DeniseZen Read online

  “Indeed it is.”

  “We are going to find your friends,” Denise said as the Oldsmobile turned into her driveway.

  “I am starting to believe we will, in time.”

  “Til tomorrow.”

  “Same time and place then,” Nola smiled as Denise got out of the car.

  “Yes,” she smiled before closing the door and walking into her trailer.

  Chapter 9

  Flying

  “Yes I will come with you. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Layla said.

  “It still sort of feels like a dream,” Denise said, stroking her cheek as they lay on the couch looking at their bikes, the clothes they had been wearing strewn about the room.

  “Is it like flying?”

  “Yes and no. It is more like watching a movie of flying it is so smooth. I may ask for a window seat next time,” Denise laughed.

  “Those bikes smell so new.”

  “Yes they do. What say we break them in and head to town for something to eat?”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Layla laughed.

  How is your bike functioning, Layla thought as they zipped north on Highway 51.

  Like a charm. How does Pagliai’s sound for a pizza?

  Yummo.

  They ordered a thick and crispy veggie pizza and a few cokes.

  “I honestly don’t know how I went this long without eating today,” Denise laughed. “My world usually starts bottoming out a few hours after not having something.”

  “You, I was at home with a fridge full of food and could not eat.”

  “How long have you lived down here exactly?”

  “Lived, five years, but I used to visit here often.”

  Do you think it possible to make a list and map all of the bodies of water between here and, oh say, Lake Michigan, in every direction? Denise asked.

  Should be quite easy. I know where most of them are. Have you seen how Google Earth looks on these new Macbooks?

  We must find time to compile the list this evening before, ahem.

  “Ahem?”

  “Yes. You know, ahem,” Denise grinned rolling her eyes before reaching to touch her left hand.

  “Ahem can wait, but not too long.”

  “Absolutely.”

  After dinner they rode down to the Dairy Queen and sat outside having dessert before making their way back home.

  Roughly a quarter mile south of Arnold’s Market Denise, who was in the lead, heard what sounded like a loud slap followed by a males voice shouting “NICE ASS,” followed by Layla shouting, “GEEK ASSHOLE!”

  Are you ok? Denise asked.

  Some asshole in that pickup just smacked me on the ass, Layla roared.

  Layla watched as the back window of the pickup exploded outwards into the bed of the truck before the head of the man sitting in the shotgun seat repeatedly banged into the dashboard about a half dozen times. The driver stopped the truck in the middle of the road in a panic, not knowing what was happening.

  Apology accepted, Denise calmly said as they cruised by the dazed truck occupants.

  How did you do that? Layla laughed.

  I’m not sure.

  I simply MUST learn how to do that.

  Me too.

  Once back home they hopped in the shower together before settling into a quiet and productive evening at home.

  “Well,” Layla said while she whipped up a few iced lattes, “just off the top of my head there are Crab Orchard Lake, Devil’s Kitchen, Little Grassy, Kinkaid Lake, Cedar Lake and Rend Lake.”

  “Can you believe I was able to type all those down as you were saying them?” Denise laughed.

  “You’re good baby.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh, and then there is Lake Murphysboro,” Layla said. “Here, let me know how it is?”

  “Mmm,” Denise moaned after taking a sip of her chocolate latte.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “Ever heard of Debwin Plant Cooling Lake?”

  “Nope. Where is that?”

  “Not far from our favorite Fort.” And then there is the entire Mississippi River.

  The morning came with barely enough time to freshen up and get a cup of coffee down before Pyta was waiting outside the trailer with the Oldsmobile.

  “I’ll sit in back if you don’t mind,” Denise said. You’re just going to love this ride.

  “Good morning,” Pyta smiled. She did not have lattes waiting.

  “Good morning,” Denise and Layla chimed.

  Pyta drove the Oldsmobile out to Highway 51 and headed south.

  “I’ve never been in such a smooth ride before,” Layla said.

  “We’ve made a few modifications to it,” Pyta said.

  Look straight ahead. Denise thought.

  Less than a half mile away from Denise’s trailer this time, the same ramp opened up and swallowed the Oldsmobile and its occupants.

  “I feel like a V.I.P. already,” Layla said.

  They exited the Oldsmobile and Pyta led them to their seats for the jump ‘upstairs’ as Denise put it.

  Layla looked on in astonishment at the view above Cyn. “To boldly go where no SIU student has ever gone before,” she giggled.

  They arrived to the same low hum and thud of the docking clamp taking hold. Denise led Layla back the way they had came followed by Pyta and Cyn.

  “Welcome Layla to the Tyrine,” Pyta said.

  “It’s pronounced Tchareen but it is spelled T-y-r-i-n-e,” Denise whispered.

  “You’ll meet most of our crew throughout the day,” Pyta said as the door opened into the same room Denise had her first meeting in. Nola was the only one in the room. Kinsa followed them into the room with latte refreshments and left after bidding them hello.

  After the introductory formalities Nola felt it necessary to welcome Layla to the ship. Denise started in with an update, and provided Nola with a map showing all the lakes in the region.

