The Lives of Tao

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

UNINVITED



After the events involving the Chest of the Menagerie, I do not have much to tell that could show you any insight as to who I am. Because from that point on, it has been nothing but mindless war. I had given up all hope of an enlightened culture or of peaceful civilizations that innovated through stability. We used to be two sides playing chess with humanity’s evolution as the prize. Now, we play simply to defeat the other side. In a way, the Prophus fell right into the Genjix’s hands.



The hallways were eerily quiet as Roen ran to the elevators. He watched the numbers blink up to his floor, and as the doors opened, was greeted by a tall man in black Kevlar armor carrying a shotgun. His heart stopped as he instinctively sized up the potential threat: military repeating shotgun, two flashbangs, pistol at his waist, and knife in his boot.

“Sir,” the guard said. “I don’t suppose the ice machine is broken and you’re going up?”

“Down,” Roen replied, walking in and standing next to him. “Ground floor lobby.”

The guard looked him up and down. Roen’s own combat gear gave him away. The guard shook his head. “It’s past curfew. You seem like you’re up to no good. I don’t suppose I can talk you out of it.”

Roen shook his head.

The guard sighed and said, “Do you at least have a transponder on you?”

Roen shook his head again. “Tao, what transponder?”

Next time, read the security pamphlet.

The guard pulled a small metal box out of one of his many pockets and handed it to him. “Push the button if you require assistance. We’ll find you.”

Roen thanked him and the two of them waited in silence as the elevator music played. The elevator dinged and the doors opened to the ground level.

The guard called to him again as he sprinted out. “The lobby is no man’s land, sir, as is the pool. The security detail is only stationed as far as the wing entrance.”

Roen thanked him again and ran to the entrance of the lobby. He nodded at the two men stationed there. They looked tense as he slowed to a walk and tried to appear relaxed. Their eyes followed him as he strolled toward the front desk. There were two more men – not dressed like the other guards – standing in the center of the lobby talking to Jill. Roen tensed, taking in the room: five exits, unmanned main counter, two visible unknowns, and no weapons in sight. Jill seemed unconcerned as she chatted merrily with them. It felt like walking into a lion’s den.

They are not ours.

She turned to him with a bright smile that disappeared when she noticed the stormy look on his face. “Hi?” she said playfully, arching her eyebrow.

“Could you come with me please?” Roen said tersely.

She gave him a curious look. “What crawled up your ass? And why are you dressed like Darth Vader? I should be the one that’s pissed. Your cell phone is off and Antonio tells me you’re here for some convention. How can my boyfriend come to Europe and not tell me? I haven’t seen you in two months and Frankfurt’s only a train ride away!”

I told you not to tell Antonio!

“It slipped; I didn’t mean to.”

Then you should have told him it was a Best Western in Utah.

“You know how bad I am at lying.”

“Is this the gentleman you were waiting for, miss?” one of the Genjix said.

Jill forced a smile on her face and turned to them. “This is Roen, my boyfriend, the one I was telling you about. Thanks for calling him down for me. I don’t know how I was going to reach him with the night clerk gone.”

This is a trap. Tell them nothing. Get back to safety.

Roen felt his face go hot as he tried to suppress his discomfort. Jill was chatting with the Genjix as if they were new best friends. One of the smug operatives stuck a hand out. Roen ignored it and grabbed Jill by the elbow, herding her back toward the Prophus wing. He was a bit rougher with her than he’d like, but panic was setting in. If something happened to her, he would never forgive himself.

Halfway across the lobby, Jill stopped and pulled her arm away. “Wait a minute, mister, why were you so rude back there to Leon and Ubei? And why are you acting so weird?”

Ubei is the Iranian Genjix host.

“Go figure. She’s best friends with them now.”

Careful. They are following.

Roen stopped in his tracks. The two guards at the entrance of the Prophus wing were gone.

“Something is wrong.”

The guards are down. Consider them compromised. Genjix behind you are two meters away.

Two more shadows stepped out from where the guards had been stationed, wearing the same black garb as the two Genjix operatives behind him. He would have to fight his way out of this. Appearing as casual as possible, he let go of Jill and put his hands in his pockets. With his left, he activated the transponder. With his right, he gripped the length of cold steel and silently thanked Sonya.

Jill stared at the two in front of them and then looked back at the two approaching them from the rear. “What kind of a convention is this? Why are all of you dressed like you’re in the cast of Cats?”

