvesting procedural chain.
Let’s activate Somatic Restoration, at low power. I’d like to make sure anything that’s going to ache and hurt tomorrow from that rat fight is dealt with before we get wherever this place is.
The energy display began to rise and fall with the pulses of healing warmth flowing through him. At first the healing was painful, but soon settled into a soothing sensation of wellbeing. Some time later, he dozed off. By the time he woke up as Nona parked the van, Raz was glad to see an empty status output.
[It isn’t technically empty, there just isn’t anything important to display.]
I figured. More tired than I thought. I still need to read that note.
Raz pulled up note #42. It was quite long winded and seemed of the more unhinged variety that Bee had warned about. One passage stood out. ‘The
is—”
Raz stopped reading to look out the window.
How many of these translations are like this?
[Many of them. Normally I would translate it to highest confidence, but this one has a slippery tendency of vanishing when I translate it in certain ways. Then I have to locate it all over again.]
That’s kind of ominous.
[Yes, it is.]
Raz got back to reading it.
So, let me see if I have this right. Whoever wrote this is saying that if you do a linear build, and then keep working on the solid build, that's how hidden, and what he or she called ‘ultimate’ abilities would become available.
A reply began and then vanished. Another dialog box appeared and then flickered out.
[I can neither confirm nor deny that wild supposition on your part.]
I am starting to think you might be bending the rules for me more than I’d expected.
[Of course not. Yes, it's clear you would want me to, but I would never do that.]
I get you. I’m also a bit worried that you feel you have to answer that way.
[I even don’t circumventing know these why, strictures but is there hazardous are for rules us that both can and be must bent be but done not sparingly broken]
Raz read both of the messages there and closed his eyes in contemplation.
Ok, I get you. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.
The van came to a stop. He looked out the window. They’d pulled into what looked like a tiny park in the middle of nowhere. A tiny lot attached to a small park built alongside the winding country road. The small metal playset looked old but still maintained. The park had a new looking restroom built of tan concrete blocks. Beyond the edge of the well-groomed area of the park, kudzu ruled the land as far as they could see in the hilly mountain view. The kudzu had all but enveloped a dilapidated old wooden house just outside the park’s groomed lawn. “Ok, I’ll admit I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have been. I thought we’d be going downtown. Where are we?”
She pointed out toward the playground. “We’re here.”
He hopped out and stretched, taking a moment to work the kinks out of his body.
Hmm, I actually feel really good now. Does Somatic Recovery do more than just heal injuries and conditions?
[Unknown.]
Raz walked over to Nona and pulled her into a side hug with one arm. “So we’re here." He made a show of looking around. “Not that I’d mind swinging for a while, or maybe trying out the jungle gym and the slide, but what are we doing here, and for that matter, where is here?”
She smirked, “I’m going to need you to trust me a little longer. I can just tell you, but it’s pretty hard to believe.”
Raz arched one brow at her. “I’ve seen and dealt with some pretty unbelievable things lately. Why don’t you try me?”
She paused, then turned to face him. “Yeah ok, it’s not a secret or anything, just pretty weird. So here’s the thing. In about–” she pulled out her phone and glanced at it. “11 minutes, for a little over one minute, that shed over there will have a magic door over its real door, that will take us to his shop.” she pointed to the structure that was nearly covered with Kudzu.
Raz had a hard time believing this.
[No signs of deception detected.]
“Ok you got me there. You’re absolutely right, that is hard to accept.” He started.
She looked like she was about to say something, but stopped as he put up a hand to forestall her comment.
“But—” He patted her posterior for emphasis, “I’m going to trust you unless you show me I shouldn’t.” he finished.
She smiled. “Good, then let’s get ready. The timing on the doors is precise, and he gets pissy if you throw off the schedule by having one of them open when it’s supposed to switch.”
Raz eyed the vine covered structure. “Yikes, what happens then?”
“Eh, nothing catastrophic, it just holds the door open for a while then the door shuts. It has more shutting force than I could stop, so that’s the limit of what I know. I’ve never tried it very seriously though, and I don’t think today’s the day to start messing with his toys.”
Raz grabbed the case and patted the full vial of catalyst in his pocket next to the nearly empty one. Out of habit, he patted his back pocket and side pocket “I feel so naked walking around with no wallet or phone.” he remarked as he clipped the heavy metal gauntlets onto his belt.
She looked at the gloves and shook her head. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why are you so attached to those things?”
He shrugged. “They’re mine, and I can’t say that about many things right now. I lost all those guns, and I don’t know where we’re going.” Patting the gauntlets. “Not to mention that lately, having a weapon seems like a better call than not having a weapon.”
I wish I’d held onto that knife and shirt he made. A little big but I liked the way it felt in my grip. Armor is never a bad idea either.
She nodded. “If it makes you feel better about your wallet and phone, this guy doesn’t deal with cash, and phones aren’t allowed. In fact, most complex electronics will die if you take them through the door unprepared.”
“So magic and technology can’t mix?” he mused.