  “I’ve had no communication with Myla or Aren overnight. It may be a good thing since the last few times they did so they sounded rather stressed,” Denise said.

  “You think we should focus on these bodies of water first?” Nola asked.

  “Yes I do. I am still convinced that water is a key in finding their location.”

  “I’ve been on all of these lakes at one time or another,” Layla said. “As small as they are, there are many places to hide, especially if someone’s operation was sophisticated enough.”

  “May I suggest that after Layla has finished her brief tour you utilize our shuttle to get a closer look at these lakes?” Nola said.

  “A good idea Nola. Maybe we will get lucky and find some clues, or them,” Denise said. “On that note, I’ll be in my quarters.”

  Layla looked at her and almost laughed out loud.

  “Of course. Trepa is anxious to discuss a few things with you.”

  Mari entered the room as Denise exited to take Layla on a tour of the ship.

  Denise sat in a chair in her guest quarters when she finished up in the bathroom. A soft voice emanated from the walls, “May I enter?” It was Trepa.

  “Yes, of course.”

  While Trepa explained how some of her training would proceed, Denise told her what happened the previous day with the guys in the pickup truck. “I did it. I knew I was doing it. I wanted to do more to them initially but I stopped short of doing so. I controlled it. I watched as I controlled it.”

  “Our word for this is Kinez, the ability to control the physical world with your mind. It is one of the powers you have Denise, one of the reasons you were chosen.”

  “I’d love to know more.”

  “Nola has informed me that Layla’s tour is drawing to a close, and that you will be spending part of the day with Cyn and Senn in the shuttle.”

  “Oh Layla is going to love that,” she laughed.

  “Come, they are almost ready.”

  Cyn led them to a different
shuttle than the one they arrived in. It was different on the inside and had more seating, as well as being slightly smaller, at least it seemed that way. At any rate, Denise was certain they would be experiencing a new way of exiting the craft since the Oldsmobile was not onboard when it separated from the clamp and departed the Tyrine.

  “Senn is the closest thing to what I believe you would call a detective on your world,” Cyn said. “He has a remarkable ability to ‘read’ if you will.”

  “I hope we can be of some help,” Layla said, seeming highly entertained by the view of the rapidly approaching planet they called home.

  “You are our tour guide on this outing,” Denise said.

  “Ok, let’s start with the most popular and northernmost then work our way south. That would be Rend Lake.”

  “Probably the least likely on the list,” Denise said.

  “I take it we cannot be seen?” Layla said.

  “That is correct,” Senn said. He was busy working at the controls of something that appeared to be mapping certain areas they passed.

  “I’m getting nothing here,” Denise said.

  “Next would be here, Crab Orchard Lake,” Layla said, pointing to a map. “The entire lake is browned out on Google Earth. They claim it is simply different satellite imagery that causes it but I’m not so sure.”

  Cyn already knew where to steer the craft.

  “This is most definitely a point of interest that deserves snooping at the ground level,” Denise said. “I cannot explain, but I feel something.”

  “It is a historical place.”

  “What are all of those uniformly laid out buildings doing in the middle of a Wildlife Preserve?” Denise asked.

  Nooooooooo! Denise heard in her mind. It faded in and out.

  It was not now. It’s a memory, she thought.

  “Stop!” Denise shouted. “Can you stop?”

  The craft came to a complete stop.

  “Give me a moment.”

  They are too valuable to release.

  It is only a matter of time before we are found.

  Then we will have what we want.

  What if they get away?

  He will tell you nothing.

  Let her go and I’ll give you what you want.

  Noooooooo.

  Denise turned on her iPhone, selected voice recorder and spoke verbatim the words, full sentences, she had just heard in her mind. “I believe these to be fragments of conversations that took place here. Each sentence is a different voice. Two of the voices are clearly Myla and Aren.”

  She looked up to see three faces staring at her.

  “They’re here, or they have been here. This is a good place for us to have a closer look on the ground.”

  “You said this was a historical place?” Senn asked.

  “Yes,” Layla replied. “During one of the darkest periods for our species on our world, this entire area was a massive armament complex that employed more than ten thousand workers. It was during our Second World War.”

  “All of that down there?” Denise asked.

  “Ordinance for the war effort. Located in the heart of the country so it was less prone to attack, plenty of water, an abundance of unemployed help due to the depression, it was perfect. Its nickname was Ordill.”

  “Can you bring us in for a closer look without being detected?” Denise asked.

  Denizen…were…top is deception, Denise heard in her mind, words, all part of broken sentences.

  “Senn. Can you get us far away from this place quickly?”

  Cyn shot the vessel straight up and within moments they were more than fifty miles south of Crab Orchard Lake.

  “What is it Denise?” Layla asked.

  “There is something down there. I believe something was scanning, for us.”

  “I did record an anomaly seconds after you asked that we leave,” Senn said.

  “Can you contact the ship and ask Trepa if I can have a crash training session as soon as possible?”

  “She asks what kind of pizza do you want for dinner?” Senn said.

