Страница 3 из 48
"That will have to suffice. Let's go."
They left with the same caution they'd used upon their arrival, their eyes sca
He stood silent and u
Chapter 2
"Where's Lieutenant Wager?" Co
Above their heads, hundreds of tiny vid screens flashed various scenes like movies, glimpses into the open minds of thousands of "Mediums"-Dreamers brought here without sleep. They hovered in the Twilight, more awake than not, but lacking full comprehension.
The humans called the process of forcibly inducing subconscious thought "hypnosis." Whatever name one gave to it, the Mediums' destination was this cavern. Here the Elders had watched over them and prevented the Nightmares from hitchhiking on their stream of subconscious to reach the mortal plane. It was the only known way to travel to the world of the Dreamers and it was the route Aidan had taken when he'd left the Twilight to protect the Key.
"In the back, sir," replied the Elite warrior standing guard at the mouth of the pool, the only physical entrance or exit.
With a nod of acknowledgment, Co
Frankly, Co
Co
The space was actually pretty damn small, having been designed for the comfortable occupation of only three Elders-in-training. The main cavern was cramped by a half-moon console and the massive screen of rapidly flickering images. Depending on one's angle, a Guardian could see right through the display into the room beyond, a massive space filled with slipstreams-wide beams of moving light that represented streams of subconscious thought.
Snorting, Co
"Wager!" he roared, as he passed through one of the arched doorways and found the lieutenant engrossed at a console.
The younger man jumped, then glared. "You scared the crap out of me!"
"Sorry."
"No, you're not."
Co
Shaking his head, Wager pushed to his feet and stretched his tall, wiry frame. "It's good to see you smiling." He crossed his arms and stood with widespread legs. He was a handsome lad, with an appeal the female Guardians described as "bad boy."
Women. They loved trouble.
"There's not a whole hell of a lot to smile about. Some freak of nature attacked me today, my best friend has run off with the Key, and I need to get laid."
Wager threw his head back and laughed. "I bet the ladies are missing you, too. I've heard poems are written about your stamina and on Girls' Night Out they compare notes."
"No way."
"Yes, way. Morgan calls you the golden god with the golden rod.'"
Co
Black brows rose. "Morgan?"
A mental image of the dark-eyed slender Player Guardian entered Co
"First Cross takes off, now you're in exile… I bet there's more than a few broken hearts."
"You're a popular guy yourself."
"I have my charms," the lieutenant drawled.
"Sometimes when I'm waiting for Cross to co
Wager's merriment faded into the intensity that made him a damn good warrior. "How is Captain Cross's stream? Is it coming in clearer yet?"
"No." Co
For most Dreamers, their subconscious co
"Actually, I think that's a manifestation of the problem, not the cause." At Co
When Aidan entered the dream state, he came to them in a blue stream. While the other slipstreams where clear enough to look through-almost like looking through a thin waterfall-Aidan came across snowy, like a television station with bad reception.
"Okay." Co
"Sure does."
"Corporal Trent said you had some news for me?"
"Yes." Wager rolled his shoulders back as if to relieve strain.
Co
"Using information gleaned from the data chips I loaded in the Temple, I found a reference to 'HB-9.'"
"That thing in the Temple was branded with 'HB-12.'"
"I saw that." The lieutenant's lips pursed grimly. "Unfortunately, the file containing the information on the HB Project was incomplete, because the download was aborted too soon."
"Shit." Co
"It means that thing was part of a greater program, but I can't tell how extensive it was."
"Fuck." Co
"That's putting it mildly."