Archives of Humanity: The Complete Trilogy by Justin DePaoli

Author:Justin DePaoli [DePaoli, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-01T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

A rocking jarred Leon awake. And judging from Orissa's gasp, her as well. They both fidgeted in their restraints.

"Ah, Mister Imus. We have landed. Did you get enough beauty sleep?"

Leon closed his eyes. He unbuckled his vest from around his chest, stomach, and shoulders. "I feel like murdering you for asking me that. So what's that tell you?"

Ivan was grinning. Leon knew it.

"It tells me you are still recovering from your short stay with the Machines," said Ivan. "And perhaps also from the magical medicine you are no longer taking?"

Leon opened his eyes, tilting his head to the side. "Really?" he mouthed.

Ivan walked to the cargo bay doors. "Worry not, Mister Imus. Orissa has already managed to relieve me of our secret. I do apologize." He cleared his throat. "Giovanni, I would like to exit this cramped ship at some point, if you'll indulge me."

The doors lifted open with the scraping sound of metal. Sunlight poured into the Valedall, blinding Leon. He shielded his eyes with a forearm and sucked in a breath of dry air and sweltering heat.

Ivan was halfway out of the ship when he turned back. "Good luck on your visit to China; it's not as if the whole of humanity depends on your success." He flashed one last gummy smile and leaped off onto a sandy island. The doors slammed shut behind him.

"Giovanni," said Leon, "take the long way to Hongcun. I need more rest."

Orissa grunted in agreement.

The drone didn't answer, but he had always been one of the quieter ones. Leon leaned his head back against an uncomfortable shelf and tried to sleep. His quiet mind, however, had begun chattering and chittering, and he opened one of his eyes to peek at Orissa.

She was staring at him, although whether she was actually cognizant was up for debate. Her lids were heavy and drooping, and the soft pliability of her face suggested she might be in that gray purgatory between sleep and consciousness.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" she asked, yawning.

So much for rest.

Leon scrubbed his eyes clean of crust. "You mean of the ‘magical medicine’?"

"Coracosclyn.”

"Yeah, that sounds like it."

"It is," said Orissa. "I remember because I took it too." She lifted her leg, showing him a bootless and sockless foot that looked in disrepair. Blisters dotted her sole and arch. Some were covered over with fresh white skin, but most had been sliced open and looked wet, if not oozing.

Leon scrunched up his nose. "From the hike?"

Orissa nodded. "From the hike. It's already looking better, though."

"At least—hold on. We're still not in the air, are we? Giovanni! Let's go!"

The drone made no reply, and the ship remained idle.

"Maybe he went with Ivan," Orissa said.

"Well, he'd better hurry back. I'm not real comfortable sitting in an enemy ship on an exposed island. Anyhow, what was I saying?"

"You said, ‘at least’—and then you interrupted yourself. We were talking about Coracosclyn."

Leon snapped his fingers in an ah-ha type of moment. "Right. At least you took it for legitimate reasons.

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