Sonora IV Read online



  Sonora IV

  By: G. F. Hellstern

  Illustrations: Michelle Munger

  Sonora IV

  All characters in this book are fictitious. Any relationship to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herin is prohibited without the express written conent of G. F. Hellstern.

  Cover art by Michelle Munger.

  This Edition First Printing: 2012

  ISBN 9781470180782

  Sonora IV

  Copyright © 2014 by G. F. Hellstern

  gfhellstern.blogspot.com

  * * * * *

  To Tyler and Samuel

  Book 1

  The Trevino Family

  Chapter 1, The Mine

  A rustle of movement whispered down the lonely mine corridor. Josué turned in time to see a flicker of robe and dark-brown hair disappear beneath the rafter’s dirty light. Stepping against the wall, he switched off his headlamp.

  The silent tunnel seemed still as death. A solitary drip echoed against the red walls. How could a girl be this deep in the mine, he wondered. His father didn’t employ any female mine workers and . . . hadn’t she worn a native robe?

  Crouching into a sitting position, he waited to see if she would come back. Not that he’d have the guts to talk to her if she did. He’d never spoken to a native before, let alone a girl. Did they even speak his language?

  He sat further into the crevice, unable to decide if he wanted to be there when she returned or not. What would he say? Hi, my father owns this gold mine. Do you like its design? Or – he could ask about his mother. Maybe she came from the same village or knew someone who came from his mother’s village. He could ask if she knew someone with the name of Thetis.

  He leaned forward to get up, feeling silly for even having thought about his mother. At fifteen, he didn’t need a mother. Besides, she had left a long time ago.

  As he moved, the rock gave way. His stomach lurched. Dirt scraped up his back as he slid down a narrow shaft into darkness.

  Landing in a disoriented heap, he coughed at the dust around him.

  His nurse had told him his lungs were sensitive, something to do with an accident at birth. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand and tried not to let the fear of suffocation take hold. It wasn’t claustrophobia. He loved caves, especially his father’s gold mine. It was just the feeling of not getting enough air into his lungs, of not being able to take a deep enough breath. Placing his hand on his chest he sucked air in and gagged before he blew it out.

  He pushed against his eyelids with gritty palms then turned his helmet lamp back on. Sand covered the cavern floor in a golden circle. Sand fell off his jacket. Sand shook out of his hair. It was everywhere.

  Coughing at it, he blew a gap in the smooth pattern then sat back. Forcing his fingers to calmly remove his canteen cap, he drank deeply then looked around.

  This room wasn’t on any of the maps he’d seen! Goosebumps danced on his arm. He had found something new.

  Brushing off his leg and the arm of his leather coat, he peered along one side of the room. Stagnant water filled a rock basin. He could feel his heartbeat in his fingertips. Gold deposits formed in the presence of water.

  He bit his lip. Could he have found El Umbral? The ancient mine of the natives! Could this be the cavern leading to the fabled gold? Maybe the girl above had been sent to keep him away from it. His steps grew longer as he searched.

  Umbral had been his favorite bedtime story. All he ever wanted was to find that mine. His mother would be sure to hear about him then. And the gold! His father said the gold there would rival any discovered in the Galaxy.

  When he came to a dead end at the far corner, his heart sank. Not even crystal quartz. He slid his finger along the rock, punched the wall then regretted he’d done such a painful action.

  Shuffling back to the shaft he’d fallen down, he set his foot against the stones and shoved himself up and out.

  In the main tunnel, he opened his canteen and drank until the last drop landed on his tongue then popped the top back on. Without water, he’d have to go back to the surface. He kicked a rock down the shaft he’d just fallen into.

  Rubbing at his eye, he was startled to see everything had a funny yellow look to it. Sand tickled his knuckles before dripping down his cheek.

  He rolled his shoulders. An eerie sensation of someone watching tingled in his neck. Pulling out his map, he looked to make sure he hadn’t crossed the property line.

  The glint of a blaster muzzle caught his attention in the dim mine light. Timeos’ evil smile glowered at him.

  Josué dropped the map and raised his hands. “I was just about to check.”

  “Too late, kid.” Timeos only had three years on Josué, but he acted like the Omri Foreman himself.

  Grinning, Josué stepped back. “I’ll go. No need for a stun blast.” He rubbed at his eye again. Everything seemed so yellow in the light. Had the sand done this to him?

  “Don’t worry, half-breed.” Timeos steadied his gun. “I won’t use stun.”

  Josué heel hit the back wall. A cloud of dust puffed out of his jacket, forcing an uncontrollable sneeze that jerked his head forward. Super-heated air blew past his ear.

  He stared at the scorch mark on the wall. Timeos had set the gun to kill!

  Before he had time for another shot, Josué threw his helmet at him and ran down the tunnel toward his viper.

  A second blast slammed into the wall. Rock slivers pelted his neck.

  Air pushed tears to the corners of his eyes as he rounded a bend. His foot caught on a loose stone, pitching him forward. The heat of another bolt passed over him. The slab in front of him shattered.

  To his right, the viper’s sleek-black frame perched on the edge of the exit shaft, ready to launch him up and out. Josué leapfrogged onto the seat and hit the starter. The sound of footsteps told him it would be close.