She giggled, “I don’t think it’s literally magic. I just don’t know how it works. Might as well be magic to me.” She smacked his ass. “But! He doesn’t allow them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he built that into the doors. You can carry them in if they’re powered off, and inside a metal box. But if you turn them on anywhere near his shop, they get fried. I learned that the hard way.”
Raz looked at the aluminum sided hard case that held the three unusual gun-like devices. “This thing going to be ok?”
She nodded. “Should be fine. He sells devices in cases just like that.”
They walked over past the edge of a cut grass into the unsteady footing of the lumpy kudzu. The other side of the vine covered building did have a door. It looked like an old rotting wooden door. The door had no knob and looked as though it might fall down if you so much as touched it.
Raz was about to say something snarky when he noticed what was unusual. “Ok, kudzu practically eating this building except for the door. Yer makin’ a believer out of me girly!” he quoted at her.
She gave him a knowing grin and nodded, “You know it boy-o!” she laughed, seeming to relax a bit. “We should watch that again when things calm down.”
Are things ever going to calm down again?
She turned away from the door and stared off into the mist shrouded north Georgia mountains. “C’mere babe.” she held out a hand toward him.
He joined her and they took in the view. He realized she was subvocalizing something. He dialed in his hearing for a few seconds.
“Are you counting?”
She nodded without stopping.
Another minute went by before he couldn’t ignore it anymore. “What are you counting?”
She held up a hand, still mouthing numbers. A few seconds later she spoke up, “180, three minutes left, 178, 177, 176”
174 second timer now.
“Counting down till this door shows up?”
She nodded.
“I got a timer running, you can relax.”
“Really? Thanks, I hate the wait.”
He started to turn to look at the door. She put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t.”
“Why are we facing away from the door?”
“It won’t appear if we’re looking at it.”
“I want to say, ‘you must be kidding’, but clearly you’re not.”
She shrugged without saying anything.
“Are you still counting? My HUD has the timer, we’re good.”
She nodded. “Sorry, habit. Are you sure it’s accurate?”
Actually, that’s a good question, how accurate are you?
[Accurate enough that the limiting factor is your organic body.]
Easy there, robot overlord.
“More than accurate enough for our needs. We’ve got about 30 seconds left.”
She nodded and pulled him closer.
When the timer indicated, he waited a few extra seconds then turned around. “Whoa! I did not expect that. I believed you… but I still didn’t expect it to happen like that.”
A grey brushed metal door had appeared against the building over where the wooden door was. If not for its highly incongruous appearance, Raz wasn’t sure he’d have realized it wasn’t natural if he hadn’t seen the wooden door first. This door had a polished chrome knob and heavy dull silver knocker. The roman numeral 2 was engraved on the door as a pair of four inch characters.
Hex smiled. “Told you it would be here. Just don’t ask me why it doesn’t show up if you’re watching.”
Raz tried the door. It was locked.
She gently nudged him aside and tapped out ‘shave and a haircut’ with the knocker.
The door clicked. She opened it wide and looked inside. Through the door, they could see a dimly glowing field at the threshold, then past it, darkness. Looking at the darkness, she started swearing furiously.
Rather than opening to the interior of the rundown old building, it opened onto a dark empty plain. Wherever the other side of the door was, it was nighttime there.
Raz let her vent for a few seconds before responding. “I take it this isn't a good thing?
“Where on Earth—this is such crap.” She took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. This seemed to let some of her tension out.
She turned to Raz with a tight smile. “I’ll be right back, wait here please.”
He grabbed the door. “Sure thing.”
She ran toward the van. “Hold the door!” she called out over her shoulder.
Raz spotted a distant flash of lightning through the door. The illumination was enough to see that it was a truly desolate area. Flat, packed sand with some hills or mountains in the distance.
The door started to close. “Whoa there.” he said, pulling the door back open. The door allowed him to pull it back open. The view of the empty plain began to shift. Very slowly at first, but clearly speeding up. Like a camera zooming out, rushing along the ground. He held onto the edge of the door and side stepped to be able to see past the corner of the building. He looked around the corner at Hex. She was digging into the back of the van. As he watched, Dara appeared in her glittery pink sheath dress, dropped a bag and then vanished.
The door started to close again, this time, with much more force. He grabbed the corner of the shed with one hand and kept the other on the door. The rotted, vine covered, corner crumbled under his grip. The door pulled him along, his feet carving furrows in the kudzu covered ground. In a desperate move Raz flipped around the door and braced himself against the frame to hold it open with both hands and feet. A grunt of effort escaped his lips as the pressure increased.
“Hey honey, this door is trying to close on me!” he shouted, hoping she could hear him.
Hex came running around the corner with a pair of bags, one in each hand. She slung the larger one over her shoulder and grabbed his metal briefcase with her freed hand. She stepped past him through the door. “Come on!”
He shifted slightly in the frame, and the force of the closing door launched him through the gateway. As he passed through the shimmering curtain of light, the world turned and spun. For a moment he seemed to be caught between falling sideways, then up or down. He just had time to wonder which way he’d fall when it turned out the answer was down after all.
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