ARC OF THE IMMORTALS/ Book 1

Pursuit: 20 / Showdown, Part 2

Recap: Touzdae folds space passes through the hinterland into the Platform as Harry watches. Bendel takes credit for killing Jac.

(one scene of violence and one a threat of violence)

Jac and P-Jac are floating in waters about to boil from the effects of the fire-fish below.

“Thanks for bringing us here,” P-Jac said to Jac. “It’s so peaceful.”

“It wasn’t me,” Jac said.

“It was me,” a male voice said in their heads and from the sky.

That voice is so familiar, Jac thought.

They transported to the birthplace of Jac. His parents’ ship the Sol Rae was on fire and adrift in an electromagnetic soup within a nebula.

“Did you do this?” Jac asked P-Jac.

“No.” Jac wept.

Where’s Jac? Touzdae wondered. No answer.

She created an alcove with a plush chair a reading lamp and a meditation rug. She put down “Aphorisms of Hannah”, her favorite childhood book, and mused. She decided to meditate, and went to her rug on the floor.

Bendel appeared. The rope was gone. His face was different, relaxed, at ease; peaceful. Touzdae, with eyes closed, could feel his presence and his peaceful nature. She created a chair for him to sit opposite her chair.

“You figured it out and changed your state,” she said eyes closed.

“Yes,” he said. There’s something else, she thought.

“Have a seat,” Touzdae said as she rose without looking at him and sat in her cozy, plush chair.

“And, you have something to say,” Touzdae led.

“That’s right,” he exhaled. Bendel was always good at holding his breath, she thought.

Jac and P-Jac were observing Bendel after he had taken the Nez Fish for a spin. The younger man, Jac was at multiversity in the tropical zone of Plenaris Prime. Bendel tried to hide his anger and envy of Jac. Touzdae had told the young, yet uncorrupted, Bendel that she didn’t want to be coupled with him anymore. Jac was so angry and hurt that Bendel would take the Fish without his knowledge, he locked him in the closet of their dorm room.

“So?” Jac put it to P-Jac.

“Bendel acted as a child,” P-Jac said. “But hadn’t he met Luna?”

“Yes, he had but he didn’t want seconds, at least not until later,” Jac said with intent; watching P-Jac.

“How long have you, Bendel, and Harry plotted to kill me?” Jac asked.

P-Jac shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You lie. I can tell.”

P-Jac threw a punch. They fought.

“I can feel the frustration from the past leaking through the sweet boy I once loved,” Touzdae lamented.

“Until you betrayed me.” Bendel was bitter.

“You’re living in the past, sweet young Ben. Release your hatred and let your joy come through.”

“Never while you’re alive,” he raged, his brain working. “Okay, okay…” he swallowed his rage/suppressed it.

“You were more the sweet self I remember when you first walked in on my meditation.”

“Take me to my Jac now!” Bendel’s thought blurted out into the language of frustration.

Nothing happened.

Take me to both Jacs now, Bendel blinked and disappeared.

“I heard that Bendel,” and she blinked.

Bendel stood close by in the Levelz deep in La Maz. Parts of the cliffs, the columns, the temples, and the buildings falling, frozen in space-time. The two Jacs were fighting. It was hand-to-hand combat. Touzdae popped in a second later.

Bendel manifested a laser knife, grabbed Touzdae in a vice-grip, and the laser knife to her throat.

“Stop! Stop you two, or I’ll slice her head off!” Bendel boomed into the frozen timescape. The laser knife buzzed, crackled, and popped.

I’m waiting. I hate waiting, Bendel drilled the thought into the two Jacs’ heads.

The Contents (all chapters up to this point):

One Last Chapter to the End of Part 1

Thank you for joining me in the adventures that span lifetimes and worlds. (If you do NOT wish to be tagged, let me know, and I’ll tag you not):

Barbara Murray | K. Pearson Bradley | René Beauchemin | Dougfrombk | Rebecca Romanelli | Joseph Lieungh | Dr. Preeti Singh | Pene Hodge | Ravyne Hawke | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Kris Bedenian | Alberto García 🚀🚀🚀 | Blaine Coleman | Lee David Tyrrell | DL Nemeril | David Price | Rip Parker | Annelise Lords | Libby Shively McAvoy |