The escape route is through the entrance or down the hallway on your right.

“Which route is safer?”

The entrance out of the hotel is longer, but unobstructed. The hallway leading to the pool and garden is a good place for an ambush.

Roen cursed under his breath. “Listen,” he murmured out of the side of his mouth. “We need to leave right now. We can’t stay here.”

“What are you talking about?” Jill’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have another girl in your room or something? You do, don’t you? Well, I’m not leaving until I get answers.”

Roen rolled his eyes. “I can’t explain now,” he growled. His eyes darted around the lobby. He could have sworn he saw more shadows off to the side.

“You a*shole!” Jill fumed, punching him in the arm. “I can’t believe...”

She gasped as he suddenly pulled the baton out, extending it as he turned, and striking Leon in the face. As Leon crumpled to the floor, Roen moved on to Ubei. Ubei dodged two wild swings before reeling backwards, the baton hitting him in the face. Blood exploded from his shattered nose as he fell backwards.

Duck!

Roen grabbed Jill and pulled her to the floor as a knife whistled just past their heads. “Run!” he ordered as he rolled to his feet and pushed her towards the entrance. One of the shadows pounced on top of him. An elbow to the side of his attacker’s face disoriented him and knocked him back down on the floor. Roen kicked out and connected with his assailant’s shins, tripping him.

Get out. Leon is recovering. You cannot take on three.

Roen got back to his feet, blocked a kick to his midsection, and pushed the last assailant away, before running after Jill. He caught up with her as she leaned on one of the columns just outside the front door.

“What is going on?” she said, shaking.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her with him as he took off in a run. “I’ll explain later.” The two ran hand in hand across the dimly lit streets to the park just outside of the Metropole. Behind him, he could hear the Genjix as they gave chase.

Roen led Jill behind a row of bushes and pulled her to the ground. He needed to get his bearings and stay hidden until the Prophus security team could find him. That damn transponder better work. He had studied the map of the surrounding area before he came. However, it was dark and there were so many trees around; it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where they were. Roen wasn’t even sure which direction they were facing. He looked into the sky and scowled. It was too cloudy to make out any stars, let alone a constellation.

You are at the park just south-west of the Metropole. Allées des Boulingrins should be just on the other side of those trees.

“Roen,” Jill said, her voice quavering. “Are these people trying to kill us?”

He put one finger to his lips and listened. There was a stiff breeze coming from the east which would help mask their steps in the grass, but it also made it easier for the Genjix to sneak up on them. To the south, he could hear running water. A fountain or a river? There was no river on the map he studied. To the west, he could hear the sound of cars on a busy street. Staying low to the ground, he led her westward toward the traffic. With luck, if there are enough people around, the Genjix would think better than to cause such a commotion just for him.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps ahead and saw a shadow pass in front of him and froze. His heart pounded as he waited. A year ago, Roen would have panicked. Now, he waited tensely for the Genjix to pass.

Jill, however, did not have the luxury of Roen’s training. She gasped aloud. The dark figure stopped and looked to the right, then started to turn toward them. Roen had to do something now. He leaped forward, baton in hand, and struck the Genjix across the temple. The man collapsed on the spot. Jill gave him a terrified look that broke his heart. He knew what that look meant: Who is this man I’m with?

Self-defense if I ever saw it.

“Damn, Tao. Should I even bother buying a ring now or just assume she’s going to dump my ass before the night’s over?”

Let her decide. Do not decide for her.

To his right, he heard someone bark commands and then heard the sound of footsteps.

“We have to go,” Roen whispered. They took off running again and burst through a line of bushes to a picturesque walkway with several fountains shooting water into the air. Unfortunately, it was late and there was no one walking about. They continued running south and passed Allées des Boulingrins to a smaller side street. Roen lost track again of which direction he was facing.

Your mental compass stinks.

“I’m sorry. I’m in a foreign country in the middle of the night with no stars and no map.”

Make a right down that narrow street. You can get some distance from the Genjix.

Roen looked at the narrow dark street. “Damn European streets. That’s an alley, not a street. No good ever comes to anyone being chased in the middle of the night by running into an alley.”

Do not be foolish. It is the only direction that takes you away from the Genjix. You need some distance from them until our people can find you.

