Summoned Again?

“You did that to us and you still expected us to help you?” I asked her, just to keep the ruse that what she thought happened was actually true. I shook my head and turned back to the console. “You better hope they can explain what they did and then undo what happened. I don't want my molecules scattered all over God's creation when you try to send us back.”

The woman's look of horror remained, which told me all I needed to know. A quick search gave me the same result. They assumed we were spirits and that dissolving the flesh and blood bodies we 'wore' would return us to where they had taken us from. She didn't respond to my statement and I didn't think she would.

I sincerely doubted that any of them thought about the consequences of their actions. “It seems you have a security force that's trying to block my computer access.” I said and I was glad that I could understand the local language. Their computers were both advanced and easily bypassed, as if they were completely unused to someone attacking them and they had no defences.

That gave me the perfect avenue of attack, because that was probably exactly what was wrong with them. Another search netted me the truth. They weren't exactly pacifists; but, they were nowhere near inclined to start a fight and settled all conflicts with arbitration and settlements. It was a novel idea and would work, as long as no other elements were ever introduced to cause an upset in that balance.

There was a knock on the door to the transport room and I checked the security footage. I easily saw the large group of scientists and programmers and for the first time ever, used my identify ability through a camera. It worked. There were two security personnel mixed in with hidden weapons and their level was only slightly more than the scientists. It was almost laughable.

I stood and looked at the people in the control room. “Don't touch anything or I will kill you all to have peace.”

That made all of their mouths drop open and the fear almost rolled off of them. My threat was believed, so I left the control room and went to the main door. I entered the new security code in the panel and the large door opened.

The people started to pile into the room and I quickly stepped into the middle of them and reached for both planted spies. The idiots stood beside each other and didn't realize I had found them until just before they were unconscious on the floor with a sleep spell.

Surprisingly, none of the scientists and programmers freaked out as I dragged the two unconscious people to the side of the room and took out rope to tie them up. I searched them and stored their access keys and their electronic devices, as well as one of their weapons. The second one I openly tucked into my waistband as I stood up.

“He's going to kill us all.” One of the scientists said, resignedly.

“Only if you can't figure out how to send the four of us back home and restore the people you've killed.” I responded.

“Then, yes. We're all dead.” He said with a sigh.

“You have all this advanced technology and you're already giving up without fixing your mistake? Really?” I asked and took out the gun. “Do you think I need this to kill you?”

They all watched as I pretended to crush it between my hands and stored it as I took out some scrap metal from making pendants. I rubbed my hands together and let the crumpled scraps drop to the floor.

“You will listen to me and you will listen well.” I said. “We are going into the control room and you are going to explain to me what everything does. Then you are going to figure out why your energy beam forced excessive energy through it to explode on the other end.”

“It shouldn't have done that.” One of the women in the group said.

“I figured that, considering the fear on the people in the control booth when I told them.” I said and waved them towards the control room. “After you. It's sitting room only.”

“Hey, what about us?” The other man from my summoned group asked.

I turned to look at him and he had smartly chosen to comfort the two women while I tried to fix the problem. “You're doing a great job. Keep doing that and I'll try to figure out how to fix things. If I can't... well... you heard what I planned.”

The man looked conflicted until one of the women in his arms spoke.

“If they can't bring my Harold back, they all need to die.” She said, her eyes full of tears and her face like stone. “I'm just glad we stopped at the apartment before going to the restaurant for our anniversary.”

The other woman sobbed. “B-b-birthday party.” She said, her voice cracking. “All my friends... just... gone.”

I looked at the man and he sighed.

“I was lucky. I was alone in my car on the highway.”

That made me wince, because if his car blew up as spectacularly as the helicopter did, then there would be a lot of incidental casualties.

I walked over to them and knelt on one knee in front of them. “I'm sorry that happened to you. I really am.” I said and let them see the sincerity on my face. “I'll do my best to fix things, even if they fail to reverse the effects that kidnapping us had. You have my word.”

“Wh-why? Why would you promise that?” The first woman asked.

I took a moment to check their names and occupations, because I hadn't thought of doing that before. Like all newbies, their stats were pathetic. “Well, Carol. I'm used to putting my life on the line for others. It's usually a much more desperate situation than this one, however.”

“Are you a firefighter?” Clark asked.

“No, my generic class is Hero.” I said and he sucked in a sharp breath. “You have experience?”

“Pro-gamer on the side.” Clark said. “Were you assigned...”

“Yeah, I didn't have any choice the first time.” I said and his eyes widened. “Do you want to know yours?”

“I have a class?” Clark asked, surprised.

“The three of you do.” I said and both women looked just as surprised. “You are a techno-sorcerer mechanic.”

“Oh, fuck.” Clark whispered and swayed slightly. “They can't. They wouldn't.”

“I'm afraid they have.” I said and looked at Carol. “You are a techno-ranger pilot.”

“I don't know what that means.” Carol said.

“It means you've been infected with nanotechnology that's rewriting parts of your brain to give you the skills to fit into the chosen role you have to play.” Clark said.

“You skipped the horrifying part.” I said and tapped the side of my head.

“I didn't want to scare them more than they already are.” Clark said.

I huffed and nodded as I looked at the other woman. “Connie, you are a techno-fighter weapons specialist.”

She let out a sob and shook her head. “I don't know how to fight.”

“You will.” Clark said. “If it's anything like the games I've played, as you level up, you will unlock more skills and knowledge automatically and it will integrate with your mind and body as if you have always known how to do it.”

