Ancient Hunter
Chapter 22

My butt hit the hard surface of a floor with a thump. I blinked slowly to clear my eyes I was still holding Jennifer’s hand. Her other was clutching Juliana’s who was looking bewildered. A quick glance around told me exactly where we were. I was sitting on the floor of my apartment on Saros. Jennifer released her grip on me.

“Gather what you need for travelling. Basics only.” She turned to Juliana. “You’ll be safe here.” And promptly vanished only to appear seconds later. “You have an hour,” she said to me and disappeared a second time.

Julianna was stared at her hand a scared look on her face. I got up off the floor and stepped close to her taking her hands in mine.

“You’re going to be ok here,” I said taking a more pragmatic stance guessing Jennifer was leaving Juliana here on purpose.

Juliana shook herself and looked around my apartment was a stark contrast to the house. “Where am I and what was that all about?”

I heard the fear in her voice and did what could to reassure her. “You in my apartment on Saros.” I grimaced guessing was one thing but then as to what Jennifer was actually after was totally different. “As to the other I really have no idea,” I said as honestly as I could. I gestured to my couch. “Relax.”

I began hauling things out of my closet and stuffing them in my pack. Since I was going into an unknown situation I grabbed my gun and few spare clips. Satisfied I had enough stuff I turned my attention back to Juliana.

“Want some coffee?” I asked her.

“Coffee?” Juliana replied still staring at her hand. “Oh yes that would be lovely.”

I decided to find out more of Juliana’s situation from Moon Shadow although this wasn’t the time to do that. The Keepers had created Juliana and I was hoping for more information.

“Moon Shadow,” I called out with my mind.

“Mother!” Moon Shadow sounded relieved to hear me. “I was scared when the First One took off with you like that.”

“I’m ok now I was checking to see if you were ok?” It wasn’t what I wanted to say but it all I could say for now. “I’ll call you again, when I’m able to.”

“See you do mother we all worry about you.” With that she cut off communications with me.

While I made coffee I considered my options. First and foremost I needed to find out what Jennifer was doing. I looked across to Juliana seated on my couch she was licking her lips anxiously.

“You will be ok here,” I told her.

Juliana looked up at me. “Sorry,” she breathed I barely heard her. “I’m still in shock. I’ve been torn from the life I knew and taken somewhere new. When the others stopped visiting I’d assumed I done something to offend them. I carried on regardless thinking they’d come around. That was months ago. Then I just stopped worrying there was always so much to do.”

“And now?”

“I’m afraid,” Juliana admitted.

“Don’t I have friends that will help.” With that I commed Ljufu. She answered immediately. “Ljufu I need to speak to you urgently. I’m at my apartment please come over as soon as possible. I don’t have a lot of time.”

“I’ll be there,” Ljufu answered.

The door chimed almost the same time as I closed down my comms. I opened the door to reveal Ljufu standing there. I looked at her shocked. I hadn’t expected her to be at my door that quickly.

“That was quick,” was all I could say.

“Well I was in your neighbourhood.” Ljufu smiled and brushed past me through the door. “Hello Gwen…” Ljufu paused and did a double take looking from me to Juliana on the couch and back again. It would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the situation.

“It’s long and complicated story,” I said to her.

“Well it better be worth it?” Ljufu said to me.

“This is Juliana,” I said then took a deep breath. What I was going to say would sound like the ravings of a madwoman. “And she’s the body the Keepers created to house my mind while my body travelled to Alfheimir in a Cell Stitcher.”

“I was?” Juliana interrupted fear strong in her voice.

I felt sorry for her she was the victim in all this. “I’m sorry I don’t know why they did that.” Mouse had explained but I couldn’t make much sense out of it.

“But they did,” Ljufu stated.

“True,” I glanced at Ljufu then at Juliana. “Which is what I’ll ask then when I find them.” I hadn’t known about Juliana at all. I felt guilty about not thinking about it earlier. Unfortunately as soon as I had got to Alfheimir I’d ended up in the Prophet’s machinations. I tried to explain the best I could.

Ljufu watched me with narrowed eyes. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking.

“I’ve heard some likely stories from those we’ve arrested but this, this blows those away.”

My heart sank I was counting on Ljufu.

“Because unfortunately it is true,” a voice said.

I turned to see Jennifer standing there.