  Denise was wearing a grin when she looked at Layla. “Bell peppers only will do just fine, and ask her to make it large enough for two. You’ll be having two overnight guests.”

  “My bed is large enough for two unless we are pulling an allnighter” Layla whispered.

  “We’ll find time,” Denise smiled.

  “Yes.”

  Chapter 10

  A Natural

  “Quite an experience to live in fear isn’t it? That’s what it means to be a slave. It’s one of my favorite quotes by a favorite author, Phillip K. Dick. I suspect that Myla and yes, even Aren as strong as he is, have much to fear at the moment.”

  “I believe you are right Denise. Come, we are almost there,” Nola said.

  Denise and Layla had spent the night in intensive training. Most of Layla’s training was to be in the art of self-defense until they found out that she had studied kickboxing for nearly two years. After besting her holo-opponents, she was given training to fine-tune her telepathic abilities.

  Denise was coached and trained alongside Trepa the entire night. She discovered that she had the ability to send and receive messages mentally. She could read impressions left by someone mentally. She could, with refinement, control other humans mentally. Although it was still latent, she would be able to see into the future. Her ability to move objects, including sentient beings was profound. It was as if a full-power switch had been turned on when they were accosted on their bikes on Highway 51. Size simply did not matter. She was able to move, stop, and even destroy objects at will. With some training she would be able to teach Layla this ability that was still dormant in her.

  “We have arrived,” Nola said.

  The ramp opened to reveal Denise’s front lawn. It was still dark out.

  We will be in the region most of the day, Nola said.

  Good to know in case we need you quickly. Denise said.

  The ramp closed and immediately the craft that had just carried them roughly nine thousand kilometers could not be seen.

  “I’m going to cook us breakfast,” Layla said.

  “Yum. I am hungry,” Denise said, deeply breathing in the sweet smelling country air.

  Denise put on a pot of coffee and took a shower while Layla cooked them omelets with hash browns and seven-grain toast topped with raspberry preserves.

  After breakfast Layla got her shower out of the way. Denise was nude when Layla exited the bathroom. She took her by the hand and led her to the bedroom.

  “We never had time for ahem,” she giggled.

  “Mmmm,” Layla cooed.

  “I’d like to go to campus for a while if you don’t mind,” Denise said while she washed the breakfast dishes.

  “Sure. I love campus. I especially love campus with you cause being on one makes you horny,” Layla giggled.

  Denise put on a white tank top with blue jean shorts and brown sandals. Layla wore a green tank, blue jean shorts and green sneakers, “In case I have to kick something,” she giggled.

  They took the Mustang to campus and parked at the Student Center.

  After picking up a few lattes, they headed to the upstairs lounge on the other end of the building. Resting on an available couch, Denise practiced some of the powers Trepa had explained to her.

  “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” she said.

  “I’ll practice catching them if they fall,” Layla smiled.

  Two girls walking up the back stairway reached down to hold hands. “That was easy enough,” Denise said before taking a sip of coffee. “You try.”

  A male student started to skip when he got off the escalator. “Very good. I’m beginning to wonder what you might have done to the slapper,” Denise laughed.

  “If this one works I’ll know I wasn’t dreaming last night,” Denise said. When a female student was poised to sit down on a chair Denise moved it just enough to where she would sit on the arm an
d not the seat.

  Layla giggled. “I wonder who’s been doing that to me most of my life?”

  They decided to walk over to the Arts Building. There Denise was looking in on the drawing class she had been a part of when her instructor came walking down the hall.

  “Denise,” he said. “How are you?”

  “Hi. I’m good. Was hoping to run into you. I was wondering if you are teaching here during the regular school year?”

  “Yes. I am going to be sticking around. Someone it seems put in a good word for me.”

  “Great news. I really enjoyed your classes, while they lasted.”

  “I hope everything is ok.”

  “I have a feeling it is going to work out just fine, thanks.”

  “Well, I have to get back inside.”

  “Sure. Take care.”

  “You do the same Denise.”

  Layla drove since she knew the area so well. She decided to take the ‘back door’ into the area they flew over the day before, just in case there were unseen surveillance cameras around the area. She suspected there were, which is why she brought along a few cameras so she and Denise could easily be mistaken for tourists or students out snapping images for a class.

  They drove around the Spillway where in the early spring you could see fish leaping out of the water as it poured over the side. It was a real attraction to students. “Where do you think these roads lead that have these movable barricades across them?” Denise asked.

  “Can’t say. Much of this area is still off limits to the public for a variety of reasons. All the stuff they did here during the War. It is, theoretically, a wildlife refuge and some of it could be in place to keep hunters and poachers out.”

  “Really? They’d risk coming here to hunt?”

  “More like poach. There are a lot of endangered species that wind up in this region every year. I’d imagine some sick fuck would pay a lot to have their own baby Bald Eagle.”

  “Indeed.” Denise cringed. Layla was right. This was all about greed, she just knew it. She was overwhelmed with the thought that it may just be the start of this odyssey, that those holding Myla and Aren were holding out for the highest bidder. If in the process they could acquire a few more visitors or better yet, their advanced technology, then so much the better.