With more than a bit of trepidation, he pulled Jill toward the alley. She frowned and stopped. “Are you sure you want to go this way? I mean, this is usually the part in a movie where something jumps out and kills us.”

“I know, I know.” Roen shook his head. “Trust me on this.”

Despite their hesitation, they took off down the alley, running blindly at a full sprint, when they heard footsteps fast approaching from behind. They were just about to round the bend when a shadow charged from the corner of Roen’s line of sight. He twisted out of the way and dove to the ground. Instead, the shadow barreled into Jill, and a horrified Roen watched as her small body flew in the air and bounced off a brick wall with a sick thud.

With an enraged roar, he moved before he knew what he was doing. The baton materialized in his hand, and Roen struck Jill’s assailant on the back of the neck, and then finished him off with two more vicious blows to the head. He turned and knelt down next to Jill. She moaned. She had an ugly welt on the side of her face and what looked like a broken arm.

With the way she is breathing, she might have cracked ribs as well. You have to leave her or hide. Or fight.

There was no way in hell Roen was going to leave her. Grimacing, he grabbed her by the waist and dragged her around the corner. She moaned in pain as they moved. His blood froze when he ran his fingers down the length of her arm and felt a bone protruding right below her elbow.

If you leave the transponder with her, our people will find her. You have to go. These men might not have guns, but be assured there is another fully armed Genjix team on their way now.

Roen hesitated. What could he do? He had to protect Tao and keep him from capture, but he couldn’t leave Jill here. What would Edward do? The footsteps were getting louder. Roen dug out the small transponder and stuffed it into Jill’s pocket. At the very least, the Prophus would find her. He was about to take off again when he stopped. With a curse, he pulled out the baton. “I’m sorry, Tao. I won’t leave her.”

Roen...

“I don’t care. Help me, God damn it. I’m not leaving her!”

Roen peered over the corner and saw a group of dark figures charging closer down the street. He crouched and gripped the baton in his hand as the first of them reached the corner. Roen leaped at the closest figure just as he got into range, dropping him with a punch. And then Roen was surrounded. He barely ducked another baton swing before he connected one of his own to an assailant’s knees. Then a rain of blows fell on top of him and his vision got fuzzy.

“Careful, you idiots. We need him alive. If he dies, Tao will escape,” he heard a familiar voice fade in and out from close by.

Marc Kenton!

“I think I owe you one, Tao,” Marc said as his voice came closer. A kick connected to his head and everything went dark.

Roen! Snap out of it!

Roen ebbed in and out of consciousness as he felt them move his body. Jill. What were they doing with Jill? He kept his eyes closed while he got his bearings and waited for a chance to escape. That opportunity came when he was suddenly dropped as another battle erupted all around him.

Roen opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful thing in the world. Sonya and her team had found him! The Genjix had all converged on them, only leaving one agent guarding him. Roen waited until the Genjix agent was distracted; then he jumped up, grabbed him by the neck and twisted. The Genjix collapsed. Roen looked around and saw Marc standing a few meters away, barking orders.

“All right, Tao. I think it’s time I do Kathy a favor.”

Roen found his target in the melee, and tackled Marc from behind. To his surprise, the man reacted immediately, turning his waist and wrapping his large arms around Roen’s torso. They both crashed to the ground. Roen rolled and pulled out Marc’s knife out of his belt sheath. Marc kneed him in the ribs, and the two wrestled for the knife. It flipped out of Roen’s grasp and slid across the ground. They scrambled to their feet.

“You think your new toy is man enough to take me, Tao?” Marc snarled and attacked.

The first time they met at the club, Marc had seemed an impossibly massive man that was much stronger than Roen. Now, they were better matched. Roen stayed alert, defending himself when he could and retreating when he had to.

From what he could tell, Marc utilized a hybrid form of tae kwon do and possibly wing chun. The momentum was one way as Roen slowly retreated. Try as he might, he barely held off Marc’s offense as he struggled to dodge a barrage of leg kicks.

Watch his attack pattern! An image of Marc moments before throwing the same combination of kicks appeared in Roen’s head. As the fight progressed, he began to recognize the pattern.

“You’re like a punching bag,” Marc sneered. “Tao, I thought you had a better-trained vessel, considering how formidable Edward was.”

“It’s not over yet,” Roen snapped back.

He attacked again, blocking Marc’s kick and pressing forward. Roen took two quick punches to the face as the other man retreated, but Roen refused to back down. He would have to smother Marc in order to beat him. They fought on, attacking and defending in succession.