Ljufu snapped to attention her hand going to her brow in a Confed salute. “Madam Deputy!”

Jennifer looked at me she wasn’t happy. “So you decided to involve others?” It was a dig at me.

“I trust Ljufu. Juliana doesn’t need to be on her own.” I decided to push my point. “If you did then why bring her here?” I felt defiant. “Juliana spent months on her own without a single soul to speak to. Even prisoners are treated better. Is that so Ljufu?”

Ljufu nodded.

Jennifer gave me a long suffering look. “Very well you have another hour then we must go.” With that she vanished.

“What in the name of the Mother just happened?” Ljufu sounded genuinely shocked.

“Jennifer Valden is a First One.”

“First One?” Ljufu said.

“The T’Arni call them the Ancients, The Keepers call them the First Ones and they are probably right.” I couldn’t remember if the Valkyrie had anything similar. All I knew was the one they called the Mother of All. I suppose she was another of those First Ones it made sense it you looked at in context with the other races.

Ljufu was silent for a moment her eyes searching mine. “What’s this to do with your friend over there.”

“Her name is Juliana and it’s everything or nothing. All I want you to do is look after her for me. I have to go with Jennifer. If you can’t I can find someone else?” I had the ideal candidate in mind.

“I can do that for you.”

“You don’t mind if I comm Kelli for extra backup?” I wasn’t sure if she was on duty or sleeping. She had given me her comms the other day when she had visited with Jervic. A lot had happened in the meantime.

“Sure,” Ljufu replied.

“Kelli,” I called her over the comms.

She answered instantly. “Gwen, what… no where are you?”

“I’m in my apartment.”

“That’s good I’m closer than you think.”

The door chimed the instant I’d closed off my comms. It seemed I was having a day of it. I opened the door to see Kelli standing there a tote bag hanging off her shoulder. She was casually dressed her blouse and pants well tailored as usual. I could see she had been using the Valorous Star’s in ship seamstress. She had been the one to make my Gala dress that had attracted the Black Stripes to me. Had it not they could have succeeded in destroying the hotel.

“Jervic with you?” I asked. I was hoping to avoid the questions he would be asking I still hadn’t told him the whole story yet.

“Downstairs I can call him up I you want me to?”

“It’s complicated,” I said ushering her in.

Kelli saw Ljufu and Juliana. “I see what you mean,” she stated taking her medical gauntlet out of her bag while I introduced Juliana. She waved it over me. “Yep it’s definitely you.” Then waved her gauntlet over Juliana. “And so is this sort of.”

“What does that mean?” I said.

“Juliana is 99% of you?”

“And the other 1%?” I glanced at Juliana worried about her silence at least she wasn’t going crazy over all these revelations.

“I’m unsure about that,” Kelli replied thoughtfully.

“So Juliana is really you?” Ljufu said with a look at Juliana.

“That’s right,” Kelli replied. “I hope the story is good. I hate what I will have to tell Xenai.”

Xenai was the least of my problems. “I can’t ask you not to tell her, I just want you not to tell Jervic. I’m asking you as a friend?”

“It will be hard.” Kelli gave a sigh as she eyed me. “But I will do it?” She waved a hand at Juliana. “And Juliana?”

“She doesn’t know this world and she’ll need company to help her adapt.”

“Don’t I get a say in any of this?” Juliana spoke up.

“Jennifer brought you here for a reason. I don’t want you to think we’ve abandoned you. We will work this through.”

“I’ll speak to Xenai and get her input.”

“And I’ll talk to Ana,” Ljufu said. “We’re Clan.”

“Isn’t this nice?” A voice behind me said sarcastically.

I turned to see Jennifer standing there.

Jennifer continued. “I wondering how many more you are bring in?”

“Enough to show Juliana we care about her. Which is more than I can say about you?” I felt as if I was repeating myself.

Jennifer scowled. “You can’t make that assumption so lightly.” She waved her hand at the others. “One snap of my fingers and you would cease to exist. No one would ever know of your existence.”

I took a gamble on what I knew about these First Ones as little as it was. “Yet you won’t do that.”

Jennifer nodded a sour expression on her face. “I won’t.” She flicked her fingers at my pack. “You better be ready we leave now!”

I only had a moment to grab my pack before I felt her hand on my wrist. There was a sudden flash of light.

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