“That's exactly how it goes.” I said and didn't tell them that my class wasn't going to change, except maybe adding techno at the beginning of it. I also wouldn't become a techno-devourer until I reached level 99 and unlocked it. How I would do that in a society that hadn't had any major conflicts in their history, was a bit beyond me at the moment.

“It looks like they're getting antsy.” Clark said.

“It's part of my plan.” I said and stood.

“Did you have to kill that man?” Connie asked.

“Yes. It's establishing precedence. If we let the deaths of our loved ones go, they would never take us seriously.” I said and walked over to the door.

“Hey, wait! What's your name?” Carol asked. “We have a Clark, Connie, and I'm Carol. You have to be a Chuck or Charlie.”

I smiled and shook my head. “My name's Damon. Damon Smith.”

Clark made a choking sound and Connie gasped.

“You're kidding.” Carol whispered.

I took out the wolf pendant around my neck and showed her. She let out a curse and I smiled at her before I entered the control room to start my lessons on the transport technology. I didn't tell them I cast Remote View on them to keep an eye on them and could hear what they were saying.

“We're fucked.” Carol whispered.

“Wh-what?” Connie asked and clung to her. “What do you mean?”

“He's Damon Smith. The persecuted trillionaire.” Clark said. “If the government can harass someone that bought his own country and then cleared out the crushing debt of the United States, what do you think they'll do to us when they find out we're associated with him?”

“What if we don't tell anyone?” Connie asked.

Clark gave her a sad smile. “You do remember how we came here, don't you?”

Connie opened her mouth to respond, then closed it.

“As I said, we're fucked.” Carol responded for her and the three of them huddled together.

Not if I can help it. I thought and concentrated on the lessons as I cast several time compression spells. I needed to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could. Taking the knowledge from their minds wouldn't let me gain an understanding of the concepts or grasp the technology. I had to learn what they did before I could try to reverse it.

*

“The experiment was technically a success.” The woman's disembodied voice said in the top room of the building.

“Can you stop with the theatrics? It's just me here.” The only woman in the room said.

A door opened and a very sexy woman entered the room. She wore sheer cloth that wrapped around her like smoke and it glittered in rainbow colors.

“What did I just say?” The other woman asked.

“Fine.” The sexy woman said and hit a button on her belt and the cloth stopped floating and the lights turned off. It was a mix of a hologram and anti-gravity technology that gave her an ethereal look.

“That's better, Grenada.” The other woman said and patted the chaise lounge she sat on. “Now tell me exactly why you pushed the experiment forward after my warnings.”

Grenada sighed and sat down beside her. “You aren't going to believe me, Darsha.”

“Try me.” Darsha prompted.

Grenada gave her a pointed look and then her eyes clouded over and glowed. “I believe that is my fault.” A voice that wasn't Grenada's said from her mouth.

Darsha felt an oppressively strong presence that wasn't there before. “Grenada?”

Grenada's head shook. “I am her personal goddess and we have come to an agreement. She is to act as my vassal in all things on my world.”

“On... your world.” Darsha whispered.

“Yes, this is my world. I am responsible for its welfare and the care of its people.” Grenada's mouth said. “I wouldn't be taking such direct action if it wasn't necessary.”

“The incursions.” Darsha said and felt the presence shiver.

“None of what I've done before has worked. Drastic action had to be taken.” Grenada's mouth said.

“You used the untested dimensional sealing technology to do the opposite of its intention and created yet another breach in the energy barrier around the world and brought even more beings here.” Darsha said harshly, unable to stop the incredulity from coming through in her words.

Instead of getting angry at the accusation, Grenada's occupant sighed and leaned back on the lounge chair. “I was assured that all precautions had been taken. The sudden power surge was not expected.”

Darsha did her best to not glare at the supposed goddess possessing her partner. “The technology was designed to reinforce the energy barrier, not cut through it. Of course it would be more powerful when the polarity is reversed!” She spat and then took several breaths to calm down. “That extra energy had to go somewhere.”

“Grenada is becoming upset. I will recede for now.” Grenada's mouth said and her eyes stopped glowing and unclouded.

“Grenada, what did you do?” Darsha asked.

“I did what I thought was best.” Grenada said as tears formed in her eyes. “I never imagined...”

“That's what extensive tests were supposed to be for.” Darsha said. “How could you take the word of someone that just showed up in your head one day?”

Grenada looked guilty and turned her head to stare out the window over the futuristic city.

“Grenada.” Darsha whispered. “Whoever that was did just show up one day, right?”

“I've been praying to her for seven years.” Grenada admitted.

Darsha let out a long drawn out sigh. “Ever since we took over TechnoWorks.”

“It was her idea.” Grenada said.

“Of course it was.” Darsha said and rubbed her face with her hands. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“This was why. I can see how disappointed you are.” Grenada said.

Darsha sighed again and stopped rubbing her face to look at her partner. “I'm not disappointed that you've been taking financial advice from a disembodied voice in your head, Grenada. I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me about it before you let her convince you to kidnap people from heaven and one of them has already killed two people and threatened to kill everyone else!”

Grenada couldn't stop the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I'm sorry.”

Darsha thought about berating her for another hour for being so stupid, then changed her mind and opened her arms. Grenada let out a sob and dove into her arms and hugged her as she cried.

“We will get through this and figure out what to do.” Darsha said and held her partner tightly.

“Promise?” Grenada asked, her head tucked into her partner's neck.

“I promise.” Darsha said and rubbed her back. She didn't see her partner's slightly cloudy eyes or the brief smile.