Marc was quicker and stronger, and Roen was eating a large number of blows. It was a fight he was going to lose at this rate. He missed blocking another high kick that floored him. Roen sat up and scrambled away on his hands and knees. He was bleeding from several places and tiring. Then his hands felt a sharp smooth metal object – the knife! Roen picked it up and brandished it.

Marc sneered. “What’s the matter, boy? No fair fight?”

“You mean like when you had ten of your goons jump me, you piece of garbage?” Roen spat.

“Semantics.” Marc shrugged and grinned. “I thought we were having a gentleman’s mano-a-mano fight. Well, no matter.” He pulled out a baton.

You can take this guy. Watch his footwork. He favors stepping into his swings and pushing. Take advantage of his forward movement. When Marc is injured, he loses his temper.

The two stalked each other for a few moments, until Roen made the first move. Their weapons clashed several times as he feinted and thrust low, trying to find an opening. His attacks fell short and Marc attacked. Roen backpedaled, staying just out of range of the longer weapon, weaving and dodging the swings of the baton as Marc pressed him even harder. Then Roen suddenly ducked, slipping under the large man’s guard. Marc had overreached and Roen sliced a gash across his ribcage. Marc stumbled backward.

“Is that the best you got, Tao?” he growled.

Marc came in again. Roen, watching for the opening Tao had advised, dodged the first swing and nicked Marc in the arm. Marc roared and moved again, this time coming from the opposite angle. Roen ducked low, slipped under his arm, and buried the knife into his ribcage. Marc shuddered as he stared down at his chest.

Roen could have sworn he heard Tao growl as he pushed the knife into Marc’s chest. This man killed Edward, was all Roen thought as he drove forward, shoving Marc back against the wall.

Roen leaned close to Marc’s ear and whispered, “One day, I’m going to tell my kids about how great a man Edward Blair was, and how a worm named Marc Kenton shot him in the back. And then I’m going to tell them how I avenged Edward. Edward will live forever through Tao. You, on the other hand...” Roen twisted the knife in Marc’s chest and pulled it out. Marc gasped and collapsed onto the ground, breathing shallowly as blood poured from his mouth.

Thank you, Roen. This meant everything to me.

“Should I put him out of his misery?”

No. Leave him. He has a punctured lung and can survive for a bit. If you kill him, Jeo will escape. Hurry and get to Sonya.

Roen turned and saw Genjix enveloping her as she flashed through a cloud of dark bodies. The bodies of all the other Prophus agents were lying face down nearby. She wielded a knife in one hand and a baton in the other. Blood was streaming down her face. One Genjix grabbed her arm even while Sonya slit another agent’s throat with the knife. A third disarmed her, forcing the knife out of her hand. And then a fourth agent punched her in the face.

Sonya twisted free of the Genjix holding her right arm, elbowed him in the neck, and finished him off with a swing of her baton. She pulled back just as the first agent who punched her swung again. The punch missed her by scant centimeters and she retaliated with a low kick to the shin, snapping the bone. Despite that, she could not handle the rest as several more took his place.

With a roar, Roen charged the remaining Genjix and bowled one over. He struck blindly, cutting his way through to her. However, there were too many. The Genjix agents turned on him and overwhelmed him with their numbers. Finally, a blow to the side of the head staggered him and everything went dark again.

When he came to for the second time, Paula was kneeling over him, propping his head up. “You took quite a beating there, Roen,” she said as she looked him over.

“Sonya?” he said weakly.

Paula shook her head. “Taken. The Genjix were trying to escape with all of you when we descended on them. I shot the two men carrying you and Marc.” Roen struggled to sit up, but she kept him pinned down. “Easy there. Rest a bit. Things are under control now. We captured Jeo. Marc is still alive.”

“I have a friend. Is she all right?”

Paula looked at him solemnly, then looked away. “The Genjix escaped by car with two prisoners. I’m assuming the other body is your friend. We chased them to the airport, but they escaped. We’re moving a satellite in now to track them. Don’t worry, we’ll find them.”

Roen’s mind went blank as his entire world came crashing down on him. They had Jill! He screamed as loud as he could, then pushed Paula aside. He looked down the dark alley, at where he last saw her, and took off at a full sprint. It took half a dozen Prophus agents to subdue him.