Cold Tomorrow

[17]

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

                   

"Keon," I whisper to Caden beside me. His mouth hangs partly open in shock at the news. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"He's the guy I told you about awhile back. He taught taught me how to control my Asterokinesis. I never knew who he was."

"Well it seems like everyone else does."

"Yeah," he says, and his expression turns sour. He looks out at the rest of the people seated around us, the muscles in his jaw clenching. "They seem to know a lot of things that we don't."

A thought comes to me, unbidden: they like to keep secrets. And as I stare out at the ashen faces, each holding a memory we were never privy to, I know it's true.

"Alright," comes Ethel's voice from the centre of the room, and I turn my attention towards her. Scott has returned to his seat and she appears eager to keep up morale. "I can understand that having a person like Keon as our enemy can be a little discouraging, but rest assured that we can still do this. I have already spoken with various counsels across New South Wales who will help us with this new development. And if the Endgame the Anarkks speak of is actually the Prophecy, we will have much more help than just Australian counsels. The Avexyr Commanders in each country will ensure we have all the resources and people we require. One man is no match against the entire Avexyr population."

"But he has the–" Ethel raises a hand, silencing the person before they can finish. It's a man with thin-framed glasses, wearing a frown like it's a favourite shirt – that is to say, constantly.

"The Prophecy says we can do this, and we will. Our first plan of attack has to be to intercept the Replicator and destroy it before it can reach the 700 Anarkk recruits awaiting mass-produced powers. If it reaches them, the force against us will grow by an insurmountable amount. We're not just talking about a couple mind-control abilities tossed out to a few kids – I can guarantee the first abilities they replicate will be the most powerful ones. That's the almighty powers – elemental manipulations, omni abilities, absolute abilities. And there's no limit to how many they can hand out. If they have it, they'll use it."

"Where would they get these abilities? Most of them are contained to Avexyr bloodlines. What Avexyr would willingly hand up their powers?" Another person asks this time, obscured from my sight by the people in front of me.

"No one would. Anarkks don't wait around for permission – they take it straight out. For example, a member of our counsel had two of their powers stolen just last month. We're lucky they didn't get all of them."

Immediately, the crowd swells in shock. "Who?" they ask.

Ethel, thankfully, evades the question. "We are wasting time. The Replicator leaves at o-eight-hundred Saturday morning and we need to be ready for it. Scott and I have already outlined the plan, what I ask of you now is to help us. If you are willing to be there for the intercept, and above the age of eighteen"– she shoots a stern look at Caden, Sarah and I –"then stay back after this meeting. We'll be going through the Anarkk schematics and our plan in detail. The more people that come, the better."

Everyone starts shuffling, sensing that the meeting is coming to an end. But Ethel puts up a hand and continues. "We have one last thing to discuss today before counsel adjourns. One of our members has had a vision. Of a death."

There is no outburst or shock. The seated council listens silently – uneasily, sure, but almost dulled to the reality of what Ethel's saying. I suppose there's only so much bad news you can take before it all becomes meaningless. She continues: "While we do not know whose death they have predicated, nor when it will happen or by whose hand, I suggest each of you take particular caution in the upcoming trials. Death may be something that happens, but right now, it does not need to happen to us." She pauses, eyes sweeping across the council like searchlights, like she's trying to find some glimmer of hope in the dull people before her. She releases a breath. "That is all. Meeting adjourned."