  Revving the engine and pushing off with shaky legs, Josué toppled into the mile-long exit shaft stretching into darkness below him. Another blast hurled past his ear. The viper nose tilted up. The accelerator caught. Gripping the seat with his knees, Josué shot past Timeos, aiming his jet-wash at him then burst into the Sonoran sunshine.

  Chapter 2, Lessons

  Looking out over the valley, Josué wiped his hand across his eyes. The trembling in his limbs now rocked his sides. Suppressing the urge to cry, he angled his jet bike toward two large sauropods wading in the marsh below him.

  Eddies swirled under his boots as he flew over the marsh. Droplets splashed up and around his bike, glistening in the golden sun. Tilting his head back to stop the tears, he watched humongous jaws holding mounds of crushed greenery high over his head. A drip fell on his shoulder, kissing his cheek with the smell of marshweed and dinosaur.

  He was safe now. Timeos would have to go back to the Omri side before he could get out of the mine.

  Spinning to a stop, he tried to catch his breath. The warmth of the sun against his back and the smell of leather from his jacket steadied him.

  His fingers trembled as he ran them through his hair. Had Timeos lost his mind? The kid didn’t like him, but to try and kill him? Josué’s insides felt like melted butter. He regretted having drunk all of that water in the mine.

  Pounding his fist into his handle bars, he rested his head against his arm and tried once more not to cry. He’d been taught to face danger. Couldn’t he have handled Timeos? He would have to do better at training. Timeos’ bullying would have to stop. He’d show the Omri kid what a half-breed could do.

  Training! The sun sat low
on the horizon. It was later than he’d thought. Master Héctor would be waiting. He turned the viper in the direction of home and kicked it into gear. The last time he’d been late for practice he’d had to sit in the leaning rest for half an hour.

  ***

  Weapons Master Héctor sat in the middle of the room, legs crossed, palms up. “You’re late!” His commanding voice echoed against the wooden weapons racks.

  Tan mats lined the floor. A set of mirrors hung against the back wall. Josué caught sight of a frown on the trainer’s face. “Yes, Master.” He bowed, fist in his hand then drew his breath in as he stumbled over the dojo mat.

  “No excuses?” Master Héctor raised an eyebrow.

  “No excuses, Master.” Josué pushed the thoughts of Timeos out of his mind. He’d figure out why the boy had tried to kill him later. It was best not to bring it up now. Beside, he’d only feel ashamed he hadn’t remembered a single lesson, or even thought of disarming Timeos till now. He grimaced at his sacrificed helmet. He’d have to get a new one before anyone noticed.

  “Enough time wasted then.” Héctor pulled a longpole from the rack and threw it to Josué.

  The boy snatched it from the air, thankful to have avoided a punishment. Here was his chance to turn his mind to something else and to prepare for the next encounter.

  “Show me your stance.” Héctor stood, hands on his hips.

  Josué twirled the pole around his body and crouched, letting it rest along his shoulders. Eyes glued on Héctor, his chest rose and fell. If only he had had this weapon in the mine.

  “Not bad.” His master walked to the weapons wall and grabbed a rod of his own then leapt into the air.

  Josué raised his defense. The vibration of Hector’s strike ran down his arm. The force of the blow pushed him back a step.

  A second attack came from the side. Josué blocked it with a swift motion.

  As Héctor’s strikes increased in fury, Josué’s vision began to yellow. Calm spread through him. His shoulders felt freer, his arms loose. The new sight brought clarity. Josué moved with a fluidity he’d never experienced before. He blocked hit after hit, as if he knew what his master was doing before he did it.

  In a burst of confidence he jumped, swung to his left and landed a smashing blow on his master’s stick. Flipping backward, Josué twirled his pole and resumed his stance. His breathing felt controlled and filled him with energy. If Timeos were here now, things would be different!

  “You have improved. You will be ready for the tournament soon.” Héctor shook his head as he walked over to the cooler.

  Josué eyed a crack running down the middle of his master’s pole and raised an eyebrow. Watching his teacher swallow an entire cup of water and wipe his face with a towel, he almost believed he had impressed the man.

  “We’ll see how well you do next time.” Héctor left the room, still shaking his head.

  Josué smiled and watched his master cross under the covered corridor between the gym and manor.

  The square shoulders of his father filled the doorframe. “What did you do to him?” His father aimed a wry smile in Héctor’s direction.

  Seeing his father reminded Josué of the mine and Timeos. He set his shoulders. Maybe Timeos would sign up for the tournament. They could settle things there.

  “Get dressed. Enrique has something to show us. I know you’ll be interested.”

  “Has he finished the new blaster?”

  “You’ll see,” though his father’s grin was a clear ‘yes.’

  After changing his clothes and running down the hall. Josué met his father at the front of the house. The two of them stepped through the manor doorway and into the warm evening air. The night sun perched on the rim to their right, getting ready to make its abbreviated orbit across the western half of the red sky.

  The groan of a raptor broke the stillness of the horizon.

  Eying the shadowy wall around the compound perimeter, Josué stepped closer to his dad.

