Chapter 9: Whirlpool

Tiandu. highestlaws. The Empire's supreme headquarters.

Administrative offices covering tens of thousands of square meters, vast facilities extending deep into the floating island, HL's finest members selected from across the globe, its strongest combat personnel and military resources. A world forever beyond a civilian's reach.

November 2100, fifty-five hours after Gunsmith's disappearance.

In a spacious conference room, Joseph Nolan sat alone at a long table, tapping away at a laptop keyboard. He was waiting for someone, but rather than sit idle, he was writing reports.

Someone opened the conference room's automatic door with a key card and walked in. He was a heavyset man who looked under thirty. Though he wore an HL uniform, he had the air of a hoodlum.

The moment he entered, he said, “So that's why my eyelid's been twitching since I got up. If it isn't the great Time Attendant. Well? What brings the deputy director of EAS to our door?”

Time Attendant recognized his voice. With no intention of putting his work aside, he kept his eyes on the screen and replied, “They sent you to meet me?”

The man's displeasure showed plainly on his face. “What? You think a colonel isn't high-ranking enough for you?”

Time Attendant ignored the question and said calmly, “Is Tea Immortal away from headquarters?”

“His Highness the Seventh Prince is in Australia on official business. Besides, given his status, do you think someone of your lowborn origins can see him whenever he pleases?”

Time Attendant continued typing, his tone still calm. “Then, Colonel Kleiss, please fetch a general officer to speak with me.”

Kleiss stepped forward, seized Time Attendant by the collar and hauled him out of his chair. “You bastard, who do you think you're talking to? Don't think you're so powerful. Believe me, I could kill you right now!”

Time Attendant answered promptly, firmly and clearly. “I don't.”

“All right, young master Kleiss, put him down. Since you two don't get along, just see less of each other. Let me talk to him.” A man in his forties or fifties entered the conference room. He had graying hair, a burly build and an imposing bearing. The cut of his uniform made it clear that he outranked Kleiss.

“Tch…” Kleiss let go, straightened his own clothes and gave Time Attendant a vicious glare before leaving in a sulk.

“Hello, General Ju.” Time Attendant sat back down, though he did not resume writing his reports.

Ju Sheng held the rank of lieutenant general, yet treated Time Attendant with considerable courtesy. The two seemed to be on quite friendly terms. “That young master seems to have had it in for you for some time. You should be careful. Marquis Kleiss has considerable influence at court. You're still young, with a long career ahead of you.”

“I have no time to improve my relationship with a waste of space like that. His father is old and has overindulged in drink and women. By my estimate, he hasn't much ‘time’ left. As for Colonel Kleiss himself, given the right opportunity, killing him would be worth considering. That would settle it once and for all.”

“Hey! Hey! Don't say that in front of me. I didn't hear a thing,” Ju Sheng said hastily. He had long heard that EAS would dare to assassinate anyone, but he certainly did not want to get involved.

Time Attendant changed the subject. “He just said Tea Immortal was in Australia?”

Ju Sheng replied, “He's gone to catch someone called Divine Key. Have you heard of him?”

“No, and I'm not interested,” said Time Attendant.

“Heh… You really do know how to kill a conversation with a single sentence.” Ju Sheng chuckled. “Are you here about that weapons consultant?”

“Charles Rohl, twenty-seven, former arms dealer, an excellent scientist and marksman, a Normal-rank ability user, known as Gunsmith. Recruited by the Empire a year ago and pardoned for all his past crimes.” Time Attendant paused for a second. Now he was getting to the point. “It's been more than forty-eight hours since we received word of his disappearance. I'd like to know how HL's search and investigation are progressing.”

Ju Sheng did not answer his question immediately. Instead, he said, “Is this man that important? Important enough for you, the deputy director, to come here in person?”

Time Attendant replied, “His value as a weapons consultant means nothing to me. I believe that's for you to weigh. But EAS, myself included, strongly recommends that the Empire find him, dead or alive.”

Ju Sheng said, “You mean… his ability is particularly valuable? But he's only a Normal-rank ability user.”

“I know I'm overstepping my authority somewhat. Even if you've already begun a search, you wouldn't tell me how it's progressing.” This time it was Time Attendant's turn to evade a question. “So I'm really only here to offer a suggestion… You'd better find him.” He closed the laptop on the table, tucked it under his arm and headed out.

“The search-and-rescue team left ten hours ago.” Ju Sheng's voice came from behind Time Attendant, bringing him to a halt. “The higher-ups decided that the search for Gunsmith couldn't be left to the local offices. Headquarters had to send its own people. Getting from Tiandu to South America and investigating when, where and why his plane crashed all takes time.”

Time Attendant replied, “Thank you.” Then immediately added, “Goodbye.”

“Hey! Give your director my regards.”

“My leave is coming up. I don't want to see the old man for the next couple of months, in case he takes it into his head to beat me half to death.” Having openly disparaged his superior, Time Attendant repeated, “Goodbye.”

…

Meanwhile, in the South American jungle thousands of kilometers away.

Gunsmith's ominous premonition soon came true. When the raft carrying him and John reached midriver, the current suddenly quickened, rendering their crude wooden paddles useless.

They soon gave up struggling and let the raft race downstream. Watching the sun gradually sink below the horizon behind them, John said helplessly, “I hate this feeling of being at the mercy of fate.”

Gunsmith said, “Clearly, some unknown force doesn't want us leaving this rainforest.”

“It can even control the river?” John asked.

Gunsmith replied, “Who knows… Maybe the rain wasn't a coincidence either.”

John looked up at the sky. “Do you believe gods exist?”

Gunsmith gave a wry smile. “If you do, would you mind telling whichever god you believe in that he's gone far enough?” A wry smile was all he could manage now. He could already see the river widening ahead, and farther on, in water that wasn't even very deep, there was actually a whirlpool.

John saw it too, of course. He grabbed his paddle again. “Quick, Charles, we've got to get this raft moving, even if it's only a few meters closer to shore.”

Gunsmith remained unmoved. “I don't see what good that'll do in a current this fast. The whirlpool's centripetal force will still pull us in.”

John shouted, “Then should we jump? At this distance, we should still have time.”

Gunsmith replied, “I don't see any difference. In rapids this fast, swimming will get us the same result as paddling.” He abruptly changed the subject. “Don't you think it's a little too convenient for a whirlpool to appear right here, right now, directly in the path of our out-of-control raft?”

John snorted. “I've been having rotten luck all week anyway.”

As the raft drew closer and closer to the spiraling water, Gunsmith stood up instead of bracing himself. He raised the bone gun, aimed at the center of the whirlpool beneath the surface and pulled the trigger. God knew what was going through his head.

Shortly after the gunshot, an explosion went off underwater. The tremendous force overturned the raft. A wave spread outward, and the whirlpool actually grew even larger.

Across the broad expanse of water, Gunsmith and John were nowhere to be seen.

.