  They crossed the bridge to the lab, palm trees reflecting the green and blue water lights. The manor buildings hunched against the stars like black sauropods. The rounded lab lay over a low hill, fluorescent-white lights showed through four high-set windows.

  Nothing looked yellow anymore. Josué smiled.

  From the open door his father held, he could see Enrique waiting for them in the anteroom with Chico and Raul. A thin black tube dangled from a clip on the man’s collar, extending down his arm.

  “Sires, it is my pleasure to have you here tonight. I assure you, you will be impressed with our progress.” Enrique led them through two white doors and into a large room. A small table stood in the center, a slab of rock at the far end. On the table lay what looked like the barrel of a blaster, its firing mechanism replaced with an oblong, golden box.

  Porfirio walked over to it, a glint of hunger in his eyes. “This is it?”

  “Yes, Sire.” Enrique’s expression matched Josué’s father’s. His fingers fumbled to get the clip off his shirt. “Chico, connect the voice cable for His Excellency.”

  Chico and Raul jumped to assist Porfirio, connecting the tube to the blaster frame. With so many hands reaching, Josué was sure something would break. Miraculously, nothing did.

  When they were done, his father stood like he’d been dressed in a glass suit. Porfirio turned to Enrique, holding the weapon with both hands.

  “There, – aim it.” The three white-coated individuals stepped back in unison. Josué had to scramble out of their way to keep from being stepped on.

  His father shifted his stance and raised the weapon. “Now?”

  “Give a command into the microphone.”

  Josué held his breath and glanced at Enrique. Hope and fragile confidence were written on the engineer’s face.

  Porfirio looked at the blaster barrel, pointed it at the rock and said, “Go.”

  The word caught in the device, echoing with a thousand whispers before washing around the room and exploding into the top corner of the rock. It shattered. Everyone smiled.

  “Make a note, Raul.” Enrique leaned over his assistant’s shoulder. “Too much feedback. Adjust the gain.”

  Porfirio crossed the room and bent to pick up pieces of the rock. “Did you see, Josué? Feel it.”

  Josué bent down next to his father. The broken rock felt warm to his touch.

  “Ingenious, Enrique. You’ve outdone yourself.” Porfirio smiled. “Can Josué have a try?”

  Looking at the chief engineer, Josué held his breath. He’d only been allowed to fire a blaster once in his life.

  Enrique nodded.

  Unable to believe his opportunity, Josué hurried across the room. His foot caught against a tile. Desperately catching himself, he fell against the table. His heart stopped as the weapon slid over the edge. Grabbing at the voice cable, he barely managed to halt the gun inches from the floor.

  Josué searched the Chief Engineer’s face. Had he blown his only chance to fire this weapon? Thankfully, Enrique simply rescued the dangling gun, placed it back on the table with a frown then helped Josué connect the cable to his shirt.

  With everyone in their places, Josué adjusted the mike to his collar. Puzzling over the amber glow outlining the gun’s far site, he shrugged his shoulders and shouted, “Kiah!”

  The noise amplified louder this time. The weapon kicked in his hand as the entire rock crumbled into dust. The wall behind it buckled. Windows shattered. Glass rained onto the floor.

  A chill went down Josué’s spine. “Whoa!”

  “Excellent!” Porfirio clapped Enrique on the shoulder. “How many can you build? And how soon?”

  ***

  Josué swallowed down a bite of dinner later that night and turned to his father, clearing his throat. “I um, got turned around in the mine this afternoon . . . Timeos took a shot – or two – at me. I got out, but the way the rocks exploded, his blaster wasn’t on stun.” Josué looked down,
feeling like a tattle-tale.

  Porfirio furrowed his brow and hunched over his meal. “Timeos knows who you are. Were you over the property line?”

  Josué tried to remember if he had been on Omri property. His viper had been close enough. “No.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t have been over the property line.”

  “I’ll speak with Ormand about it. Keep away from the mine for a while. Leonard’s agents have reported . . . .” His father caught himself and put on a tired smile. “Let’s just say there is activity in the Omri household. No need to give Timeos another opportunity.” He winked and took a sip of wine.

  Josué took a sip of his own drink and looked at his plate, wondering what kind of activity his father meant.

  “Tomorrow, I’ll take you with me and show you the new property. There’s a native village on it. Your mother was native, though some thought her to be more than that.”

  Josué wrinkled his brow.

  His father smiled. “Some said she had the blood of the divine in her.”

  “Divine?”

  “She had her ways, and didn’t care for mine. Maybe it was best she left.”

  Josué watched his father swallow and felt sure he meant the opposite.

  ***

  Several hours later he rested his forehead against his bedroom window. In the glow of the night sun, the pathway through the manor compound looked like a river of lava pouring out from the manor grounds. Beyond the compound walls, the jungle canopy lay like a wrinkled cloth spread over the rolling hills.

  He breathed a thin circle of fog onto the half-open pane and wiped at the spot. As his hand passed in front of his eyes he thought he saw a shadow dart from the compound wall and duck behind a palm tree. In the darkness of the courtyard he couldn’t be sure if it was a bulky shape hiding behind the tree’s trunk or a lump from a missing limb.